VWCS supt. discusses social media threat

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education heard from Superintendent Vicki Brunn on the social media incident that occurred earlier in the week, while Van Wert Elementary School physical education teachers Betty Holliday and Alex Schmidt provided a presentation on the VWES wellness programs during Wednesday’s September board meeting.

Brunn provided a short recap on the social media incident to board members, noting “When I get a phone call from my high school principal at 4:15 a.m. I know it’s not going to be good news.”

She said the school’s Crisis Team quickly got together and met with local law enforcement agencies to deal with the incident, which ended with two students charged with misdemeanor menacing offenses.

The superintendent did note, though, that she felt the investigation into the incident was done quickly and professionally.

“I can’t tell you how impressed I am with their response time, with the intelligent way they handled this investigation,” Brunn said.

The superintendent said that, because of the nature of the threat, the decision was made that classes could be held that day, adding that, because of the speed of the investigation, the situation was finalized by late morning.

Brunn also gave kudos to the local press for getting information out to the public quickly, but said she would like to see a “mass warning” system implemented in the district to allow her to put out such information quickly to district parents and students.

“We did have parents who wanted more information than we could give,” Brunn said, while also noting that the district was limited in what it could release because of the ongoing investigation.

She also noted that the district would continue to look at such situations very seriously and send a clear message to students that, if they’re going to do such things, they’re going to be caught.

Brunn also talked briefly about the district’s State Report Card results.

“Right now, we’re looking very diligently to examine the data and we will have a detailed report at the October board meeting,” she said, noting, though, that there were some positives from the results, such as an improvement on the Gap Closing category.

One area that Brunn said the district needs to work on is the gifted student area, although she noted that many school districts across the state also have that problem. The superintendent said Van Wert doesn’t even have a gifted program coordinator, while also noting that, while the district did a good job of identifying gifted students, it wasn’t doing a particularly good job of meeting their needs.

Retired elementary math teacher Bonnie Thatcher, who attended the meeting, said gifted education is a victim of the “time crunch” that comes as teachers are trying hard to give the majority of students a basic education and basically run out of time to give more attention to gifted students.

“I hope you find an answer,” Thatcher said.

Brunn noted that the district will work to avoid “tracking” students, though, since putting students into narrow educational tracks is counterproductive in the long run because it puts labels on students that often follow them throughout life.

VWES phys. ed. teachers Holliday and Schmidt spoke about their “Active Bodies = Active Minds …  Keep on Movin’ and Your Brain Gets Groovin’” program.

Schmidt said that exercise has a positive effect on a child’s brain, so a program that provides healthy lifestyles is beneficial to children’s education, as well as their general health.

The teachers talked about the various components make up the VWES wellness program, which includes several fitness components, such as the 100 Mile Club, Jammin’ Jumpers jump rope team, an annual health fair in conjunction with Van Wert Health, and the Road Runners running program.

There is also a staff wellness component that also promotes healthy habits for teachers and other staff members.

Also Wednesday, the board approved a number of personnel actions, which included sports coaching contracts and contracts for the district’s Resident Educator Program.

The board also approved a two-year administrative contract for Van Wert Middle School Principal Mark Bagley, and one-year administrative contracts for VWMS Assistant Principal Darla Dunlap, Assistant Superintendent Bill Clifton, VWHS Administrative Assistant Dave Froelich, School Psychologist Doug Grooms, and Athletic Director Craig Hershey.

Supplemental contracts approved are as follows:

Resident Educator Program — Year One Mentors: Anita Zuber, Jennifer Trittschuh, Shelly Place, and Tom Baer; Focused Mentors: Ty Wannemacher, Zuber, Trittschuh, Tiffany Werts, Traci McCoy, and Mary Kramer; Facilitators: Regina Brenneman, McCoy, Betsy Davis, Tom Baer, and Krista Baer.

Coaching contracts – Charlie Witten as freshman football coach, Chris Heath as VWMS football coach, McKenzie Collins as seventh grade volleyball coach, Mark Bagley as boys’ varsity basketball head coach, Chris Covey as assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach, Ben Laudick as boys’ junior varsity basketball coach, Jeff Hood as boys’ freshman basketball coach; Rob Adams as girls’ head basketball coach, Tom Baer as girls’ assistant varsity coach, Hannah Phlipot as girls’ junior varsity basketball coach, Ben Collins as varsity wrestling coach, Mark Collins and Colten Royer as half-time assistant varsity wrestling coaches, Austin McIntosh as full-time assistant wrestling coach, Megan Hurless as head swimming coach, Martha Martin and Keith Rydell as assistant swimming coaches, McKenzie Ray as VWHS varsity basketball cheerleading coach, Seth Blackmore as boys’ head bowling coach, Kevin Decker as girls’ head bowling coach, Nate Hoverman as seventh grade boys’ basketball coach, Kerry Koontz as eighth grade boys’ basketball coach, Harry Florence as seventh grade girls’ basketball coach, Erika Wise as eighth grade girls’ basketball coach, and Terrin Contreras and Brad Allmandinger as middle school wrestling coaches.

The following volunteer coaches were also approved: Brandon Miller, varsity boys’ basketball; and Jared Loughrie, high school girls’ basketball.

In other action, the board:

Accepted, with thanks, the following monetary donations: The Van Wert County Foundation (Wilbur G. and Urdine G. Bair Memorial Fund), $1,000 to provide Middle School National Park unit materials; Van Wert Peony Festival Inc., $200 for the VWHS band; Vancrest Health Care Center, $240 for the VWMS Cougar Leaders; Van Wert Health, $1,500 for the VWES Wellness Program; Straley Realty & Auctioneers Inc., $500 for the boys’ soccer account; The Van Wert County Foundation ($500) and Kraner Building/Excavating ($200) for the cross country account; James and Jennifer Rigdon ($100), Nathan and Rebecca Lare ($100), and Donald Davidson, DVM, ($50), for the girls’ athletic soccer account.

Was notified of two Community Reinvestment Area applications: Mark and Amy Bauer, 197 Parkview Drive in Van Wert, and William and Kittie Wise, 196 Prairie Lane in Van Wert.

Learned that Jared Army was advanced on the teacher pay scale from Bachelor’s Degree plus 10 Hours, to Master’s Degree.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 17, in the S.F. Goedde Building conference room.