Crestview educators announce retirement

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

CONVOY – The Crestview Local Board of Education accepted the retirement resignations of four teachers and two paraprofessionals and also heard about high school students’ charitable projects during its February meeting on Monday.

Teachers who are retiring at the end of the current school year include Jon Amundson, high school teacher and bus driver, after 35 years in the district; Terri Sutton, high school teacher, after 29 years in the district; Mark Hanover, high school teacher, after 37 years in the district; and Eunice Mefferd, elementary teacher, after 25 years in the district.

Two paraprofessionals are also retiring. They include Sharyn Black, who is retiring after 27 years in the district, and Terry Plas, who has four years in the district.

Superintendent Mike Estes pointed out the substantial experience loss to the district from the retirements. “With the six we have tonight and the one we had last month, we’ve 199 years experience walking out the door here in June,” Estes said. “It’s going to be sorely missed and we appreciate everything those folks have done.”

The superintendent said the early notification of the teachers has been a positive for the district, as it allows his administrative team to begin seeking replacements earlier than normal.

At the beginning of the meeting, board members heard from teacher Pam Brown and several Crestview High School seniors in her college preparatory classes involved in a number of charitable projects, with most of the money raised going to the “Cup of Joe for a Joe” project, which sends gourmet coffee to troops serving overseas.

Fundraisers included selling flags, a rock-a-thon and doing various chores, including yard work, for senior citizens and others.

From the money raised, the students were able to donate $25 each to the Convoy and Wren fire departments, $400 to the Van Wert County Chapter of the American Red Cross and $800 to the Cup of Joe project.

In addition to the Cup of Joe project, students also sent care packages to two military units in which Crestview graduates Nathan Clay and Andy Motycka were serving in Afghanistan.

The students also displayed some of the “thank yous” received from the soldiers.

Also Monday, the board approved school calendars for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years and accepted a $1,000 donation from the Wren Community Chest for two senior scholarships.

Several volunteer coaches were accepted, including Sean Lafontaine, high school track; Jeff Millay, seventh grade softball; Bob Perkins, and Katie Perkins, junior varsity softball; and Dave Springer, varsity assistant coach.

Family Medical Leave was granted for Michelle Brinkman for up to six weeks, and an overnight trip for the Senior Government class to Chicago, under the supervision of teacher Dan Kline, was also authorized.

The board also went into executive session to discuss personnel matters, with no action taken afterward. A board work session was also scheduled following the regular meeting so that board members could prepare for the transition to “paperless” board meetings.