Coaches, personnel approved; data center addressed

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The hiring of 2026 fall sports head coaches, along with assistant coaches for the upcoming spring sports season and other personnel decisions made up a big part of Thursday’s Van Wert City Schools Board of Education agenda.

By a unanimous vote, the board approved supplemental contracts for head football coach Keith Recker, girls tennis coach Kannen Wannemacher, cross country head coach Bob Spath, head volleyball coach Rachel Black, head golf cach Kim Doidge and head fall cheerleading coach Samantha Fleming.

Scott Bigham and Matt West were approved as assistant varsity softball coaches and Destiny Coil, junior varsity coach. Damian Helm was approved as varsity assistant baseball coach, Jalen McCracken as junior varsity baseball coach, Mason Place as ninth grade coach and Jeremy Kitson as a volunteer assistant coach.

Kim Laudick, Nick Pauff, Alexis Burdette and Ben Laudick were hired as assistant high school track and field coaches, while Gage Chiles was approved as a volunteer coach. Kerry Koontz, Bob Spath and Bryce Crea were approved as middle school track and field coaches, and Noah Carter was approved as a middle school volunteer track coach. The board also approved Mark Verville as boys high school assistant tennis coach.

Other personnel matters handled by the board included a supplemental contract for Ben Hemming as high school musical pit orchestra director, approval of Grace Dowler as a fifth grade teacher, Natalie Ungruhn as a fourth grade teacher and Alycia Lindeman as a high school intervention specialist for the upcoming school year. A leave of absence was approved for kindergerten Lydia Mendenhall from March 6 through the 2026-2027 school year. The board accepted the resignation of keyboarding instructor Nicole Gamble, then immediately approved her as middle school family and consumer science teacher for the upcoming school year.

While the data center scheduled to be built at the Mega Site will be in the Van Wert city limits, it will be in the Lincolnview local schools. Nonetheless, Superintendent Mark Bagley addresed during his monthly report.

“We know the data center is being talked about a lot and there’s lots of things being discussed,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to go visit a data center up in Michigan and it was a good experience to know the power plant and how that works with natural gas and recycled water. It was good to see the noise level – the noise on the street was louder than the plant – so I was able to view that firsthand and not rumor or what you read.”

“I feel very comfortable with what I saw from a very similar type of data center,” he continued. “Here’s the thing – we have to work together with our schools, with our city, with all entities in our county. This could be a really exciting opportunity that could really boost our economy. We know there are questions but we need to look at this objectively and hopefully it becomes a good thing for Van Wert city in the future.”

Bagley also said bids for Phase IV of the Eggerss Stadium renovation projected are being considered. The bids came in earlier this week.

Agenda items approved by the board included the 2026 financial forecast,

membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2026-2027 school year, and a “then and now” involve of $5,135 to Jostens Inc.

Board members also approved a lease agreement with the City of Van Wert for the setting up, display and tearing down of this year’s July 4 fireworks show on the high school/middle school and elementary school campus, along with a facility agreement with the city’s Parks & Recreation Department for the use of park facilities for school athletic contests and the use of school facilities for recreational programs this year.

Nearly two dozen donations from businesses, organizations and individuals for various uses were accepted by the board.

The meeting began wtih an educational impact presentation by Director of Special Services Ruth Ann Dowler, who explained various services offered in the special education curriculum.

Before adjourning, the board went into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, in the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. Meetings are open to the public.