VWCS Board prepares for start of school

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education completed a number of housekeeping items prior to the beginning of school this coming Monday and also recognized instrumental music instructor Robert Sloan for being named the 2019 “Teacher of the Year” for the Ohio School Boards Association’s District 1 during its August meeting on Wednesday.

Sloan was honored with a reception prior to the board meeting, while AJ Thomas, legislative aide to State Representative Andy Thompson, R-95th, and a VWHS graduate of the Class of 2012, presented Sloan with a Ohio House resolution on behalf of Thompson and Craig Riedel, R-82nd, whose districts are both in the OSBA’s District 1.

A number of personnel items were approved prior to the start of the 2018-19 school year, including the hiring of three classified employees, including Christopher Golliver, VWMS second shift custodian; Devyn Rodriguez, VWECC paraprofessional; and Roy Schleeter, general cafeteria worker.

The board also approved all bus routes for the upcoming school year, as well as student fees, cafeteria prices, and athletic ticket prices.

The board also briefly discussed a pending Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement request from the developers of The Landing at Dickinson Farms subdivision. Three of the subdivision developers, Andy Czajkowski, Tom Turnwald, and Chuck Koch, were at the meeting to answer questions on the request, which the board said would be voted on during a special meeting on September 7.

Vantage Board of Education is also scheduled to vote on the request at its September meeting on September 6.

During his report, Assistant Superintendent Bill Clifton school safety issues, noting that Van Wert Fire Chief Jon Jones provided trauma kits to the school, while the Van Wert Police Department plans to maintain high visibility in district school buildings during the school year. He also provided an update on the Eggerss Stadium project, noting that the district has received a permit for the concrete pad that provides the foundation for the visitors’ bleachers, but noted that there was no guarantee at this time that the bleachers would be completed before the first home football game on Friday, August 24, against Bryan. He also talked briefly about the senior project sidewalk along South Shannon Street and Ohio 118, noting that the Cross Over the Hill group will permit the sidewalk to access school property through its property in front of the school. Clifton also noted that the district’s 12 front-line school buses now have security cameras in them that will cover “95 percent” of what occurs inside each bus.

The board also approved a number of supplemental contracts, including those for building and district leadership teams.

Team members are as follows:

District Leadership Team – Superintendent Vicki Brunn, Technical Director Justin Bragg, Assistant Superintendent Bill Clifton, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Chris Covey, Special Services Coordinator Ruth Ann Dowler, School Psychologist Doug Grooms, preschool teacher Nikki Adams, VWECC Principal Lori Bittner, kindergarten teacher Angie Stemen, VWES Administrative Assistant Tracy Wehner, fifth grade teacher Jared Army, VWES Principal Justin Krogman, fourth grade teacher Traci McCoy, first grade teacher Andi Sealscott, second grade intervention specialist Ty Wannemacher, VWMS English/language arts (ELA) teachers Erin Lee and Anita Zuber, VWMS math teacher Tiffany Werts, VWHS resource person Katie Bowersock, VWHS math teacher Kim Doidge, VWHS Principal Bob Priest, VWHS music teacher Bob Sloan, and Project Lead the Way and math and science teacher Bob Spath.

VWECC Building Team (only) – second grade teacher Zach Bates, preschool teacher Regina Brenneman, fifth grade teacher Hannah Phlipot, kindergarten teacher Shelly Place, art teacher Alicia Welker, and third grade teacher Tabitha Williams.

VWES Building Team (only) – Principal Mark Bagley, math teacher Chris Gemmer, social studies teacher Rachel Gehrlich, math teacher Ben Laudick, technology teacher Zane McElroy, guidance counselor Sarah White.

VWHS Building Team (only) – social studies teacher Katie Adelblue, Assistant Principal Dave Froelich, guidance counselor Stephanie Hanneman, science teacher Jeremy Kitson, and language arts teacher Pam Switzer.

The board also approved Brunn as a district Van Wert Area Schools Insurance Group representative, effective immediately.

In other action, the board:

• Accepted, with thanks, the following donations: $23,250 from The Van Wert County Foundation’s Klein Trust; $2,000 as the annual education grant and $5,000 for the Van Wert Blessings in a Backpack program from the Cooper Family Foundation, within the Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund; $2,114 from United Way of Van Wert County for the Family and Children First Council; $36.61 from Ohiopyle Prints Inc. for the VWHS Principal’s Fund; $50 from the Van Wert Peony Festival Committee for the VWHS Audio-Visual Club; $1,200 from the Van Wert County Foundation for the Girls’ Tennis Athletic Account; $100 from StateWide Ford Lincoln, $500 from Braun Custom Ambulances, $500 from Wallace Plumbing & Underground, and $1,675 from the Van Wert Athletic Booster Club for the Boys’ Soccer Athletic Account.
• Approved the following non-leadership team VWECC supplemental contracts: Jen Arend, RTI and data manager; Laura Foster and Sara Pugh, publicity.
• Approved the following non-leadership team VWES supplemental contracts: Danielle Sudhoff and Betsy Davis, grades 3-5 Student Council; Sara Royer, student rewards, primary; Ashley McElroy, students rewards, intermediate; Amy Covey, RTI manager, first grade; Ty Wannemacher, RTI manager, second grade; July Mosier, RTI manager, third grade; Colten Royer, RTI manager, fourth grade; Jared Army, RTI manager, fifth grade; Donna Clark, data manager, first grade; Cindy Etzler, data manager, second grade; Kathy Long, data manager, third grade; Betsy Davis, data manager, fourth grade; Drew Bittner, data manager, fifth grade; Betty Holliday and Alex Schmidt, Jumping Jammers coordinators; Betty Holliday, Road Runners coordinator; Marty Hohman and Betsy Davis, robotics coordinators; Amy Covey and Alicia Welker, media specialists; Marty Hohman and Mary Kramer, Summer Science coordinators.
• Approved the following non-leadership team VWMS supplemental contracts: Anita Zuber, Scholastic Bowl advisor; Chris Gemmer, Tami Suzuki, and Pam Morris, student rewards (Renaissance) coordinators; Marie Markward, Tricia Ridenour, and Ben Laudick, Cougar Leaders advisors; Susan Semer, yearbook advisor; Audrea Mancinotti and Alexa Terry, school newspaper advisors; Steve Sealscott and Jason Haggerty, intramurals coordinators.
• Approved the following non-leadership team VWHS supplemental contracts: Katie Adelblue and Tricia Hughes, Beta Club advisors; Cole Harting, website advisor; Nancy Brown, newspaper advisor; Melissa Bloomfield, school play and musical director and music director; Bob Sloan, musical pit orchestra director; Katey Lloyd, musical assistant director; Krista Baer, Excalibur advisor; Eugene Aufderhaar, German Club advisor; Brenda Smith, Junior Class advisor; Jennifer Trittschuh and Natoshia Wilhelm, National Honor Society advisors; Wendy Howell and Jeff Hood, student rewards (Renaissance) advisors; Anita Zuber, Scholastic Bowl advisor; Khandiss Klinger, Spanish Club advisor; Judy Krites and Katie Bowersock, Student Council advisors; Charles Witten, Varsity “V” Club advisor; Melissa Bloomfield and Julia Reichert, Chamber Choir directors; Jennifer Trittschuh, Scarlet Squad advisor; Nancy Brown (two classes), Pam Switzer (two classes), and Natoshia Wilhelm (one class), Senior Project teachers; Frankie Bowen, Senior Project counselor; Matt Saunier, marching band support staff; Bob Spath and Zane McElroy, Robotics Club advisors.
• Approved the following Athletic Department supplemental contracts: Harry Florence, varsity assistant football coach; Judy Krites, freshman volleyball coach; Audrea Mancinotti, middle school cheer coach; Adam Nygren, assistant girls’ soccer coach; Charlie Witten, assistant football coach.
• Accepted the resignation of Charlie Witten as middle school football coach.
• Approved Matt Miller as a volunteer high school assistant boys’ soccer coach.
• Approved board policy changes as recommended by NEOLA Inc.
• Approved the Athletic Handbook.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel items, with no action taken following the session.

The next regular meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, September 19, in the S.F. Goedde Building conference room.