The Worthington Board of Education held its organizational meeting on January 5, swearing in board members and establishing new leadership for the year. The board unanimously elected Amber Epling-Skinner as President and Stephanie Harless as Vice President, while also finalizing the district's meeting calendar and discussing plans for increased collaboration with the City of Worthington.
New Officers Elected
Following the administration of oaths of office to re-elected and new board members Sheena Costa-Flowers, Kelli Davis, and Nikki Hudson, the board moved to officer elections.
Board Member Kelli Davis nominated Epling-Skinner for the role of President. The nomination was seconded by Harless and approved unanimously with a 5-0 vote. Treasurer Thomas (TJ) Cusick then administered the oath of office to Epling-Skinner.
Stephanie Harless was then nominated by a board member for Vice President. The board voted 5-0 to approve the nomination, and Harless took the oath of office.
Upon taking the gavel, President Epling-Skinner thanked Davis for her service and outlined the board's focus for 2026. "In the coming year, we're going to be celebrating major milestones. We've got ribbon cuttings for sure on the schedule. Our new auditorium, the expected completion of both high schools is on the horizon—projects that represent years of planning and community investment," she said.
2026 Meeting Calendar Approved with Amendment
The board approved its 2026 meeting schedule, with standard meetings generally continuing on alternating Mondays at 6:30 PM with one exception: The February 4 work session was moved from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM to avoid conflicting with the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon that same day.
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Joint Meeting with City Council Planned
A significant addition to the 2026 planning involves a proposed joint meeting with the Worthington City Council. Vice President Harless and President Epling-Skinner have been in preliminary talks with city officials to schedule a collaborative session, tentatively targeting March.
"We were approached by Amy Lloyd from the City of Worthington to talk about having a joint meeting with Worthington City Council. It's a model that other boards and city councils in other cities have," Harless explained. The meeting would be public but structured more like a work session.
Board Member Kelli Davis asked if there was consideration for inviting representatives from other jurisdictions, such as Perry Township, Sharon Township, or Columbus. Harless confirmed that while broader inclusion is a long-term goal, the initial strategy is to start smaller. "Starting with a smaller group and then kind of adding from there so you have a core, it makes more sense and the best use of everybody's time," she explained.
The board expects to discuss the agenda for this joint meeting during the February 4 work session.
Looking Ahead
Epling-Skinner highlighted several key priorities for the year, including navigating a midterm election in November that may include a property tax amendment, and beginning work on forming a committee to evaluate elementary schools. "That will be happening at the end of 2026, and that work will help inform long-term planning, future conversations as we plan to be back on the ballot in 2028," she noted.
According to the meeting discussion, the State of the Schools address is scheduled for March 5, 2026, at 6:30 PM at Worthington Kilbourne High School in the renovated auditorium. The board's next regular meeting will be January 26 at 6:30 PM at the Worthington Education Center.