Westlake board honors retirees and award winners, hires two teachers and approves class of 2026 and consent items

At its May 18 meeting the Westlake City Schools board recognized retiring staff members, presented spring excellence awards, introduced incoming staff and approved routine consent items including scholarships, personnel actions and a contract arrangement to sell advertising to fund scoreboard replacements.

Dr. Goggin (speaker 4) opened the meeting’s recognition segment by reading the names of 18 retirees across schools and departments, noting a combined roughly 435 years of service. "I do want to . . . recognize those who are retiring this year," he said, reading names from Westlake High School, Lee Bernison Middle School, Dover Intermediate School, Westlake Elementary School, operations and transportation, and the district office.

Saskia Romeo (speaker 6), introduced as a school counselor at Lee Bernison Middle School, presented the certified-staff excellence award to Todd Milke (speaker 7). Colleagues praised Milke’s classroom engagement and mentoring; Milke responded, thanking his colleagues and reflecting on the longevity of his career. "To be around long enough to see that cycle happen is really, really special," Milke said.

The board also presented the classified-staff excellence award to Jen Bo Kenny (name as recorded in the transcript), with Romeo noting her role in student services and school-wide initiatives.

Dr. Goggin introduced two hires for next year. Veronica Mulgrew (speaker 9) said she will join Westlake High School as transition coordinator after 10 years as an intervention specialist, and Hannah Kasmarski (speaker 10) said she will teach seventh-grade math and science at Lee Bernison Middle School.

On financial and personnel business, Treasurer Hopkins (speaker 5) asked that four or five recommendations be combined into a single vote. He reviewed a set of contracts and agreements—re-ups with the district food-service consultant, transportation corrections for a prior school year payment request, and a proposed agreement with PowerAd (doing business as PowerEd) to consolidate and sell advertising to raise revenue for replacing athletic scoreboards and other advertising opportunities. Hopkins said the company has previously worked with the district at Reid Field and other sites and that scoreboard purchases would not occur until advertising commitments are in place; the district would cover installation costs. "So part of the agreement...before scoreboards would be purchased, they would need to have the full funding, or commitments of the ad revenue in place," Hopkins said.

The board approved the package of consent items, including agreements, contracts and personnel actions, by roll-call vote. It also approved resolutions to accept donations to two scholarship funds—Bruce and Margaret Spassett’s $800 gift to the Megan Spassett Memorial Scholarship Fund and David Titterington’s $250 gift to the Nicholas Masa Memorial Scholarship Fund—and later accepted the Westlake High School graduating class of 2026. The superintendent recited class statistics: 253 graduates; nine committed scholars; eight National Merit finalists; one student who earned an associate degree; 75 students graduating summa cum laude (above a 4.3 GPA); and multiple honors diplomas, including 52 STEM honors diplomas.

Board members closed with general comments about student safety and community partnerships; one member thanked staff for organizing that day’s retirement ceremony. With no further business the board adjourned at 6:43 p.m.

Next steps: the district will finalize contract documents and follow up on the advertising agreement timeline and any transportation-payment resolutions during the coming weeks.