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Board Announces Dr. Stoddard will be Honored as Superintendent of the Year 

for NE Ohio by the Ohio School Board Association

Berkshire Board of Education – Regular Meeting, September 14, 2026

Meeting Details: The meeting was held in the Auditorium of the Berkshire Local Schools complex, 14155 Claridon-Troy Rd, Burton, Ohio 44021. A video of the meeting is posted here. View the agenda online and any attached documents here by selecting the meeting tab and then the meeting date. The notation of minutes refers to the time posted on the video for the discussion of the item listed.

 

Board Members Attendance: John Manfredi, President; Linda Stone, Vice President; and members Dan

Berman, Brandon Townsend and Bryan Wadsworth.

 

Staff Attendance: Superintendent John Stoddard and Treasurer Matthew Hosler.

 

Opening of Regular Meeting - The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Mr. Manfredi who led the Pledge of Allegiance. The roll was called.

 

Approval of Agenda – approved unanimously without discussion.

 

Approval of Minutes – Minutes for the Regular Meeting on August 10, 2026 were unanimously approved without discussion. Minutes are available through Board Docs here by clicking on the meetings tab. The minutes are available in the detailed agenda for the meeting following the meeting in question.  

 

1:54 Min. Public Participation – No comments.

2:14 Min. Treasurer’s Report

Financial Statements

The Treasurer submitted a statement to the Board and the Superintendent showing the revenues and

receipts from whatever sources derived, the various Appropriations made by the Board, the

expenditures and disbursements, the purposes, and the balances remaining in each fund. The financial

statements for the period ending August 2026 were submitted subject to audit and include Financial

Summary, Appropriations and Revenue Summary, Check Register Recap, and Bank Reconciliation per

ORC 3313.29. Observer Note: See Financial Statement details in the meeting agenda available online.

Donations – The Board unanimously approved the following donations:

 

Mr. Manfredi thanked the donors for continuously supporting the district, especially those contributing to the Alumni Association. 

 

Financial Amendments – The Board unanimously approved without discussion the following financial amendments:

 

Cash Transfers:

 

 

Appropriation/Revenue Changes:

 

 

4:10 Min. Superintendent’s Report

Personnel - The Board approved, 4-0 with Mr. Townsend abstaining, all the personnel actions for Administration, Certified and Classified staff as listed on the meeting agenda. The reason for Mr. Townsend’s abstention wasn’t given. Observer Note: A complete list of Personnel actions is available in the meeting agenda available online.  

Mr. Manfredi noted that it’s exciting to see their elementary school principal, Heather Giel, is going to be the girls’ basketball team head coach. He said, “it’s a pretty honorable thing” and thanked her for stepping in for the original girls’ basketball head coach, Dave Albert, who has brain cancer and has resigned. Mr. Manfredi asked for a moment of silence for Mr. Albert. 

 

Volunteers – The Board unanimously approved without discussion the volunteers listed below.

 

 

Handbooks – The Board unanimously approved without discussion the Before and After School Badger Program Parent Handbook. Observer Note: See Handbooks in meeting agenda for details.

 

Rescinding of Payment in lieu of Transportation – The Board unanimously approved a motion to rescind the Payment in Lieu of Transportation approved by the Board at its August 10, 2026 meeting.

Dr. Stoddard explained that the list of payments approved last month did not include the reasons for having to make the offers in lieu of transportation, as required. The new list (next agenda item) corrects this oversight and includes these “factors for impracticality.”

 

Impracticality of Transportation – Offer of Payment in lieu of Transportation – The Board unanimously approved without discussion payment per student in lieu of transportation for the 2026-2027 school year for 31 students per ORC 3327.02. Observer Note: See ORC 3327.02 for more information. See Impracticality of Transportation details in the meeting agenda available online.

 

Contracts – The Board unanimously approved without discussion the contracts listed below:

• Pisanick Partners - Health-e Meal Planner Pro SOW

• ESCNEO - School Psychologist

• Summit Educational Service Center Agreement - Resident Educator Mentoring Administration

• Chardon Local School District - Student Services 

• Fairmount Center for the Performing Arts Agreements for Preschool

• Fairmount Center for the Performing Arts Agreements for Elementary

• LEAP Program - Lexington School District

• Cardinal Local School District - Student Services

Observer Note: See Contracts details in the meeting agenda available online.

Clinic Substitutes – The Board unanimously approved without discussion the individuals listed below as health clinic substitutes and medication administration staff:

• Eve Ahrens

• Heather Chenoweth

• Corrie Neely

9:25 Min. Old Business – No Old Business.

9:29 Min. New Business – Dr. Stoddard welcomed to the district two high-school-age foreign exchange students, one from Poland and one from Belgium. First grade teacher Lori McBurnie is hosting the students. Later in the meeting, Mrs. Stone remarked that she was happy to see they have foreign exchange students coming in. Dr. Stoddard agreed, saying they have had foreign exchange students each year since he’s been at Berkshire. He commented “they always do a really nice job, and they get to see what it’s like in the real America.”

 

Dr. Stoddard announced they have received their official letter from the state placing the district in fiscal caution due to their projected negative fund balance for FY2029. He said he and Treasurer Matt Holser met with a representative from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to discuss a remediation plan. He stated that they have started work on that plan, which must be Board-approved and submitted to the state by November 30, 2026. Dr. Stoddard said they will present the plan to the Board at the October meeting for approval.

 

He reminded the Board that they made budget cuts last year which pulled the school out of fiscal caution for FY2028. However, due to the continued effects of HB 186, their projected funding deficit for 2029 has put them back into fiscal caution, requiring additional cuts. He noted they would “see where we land” when they submit their next five-year forecast in February 2027. If the adjustments they make keep them out of a negative fund balance for two projected years, they will be out of fiscal caution.

He expressed hope that they can get themselves out of fiscal caution and that “this is going to be a recurring issue without finding a new revenue source, which we’re currently actively working on.” The other alternative is additional expenditure reductions. Observer Note: Berkshire has placed a 0.50% earned income tax increase request on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Berkshire already has a 1.0% earned income tax levy in place. See LWV Observer Report for July 13, 2026 for more information.

Dr. Stoddard informed the Board that 2012 Berkshire High School graduate Matt Elko is being inducted into Thiel College Athletics Hall of Fame for baseball, saying it was something he thought they should celebrate.

 

Mr. Wadsworth asked about the status of the Workforce Campus building that was recently hit by lightning. The Superintendent said the strike ignited a fire in the top floor in Building B, part of which is currently being used as their bus garage and for some storage. The fire department arrived quickly enough to contain the fire on the top floor. He noted the side of the building that was struck didn’t contain anything they were actively using. He said their insurance company is working directly with the contractors on repairs to damaged spaces and will cover the cost. The Illuminating Company has cleared the building for power to be restored. 

 

Mr. Manfredi announced that Berkshire’s elementary school will receive a purple star at the September 30 Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) Northeast Ohio Conference in Warren. It will mean all three of Berkshire’s schools have received the purple star. Mr. Manfredi explained that this designation is for schools that show outstanding service and support to military families. Later in the New Business discussion, Mr. Berman asked if OSBA provides signage to indicate that Berkshire schools have received the honor. Dr. Stoddard was unsure but suggested they use a purple star seal they will receive as the basis for a banner. The Board agreed that a banner or similar sign would be good. Mr. Manfredi noted “people need to see that we’re doing everything we can for these young men and women that protect us.”

 

Mr. Manfredi also announced that Dr. Stoddard will be honored as Superintendent of the Year for Northeast Ohio at the OSBA meeting. Mr. Manfredi said he wants to make sure that the school has “representation there because it’s a big deal for us,” and encouraged principals, assistant principals and Board members to attend the presentation if possible.

 

Next Regular Meeting Dates – October 12, 2026, and November 9, 2026, at 6 pm in the Auditorium of the Berkshire Local Schools complex, 14155 Claridon-Troy Rd, Burton, Ohio 44021.

 

19:05 Min. Executive Session – No Executive Session 

 

19:38 Min. Meeting Adjourned

Observer: Rooney Moy

Editor: Marla Zwinggi

Reviewer: Sarah McGlone

Date Submitted: September 20, 2026

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