Priest to retire, seeks rehire by BOE

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Van Wert City Schools Assistant Superintendent Bob Priest is retiring but if all goes as expected, his retirement will be very short lived.

During Wednesday night’s monthly meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education, board members accepted Priest’s retirement-resignation, effective July 30. However, Priest is seeking re-employment with the district and the board will hold a public hearing at the next regularly scheduled meeting, 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. Priest became assistant superintendent in August, 2023. Prior to that, he served as principal at Van Wert High School.

During the same April 23 public hearing, Sara Royer will be considered for retire-rehire. The elementary counselor’s resignation was accepted by the board on Wednesday. It’s effective May 27.

Two other retirement-resignations were accepted by the board: Janine Warnecke, occupational therapist, and Deborah Williman, elementary school paraprofessional. Three other resignations were approved: Leah Nietfeld, fifth grade teacher; Brianna Pelfrey, third grade teacher, and Colten Royer, elementary school intervention specialist.

A pair winter sports coaches also submitted their resignations – varsity girls basketball coach Hannah Phlipot and varsity swimming coach Megan Hurless.

During his monthly report, Superintendent Mark Bagley voiced displeasure with Governor Mike DeWine’s proposed two-year budget (see statement below) and with school vouchers.

“They said they can’t fund the Fair School Funding plan because they’re $1 billion short, but they’re going to spend $1.25 billion on vouchers,” he stated. “There’s money there and all I ask is we either have the exact same requirements as private/parochial and public or we don’t have any of the red tape that we spend hours and hours on the computer on.”

Bagley also said superintendents with the Western Buckeye ESC will meet in Paulding Friday morning with Representative Roy Klopfenstein and Senator Rob McColley and said he’ll have a chance to ask questions. 

In other business, the board approved a contract in the amount of $676,962 to Alexander & Bebout for Phase III of the Eggerss Stadium renovation project. Prior to that, Treasurer Troy Bowersock noted that to date, $6.2 million has been spent on the massive renovation project, and Bagley as part of the third phase locker room work is underway. He also said the elavator to the press box and handicapped seating area is scheduled to arrive in mid-May and be operational by June 1. 

“We are getting weekly updates on that and we are staying on top of the elavator,” he said.

Board members also approved a College Credit Plus memorandum of understanding and a data sharing agreement with Rhodes State College, along with an affilation agreement with Ohio State-Lima. Approval was given to the 2026-2027 school calendar.

The board also approved a list of all high school and middle school fall, winter and spring sports for the 2025-2026 school year. As was the case this past fall, there will be no boys soccer team.

The meeting began with a interactive presentation by Early Childhood Center Principal Lori Bittner, intervention specialist Kennedy Mercer and kindgergarten teacher Megan Neuenschwander. They discussed the state mandated “Science of Reading” initative and how it benefits students in need. Wednesday’s meeting ended with an executive session to discuss the employment of public personnel but outside of adjournment, no action was taken.