Newly elected Akron Board of Education President Barbara Sykes wasted no time recommending broad changes after taking the gavel.
On Monday evening, the school board unanimously approved a committee structure, including the creation of a Policy Committee — separating it from the longstanding Legal, Contracts and Board Policy Committee.
Why?
Sykes, who has publicly expressed her desire for the school board and its school district to become more efficient, wants board members to receive more information in advance of potential votes in full board meetings.
That means more discussions in committee meetings.
“We’ve got all kinds of indications that this committee, Legal, Contracts and Board Policy, [is] just too many things,” said Sykes, whose changes reflect how she intends to lead.
Also on Monday: Rene Molenaur was unanimously elected as vice president of the school board.
Skyes’ changes will be paired with the creation of a Rules Committee, which will determine board governance and function.
“It will manage the acting school board meetings,” Sykes said. “It will determine the format. It will determine the presentation and dissemination of board agendas and information, and I will assign resolutions and information to the Rules Committee.”
In total, there will be six standing committees.
As president, she said she’ll collaborate closely with Superintendent Mary Outley to set agendas and ensure the other school board members receive the information they need before biweekly full board meetings.
“It’s been my observation [it’s]basically been the administration setting up the agenda for the board,” said Sykes, who takes over the position from Carla Jackson, who in November lost her bid for reelection to the school board. “So it’s a primary responsibility of the president of the board to know what’s on that agenda, to inform the members what’s on that agenda, and to be prepared to deal with what’s on the agenda.”
Which Akron school board members will sit on committees?
With three new board members and incumbent Gregory Harrison all recently starting four-year terms, the new committee structure allowed Sykes to collaborate with them to determine best fits.
The intent behind this coordination is to put each new member in a position to lean on their strengths and backgrounds while they learn the ropes of Board of Education operations.
“My goal is to try and work with them, to get as much done as possible and to encourage and promote what they’re trying to do and be helpful,” Sykes said. “If I can be helpful and promote them and their thoughts and what they would like to do, then it just helps, helps everyone around.”
Each committee will be comprised of three board members. Their assignments are below.
Akron Public Schools’ board will operate six committees
Finance & Capital Management Committee:
- Chair: Phil Montgomery
- Vice Chair: Gregory Harrison
- Nathan Jarosz
Instructional Policy & Student Achievement Committee
- Chair: Molenaur
- Vice Chair: Jarosz
- Harrison
Legal & Contracts Committee
- Chair: Jarosz
- Vice Chair: Montgomery
- Summer Hall
Policy Committee
- Chair: Harrison
- Vice Chair: Karmaya Kelly
- Molenaur
Rules Committee
- Chair: Sykes
- Vice Chair: Molenaur
- Kelly
Student Success Celebration Committee
- Chair: Hall
- Vice Chair: Kelly
- Montgomery
Akron Board of Education: Who’s in, who’s out
Earned board seat during Nov. 2025 election
- Nathan Jarosz
- Karmaya Kelly
- Phil Montgomery
Lost reelection
- Carla Jackson
- Diana Autry
Did not to seek reelection
- Bruce Alexander