L’view bd. welcomes new staff members

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Lincolnview Local Board of Education welcomed new staff members to the district and also talked about the beginning of school, as well as the recent grand opening ceremony for the district’s new community center.

Six of Lincolnview’s nine new staff members attended Monday’s board meeting (see photo below). Those members include new instrumental music instructor Nicholas Brown, bus driver Harold Smith, kindergarten aide Cheryl Mongold, superintendent’s secretary and EMIS coordinator Kay Cavinder, Assistant Treasurer Jeannie Vulgamott, and elementary intervention teacher Shannon Walsh.

Board members and administration officials welcomed the new employees to the district.

Lincolnview Superintendent Jeff Snyder said approximately 300 people attended the grand opening of the district’s new community center and also thanked Garmann Miller and Muhlenkamp Construction for providing Lancer t-shirts and The Equipment Guys for providing ice cream to those who attended the opening house.

Principals Nita Myers and Brad Mendenhall provided school opening information, and also talked about testing and graduation requirements for this school year.

Myers also talked about the state’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee testing, while Mendenhall discussed the ACT prep course offered to students. Students who took the course improved their ACT scores by an average of 3 points. The district pays for approximately 95 percent of the cost of the course, with students paying a small fee to participate.

Treasurer Troy Bowersock reported on property tax revenues, noting that revenues had declined approximately $25,000 because of the tax revaluation a couple of years ago that decreased agricultural tax values.

Bowersock and Snyder also talked about the permanent improvement levy up for renewal this November. The levy, which was first passed in the mid-1970s, provides money for long-term and capital equipment purchases. The levy will not cost taxpayers any additional money.

The district is also looking at switching some of its banking business, and is currently researching a possible move related to a possible move of some accounts. A depository agreement was also approved with US Bank.

In personnel items, the board hired bus driver Debra Guinther; William Hanna, substitute maintenance director for the new Community Center; Michele McCleery, substitute superintendent’s secretary/EMIS coordinator; and Alena Looser, Latchkey assistant; and also approved a tutor supplemental contract with Kirstie Schroeder.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the following personal service contracts: Larry Clark, freshman boys’ basketball coach, and Sean Beck, assistant high school instrumental instructor.
• Approved the following supplemental contracts: Paula Johnson and Rachel Rohrs, each half-time freshman class advisors.
• Approved the following volunteer coaches: Taylor (Hamrick) Evans, high school volleyball assistant; and Jacob Pollock and Josh Maxey, varsity boys’ soccer coaches.

The next regular meeting of the Lincolnview Local Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 26, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.