C’view board honors boys’ cage team

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

CONVOY — Crestview Local Board of Education presented yet another honor to its state champion boys’ basketball team, while also approving a number of personnel contracts during its April meeting.

The board adopted a resolution honoring the Knights for winning the Division IV state boys’ basketball championship and going undefeated at 29-0 in the process.

Several members of the team were at Monday evening’s meeting, along with Head Coach Jeremy Best.

A number of personnel contracts were also approved during the meeting, including three administrative contracts. Receiving three-year administrative contracts were Elementary Principal Kathy Mollenkopf, Middle School/Athletic Administrator Dave Bowen and Program Services Director Keith Rydell.

The board also accepted the resignation of Ben Hotmire as a middle school science teacher and bus driver after 14 years with the district.

Teaching contracts were approved as follows:

One-year limited contracts – Allison Reindel as middle school/high school intervention specialist (new), Jackie Deitering, Melissa Eickholt, Tess Jeffries, Ben Kaufman, Nicole Kirkpatrick, Ashley Marks, Alicia Perrott, Zach Rosenbeck, and Shay Sheets.

Three-year limited contracts – Christine Albright, Kristy Bagley, Natasha Breese, Sarah Brenneman, Jill Carpenter, Lindsay Ebbeskotte, Colby Kuhn, Hannah Phlipot, Steven Sealscott, Lindsey Shumaker, and Craig Taylor.

Five-year limited contract – Josh Thomas.

Continuing – Jennifer Bowen, Anne Myers, Jared Owens, Ali Sawmiller, Shawn Schuette. Sawmiller was also reassigned to the position of high school career/life skills teacher.

Non-teaching contracts were approved as follows:

One-year limited contracts – Meghan Henry (paraprofessional), Bonnie Martyne (food service), Cristal Nihiser (paraprofessional), Karen O’Hagan (paraprofessional), Owen Pugh (bus driver), Joellen McGinnis (custodian), Heather Riggenbach (secretary).

Two-year limited contracts – Jennifer Daugherty (paraprofessional), Sandy Etzler (secretary), Janice Lichtensteiger (secretary) and Sara Owens (paraprofessional).

Continuing contract – Karen Pettyjohn (food service).

The board also issued a contract to Becky Macki on an as-needed basis to teach summer elementary intervention/education classes.

The following teachers were also approved to teach elementary/high school intervention programs: Melissa Basinger, Deb Gehres, Ellen Jones, James Lautzenheiser, Amy Roan, Melissa Roop, Zach Rosenbeck, Cindy Tinnel, Lori Waltz and Jim Wharton.

Lautzenheiser was also congratulated for earning a place in this year’s Barringer Research Fellowship program. Lautzenheiser will be traveling to Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, in Virginia to do research on the third U.S. president and how he communicated with his peers.

The Crestview board also approved contracts with API Construction totaling $94,313.12 for paving improvements and repairs to the baseball bleacher area, and paved areas on the east side of the school athletic complex, including the bus parking area.

In other action, the board:

• Authorized an overnight trip for the varsity and junior varsity softball teams at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
• Designated May 5-9 as Staff Appreciation Week.
• Accepted, with thanks, the following donations: $500 for the Brenda Showalter Schumm Girls’ Athletic Scholarship Fund; $1,000 from Wren Community Chest for two senior scholarships; and $350 from an anonymous donor for fan bus transportation to varsity boys’ tournament games.
• Approved a depository agreement with Huntington National Bank.
• Approved use of Fund 587 (IDEA Preschool Grant for the Handicapped) and Fund 466 (Straight A Grant) as established by the Ohio Auditor of State.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel issues, with no action taken afterwards.

The next meeting of the Crestview Local Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Monday, May 19, in the district boardroom.