July 2026 Regular Board of Education Meeting

No discussion - moved to vote. 

Treasurer Bazley reported as follows:

Interest ended the fiscal year higher than what was forecasted, due to the ever-changing popular consensus on what the Fed Reserve would do from rate cuts to staying steady and now the potential talk of a rate hike (as of now at least one hike to tamp down inflation according to markets). Everyone is dealing with a 24% increase in cost of living since 2021. We’ll continue to keep an eye on those talks as we forecast and continue to update as we go along. The Park National Portfolio and Meeder Investment interest will fluctuate month to month based on when those yields on those investments are paid. Star Ohio will be more reactive to the market and what the Fed does with rates.

Last year if you recall we did some transfers from the GF due to an issue with the state, this year we were able to avoid that by putting a PCR in place prior to closing. The PreK grant (439) shows a positive balance, which is due to what we discussed prior. That amount will be paid back to the state once I get the request from them to do so. We transferred $189,941.39 from the general fund to the Adult Ed 012 account to zero out their negative fund balance and remaining Purchase Orders. ($102,734.71 last year)

In looking at the General Fund compared to last year, revenue wise nothing crazy unexpected. The biggest difference being the real estate settlements/PUPP and state funding with another year of the phase in being completed. The biggest difference between the general fund expenditures in comparison to last year is mostly the transfer that we did to 070 capital projects for capital planning purposes. Salaries/benefits were higher with the second year of our CBA and insurance increases. Supplies were higher with inflationary costs as well as the new labs and ordering more from the general fund than permanent improvement. As always, please review the year end financial report and let me know If you have any questions or want to discuss something specific further, my office is always open for those conversations!

We’ve of course closed the fiscal year and opened Fiscal Year 2027 at this point. Our focus will shift to the Financial Forecast to present to you next month for Board Approval and filing with the state prior to August 31st. We will use that forecast to put our final appropriations in place for the general fund, and will have those to you for approval in September along with all of the other funds. On that note, we will have our Records Commission meeting (Doug, Greg, Myself) at 5:30 pm and then the Finance Committee at 5:40 pm (Doug, Bill H, Greg, Myself) prior to the August Board Meeting.

We’ll shift our focus in the fiscal office to compiling the information for the GAAP report. Our contract with Julian & Grube for auditing was complete as of last year’s audit. The State did not give us the opportunity to renew it for longer, so we will have state auditors this year. Hopefully just this audit and then we’ll be able to go back out to private auditors again. You should have received an email from Skylar Mills (our Audit Manager) regarding a Fraud Risk Assessment Questionnaire (FRAQ), it was sent to your Pioneer email. This is part of the audit process and is a legitimate request. It is essentially asking if you’re aware or concerned about any fraud, questionable financial transactions, or conflicts of interest.

The state legislature is now on summer break, and will reconvene later this fall for lame duck, before another break where their main focus will be campaigning prior to the elections.

Later in Personnel we are asking you to go ahead and approve those that have submitted for and submitted required info for move across on the salary schedule. As well as the conference period for Sandy Grau as her contract/pays start earlier than the others.

Mr. Nickoli recognized Krystal Winters as a guest and shared she would present to the Board shortly regarding the Marketing department.

No public input.

No correspondence.

Krystal Winters discussed with the Board the Marketing strategy and where Pioneer spends time and energy advertising and with what vendors they advertise with. She discussed how they focused in the areas that they could reach all of our member schools as well as expanding outside of that when possible and it makes sense. She discussed the safeguards in place and how often a post is looked at before it is shared anywhere.

No legislative liaison report. 

Superintendent Nickoli reported as follows:

UPDATE ON SUMMER WORK & CTE EXPANSION PROJECT

Our staff has been working diligently getting the building ready for the upcoming school year. Mr. Kowalski has been especially pleased with the summer custodial staff. They have all been working very hard and are right on schedule. Additionally, we are doing some additional floor repair in our restrooms and in the Horticulture Lab. Everything turned out beautifully at a very reasonable cost. Our biggest project was re-finishing the Bullpen Parking Lot. It was milled, resurfaced and lined. As a part of this project we were able to add several parking spaces for both staff and Pioneer-owned vehicles.

AGREEMENT WITH CATALYST LIFE SERVICES

I am asking that you approve an agreement with Catalyst Life Services to provide counseling services for our students for the 2026-2027 school year. This agreement replaces the full-time Licensed Independent Social Work position that was vacated this year. Catalyst will provide on on-site person five days-a-week while we are in session to serve students who are in crisis as well as connect students in need to services in their home communities.

CHANGE ORDER APPROVAL

I am asking that you approve a change order to our Career-Tech Expansion Grant which will likely complete the project. We have been awaiting some final wiring for the fuel pump station that sits on the north end of the Board Parking Lot. This, as well as some other items required as a part of the project, will wrap up the work needed to be completed. As a reminder, we have to close out this project by September 30th of this year.

NOMINATION OF OSBA DELEGATE TO THE CAPITAL CONFERENCE

President Theaker has asked me to place the nomination of an OSBA delegate and alternate on the agenda. The 2026 OSBA Capital Conference will be held November 15–17 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Also, we will be passing around a sign-up sheet for hotel reservations at the August Board meeting. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis so it will be very important that we know if you want us to make hotel reservations. Any cancellations result in a $100 cancellation fee.

BOARD OF EDUCATION GOAL SETTING FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR

I’d like to invite you to our Annual Board Goal Setting session for the 2025-2026 academic year. It will be conducted the morning of August 5th from 9:00am until Noon in the Community Room here at Pioneer. This year’s format will include a report by our Action Teams for this most recent year’s work as well as an introduction and goal writing for our new Strategic Objectives that are a part of 5-year Strategic Plan. We look forward to Board Members joining the Administrative Team as we set the direction for Pioneer for the coming school year.

CALENDAR ITEMS

August 1 - Board Goal Setting Session 8:00am

August 6-8 - Welcome Week

August 14 - New Staff Orientation Day

August 15 - New Staff Professional Development Day

August 18 - Returning Teacher Day

August 19 - First Day of School for Juniors

August 20 - First Day of School for Seniors

PERSONNEL

I am pleased to recommend the transfer of Mr. Grant Sproull from our In-School Detention Aide to our Online Learning Facilitation Aide. This is a result of the resignation of Mr. Jerry Mingus who has accepted a position elsewhere. We wish Jerry the best in this new venture and are excited to grant this transfer request to Grant.

I am also pleased to recommend the employment of Mr. Mark Hoover as a Success Center Tutor. He replaces Mary Ritz who is retiring fully from education to spend time with her family.

All other personnel items are normal for this time of the year.

No discussion - moved to vote.

No discussion - moved to vote.

No discussion - moved to vote.

Douglas Theaker nominated Mike Grady as OSBA Annual Business meeting Delegate and Bill McFarland as Alternate.

No discussion - moved to vote. The Board entered Executive Session at 6:57 pm and reconvened regular session at 7:24 pm.

No discussion - moved to vote.