Board gives Bagley five year contract

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Van Wert City Schools Superintendent Mark Bagley will continue at the helm for the next five years.

During Wednesday’s monthly Board of Education meeting, board members unanimously approved a new five year contract, from August 1 of this year through July 31, 2028. Bagley, who previously served as Van Wert Middle School Principal and has been with the school system for 28 years,, was given a three-year contract in March of 2020, and officially took over for retiring Superintendent Vicki Brunn that summer.

“I’m very humbled, honored and appreciative of the board, to be able to lead it for next five years,” Bagley said. “Humbly, I am the least important person in this district. It’s my job to lead but I have to give everybody else, the 280 employees the tools to be effective. We have the best staff, the best students and the best parents.”

Board President Scott Mull said the contract extension show the board’s trust in Bagley leading the district for at least another five years.

“Based on Mr. Bagley’s first 2.5 years of leadership through very challenging times around COVID and his leadership during an overwhelmingly successful levy for renovations to Eggerss Stadium football complex, our board is very confident Mr. Bagley will continue to lead the district in a positive direction,” Mull said. “We have charged Mr. Bagley with leading us through an updated strategic plan focusing on continuous improvement initiatives to meet and exceed educational needs of each and every one of our students, taking care of our best-in-class staff and strengthening partnerships with our community and district stakeholders,”

“The board is very excited to see what Mr. Bagley accomplishes during his next contract as superintendent and CEO of Van Wert City Schools,” he added. “We would like to thank Mr. Bagley for everything he does for the District as we truly appreciate his dedication, hard work and service to our students, staff and community.”

The board also approved a revision of Van Wert High School Athletic Administrator Trent Temple’s two-year contract, adding one additional year through July 31, 2025.

A number of fall sports head coaches were approved by the board, including Keith Recker, football; Kim Doidge, golf; Katie Peterson, girls tennis; Anthony Marsicano, boys soccer; Ashley Showalter, girls soccer; Kim Laudick, cross country; Rachel Black, volleyball, and Samantha Fleming, cheerleading.

Approval was also given to spring sports coaches, including Sean Kennedy, varsity softball assistant; Scott Bigham and Taylor Beair, junior varsity softball coaches; Kateri Steinecker and Matt West, volunteer softball coaches; Drew Wilson, boys tennis volunteer; Damian Helm, varsity baseball assistant; Damon Brown, junior varsity baseball; Eric Putman and Jeremy Kitson, volunteer baseball; Keaton Brown, freshman baseball; Nate Hoverman, head track coach; Kim Laudick, assistant track; Gage Chiles, Nick Pauff, Alexis Dowdy, Ben Laudick, assistant track; Bob Priest, volunteer track, and Kerry Koontz, Bob Spath and Bryce Crea, middle school track.

Several other personnel items were approved including the resignations of James Acquavia, assistant to the director of technology, effective February 10; Cole Harting, high school math teacher, and the retirement-resignation of Beth Collins, Early Childhood Center paraprofessional, effective at the end of the school year.

Danielle Parrish was approved as a payroll/benefits specialist, and Jennifer Eddy was hired as an elementary school paraprofessional.

Check Friday’s VW independent News page for more details about the monthly board meeting.