VW BOE honored at first meeting of 2024
VAN WERT—The Van Wert City Schools Board of Education met for the first time this year on Thursday night, Scott Mull’s final meeting as board president.
During a short reorganizational meeting, prior to the regular meeting, Anthony Adams was appointed to serve on the board. He had failed to produce enough valid signatures to get on the November ballot.
His term will run through December 31, 2025.
State Representative Roy Klopfenstein was on hand to swear in Adams as well as Julie Burenga. Debby Compton was not present for her swearing in. All three were unopposed in the November election.
Van Wert Elementary principal Justin Krogman and assistant principal Tracy Wehner showed a video presentation of employees and students thanking the board for their service.
The highlight of the video was a series of interviews with middle school students called “Who Do You Think?” Each student was asked a question and then had to choose which board member the statement fit.
Julie Burenga and Debby Compton were chosen for the friendly questions, while former police officer Greg Blackmore was singled out as the most likely to cheat on a game of Candy Land, most likely to be a criminal, and so on. Blackmore took it in stride, saying “Kids, I am one of the happiest, jolliest type of guys you will ever meet. That was a bad picture of me.”
The board also heard a presentation from Gregg Scheidt who discussed the facilities and grounds of Van Wert City Schools. He noted a distinction between maintenance and custodial maintenance. Scheidt said the high school, middle school would need new chillers in the near future, since all were old and parts were scarce. The PAC had water saturation in its brickwork and the Goedde building would likewise need its outside bricks replaced in the future, he said.
Scheidt ended with an offer to show the board the work that needed doing anytime they asked, and Julie Burenga thanked Scheidt for his dedication and commitment.
In other business the board:
• Approved the transfer of $22,000 from the Van Wert Middle School Principal’s Fund to the Van Wert Middle Washington D.C. Fund.
• Approved the requests for early completion of graduation requirements for two high school students (who weren’t identified).
• Approved an overnight trip for AP Government (24 students/3 staff). The students and staff will travel to Columbus, Ohio on February 1 to compete in the “We the People” state competition on February 2.
• Accepted several donations including:
1. Schlatter Premier Turf Management LLC - $50.00 to Masque & Gavel
2. Tisha Fast Insurance Agency Inc - $100.00 to Masque & Gavel
3. First Federal of Van Wert - $100.00 to Masque & Gavel
4. Trevor & Nikki Bebout - $500.00 to Athletic Department Capital Projects Fund
5. Edward Jones (Trevor & Whitney Webster) - $1,000.00 to Athletic Department Capital
Projects Fund
6. Clair & Arlene Dudgeon - $500.00 to Athletic Depart. Capital Projects Fund
7. Van Wert County Foundation on behalf of the Oscar & Norma C. Feigert Memorial Fund -
$2,000.00 to High School Robotics
8. Van Wert County Foundation on behalf of the Associated Charities Fund - $1,500.00 to
Goedde Building Principal’s Account - Christmas at the Goedde
9. United Way of Van Wert County, Inc. - $1,791.00 to Van Wert School at the Goedde
10. Connie Ainsworth - $100.00 to Elementary Students of Need Fund