By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Schools across the nation are seeing an exodus by teachers in search of easier ways of earning a living.
Many aren’t leaving for greener pastures at other districts – but escaping the demanding job of teaching students, pleasing parents and following ever-changing rules handed down from the state.
“Several of these individuals are leaving the profession and going in different directions,” Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci said during last week’s board of education meeting.
“I know there’s a lot of pressure in the classrooms,” he said.
New teachers are also hard to come by – especially those with specialized certifications, Scruci said.
That issue raised some questions at last week’s board meeting, when the board was presented with a list of new hires.
The board’s normal process is to hire in teachers new to Bowling Green – but who have years of experience in other districts – at three years experience, and occasionally going as high as five years of experience.
That is the board’s philosophy, not policy, Scruci said.
But on the agenda last week was a contract with a school speech language pathologist, who has 12 years of experience, to be hired in at 10 years experience. Scruci said he discussed the issue with the teacher’s union leader to make sure this would not cause problems.
Board member Tracy Hovest questioned the precedent that might be set by the pay grade offered to the new hire. Though she has nothing against the speech pathologist, Hovest said she would be voting against the new hire out of respect and concern for the existing teaching staff. There are shortages across the board in education right now, and that should not drive the pay scale offered, she added.
“It weighs on me,” Hovest said.
Scruci said the offer was not made without great deliberation.
“The hiring process is something we take very seriously,” he said. However, he added that finding a school speech pathologist is like finding a “needle in a haystack.”
“We’ve got to provide these services,” Scruci said.
The speech pathologist, Jonelle Diefenthaler, has K-12 certification, 12 years of experience in the field working with Wood County Educational Service Center, and has an exceptional relationship with Bowling Green teachers and guidance staff, Scruci said.
The board approved the contract, with Hovest abstaining.
Also at last week’s meeting, the board accepted resignations of Jaekob Sader, fifth grade at Kenwood; Katherine Row, intervention specialist at Kenwood; Lauren DeVries, second grade at Conneaut; Kellie Lippold, elementary media specialist; and Kayla Gronsky, middle school band.
The board renewed contracts for Katie Bacon, high school assistant principal; Dawn Dazell, human resources administrator; Zebulun Kellough, Crim Elementary principal; Alexandra Reucher, executive director of public services; and Christie Walendzak, special needs coordinator.
The board extended two-year contracts to Laura Buxton, high school science; Katherine Fields, first grade at Conneaut; Sara Isaacs, school psychologist at Conneaut; Heather Kramer, music at Kenwood; Amanda McBride, high school counselor; and Tamarah Matney, fourth grade at Crim.
The board approved Samantha Preisner moving from middle school band to high school band director – to fill the position held by retiring Bruce Corrigan.
The board hired Margo Moor, for middle school art; Rachel Savarino, intervention specialist at Crim; Sabrina Smith, intervention specialist at Conneaut; Lydia Love, family and consumer science at middle school; and Jonelle Diefenthaler, speech and language pathologist.
Two long-time support staff members will be retiring: high school secretary Sandra Bauman and middle school food service cashier Cynthia Cowles.
High School Principal Dan Black noted Bauman’s “nicest smile” greeting people in the school office for 22 years. “She’s going to be greatly missed.”
And food service director Tabitha Hiler-Young talked about the skills of Cowles in the kitchen for 22 years. “Our taste buds are going to miss her,” Hiler-Young said.
Also at last week’s meeting, the board recognized the successes of students in state art competitions, FFA competitions, plus orchestra and band honors.
Students earning honors from the Ohio Art Education Association included: middle school students Kendall Crawford, Kiera Novinsky and Leah Koester; and elementary students Katelyn Haniford, Emily Arnett, Jacob Schramm, Addysan Adams and Gage Moungie.
Earning top state honors for their work with the FFA program were Hunter Sockman, Drew Thomas, Eddie Eschedor, Cole Brokaw, Lindsay Eisel, Peyton Bosworth and McKenzie Spangenberg.
And students selected for all-state orchestra were Eli Metzger and Robert Stygles, and for all-state band was Aiden Peper.
