WBESC board OKs joining ESC coalition

Van Wert independent/WBESC information

PAULDING — The Western Buckeye Educational Service Center Governing Board approved participating in a coaling of educational service centers and also set the time and date for its annual organizational meeting in January during its December meeting.

Board members adopted a resolution to participate in The Greater Buckeye Coalition. The organization comprises a number of educational service centers that seek to maximize resources, reduce waste, create operational efficiencies, remove barriers to regional collaboration and ensure client districts receive the highest quality programs and services, based on best practices and proven strategies.

WBESC Superintendent Brian Gerber also updated the board on educational services offered by the center for partner schools in Van Wert and Paulding counties. Services provided by the WBESC include professional development; online learning; alternative education; Early Childhood; occupational, physical and speech therapy; grants; teacher, parent and fiscal resources; and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and FBI fingerprinting.

Also, the board scheduled its organizational meeting for 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 11, with the regular board meeting to follow. Jerry Zielke was named president pro tempore for the organizational meeting.

In other action, the board:

• Employed Nedra Mielke as a substitute enrichment teacher.
• Approved the annual membership meeting date for the Northwest Ohio Area Computer Services Cooperative (NOACSC) for Wednesday, January 18, in the Veterans Memorial Civic Center in Lima.
• Approved Treasurer Gary Ginter’s report after he reviewed financial information, including investments and monthly expenditures, with the board.