VWCS Bd. hires OKs many personnel items

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A wide and varied agenda was handled during Wednesday’s Van Wert City Schools Board of Education meeting.

Board members learned from Superintendent Mark Bagley that legislation introduced in Columbus is similar to a bill in Indiana and would require teachers to post every day of their curriculum online.

“You can imagine 178 instructional days to try to post what you’re actually teaching every day when there’s all kinds of different variables that go into that,” Bagley said. “To me these are unrealistic mandates.”

Ohio’s version of the bill has yet to come to a vote.

Bagley also said the district’s current enrollment is 2,157 and he told the board the state’s annual school report card is changing from a letter grade to a five-star rating. He also noted the district has had just two COVID-19 caes in the past two weeks.

Assistant Superintendent Bill Clifton told the board the district is looking to purchase another new school bus to replace an older bus and he said the focus next year will be to replace an older special education bus.

Clifton also said certified employees recently voted on two different school calendar options for the 2023-2024 school year. The board plans calendars in two-year cycles and the latest proposal will be up for board approval next month.

The board approved supplemental spring and fall coaching contracts, including Sean Kennedy, assistant varsity softball coach; Scott Bigham and Jada Preston, junior varsity softball coaches; Kateri Steinecker and Bill Steinecker, volunteer softball coaches; Brandon Amstutz, head boys tennis coach; Alex Schmidt, volunteer assistant tennis coach; Eric Putman, assistant varsity baseball coach; Damon Brown, junior varsity baseball coach; Jeremy Kitson and Damian Helm, volunteer baseball coaches; Nick Pauff, Alexis Dowdy, Ben Laudick, Kim Laudick, assistant track and field coaches; Rachel White and Gage Chiles, volunteer assistant track coaches; Kerry Koontz, Steve Sealscott and Bryce Crea, middle school track coaches.

Fall supplemental contracts were approved for Keith Recker, head football coach; Kim Doidge, head golf coach; Katie Peterson, head girls tennis coach; Tim Brown, head boys soccer coach, and Samantha Fleming, fall cheerleading coach.

Other hirings approved by the board were Katy Priest, middle school English language arts and social studies; Carlee Miller, payroll/benefits, specialist, and Laura Eikenbary, head cook at the Early Childhood Center.

Board members accepted several resignations, including Lori Gunderman, payroll/benefits specialist, effective January 27; Taylor Schwarck, elementary paraprofessional/computer instructor, effective January 28; Sarah White, middle school guidance counselor effective at the end of the current school year, and Ryan Holliday, head cross country coach.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a Washington D.C. trip for eighth grade students and chaperones March 28-April.
• Approved membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2022-2023 school year.
• Approved requests for early completion of graduation requirements for two high school students.
• Approved the Van Wert Area Business Advisory Council Compliance Plan.
• Learned gym floors will be refinished in late May.

Board members heard from spelling bee winners Isabelle Murphy, Lillian Mason, Katie Gross and Hayden Saunier and heard a brief presentation on various academic classes and other offerings at Van Wert Middle School.

The board also accepted a lengthy list of donations from individuals and businesses to be used on various academic and athletic programs.

After the regular meeting, the board an executive session to discuss the employment of personnel and afterward a work session was held to discuss general planning for facilities, maintenance and transportation, but no action was taken afterward.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education will held at 5 p.m. March 23, in the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.