Fairless school board honors 4-H students, reviews report card and district business

The Fairless Board of Education, during its Sept. 16 meeting, recognized Fairless students who participate in 4-H clubs and requested excused absences from school to take part in the Stark County Fair.

“They told the board exactly what they do at the fair. They spoke about the fair projects and what they learned during fair week,” Superintendent Mike Hearn said. “We have about 30 students in 4-H and 14 attended the board meeting.”

Hearn said students spoke about the animals they raised, explained the different projects they entered and shared details of the overall experience.

Julie Weyandt, curriculum director, gave an update on the state report card. Fairless Local School District received 3.5 stars overall and met the state standards.

In other business, the board:

— Accepted the resignation of Philip Glasgow, high school counselor, effective Dec. 31, 2025.

— Approved a matching fund grant agreement between ArtsinStark and the district for the SmArts Partnership Grant for $2,500.

— Approved 2026 fiscal year permanent appropriations for $30,307,000.

— Approved eight emergency medical technicians on an as-needed basis to cover athletic events at a rate of $20 per hour.

— Entered into a service contract with the Stark County Educational Service Center for excess costs for affiliate fee schedules for the 2025-26 school year.

— Renewed an agreement with Stark County ESC to provide an assistant Stark County prosecutor to the district for legal support focused on reducing chronic truancy at a cost of $5,100.

— Approved a five-year forecast to submit to the Ohio Department of Education before Oct. 15.

— Heard a request for approval for the high school band and choir to take a trip to Virginia Beach, Virginia, April 29-May 3, 2026. The group will visit the USS Wisconsin and other sites in Virginia, and the choir will perform at the Spirit of Norfolk. The board is expected to vote on the trip at the Oct. 21 meeting.

— Approved two permanent certified substitutes, Curtis Tinlin and Annabelle Ehmer, at a rate of $110 per day.

— Approved Patricia Burwell as a classified substitute cook, effective Aug. 29, and Caleb Webber to a one-year probationary classified contract as an eight-hour custodian, effective Sept. 15.

— Issued Anna Rankl a one-year temporary certified substitute teacher and substitute paraprofessional contract, as needed, effective Sept. 15.

— Gave one-year supplemental certified contracts to Phillip Smith and Jennifer Holland-Natoli as fall drama assistants.

— Issued one-year supplemental contracts to non-teachers or non-district employees Laura Knight and Dawn Seminatore as fall drama assistants; Glenn Schering as freshman girls basketball coach; Charles Kegley as eighth-grade wrestling coach; William Moriarty II as a volunteer boys basketball coach; and Wayne Goss as a volunteer wrestling coach.

The next meeting will be held at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Fairless High School, 800 Seventh St. SE in Brewster.