Paulding School Board Honors Jerrod Hawk, Approves Programs & Personnel Actions
The Paulding Exempted Village Schools Board of Education met December 16, 2025, for its regular meeting, addressing routine business, approving several student activity trips, and acting on a number of personnel matters while also recognizing a longtime board member for his service to the district.
During public participation, the board recognized Jerrod Hawk with a gift in appreciation for his years of service on the school board, thanking him for his dedication to Paulding Exempted Village Schools.
The board approved the minutes from the Nov. 18, 2025, regular meeting along with the November 2025 financial reports and bills. Superintendent Chris Etzler presented his administrative report, which included updates on enrollment, HVAC projects, the Paulding County Opportunity Center (PCOC), PPL programming, the senior citizens’ breakfast, and the proposed 2026–2027 school calendar. Paulding Elementary Principal Mary Born also provided a building-level report.
Among the recommendations approved, the board set the January 2026 regular and organizational meeting for Jan. 13 at 6 p.m., adopted nutritional guidelines for the 2025–2026 school year, and approved allowing high school student-athletes to participate in indoor track and field with parental permission. The indoor track program will be coached by volunteers, with transportation provided by the district. The board also approved a girls wrestling trip to Findlay on Dec. 19 and 20 and a boys wrestling trip to Reading on Jan. 9 and 10. In addition, the board adopted a resolution requesting certification of alternative tax rates for an income tax.
Several personnel items were approved, including the resignation of Cindy Kauser, superintendent’s secretary and EMIS coordinator, effective July 31, 2026, after 16 years of service; the resignation of second-shift custodian Tony Gonzales, effective Dec. 26, 2025, after nine months; and the resignation of Paulding Elementary intervention specialist Stephanie Smith, effective Jan. 2, 2026, after two and a half years with the district. The board also approved a two-year contract for Cindy Kauser as EMIS coordinator beginning Aug. 1, 2026.
The board approved multiple one-year limited extracurricular volunteer contracts for the 2025–2026 school year, including positions in barbershop quartet, indoor track, wrestling, and junior high boys basketball.