By 1808Delaware
At its most recent meeting, the Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education moved through an agenda that reflected both celebration and preparation: recognition for statewide academic performance, honors for students and staff, a discussion of artificial intelligence in the classroom, and a preview of financial and policy matters shaping the year ahead.
District Recognized Again
One of the evening’s central moments came as Jerry Zgrabik, Area Coordinator for Region 6 of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, presented Olentangy Schools with the Overall 5-Star Award for the 2024-25 Ohio School Report Cards.
The designation places Olentangy among a relatively small group of districts statewide. Of Ohio’s 607 public school districts, 47 earned an overall five-star rating across the state’s six key components: Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Early Literacy, Graduation, and College/Career Readiness. For Olentangy, the recognition also marked a pattern of sustained performance. The 2024-25 report card was the third consecutive year the district earned the state’s top overall recognition for significantly exceeding state standards. Only two districts in Delaware County received the honor.
Celebrating Students, Staff, And Years Of Service
The meeting also included recognition of students, staff members, and teams for achievements across academics, athletics, co-curricular programs, and extracurricular activities.
Board members also paused to recognize 45 staff members who have retired in 2026 or are retiring at the end of the current school year. Together, those employees represent 1,148 years of service to Olentangy Schools, a figure that underscored the long-term commitment behind the district’s day-to-day work.
Superintendent Todd R. Meyer added another point of celebration, noting that the district hosted its 2026 District Senior Scholarship and Awards event on May 4. During that event, 132 seniors received 164 scholarships and awards from businesses, organizations, families, and booster groups.
A Call For Civic Engagement
Board President Brandon Lester opened his report by expressing appreciation for recent opportunities to celebrate student, staff, and district accomplishments. He also used the moment to encourage residents to remain engaged in public education issues, particularly state-level discussions involving Ohio’s school funding formula. Lester urged community members to stay informed, ask questions, connect with board members and local representatives, and remain part of conversations that affect public school districts.
AI In The Classroom, With Guardrails
Artificial intelligence was another major topic during the meeting, as Instructional Technology Supervisors David Hayward and Brent Rohrer presented an overview of how AI tools are being used in Olentangy Schools.
The discussion focused less on technology for its own sake and more on readiness, governance, safety, and instructional purpose. District leaders said they are developing an AI-specific policy while continuing staff training, maintaining data privacy protections, and building a thoughtful implementation process.
Rohrer highlighted Google’s NotebookLM as one vetted, education-specific tool being used with teacher and student resources. The district emphasized that its approach is designed to maintain guardrails, prioritize safety, and support critical thinking rather than replace it. District leaders said stakeholder groups have helped identify key priorities, including protecting critical thinking skills, ensuring developmentally appropriate use, and keeping a balanced approach to AI integration.
The roadmap described during the meeting is phased, beginning with a strong foundation and moving toward infrastructure, procurement practices, and flexibility as AI continues to evolve.
Budget Pressures And Property Tax Context
Treasurer Ryan Jenkins reviewed the preliminary FY27 General Fund budget, which is projected to increase by 6.76%. According to the report, the increase is driven primarily by staffing, benefits, purchased services related to support for exceptional students, and higher utility and facility costs. Staffing is projected to rise by 6.94%, while benefits are projected to increase by 4.34%.
Jenkins also addressed ongoing legislative discussions around property taxes, emphasizing that Olentangy supports tax relief for residents.
He provided context for public discussion of how much of the district’s budget comes from property taxes. While a county figure cited 40%, Jenkins said that number is significantly affected by non-operational budget factors. When major capital expenses and refunding transactions are removed from the FY26 budget, including bonds for Deer Haven Elementary and High School 5, property taxes account for about 75.3% of operating-related appropriations.
Handbook Updates For 2026-27
The Board also reviewed updates to student handbooks for the 2026-27 school year. Chief Academic Officer Dr. Michelle Blackley and Executive Director of School Leadership Greta Gnagy outlined changes tied to recent legislation, technical updates, and procedural revisions. Among them were enhanced safety procedures for students riding bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards to school.
Athletic handbook updates include new Name, Image, and Likeness guidelines allowing student-athletes to participate while maintaining eligibility. The district also formalized the use of video analysis tools, with required consent for student participation.
Important Dates Ahead
The last day of school is Thursday, May 28. Commencement ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 30, at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. The groundbreaking for High School 5 is scheduled for Monday, June 1.
The Board’s next regular meeting is set for Wednesday, May 20, at 6:30 PM at the Olentangy Administrative Offices.most recent meeting, the Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education moved through an agenda that reflected both celebration and preparation: recognition for statewide academic performance, honors for students and staff, a discussion of artificial intelligence in the classroom, and a preview of financial and policy matters shaping the year ahead.
A District Recognized Again
One of the evening’s central moments came as Jerry Zgrabik, Area Coordinator for Region 6 of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, presented Olentangy Schools with the Overall 5-Star Award for the 2024-25 Ohio School Report Cards.
The designation places Olentangy among a relatively small group of districts statewide. Of Ohio’s 607 public school districts, 47 earned an overall five-star rating across the state’s six key components: Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Early Literacy, Graduation, and College/Career Readiness.
For Olentangy, the recognition also marked a pattern of sustained performance. The 2024-25 report card was the third consecutive year the district earned the state’s top overall recognition for significantly exceeding state standards. Only two districts in Delaware County received the honor.
Celebrating Students, Staff, And Years Of Service
The meeting also included recognition of students, staff members, and teams for achievements across academics, athletics, co-curricular programs, and extracurricular activities.
Board members also paused to recognize 45 staff members who have retired in 2026 or are retiring at the end of the current school year. Together, those employees represent 1,148 years of service to Olentangy Schools, a figure that underscored the long-term commitment behind the district’s day-to-day work.
Superintendent Todd R. Meyer added another point of celebration, noting that the district hosted its 2026 District Senior Scholarship and Awards event on May 4. During that event, 132 seniors received 164 scholarships and awards from businesses, organizations, families, and booster groups.
A Call For Civic Engagement
Board President Brandon Lester opened his report by expressing appreciation for recent opportunities to celebrate student, staff, and district accomplishments.
He also used the moment to encourage residents to remain engaged in public education issues, particularly state-level discussions involving Ohio’s school funding formula. Lester urged community members to stay informed, ask questions, connect with board members and local representatives, and remain part of conversations that affect public school districts.
AI In The Classroom, With Guardrails
Artificial intelligence was another major topic during the meeting, as Instructional Technology Supervisors David Hayward and Brent Rohrer presented an overview of how AI tools are being used in Olentangy Schools.
The discussion focused less on technology for its own sake and more on readiness, governance, safety, and instructional purpose. District leaders said they are developing an AI-specific policy while continuing staff training, maintaining data privacy protections, and building a thoughtful implementation process.
Rohrer highlighted Google’s NotebookLM as one vetted, education-specific tool being used with teacher and student resources. The district emphasized that its approach is designed to maintain guardrails, prioritize safety, and support critical thinking rather than replace it.
District leaders said stakeholder groups have helped identify key priorities, including protecting critical thinking skills, ensuring developmentally appropriate use, and keeping a balanced approach to AI integration.
The roadmap described during the meeting is phased, beginning with a strong foundation and moving toward infrastructure, procurement practices, and flexibility as AI continues to evolve.
Budget Pressures And Property Tax Context
Treasurer Ryan Jenkins reviewed the preliminary FY27 General Fund budget, which is projected to increase by 6.76%.
According to the report, the increase is driven primarily by staffing, benefits, purchased services related to support for exceptional students, and higher utility and facility costs. Staffing is projected to rise by 6.94%, while benefits are projected to increase by 4.34%.
Jenkins also addressed ongoing legislative discussions around property taxes, emphasizing that Olentangy supports tax relief for residents.
He provided context for public discussion of how much of the district’s budget comes from property taxes. While a county figure cited 40%, Jenkins said that number is significantly affected by non-operational budget factors. When major capital expenses and refunding transactions are removed from the FY26 budget, including bonds for Deer Haven Elementary and High School 5, property taxes account for about 75.3% of operating-related appropriations.
Handbook Updates For 2026-27
The Board also reviewed updates to student handbooks for the 2026-27 school year.
Chief Academic Officer Dr. Michelle Blackley and Executive Director of School Leadership Greta Gnagy outlined changes tied to recent legislation, technical updates, and procedural revisions. Among them were enhanced safety procedures for students riding bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards to school.
Athletic handbook updates include new Name, Image, and Likeness guidelines allowing student-athletes to participate while maintaining eligibility. The district also formalized the use of video analysis tools, with required consent for student participation.
Important Dates Ahead
Several key dates are now approaching for Olentangy families and staff.
The last day of school is Thursday, May 28. Commencement ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 30, at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. The groundbreaking for High School 5 is scheduled for Monday, June 1.
The Board’s next regular meeting is set for Wednesday, May 20, at 6:30 PM at the Olentangy Administrative Offices.
