C’view principal worried about job cuts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

CONVOY — While teacher retirements has been a financial blessing for area school districts at times, the impending retirement of five veteran Crestview High School educators has Principal Mike Biro worried.

In the past, replacing veteran teachers who retire at the top of their pay scale with younger, less experienced educators — or not replacing some positions at all — has helped schools facing state funding cuts to balance their budgets. However, Biro shared his concern with the Crestview Local Board of Education during its December meeting on Monday that failure to replace all five retiring high school teachers could have a serious impact on the school’s math and science programs.

Biro said new high school standards will require him to keep all of the teacher positions he now has to provide the mandated classes for Crestview students.

“I can’t meet those needs without the staff that I have currently,” Biro said, adding that math and science teachers will be particularly critical to meeting state educational standards.

While no decision has apparently been made at this time to cut any of the positions being vacated by retiring teachers, Biro said he would like to have at least one combination math-science teacher to help offset the loss of two classes to the new educational realignment that replaced the junior high school with a middle school program.

His concerns were not only for high-level science and math classes, such as chemistry and calculus, but for more basic math and science coursework students need in order to graduate.

Biro indicated to the board that further cuts to the high school teaching staff could jeopardize not only its current high academic standards but proficiency test scores as well.

Superintendent Mike Estes talked a little bit about uncompleted portions of the district facility project, noting that school officials, the Ohio School Facilities Commission and contractors are working to resolve longstanding problems with rubber flooring tile. He also said that planned replacement of interior doors would likely begin after school is out this coming spring, so that security issues aren’t raised by having interior doors missing while school is in session.

In addition, Biro, Elementary Principal Kathy Mollenkopf and Middle School Principal Dave Bowen reported on parent-teacher conferences, with all noting good attendance at the conferences.

In other action, the board:

• Adopted a resolution thanking district voters for approving two levy renewals on November 8.
• Accepted the resignation of elementary secretary Cathy Ramey after 4½ years in that position.
• Approved Treasurer Laura Metzger’s financial reports.
• Read for the first time proposed changes to the district bylaws and policies.
• Accepted a $2,000 donation from Daniel Miller.
• Renewed members in the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA).
• Recognized Dave Mosier of the Van Wert independent and Ed Gebert of The Times-Bulletin for their unbiased reporting and presented them with certificates honoring them for being named to the OSBA Media Honor Roll.
• Named Board President Pam Motycka as president pro tempore for the board’s organizational meeting and scheduled the date and time for the meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, January 9, in the district boardroom. The board’s regular meeting will follow the organizational meeting.
• Went into executive session to discuss appointment, employment or compensation of public employees, with no action taken afterwards.