School Board Meeting: Cuyahoga Falls Schools Boundary Changes, Wellness Plan, New Campus Updates

RELATED: Starting a Business in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio: Local Resources CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio – Cuyahoga Falls City Schools’ last regular board meeting of 2025 was packed with emotion and big decisions, as the Board of Education approved new elementary boundaries, heard an in-depth wellness and MTSS update, and reflected on the community’s response to the new 6–12 campus. The meeting took place Dec. 10 in the Cuyahoga Falls High School media center and centered on Cuyahoga Falls schools boundary changes and the district’s broader “culture of caring” work. Board members present were President Ms. Alecia Coco , Mr. Anthony Gomez , Mr. A.J. Harris , Mrs. Carrie Schaefer , and Ms. Patrice White , along with Treasurer/CFO Ms. Kristy Stoicoiu and Superintendent/CEO Dr. Andrea Celico , according to the published agenda. Top Tigers, Staff Stars And A ‘Friend Of Education’ The night opened with recognitions that underscored the district’s emphasis on character and service. Staff Star Award Instructional Services Director Allison Bogdan introduced the December Staff Star honorees: Amanda Cairns , school van driver (unable to attend due to illness) Kim Brillhart , school van monitor Cairns and Brillhart, who transport some of the district’s most medically fragile and neurodivergent students, were praised for their patience, empathy and the trusting relationships they’ve built with families. Brillhart told the board she “just loves these kids” and feels she’s “right where I should be.” Friend of Education Award – Alecia Coco The board then surprised President Alecia Coco with its Friend of Education Award, recognizing her years of advocacy even before she ran for office, including her “Legos of Love” project that provided individual LEGO kits for elementary students during pandemic-era indoor recess. Speakers noted Coco’s four years of leadership, her focus on keeping students at the center of decisions, and her willingness to make difficult calls that impacted students and facilities. Colleagues emphasized her compassion, her emotional investment in board work, and the sacrifices her family made while she served as a board member and president. Top Tigers Recognition Superintendent Dr. Andrea Celico and representatives from the Cuyahoga Falls Schools Foundation & Alumni Association honored December’s Top Tigers—students selected for leadership, kindness and academics. The foundation helps sponsor the program and also funds scholarships and teacher grants across the district CFSFAA . December Top Tigers included: Cuyahoga Falls Preschool – Bodie Goodson DeWitt Elementary – Aubree Anderson , Lucas Clayton Lincoln Elementary – Aria Broderick , Jenson Starcher Preston Elementary – Kevin Curtis , Avon Johnson , Nicole Wanjiru Price Elementary – Leo Broyles , Mayahri Guest Richardson Elementary – Brandon Atkinson , Sophia Guevarra Silver Lake Elementary – Wyatt Whaley , Violet Yaceczko Cuyahoga Falls Middle School – Mason Coletta , Madelyn Folk Cuyahoga Falls High School – Dylan Good , Carly Treash Students were recognized individually for traits such as perseverance, academic excellence, leadership, and kindness toward peers and staff. Wellness Presentation Ties SEL To Academics Mrs. Holly Merkle presented the district’s annual Wellness and Success & Wellness programming report, connecting student wellness to the new strategic plan’s “culture of caring” and academic goals. Key points: Integrated MTSS/PBIS+ system: The district has moved from treating academics, behavior and social-emotional issues separately to an integrated MTSS model, branded locally as PBIS+ (behavior, attendance and SEL together). Care teams and data days: Multi-disciplinary care teams in each building meet twice a month, reviewing data from Panorama SEL surveys, attendance and behavior to identify students needing Tier II and Tier III supports. Elementary “PBIS+ Data Days” bring teacher teams together twice a year to match students with evidence-based interventions. Panorama SEL results improving: Students in grades 3–12 complete SEL surveys twice a year. Merkle highlighted: Emotion regulation , long the weakest domain, has improved across buildings after a laser focus on co-regulation, explicit SEL lessons and small groups. Sense of safety scores have risen since 2023 at both elementary and secondary levels. Some measures—like labeling feelings at the elementary level—dipped slightly and will be revisited. Research link to academics: Merkle cited new large-scale research showing students’ social-emotional skills, particularly self-regulation and executive function, are strongly associated with improved reading and math performance, reinforcing that wellness work is academic work too. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has shifted away from the traditional MTSS triangle graphic toward a more holistic integrated model, and Merkle noted that Cuyahoga Falls’ current work already aligns closely with that state framework. Districtwide PBIS