VWCS board reorganizes, OKs 2 bus buys

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education held its reorganizational meeting on Tuesday, while also hearing a presentation on the Van Wert Early Childhood Center and approving a motion to seek bids for two new school buses during its regular January meeting held later last night.

Debby Compton was chosen as the new board president, while R.J. Coleman was selected as vice president. Regular monthly meetings will continue to be held at 5 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month.

Lori Bittner and Nikki Adams also provided a presentation on the Early Childhood Center (former Jefferson Elementary School) and a new Early Childhood Expansion grant the school district received.

Bittner said the grant allows the district to reach more low-income preschool children, and to mainstream developmentally delayed children with typically developed children.

Bittner said the special education program doesn’t include students on individualized education programs (IEPs), but must meet a number of requirements set by the Ohio Department of Education related to class sizes, teacher ratios, parental involvement and the need for mandatory assessments and screenings.

The ECC building currently has approximately 170 children and seven full-time teachers, as well as a number of paraprofessionals.

Also Tuesday, the board rescinded a previously approved three-year contract with classified workers and approved a new contract that corrects a number of typographical and clerical errors and includes items inadvertently left out of the original contract.

The amended contract was previously approved by classified employee representatives last month.

In addition to the contract, the board also approved a motion to seek bids for two new 84-passenger school buses, and to trade in four of the district’s current buses. Superintendent Ken Amstutz said the district typically receives approximately $2,500 per bus as a trade-in allowance.

Also Tuesday, the board accepted the resignation of Suzanne Myers, a paraprofessional at the ECC, for retirement purposes, after seven years with the district.

In other action, the board:

Approved fiscal year 2015 amended General Fund permanent appropriations totaling $21,977,669.95 and appropriations of $35,550,812.78 for all funds, with estimated resources of $24,437,031.30 for the General Fund and $42,611,102.51 for all funds.

Acknowledged the following donations: Van Wert County Foundation (Klein Trust, $8,266.50; Leslie Endowment Fund, Leslie Music and Vocal Fund, $9,970; Ireland Bequest/Van Wert School Choir, $500; Balyeat Bequest/Van Wert Elementary Wellness Program, $500), United of Van Wert County/Family and Children First Council, $500; Eaton Corporation, $170 for senior class project with Habitat for Humanity; Indiana Institute of Technology ($1,000) and iSPACE Inc. ($1,200) for VWHS Robotics Club.

Approved payment of unused vacation leave for retired technology coordinator John Butler.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 18, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio.