C’view hires 2 new teachers; talks tech

KELSEY CLEMONS/independent correspondent

CONVOY — Crestview graduate Jordan Miller was one of two new teachers hired Monday by the Crestview Local Board of Education during its August meeting.

Miller, who was given a one-year limited contract as a high school language arts teacher, replaces Pam Brown, whose resignation after 13 years with the district was also accepted Monday.

Erin Callow was also given a one-year contract as the high school Spanish teacher, replacing Jill Carpenter, who resigned as Spanish teacher and junior class advisor after three years with the district.

High School Principal Mike Biro told the board the district was lucky to obtain the services of Callow, noting that several area school districts, including Van Wert and Delphos St. John’s, have had difficulty in finding replacements for their Spanish teachers.

Also hired were Jennifer Daugherty as a paraprofessional for summer elementary intervention/education programs, and Diane Boroff as a cook for the upcoming school year.

A number of supplemental contracts were also approved by the board, as follows: Jim Wharton, baseball head coach; Gregg Mosier, junior varsity baseball coach; Terry Crowle, varsity baseball assistant; Doyle Sheets, eighth grade baseball coach; Matt Perkins, seventh grade baseball coach; Jenna Wurst, junior class advisor (1/5 time); Carl Etzler, head softball coach; Lindsay Ebbeskotte (40 percent) and Chad Pugh (60 percent), junior varsity softball coaches; Melissa Eickholt, varsity softball assistant; Lori Hammons, eighth grade softball coach; Morgan Hicks, seventh grade softball coach; James Lautzenheiser, head track coach; Randy Grandstaff, Ben Kaufman and Hannah Phlipot, varsity track assistants; Diane Wilson and Steve Sealscott, middle school track coaches.

Volunteer coaches were also approved, as follows: Mike Hammons, volunteer eighth grade softball coach; Meghan Henry, volunteer seventh grade softball coach; Owen Pugh, volunteer varsity softball coach; Sara Owens, volunteer varsity track coach; and Shawn Schuette, volunteer middle school track coach.

Paul Cearns, Doug Germann, Eric Hancock, Glenn Hicks, David Ray, Shannon Smith and James Winhover were also approved as volunteer drivers for the Crestview box van used to transport swing choir and band equipment.

Also Monday, the board approved a three-year lease agreement with Lenovo Financial Services to purchase computer equipment as part of the district’s 1:1 computer initiative, as well as computer carts for grades 1-3 and desktop computers for teachers.

“We’re real pleased with the direction the district is headed with technology and appreciate the board’s commitment to that direction,” Superintendent Mike Estes said.

A proposal from Perry Pro Tech was also approved to expand and upgrade the district’s security camera system. The superintendent said blind spots and other problems were noted with the current camera set-up, noting that the district was able to trade in the old cameras at about what the school paid for them, which helped lower the overall cost of the new system. Security projects, including emergency signals on the playground and panning buttons for school offices, will begin Wednesday

The district will also be installing 39 wireless access points in the building and also approved a new agreement with the Northwest Ohio Area Computer Services Cooperative for Internet service.

In other action, the board:

• Learned that all district buses passed a recent bus inspection.
• Approved a lease agreement with Scott Eickholt for the approximately 40 acres of farmland the district owns, as a cost of $12,896, providing a 5.6-percent return to the district.
• Approved bus routes for the 2014-15 school year.
• Approved a list of substitute teachers, aides and school nurses compiled by the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center.
• Selected October 13 as the district’s Ohio District Operational Waiver Day, which is to be used for staff professional development.

The next meeting of the Crestview Local Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Monday, September 22, in the district boardroom.