Lincolnview Bd. hears from essay winners

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

A pair of essay contest winners appeared before the Lincolnview Local Board of Education on Wednesday.

Elementary Principal Nita Meyer introduced Bennett Kill, a sixth-grader who was named as a two-time winner of the Van Wert Elks Lodge’s annual essay contest and won at the district level as well, meaning his essay will be judged at the state level next month.

Kill read his prize winning essay, “What Makes Me Proud to Be An American” to the board.

Lincolnview Junior High/High School Principal Brad Mendenhall introduced another essay winner, junior Clayton Harris, who won a recent Van Wert Rotary Club contest, along with $500, for his speech on the political divide in America.

In other business, Meyer told board members that Ohio Superintendent of Instruction Paulo DeMaria and State Board of Education member Linda Haycock were at Lincolnview earlier in the day, and she informed the board that 56 children have been registered for next year’s kindergarten class, with up to 10 more to possibly come.

Board members approved two memorandums of understanding — one with the Lincolnview Local Education Association and the other with the Lincolnview Classified Education Association. Both were related to the make up of excess calamity days.

“The meetings with our unions worked out well for our district,” Superintendent Jeffery Snyder said. “We had to extend our (school) day by 40 minutes and then we had a Saturday school.”

School will also be in session April 18 and 22, and May 28 and 29.

Snyder also informed the board that a potential new school funding model is being developed by State Representatives Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and John Patterson (D-Jefferson).

“Even though they have their version of it, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be accepted, or it could be changed or tabled,” Snyder explained. “We’ll see what our new governor wants to put into the funding of schools.”

The board accepted a pair of donations, one of $1,000 from AmVets Post 698 of Middle Point to be used for scholarships, and the other from $2,250 from Pusheta Paint and Body.

During his report to the board, Treasurer Troy Bowersock noted that revenues and expenditures are on pace as expected.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Board of Education will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.