08/26/2026
Indian Creek Local Schools
Indian Creek Recognizes Newest Faculty
MINGO JUNCTION-The Indian Creek Local School District welcomed nine new faculty members during a special reception on Aug. 19.
More than 20 people gathered in the Indian Creek Middle School cafeteria, including district administration, school board members, incoming teachers and family members, and the event was held prior to the regular school board meeting. Attendants gathered for refreshments provided by The Nutrition Group and some words of welcome by Superintendent Dr. T.C. Chappelear.
Among the new faces on staff are Alaina Moore, a fourth-grade teacher at Hills Elementary; Greg Stagani, family consumer science teacher, athletic director, and baseball coach at Indian Creek High School; Laura Brinskey, intervention specialist at ICMS; Maria Elliott, math teacher and volleyball coach at ICMS; Kaleb Swearingen, intervention specialist at ICMS; Dalton Hoover, science teacher and wrestling coach at ICHS; Kristen Palavis, business pathway instructor at ICHS; Jackson Romshak, sixth-grade teacher at ICMS; and Ariel Ott, fifth-grade teacher at ICMS. Those on hand received certificates and were introduced by Dr. Chappelear.
“To our new teachers, I want to say welcome aboard. All of our administrators and your colleagues are here to make sure your experience goes great,” he said. “I believe you’re in the greatest profession in the world. This is all I’ve wanted to since about third grade, and I’ve been fortunate to do it. I’ve taught here at Indian Creek for eight years and this is my 13th year as superintendent. I’ve had a wonderful time here, and I hope you have as fulfilling a career and as great a time here at Indian Creek as I have. We’re all here to help you and make you successful and I want to say congratulations.”
The school board meeting continued in the media center, where officials heard from East Ohio Corrections Center representatives regarding potential volunteer activities in the future. EOCC Director of Operations Todd Cottrell and Food Service Director Steph Deki said they worked with 86 adult felons at the facility on Ohio 43, which included inmates from Jefferson, Harrison, Carroll, Columbiana, Belmont, Tuscarawas, Monroe, and Noble counties. Cottrell noted that the felons served four-to-six-month terms and completed a wide variety of programs such as cognitive behavior and drug and alcohol.
“As they progress through the program, they gain special privileges such as going home on program passes, work release, and also community service,” Cottrell added. “That’s what we’re here for. We have some community service guys, and if it’s needed, we would be willing to help you out in any area.”
He said the group has conducted community service in local churches, at Historic Fort Steuben, Beatty Park, and the Adopt-A-Highway program.
“We’re here to offer our services if you’re willing to have us,” said Cottrell.
Dr. Chappelear asked how many volunteers have worked at Indian Creek and Deki said 10 have served in the concession stands during game night for the past four years. Board President Stephen Cowser had some more questions, including who supervises the group at games, and Deki responded that she and a football booster member have held those duties. Following some more discussion, the board took the proposal under advisement.
Meanwhile, district public relations specialist Amy Colantoni updated officials on activities and goals for the school year. She dispersed copies of the 2026-2027 school calendar and shared a presentation she has given to new faculty. Colantoni mentioned five principles to her role using actual keys as an example. The keys stood for communication to make people more informed; connection, or building relationships with the staff, students, families, businesses, media and community organizations; storytelling to highlight academics and athletics to everyday moments people otherwise would not see; trust, because consistency creates credibility; and an intentionally broken key to signify perception, saying it could either open or close a door.
“We cannot control every conversation happening about our district, but we can consistently communicate, tell authentic stories, respond professionally, celebrate our people, and give our community a reason to understand what’s happening inside our schools,” she commented, then thanked the board for allowing her to continue celebrating school happenings through pictures, posts, and other promotions. “I want to thank all of you for continuing to give me the opportunity to do the work that means so much to me, to tell the Indian Creek story, to celebrate students and staff, and strengthen the connection between our schools and community.”
Among other matters, the board:
- Approved agreements with the Jefferson County Educational Service Center and Alliance Integrated Care to respectively provide the Quest Alternative School and day treatment program at the Jefferson County Community Innovation Center for the 2026-2027 school year;
- Approved bus routes for the upcoming school year;
- Passed a resolution authorizing JCESC as the hiring agency for certified licensed substitute employees in the district that are not utilized through Ohio Substitute Teacher Services;
- Employed Ashley Joseph as cook/cashier at Cross Creek Elementary and Kelly Lamantia as cook/cashier at ICMS; before-and-after school care staff, including teachers Amy Roe and Amanda Renner at Hills and Mary-Lil Giusto, Staci Copeland, Natalie Ujcich, and Michele McCreery-Starkey of CCE and classified staff Brenda Hyde, Hills; Christina Keyser, CCE; and Linda Scarabino, substitute; extra-duty positions for Joseph Probst and Landon Pownall, ICHS assistant baseball, and Lynden Starkey, eighth-grade girls’ volleyball; and classified substiutes Eric Speedy, paraprofessional; Rick May, custodian; Michael Carlson, bus driver; Kailey Pytash, cafeteria, secretary and paraprofessional; Abbie Six, cafeteria, custodian and secretary; Shawn Buckel, custodian; Ashlee Thompson, cafeteria; and Jacob Zanes, paraprofessional;
- Accepted resignations from Priscilla Redmond, cook/cashier at ICMS; Ashlena Moore, cook/cashier at Hills; Sandra Wilson, cook/cashier at ICHS; and Richard May, custodian, the latter for the purpose of retirement; and Samuel Robinson as ICMS wrestling coach.
Photo Caption:
The Indian Creek School District welcomed its newest faculty members with a reception at Indian Creek Middle School prior to the Aug. 19 regular meeting. Pictured are, from left, Superintendent Dr. T.C. Chappelear with new teachers Maria Elliott, Laura Brinskey, Kaleb Swearingen, Alaina Moore, and Greg Stagani. Dalton Hoover, Kristen Palavis, Jackson Romshak, and Ariel Ott are absent from the photo.
