Talawanda had its first school board meeting of the academic year Thursday, Sept. 19, and discussed the state ratings, EpiPens and student achievements. The board also raised the salary of the superintendent.

The board  approved a raise for Talawanda’s superintendent, Ed Theroux, and treasurer, Shaunna Tafelski.

The final approval was three to one, with member Dawn King disapproving of the raise. In the meeting, King said they should wait to give Theroux the raise as he is only one year into his five-year contract.

Other members disagreed with King, outlining achievements from the superintendent, such as the 2 percent increase in graduation rate, high grades of state report cards and the fact that Theroux is the least-paid superintendent in Butler County. 

The raise will increase Theroux’s pay to over $148,000 and Tafeski’s to just over $132,000, according to the school board. 

The board also announced that Victor Li and Pierce Noltemeyer were semi-finalists for the National Merit Award, according to Rebecca Howard, president of Talawanda’s school board. 

Lilian Frank, class of 2024, had work from her AP art portfolio from last spring selected by the 2024-2026 Ohio House of Representatives student art exhibition. Frank’s art will be on display at the Vern Riffe Center from Sept. 28, 2024 through May 2026, according to Howard. 

The school board also discussed a new recommended policy regarding EpiPens presented by Mike Malone, Talawanda’s director of human resources. The policy would require two prescribed EpiPens in the nurse’s office and training for all staff members on signs of anaphylaxis and EpiPen usage. 

–-Gabrielle Byrd