VWCS Board of Education Meeting: December 18, 2024
VWCS Board of Education Meeting: December 18, 2024
Van Wert School at the Goedde senior Eli Zimmerman presents some delicious looking food items.
It was a holiday treat for members of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education.
During Wednesday’s regular monthly meeting, the final one of 2024, school board members, along with Superintendent Mark Bagley and Assistant Superintendent Bob Priest enjoyed a full dinner – a literal smorgasbord of foods from salad to tasty looking desserts – all prepared by students at the Van Wert School at the Goedde.
The theme of the dinner was foods from around the world, with a Christmas theme. Students explained the foods, including meat, various sides, bread and cookies, and what parts of the world they represent and Bagley later offered praise of their accomplishments.
“A lot of the kids that came to the Goedde five years ago had no idea about culinary (arts),” Bagley stated. “We’ve always envisioned this building with kids that learn differently – not to be in neat rows, not to walk down a straight line in a hallway – but to (be able to) learn differently. It’s hands on learning.”
During his report to the board, Bagley said the ongoing Eggerss Stadium renovation project is moving on to its third phase.
“Right now we’re putting the finishing touches on how the locker room will look,” he said. “Mr. Priest, Mr. Temple and Coach Recker are leading that charge. We’ll have an expanded building to the south and we’ll finish up Phase III with the elevator (to the press box) being put in.”
Treasurer Troy Bowersock noted that $2.2 million was spent on Phase II of the massive renovation project.
During the public particpation portion of the meeting, board members heard from city resident Taelor Suman, who shared concerns about the removal of a bus stop from Heather’s Day Care which recently closed for good, which caused the bus stop to move to Trinity Friends Church. She cited various safety issues for younger children getting to the church for pickup, including no sidewalks, ditches and snow and ice during the winter months.
Priest, who is in charge of transportation, later explained the district has nine bus stops, including one in Ohio City and he said the school system transports 850-1,000 students daily, making it a mass transit system. He added buses do stop at daycare facilities.
“Heather’s Daycare was never a bus stop,” he said. “It was a stop at a daycare, just like Wee Care is, it’s not a bus stop.”
Three resignations, all for the purposes of retirement, were accepted by the board – fifth grade teacher Sara Alvarez, elementary school intervention specialist Amy Covey, and elementary school art teacher Denise Nicolai. All three will retire at the end of the current school year.
In other business, board members approved Nate Hoverman and Kimberly Laudick as volunteer indoor track coaches, plus an overnight trip for the high school robotics club to Medina January 17-18.
The board also accepted, with thanks, nearly two dozen donations of all sizes earmarked for various funds, clubs and projects.
The Van Wert City Schools Board of Education will meet again at 5 p.m. Tuesday, January 14, at the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. The board’s 2025 organizational meeting and tax budget hearing will be held before the regular meeting. Anthony Adams will serve as president pro-tem at the organizational meeting.