New superintendent attends first meeting

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — Monday was new Crestview Superintendent Matt Dube’s 11^th official day on the job and it included the school board’s monthly meeting, which was a quick one.

“It’s been great and it’s been overwhelming,” Dube said after the meeting. “The team here has been great and everyone has been super welcoming and super helpful. It’s been really nice to get to meet the people in the building and get my feet wet.”

Dube, who was hired in March to replace retiring Superintendent Kathy Mollenkopf after her contract expired July 31, previously served as principal, varsity boys soccer coach and varsity baseball coach at Fort Jennings High School. He said the people in the Crestview Local Schools district is what drew him to his new role.

“You go through superintendent interviews, they’re interviewing you but you’re also interviewing the district,” he said. “I left a place I was very comfortable and I loved very much and it wasn’t going to be easy to get me to leave a place that, but the people around here that have already built this district into the great district that it is what drew me away.”

The rather light agenda included just six items. The board accepted the resignations of middle school social studies teacher Jason Cross and speech language pathologist Ashley Anderson, and agreed to hire Ryan Strickler as middle school social studies teacher to replace Cross. Board members approved the use of district facilities, including classrooms during the school day by the Crestview Driving School. The board also approved agreements with Van Wert City Schools for Crestview students to attend the Van Wert School at the Goedde, as well as the Van Wert High School CEO program.

It was noted during that a bond meeting for upgrades to the district’s athletic facilities was tabled until the board gets a more precise figure on the total cost of the project. At the previous board meeting, Treasurer Ashley Whetsel said the cost is expected to be between $13.5 million and $15.7 million.

The board also tabled a decision on possibly installing solar panels on farm land owned by the district, pending the receipt of more information.

The next meeting of the Crestview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, September 15, in the multpurpose room.