VW Board of Ed. hires dean of students, AD

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

A new position has been created at Van Wert High School and another one has been filled.

During Wednesday’s meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education, board members agreed to create a dean of students/assistant athletic director position, then hired Interim Athletic Director Ben Collins to fill it. Collins was given a two-year administrative contract.

“We’re doing a transition plan,” Superintendent Vicki Brunn explained. “We have Dave (Froelich), who’s in that (assistant athletic director) position right now, but is going to retire in a couple of years, and we want to put someone in there so that we have a good transition and he (Collins) can hit the job running.

“Our hope is that he flourishes in this position and then he will step in to be assistant principal,” Brunn added.

The board later hired Van Wert native and current Ada High School Athletic Director Trent Temple to fill the same position at Van Wert High School. He was given a three-year contract that begins with the 2019-2020 school year.

Before the vote to hire Temple, board member Anthony Adams read a prepared statement and noted that other members on the board also supported his position.

He thanked Collins for stepping in as interim athletic director after the resignation of Craig Hershey, but indicated he has reservations about the hiring of Temple.

“My vote this evening comes with a significant amount of apprehension,” Adams said. “I understand that there is far from unanimous support in the hiring of Mr. Trent Temple as our next athletic director.

“I have two high school athletes, so I take what happens in athletics very seriously,” Adams added. “To have a healthy athletic department, there must be community support, and it would be vital to the continued success of our athletic department that Mr. Temple shows the ability to quickly build relationships and gain support to ensure the future success of our athletic program.

“I’ve been assured by our administration that Mr. Temple is keenly aware of this and is willing to do whatever it takes to overcome these challenges,” Adams went on to say. “However, I know there may be some who will never support this hire. To those I would say it is most important for you to remain passionate, engaged, and involved.”

Board President Scott Mull also read a prepared statement on the matter.

“I also fully support and trust the administration’s hiring recommendation of our athletic director and our new dean of students,” Mull said. “I am certain they have done their due diligence in making their recommendations, based on a comprehensive interview process and reference checks.

“They have strategically put together a plan with the recommendation of Mr. Temple as our athletic director and a recommendation for the promotion of Mr. Collins to dean of students and assistant athletic director, both positions for the benefit of our district and, most importantly, our students,” Mull added. “I would also like to personally thank Mr. Ben Collins for the role he has played as interim Athletic Director and look forward to watching what our new administrative team will be able to accomplish as they work together for Van Wert City Schools and, most importantly, our students.”

The four board members present voted unanimously to hire Collins as dean of students/assistant athletic director and Temple as athletic director. Board member Rachel Dickman was absent.

Also Wednesday, board members handled a number of other personnel matters, including the resignations of varsity girls’ basketball coach Rob Adams, assistant girls’ tennis coach Alex Schmidt, elementary school secretary Julie Hammond, and Family and Children First fiscal assistant JoAnne Simmerman.

The board also approved the following supplemental contracts: Charlie Witten as head varsity baseball coach; Eric Putnam as varsity assistant baseball coach; Jim Werts as junior varsity baseball coach; Cole Harting as freshman baseball coach; Greg Steinecker as head varsity softball coach; Sean Kennedy as assistant varsity softball coach; Missy Bockrath as junior varsity softball coach; Mark Collins as head varsity boys track coach; Nate Hoverman as head varsity girls track coach; Ben and Kim Laudick as assistant boys track coaches; Hannah Phlipot as assistant varsity girls track coach; Alex Schmidt as head varsity boys tennis coach; Eli Alverez as assistant varsity boys tennis coach, and Kerry Koontz, Bob Spath, and Steve Sealscott as middle school track coaches.

Three volunteer varsity coaches were approved as well: Jeremy Kitson (baseball), William Steinecker (softball), and Rachel Dickman (track).

Substitute teachers will make slightly more during the extended school day period, which runs though April 30. Rates will go from $90 to $96.18 and from $110 to $117.57.

Several donations were accepted, with thanks, by the board, including $5,894.40 from Reonna Karcher and Van Wert City Schools Community Crowdfunding; $1,500 from Kevin and Dondra Maney for the John Fox Maney Memorial Business Scholarship Fund and another $1,500 for the Margaret Shaffer Maney Memorial Music Scholarship Fund; $125 from Van Wert Service Club for the Van Wert City Schools Endowment Fund for Educators; $50 from Eaton Corporation for the Van Wert High School Masque and Gavel organization; $100 from Valam Hospitality and $200 from Greif Bros. Inc. for the Van Wert Middle School Renaissance Program; $1,500 from the Van Wert Elementary PTO for the 100-Mile Club, $1,320 for inflatables, and $3,044.37 for the Liberty Collaborative Fund; $184 from Edward Jones for the Wrestling Athletic Account.

The board later went into executive session to discuss personnel, but no action was taken after the closed door meeting.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.