Freedom Area School Board: Meetings & Votes
Every board of school directors meeting and every recorded vote, taken from the official minutes. Canceled meetings are listed too, along with scheduled meetings whose minutes were never posted online. Minutes are posted after they are approved, usually at the next meeting.
Meetings in 2026
- Sept. 10 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area parents pressed school board on bomb threat investigation, communication
- Sept. 3 · Work session3 votesFreedom Area board appointed Elizabeth Grace Shane to fill a vacant board seat
- Aug. 24 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board heard from candidates for its open director seat
- Aug. 13 · Regular meeting5 votesFreedom Area board hired four teachers and approved more than $1.3 million in payments
- Aug. 6 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board accepted director Brenckle’s resignation, approved building grant bids
- July 9 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area school board approved about $780,000 in bills and several staff changes
- June 18 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area board appointed Sharon Geibel to fill its vacant director seat
- June 11 · Work session3 votesFreedom Area board approved a $29.99 million budget with a 3.935% tax increase
- May 26 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board accepted Director James Happ’s resignation, raised solicitor’s rate
- May 14 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area school board approved a 2026-27 preliminary budget and $1.46M in bills
- May 7 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board approved a remote-learning day application and three agreements
- April 27 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board hired James Cassell as elementary principal at $97,500 salary
- April 16 · Regular meeting5 votesFreedom Area officials said a property tax increase will likely be needed for 2026-27
- April 9 · Work session3 votesFreedom Area board named Gerald Inman to vo-tech authority board, accepted resignations
- March 12 · Regular meeting5 votesFreedom Area board seeks $2 million HVAC grant, OKs $336,718 stage lighting
- March 5 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board weighed $336,718 stage lighting project, van, scoreboard and HVAC costs
- Feb. 12 · Regular meeting5 votesFreedom Area board approved $1.3 million in bills and spring field trips
- Feb. 5 · Work session4 votesFreedom Area board approved a revised calendar making March 16 a school day
- Jan. 15 · Regular meeting4 votesFreedom Area board backed $15 million debt plan for New Horizon School mold cleanup
- Jan. 8 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board named Emily Evans secretary and approved hires, travel and policies
How members voted in 2026
| Member | Attended | Votes cast | Voted against the majority | Abstained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Evans School Director | 18 of 20 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharon Geibel School Director | 4 of 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Monica Grunnagle School Director | 18 of 20 | 50 | 0 | 1 |
| Gerald Inman School Director | 20 of 20 | 56 | 2 | 0 |
| Michelle Micija School Director | 19 of 20 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Leslie Rizzi School Director | 17 of 20 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| Gracie Shane School Director | 1 of 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Wes Sterrett School Director | 19 of 20 | 54 | 0 | 0 |
| John Tatko School Director | 19 of 20 | 53 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Brenckle School Director Former member | 9 of 16 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Jim Happ School Director Former member | 4 of 11 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Attendance counts the meetings held while each member was on the board of school directors. "Voted against the majority" counts no votes on motions that passed and yes votes on motions that failed. Tap a name to see every vote.
Many votes are taken by voice. When the minutes say a vote was unanimous, everyone present is shown voting yes. When they name members who voted no or abstained, everyone else present is shown voting yes. When they give only the result, individual votes are shown as not recorded.
Source: Freedom Area School Board minutes. Recaps are drafted by the BeaverCountian AI Desk from the official minutes and reviewed by an editor.