LISBON–Lisbon sports legend Jim Tsilimos was appointed to the one vacant seat on the Lisbon Exempted Village Board of Education during its first regular meeting of the year Thursday.

Former Lisbon David Anderson High School head football coach and retired teacher Tsilimos said he likes to stay active and felt the urge to “give back” to Lisbon by applying to serve on the school board, a seat that went vacant after last year’s elections.

Tsilimos taught 29-plus years at Lisbon schools and was head football coach for 25-plus years, the winningest coach in school history.

“This man has a monument at the stadium. That’s how well-respected this guy is,” Superintendent Siefke said of Tsilimos after the board meeting.

Tsilimos responded modestly and sincerely.

“I was real fortunate to have great football players, and great assistant coaches, and a great community to live in with my wife Carol and our three kids who went through the system,” he said.

After retiring as Carrollton’s head football coach last November after coaching there for five years, he is taking on a new angle and a new challenge in the educational field.

“I think it’s a good thing to make yourself uncomfortable sometimes, especially at 70,” Tsilimos said. “I just felt it was time to give something back to the community.”

He says he has no particular agenda in mind, he simply wants to donate his time back to the Lisbon community he has known and loved for so many years.

“It’s a great school system and everyone seems to get along and work together,” Tsilimos said.”We really have enjoyed our 34-plus years living here. This is my home now.”

“I’m here to help out. If I have to push a broom, I’ll do that,” Tsilimos said with a laugh.

Tsilimos grew up in Warren and graduated from Warren G. Harding High School in 1972. He has a passion for teaching and for coaching football. Perhaps his lack of other hobbies, like hunting or fishing, has kept him coaching for so long, he mused. But he still enjoys staying fit by walking, running, and lifting weights.

Longtime board members Jim Smith and Martina Grimm chose not to seek re-election last year, so their terms ended Dec. 31. Brittany Tyler won election to one of the seats in November, with her four-year term beginning Jan. 1. Finding a board member for the vacant seat fell to the board, which officially appointed Tsilamos on Thursday.

In other Lisbon school board news, TK Hiscox was appointed as board president and Charles Bell as vice president. The board set its meetings for the entire year for 5 p.m. at the board/administration building on the following dates: Feb. 8; March 14; April 11; May 9; June 20; July 17; Aug. 8; Sept. 12; Oct. 10; Nov. 14; Dec. 12.

Siefke noted those dates are subject to change.

A total of $1,983,868.39 in grant funding, many of them federal grants, for fiscal year 2024 was approved by the board.

“A huge thank you to (McKinley Elementary Principal Dan Kemats) and (Treasurer Jennifer Coldsnow) for collaborating on these,” Siefke said.

The board also raised the school district’s minimum wage to $10.45 per hour.

“No one actually gets paid that low,” Treasurer Jennifer Coldsnow clarified.

Two athletic contracts for the winter sports season were also approved Thursday– Emily Carr as varsity assistant cheerleading advisor and Peyton Blackburn as junior high cheerleading advisor.

The next school board meeting will be 5 p.m. Feb. 8 at the board/administration building.