Barnesville Board Approves February Forecast
Board President Ed Eberhart called the Barnesville Board of Education regular meeting on February 19 to order at 4:28 pm. Board member Janice Milliken was absent.
The meeting began with the public hearing of the 2026-2027 school calendar. Superintendent Micah Fuchs stated that copies were available and that the calendar will be posted on the school’s website. The unions have already voted and accepted the calendar. The public has a month to review and express its concerns before the Board votes on it.
Debbie West from the southeast district of the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) presented all three buildings with a Purple Star School recognition certificate. West also shared the date of an OSBA conference in Coshocton on March 24 where legislative updates will be discussed.
Elementary Principal Zack Powell shared that the meeting schedule will be confirmed with Ohio STEAM Learning next week. The site visit is tentatively scheduled for March 3.
Director of Support Services John Blattler advised the Board that he had a meeting with Mayor Jake Hershberger and others to discuss grants to address transportation and traffic issues. Areas of concern are the streets around the elementary school and the traffic on East Main Street and Shamrock Drive. Blattler stated that there were many suggested solutions to address the issues.
Athletic Director Brad Hannahs announced that the Boys Bowling team won the Districts for the first time in school history today. The bowling team will go to the state competition on February 27. The Varsity Swim team is competing at Districts on February 20 at Ohio University.
The Board went into executive session for nine minutes to discuss employment issues. The meeting adjourned at 5:03 pm.
Donations Accepted
The accepted donations totaled $3500 in the following areas:
- Athletics — Barnesville Boosters
- Elementary — Mark West
Treasurer Recommendations
The Board authorized the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council to advertise and receive bids on the Board’s behalf for the cooperative purchase of two school buses. Treasurer Adam Quirk explained that the resolution allows the school district to participate in the bidding process, but does not require the district to purchase the buses.
The Board adopted a cybersecurity program to maintain compliance with H.B. 96. Treasurer Quirk stated that this resolution is the first step and that the ESC is developing the policy.
The Board approved the February forecast as presented. Historically, this forecast was due in May, but the state moved the due date to February. Treasurer Quirk shared that “much of the assumptions and actual data that was used, honestly, in August, was the same data that we had to go off of now.” The forecast is for slight deficit spending by the end of the year. “But much of that can change just with our first half taxes whenever those are realized,” said Treasurer Quirk. As in the past, every school district will have the ability to submit an amended forecast.
Personnel
The following volunteers were approved for the 2025-2026 school year:
- Volunteer Junior High Baseball — Casey Mayo and Jason Carpenter
- Volunteer Junior High Softball — Nathan Smith
- Volunteer Junior High Track — Jacob Anderson
- Volunteer Assistant Baseball — Bryce Allen, Cade Hannahs, and Brady Treherne
- Volunteer Assistant Softball — Leslie Daugherty and Thomas J. Morrison
- Volunteer Assistant Track — Alexis Grear
Ayden Detling and Dalton Turner were issued one-year supplemental contracts for the 2025-2026 school year for Co-Assistant Track Coach.
Amanda Sobutka was approved as a volunteer Assistant Cheer Coach for the 2026-2027 school year.
The following one-year supplemental contracts for the 2026-2027 school year were issued:
- Head Football — Blake Allen
- Co-Assistant Football — Ayden Detling and Cade Hannahs
- Assistant Football — Dylan Rogers
- Football Defensive Coordinator — Bryce Allen
- Co-Football Offensive Coordinator — Logan Havas and Zackery Meade
- Head Cross Country Coach — Mark Brown
- Assistant Cross Country Coach — Melissa Dodd
- Head Golf Coach — Jerry Robinson
- Head Volleyball Coach — Kimberly Jarrett
- Assistant Volleyball Coach — Karie Hunkler
- Head Cheerleading Coach — Abby McClelland
A long-term substitute teacher contract, effective retroactively to February 10, 2026, was issued to Terra Shriver. Shriver also received a limited one-year probationary contract to be an elementary preschool teacher for the 2026-2027 school year.
Cruz T Gonzalez Hernandez was approved to be a substitute cook for the 2025-2026 school year.
Athletics
The Board adopted a resolution to authorize the 2026-2027 membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
Board Policies
The Board accepted the updates and additions to the following Board Policies:
- 1.03 Formulation, Amendment, Dissemination, and Update of Policies
- 1.15 Board of Education Meetings
- 6.01 Academic Acceleration, Early Entrance to Kindergarten and Early High School Graduation
- 6.08 Student Absences and Excuses
- 6.58 Artificial Intelligence
- 7.38 NIL/Personal Branding Rights (New)
- 8.19 Cash Balance Reserve Policy
- 9.10 Complaints of Sexual Harassment
- 9.21 Loss of Driving Privileges (to be rescinded)
- 9.26 Prohibition and Reporting of Sexual Abuse (to be rescinded)
Superintendent Micah Fuchs explained that the changes were due to changes coming from the state level.
Superintendent Recommendations
The Board approved the Early Childhood Education Sliding Fee Tuition Scale for the 2026-2027 school year.
The Board approved the Graduating Class of 2026 Senior overnight field trip to Sandusky, Ohio, from May 7 to May 9, 2026.
The Board approved the overnight field trips for qualifying middle and high school team members to the National Museum of Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, for the VEX Robotics State Competitions. The middle school team will compete from March 4-5. The high school team will compete from March 6-7.
The Board approved Memorandums of Understanding for College Credit Plus during the 2026-2027 school year between Barnesville Exempted Village School District and the following colleges: Stark State College and Belmont College.
Superintendent Fuchs recommended that the Board complete the annual review of the Parent Participation in Title I Programs, Board policy 7.31. Superintendent Fuchs advised the Board to review the policy and address any concerns to Mr. Clint Abbott or Title I Coordinator Melissa Dodd.
Upcoming Meeting
The next regular Barnesville School Board meeting will be Thursday, March 19, at 5:30 pm in the Middle School Cafetorium.
Disclaimer: Author Lisa Gallagher for Barnesville Area News is an employee of the Barnesville Exempted Village School District.
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