VWCS bd. hears update on PBL inservice

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education heard an update on a discussion of the school district’s project-based learning (PBL) programs and also approved a number of personnel items — mostly supplemental contracts — later during its September meeting.

Administrative Assistant Bill Clifton updated the board on a PBL inservice conducted by the District Leadership Team, which includes teachers, administrators and board members, on September 24. The discussion lead by Ryan Baxter of the New Tech Network, centered on basic alignment issues critical to the success of PBL in the various district school buildings. The idea, Clifton said, was not to “add something to the plate”, but to blend current efforts better.

Clifton said discussion was related to the main vision of the PBL programs: “To ensure that all students develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes they’d to thrive in post-secondary education, careers and civic life.”

Some of the outcomes of the discussion, Clifton noted, include focusing on student-level outcomes in math and literacy performance, a discussion of what was learned from a tour of district buildings during the inservice and the decision to collect more data, analyze that data, and develop new strategies to improve the district’s project-based education.

Team members also decided to focus on collaboration as a way of improving student writing, communication and problem-solving skills.

Clifton stressed to the board that the inservice was part of district efforts related to the Ohio Improvement Process. Board President Deb Compton and board member RJ Coleman, who both attended the inservice, also provided their comments on the meeting.

The board also approved a memorandum of agreement for Innovation Lab Network districts, as presented, following a brief discussion. Clifton said the district was looking at how best to be involved in that process.

Supplemental contracts approved on Wednesday include the following:

Early Childhood Center – Becky Doctor and Amy Smith, ECC multimedia advisors; Jen Arend, ECC Aimsweb manager; Jessica Small, ECC RTI manager; and Kim Dowdy and Judi Smith, ECC student rewards coordinators.

Van Wert Elementary School – Ashley McElroy and Jared Army, VWES Student County (half-time); Donna Clark, Ashley Sinn, Katie Krieg, Ashley Holden and Nate Hoverman, VWES multimedia advisors; Sara Royer and Ashley McElroy, student rewards coordinators (halftime); Amy Covey, Ty Wannemacher, July Mosier, Ruth Ann Dowler and Drew Bittner, VWES RTI managers; Donna Clark, Cindy Etzler, Kathy Long, Kim Werling and Drew Bittner, VWES Aimsweb managers.

Van Wert Middle School – Anita Zuber, Scholastic Bowl advisor; Tami Suzuki, Pam Morris and Chris Gemmer, VWMS student rewards chairs (one-third time); Susan Semer, VWMS yearbook advisor; Zane McElroy, VWMS newspaper advisor; Mike Myers, sixth grade intramurals.

Van Wert High School – Melissa Bloomfield, Kerry Koontz, and Caitlyn Walker, VWHS Beta Club advisors (one-third time); Krista Baer, VWHS web page advisor; Nancy Brown, VWHS newspaper advisor; Bloomfield, VWHS play director; Bloomfield and Daniella Slagle, VWHS musical play directors (halftime); Bloomfield and Bob Sloan, VWHS music directors (halftime); Walker, Excalibur advisor; Eugene Aufderhaar, German Club advisor; Brenda Smith, Junior Class advisor; Jennifer Trittschuh and Natoshia Wilhelm, National Honor Society co-advisors (halftime); Wendy Howell and Jeff Hood, Student Rewards chairs (halftime); Anita Zuber Scholastic Bowl advisor; Khandiss Klinger, Spanish Club advisor; Judy Krites and Katie Bowersock, Student Council advisors; Charles Witten, “V” Club advisor; Bloomfield and Julie Reichert, Chamber Choir directors; Trittschuh, Scarlet Squad advisor; Myrna Hamrick, Keith Utendorf, Wilhelm, and Connie Ainsworth, senior project teachers; and Bob Spath and Zane McElroy, Robotics Club advisors (halftime).

The board also approved Kayla Miller as the VWHS head swimming coach and Matt Saunier as a volunteer Robotics Club advisor, and hired Diana Morrow as a social worker for the Early Childhood Center.

Resignations accepted include Kristi Bell as VWHS basketball cheerleading coach and Brendon Moody as assistant swimming coach.

In other action, the board:

• Accepted the following donations: VWHS Robotics Club – Citizens National Bank ($500), Miller Precision Manufacturing Industries Inc. ($250), Wassenberg Art Center ($722.71), Armstrong Air & Space Museum Association ($100); Van Wert County Foundation-Cully Bequest, $1,500 for the VWMS Renaissance program; Cooper Family Foundation, within the Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund, $2,000 for an annual education grant and $1,500 for the VWHS Renaissance program; Van Wert Athletic Booster Club, $600 for a pole vault pit cover for the track complex; cross country alumni, $200 for the cross country account.
• Approved the following Community Reinvestment Area tax abatements, as presented: Tin Cap Investments LLC and The Edition.
• Learned of two advancements on the staff pay scale, due to additional college work: Monica Donley and Traci McCoy, bachelor’s degree plus 150 hours to master’s degree.
• Reviewed the following additions to the teacher substitute list: Joe Balyeat, Megan Byrne, Randy Humerickhouse, Laura Rhoades and Reesa Rohrs.
• Reviewed the following additions to the classified substitute list: Manuel Alvarado, Traci Brake and Josh Reichert, custodians; Laura Axe, Ashley Elston and Suzanne Myers, paraprofessionals; Roberta Myers and Marie SanFilippo, cafeteria workers; and Patricia Johnson, cafeteria worker and paraprofessional.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 21, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio.