BELOIT — The West Branch school board approved open enrollment options for the 2026-2027 school year in its February meeting.

The board voted unanimously to continue offering open enrollment for students living outside the district. However, that offer comes with an asterisk.

As in previous years, the district will continue to consider new open enrollment applications for students in grades K-12 in accordance with student class sizes. However, for grades K-6, the board will be considering a “very, very limited” number of new applicants due to reduction in district capacity limits by grade level.

Returning open enrollment students will continue to be accepted in the district “unless class sizes reach our maximum allowed ratio by grade level, or if a student has been suspended for 10 or more consecutive days during the second semester, or if special education caseloads exceed our maximum allowed ratio.”

As a benefit of employment, any staff members whose children live outside the district limits may attend the district under its open enrollment policy “and such application shall be given preference for acceptance, regardless of grade level.” Once enrolled the child of a staff member attending through the open enrollment policy “shall not be removed except for reasons related to student misconduct.”

The board also approved several personnel and administrative matters.

Personnel matter approved included: the retirements of Superintendent Micki Egli effective Feb. 1, and High School Industrial Technology Instructor Rodger Sharp effective June 2026; the resignation of Nutrition Staff Wendy Wagner effective Feb. 17; three-year

contracts for Elementary Principal Kylie Baker, High School Principal Brian Coffee, Middle School Principal Fritz Schleuter, and Knox Elementary Administrator John Ault; three extended days for Elementary Guidance Counselor Kierstin Fillman; and athletic supplementals for the 2025-2026 school year.

Administrative matters approved included: a memorandum of understanding with the West Branch Classified Employees’ Association to clarify contracts for emergency school closing/calamity days; a resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the County Auditor; an agreement with the Columbiana County Educational Service Center to provide special services coordination for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year; and a resolution in support of traffic signal installation in Damascus.

The board of education will meet next at 6 p.m. on March 19.