L’view bd. organizes; hears DARE essays

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Lincolnview Local Board of Education held its annual organization meeting, re-electing Michelle Gorman as board president and electing Scott Miller as vice president, as well as set monthly meetings for the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

Treasurer Troy Bowersock talked about the district food service fund, noting that the fund has “a healthy balance,” but also noting that the number of students on free or reduced price lunches has increased to 36 percent of the student body.

High school and elementary students also attended the meeting to make presentations.

Three senior class officers were at the meeting to discuss the senior trip to be held March 26-28. Officers noted that the class will be going to Kalahari Indoor Water Park in Sandusky, as well as an overnight trip to Cleveland that will include dinner at the Hard Rock Café in that city. The trip, which was later officially authorized by the board, will cost approximately $192 for each of the 30 or so students who are planning to participate.

Three fifth-grade students also were at the meeting and read essays they wrote as part of DARE activities at the school.

High School-Junior High School Principal Brad Mendenhall said juniors would be taking the SAT college entrance test at the school for the first time, while also noting that six recent Lincolnview graduates returned to the school to talk about their college experiences with current seniors.

Gorman suggested that recent graduates now in the workforce also be invited to also talk to seniors next year.

Mendenhall also noted that Lincolnview students would join those from Van Wert and Crestview for a College Credit Plus meeting at Van Wert High School.

Elementary Principal Nita McKinney also talked about testing at the school, with an emphasis placed on the third grade reading guarantee. McKinney noted that 77 percent of third-graders were considered proficient in reading following testing in early November, adding that the number of students considered proficient was high.

“We were very pleased with the 77 percent being proficient,” she said.

Those who haven’t earned a proficient rating will have other chances to take the test this spring, McKinney added.

Local dentist Jessica Jeffrey-Mohr also talked to elementary students, McKinney said, with testing related to gifted education to be administered in the coming weeks.

Superintendent Jeff Snyder announced that Lincolnview would be hosting a Division II girls’ sectional basketball tournament this year, the first time the school has hosted a basketball tournament.

“We are very fortunate to be a host site, and we are very proud of that,” Snyder said.

He also noted that the school has purchased a John Deere tractor for groundskeeping duties, while also noting that the district has only used snow removal services once this year, so far, and has not lost all that many instructional hours, to date, for weather-related delays or cancellations.

Snyder also talked about a friendly competition between Lincolnview and cross-county rival Crestview to raise funds for United Way of Van Wert County.

“As much as we want to win, and I’m sure Crestview wants to win as well, in the end we all win,” the superintendent said of the United Way fundraiser.

Snyder also presented board members with certificates of appreciation in recognition of their service to the district as part of School Board Recognition Month.

Board member Eric Germann, who is also its legislative liaison, talked about state legislation and discussed a recently passed bill that would prevent districts from expelling or suspending students for truancy. The legislation would also require districts to establish “absence intervention” programs for truant students.

In other action, the board:

• Re-appointed Germann to the Vantage Career Center Board of Education.
• Authorized membership in the Ohio Education Policy Institute at a cost of $500.
• Approved renewing the district’s Willow Bend Country Club membership at a cost of $250.
• Authorized Germann to attend the National School Boards Association Annual Conference & Exposition in Denver, Colorado, on March 25-27, with registration expenses to be paid by the district.
• Approved the 2015-16 school year settlement calculation with The Marsh Foundation, with a balance of $39,042.79 due.
• Accepted, with thanks, a donation of $1,485 from the Klein Trust of The Van Wert County Foundation, as well as a donation of $1,500 from an anonymous donor for the Heritage Scholarship Fund.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel matters, with no action taken following the session.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Board of Education will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 15.