West Holmes school board approves donations, trips, staffing changes

The West Holmes Local Schools Board of Education approved a full slate of business at the Sept. 15 regular meeting at West Holmes High School.

The board accepted multiple donations: $200 from Bigelow United Methodist Church to Nashville Elementary for student headphones; playground balls, composition notebooks and chapstick from Bigelow United Methodist Church to Lakeville Elementary; and support for Friday food bag programs at Lakeville from Love Inc., Lakeville and Loudonville United Methodist Church, and Millersburg Eagles Aerie and at Nashville from Millersburg Eagles Aerie 2418, Northside Church, Nashville Church of Christ, Ripley Church of Christ, NewPointe Community Church, Buckeye Deli and the Holmes Wayne Electric Foundation.

In the superintendent’s report, the board heard updates on board committees, FFA activities, curriculum, K-5 building and new staff. The new staff update included Austin Brannon, Katelyn Eppley, Thaddeus Weaver, D. Tyler Masters, Katelyn Fraley, Megan Warne, Kiana Leppla, Malinda Johnson, Clayton Zimmerly, Rosanna Miller, Kenna Warner, Chloe Ueltschy, Nicole Ervin, William Cox, Gary Lehr, Tamie Conkle, Debora Vance, Kristina Flener, Megan Arnold, Tracy Hahn, Katelyn Schwartz, Peyton McKinney and Pamela Dowling.

Under new business, the board approved the bus route plan and authorized district representation assignments to Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center Principal Scott Musser and Assistant Principal Jennifer Moore, Holmes County Training Center Education Director Crystal Payne, ECOESC Preschool Director Laurie Hall and Chase Rosser, and Dale Roy School Director of Education Shannon Lange.

Student travel approvals included FFA’s Greenhand Camp (Sept. 28-30), National FFA Convention (Oct. 28 through Nov. 1), Greenhand Lock-In (Nov. 7-8), Greenhand Initiation (Nov. 17), Mission Impact Leadership Conference (Jan. 17-18), National Western Livestock Exhibition (Jan. 14-19), State FFA Convention (April 30 through May 1), annual FFA Banquet (May 9), Ohio Leadership Camp (June 19-22), an officer retreat in mid-July, the Ohio Model United Nations overnight trip (Dec. 7-9 in Columbus), and the FCCLA Officer Conference (Oct. 20-22 in Perrysville).

The cafeteria handbook also was approved.

The board adopted a resolution declaring transportation impractical for a student to Wooster Christian School and approved payment in lieu of transportation in the amount of $1,100.

Personnel actions included a one-year contract for Robert Porter as truancy officer and middle school PBIS stipends for Sara Sponsellor-Uhl (½) and Mindy Hans (½).

Hires approved (with stated effective dates or pending background check) were Nicole Ervin, custodian, pending background check; Gary Lehr, bus driver, effective Aug. 18; Tamie Conkle, cook, Aug. 19; Kristina Flener, cook, Aug. 19; Debora Vance, cook, Aug. 20; Megan Arnold, cook, Aug. 19; Tracy Hahn, cook, Sept. 2; Pamela Dowling, bus driver, Aug. 18; and Peyton McKinney, paraprofessional, Sept. 8.

Resignations accepted were Cody Starr, paraprofessional, effective Aug. 8; Megan Stocker, cook, Aug. 10; Valentine Spencer, cook, Aug. 18; Bruce Murphy, mechanic, Aug. 14; and Lisa Lang, teacher, Sept. 12.

The board also approved substitutes Jacob Goudy, nondegree teacher substitute, effective Aug. 20; Tina Pringle, cook, Sept. 4; and Pattie Kidney, temporary substitute teacher, Sept. 4.

University placements approved were Aila Miller, observation, Millersburg Elementary; Katelynn Wade, observation, Millersburg Elementary; Crystal Lovell, student teacher, Killbuck Elementary; and Molly Snyder, student teacher, West Holmes High School.

Supplemental LPDC appointments were approved for Brian Baughman, Kiana Leppla, Brian Lash, Loren Williams, Suzanne Goudy, Josh Wengerd and Courtney Cooper.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 20 at Millersburg Elementary.