Crestview Bd. prepping for next school year

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY – The 2024-2025 school year was the focus of Thursday’s Crestview Local Schools Board of Education meeting.

The agenda included several personnel moves/reassignments that will take place during the upcoming school year. Alicia Perrott will be reassigned to the gifted intervention specialist position; Ellen Jones will be reassigned to the technology integration position; Kole Rolsten is reassigned to the intervention specialist (eighth grade inclusion position); Lisa Etzler is reassigned to the middle school (sixth grade) science position, and Allison Springer is reassigned to the second grade classroom teacher position.

High School Principal Dave Bowen and Superintendent Kathy Mollenkopf also offered a brief overview on how the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s recent decision to expand to seven divisions in several sports, including volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball, might affect Crestview Bowen said it appears Crestview will be in Division VI in the affected sports, starting this fall.

“I understand that there is a disparity at the Division I level,” Bowen said. “The number of students in a small D-1 school compared to a big D-1 school can be over 1500 students. I support giving that discrepancy a hard look and considering the addition of a division to start with.”

“To go from four to seven divisions in volleyball, basketball, baseball, and softball, and from three to five divisions in soccer is a radical move,” he added. “Starting with one additional division and then analyzing and examining further expansion seems appropriate, calculated, and purposeful. We are jumping from four to seven divisions and there are many unanswered questions. I would like a slower, more defined process to be in place as it relates to adding divisions and that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Later in the meeting, board renewed membership in the OHSAA for the 2024-2025 school year.

Mollenkopf informed the board that Jeff Bagley, Jim Wharton and Owen Pugh are seeking re-employment for the 2024-2025 school year. A public hearing will be held at the March board meeting to consider public input.

The board accepted three resignations: Linda Clay, bus driver (retirement, 24 years); Judy Perrott (retirement, 29 years) and Kristy Bagley (middle school teacher, 15 years).

Bowen, along with Kate Kroeger, Tessa Cochrane and Mimi Myers gave a brief presentation on College Credit Plus, a program that allows students in grades 7-12 to earn college credits.

The board will consider public input regarding the 2025-2026 school calendar through April 15. The board is expected to adopt the calendar at the April meeting.

The next meeting of the Crestview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 18, in the multipurpose room.