Anna Drake‑Kotz

This presentation provides an overview of the state of Sylvania Schools, highlighting strong public trust and high-quality education. It details the district's financial position, including revenue and expenditure trends, and proposes a 7.9 Mill Property Tax Levy to ensure ongoing financial stability. The document emphasizes the district's commitment to fiscal stewardship, efficient use of taxpayer funds, and its ability to deliver comprehensive educational and extracurricular opportunities below the state average in per-pupil funding. It also outlines the significant service reductions that would be necessary if the proposed levy does not pass.

The meeting began with acknowledgments and commendations for students at Southview High School and North View High School for achieving high scores on the ACT and PSAT/SAT exams. The board then approved several consent agenda items, including the Treasurer's report for March, availability of funds for then and now invoices exceeding $3,000, and minutes from previous meetings held in March. Approval was also sought and granted for accepting donated face masks from McCord Road Christian Church and Quilts of Compassion. A resolution regarding distance learning procedures, necessitated by the extension of school closure per the governor's directive, was passed along with the associated remote learning plan. Further consent items involved approving parental contracts for payment in lieu of transportation to parochial schools, as well as approvals for long-term substitutes, summer hours intervention contracts, and personnel changes including retirements and substitute resignations. A separate resolution was approved concerning teacher evaluations, detailing how adjustments would be made for the current year in collaboration with the teachers union Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Board members also discussed committee updates, including ongoing work with SCAT by and remote meetings with Sylvania Rec. A planning discussion regarding the 100th anniversary of the Board of Education in May was initiated.

The discussion focused primarily on technical aspects related to setting up and managing an online meeting or broadcast. Topics included navigation within a system (possibly a board portal or streaming service), pausing and resuming the feed, managing application tabs, copying an invitation link, and troubleshooting on-screen display issues, such as erasing text.

The meeting included the Superintendent's report, highlighting attendance at an elementary cross country competition and a musical production at North View High School, as well as updates on the first quarter progress. A presentation was made by Maria Gagnan, Executive Director of Sylvania Community Services, requesting endorsement for a new 0.5 mill senior levy to replace the expiring 0.42 mill levy, noting the growing need for services and financial stewardship. The board also recognized several award recipients for 2025, including Administrator of the Year (Jim Hus), Support Staff of the Year (Joyce Fuller), Paraprofessional of the Year (Daniela Osmic), Teacher of the Year (Jerry Bassik and Shelley Irwin), and the overall Educator of the Year (Christina Danker). The board voted to endorse the senior levy request and approved the presentation of the educator awards.

The organizational meeting began with a roll call and the pledge of allegiance, followed by the swearing-in of new board members. Key agenda items included the election of the President and Vice President for 2026. The board also addressed committee appointments, confirming representatives for various groups such as the ACE team, Northwest Ohio School Board Legislative Committee, OSBA annual business meeting, Public Records designate, Sylvania Area Community Services, and several others, rotating assignments among members. The board approved the monthly meeting schedule, renewed the OSBA membership, appointed the treasurer, approved the submission of a resolution for advances of collected taxes, approved the service fund appropriation, authorized the ability to accept employee resignations, and appointed the list of firms for board counsel.