West Holmes board takes action on policy, personnel and finances

The West Holmes Local Schools Board of Education met June 15 at West Holmes High School.

The board thanked Shoemaker Custom Apparel for donating shirts for West Holmes Elementary’s Reading Under the Lights event and Cody Austin of Austin Wealth Solutions for donating copies of his book, “Your Financial Freedom: Find Freedom and Thrive,” to all graduating seniors.

Treasurer Jamie Mullet presented financial reports through May 31 including month-end reconciliation and investments, fund expenditures and unencumbered balances, and the monthly financial summary. The board approved the financial summary, any necessary year-end advances to balance funds for fiscal year 2026, final appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal year 2027. The board also approved participation in the 2027 group rating program with CompManagement for workers’ compensation.

As part of the superintendent’s report, the board heard committee reports, an FFA update, a transportation update and a K-5 building update. The board reviewed policies related to credit cards, student absences and excuses, truancy, administering medicines to students, and use of epinephrine delivery systems.

The board also conducted an initial review of the 2026-27 West Holmes High School Student Handbook, 2026-27 Parent-Student Handbook and Code of Conduct for Athletics, 2026-27 Middle School Student Handbook, 2026-27 West Holmes Elementary Student Handbook, and 2026-27 West Holmes Student Transportation Handbook.

In new business the board approved board policy EDEC, Artificial Intelligence.

The board approved payment in lieu of transportation in the amount of $1,100 for one student who attended Wooster Christian School for the 2025-26 school year. The board also approved $1,100 payments in lieu of transportation for five students who attended Wooster Christian School for the 2025-26 school year and one student who attended Kidron Central Christian School for the 2025-26 school year.

The board approved the West Holmes High School volleyball team’s overnight camp at Ohio State University July 24-26. The board also approved a request for early graduation for Ryan Bush, who met all district and state graduation requirements.

The board approved one-year contracts for the 2026-27 school year for several supplemental positions including Steve Butcher for high school concert band, jazz band, marching band and pep band; Blake Depinet as assistant band director and middle school pep band and concert band director; Jason Snyder as volunteer marching band director; Michele Chaney as majorette adviser; Kristen O’Brien as musical director and choral music director; Butcher and O’Brien as high school theater managers; Jeremy Westbrook and Melissa Rodhe as senior class advisers; Justin Shearer and Lindsay Rettig as junior class advisers; Andrea Cox as sophomore class adviser; Jeremy Burnison as yearbook adviser; Shannon Dye as honors awards coordinator; Mindi Campbell and Tes Kinsey as student council advisers; Joseph Gilmore for Knights of the Round Table; Kathryn Tyson for National Honor Society; and Melissa Amstutz for ED/MD self-contained class.

The board also approved Carla Burgett and Brittanie Chaney for Knights Council, Sara Sponseller-Uhl as middle school yearbook adviser, Rachel Snyder for Academic Challenge, Jeremy Dombrady for Robotics Club, John Krabill for ED/MD self-contained class at the middle school, and Miranda Miller, Angela Snyder and Kaylee Thompson for ED/MD self-contained classes at the elementary level.

Extended days for the 2025-26 school year were approved for Alison Rogers, Kelsey Runkle, Jaime Chenevey, Shelby Evans-Miller, Maria Morris, Brian Blake and Katelyn Schwartz. The board approved Amy Rohr for the middle school Art Club after-school program and kindergarten screening pay at $30 per hour for no more than 6.5 hours per day worked for Julie Dial, Megan Stover, Michelle Rawson, Catrina Crider, Natalie Eichelberger, Kelly Weiss, Lacie Troyer, Lynda Park, Stacey Pennell and Keely Wolfe.

Supplemental fall sports positions were approved for football, volleyball, boys soccer, girls soccer, golf, girls tennis, cross country, cheerleading, faculty managers and robotics.

Football positions included Keaton Leppla as high school head coach; Jason Haley and Timothy McAvene as high school assistants; Cooper Haley, Tom Eastep, Brandon Mackey and Bridger Cline as half-stipend high school assistants; Peyton McKinney as freshman head coach, if there is a team; Jack Doran Perrine and Ryan Jacobs as half-stipend freshman assistants, if there is a team; Divaunta Spearman, Tucker Kaufman, Brant Burgett and Clayton Chaffin as volunteer coaches; Tony Roberts as middle school head coach; Tim Stryker, Geoff Wagers and Mason Wolfe as middle school assistants; and Nolan Mackey as middle school volunteer.

Volleyball positions included Ashley Hershberger as high school head coach, Megan Roberts as middle school head coach and Lindsey Taylor as middle school assistant coach.

Boys soccer positions included Joshua Wengerd as high school head coach, Grant Fox as high school assistant, Steve Obrst as volunteer coach and Brett Blake as middle school head coach. Girls soccer positions included Bruce Murphy as high school head coach, Brooke Wolfe as high school assistant and Amber Bower as middle school head coach.

The board approved Thaddeaus Weaver as high school boys golf head coach, Julie Snyder as high school girls golf head coach, Theodore Thorpe as girls tennis varsity head coach and Jessica Vaughn as high school assistant girls tennis coach.

Cross country positions included Kevin Beachy as high school and middle school head coach, Scot Mellor as high school and middle school assistant, and Nick Gerber, Serenity McClintock and Michael Ewing as volunteer coaches.

Cheerleading positions included Raven Wilcox as high school head coach, Beth Lemon as high school assistant coach, Jamie Aufrance as middle school head coach and Kelsey Grassbaugh as middle school assistant coach.

The board approved Ben Ogi and Gretchen Acker as high school faculty managers and Julie Snyder and Zaylie Shultz as half-stipend middle school faculty managers. David Woods was approved for high school robotics.

The board approved the hiring of Clayton Chaffin and Jacob Goudy as teachers, effective Aug. 1, and Kylie Leppla as a social worker, effective Aug. 1.

The board approved transfers for Brooke Wolfe from Lakeville Elementary to West Holmes High School, Jessica Fowler from Killbuck Elementary to West Holmes Middle School, Kimberly Murphy from West Holmes Middle School to West Holmes High School and Hannah Barnes from Millersburg Elementary to West Holmes Middle School, all effective Aug. 1.

The board accepted resignations from Tina Hall, cook, effective May 31; Matthew Torgler, teacher, effective May 31; Clay Miller, teacher, effective May 31; and Sean Starr, custodian, effective June 5.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. July 20 at West Holmes High School.