Regular Meeting

Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education Meeting Summary

Date: November 19, 2025

Location: Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Center

Board Members Present:

• Mark Dosen, President

• Ellen Kramer, Vice President

• Eva O'Mara

• Lisa Galek

• Tish Kwiatkowski

Call to Order and Roll Call

Board President Mark Dosen called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call, with all Board members present.

President's Announcements

Mr. Dosen reported that the Board and administration recently attended the OSBA Capital Conference in Columbus, an annual event for district leadership. He highlighted a specific session he attended titled "OEPI Research Update: School Funding Formula and School Choice Overviews, Property Reappraisals and Property Tax Reform Overview and School Levy Update," presented by Dr. Howard Fleeter. Mr. Dosen described the 68-slide presentation as being "chock-full of a lot of information" regarding the history and future of school funding and property taxes in Ohio. He remarked that while the content is "not for the faint of heart," it is a worthwhile investment of time for those interested in a "deep dive" into these topics. He noted that the slide deck is attached to the agenda for the public to review.

Notice of Consent Agenda

Following the announcements, the Board reviewed the Consent Agenda. Mrs. Kwiatkowski inquired about the procedure for voting on certified recommendations versus classified and supplemental recommendations. Superintendent Harrison clarified that items requiring abstentions from specific board members due to family relations were pulled from the general consent agenda to allow for individual voting. This ensures board members do not have to abstain from the entire consent agenda due to a single item.

Board Areas of Responsibility

• Legislative: Mrs. Kramer reported that while the House and Senate are in session, there is little movement on school funding issues. She noted legislation moving through the Ohio House Education Committee regarding videos on fetal development in schools.

• Cuyahoga Valley Career Center (CVCC): Ms. O'Mara reported that the five-year forecast was accepted, noting a 2% collection dip due to economic factors. She highlighted policy adoptions, the renaming of the "Hotels and Resorts" program to "Hospitality and Food Preparation," and congratulated student Jackson, a BBHHS junior in the cosmetology program, for being the "Student Connection" highlight.

• Curriculum: Mrs. Kwiatkowski announced that 247 staff members completed their 14 hours of personalized professional development, earning them the upcoming Monday and Tuesday off. She noted that the Grade 6-8 ELA curriculum, Amplify, is available for public review and aligns with the science of reading. Additionally, 21 staff members are currently attending the TESOL conference in Columbus.

• Finance/Audit: Mr. Yaniglos noted the district will file for GAAP next week, with the financial audit scheduled for December.

• Board Policy: Mrs. Kramer and Mrs. Galek noted updates would be discussed later in the agenda.

• BBH Schools Foundation: Mrs. Kwiatkowski reported that Director of Pupil Services Cassy Spangler presented to the Foundation regarding grants for students with disabilities. The annual fundraiser is scheduled for February 26, 2026, at Michelangelo’s.

• Sustainability: Ms. O'Mara and Mrs. Kramer updated the Board on a grant application submitted by Brian Koss and Mrs. Roderick to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District for $25,000 to fund recycling and waste reduction equipment.

• PSO: Mrs. Galek highlighted the success of the "Trunk or Treat" event, which had over 1,200 participants. She detailed various PSO-sponsored assemblies, including "Basketball Jones" and guest speakers discussing safety, bullying, and college planning. She also mentioned the PBIS cart at the elementary school and the ongoing Hunger Drive.

• Co-Curricular/Extracurricular: Mrs. Kwiatkowski and Mrs. Galek congratulated the boys' soccer team for reaching the state semi-finals and cross-country runner Kyle Brown for reaching states. They also commended the music students for their Veterans Day performances.

Superintendent Communications and Presentations

Superintendent Jeff Harrison announced that a district update email, the latest "Ledger and the Leader" episode, and a video recording of the "State of the Schools" had been released. He confirmed the marching band arrived safely at Disney World. Mr. Harrison elaborated on the success of the personalized professional development program, noting it provided timely, individualized learning for staff while supporting mental health by allowing flexibility during Thanksgiving week. He also announced a "Coffee Chat" scheduled for the following morning featuring Mr. Jakub to discuss bullying and harassment procedures.

Treasurer's Communications

Treasurer Craig Yaniglos presented the financial report for October.

• Financial Report: Total receipts show a favorable variance of $966,000, largely due to an unexpected $600,000 reimbursement from the county auditor regarding the centennial reappraisal. Real estate collections are trending slightly upward at 46.5%. On the expenditure side, salaries showed a favorable decrease due to workforce planning and healthcare plan changes, though inflationary pressures caused a slight increase in purchased services and supplies. Mr. Yaniglos noted a transfer of $3 million from savings to cover payroll and bond payments due to the cyclical low cash position in November. Mrs. Kramer asked about the impact of skyrocketing healthcare costs. Mr. Yaniglos explained that the district is switching its Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) to SmithRx, anticipating $1.5 to $2 million in savings due to a transparent, flat-fee model.

New Business

• Board Member Healthcare: Mr. Dosen announced his intent to subscribe to a district healthcare plan as permitted by Ohio Revised Code. He stated he will pay 100% of the premium, resulting in no cost to the district or taxpayers.

• Permanent Improvement (PI) Presentation: The team reviewed the unencumbered funds, noting a balance in the Campus Master Plan fund. Completed projects include high school chillers, bleacher repairs, and skylight sealing at the elementary school. The presentation then covered several key areas:

  • Transportation & Fleet: A significant discussion occurred regarding the fleet. Mr. Yaniglos and Mr. Harrison highlighted a growing need for student vans to transport students under McKinney-Vento (homeless) requirements to districts as far as Toledo or Columbus. Mrs. Galek inquired about the fleet size, which currently stands at 52 buses.

  • Tennis Courts: The district is moving forward with repairs to the failing tennis courts. The plan involves tearing them down to the base, fixing drainage, and rebuilding them, with the intent to recover costs from the original installer or performance bond.

  • Turf Replacement: The Board discussed replacing the stadium turf, which has degraded due to UV light. Mr. Harrison noted the new turf has a life expectancy of 10-12 years and helps avoid the high maintenance costs of natural grass.

  • Campus Master Plan Phase 2: The project for the new Hilton driveway is ready to go out to bid, with completion expected by July.

Consent Agenda

The Board voted to approve the Consent Agenda, which included certified personnel recommendations, the check register, donations, and minutes from the October 13, 2025, meeting.

• Personnel: Mr. Harrison highlighted the retirement of Chris Hartland, Associate Principal at the primary school.

• Finance: Mr. Harrison also highlighted a $10,000 donation of football cleats from New Balance.

  Vote: The Consent Agenda passed 5-0.

Superintendent’s Recommendations

• Board Policy (First Reading): Mr. Harrison reviewed various policy updates driven by new legislation, including "Release Time for Religious Instruction". A robust discussion ensued regarding cell phone policies. While the state budget bill attempts to ban phones during the "instructional day," the district is defining this carefully to allow for responsible use at the high school level and compliance with safety requirements. Mrs. Kramer noted constitutional concerns regarding the "logrolling" of unrelated policy items into the state budget bill.

• Classified Personnel: Approved 4-0 (Mrs. Kramer abstained).

• Supplemental Personnel: Approved 4-0 (Mrs. Galek abstained).

• Turf Replacement: The Board approved a proposal with FieldTurf USA Inc. for stadium turf replacement using the TIPS cooperative contract. Passed 5-0.

• Field Trips: Approved the 8th Grade trip to Gettysburg/DC and the High School wrestling overnight trip. Mrs. Kwiatkowski noted the growth of the girls' wrestling program. Passed 5-0.

• Service Agreements: The Board approved agreements for Wraparound Experts, PSI, and others. A significant discussion occurred regarding the "Wraparound Expert Service Agreement" for non-public schools. Mr. Harrison and Mrs. Kramer expressed frustration that the district is legally required to pass through funds and utilize district staff time for students attending private schools (voucher recipients) and students from other districts attending private schools within BBH boundaries. Mrs. Kramer offered criticisms of the state legislature for taxing public schools to fund private vouchers.

  • Wraparound Agreement passed 5-0.

  • Additional service agreements (Substitute SLP, PSI) passed 5-0.

Treasurer’s Recommendations

• Banking Agreement: Approved an agreement with Huntington National Bank for the Suburban Health Consortium, for which Mr. Yaniglos serves as fiscal agent. Passed 5-0.

• Campus Master Plan Phase 2: The Board authorized the advertisement of bids for the new Hilton driveway project, estimated at $2,490,000. Mr. Harrison noted the goal is to have the project completed by July. Passed 5-0.

• Disposal of Equipment: The Board approved the disposal of old ELA textbooks that are no longer aligned with the state-mandated science of reading and have no resale value. Passed 5-0.

• Credit Card Compliance: Approved the annual credit card compliance report, noting a rebate of approximately $1,021. Passed 5-0.

Executive Session and Closing Items

The Board resolved to enter executive session to discuss the appointment and compensation of a public official. The motion passed 5-0. Following the executive session, the meeting was adjourned at 8:32 PM.

Next Meeting: Scheduled for December 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM.