Matt Keever, a Richwood area resident approached the North Union Board of Education about the negative culture of the school district. He also is concerned about the number of teaching staff who have left the district.
At the last board meeting, several teachers were recognized because they had retired. A few other teachers have accepted positions at other schools.
Changes in some teaching positions have been made for this fall’s school year. One of those changes involves Keever’s wife, Brooke, who was moved from middle school social studies to fifth grade English Language Arts. Mrs. Keever would like to get back to teaching social studies, since there was an open position available. She applied, along with several other candidates for the position.
After the interviews, the selection committee and the middle school principal had made a recommendation to hire Joshua Sowder for the sixth grade social studies. When the motion was brought before the school board at Monday night’s regular meeting, there was a motion and a second motion, but the motion was tabled and the board went into executive session.
Another motion was brought up for a vote of the board to approve the revised organizational chart for 2017-2018. This regards Policy CCA. This involves a team of staff involved in the organization of the district.
After executive session, the board voted separately on two items for consideration by the school superintendent. When it reconvened, they voted on the motion to hire Sowder for the sixth grade social studies position, with board member Shelly Ehret opposing the decision.
On the vote to appprove the revised organizational chart, it was also approved with Ehret voting no.
In other business, the board:
-Approved the list of graduations of the North Union High School Class of 2017.
-Approved a list of non-certificated classroom/field trip volunteers for the 2017-2018 school year, pending BCII/FBI clearance.
-Approved to hire Tiffany Grose as a summer custodian for the summer of 2017 to be called on an as-needed basis pending BCII/FBI clearance.
-Accepted the resignations of Linda Mathis, seventh grade social studies teacher, effective the end of the 2016-2017 school year; and Beverly Wasserbeck, head cook of the elementary building, effective the end of the 2016-2017 school year.
-Accepted a motion to employ Brittany Kuess, on a one-year limited expiring certificated contract, on scale (BA, step 0) effective the 2017-2018 school year as an elementary school fifth grade math teacher.
-Hired Zachary Maenz, on a one-year limited expiring certificated contract, on scale (BA, step 0), effective the 2017-2018 school year, as an elementary school intervention teacher.
-Approved contract for Taurey Overturf, on a one-year limited expiring certificated contract, on scale (MA + 20, step 0), effective the 2017-2018 school year, as elementary school art teacher.
-Approved employment of Shauna Chapman, on a one-year limited expiring non-certificated contract, on scale (step 0) effective the 2017-2018 school year as elementary school head cook.
-Approved a contract for Candace Hunt, on a one-year limited expiring non-certificated contract, on scale (step 0)effective the 2017-2018 school year, as high school guidance secretary;
-Approved employment for Chelsea Foos, on a one-year limited expiring non-certificated contract, on scale (step 0) effective the 2017-2018 school year, as high school special education aide;
-Approved student fee rates for the 2017-2018 school year, as recommended by the building principals.
-Approved varsity and JV volleyball teams overnight trip to Team Camp in Maumee July 29-30, 2017.
-Approved, having no certified/licensed applicants, one-year limited expiring pupil activity contacts for the following non-certificated individuals, effective the 2017-2018 school year, Makaylin Johnson as co-head middle school cheerleading adviser (step 0) and Alyse Francis, co-head middle school cheerleading adviser (step 0).
-Made a motion to approve a resolution to submit to the electors of the Library District of the Richwood-North Union Public Library, the question of a replacement of an existing tax for current expenses of the Richwood-North Union Public Library.