By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Voters in the Bowling Green City Schools area appear to like the direction the district is headed.
Unofficial voting results show that Board of Education incumbents Norm Geer and Ryan Myers have won against a challenge by Steve Bateson.
With all the precincts reporting, the vote tallies were:
- Stephen Bateson, 2,908 (29%)
- Norman Geer, 3,432 (34%)
- Ryan Myers, 3,699 (37%)
Geer and Myers ran a campaign on the positive momentum of the school district.
They focused on the new high school under construction, the improved state report card scores, the emphasis on transparency, the higher teacher salaries which allow the district to retain quality faculty, and the open communication styles of Superintendent Ted Haselman and Treasurer Matt Feasel.
Citizens responded with their support.
“I think it reaffirms the community recognized the positive momentum and the positive direction the district is going,” Myers said.
“I’m really proud of the fact that Norm and I kept a very positive campaign. It was about all the great things happening” and more to come, Myers added.
Geer and Myers have been the school board’s liaisons during the new high school design process.
“People recognize that we’re putting in the work,” Myers said. “It’s gratifying and an affirmation.”
Geer is in his eighth year on the board and is currently serving as president.
He said Bowling Green City Schools is seeing a transformation after passing a property tax in 2023 to build the new high school, and an income tax earlier this year for operating expenses.
“I want to continue these successes and build on them,” Geer said. “We have a wonderful team. We’re in such a good place.”
Geer acknowledged the district has seen a decline in student enrollment since Covid-19, but it’s on the upswing now, he added.
“We have lost some enrollment, but we’re in a positive direction now,” he said, referring to the new high school as a “destination.”
“The new school is a game changer,” Geer said.
“We’re a very different school district in 2025 than we were in 2020,” Myers said. “We’re changing the trajectory of the district. We expect our enrollment to go up. We’re not resting on our laurels.”
Myers, who is in his fifth year on the school board, said the district is in a good place right now.
“The community entrusted us to do this correctly,” he said of the building project. The district did not rush the design of the new high school – knowing they have one chance to get it right for generations to come.
“It’s right on budget,” Myers said. “It’s exciting and it’s gratifying. It’s amazing to be part of this. I feel very confident we’re going to nail it with the high school.”
“The kids and community deserve this,” Geer said. “At the same time, we’re cognizant of the needs at the elementaries.”
But the district has no plans to rush into any elementary building projects, Geer said, noting the board needs to look at several possible options in detail before proceeding.
District leaders know that the aging elementary buildings are the next to be addressed through renovations or new construction. But now isn’t the time, Myers said.
“We have to be in the right financial place,” he said.
Planning might begin, but Myers said there will be nothing on the ballot in 2026. Ideally, the district could pay off the bonds for the Middle School first, he said.
Many decisions would have to be made after first engaging the community in the project, he said. Before any issue would be put on the ballot, the district would develop plans that could be reviewed by the community.
“We would go through what we did with the high school, so the community feels they are a part of it and they know exactly what they are voting on,” Myers said.
Myers envisions the district continuing to build on its state report card successes, ranking BG at 4.5 stars, behind only Perrysburg schools in Wood County. He is certain BG can reach 5 stars.
“Those conversations are already happening,” he said.
“I love where BG is as a district right now. We have so much to look forward to,” Myers said. “I want to continue to help lead this.”
