VWCS board takes personnel action

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education took a number of personnel actions during its brief May meeting on Wednesday.

The board accepted the resignation of Louise Haas, a third grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School, after 32½ years of service in the Van Wert City Schools. Superintendent Ken Amstutz praised Haas for her service. “It was not an easy decision for her … but she has done a tremendous job.”

The board also hired Traci Tokerud as a second grade teacher for the coming school year and approved summer school contracts and a number of other supplemental positions, including several coaching positions.

Approved as high school summer school teachers were Sandy Adams (government), Wendy Howell (OGT-science), Krista Baer (OGT-language arts), Cindy Thomas and Charlie Witten (OGT-mathematics), and Jennifer Trittschuh and Jeff Kallas (OGT-social studies). Ed Clark was also approved as a summer school teacher at Van Wert Middle School.

Coaching contracts were awarded to the following: Jason Cross, Craig Syphrit, Zane McElroy and Mark Herge, varsity football assistant coaches; Ben Laudick, freshman football coach; Witten, Mark Collins Jay Royer and Seth Baer, VWMS football coaches; Dave Froelich, head boys’ basketball coach; Mark Bagley, varsity boys’ basketball assistant coach; Chris Covey, junior varsity boys’ basketball coach; Jeff Hood, freshman boys’ basketball coach; Lance Moonshower, girls’ head basketball coach; Rob Adams, girls’ assistant basketball coach; Todd Dunlap and Brad Doidge, girls’ junior varsity basketball coaches (50 percent); Ben Collins, head wrestling coach; Mark Collins, assistant wrestling coach; Kim Clifton, head swimming coach; Martha Martin and Brendon Moody, assistant swimming coaches (50 percent); Angie Stemen, assistant swimming coach; Arlene Hurless, high school basketball cheerleading coach; Nate Hoverman, seventh grade boys’ basketball coach; Kerry Koontz, eighth grade boys’ basketball coach; Tom Baer, seventh grade girls’ basketball coach; Austin McIntosh and Brad Allmandinger, VWMS wrestling coaches; and Kayla Wise, VWMS basketball cheerleading coach.

The following volunteer coaches were also approved: Keith Utendorf, football and high school girls’ basketball; Brad Doidge, golf; Kathryn Mansfield, tennis; Brand Miller, high school boys’ basketball; Thad Eikenbary, high school girls’ basketball; and Keith Rydell, swimming.

Also Wednesday, the board approved a resolution awarding the loose furnishings contracts for the facilities project, which Treasurer Mike Ruen said came in $20,000 under estimates. That was not the case with a playground equipment bid, which Ruen said was $90,000 over estimates. The bid was rejected, but new bids will need to be sought quickly if the playground is to be completed by the start of school in September.

Ruen also said an auction will be held for the Franklin Elementary School building and surrounding property at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 16, at the school. Loose furnishing will be auctioned off at a later date, he noted.

The board also approved the graduating class of seniors at Van Wert High School. Graduation ceremonies will be held this Sunday at 2 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.

During his report, the superintendent estimated that a new copier contract with the Perry Corporation, which approved later by the board on Wednesday, would save the district $150,000 over the five-year length of the contract. How much is saved, though, would depend on how well the district controls its color copy usage, Amstutz noted, adding that lower color copy usage would also save on toner costs.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 20.