Butler gives VWCS board last tech update

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education heard Technology Coordinator John Butler’s last quarterly tech update and also took a number of personnel actions prior to the start of the upcoming school year.

Butler, who is retiring soon, talked about Channel 6, the city’s public access television channel that is administered through the Van Wert City Schools, as well as the district’s “Bring Your Own Device” policy and a list of devices placed on the school website that he recommends as adequate for students to bring to school.

Also Wednesday, the board accepted the resignation of Pam Burger, assistant to Treasurer Mike Ruen, due to retirement, after 22 years with the district. Burger’s resignation is effective September 30. Other resignations accepted include first-grade teacher Kate Harner, after one year with the district, and high school Spanish teacher Amy Neal, after three years.

Those hired on Wednesday include Megan Bittner as a preschool teacher at the Early Childhood Center (paid through a Ohio Department of Education grant), Kim Dowdy as an ECC preschool teacher, Glenn Hicks as a LifeLinks Community School teacher and Morgan Hicks as a school speech-language pathologist.

A number of supplemental contracts were also approved by the board. They include: Anson Moody, high school boys’ assistant soccer coach; Mitch Neal, high school girls’ assistant soccer coach; Ben Laudick, middle school boys’ cross country coach; Mark Bagley, head boys’ basketball coach; Chris Covey, assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach; Ben Laudick, junior varsity boys’ basketball coach; Jeff  Hood, freshman boys’ basketball coach; Lance Moonshower, girls’ basketball head coach; Rob Adams, assistant girls’ basketball coach; Todd Dunlap and Brad Doidge, girls’ junior varsity coaches (each 50 percent); Ben Collins, head varsity wrestling coach; Mark Collins and Ed Jacob, assistant wrestling coaches; Kim Clifton, head swimming coach; Martha Martin and Brendon Moody, assistant swimming coaches (each 50 percent), and Angie Stemen, assistant swimming coach; Kristi Bell, varsity basketball cheerleading coach; Nate Hoverman, seventh grade boys’ basketball coach; Kerry Koontz, eighth grade boys’ basketball coach; Lori McVaigh, seventh grade girls’ basketball coach; Tom Baer, eighth grade girls’ basketball coach; Austin McIntosh and Cory Hirschy, middle school wrestling coaches (50 percent each) and Brad Allmandinger, middle school wrestling coach; and Cayla Wise, middle school basketball cheering coach.

Several volunteer coaches were also approved, including Brandon Miller, varsity boys’ basketball; Jerry Ramsay, varsity wrestling; Keith Rydell, swimming; and Pat Jackson, middle school girls’ basketball.

In other action, the board:

• Approved new fall and winter sports ticket prices.
• Approved the LifeLinks Community School enrollment and lottery policy.
• Approved a calamity day plan for both Van Wert City Schools and LifeLinks for the 2014-2015 school year.
• Approved a then-and-now certificate for an invoice totaling $27,000 for New Tech support for the Van Wert Middle School start-up program.
• Authorized a transfer of $1,325.92 from the General Fund to the High School Robotics Club Fund.
• Acknowledged the following donations: $2,075 from The Van Wert County Foundation and $1,500 from the F. Leslie Bequest for the Van Wert High School Robotics Club; separate donations of $8,700 and $9,970 from the Gaylord E. Leslie Endowment Fund for the VWCS Music Trust Fund; $1,670 from the Gaylord E. Leslie Endowment Fund for the VWCS Athletic Department/golf program; and $8,266.50 from the Klein Trust Fund for needy students.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel items, with no action taken afterward.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 20, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.