Five-year forecast shows marked improvements
Bellefontaine High School business teacher Jake Kennedy and Bellefontaine Elementary School teacher Michaela Baker detailed a new program called the Chieftain Leaders Initiative Monday evening, May 13, at the Bellefontaine City Schools Board of Education meeting.
The program will pair six BHS seniors with six BES second-graders starting next school year. The seniors will serve as role models and mentors.
The meeting took place at BES, and the board toured the second-grade wing of the school, led by English Language Arts teachers Christi Dodds and Stacy Penhorwood.
Dodds and Penhorwood spotlighted many of the projects students have been working on this school year, including unique displays of including the Great Wall of China constructed out of sugar cubes.
Later, the board approved a much-improved five-year forecast presented by BCS Treasurer Josh Wasson.
In May of 2023, Wasson was projecting nearly $1.8 million in deficit spending. School leaders put cost-savings measures into place and lowered the deficit spending to $600,000 by last November.
Wasson said the current budget is about $40,000 in the black.
In fiscal year 2025, the forecast is projecting a deficit of $368,000.
In personnel, Krista Adelsberger resigned as the intermediate school principal, effective June 12. She will be an administrator on special assignment from July until Dec. 31. She will then retire with 34 years in education.
Pat Martz has been appointed as the new intermediate school principal. She will resign from her current position as director of special education, effective June 27.
Martz was extended a three-year contract as the BIS principal, effective Aug. 1.
Gavin Yoder resigned as middle school assistant principal, effective June 27, and was appointed on a three-year contract as a new technology coordinator, effective Aug. 1.
In other administrative changes, Matt Comstock resigned as high school and middle school athletic director, effective July 22. He was also extended a three-year contract as the new middle school assistant principal, beginning Aug. 1.
The following three-year administrative contracts were approved: Jason Calton – High School and Middle School Athletic Director; Heather Hoppe – School Psychologist; Angie Horvath – Gifted Coordinator; Christina Prine – Assistant Treasurer; and Marc Stakey – District Technology Coordinator.
The additional administrative contracts were approved: Hayden Green – Electrical Operations Coordinator (one year); Roger Ely – Executive Director of Administration (five years); and Stacie Cooper was reassigned as a computer technician. This is a three-year contract.
In other action, the board:
• approved by the board: Tia Brenning – Middle School Electives; Ashleigh Hodosko, Mataya Reinhard – Intervention Specialists; Jason Scott – Physical Education;
• accepted the following resignations: Jason Calton, Middle School Physical Education Teacher; Matt Comstock, High School and Middle School Athletic Director; Kathryn Dixon, Third Grade English Language Arts Teacher; Allyson Harmon, Intervention Specialist; Thomas Kimball – Bus Driver
• approved the following teaching contracts: one-year —Michaela Baker, Ashton Childs. Jennifer Cyr, Tasidee Fagg, Heidi Heacock, Andrew Madley, Mikaela Moore, Cheryl Poppel (retire/rehire), Karen Scott (retire/rehire), Zach Showalter, Dawn Spangler, Rachael Stacklin, Taylor Wayman; two-year — Katelyne Ackley, Brooke Bahr, Philip Blake, Harrison Brunner, Shaun Dunlap, Matthew Garrett, Joseph Gengler, Benjamin Gillig, Jacey Greenwood, Jake Kennedy, Tori Millice, Daulton Mosbarger, Raechel Noble, Aaron Peitsmeyer, Zoe Price, Elizabeth Ramsey, Meredith Richters, Bill Tipple, Jenna Tozer, Robert Wolf; three-year — Nathan Arbogast, Madeleine Beck, Kylie Croston, Kenna Davis, Elizabeth Hogue, Russ Hogue, April Jameson, Michelle Rohrer, Ellie Russell, Melanie Strittmatter; and five-year — Art Caudill, Eric Hamm, Jon Hayduk, Julie Kurtz, Kristina McKirahan, Rebecca O’Rielley, Joliece Reed, Rick Reed, Brian Timpe, Joshua Wallace, Lori Wilson, Ashley Wood;
• renewed the following classified contracts: one-year — Jessica Dipple, Tami Hardin; two-year — Tonya Anderson, Alex Burton, Seth Close, Kimberly Collier, Deborah Dill, Mary Dillard, Joyce Fogan, Cassidy Hicks, Tawnya Irick, Brenda Moon, Erica Morris, Rebekah Price, Tammy Schneider, Hunter Siler, Eva Skaggs, Patricia St. Clair, Jordan Vermillion, John Vicario; and continuing — Ranee Achor, Brandi Darst, Tami Dowell, Martha Earick, Thomas Edwards, Sean Egler, Julia Pulfer, Deborah Sheehan, Andrea Torsell;
• approved the following staff to work the ABC Kindergarten Camp in August: Michaela Baker, Tracy Huffman, Bri Hughes, Tammy Schneider (paraprofessional);
• approved the following staff to teach summer school: Catherine Eastman, Aaron Garver, Aaron Peitsmeyer, Jason Scott, Rachael Stacklin, April Wasinger;
• approved Amber Newkirk as a home/school tutor;
• extended the following supplemental contracts: Nathan Arbogast – High School Teams; Brooke Bahr – Middle School Football Sideline Cheer; Matthew Bender – Assistant Boys Soccer; Hoyt Buckingham – 8th Grade Football Assistant; Rockey Cane – Head Boys Soccer; Isaac Chiles – Head Boys Golf; Cliff Core – High School Quiz Bowl; Ben Davis – Head Boys Cross Country; Morgan Fultz – High School Boys & Girls Weight Room Coordinator; Matt Gallaway – High School DARE; Matthew Garrett – High School Creative Writing, High School D&D Club; Jacey Greenwood – 8th Grade Volleyball Head; Art Caudill, Jeremy Clifton, Sean Egler, Jake Kennedy and Skylar Mifsud Jeremiah Vigansky – Assistant Football; Jon Hayduk – 7th Grade Volleyball Head; James Howell – Head Coach Girls Tennis; Stacey Holycross – High School Prom Coordinator; Angie Horvath – High School Chieftain Leaders Coordinator, High School OSU-MUN; Jordan Kesler – Middle School Cross Country Head; Andrew Madley – 7th Grade Football Head; Lindsey Maus – Middle School Cross Country Assistant; Skylar Mifsud – High School Chieftain Backers; Chris Miller – High School Envirothon, High School GSA, High School Yearbook Adviser; Galen Miller – High School Boys Cross Country; Stacy Millice – High School FCA; Taylor Mitchell – Assistant Coach JV Volleyball; Kris Myers – Head Girls Golf; Tara Phelps – Head Volleyball; Ric Prine – Middle School Volleyball Assistant; Meredith Richters – High School French Club; Hannah Rodenhausen – High School GSA; Michelle Rohrer – High School National Honor Society; Dwight Salyer – Assistant Girls Soccer; Aaron Shumaker – Head Girls Soccer; Jenna Smith – High School Football Sideline Cheer Assistant Coach; Marcus St. Clair – 8th Grade Football Head; Heather Storm – High School Football Sideline Cheer Head; Tom Stoner – 7th Grade Football Assistant; Stacey Wilson – High School Girls Cross Country Head
• approved the following volunteer coaches:
Brady Hiatt – High School Girls Golf; Shannon Hodge – High School Volleyball; Richard McDaniel, Daulton Mosbarger, Boris Pattison – High School Football;
• approved to increase the hourly wages of custodians, food service workers, and teacher aides — Custodians will increase to $16.50 per hour, effective May 14; food service workers will increase to $12 per hour, effective Aug. 1; teacher aides will increase to $13.48, effective Aug. 1; and
• approved the job description for a school-community liaison.
Finally, the board recognized May and June Seniors of the Month Zoephia Rister, Oliver Moreland, Alexis Buffkin and Trey Taylor. They each received an achievement pin and a $15 gift card to Ron’s Pizza.
The next meeting has been rescheduled from July 8 to July 15. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Distance Learning Center at BHS.
Jake Kennedy, standing, left, and Michaela Baker discuss the Chieftain Leaders Initiative. (BCS PHOTO)
Christi Dodds explains a second-grade project to the board. (BCS PHOTO)