Brunn retiring as VWCS superintendent

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

The search will begin soon for a new Van Wert City Schools superintendent, after the Board of Education accepted the resignation of Vicki Brunn during Wednesday night’s monthly meeting.

Brunn, who was hired in 2018 from Central Local Schools (Fairview), plans to retire, effective July 31.

“It’s not what I planned, but I’ve had several life changes, with one of those being the death of my mother,” Brunn told the board. “My family is gone from this area and my children and grandchildren are in California, and I just think it’s important to go there.”

In addition to spending more time with her two children and four grandchildren, Brunn said she’ll work as an administrative substitute.

“There are big districts out where I’ll be living and when the principals are gone for day they put somebody in there,” Brunn explained. “I think it’ll be a lot of fun, no responsibility and I’ll get to walk the halls and keep a lid on things, and I can work when I want to.”

Brunn also said she raises and shows dogs and has had dogs that have qualified for the Westminster Dog Show.

“I’ve never been able to go, so now I’ll be able,” Brunn said.

“She was the right person for the district and we certainly understand her reasoning for leaving, but it doesn’t make it any easier on this district,” Board President Anthony Adams said. “I’m confident we will find another fabulous superintendent, but no one will replace Dr. Vicki Brunn.”

In other business, board members approved a resolution opposing the Ohio EdChoice Scholarship (voucher) program, a move that mirrors what many other districts around the state are doing.

“Payments are deducted from the schools’ state aid, and the other thing to note that the state aid they take is more than the state aid that we get per student,” Brunn told the board.

Brunn said the program will go into effect February 1 and she told the board she was told she couldn’t meet with State Senator Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) until after that. She also said she’s trying to set up a meeting with State Representative Craig Riedel (R-Defiance).

Board members recognized Van Wert High School Athletic Director Trent Temple, who recently was named as a certified athletic administrator, and with January being Board Recognition Month, the board saw a short video done by elementary students and a banner of thanks made by middle school students.

In other business, the board approved $89,000 worth of repairs to the roof over the S.F. Goedde Building gymnasium, but board members tabled a motion to approve the Niswonger Performing Arts Center annex addition project. The board wants more information about the project, which includes cast dressing rooms, storage space, and a production office.

A number of supplemental coaching contracts were approved, including Greg Steinecker, softball coach; Sean Kennedy, assistant softball coach; Alex Schmidt, boys tennis coach; Charlie Witten, head baseball coach; Eric Putman, assistant baseball coach; Jim Werts, junior varsity baseball coach; Cole Harting, freshman baseball coach; Jeremy Kitson, volunteer baseball coach; Mark Collins, varsity boys’ track and field coach; Nate Hoverman, girls’ varsity track and field coach; Rachel Dickman, volunteer assistant track coach; Hannah Phlipot, Ben Laudick, and Kim Laudick, assistant track coaches, and Kerry Koontz, Steve Sealscott, and Bob Spath, middle school track coaches.

During the board’s organizational meeting, Adams was elected president and Scott Mull as vice president, and Debby Compton as the board’s representative to the Vantage Career Center Board of Education. Board members agreed to meet at 5 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month, a change from 2019, when the board met on the third Wednesday of the month.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 12, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.