The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Lincolnview Bd. hears various updates

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Effective immediately, when classes in the Lincolnview Local Schools are canceled due to inclement weather, the district will flip to remote learning for that day.

Superintendent Jeff Snyder made the announcement during Thursday’s Board of Education meeting.

Lincolnview Treasurer Troy Bowersock talks about the budget and other financial matters during Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting. Scott Truxell/Van Wert independent

“We’ll have a two-hour delay and if I cancel school then from that point and time from 10 until 3 o’clock it’ll be an instructional day with kids through the computer,” Snyder said. “For our little kids, probably kindergarten through third or fourth grade, it might require some work in the evenings because we recognize that whoever is watching them at home might not be a parent, and that grandparent or older sibling might not be helping them at point and time.”

Snyder also updated the board on the district’s COVID-19 situation and said there are two active cases and five quarantines, and he said Lincolnview remains mask optional.

“I’m very pleasantly surprised how well we’re doing and hopefully we can continue down that path,” Snyder stated. “Our goal is to have school every day, have athletic events every day.”

Snyder also brought up the results of the latest school report card.

“There were some areas we did very well and some areas that in the past we always met the mark but we didn’t this year but I will tell you overall when we put our test scores up to the whole state averages, we were above everybody,” Snyder said.

The superintendent also broached the topic of no longer charging K-12 students admission to all home athletic events. He said it would require moving some money from the general fund to the athletic fund, but all five board members said they were in favor of the idea. A formal vote is expected next month.

Snyder noted Wednesday’s college fair was a big success and he said community center key fob renewals will be done this month, with more information to come.

The board approved permanent appropriations for fiscal year 2022, which according to Treasurer Troy Bowersock includes $10.6 for the general fund and $22.7 million overall.

Bowersock also said additional funding is coming through the state’s new school funding plan and he said the district’s bi-annual casino payment, approximately $27,000 was received.

He went on to note that the annual staff fundraiser for the United Way of Van Wert County netted $5,873.

The last installment of a generous gift was accepted by the board.

The $18,760.74 distribution from the Earl Gerdeman Trust (Earl and Doris Gerdeman) completed a $574,494.41 donation. It was the largest gift ever given to Lincolnview and it was earmarked for agricultural, sports and recreation purposes.

Doris and Earl Gerdeman

Gerdeman, who passed away in 2015, taught vocational agriculture for 35 years at Lincolnview High School. He retired in 1989.

Retired elementary teacher Kim Evans, who taught at Lincolnview for 26 years, was honored with a plaque.

Junior High/High School Principal Brad Mendenhall told the board he’s working on a monthly incentive program for students with perfect attendance and he said over 5,000 items were collected during the latest Day of Caring event.

Elementary principal Nita Meyer told the board that Science and Math Family Night will be held between 4:30 and 6 p.m. next Wednesday.

Board members heard a brief presentation by Sara Zura of Alexander and Bebout about Build Your Future, a recent event held to introduce sophomores to the construction trade.

The board accepted a pair of resignations – bus driver Keith Hill and varsity softball coach Brad Doidge, who led the Lancers to the 2020 Northwest Conference championship and a spot in the Division IV regional semifinals. Doidge previously retired as a teacher.

Personnel items approved by board members included Eddie Dreyer, freshman boys’ basketball coach; Theresa Anderson, assistant high school instrumental instructor; Mendenhall and Deb Stetler, co-junior class advisors; Kathryn Wortman, bus driver, and Justin Dowdy, boys’ high school basketball volunteer coach.

The board also approved a list of classified substitutes for the current school year along with an agreements Van Wert Health for school nurse services, the Mercer County Educational Service Center for curriculum director and instructional coach services, and instructional services at the Van Wert School at the Goedde.

Board members gave approval to the district’s gifted education policy, workbook bills and class fees and a plan for the Lincolnview High School marching band to perform at Universal Studios of Orlando, Florida, March 19-24, 2022.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 27, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.

POSTED: 10/01/21 at 3:49 am. FILED UNDER: News