High school principal appointed, roofing projects planned

by Laura Bednar

Dec. 16 board of education meeting

Superintendent Casey Wright announced to the board of education that Nordonia High School Principal Louise Terringo will leave her position effective July 31, 2025, and high school Associate Principal Jessica Archer will take her place.

Terringo started five years ago as a long-term substitute at Lee Eaton Elementary School, coming from a job as high school principal in Twinsburg. When Wright transitioned from high school principal to business director, Terringo was promoted to principal. According to Wright, Terringo said, “It’s a hard place to leave because there are such wonderful people here.”

Archer was hired to be an associate principal in 2017, and Wright said he brought her into meetings and trained her. “The health of an organization is a longevity plan, that when our leaders are ready for retirement, we know who’s ready to step into that role,” said Wright.

Nordonia Hills board Vice President Liz McKinley said she was glad to have Archer learn from two previous high school principals. “I have personally witnessed your amazing way with the kids and the incredible things that you do,” she said.

Board members Matt Kearney and Amy Vajdich also thanked both administrators for their efforts over the years.

Archer’s contract runs from Aug. 1, 2025, through July 31, 2029, with an annual starting salary of $128,313.

Roof repairs

The board approved roofing contracts with Champion Roofing for roof replacement at Rushwood Elementary and Nordonia High School and with Womer Roofing for roof replacement at Nordonia Middle School.

Three sections of roof are being replaced at Rushwood for $284,200; two sections will be replaced at the high school for $461,950; and one section is being replaced at the middle school for $127,635.

The projects are slated to begin at the conclusion of the 2024-25 school year and be completed by Aug. 15, 2025.

Wright said the buildings have a collective 13 acres of roof, indicating it is unlikely there will be a time when no roof repairs are needed. The district uses thermal imaging to detect what areas of roof need to be replaced.

School calendar

District families can review the school calendar for the 2026-27 school year. The first day of school will be Aug. 20, 2026, and students will be off on Labor Day, Sept. 7, and Election Day, Nov. 3.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Thanksgiving break is from Nov. 25-30. Winter break starts Dec. 21 and ends Jan. 4, 2027. There will be no school on Jan. 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Feb. 15, President’s Day; and spring break will start March 25 and end April 5. There will be no school May 31, Memorial Day, and the last day of school will be June 1.

Severance package

The board approved an agreement with Educator’s Preferred Corporation to offer a severance package and work with district employees close to retirement. Wright said the district will help employees determine if an early retirement is an option, “because we know layoffs may be coming.”

He explained that after the agreement goes into effect, the district has 45 days to present the severance plan to employees and must decide whether to implement it by March 17, 2025. 

Board President Chad Lahrmer said Educator’s Preferred Corporation estimated 25 employees between professional and classified staff would take the severance package. 

Treasurer Kyle Kiffer said the agreement could provide substantial savings for the district, based on the number of employees who accept the package.

Open forum

Nordonia resident Rachel Cadesky said she believes “investing in the schools is investing in the community” and the district needs to pass a permanent operating levy. 

“The board is doing everything they can with our current budget but expenses have gone up and teachers deserve pay increases and our schools have repairs needed,” she said.

Cadesky noted her concern about potential busing cuts, loss of AP courses and increased class sizes to balance the budget. “It’s been a genuinely disheartening experience being in a community that politicizes a nonpartisan issue like a school levy,” she said.Community member Ginny Aubel said volunteers interested in joining a political action committee for a levy can visit nordoniatogether.com. She also expressed her concerns over potential cuts, like busing. Ohio does not require that school districts provide busing for high school students. She said this will be a “headache for parents” that have to adjust work schedules to drive kids to school or will cause increased traffic with inexperienced teenage drivers. Aubel expressed concern that extracurricular activities, clubs and sports that teach students “empathy and teamwork” would be cut.