With classes well underway at Ohio Hi-Point Career Center (OHP), the district’s board of education started their regular meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27, by hearing from 10 students during the School Year Kick Off.
Brianna McCray, director of teaching and learning, introduced the presentation. One by one, each student told a little about themselves. They represented different areas of study, including education, welding/fabricating and health.
Several of the students are participating in the 1×1 work-based learning program, which allows them to split their time between school and a job. One of those students was Luke Hensel, a Kenton High School senior in the heavy equipment program.
“I know a lot of kids love it,” Luke said. “You have the freedom to work and have school and do sports and not have to do it all in one day.”
Angel Venett from Benjamin Logan High School, who is taking automotive classes, was pretty nervous when school started.
“But I think it was the best option for my future,” she admitted, adding, “It made me see how much I love working on cars.”
The other students who spoke were Zandra Alig, Indian Lake High School, education; Bailey Barnes, Waynesfield-Goshen, health; Makenzie Hopkins, Upper Scioto Valley; Eugenia Mata Trujillo, Marysville High School, health; Alexis Cordial, Urbana, culinary; Lyza Mitchell, Urbana High School, health; Joel Brooks, Riverside High School, welding; Olivia Newland, Ridgemont High School, EMT program; and Richiona Burnell, Bellefontaine High School, cosmetology.
Burnell concluded the presentation by thanking the board for their support on behalf of OHP’s 14 partner school districts and 18 career technical programs.
The board also heard from John Case, director of technology, who told them about ParentSquare, a communication app that will allow the district to send text messages to parents and students and get confirmation when the message is received. These messages can be sent immediately or scheduled for another time and/or day.
Case tested the app on the board members by sending a text to them.
“It’s just notifications, not communication,” Case explained. “You will get announcements within a minute or so.”
District Update
Both Rick Smith, outgoing superintendent, and Brad Richardson, incoming superintendent, shared district updates with the board.
Smith started with information about the new van driver drug test requirement. The district will work with Mary Rutan Hospital on that.
Because OHP classes began in mid-August, some of the students who attend one of the three local schools that don’t have their first day until after Labor Day didn’t realize they needed to follow OHP’s schedule.
In his report, Richardson said the new modified block schedule has been “harder for the teachers than the students.”
Next he spoke about the approximately 30 students interested in the LPN program. If they start now, Richardson explained, they will be able to finish the requirements within a month of graduating from OHP. They can then easily transition to college, where they would have the opportunity to become an RN with just one more year of higher education.
Finally, Richardson updated the board on two buildings. Earlier that day, he received schematic designs for the new public safety building. He will turn that over to Grand Lake Construction for them to put together a project bid, which he will present to the board at their September meeting.
And next week they will begin work on renovating an on-campus house for Community Health and Wellness. They hope to have that ready for use by January.
Treasurer Action Items
Caleb Lang, treasurer, began by sharing a story that illustrated the pervasiveness of online scams. A company had sent OHP an invoice, which Lang paid by check. The “company” then responded, saying they wanted him to send the payment using an ACH electronic money transfer.
This led to an “interesting exchange,” until Lang was told if they received the check, they would rip it up and demand an ACH payment. When Lang saw the company had, in fact, cashed the check, he decided to follow up.
In that phone call, he learned this company was hacked six months earlier and, apparently, had been again. Though, in the end, OHP wasn’t affected by this scam, he added that “lots of people out there are trying to get your money.”
The board approved the July 2025 financial statement, along with the interest and investments. In addition, Lang sought approval to advance $30,000 from the general fund to Perkins FY26, which will be reimbursed by the state.
Superintendent Recommendations
Smith presented the following for approval:
· An internship agreement with Created Marketing, Marysville.
· Certified staff employment to Patrick Miller, agriculture education (Kenton); Luis Ortega, culinary arts instructor (main campus); Darrin Richards, engineering instructor (Marysville early college). All three were also approved for a teacher’s supplemental contract for the 2025/2026 school year.
· Extended days to Angela Haver, Patrick Miller, Luis Ortega and Darrin Richards.
· Certified substitute employment to Breanna Baier, Rebecca Berning, Jonathan DeCola, Nicholas Frazier, Elizabeth Gulick, Jesse Kean, Nicole Miller, Dee Anna Orahood, Robert Weikart, Thomas Weikart.
· Classified substitute employment to Dee Anna Orahood, secretary.
· Out-of-state professional development for Ashley Thompson, Marysville High School satellite AG instructor, to attend the Kentucky Welding Institute Welding Expo in Flemingsburg, Aug. 29, 2025. Approximate cost of $25 will be paid by the general fund.
· Disposal of the following assets for scrap: 2003 Ford F250, 1996 Dodge Ram Wagon, 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche.
· A satellite program contract of agreement with Benjamin Logan Local Schools for their culinary program. On a related note, Richardson gave the board the background of the new main campus culinary instructor, Luis Ortega, who replaced the previous chef, Jason Cobb. Ortego lives in Springfield, works at a local restaurant, owns food trucks and “brings a wealth of experience.” Richardson added, “He’s got a lot of great ideas that will enhance the program as soon as he gets his feet under him.”
· Disposal of textbook Working With Young Children, which was used by instructor Angie Walls in the Education Academy.
· Adopt the textbook Foundations of Mental Health Care, 8th ed., for use by instructor Caroline Russell, to deliver content in a mental health course.
· The adoption of electronic curriculum along with the physical textbooks, something the district hadn’t done before. Richardson said they will establish a process for this moving forward.
· A stipend of $750 per member to the Each Child on Track monitoring team, paid from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce grant.
Before adjourning, the board entered an executive session to consider compensation of a public employee.
The next OHP board of education meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m.
