VWCS board donates school site to city

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education heard a technology update from Technology Coordinator John Butler, took action to donate the former Franklin Elementary School property to the City of Van Wert and also heard some positive financial news during its July meeting Wednesday evening.

Butler first talked about cost savings this past year by redoing the district’s printer and copier contract, noting that the district saved $10,000 by renegotiating the printer contract and another $20,000 in printer cartridge expenses. He also talked about the fact that a change to the district’s telephone system meant the district no longer has long-distance telephone charges.

Butler also spend time talking about changes to the district’s security set-up, including mandated “buzz-ins” to district buildings and added security cameras, while also providing an update on the New Tech 1-to-1 laptop computer program begun last year and being continued this year with incoming freshmen. Butler said the purchase of Lenovo laptop computers for last year’s freshman class — the first class to participate in the New Tech High School program — had a number of positives, including the fact that his staff had a lot fewer issues with the computers, which were issued to each freshman student, than they did with other computers that were used as “loaners” to people needing a computer temporarily.

Butler said later that the district purchased another 200 laptop computers and is getting them ready to issue to incoming freshmen as part of the second year of the New Tech program.

Also Wednesday, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Van Wert to collaborate in the creation of a public park on the Franklin School property, and the donation of the property to the city.

“It’s a win-win for all of us,” said Superintendent Ken Amstutz of the school property donation. “It’s a win-win for the community.”

Amstutz said the city was not interested in taking on the Washington School property at this time, so the school will maintain the property until a better use can be found for it.

The superintendent also talked about state foundation funding increases coming for the next couple of years as part of the state’s biennium budget. Amstutz said the district would receive approximately $9.738 million in state financial aid in Fiscal Year 2014, an increase of approximately $573,000 (6.25 percent) over FY 2013.

In FY 2015, the district could receive approximately $10.8 million, an additional increase of more than $1 million (10.5 percent).

“As of today, it looks pretty good to us,” Amstutz said, while also noting that the state has been known to change funding amounts before they are disbursed.

The superintendent also had positive news related to the LifeLinks Community School, noting that enrollment for the alternative school program is approximately 60 students, up from the 40-45 students the district estimated would participate in the program. Amstutz said he feels enrollment for LifeLinks, now under new director, former Lincolnview Elementary Principal Gordon Stemen, could be above 70 students by the time school starts.

Board member Mike Morrow, who sits on the LifeLinks board, said the school is also financially self-sufficient. “That’s a good thing,” he added.

Personnel action was also taken during the brief meeting, with the board accepting the resignations of Steve Bader, middle school physical education teacher; Emily Myers, language and speech pathologist intern; and Jenny Ainsworth, middle school language arts teacher.

Those hired include Kate Finlayson as a middle school language arts teacher, Christine Kreischer as a speech-language pathologist, Matt Krites as a high school business teacher and Katie Parrish as a middle school special education teacher.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the following supplemental contracts: Charlie Witten, head baseball coach; Jim Werts, assistant baseball coach; Chris Covey, freshman baseball coach; Mike McClure (90 percent) and Karen McClure (10 percent), head softball coach; Mitch Price, boys’ head tennis coach; Mark Collins, head boys’ track coach; Nate Hoverman, head girls’ track coach; Brendon Moody, assistant track coach; RJ Coleman and Bob Priest, half-time track assistants; and Bob Spath, Kerry Koontz and Mike Myers, VWMS track coaches.
• Approved the summer school staff, as follows: Kim Fleming and Kathy Mansfield, third grade; Laura Foster, Judi Smith, Diane Kill, Jessica Small, Janine Warnecke, Lisa Knoch, Jaime Gardner, Brittany Hayden and Kaitlyn Roberts, preschool; Drew Bittner, elementary.
• Approved the following volunteer coaches: Jeremy Kitson, high school baseball; Alyssa Putman, high school softball; Chuck Rollins, boys’ tennis; Connie Hoverman, high school track; and Ben Laudick, high school and middle school track.
• Approved the Calamity Day Program for the 2013-2014 contract year as presented.
• Approved guidelines for partial enrollment of home-schooled students.
• Approved the LifeLinks Community School enrollment and lottery policy for the coming school year.
• Learned that Kathleen Overmyer was advanced on the district pay scale from master’s degree to master’s plus 15 hours.
• Conducted a public hearing on the re-employment of Ed Clark, Christine Heizman and Dave Kleman. No opposition was voiced during the hearing.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be Wednesday, August 21, starting at 5 p.m., in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.