L’view board hears from USNA student

KELSEY CLEMONS/independent correspondent

The Lincolnview Local Board of Education welcomed new staff members to the district and recognized the outstanding achievement of student Nick Motycka during its September meeting on Thursday.

Motycka is the first Lincolnview student to accept a nomination to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Not only is he apparently the first student in the Lincolnview district to go to the academy, but also the only student in Ohio to attend the weeklong USNA Summer STEM Camp. Out of approximately 8,000 students who applied to the academy, only 720 were chosen, among them Motycka. The Lincolnview grad spoke to the board of the group activities he participated in while staying on the academy campus and all the benefits of attending both the camp and the academy.

Elementary Principal Nita McKinney spoke to the board about the 21st Century Grant for $77,000 to go towards the morning and 2½-hour after-school programs, which will begin on October 5. Several supplemental contracts were also approved related to the grant. They include the following: Jessica Wischmeyer and Hilary Arn, program co-coordinators; Jon Cruise, morning program; and Brian Niemeyer, morning tutor and after-school program substitute.

Several personal service contracts were also approved in connection with the 21st Century Grant programs. They include the following: Mark Hurd, after-school tutor and after-school mentor; Deb Call, after-school tutor and after-school mentor; Becky Matthews, after-school tutor and after-school mentor, as well as bus driver on an as-needed basis.

Junior High-High School Principal Brad Mendenhall also discussed the senior class fundraiser. Seniors will be raffling off tickets for a chance to win two seats to the University of Michigan-Rutgers football game November 7 and two seats to the Ohio State-Minnesota game on the same date.

If all the tickets are sold, the fundraiser should earn the senior class approximately $3,000.

Supplemental contracts were also granted to Nikki Staten as head varsity softball coach and Brian Flory as assistant baseball coach. Both Staten and Flory have experience, with a background in the athletic field.

Brenda Leeth was also granted a supplemental contract as senior class advisor.

In addition to the previously mentioned coaches, several volunteer coaching positions were also approved by the board, as follows: Marcus Meyer and Kyle Stechschulte, boys’ junior varsity baseball coaches; Brock Homier, boys’ varsity/JV baseball; and Jonathan Cruisie, boys’ varsity baseball.

Amy Dunlap also was approved to transport two special needs students as a “special route bus driver” for the 2015/2016 school year.

The board also graciously accepted several donations, with thanks. The first donation was for the track bleacher/press box project in the amount of $5,132 from the Lincolnview Athletic Boosters. The Cooper Family Foundation donated an education grant of $2,000, as well as a $1,000 V.H. Cooper Scholarship.

The board appointed Board member Lori Snyder as the 2015 Capital Conference delegate, with Kirk Berryman as the alternate.

Superintendent Jeff Snyder was also approved by the board for a Mid-American Association of School Superintendents membership for the 2015-16 school year.

In other news, the board also:

• Approved the 2015-16 junior and senior workbook bills and class fees
• Approved the 2015-16 application for the National School Lunch, Breakfast, and Snack Program and Government Food Program

The next meeting for the Lincolnview Local Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 15, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.