INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES
Regular Meeting of February 11, 2025

A regular meeting of the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District was held on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., in the Indian Hill Community Room, 6855 Drake Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243 in accordance with notices sent to each member. Mrs. Singh, President, called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and roll call showed the following members as present:

Mrs. Singh Mr. Tullis

Mr. Sumerel Mr. Warfel

Also present were Jim Nichols, Mick Davis, Kirk Koennecke, Heather Higdon, Jennifer Theiss, Dylan Dykes, Claire Castel de Biaugue, Michelle Semrad, Alexandria Williams, Agi Kindberg, Kelly Lamphear, Mr. and Mrs. Katz, Rich Freshwater, Monica Gibson, Erin Owens, Jenny Burton and others.

ADOPTION OF REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA (022501) – Mr. Sumerel moved, seconded by Mr. Tullis, to adopt the agenda of the regular business meeting of the Indian Hill Board of Education. All members present voted aye. Motion carried.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Indian Hill High School students led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

PUBLIC COMMENTARY –

Michelle Semrad discussed thatparents are expressing concerns about test scores and the use of substitutes in classrooms, emphasizing the need for focused efforts to help students catch up. Recent MAP test results indicate that for the past two consecutive assessments, 8th-grade math scores have fallen below the state median in Ohio. Given the school's reputation for academic excellence, there is growing concern about declining performance in key areas. Parents want to bring these issues to the Board’s attention, ensure that action is being taken, and be included in discussions on strategies for improvement.

Alexandria Williams discussed bullying and racism. Ms. Williams submitted thefollowingfor inclusion in theminutes as part of public commentary:

INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome Home Video - Student Ambassadors Newscast

We celebrate the Indian Hill Middle School students who participated in the Future City Competition on January 11 at Columbus State Community College. Braves earned third place overall in the Ohio Region and won two special awards including Best Use of Recreation and Best Use of Transportation. Team members included Kiran Athota, Sammy Glassman, Anup Gade, and Zoe Lee.

We celebrate the Indian Hill High School student-athletes who took center stage at the IHHS Gym for a celebration Wednesday, January 22 to commit to continue both their academic and athletic careers beyond high school during a college signing ceremony. Participating students included seniors Vitaly Cristo (Wrestling, Washington & Lee University), Robert Hayes (Football, Youngstown State University), Penn Picton (Football, Colgate University), Connor Wilkes (Soccer, Johns Hopkins University), and Jason Zhao (Swimming, Stanford University).

We celebrate the 21 Indian Hill High School student-artists who earned accolades in visual arts as part of the regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Competition. An outstanding 46 art pieces were chosen as award-winning. In total, Indian Hill High School earned 23 Honorable Mentions, 12 Silver Keys, and 11 Gold Keys. Winning student-artists included - Gold Key: Mirabel Chandler, Caroline Ferreira, Rivvy Green (2), Jinming Gu (3), Vivian Jenkins (2), and Iris Xu (2). Silver Key: Gwyneth Benedic, Mirabel Chandler, Rivvy Green (2), Jinming Gu (2), Gabby Henz, Vivian Jenkins, Megan Maly, Ammara Rahman (2), and Jenisha Rana. Honorable Mention: Ihana Balboa, Mirabel Chandler (2), Ela Cericola, Liara Detweiler, Caroline Ferreira (3), Rivvy Green, Jinming Gu, Mina Hagopian (2), Lottie Henz, Liri Levran, Ammara Rahman (2), Annika Riddle, Aaron Scott, Caroline Winks (2), Iris Xu, and Belinda Zhong (2).

With one semester in operation, we are celebrating an outstanding return on investment in the growth of one of the founding educational programs the IH Entrepreneurs' Center oversees: IH Experienceships. Thus far, 124 students have applied to be a part of IH Experienceships in the 2024-25 school year, a 31% increase in applicants from this time last school year; 123 students and 49 partners attended Global Week Business at Breakfast, the largest attendance ever; and 98 Indian Hill High School students who have had their meetings with mentor coaches and successfully completed the onboarding course and are actively seeking job shadow or internship opportunities.

We celebrate the Indian Hill High School DECA team, earning 89 state qualifiers during the DECA District Competition. In total, 136 Braves competed at University of Cincinnati Clermont on January 29-30.

We celebrate Indian Hill High School senior Samantha Kayne who has been named a winner of the 2025 class of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program, earning $20,000 in college scholarships in one of the most prestigious and competitive programs in the country. Kayne is one of only 150 students nationwide selected as a winner from more than 105,000 applicants. This distinction places her among the top high school seniors in the nation, recognizing her academic excellence, leadership, and dedication to community service.

Global Parent Organization Recognition - Last month, we celebrated the beauty of the diversity within our amazing Indian Hill School District with our Global Cultural Celebration Week! During the week of January 27, every building across our campus honored the more than 40 different nationalities that comprise our district. Global Cultural Celebration Week happened at each of our buildings in partnership with our Indian Hill Global Group – a parent-based group supported by the Indian Hill PTO. Our students, grades K-12, enjoyed a week-long cultural learning adventure that culminated in the BIG event – our Global Fair, which took place Friday, January 31 at Indian Hill Primary School.

Dr. Erin Owens presented on Kindergarten enrollment.

APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING 2025-2026 MEMBERSHIP IN THE OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (022502) – Mr. Sumerel moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the resolution authorizing the 2025-2026 membership in the OHSAA. Roll call was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

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INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

APPROVAL OF OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP(S) (022503) – Mr. Sumerel moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the following overnight field trips:

Indian Hill 7th and 8th Grade Band, Choir and Orchestra Students - Cedar Point Music in the Parks Competition - 5/9/25-5/10/25
Indian Hill DECA - DECA State Competition - Columbus, Ohio - 3/11/25-3/12/25
Indian Hill HS and MS Latin Club Members - OJCL State Convention - Columbus, Ohio - 3/7/25-3/9/25 Indian Hill Model UN - Model UN Conference - Bloomington, Indiana - 2/28/25-3/2/25

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

APPROVAL OF NEW HIGH SCHOOL COURSES (022504) – Mr. Sumerel moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the following high school courses:

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

APPROVAL OF COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS AGREEMENT WITH SINCLAIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE (022505) – Mr. Sumerel moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the agreement. Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

PERSONNEL ACTIONS, TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS (022506) – Mr. Sumerel moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the following personnel matters as recommended by the Superintendent:

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INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

Approval of Classified Staff Contracts (2024-2025) Cortney Welander, Sub Bus Driver, $23.25

Change of Contract/Position
Debbie Cook, MS ELA Teacher to MS Social Studies Teacher

Approval of Science of Reading Professional Development Stipend to be reimbursed under House Bill 33 of the 135th Assembly Jordan Siebenaller, $400.00
Katherine Slusher, $1,200.00 Robert Starkey, $1,200.00 Laura Monahan, $1,200.00 Amy Church, $1,200.00

Approval of Supplemental/Personal Service Contracts (2024-2025)
Ellen Hughes, Summer Health Class, $365.00 per student with a minimum of $7,500.00 but not to exceed $10,000.00 based on student enrollment up to 30 students
Dasia Lewis, ES Boost Tutoring Program, $35.00/hr up to 1 hr/week Katie Slusher, ES Boost Tutoring Program, $35.00/hr up to 1 hr/week Amy Mongenas, ES Boost Tutoring Program, $35.00/hr up to 1 hr/week Max Eikenberry, Athletic Intern, $15.00/hr
Cindi Arnold, Saturday School, $25.00/hr. Cary Daniel, Baseball Head Coach, $7,050.00
Adam DeLaet, Baseball Assistant Coach, $3,550.00 Tyler Henry, Baseball Assistant Coach, $1,500.00 Matt Heller, Baseball Assistant Coach, $3,550.00
Conner Sauerwein, Baseball JV Head Coach, $3,550.00 Mick Davis, Baseball JV Assistant Coach, volunteer Marcus Brightwell, JV Assistant Coach, $500.00
Phil Said, Softball Head Coach, $7,250.00 Don Flint, Softball Assistant Coach, $3,750.00
Anna Glenn, Softball Assistant Coach, $3,750.00 Brian Phelps, Softball Assistant Coach, volunteer
Samantha Herman, Girls Lacrosse Head Coach, $8,125.00 Samantha Herman, Girls Lacrosse JV Head Coach, $3,500.00 Biz Brink, Girls Lacrosse Assistant Coach, $4,950.00
AJ Froehlich, Boys Lacrosse Head Coach, $8,125.00 Cal Turnbull, Boys Lacrosse Assistant Coach, $6,250.00
Cam McMillian, Boys Lacrosse Assistant Coach, $2,350.00 Billy Hug, Boys Lacrosse JV Head Coach, $4,000.00
Benn vanOudenallen, Boys Lacrosse Assistant Coach, $1,500.00 Rand Turnbull, Boys Lacrosse Assistant Coach, $1,500.00 Michael Piergalski, Boys Tennis Head Coach, $5,850.00
Adam Wolter, Boys Tennis Assistant Coach, $2,730.00 John Schuler, Boys Tennis JV Head Coach, $3,750.00 Kim Bancsi, Boys Tennis MS Head Coach, $2,730.00 Susan Savage, Track & Field Head Coach, $10,600.00
Jackie McCarthy, Track & Field Assistant Coach, $4,950.00 Tom Millard, Track & Field Assistant Coach, $4,950.00 Amy Dunlap, Track & Field Assistant Coach, $4,950.00 Scott Carney, Track & Field Assistant Coach, $2,475.00 Trevor Nolan, Track & Field Assistant Coach, $2,475.00
Eric Bass, Track & Field, Middle School Head Coach, $4,950.00 Ty Ignatz, Track & Field Middle School Coach, $3,750.00
Vera Hayslip, Track & Field Middle School Coach, $3,750.00 Cody Reardon, Track & Field Middle School Coach, $3,750.00

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INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

Retirements
Vera Hayslip, 7th Grade Teacher, effective end of school year 2024-2025 Patricia Sutton, 7th Grade Teacher, effective end of school year 2024-2025
Susan Wingertsahn-Savage, High School Science Teacher, effective end of school year 2024-2025

Third Party Payment
Chris Rotsching, University of Cincinnati, $800.00

Tuition Reimbursement
Danielle Lintz, Miami University, $1,031.15 Kristi Booth, Xavier University, $1,807.00

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

APPROVAL OF MINUTES (022507) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded byMr. Warfel, to approve the minutes of the January 14, 2025 organizational/regular meeting. Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

APPROVAL OF FINANCIAL REPORTS (022508) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the financial reports as presented for the month ended January 31, 2025. Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION RAISING THE CAPITALIZATION THRESHOLD OF A FIXED ASSET FROM $5,000.00 TO $10,000.00 RETROACTIVE TO JULY 1, 2024 (022509) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the resolution. Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

ESTABLISHMENT OF STUDENT ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS (022510) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the reports.

IH Interact Club Class of 2028
Business Association for Student Education (BASE)

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

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INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

APPROVAL OF INDIAN HILL FACILITY RENTAL RATES (022511) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the following Indian Hill Facility Rental Rates:

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

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INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

APPROVAL OF RETIREMENT (022512) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the following retirement:

Beth Caudill, Payroll Supervisor, effective 6/30/25

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

APPROVAL OF CHANGE OF APPROPRIATIONS - (022513) Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to approve the following changes:

Increase Fund 035 (Severance) by $72,000.00
Decrease Fund 499 (School Safety and Security) by $609.13 Increase Fund 516 (Title VI-B IDEA) by $3,140.71
Increase Fund 551 (Title III) by $70.97 Increase Fund 572 (Title I) by $523.04
Increase Fund 587 (IDEA-Preschool) by $219.94
Increase Fund 590 (Improving Teacher Quality) by $939.27

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS (022514) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Warfel, to accept the following donations:

IH Foundation, Entrepreneurship Center Grant, $20,000.00 IH Foundation, Mini One PCR Grant, $1,092.69
IH Foundation, Koch Family Foundation (STEM), $17,500.00 IH Foundation, Day of Giving - Blooming Braves, $14,110.00 IH Foundation, P&G Robotics Grant, $900.00
IH Foundation, Susan Hunter IHES Gift to Argonaut Program, $1,000.00 IH Foundation, Trigonometry Grant, $900.00
IH Boosters, IH Quiz Team, $5,000.00

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

OTHER BUSINESS BY BOARD/ADMINISTRATION

Mrs. Singh asked if there was any other business by the Board or Administration.

Mr. Koenecke requested approval of the following:

APPROVAL OF OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP (022515) – Mr. Tullis moved, seconded by Mr. Sumerel, to approve the following overnight field trip:

Indian Hill HS Mock Trial Team 1 and 3- Mock Trial Finals – Columbus, OH – 3/6/25-3/8/25

Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

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INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT MINUTES – February 11, 2025

Mrs. Singh asked if there was any additional business. Hearing none, the Board President requested for a motion to adjourn.

ADJOURNMENT (022516) – Mr. Warfel moved, seconded byMr. Tullis, to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the Indian Hill Board of Education at 7:21 p.m. Roll call vote was as follows:

Mrs. Singh, aye Mr. Tullis, aye

__________________________________________ Board President

Mr. Sumerel, aye Mr. Warfel, aye

______________________________________________ CFO/Treasurer

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