VW school board OKs Clifton’s re-hiring

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Board of Education heard a presentation on the successes of the high school’s “We, the People” participants, while also approving the re-employment of former VWHS principal Bill Clifton as administrative assistant to Superintendent Ken Amstutz.

Jeff Kallas, advisor for the VWHS “We, the People” program, and four of his students formed a panel indicative of the program and its success this year in finishing second in the state with its best score ever.

Clifton’s re-employment was also approved following a public hearing held at the January board meeting.

Also Tuesday, the school board held a public hearing on next school year’s calendar, as required by law. Amstutz said the calendar would be approved at the March board meeting.

The superintendent also talked about the possible benefits if the Long Prairie Wind Farm is completed. Amstutz said Phase 1 of the two-phase project would provide between $115,000 and $120,000 a year for 20 years, while Phase 2 would generate approximately $840,000 a year in PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) revenues — a total of nearly $1 million in new revenues for the district.

The board also approved the following personnel actions:

• Approved the following first year mentors for the 2015-16 school year: Kim Werling, Julia Reichert, Mike Myers, Tiffany Werts, Jennifer Trittschuh, Mary Kramer, Karen Emerine, Sara Royer, Betty Holliday, Anita Zuber, Charlie Witten, and Tricia Hughes.
• Approved the following second year mentors: Nikki Adams, Nate Hoverman, Michelle Hoffman, Kim Werling, and Mike Myers.
• Approved the following third year mentors: Ashley Breese, Betsy Davis, Traci McCoy, Ashley McElroy, Tom Baer, and Krista Baer.

Approved the following supplemental contracts for the 2015-16 school year: Betty Holliday, assistant VWHS track coach; Ben Laudick, assistant VWHS track coach (50 percent).

Approved the following supplemental contracts for the 2016-17 school year: Emily Holliday, VWHS boys’ and girls’ cross country head coach.

The board also accepted the following donations: $400 from the Van Wert Rotary Foundation and $100 from Ohio City Community Church of God for the Unbroken book project; $50 from Young & Yarger, Attorneys at Law, for the VWMS Renaissance project; $500 from Tufts University for the Elementary Wellness Program; $7,150 from the Mary Marxen Scholarship Fund for the band; $1,500 form the Paulding Putnam Electric Trust for the VWMS Washington, D.C., trip; $500 from Richard and Michelle Spridgeon for the Wrestling Athletic Account.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a resolution accepting accounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the Van Wert County Auditor’s Office.
• Approved the treasurer’s report, including the amended official certificate of estimates resources totaling $25,438,467.41 (General Fund) and $43,348,276.73 (all funds), with permanent appropriations for 2016 totaling $22,759,709.56 (General Fund) and $36,677,933.12 (all funds).
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Van Wert City Federation of Teachers for a change in the collective bargaining agreement that would include a $500 coaching stipend for the boys’ and girls’ bowling head coaches.
• Authorized the VWHS Scholastic Bowl team to attend the Small School National Tournament in Chicago, Illinois, April 30-May 1.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio.