Regular Meeting

Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District Meeting Summary

Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Time: 6:00 PM (Meeting started at 6:04 PM)

Location: Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Center, 6638 Mill Road, Brecksville, Ohio

Call to Order & Opening

The meeting was called to order by Board President Mark Dosen at 6:04 PM. He noted that the meeting is a meeting of the Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the school district's business and public participation is governed by board bylaws. The meeting was live-streamed and recorded for YouTube. All board members were present: Mrs. Galek, Mrs. Kramer, Mrs. Kwiatkowski, Ms. O'Mara, and Mr. Dosen. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

President's Announcements

Board President Mark Dosen announced that this was the final school board meeting for Mrs. Ellen Kramer, who is completing her eighth year of dedicated service. Mr. Dosen highlighted that Mrs. Kramer served during arguably the most challenging time for a school board member—a global pandemic—and praised her passion, energy, and refusal to back down from pursuing positive change for students and the community. The Board expressed deep appreciation for her service.

Fellow board members Tish Kwiatkowski, Eva O'Mara, and Lisa Galek also shared sentiments, thanking Mrs. Kramer for her mentorship, advocacy at the state level, and dedication to public schools. Mrs. Kramer expressed her gratitude to the community for the honor of serving, noting the inspiring people she met and urging the current board to continue advocating for students amidst challenging times for public education at the state level.

Board Areas of Responsibility

• Legislative / OSBA Liaison: Treasurer Craig Yaniglos provided a legislative update on behalf of Mrs. Kramer. He discussed four bills currently sitting on Governor DeWine's desk:

  • House Bill 186: An inflation cap and credit overhaul regarding property taxes.

  • House Bill 335: Caps inside millage, which could limit revenue growth from reappraisals.

  • House Bill 129: School levy reform regarding the calculation of the 20-mill floor.

  • House Bill 309: Expands Budget Commission authority to potentially reduce millage.

    Mr. Yaniglos noted that professional organizations and the district have encouraged a veto, as these bills collectively pose challenges for public education funding.

• Cuyahoga Valley Career Center (CVCC): Ms. O'Mara reported no new updates.

• Curriculum: Mrs. Kwiatkowski highlighted the success of the recent personalized professional learning days before Thanksgiving, where 250 staff members completed over 3,600 hours of development. She also mentioned the upcoming vote on the Amplify 6-8 English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum.

  • Dr. Martin's Update: Dr. Martin provided details on the recommendation to adopt the Amplify curriculum for grades 6-8. He explained that while there is no state mandate for middle school adoption yet, the district wants to be proactive to ensure coherence with the K-5 curriculum. Amplify was chosen over HMH because it better aligns with the science of reading, cognitive science strategies (like spaced practice), and the "Writing Revolution" initiative the district is implementing. The implementation plan involves training teachers in the winter and spring for a full launch in Fall 2026.

• Finance: Mrs. Kwiatkowski reported that the audit is in progress. The GAAP audit report was received and filed with the state. Fieldwork for the financial audit began recently. Additionally, the district was informed by the Auditor of State that it can no longer pay transaction fees for credit card payments made on-site; a fix is expected in January.

• Transportation: Mrs. Kwiatkowski noted there were no transportation appeals or issues to report.

• Board Policy: Mrs. Galek noted that policies were on the agenda for a final reading later in the meeting.

• BBH Schools Foundation: Mrs. Kwiatkowski reminded the board of the annual fundraiser, "A Toast to Our Future," scheduled for February 26, 2026, at Michelangelo’s. She encouraged donations for auction packages.

• Safety: No updates were reported.

• Sustainability: Ms. O'Mara mentioned that an email was sent to schedule the next sustainability meeting and formally organize the committee.

• PSO (Parent School Organization): Mrs. Galek reported on recent events, including the Elementary PSO Holiday Shop and the Middle School "Bee U" store, where students spend "Bee Bucks" earned for positive behavior. The High School PSO is hosting a holiday breakfast.

• Co-Curricular / Extracurricular: Mrs. Galek congratulated the 92 new inductees into the National Honor Society and noted the success of the robotics teams at a recent home tournament. Mrs. Kwiatkowski congratulated Rocco Dean for being named to the 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-American team. It was also noted that the "Magical Dinner" hosted by the music department is sold out.

• Permanent Improvement / Facilities: Mr. Dosen and Treasurer Yaniglos reported that the bid for roadwork is out, with bids opening on December 19th. The district is also looking to bid out repairs for the tennis courts in January. Mr. Yaniglos mentioned that the stadium scoreboard replacement is being finalized, funded largely by private donations and the Athletic Boosters.

Superintendent Communications and Presentations

Superintendent Jeff Harrison invited Principals Bob Magyar and Tina McCauley from the Intermediate School to give a presentation on their building's progress and culture.

• Intermediate School Presentation: Mr. Magyar and Ms. McCauley presented on "The Power of Yet," focusing on shifting students from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. They highlighted academic achievements, including the implementation of the CKLA curriculum and the "Race" writing strategy, which has already led to improved writing scores in 3rd grade. They discussed the "Writing Revolution" aimed at improving student elaboration and explanation in writing.

• Culture and PBIS: The principals detailed their Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiatives ("Bee Your Best Bistro" as an example). They emphasized the importance of building relationships, noting that staff identified relationships as a key strength in a recent Building Leadership Team (BLT) survey.

• Board Feedback: The Board thanked the principals for their passion and the detailed presentation, with Mr. Harrison encouraging the community to tour the building to see the positive environment firsthand.

Treasurer’s Communications

Treasurer Craig Yaniglos provided several updates:

• Board Software: The district is transitioning from BoardDocs to "BoardBook" in January. Board members have received access to the new platform.

• SGO Committee: The Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) committee held its first meeting. This initiative will allow the district to accept donations for scholarships (potentially for tuition-based programs like kindergarten) that are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit ($750 for individuals, $1,500 for couples). The committee is moving quickly to establish bylaws and officers.

• Financial Report: Mr. Yaniglos reviewed the financials for November. He noted that while salaries are slightly over forecast, revenues are also up, and the cash flow is stable with 122 days of cash on hand projected. He cautioned that cash balances will decrease until tax collections arrive in January.

Community Communications

There were no public comments from the audience.

Other Board Business

• President Pro Tem: The Board unanimously approved Resolution 7.A, appointing Mark Dosen as President Pro Tem for the January 7, 2026, organizational meeting.

• Superintendent Contract Extension: The Board unanimously approved Resolution 7.C, employing Jeffrey D. Harrison as Superintendent for a new term beginning August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2031.

  • Discussion: Mr. Dosen remarked that finding and retaining excellent leadership is a board's most important responsibility. He expressed the Board's thrill with Mr. Harrison’s performance and the upward trajectory of the district. Other board members echoed these sentiments, praising his innovative professional development initiatives and community engagement.

• 2026 Meeting Dates: The proposed 2026 Board of Education meeting dates were presented for information, with the organizational meeting set for January 7, 2026.

Consent Agenda

The Board unanimously approved the Consent Agenda (Items 8.A – 8.G).

• Personnel: Approved certified and classified personnel recommendations, including resignations and unpaid leaves.

• Supplementals: Approved a short list of supplemental contracts (gymnastics and boys basketball).

• Financials: Approved the check register and bank reconciliation.

• Donations: Accepted donations, including $700 for the Washington D.C. fund and T-shirts for the drama club.

• Minutes: Approved minutes from the November 19, 2025, regular meeting.

Superintendent’s Recommendations

• Board Policies: The Board unanimously approved Resolution 9.A, adopting new and revised board policies (final reading).

• High School Course Catalog: The Board unanimously approved Resolution 9.C, the 2026-2027 High School Course Options Catalog. Mr. Harrison highlighted a new course, "AP Business with Personal Finance," and "Ceramics II," noting these additions do not require increased staffing.

• Textbook Adoption: The Board unanimously approved Resolution 9.E, the adoption of the Amplify Middle School ELA textbook series.

• Overnight Trips: The Board unanimously approved Resolution 9.G, authorizing overnight trips for the high school girls' wrestling program.

Closing Items

• Announcement: The Organizational Meeting is scheduled for January 7, 2026, at 5:00 PM at the Education Center.

• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned unanimously. President Dosen wished everyone a blessed holiday and happy New Year.

Meeting Adjourned.