Nettle Creek’s first school board meeting of 2026 saw the election of officers and committee appointments.
At the Jan. 14 meeting, the board appointed Shaun Lieberman as president, Sandi Schraub as vice president and Julie Blaase as secretary. They elected Cody Sankey as board representative for the agricultural advisory committee; Lieberman to the Hagerstown park board; and Marcie Houghton to the Hagerstown/Jefferson Township Library Trustees.
The board elected to retain Amber Rushton as corporation treasurer and Ron Cross as corporation attorney.
Superintendent Emily Schaeffer showed an upward trajectory in her financial report. Because of reappropriations of funds, there were no salary raises in 2025. However, a wage increase is a goal for 2026. Both Lieberman and Blaase praised Schaeffer and her team for their management of finances, given recent strain.
In school news, elementary principal Belinda Locke shared that testing for kindergartners will begin soon and that the kindergarten roundup is scheduled for March 9. They will also kick off the fifth and sixth grade basketball season.
Principal Jordan McCaslin announced the high school will hold a sendoff rally for the Tigers cheer competition squad on Jan. 28. The team travels to Disney World for its first bid at a national cheer title Jan. 29 to Feb. 2. McCaslin also praised student Abbie Gilbert as she prepared to compete for a state wrestling title with a season record of 39-1. He updated that Lilly Scholarship recipient Abigail Lumpkin will attend IUE for nursing. Lastly, students preparing for the SATs can participate in the prep boot camp.
Additional business addressed:
- Blaase praised 2025’s 100% graduation rate and a late alumnus’ donation of plants to the district
- Schraub highlighted three K-12 legislative bills to monitor, including SB87, amending the definition of a wireless communications device regarding potential restrictions on student cellphone use during school instruction hours; SB199, restricting social media accounts for minors at certain ages; and HB1266, a framework to amend mathematics standards.
- A bill to remove AEDs from all schools was also mentioned
- Ruthie LaMar praised band director Kendra Sanders for the gains made within the performing arts program
- School will be in session Monday, Jan. 19, for a snow makeup day
Following the meeting, a board of finance meeting was conducted to approve and review certain fiscal reports. The board also elected officers, with LaMar serving as president and Marcie Houghton elected as secretary.
The next general board meeting is scheduled for Wed., Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Hagerstown Elementary School. The public may attend.
A version of this article appeared in the January 21 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.