VWCS board hears about science camp

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education members heard presentations from teachers and students involved in a elementary school summer science program, as well as a profile of the Class of 2016 from high school guidance counselors, during their June meeting Tuesday.

Teachers Marty Hohman and Mary Kramer brought in a group of students involved in the second annual Great Science Adventure Camp, which was held recently at the school.

Students who participated this year studied various aspects of the human body, including the digestive system, brain, muscles, and other bodily components.

Students also chose to do a project on one of the areas studied during the camp.

VWHS guidance counselors Connie Ainsworth (doing so for the last time after announcing her retirement earlier in the year) and Kerry Koontz also gave presentations at the board meeting, with Ainsworth presenting a profile of this year’s graduating seniors, while Koontz spoke about the school’s new career readiness program.

Ainsworth noted that three-quarters of the VWHS Class of 2016 does plan on attending a two- or four-year college or university this fall — 56 percent to attend four-year schools and 19 percent to attend a two-year school — while 5 percent plan to enlist in the military.

Included in the military statistic was graduate Andy Hammond, who received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which Ainsworth said is valued at $150,000 over four years.

Koontz said he is excited about further developing the district’s new career readiness program, which aims to ensure VWHS students are more prepared for careers that meet their skillsets, rather than a cookie-cutter approach that urges all students to attend a four- or two-year college or university.

Koontz said he is currently involved in seeking partnerships with local businesses to provide internships, apprenticeships, and other business opportunities for VWHS students, as well as developing materials to educate parents and students about high-paying career opportunities that do not include the need to attend college.

District Treasurer Mike Ruen had some positive financial news for board members as part of his five-year forecast. Ruen said larger-than-expected revenues from state funding sources makes the district forecast much rosier than would have been the case otherwise.

While Ruen cautioned that it’s heard to tell what the next state biennial budget will provide in the way of school funding, the last two state budgets have been positive financially for the Van Wert school system.

In personnel action, the board accepted the resignations of the following staff: Brett Dorsten as school psychologist after five years with the district, Kyle Hammons as LifeLinks science teacher after six years with that school; Sherry Kitson as a school bus driver, Brenda Ward as an occupational therapy assistant after five years with the district, and Erica Wolters as a middle school intervention specialist.

New hires include Erin Heaslip as an Early Childhood Center (ECC) teacher, Stephanie Hanneman as VWHS guidance counselor (to fill Ainsworth’s position), Kara Kelly as a high school English teacher, Kendra Parmenter as an ECC kindergarten intervention specialist, Rachel Davis and Laura Farris, as ECC paraprofessionals, Nicole Minnig as a part-time tutor, and Jessica Baer as a general cafeteria worker.

Glenn Hicks was also given a continuing contract as a middle school teacher at LifeLinks Community School, while Lesley Sowers was appointed to a three-year term as a member of the LifeLinks Community School Board of Education.

The board also accepted the following resignations related to supplemental contract positions: Kelly Fritz as middle school football cheerleading coach, Karen McClure and Mike McClure as co-high school head softball coaches, and Mitch Price as varsity boys’ tennis head coach (50 percent).

New supplemental contracts were approved for Eli Alvarez as high school boys’ head soccer coach (15 percent), and assistant boys’ soccer coach (20 percent), Matt Hernandez, boys’ head soccer coach (85 percent), and Soloman Okang, assistant boys’ soccer coach (80 percent).

In other action, the board:

• Authorized a lease by the Holiday at Home Committee for a fireworks display on school grounds on the Fourth of July.
• Approved a list of bylaws and board policies as recommended by NEOLA Inc.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel issues, with no action taken following the executive session.
• Accepted the following donations: $4,653 from the Van Wert Elementary School PTO for the school library; $100 from the Beta Delta Chapter of Psi Iota Xi sorority for the elementary library; $250 from the Van Wert Service Club to the VWHS Robotics Club; $7,500 for the Robotics Club from the GE Foundation Matching Gifts program; and $350 from Foster Family Chiropractic LLC; $5,000 from Aaron Mechling; $250 from Vancrest Management Group, and $400 from Melfour LLC, all for the boys’ basketball account.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio.