Last Thursday, I hosted a Community Meeting for anyone interested in learning more about Issue 16 and the legislation that is affecting Amherst's school funding. Thank you to all community members who attended the meeting or watched online. Thanks to Mr. Doug Cogdell and his COMETSLIVE! Crew for broadcasting the meeting live on YouTube. If you were not able to attend the Issue 16 Community Meeting, you can access the recording below. Please take time to watch the event and learn more! Click the button below to access the slides from the presentation.

The Amherst Board of Education placed Issue 16 on the November 4th ballot to provide essential funding for the district’s day-to-day operations. This marks the first request for additional operational funding since 2012.

If approved, Issue 16 would generate annual operating revenue to help maintain the high-quality education and services our community expects. These funds would directly support staff salaries and benefits, classroom supplies, curriculum and textbooks, academic programs, utilities, transportation, and wrap-around student services.

Without the levy, the district would need to make substantial cuts across these essential areas. To learn more about Issue 16, please take a moment to visit the FAQ page on the district's website.

Click the button below to read more Frequently Asked Questions and Answers!

Exciting things are happening in Amherst’s Advanced Manufacturing program! Earlier this week, Toolkit Technologies and Innotek surprised the district with a $30,000 equipment donation to enhance hands-on learning and industry training for students.

The new equipment includes:

• 12 Pneumatic Motor Panels ($12,000 total)

• 6 Allen Bradley Distributed I/O Module Panels ($18,000 total)

This new technology will allow students to replicate real-world industry scenarios, troubleshoot systems, and explore advanced automation integration. With these tools, our robotics and automation equipment can now be networked together, giving students even more opportunities to apply their skills in realistic, project-based settings.

These additions will benefit all Advanced Manufacturing classes and play a key role in our new Manufacturing Capstone course, launching in the 2026–2027 school year.

And the good news doesn’t stop there — another donation, valued at $16,715 from SICK, a sensor technology company based in South Carolina, is expected to arrive soon.

Amherst is grateful for the continued support from our industry partners who are helping prepare our students for the high-tech workforce of tomorrow!

Earlier this week, our COMETSLIVE! Crew had an awesome opportunity to help run the Lorain County Career Pathways Expo — and they absolutely crushed it!

This talented team handled two “jumbotron-style” boards, managed digital signage at the entrance, live-streamed Plinko games and prize drawings, and kept the excitement going all day long with live announcements and MC duties. They also filmed and conducted dozens of interviews with exhibitors, educators, and students to create a documentary video for next year’s event!

Their professionalism, teamwork, and energy were off the charts — they kept everything running smoothly, made every student feel like a winner, and earned rave reviews from everyone in attendance.

Meanwhile, our AJH and Steele Comets also had the chance to explore the Expo — experiencing hands-on, real-world activities across dozens of industries, and connecting with colleges, trades, and the military all in one place. A huge thank you to the Educational Service Center of Lorain County for hosting such an incredible event and for giving our students this unforgettable opportunity!