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VAN WERT—The Van Wert Board of Education meeting was brief and eventful on Wednesday evening.
Board member Greg Blackmore reported on recent security research. “We’ve started a partnership with Raptor Technologies for the purpose of providing a new visitor pass program,” Blackmore said. The former police officer hopes to have the new security system in place by mid-October.
Under the new system anyone entering the school will be required to produce a driver’s license, which will then be scanned. “If everything goes through correctly we issue their visitor badge and they’ll be allowed in,” said Blackmore.
Van Wert held a mock school-shooting drill in August. Assistant Superintendent Bob Priest addressed the issue of school shootings on Wednesday’s meeting, citing the Ohio School Safety Summit he attended in Columbus on July 31-August 1 of this year.
“When we look at those schools where shootings have taken place and how things were being conducted by law enforcement [and] by schools we are leaps and bounds ahead of that,” said Priest. “It was very rewarding to know that…I felt very proud of the collaboration that we have with our local law enforcement.”
Priest specified Van Wert Police under Chief Douglas Weigle, Van Wert County Sheriff Tom Riggenbach and Lieutenant Joseph Sisco’s OSHP Post 81 for their assistance in keeping Van Wert Schools safe.
Wednesday was the first board meeting of the new school year and Superintendent Mark Bagley is pleased so far. “We’re back to school…it’s been a great start,” he told the Board. Bagley, who’s on a state school leadership board, mentioned the constant pressures on public schools.
One of those is state support of private, parochial schools–competition for public systems like Van Wert, Crestview and Lincolnview. Another is the lack of coordination between the Ohio Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
- Approved a memo of understanding between Van Wert Federation of Teachers and Van Wert BOE to add three weeks (15 days) of extended time to the gifted teacher’s contract, effective for and expiring at the end of the 2024-25 contract year.
- Approved a resolution allowing the employment of substitute teachers who do not hold a post-secondary degree (as permitted by House Bill 33 and H.B. 583) so long as those individuals hold the proper state license and meet all board policies pertaining to substitute employment, for 2024-25 school year.
- Approved an agreement between Wood County Juvenile Detention Center-Juvenile Residential Center of NW Ohio and VW City Schools for the 2024-25 school year.
- Approved a memo of understanding between BGSU and VW City Schools for participation in the university’s teacher prep program, effective 8/1/2023–8/1/2029.
- Approved the hiring of athletic event/school event workers on an “as needed” basis for the 2024-25 school year.
- Approved a Community Investment Area Agreement between the City of Van Wert and First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Van Wert.
- Approved the fleet, liability and property coverage (declining earthquake, flood, terrorism policies) with Phelan Insurance Agency, Inc. (underwritten by Liberty Mutual) effective 9/1/2024–9/1/2025.
- Acknowledged the support of United Way of Van Wert County, Van Wert County Foundation (Klein Memorial Trust), Timken Co., Raymond James Charitable/Cooper Family Foundation, Van Wert County Probate Court and Cougar Athletic Booster Club for a combined total of $60,683.96.
- Approved contracts between Van Wert City School District and Crestview, Lincolnview and Parkway School Districts for their students attending the Goedde for the 2024-25 school year.
- Approved the Career Education Opportunity (CEO) agreement between Van Wert City Schools and Crestview and Lincolnview Local Schools for the 2024-25 school year.
- Approved all bus routes and shuttle schedules for the 2024-25 school year as presented, and authorized Assistant Superintendent Bob Priest to approve changes as deemed necessary.
- Approved the resignation of Elizabeth Saunier as middle school paraprofessional.
The voting was unamimous, at 5-0 and all five members were present: Julie Burenga, Anthony Adams, president Debby Compton, Greg Blackmore and Scott Mull. The meeting was over by 5:30.
