Sandy Valley school board approves new contracts

Three-year contracts for four administrators were approved by the Sandy Valley Local Board of Education at its May meeting.

Approved were contracts commencing Aug. 1, 2027, for Geoff Wagner, curriculum director and federal programs, at a current salary of $111,514; Jason Herold, special education director and elementary assistant principal, at a current salary of $95,548; and Kyle Chaney, assistant principal for grades six through 12, at a current salary of $99,188.

A three-year administrative contract also was approved for Michael McCahan as technology director, effective July 1. His current salary is $91,738.

In other business, the board approved a new two-year negotiated agreement with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees providing for a 25-cent raise in the first year and a 10-cent raise in the second year.

The board also approved a new two-year negotiated agreement with the Sandy Valley Education Association providing for a 2% raise on the base salary in the first year and a 1% increase in the second year.

Approved for one-year teaching contracts were Brooke Smith, Joseph Welker, Emily Crum, Megan Smith, Jared Eichelberger, Kathleen Brady, Rylee Wallace and Heather Arnold. Nicole McGervey was approved as counselor and Landyn Huffman as intervention support tutor.

The board approved the purchase of planning periods for Kelly Gamber and Cortney Russell, both certified staff members, at a rate of $1,000 per quarter for the 2026-27 school year, totaling $4,000 to be spread across 24 pays.

Extended time was approved for Christopher Carnes, Lori Trachsel, Steffani McCoy, Ryan White, Tina Kindelberger, Alexa Goffus, Laura Dotson, Mikayla Dearing, Anthony Pentello and Nate Provance.

Approved as summer school teachers were Nate Provance, Kerry Reisen, Gregg Wiggs, Tojh Nicholson, Taylor Skelton, Jennifer Beatty and Ryan White.

The board also approved supplemental positions for Alyssa Sickafoose, softball varsity assistant; Alyssa Sines, softball varsity assistant; Amanda Gonzalez Lidderdale, half high school yearbook adviser; Steffani McCoy, high school National Honor Society adviser and high school All In Leadership Academy; and Ashley Debelius, middle school All In Leadership Academy.

A two-year classified contract was approved for Lori Robertson, paraprofessional.

The board accepted the resignation of Alivia Stamp as high school principal effective at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

Open enrollment was approved for Liam Fetty, Ethan Hughes and Kailyn Hurst to attend Sandy Valley schools.

The board also approved the 2026-27 school handbooks, held an executive session to discuss employment with no action taken, heard Superintendent Matt Whitted report on end-of-year activities and Ohio State Test scores, and set the next meeting for June 29 at 6 p.m.