Streetsboro Board of Education Regular Meeting
Date: 7/9/2026
Format: In-person
Summary:
The Regular Meeting of the Streetsboro Board of Education was called to order on July 9, 2026 at 5:45 PM.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: A concerned father asked the board what the plan was for reinstating JV sports and clubs. He said that as a group this had to be figured out. He felt that things were being done backward. JV sports are important to him and his son, and he questioned whether he was better off sending his son to the Crestwood school system
The minutes of the 6/11/2026 regular meeting and the 6/25/2026 fiscal year-end meeting were approved.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT: There are several upcoming dates to make note of. The PTA will be hosting an Ice Cream Social on August 16. There will also be a tailgate on August 28 prior to the first home football game. Preschool will start with half the class coming on August 24th and the second half coming on August 25. All preschool students will be back on August 26. Kindergarten will also start on a staggered approach. The start dates will be based on homeroom number, with one half of the students returning on August 20 and the other half on August 21. First and Second grade will all start back on August 20. Henry Defer 3-5 will start August 20. Sixth grade will start August 20. Seventh and Eighth Grade will start August 21. Ninth Grade will start August 20, and Tenth through Twelfth will begin on August 21.
The district received 333 responses to date on a Community School Funding survey. The aim is to gather insight into where people stand on funding for public schools. The survey is still open, and it is difficult to draw conclusions until more completed surveys are returned. Of the respondents to date: 91.6% are homeowners, 8% are renters, 74% are active parents, 18% are former parents. They are aware of the district's financial standing. As for priorities, 43.2% prioritized educational activities. They are being asked for their preference regarding possible school funding models. The three choices given are Option A: Funding from property tax; Option B: Funding through earned income; and Option C: a Combination of property tax and earned income. So far, the respondents' choices were Option A: 39.3%, Option B: 23.1%, and Option C: 37.5%. Most respondents feel that property tax is the way to go. About 20% of the respondents are strongly opposed to the property tax option. The district is currently working on a fact sheet to further explain how each option would work. As for the communication channels, the group overwhelmingly feels they are getting the information they need. The district email and Facebook are the preferred ways of receiving information. If the district decides to go with earned income, more communication will be needed to educate people on how it would work. So far, the number of responses received has been disappointing. We are still reaching out for more respondents. A decision will need to be made on how long to run the survey, most likely through the start of the new school year, and then at what point to close it.
TREASURER’S REPORT: The general fund report for the previous month showed revenues of $432,345 and expenses of $2,792,520. The fiscal integrity meetings are returning to quarterly meetings. Currently looking for interested new members to participate in the meetings. Anyone interested in participating should apply by August 1.
A renewal levy is on the ballot this November. It is a 5.1 mil combined levy with 3.6 mil going to the general fund and 1.5 mil for permanent improvements. This will not bring in new money. There is no resolution for new money for the fall. The need for new money remains, with a projected cash deficit in 2030. Have until August 5 to have a second resolution approved.
There was a board discussion on whether to request new money on the November ballot or put it off until May. The board expressed concerns with putting all the requests on the November ballot. The previous three requests for new money have all failed. The board unanimously agreed to put the renewal levy on the ballot only in November.
As for the pay-to-play fees for sports and clubs: A new policy will require that all fees be paid in full before a student is allowed to participate in the first sports practice or meeting. This means that not only must the student pay the pay-to-play fee, but they must also be caught up on any school fees, such as lunch and technology fees, prior to participation. No student with fees in arrears will be allowed to participate until their account is paid up in full.
CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER REPORT: There are five rental agreements and two community concert events up for board approval. The rental agreements will bring in $50,000 to the district. What the community concert events bring in will depend on ticket sales.
BOARD REPORTS: The band's car washes went well. The band is selling community discount cards and is also working on the August band show.
Consent Agenda Items B through P were approved.
OLD BUSINESS: The pay-to-play fee policy was updated. Pay-to-play for athletics is $300 per student per sport, with a $600 limit per student. Activity fees for non-athletic clubs are $50 per student. The new policy requires that participants be caught up on all school fees (including meal and technology fees) before participating in their first organized meeting.
NEW BUSINESS: Sara Scott reviewed the open sessions held with the community on fiscal issues related to the district's recent cuts to activities due to budget constraints. Topics that were brought up included open enrollment, transportation, and use of the annex and tech buildings. There was a question about whether these buildings could be sold to raise money for the district. The possibility of commercial real estate appeals was brought up. Most of the time spent during these sessions focused on JV sports. Ms. Scott moved to reinstate JV sports and cheerleaders for the 2026-2027 school year. The JV sports and cheerleaders will have to pay a $300 fee to participate. This fee is required for each activity and is capped at $600 per student.
A board discussion followed. Positions cut from the budget included moving the Athletic Director from a full-time to a part-time position and eliminating a secretary assistant to the Athletic Director. If JV sports are reinstated, the district will be required by law to fund a full-time Athletic Director position. It was decided that help for the secretary could be found from other areas and that it would not be necessary to open a position for secretarial assistance to the Athletic Director. It is apparent that the community feels strongly about sports, and a large percentage of students in the district participate. The Athletic Boosters have promised to fundraise and cover the balance of the costs of running the sports programs. There is no guarantee that they will do this or meet their targets. The Board must make its decision on what funding they know they have. There is no magic money and no guarantee that what the Boosters are proposing will work. There is a real fear that something else will have to be cut. If we look at academics-what will we cut? The board expressed concerns about playing a shell game and the dangers of threatening cuts and then pulling back from them. The other unknown is the effect of the pay-to-play fees on turnout. It may be possible to cut some teams if not enough students participate to field a team.
The board unanimously voted to reinstate JV sports and cheerleaders and to move the Athletic Director from part-time to full-time.
A short discussion was made on the status of Freshman basketball. It was decided that Freshman players will have the opportunity to try out for the JV team.
The meeting was adjourned to executive session at 6:56 PM.
Members Present: Tracy Campbell, Tonia Epple, Kristina Mattmuller, Kelly Rich, Sara Scott
Absent: All board members were present.
Public Notice: Yes
Agenda: Yes
Minutes: Yes
Observer: Diana L Skok