NEW PARIS — National Trail School District Superintendent Robert Fischer presided over his final school board meeting for the district on Tuesday, May 28, prior to moving on to his new position as superintendent at Carlisle Local Schools in Warren County.

During that meeting, the board passed a resolution to levy a renewal income tax designed to raise $1,208,399 annually. This is a renewal of an existing three-quarters percent (0.75 percent) school district income tax and is to appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The income subject to the tax is taxable income of individuals and estates, as defined under the Ohio Revised Code.

The resolution stated that all deliberations and formal actions regarding this resolution were adopted in an open meeting of the National Trail Board of Education in compliance with the ORC.

Fischer also spoke of the transition to Jennifer Couch, who will replace him as superintendent. Couch has held the position as principal at National Trail Middle School for the past five years.

She is being replaced at the middle school by new principal, Derek Lucas, who was introduced at the meeting.

“I’m excited to move into the school community,” Lucas said.

Fischer said that Lucas was the unanimous choice as new principal.

Those are not the only changes students will find when they return for the 2024-25 school year. Carl (Ed) Eales is retiring as elementary principal. That means there will be a new elementary principal, middle school principal and superintendent next year.

The new elementary principal, Kristi Allred, also was introduced. She has taught in the National Trail District for several years.

In his report to the board, High School Principal Mike Eyler said that not many changes have been made to the high school student handbook, but he did update the Honors Diploma requirements to reflect new changes from the state.

“Next year we are not going to allow hoods, sock hats or ear coverings in general after feedback from staff members. I updated our ‘Medication and Illness at School’ section to align with the middle school, so it is the same language,” Eyler said.

“We also added districtwide a new AI policy to get out ahead of the quickly changing game of Artificial Intelligence,” he said.

Couch, finishing out her position as middle school principal, reported that the 8th graders took the Washington, D.C., trip, from Tuesday, May 13, through Friday, May 17.

“On Friday, May 24, we held our 4Q Awards assembly to recognize our honor roll students, students-of-the-month and perfect attendance students for the fourth quarter and the year,” she said.

“Our Literacy Team will meet this week to analyze reading representatives curriculum samples and work towards deciding on a new program a mandated by Ohio. I have representatives from all grade levels and title reading helping to make this decision,” Eales reported.

Athletics Director Troy Ferguson reported that 78 students participated in sports this year and that number is up from last year.

“We made more money on track, but spent more on baseball and softball. We were in the red by $770 for the year,” he said.

Ferguson said ticket prices will be the same next year and that there will be a contract with Kettering Health to provide a trainer.

The contract for the trainer that will provide the athletic training services at a cost of $47,500 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The next regular National Trail School Board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25, in either in the K-6 Cafeteria or the K-Media Center. The school is located at 6940 Oxford-Gettysburg Road, New Paris.