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Howland
WHAT: Board of Education meeting Monday.
PRESENT: Julie Altawil, Jeff Pegg, Brianne Perry, Abigail Reynolds and Kelly Vennitti.
The board:
● Approved the disposal of obsolete and nonfunctional items across district facilities, including textbooks, anatomy appendages and a desk from the high school; HP Chromebooks, iPads, a Promethean Board, STEAM/STEM sets, cabinets and a document camera from JFK Lower Campus; and a wooden cabinet from H.C. Mines.
● Approved continuing contract status for certified staff members Allison Bell, Samuel Bellino, and Janine Turocy.
● Amended the two-year limited contract of Veronica McCollum from monitor at H.C. Mines to educational assistant at Fairhaven, effective today.
● Approved granting a one-year limited contract to Lynne Villers as a monitor at Howland Glen for the 2026-27 school year.
● Approved granting a one-year limited contract to Alexandra Vince as an educational assistant at Howland High School for this school year.
● Approved granting a one-year limited contract to Brittany Dale as a preschool bus driver for the 2026-27 school year.
● Approved accepting custodian Thomas Johnson's retirement, effective Dec. 31.
● Approved accepting educational assistant Diane Noble's retirement.
- Brandon Cantwell
Braceville
WHAT: Township trustees meetings Sept. 1 and 15
PRESENT: Todd Garland, Dennis Kuchta and Jeff Tucker
Trustees:
● Approved an agreement with Newton Township for the resurfacing of Wood Lenhart Road, which is in both townships. Each township will pay 30.5% of the costs with the remainder to be covered by the Ohio Public Works Commission.
● Will look into the demolition of the former Braceville High School off Braceville Robinson Road.
● Established a permit for work in the right of way by construction companies.
● Approved the road department clearing the railroad bed between state Route 5 and Church Street for paving next year.
● Heard from Kuchta that a section of Benedict Leavittsburg Road is falling off the side even though work was done on the sides of the road a few years ago to prevent such an occurrence.
● Granted an extension to the owner of the property at 3652 Warren Ravenna Road to bring the property into compliance to avoid demolition.
● Approved a resolution ordering that owners of a property on Benedict Leavittsburg Road move their fencing out of the right of way.
● Approved having a property owner on Kisman Street to remove debris and junk vehicles off he the property,
● Approved paving work to be done on the walking path behind the playground area off Braceville Robinson Road in order to keep it open year round.
● Hired Austin Bittner as a volunteer firefighter.
● Purchased a new basketball hoop at $2,300 at the basketball court by the township hall.
Bob Coupland
Southington
WHAT: Board of education meeting Sept. 16
PRESENT: Terry Kelly, Elizabeth Dunn, LeeAnn Westenfelder, Steve Gilanyi and Megan Gibbs
The board:
● Approved a policy on weapons in the schools as the school resource officer who protects the campus is permitted to carry a weapon. While the district does not allow any staff to have weapons on them, the district hired a school resource officer who has a weapon. The district previously chose not to have a policy in place for allowing staff to carry weapons. School officials said the SRO previously worked for the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office but the agreement is not with the sheriff's office but with the individual person.
● Approved the seventh and eighth grades Washington, D.C., trip May 12-14, 2027, to Washington, D.C., with Michelle Paul and Tracy Hunkus as junior high trip advisers.
● Recognized the boys' relay team that competed last May at the Boys Division V High School Track regional championship and placed fifth in the finals of the 4×100 with a time of 44 minutes and 26 seconds to qualify for the Ohio State Championship on June 4 at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus. The team placed 10th in the preliminaries with a time of 44 minutes and 15 seconds.
-- Bob Coupland