Financial stability, transparency and investment part of district’s strategic plan

July 21 board of education meeting

by Laura Bednar

Treasurer Kyle Kiffer presented another facet of the ongoing Nordonia Hills City Schools’ strategic plan: financial stability.

Revenue for fiscal year 2026 is up by over $2 million, or 4.38%, compared to last fiscal year, and expenditures are down by 1.29%. Kiffer said levy collections account for the revenue bump and lower expenditures are a result of staff attrition, position restructuring, managing contracted services and controlling department expenditures. Spending for salaries and wages was down 2% and cost of supplies was down 4.5%.

To achieve transparent financial communication, the treasurer obtained enrollment projection studies, published the annual report in an accessible format, conducted quarterly finance committee meetings and presented five-year forecasts.

One of Kiffer’s future goals is sharing short finance videos online as an educational tool for the community.

A second objective is fiscal sustainability and revenue diversification. Kiffer said the district utilized grant funding to offset general fund expenditures, earned E-rate federal funds for technology, continued the partnership with Cuyahoga Valley Career Center and purchased Chromebooks instead of leasing to obtain a better rate.

Future steps include developing a cash balance policy for long-term stability and analyzing existing contracts to identify cost-saving opportunities.

In response to the facilities planning and continuous improvement objective, the district created a budget aligned with capital and maintenance priorities. Kiffer said this is important, as the permanent improvement fund will be depleted now that the MGM tax settlement is finished.

The district will continue to implement a master facilities plan and develop a long-term capital budget strategy to determine if capital needs should be funded through the general fund or PI fund.

Kiffer said the district met the objective of ensuring financial and student success by developing budget allocations “using enrollment projections, student needs and district priorities to support the classroom.” Budgeting meetings were held with school directors and principals.

Next steps include identifying areas for improved allocation in the budget and moving to a singular budget structure instead of allocating money per building. Kiffer suggested potentially allocating money per student.

The final objective is strategic technology investment and planning. Nordonia shifted the Chromebook replacement schedule to ensure devices are configured and ready before the school year begins.

Next steps include creating a forecast for technology purchases and developing a reporting process to update the community on technology investments, projects and impact on student learning.

Technology director

Technology Supervisor Steve Rutherford retired after 10 years and accepted a position with Berea schools. His replacement is Steven Pulskamp, whom Technology Director Mike Russ said comes from the private sector and has “acumen, intelligence and an analytical mind” to do well in the position.

Superintendent Casey Wright noted the technology department has two staff members. Wright said he and Russ are reworking the department into a team approach to share the work.