Aurora School Board December 2025 Meeting Features Honors, Grant, OAPSE Deal

AURORA, Ohio –The Aurora school board December 2025 meeting blended student celebration, support for innovative programming and a series of staffing and contract moves as the district heads into the new year.Board members Michael Acomb, Pam Mehallis, Molly Schneider, Stephen Sabulsky and Jennifer Klich met Dec. 15 in the district’s conference center at 119 W. Pioneer Trail.American Legion Contest Winners Lead Aurora School Board December 2025 MeetingThe meeting opened with special recognitions, led by the American Legion contest winners. Local Legion representatives honored Aurora students for their essays and knowledge of American government and flag etiquette, underscoring the district’s emphasis on civic education and student leadership.Students were recognized for demonstrating strong understanding of American history and citizenship, and board members praised both the students and the American Legion for maintaining a longstanding partnership that connects classroom learning with community service.Retired Teachers Group Awards Grant to Gretchen JesselThe board also recognized Gretchen Jessel, who received a Portage County Retired Teachers Association (PCRTA) grant.The $500 grant will support Jessel’s work on inclusive and adaptive physical education, an effort aimed at ensuring that all students – including those with disabilities or mobility challenges – can participate meaningfully in movement and fitness activities. The project reflects the district’s broader focus on “all abilities, all play,” giving teachers new tools to support students across a wide range of needs and abilities.Board members thanked the retired teachers group for investing in Aurora classrooms and commended Jessel for bringing additional outside resources into the district.Curriculum, Professional Development and Program of Studies UpdatesDuring the superintendent and assistant superintendent reports, district leaders reviewed recent curriculum work and looked ahead to course offerings for Aurora High School.Assistant Superintendent Mike Hayes described the district’s October professional development day, which offered 26 choice sessions for staff during the first half of the day. Topics included:Strategies to enhance student writing and math skillsDeveloping student‑centered lessons using EduProtocols and other online toolsApproaches for understanding and addressing student behaviorImplementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) practicesMultiple sessions focused on artificial intelligence in educationStaff also had access to two restorative sessions – a yoga class and a sound‑bath yoga nidra offering – intended to provide both wellness strategies for educators and techniques they could adapt for students during stressful times of the year.Gifted coordinator Becky Quinn used a Jennings grant to bring in nationally known gifted‑education expert Dr. Joy Lawson‑Davis. Lawson‑Davis led three sessions for educators (elementary, secondary and outside‑the‑classroom) on gifted identification and support, and a fourth evening session for Aurora families.Professional Learning Communities and Facilities InputIn the afternoon, teachers met in building‑level Professional Learning Community teams to work on curriculum projects in math, English language arts, science, social studies, global language and other elective areas. The extended time allowed staff to tackle larger projects and dive more deeply into topics that are often hard to address during regular weekly schedules.While much of the staff worked in PLCs, Superintendent Dr. Paul Milcetich and Hayes joined Then Design Architecture (TDA) in two sessions with staff from Miller Elementary, Craddock Elementary and the third‑grade team from Leighton Elementary. Those meetings focused on gathering educator feedback on:Learning spacesShared spacesOutdoor spacesas the district considers renovations at Miller and potential construction of a new 1–3 elementary building under the “Essential Plan.” Administrators said this internal stakeholder engagement will inform more targeted community engagement later in the school year.High School Program of Studies: Cybersecurity and Business ChangesThe board also heard an update on the proposed 2026–27 Aurora High School Program of Studies.Two of the most significant changes are:Cybersecurity – Aurora’s current cyber course provider, Paradigm, has become a College Board curriculum provider for AP Cybersecurity. Beginning in 2026–27, the district plans to replace Cybersecurity 1 with AP Cybersecurity, giving students the chance to earn AP credit in a high‑demand field.Business and Personal Finance – The College Board is rolling out AP Business with Personal Finance. Aurora plans to add this as a new offering and, based on an audit of current classes, essentially replace the long‑running Business Foundations course.District leaders said these changes are designed to expand opportunities for students without adding new staff, keeping the district “progress