The Indian Lake Board of Education got an update on several summer projects during their Thursday evening meeting, June 26, and once again agreed to offer free student passes to athletic contests for the 2025-26 school year.
To start the meeting, board members recognized recent graduate Ava Faler, who qualified in high jump to compete in the 2025 OHSAA State Track Meet this spring. Earlier this year, Faler also placed 4th at the State Indoor Track Meet in Triple Jump.
Superintendent Dr. Rob Underwood then detailed improvements happening on campus so far this summer.
“We are moving right along with the new bus transportation facility and it’s right on schedule to be complete some time in August. We also have begun the work to transition the old bus facility into a new weight room for our student-athletes and it has turned out really nice so far.
“The Wrestling Room expansion project is also underway. We expect that wall to be removed in the next week or so.”
The board accepted a $15,000 donation from Mary Rutan Health to be used for the purchase of all new equipment for the new weight facility.
Board members also voted to extend free student passes to athletic events for the upcoming school year.
“We felt like it was a benefit to our students and families last year, so they again wanted to make that part of the budget,” Dr. Underwood explained.
The board also approved the hiring of Dan Young as the new Ohio Hi Point Agriculture/FFA Adviser at ILHS. Young has been a physical education teacher at ILES for many years and, as a longtime member of the local farming community, he is excited to make the transition.
Finally, board members voted to keep meal prices the same for the 2025-26 school year and accepted the approved 2025-26 School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding with Washington Township.
In other action, the board:
• accepted the resignations of: Valerie Chamberlain, bus driver, effective Aug. 15; Lindsay Ross, teaching position, effective at the end of the 2024-25 contract; Hailey Even, middle school basketball cheerleading 2025-26 supplemental;
• approved Jenny Cooper as a middle school secretary for a one-year limited contract;
• extended the following supplemental contracts for 2025-26: Carissa Heminger – 5/6 Spectaculars advisor; Kevin Ammons – Boys Bowling; Isaac Bennett- HS Asst. Football; Brian Claybaugh – HS Asst. Football; Ryan Lillard – MS Football; Raelyn Parsell – MS Basketball Cheer; Jason Fauley – ILPDC Chair; Alexis Scheiderer – ILPDC Recorder; Melanie Asman, Molly Hall, Kelli Tebbe-Miller – ILPDC Members.
• approved a $200 full-day stipend from the Performance Based Compensation to Andrea Jacobs for summer tutoring for a special education student;
• approved extended Service Days for the 2025-26 School Year to: Alice Darrough (HS Guidance), 10 days; Greg Tuttle (HS Guidance), 10 days; Mandy Tidwell (MS Guidance), 10 days; Ethan Fulkerson (EL Media Assistant), 5 days; Deb Metzger (HS Media Assistant), 5 days;
• approved the ELA Core Curriculum and Instructional Materials aligned with the Science of Reading and Effective Literacy Strategies and approved the use of Teaching Strategies’ Creative Curriculum in Preschool; the State is currently providing this curriculum at no cost to districts; additionally, in alignment with recommended resources from the Department of Education and Workforce to provide personalized intervention through grade 12, adopted the Reading Horizons Elevate program, which will provide this intervention;
• approved the service contract from Aug. 15, 2025, to July 31, 2028 with the Fairfield County ESC to provide InnevAto EDU online learning to Indian Lake Students; the annual cost is $5,160 for 30 student licenses and the Indian Lake administration may add student licenses.
The Indian Lake Board of Education at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, in the board office.
