Staff praised for efforts during outage

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Monday’s power outage affected 4,300 AEP customers, including the Van Wert Early Childhood Center, Van Wert Elementary, Van Wert Middle School and Van Wert High School. It occurred between 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. which for many students was lunch time.

Despite no power, the schools were able to serve lunches that met nutritional values, which helped avoid a possible early dismissal. During Wednesday’s meeting of the Van Wert Board of Education, Superintendent Mark Bagley and Assistant Superintendent Bob Priest offered praise to employees and teachers for their efforts during the outage.

“The swift actions of our cafeteria staff made what could have been a very chaotic day not so chaotic,” Priest told the board. “Their efforts allowed our students to still receive a meal, stay in school and have the best of what could be a normal day under such circumstances.”

“You name it, they all stepped up,” Bagley said of the district’s employees. “It was incredible teamwork and incredible servant leadership and I just want to commend all the people on that. It could have been a disaster and it worked out as well as it could overall.”

During his report, Bagley said a celebration is being planned for September 18, 2026, for the 90th anniversary of Eggerss Stadium. The first ever football game at the downtown stadium was played September 18, 1935. Bagley also said the elevator at the stadium is finally working and has passed inspection.  

Several retirement-resignations were accepted on Wednesday, including third grade teacher Deb Chiles, elementary school Title I teacher Angie Stemen, elementary paraprofessionals Kerri Kiracofe and Cara Moonshower, high school secretary Deb Mengerink, and elementary school cafeteria worker Roy Schleeter. All of those resignations will take effect at the end of the current school year.

The board also accepted the resignations of high school cafeteria worker Patricia Bonifas and elementary school building leadership team member and district leadership team member Jessica Small. Kim Dowdy was hired as Small’s replacement, and John Kolb Jr. was approved as a custodial/maintenance worker. Ben Price was approved as a full-time bus driver.

In other business, the board approved several agenda items:

• An architect/engineer agreement with Garmann Miller & Associates for Phase IV of the Eggerss Stadium restoration project (end zone buildings).
• A service contract agreement with Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center.
• A resolution to participate in the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council cooperative school bus purchasing program to buy one school bus.
• A “then and now” invoice of $3,200 for Julian & Grube Accounting and Auditing Services.
• Establishing 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 14, as the date of the board’s 2026 organizational meeting, tax budget hearing and regular monthly meeting.

The board also accepted a lengthy list of donations totaling nearly $67,000, including over $34,000 from Life House Church for the No Child Without a Bed fund and for Students of Need fund, and $10,000 from the Van Wert Rotary Foundation for the No Child Without a Bed fund.

Early in the meeting, board members heard from four senior members of Van Wert Student Council – Katie Kramer, Brenna Kimmet, Grace Spieles and Cole Story, plus advisor Judy Krites. They explained the various ways student council helps with various activities throughout the school year

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 17, in the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.