With curriculum like iReady and Collins Writing, the Benjamin Logan Local School District has seen significant advances in student education.
Both programs came up at the district’s regular board of education meeting on Monday, June 23. But the evening ended with a discussion on restricting a different form of communicating: the use of cell phones in school.
Approving the purchase of iReady products, services and professional development for the 2025-2026 school year at a cost of $51,304 was one of the first items on the agenda. It prompted board member Deb Johnson to ask if it was beneficial to students.
Both principals in attendance—Holly Barr, elementary, and Todd Shadley, middle school—replied in the affirmative. And school superintendent John Scheu added that preliminary results indicate the curriculum has contributed to the “very good ratings we have.”
On a related topic, the board received an update from the Collins Writing implementation team on how that program is going. Assistant middle school principal Deepika Scheiderer said the curriculum was more customized in its second year.
According to Shadley, the team would like to stick with Collins. Not only is every child writing, but they actually seem to enjoy it. Plus teachers feel it helps beat AI as the students are required to do their work on paper.
Johnson pointed out that to really understand something, “we have to be able to write about it.”
Scheu added, “Collins is more than just ELA. It’s across the curriculum, and I think that’s what makes it so valuable.”
Student Handbooks Updates
One of the last action items of the night was approving the student handbooks for the 2025-2026 school year.
These included two significant changes: a dress code that no longer permits hats and hoodies, and tightened restrictions on cell phones. Regarding the latter, they are not allowed at the middle school at all, while some high schoolers can use them for instructional purposes if their teacher gets administrative approval.
The board stressed the importance of sticking to that standard as board president Mark Himmeger stated, “If you have a policy, you have to enforce it.”
This led newly-appointed transportation director Janie Foreman to ask how that applies to school buses.
“As soon as they left school they were on their phones nonstop,” Foreman contended. Scheu responded, “We will remind parents the bus in an extension of the school day, and it’s not allowed.”
Bus driver and new transportation secretary Michelle Phipps said they had trouble with students taking photos of other kids and posting them on social media without their consent.
Enforcing that policy, though, is difficult for bus drivers who need to keep their eyes on the road. If it’s a serious enough problem, the driver might have to pull over to correct the situation. That leads to the domino effect of children getting home later than usual.
In conclusion, Scheu told Foreman it’s an issue they will have to talk through, then added, “We have a couple months to come up with something forcible but fair for the bus.”
Principal Reports
Todd Shadley, middle school:
- Students scored above state proficiency in all tested areas with some receiving perfect scores.
- The school plans to implement a Raider of the Month award as well as a staff member of the month recognition.
- As of Monday, the school is fully staffed for the upcoming school year.
- The custodial staff is already working to prepare the building for when the students return in September.
Holly Barr, elementary school—Barr handed out the staff data packets for the year to the three board members in attendance. She also said a couple recent conferences in professional development provided them a “springboard into next year.”
In administrative action, the board amended employment contracts for school superintendent John Scheu and treasurer Leah Baker. Scheu’s contract includes an $8,000 stipend to cover insurance, which saves the school money. And Baker’s contract was amended to include a raise.
Members also approved an emergency resolution to approve the wastewater treatment plant. This is the greenlight to start on the groundwork for this extensive but vital project.
A program to allow free student admission to athletic events will continue in the next school year. Tickets must be obtained through Hometown Ticketing using a scan code and students in sixth grade or younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Also, four board members are up for reelection and have until Aug. 6, 2025, to file their nominating petition with the county board of elections to become a candidate.
In other action, the board approved, accepted or extended:
• a transfer of $250,000 from the capital projects fund for wastewater management services;
• a transfer of $250,000 from the general fund to termination benefits for severance payouts;
• property, fleet and liability insurance went up $7,500 after increasing by $10,000 the year before. Total cost for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026 is $107,269. Treasurer Leah Baker said she will reach out to other agencies for better rates next year;
• the final FY 2025 permanent appropriations as well as temporary appropriations for FY 2026 at 25 percent of prior year expenditures was approved.
• the resignations of Jill Hughes, intervention specialist, and Jerry Allford, bus driver
• the following new hires: one-year limited certified staff contracts to Bryan Counts, intervention specialist; Chelsey Webb, middle and high school (HS) vocal music; Kane Beltz, middle school (MS) physical education; one-year limited classified staff contracts to Danielle Weaver and Miranda Hartzell as educational assistants;
• hourly employment to Michelle Phipps, clerical support in the transportation department;
• extended day contracts for the school year, from two to 37 days, to ES/MS/HS guidance counselors; HS librarian, HS teachers in science, music, agriculture, family & consumer science and business; HS/MS vocal teacher;
• supplemental contracts athletic positions to: Tammy Poling, girls bowling coach; Perry Carper, head boys golf coach; Kelly Gibson, ski coach; Trisha Hemmelgam, assistant girls track coach; Kyle Seeley, head wrestling coach (boys);
• non-athletic supplemental contracts to: Myles Bowers, auditorium manager, marching band director, pep band director; HS musical orchestra director; Maggie Bowlby, assistant marching band director; Erica Caudill, Builders Club adviser; Brooke Rodriguez, ninth- and eleventh-grade class adviser; Sage Rausch, eleventh-grade class adviser and play director; Doug Rutan, high school events manager; Kelly Gibson, National Honor Society (NHS) adviser; Nelly Hughes, Spanish NHS adviser; Shelly Lane, play director; Tiann Harner and Tyler Young, ES Raider Run Club; Trisha Hemmelgam, HS student council adviser; Gretchen Powell and Robert Wolf, MS student council advisers; Brooke Smith, ES technology assistant; Gretchen Powell, ES technology assistant; Anthony Given, ES testing coordinator; Samantha McPheron and Kyra Fry, ES yearbook advisors; Mandi Wood, HS yearbook adviser;
• Colleen Bodin as the volunteer middle school cross country coach;
• the disposal of obsolete wrestling mats, which are worth about $75 each and will be sold;
• the following overnight student trips: FFA Greenhand Camp, Carrollton, Ohio, Sept. 26-28, 2025; BPA Leadership Conference, Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 23-24, 2026; BPA National Leadership Conference, Nashville, Tenn., May 5-10, 2026; eighth-grade Washington, D.C. trip, May 13-15, 2026.
The next Benjamin Logan board of education meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, July 21.
