March 2026 Regular Board of Education Meeting

No one addressed the Board.

No discussion - moved to vote. 

Treasurer Bazley reported as follows:

Nothing too crazy as far as our monthly financials go. Interest continues to pay well, rates have not dropped too incredibly much just yet. The expectation was for the Fed to execute a rate cut at their June meeting in a couple of months, but that is not the case anymore with the commencement of Operation Epic Fury and its affects on the economy right now. Our 034 balance has increased as we executed the required transfer from the general fund at the end of February. For the most part of revenues and expenses are tracking on schedule within the major categories, we should start to see where our real estate estimates end up as we should start to see those come through, earlier this month we received Huron County’s settlement, and today we received Crawford, Seneca, and Marion.

As mentioned above, we executed the 034 transfer from the general fund, and that is one of the journal entries we have for your approval. After the Board Meeting and approval I will file with the Auditor of State certifying that transfer was completed. The other main journal entries we have are an adjustment from the general fund to the Perkins fund, a correction for something that was charged to the ECE grant, and a correction of an entry from the 022 (Old Pell Grant fund) to the 535 new Pell grant/direct loan fund. Before we close this month, we will execute the $13,000,000 transfer from the General Fund to the 070 Capital Projects fund as we included in the February Board Approved Financial Forecast.

We are now 8 months through the fiscal year and our general fund is tracking with estimates. The difference in revenue from now and a year ago is a split between our real estate receipts being up as well as our state funding being higher than a year ago.

As mentioned shortly ago, the Fed was expected to execute a rate cut of some sort at their June meeting, but I’m sure everyone in this room has noticed a bit of an increase when paying at the pump, which coincided with Operation Epic Fury. Oil prices spiked approximately 75% from the first of the year and correspondingly gas prices jumped about 25% Depending on the duration of the higher fuel prices, inflation will most likely tick higher in the coming months resulting in a new expectation of a rate cut being pushed out to September.

I received an email from our Crawford County Auditor in regards to Rover, she sent us our tax settlement sheet which didn’t look out of the ordinary, but she noted that Rover did pay additional funds related to the 2019 tax year in accordance with the finality of that appeal. She also stated they paid the 2025 tax bill, but that wasn’t received until after the processing of the first half settlement so that will be reflected on our second half settlement. I asked for and received more detail related to that payment, she stated Rover paid final remaining tax due of about $363k plus $103,500 in interest less DETAC fees resulting in a net of $420k. So the PUPP settlement looked normal, but a large reason for that was due to these additional funds.

We have some financial related policy for your review. Nothing groundbreaking, for the most part just putting things into policy/writing that we have been doing. As always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out.

Next month we will approve the staff contracts and where they fall in the sequence which will in turn kick off some busy times for Mindy, Carolyn, and myself as we will begin verifying degree level, experience level, and salary amounts before we send those contracts/salary notices out for signature before our staff leave through the summer!

Molly Belcik was present as EAP Representative.

No public input. 

No correspondence.

Mr. Kevin Vargyas introduced Aiden Rannigan from Wynford and Tyler Dowell from Crestline, two culinary arts students. They shared a little about themselves with the Board and explained how to make a Bananas Foster desert that they prepared for sophomore visitation and gave each Board Member a Bananas Foster desert. 

Director Frye reported as follows: 

Pioneer recently concluded our first big push of enrollment, and received 720 applications at the priority deadline of February 28th, which represents 53% of the total sophomores at our home schools. Of the 720 applications, they placed 705 students successfully and 17 programs are at capacity at this point. 98% of students who applied were placed in their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice. 

Of the fifteen students not placed were two homeschooled students with no transcripts to evaluate their application for placement and thirteen students who are on a Waitlist for all three program choices. Twenty five additional applications have come in since Priority Deadline and we will begin working through those in the coming weeks.

National Technical Honor Society inducted eight new students and recognized eight two year members at our recently held induction ceremony. All credit goes to Emma Jenkins and Cassie White as the advisors of that program and their work in putting on the induction ceremony. Mr. Howe is the supervisor of the NTHS.

Pioneer will host a job fair for all students this Friday, March 20th in the arena. We will welcome 75 businesses here on Friday. Our English teachers have been working with students on resumes and interviews as well as Amy Law being in labs and preparing students for the job fair. 

This is the time of year where we have a lot of our students out competing in student contests and state competitions. 

No Legislative Liaison report.

Superintendent Nickoli reported as follows:

REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY

I am asking you to approve revisions to Board of Education Policies 3440 and 4440. They are connected to job-related expenses when staff members are on professional leave or working on behalf of the District while in the course of their professional responsibilities.

RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR DONATION

As is the practice of the Board, I am recommending a Resolution of Appreciation for a sizeable donation to Pioneer. ArceloMittal of Shelby generously donated $10,000 to be used to support Pioneer’s Community Service Day. We are very grateful for their generosity.

RESOLUTION TO REJECT ALL BIDS FOR CAFETERIA EXPANSION PROJECT

At our recent bid opening for the proposed cafeteria expansion project, it is my recommendation that you reject all bids. It is my intention to re-bid this project in the fall of 2026.

FACILITIES PLAN

At your place is a beginning draft of a long-term facilities plan. This plan seeks to provide you with a comprehensive plan that includes the maintenance of our current facilities while also allowing us to continue to providing state-of-the-art Career-Technical Education to the students of our region. It also includes the three sources of funding available for capital and infrastructure maintenance and improvements as well as a 15-year plan for continued maintenance and renovation of existing educational spaces. You will also see that it reflects the planned expansion of our cafeteria to accommodate our increasing enrollment.

CALENDAR ITEMS

03/18/26 - OSBA Central Region Spring Conference

03/20/26 - Job Fair

03/25/26 - All-Board Dinner

03/27/26 - Senior Citizens Luncheon

04/11/26 - Prom

04/15/26 - Business Advisory Council/Superintendents’ Meeting

04/15/26 - Advanced Manufacturing Center Ribbon Cutting

04/22/26 - Awards Night

04/23/26 - Community Service Day

04/29/26 - Crawford County BEST Awards

05/08/26 - Senior Celebration

05/29/26 - Last Day for Juniors

06/01/26 - Teacher Work Day

PERSONNEL

I am pleased to recommend that a three (3) year contracts be extended to the Jason Fortman as our Food Service Manager. He continues to do an exemplary job of providing nutritious meals for our students and is a part of, what I believe to be, the highest performing Administrative Team in Ohio.

I am also recommending, for employment, Greg Gallaway and Brittany Tharp as Intervention Specialists. Mr. Gallaway comes to us from Shelby Middle School where he also serves as the Varsity Head Basketball Coach. His professionalism and genuine care for the success of all students set him apart from other candidates for this position. Mrs. Tharp will assume our STEP Program Instructor role. She comes to us from the Madison Local Schools and brings an array of ideas and creativity as well as a passion for students with special needs that will significantly enhance the opportunities for students in that classroom. I believe both of these instructors will make an already strong department even better.

It is with great regret that I am also recommending that you accept the retirement-resignation of Marianne Ritchie. Mrs. Ritchie previously spent 22 years as Pioneer’s Web Page Design Instructor before transitioning to an Elective Instructor position. She has been highly successful in both roles but it should be noted that her work as an Elective Instructor has led to dozens of students earning a variety of credentials over the past four years.

All other personnel are common for this time of year.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

I am recommending that the Board enter into Executive Session to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee or official.

No discussion - moved to vote. 

No discussion - moved to vote.

No discussion - moved to vote. 

No discussion - moved to vote.

The Board entered into Executive Session at 6:59 pm and reconvened Regular Session at 7:16 pm. 

No discussion - moved to vote.

No discussion - moved to vote.