VWCS board hears about STEM programs

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education listed to a presentation on Van Wert Middle School STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) classes, and also approved a number of personnel items, including supplemental contracts for the 2016-17 school year.

During the Educational Impact portion of the meeting, VWMS Principal Mark Bagley, Assistant Principal Darla Dunlap, and teacher Kelly Fritz presented information on the school’s STEM classes. Bagley provided a snapshot of STEM initiatives when those classes began in the 2007-2008 school year, versus the program today, noting, for instance, that a keyboarding class held the past several years has now been enhanced by coding and computer science, which he said would be more important down the road for VWMS students.

Dunlap noted that STEM classes include units on robotics, simple machines, architecture, and engineering, including the building of catapults by students, who then measure their accuracy.

“Now we’re reimaging things and think we’re going in a great direction,” Bagley said, adding that he feels the middle school is listening to what the community wants in the STEM area and is developing programs that enhance students’ educational experience.

Fritz said the school is also planning a STEM summer camp to provide students with more initiatives in that area, while classroom teachers are also being given opportunities to bring more STEM educational programming into the current curriculum.

The teacher also talked about the county’s new middle school physics initiative, being funded by the Van Wert County Board of Commissioners, noting that some “Rube Goldberg” devices built by students were created with assistance from actual physicists, and noted that each of the three middle school grade levels now has a physics project it wouldn’t have if it weren’t for that partnership.

Superintendent Ken Amstutz said the VWMS STEM programs are “ever evolving”, but also said he gave Bagley and his staff some direction on what he wanted to see in the way of STEM education.

“We’re trying to do as much STEM as we can … but we make sure we are benefiting our kids, and moving forward,” he said.

Treasurer Mike Ruen also talked about two resolutions related to refunding of bond issues taken out to fund the construction of the high school and middle school complex, noting that the refunding, the second for this bond issue, will allow the district to save money on interest rates. The board unanimously approved those resolutions.

Bill Clifton, administrative assistant to the superintendent, talked briefly about state testing and also provided some information about the Tech Summit coming up in June at Vantage Career Center.

Amstutz talked about the increasing need for social work in all of the district’s buildings, noting that a social worker is being moved into the Early Childhood Center, which will then give the district a social worker in each of the district’s buildings. The superintendent said funding for the additional social worker would come mostly from Medicaid reimbursement payments.

“We’re realigning what we’re doing with our social work and with our counselors so we can do a better job,” Amstutz said.

The superintendent also talked about the “Great Science Adventure,” a program developed by elementary teacher Marty Hohman and high school chemistry teacher Mary Kramer, which will be held in June. He also asked the board to help with some of the funding of the program, which the two teachers paid out of their own pockets last year.

Personnel items dealt with by the board included accepting the resignation of Olivia Elkins, a fourth grade teacher, after two years with the district; and Katie Parrish, VWMS intervention specialist, after three years with the district.

Manuel Alvarado was hired as a VWMS night shift custodial worker/cleaner, while Gregg Scheidt was employed as a high school custodial/maintenance worker, both effective June 1.

The board also approved the following supplemental contracts: Ryan Holliday, high school assistant cross country coach; Keith Recker, high school head football coach; Craig Syphrit, high school assistant football coach; Ryan Parrish, high school assistant football coach; Drew Golden, high school assistant football coach; Matt Hernandez, high school boys’ head soccer coach; Soloman Okang, high school boys’ assistant soccer coach; Rich Nouza, high school girls’ head soccer coach; Mitch Price and Alex Schmidt, halftime high school girls’ head tennis coaches; Matt Krites, high school head volleyball coach; Shana Evans, high school assistant volleyball coach; Tiffany Werts, freshman volleyball coach; MacKenzie Ray, high school football cheerleading coach; Kim Doidge, high school head golf coach; Bob Spath, middle school boys’ cross country coach; Natoshia Wilhelm, middle school girls’ cross country coach; Charlie Witten, middle school football coach; Jeff Kallas, Jay Royer, and Seth Baer, middle school football coaches; Whitney Sealscott, eighth grade volleyball coach; Katie Gamble, seventh grade volleyball coach; Ben Collins, middle school athletic director (34 percent); Darla Dunlap, Tom Baer, and Scott Jordan, middle school site managers (each 22 percent).

The board also approved Blake Doidge as a volunteer varsity golf coach.

In other action, the board:

Accepted the following donations: VWHS Robotics Club – Van Rue Properties LLC, $1,000; Lee Kinstle GM Sales & Service, $500; VWHS Scholastic Bowl – Lee Kinstle’s GM Sales & Service, Gibby’s Express Photo, Sisters Bridal Boutique, Leland Smith Insurance Services, Edward Jones, HB Salon, State Farm Insurance, Kevin Laing DDS, Health Choices, Collins Fine Foods, and First Bank of Berne, a total of $865; Van Wert City Schools Educators Fund – Timothy and Kari Stoller, $125; VWES Wellness Program, $250 from Action for Health Kids.

Approved an agreement with the Van Wert County Family and Children First Council to designate Van Wert City Schools as the administrative agent for the organization.

Went into executive session to discuss personnel items, with not action taken following the session.

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