Lincolnview Bd. hears about COVID-19

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

COVID-19 and related topics were the main focus of Monday’s meeting of the Lincolnview Board of Education.

While acknowledging the numbers could change drastically at any time, Superintendent Jeff Snyder said Monday saw the fewest amount of students quarantined (13) within the last month.

“The hard part is looking at the crystal ball and not knowing what’s going to happen,” Snyder said. “I keep hearing the winter is going to be a challenge with the flu and things, but I’m hoping it’s just the opposite because of what we do in the building.”

Snyder told the board that he and the principals keep a Google document so they can see how many people are quarantined at any point in the day and when they’re due to return. He also said the school website has current information about COVID-19.

Because of the coronavirus, the upcoming winter sports season could look much different, with limits on spectators at all basketball and wrestling events.

“We all had high hopes that this thing would stop, but until that happens the only people coming to our games will be parents of our basketball players, our cheerleaders, and our pep band, because by the time we give all the vouchers out to the families there won’t be tickets left for our season ticket holders,” Snyder explained.

Snyder said a letter explaining the policy was sent out by Athletic Director Greg Leeth and he added that season ticket holders can buy cutouts if they so wish, while also noting season tickets won’t lose their seats from last year.

The superintendent also noted that the USDA has extended its free meal program, meaning there will be no charge for school meals, except for milk or ala carte items, through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Snyder added that COVID-19 has forced the postponement of Lincolnview’s annual Veterans Day program.

During his report to the board, Treasurer Troy Bowersock said Lincolnview has received $132,000 in CARES Act money in three phases. A total of $20,000 of that is a connectivity grant for hot spots and wireless Internet access.

He also told the board that four townships and the village of Middle Point have approached him about possibly sub-granting CARES Act funds to the school and, on a non-COVID matter, Bowersock said the district’s newest bus hit the road for the first time on Monday. The bus cost just over $91,000, with $25,000 of the cost covered by state funding.

Lincolnview Elementary Principal Nita Meyer said that, because of the coronavirus, upcoming parent-teacher conferences may be held in-person, via Zoom, or by phone and she said some annual events, including the annual sixth grade trip to Washington, D.C., and the fall festival were canceled because of COVID-19 concerns. She added the fall festival was replaced by Spirit Week, which is taking place this week.

The board accepted the resignation of Lincolnview Elementary School teacher Kim Evans, due to retirement, effective the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Evans has taught for 26 years at Lincolnview.

“She’s made a huge impact on a lot of students and we’re really going to miss her,” Snyder said.

Supplemental coaching contracts were approved for Jay Korte, assistant bowling; Eddie Dreyer, freshman basketball; Nick Leeth, junior high baseball, and Justis Dowdy, volunteer boys’ high school basketball.

Board members approved a resolution to commend seven Lincolnview High School students who were inducted into the Vantage National Technical Honor Society: Brok Bill, Riley Boroff, Jayde Ducheney, Chris Piske, Dylan Schimmoeller and Hannah Zickefoose, and Zander Stemen.

The board also accepted a $25,000 donation from Robert G. Tomkins to benefit the engineering and science departments, and the board approved an agreement with Van Wert Health for nurse services for the current school year.

The Board of Education will hold a work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, and the next regular meeting of the Lincolnview Local Board of Education is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, November 19.