NORTH BALTIMORE – The school district will kick off its superintendent’s search with a committee meeting
later this month.
The meeting, specifically for board members, will be with a representative from the Ohio School Boards
Association, which is helping the district find a replacement for Marlene North, who will be retiring
June 30.
North said the meeting will be aimed at setting a plan in place for the search, and how to get input from
staff, parents, the community and local businesses.
The board hopes to hire a new superintendent sometime in April.
The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the board office.
North will be retiring with 31 years in education, 22 in North Baltimore. She served 18 years as the
Powell Elementary principal and the last nearly five years as superintendent.
Also at the board’s organizational meeting Tuesday, Tami Thomas was re-elected school board president.

Russell Bretz and Tim Archer, who were re-elected in November, and Cheryl Cotterman, who won the third
open seat, were sworn in.
Meetings will continue to be held on the fourth Tuesday, but at 6 p.m.
Cotterman asked the board to move the meetings to later than 5:30 p.m., which they have previously been
held, to accommodate her work schedule. She works until 6, she shared, and would prefer meetings be held
at 6:30 or 7 p.m.
She provided a sheet to board members pointing out that at 5:30, North Baltimore meets earlier than all
other local boards except one.
"So it’s a total disregard for my work schedule," she stated when no other board member
initially supported her request for a later time
Thomas responded by asking Cotterman why she ran for the seat when she knew meetings were at 5:30.
Cotterman replied that she was not aware of the meeting time.
Board member Jaimye Bushey pointed out the earlier time was so board members could make sporting and
music events in which their children were involved.
The board compromised with Cotterman by setting meeting times at 6 p.m., but may switch to the earlier
time once Cotterman retires this year.
Committee representatives were assigned, including Legislative Liaison, Russell Bretz; Planning &
Resources/Technology, Tim Archer; Wellness Committee, Bretz and Cotterman; Athletic/Recreation Council,
Archer and Thomas; Policy Committee, Thomas and Bretz; Student Liaison, Cotterman; Village Council
Liaison, Cotterman and Archer.
Thomas also asked North about the district allowing students to make up work online when school is
canceled because of calamity days.
"There wasn’t really any interest" among staff when that option was raised, but it’s been years
since the district has reached this number of calamity days and she said teachers might reconsider the
option, North responded.
North Baltimore has used seven calamity days, and will add two days to the end of the school year unless
the governor grants a waiver to schools impacted by last week’s storm.
Also at the meeting, members of Powell Elementary’s show choir performed for the board to mark School
Board Recognition Month. This is the first year that the elementary has had a choir.