Crestview board proceeds on master plan

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

CONVOY — The Crestview Local Board of Education’s June board meeting was a busy session, with several people and groups making presentations to the board during Monday’s meeting, in addition to personnel action taken later in the meeting.

First on the agenda was Crestview’s Division IV state champion softball team, with Head Coach Carl Etzler and two players attending to thank the board for approving overnight stays, while also sharing some of their experiences during the tournament. The board approved a resolution later in the meeting honoring the team.

Etzler said he was pleased the board allowed the team to visit the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, noting that the experience showed his players that there were children who were dealing with much more serious challenges than being behind in a softball game.

Eighth-grade teacher James Lautzenheiser and two of his former students, Maddy Lamb and Morgan Dowler, talked about using a Swivl robotic tripod, equipment originally purchased by Crestview to use in teacher assessments, to record classroom lectures for later review.

The technology, when coupled with a tablet computer, allows a teacher to be filmed while moving around the classroom, since the tripod swivels to follow teachers, or students, wearing a tracker around their neck while filming them.

Lautzenheiser thanked administrators and the board for approving the purchase of an additional Swivl tripod to be used for activities other than teacher assessment.

Also attending the meeting was Brad Garmann, one of the founders of Garmann Miller and Associates architectural/engineering firm, who provided information on a master site plan developed for the district, with several possible projects outlined for the district.

Board members reviewed the plan, with apparent consensus on taking the plan to the next level.

“I think I’m hearing we’re ready to move forward with the master plan,” Superintendent Mike Estes told the board after some discussion of the plan by board members.

Meetings will now be held with stakeholders on the projects outlined in the plan to decide which projects to pursue, and how and when to do that.

Also Monday, the board approved hiring three new teachers: Chelsea Oren, middle-high school health and physical education teacher; John Rosebrock as elementary physical education teacher; and Kyle Hammons as a middle school science teacher. Sarah Crisp was also given a contract as an elementary school paraprofessional.

A number of supplemental contracts were also approved. Those include the following: Dave Bowen, boy’s varsity basketball assistant coach; Mike Myers, junior varsity basketball coach; Tony Springer, freshman boys’ basketball coach; Tori Metzger, middle school basketball and football cheerleading coach; Kyle Hammons, junior varsity girls’ basketball coach; Kent McClure, seventh-grade girls’ basketball coach (65 percent); Libby Motycka, seventh-grade girls basketball coach (35 percent); Rachel Alvarez, junior varsity volleyball coach; Becki Macki, eighth-grade girls’ basketball coach; Chelsea Oren, eighth-grade volleyball coach; and Trista Semer, seventh-grade volleyball coach.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a resolution stating the necessity for renewing a permanent improvement levy due to expire in 2017.
• Renewed membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2016-17 school year.
• Approved a number of handbooks for the upcoming school year, including the elementary, middle and high schools, athletic department, choir, band, and latchkey program.
• Approved a number of textbook adoptions for the upcoming school year.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel issues, with no action taken afterwards.