Crestview BOE approves dozens of contracts

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — As expected, personnel items and discussion of athletic facilities made up the bulk of Monday’s meeting of the Crestview Local Schools Board of Education.

Approval was given to a one-year labor contract with the Crestview Employees’ Association OFT/AFT, effective July 1 through June 20, 2026. According to Superintendent Kathy Mollenkopf, the contract includes a four percent raise for certified employees and varying pay increases between 3.0 and 7.8 percent for various classified employees.

“The new collective bargaining agreement does not provide a uniform percentage increase for the classified employees, but rather was negotiated based upon job classifications,” she explained.

The board approved amended administrative contracts, including Food Services Director Penny Clark; Athletic Administrator Austin Fleming; Assistant Treasurer Amy Gerardot; Middle School Principal Trent Kreischer; Director of Curriculum/Instruction Brett Latman; High School Principal Mimi Myers; District Administrative Assistant Lori Orsbon; Maintenance/Custodial Supervisor Geoff Waddles; Transportation Administrative Assistant Sara Miller; Fiscal Administrative Assistant Joyce Clark; Early Childhood Center Principal Casey Dowler; Assistant Technology Coodinator Meghan Lautzenheiser, and Technology Coordinator Shane Leeth.

Dozens of one, two, three and five year contracts, along with continuing contracts were approved as well.

The board accepted the resignations of speech language pathologist Whitney Bollenbacher and Amy Eickholt, program services director. Both resignations will take effect at the end of the current school year.

Board members also approved up to 15 additional days of compensation for transitional purposes for incoming superintendent Matt Dube.

During her monthly report to the board, Mollenkopf highlighted several items:

• She informed the board Jeff Bagley will not seek re-employment as a retire-rehire for the upcoming school year.
• Reminded the board that retiring employees will be honored at the May meeting.
• Noted supplemental contracts will be presented for approval at the May meeting.
• Said all parent/student handbooks for the 2025-2026 will be presented for approval at the May meeting.
• Noted staff appreciation week is May 5-9, and graduation is scheduled for Saturday, May 24.

In other business, approval was given to the 2026-2027 school calendar; a proposed list of graduates for the Class of 2025; a senior government trip to Cedar Point on May 8, and an overnight trip to Grand Valley Lodge, Hocking Hills, for the high school cross country team July 28-31.

Before adjourning, the board heard presentations by Ryan DeMay of Field Source Consulting and architects from Garmann Miller regarding proposed facilities improvements. No action was taken after the presentations but earlier in the meeting, board members approved a resolution providing for the issuance of up to $3,010,000 school improvement refinancing bonds, and a resolution authorizing installment payments or lease-purchase financing in the form of one more series of installment payment obligations, including certifcates of participation (COPs).

“While we were doing the work for the COPs it made sense to refund the bond at the same time. It’ll save the taxpayers a little bit on that particular tax collection,” Treasurer Ashley Whetsel said.

A special board meeting for facilities planning will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 29. The next regular meeting of the Crestview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, May 12, in the multi-purpose room.