Garaway Schools earn four-star state rating, top marks in Tuscarawas County

Superintendent Dr. James Millet updated the Garaway Board of Education about the state report card during the Oct. 20 meeting.

“We received four stars overall," Millet said. "That exceeds state standards. The district received five stars with a 98.5% graduation rate. We need to improve the college and career readiness, and for academic achievement, the district was the highest in Tuscarawas County."

Millet said in 2005 the district was rated No. 405 in Ohio schools. In 2010, it improved to No. 173, in 2015 to No. 163, and the district was recently rated No. 53 out of 611 school districts for performance. The district is rated in the top 91st percentile in the state.

The board also did the following:

—Approved the visitor management security system from Navigate360 for Baltic, Dundee, Miller Avenue and Ragersville elementary schools.

—Accepted $1,800 from ACS-Hach high school chemistry classroom grant; an estimated $4,500 from community members for material and labor to improve the Dundee Little League baseball dugout; a $300 anonymous donation to Miller Avenue elementary principal’s fund; $195 from the Matt Jarvis Foundation to assist three students with sixth-grade camp fees; and $169.89 from Baltic Conservation Club for transportation for the ag science field trip.

—Held the first reading of 13 board policy updates.

—Approved classified substitute Taryn Harding for the 2025-26 school year.

—Approved the disposal of bus #12 through the Sale/GovDeals auction trade-in.

—Approved an athletic site manager, as assigned by Tom Haas, high school principal, at $25 per game, not to exceed 22 games.

—Approved the high school wrestling trips to the Brecksville tournament Dec. 29-30, 2025; the Perrysburg tournament, Jan. 9-10, 2026; and the state tournament March 13-15, 2026.

—Approved Lisa Sommers, speech, for a special education stipend of $1,002.

—Approved athletic coaching stipends for 2025-26 to Cole Ferguson, boys basketball varsity assistant; Trevor Donaldson, boys basketball junior varsity; Nick Leeders, boys basketball freshman; Donald Sundheimer, eighth grade boys basketball; Andrew Stahl, seventh grade boys basketball; John Regula, eighth grade girls basketball; Brandalyn Regula, seventh grade girls basketball; Lucas Grover, assistant wrestling; Justin Westfall and Tristan Gerber, junior varsity wrestling (split stipend); and Ryan Tetreault, middle school wrestling.

—Approved the use of http://splashlearn,com/ to be used by Scott Winters for differentiated instruction in English language arts and math.

—Approved athletic volunteers Glen Huffman, basketball; David Penny, Todd Kurt Zahner and Mitchell Siegenthaler, all wrestling; and Larry Bower, bowling.

—Passed a resolution to rescind prior board action and adopt special education model policies and procedures.

—Approved the following volunteers for the 2025-26 school year: Leah Beachy, Kristen Ison, Nathan Ison, Erica Miller, Emmerson Wallick, all Garaway 7-12; Lindsay Corley, Susan Bontrager, Jessica Stein, all Miller Avenue; and Debra Yoder, Baltic Elementary.

—Recognized September students of the month: Tanner Rowe, high school; Rosalie Williamson, middle school; Melissa Miller, fine arts; Mandy Mullet, employee; and Charlee Yoder, athlete.

The next board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 in the high school library, 146 Dover Road NW, Sugarcreek.