Garaway school board honors outgoing members, purchases new handicap-accessible bus

Garaway Board of Education member Bob Hannon thanked John Shrock and April Beachy for their years of service on the board during the Nov. 17 board meeting. Hannon referred to Shrock as “my right-hand man” while serving on the board.

Shrock and Beachy did not seek reelection. Hannon also welcomed Angela Tango and Mark Blauch, who are new members of the board of education and will take their seats in January.

In another matter the board approved the purchase of a 2026 International IC 61-passenger/one-wheelchair (can hold up to three wheelchairs) handicap-accessible bus through Hill International Trucks. It was priced through the Stark County Cooperative and META Solutions bidding for $147,834. A smaller handicapped bus was sold to the Colonel Crawford Local School District, allowing for the purchase of a larger bus, so one handicapped bus route can be taken instead of several routes due to the shortage of bus drivers.

The board also did the following:

—Approved the retirement of Traci Betts, Title I teacher at Baltic Elementary, effective at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

—Entered into contracts with the East Central Educational Service Center for school psychological/supervision services ($428 per day for five days) and school ASL interpreter services at $39 per hour.

—Accepted donations for $5,000 each through 2025-26 Ohio STEM Learning Network Stem Classroom Grants for P. Elmore and Jennifer Morosko and five wireless intercom headsets for the drama department valued at $582.

—Adopted 12 revised board policy updates.

—Passed a resolution to participate in the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council cooperative bid for one 71-passenger conventional bus. This does not obligate the district to purchase a bus.

—Established bus allocation for board-paid educational, athletic and other school-related trips at $55,000 per year.

—Renewed the renewal of district membership in the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce at $350 per year.

—Approved a transportation service agreement between the board of education and Horizons Inc. for the transportation of a resident student to Cedar Ridge Behavioral Health Solutions in Cambridge.

—Approved volunteers Anthony Frey, wrestling; Tristan Miller and Michael Yoder, Garaway seventh grade through 12th grade; and Stacy Hamsher and Twila Yoder, Miller Avenue Elementary, for the 2025-26 school year.

—Recognized the following October Student of the Month recipients: Rylin Miller, student; Miles Yoder, middle school; Ruthie Morehart, fine arts; Krista Miller, employee; and Grady Miller and Colson Keller, athletes.

The next meeting will be Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. in the high school library, 146 Dover Road NW, Sugarcreek. The organizational and regular meeting will be held Jan. 5 at a time to be announced.