Diglia commends actions on field trip

Published:  Thursday, May 21, 2009 (9 months, 4 weeks ago)
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BY STACY TAFF
The Delphos Herald

ELIDA — At Elida Local Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Superintendent Don Diglia addressed an accident involving a busload of students returning from a trip to Washington, D.C.
“So many things have been going on and it’s all been positive,” he said. “Even the things that maybe wouldn’t be seen as positive ended up being positive. We just had over 200 students and chaperones return from a field trip to Washington, D.C. Around 3 a.m. on their way home, there was an accident with the lead bus. The driver was able to control the vehicle and throughout that whole process, the staff once again stepped forward and did what needed to be done.
“Miraculously, there were only three injuries, one student and two chaperones, and we had EMTs on the buses, which was fortunate. I got a call at around 3:15 a.m. after the accident and we were on the phone making calls, trying to communicate with parents to assure them that everything was getting taken care of. Everyone was home by noon. I was really impressed with how well our staff handled everything.”
The board announced the retiring staff members and thanked them for their years of service.
Among these retirees are Joyce Buetner, Barb Caster, Carolyn Conner, Betty Gary, Pamela Grear, Jane Horstman, Debra Oberhaus, Sarah Oleson, Roy Poland, and Herbert Purton. Each was given a plaque.
Other honorees at the meeting were the students of the month for the month of May. From Elida Elementary School: Marcus Butler, Taylor Kesler and Drew Sarno; Elida Middle School: Chloe Bechdolt, Erica Hughes and Bryan Romey. The students of the month from Elida High School were the valedictorians and salutatorians, announced by Principal Sarah Burden. Valedictorians are Bo Mathias, planning to attend Capital University, majoring in communications; Emily Loftis, planning to attend Wellesley College, majoring in peace and justice studies; Kylan Prince, planning to attend Wright State University, majoring in communications; Abigail Lawrence, planning to attend Ohio State University, majoring in aerospace engineering; Joel Jackson, planning to attend Ohio State University, majoring in mechanical engineering; Kelsey Bagley, planning to attend Ohio State University, with an undecided major; and Joshua Foltz, planning to attend Ohio State University, majoring in mechanical engineering. Salutatorians are Chelsea Mathias, planning to attend Rhodes State College, majoring in occupational therapy; and Amy Sarno, planning to attend Wright State University, majoring in early childhood education.
Burden also announced Joel Jackson is to compete at districts in tennis.
“He’s a very athletic young man,” she said. “He was bored, so he decided to try tennis this year and now he’s headed to districts.”
Elida High School will have 129 graduating seniors, 47 of whom will receive honors diplomas.
The board also approved several staff for employment: Certified, effective Aug. 28 are Katherine Glenn, high school English; Sherry Miller, sixth-grade intervention specialist; Leonard Terry, Elida Elementary intervention specialist and multiple disabilities; and Shaun Gentry, long-term art teacher at the middle school. Non-Certified, effective May 20 is Cheyenne Ridley, second shift custodian at  the middle school. Supplemental contract went Jessica Cooper, middle school cheerleading advisor.
The board approved summer school employees as well to co-director/teachers Melissa Bennett and Kathy Neil; teachers Cindy Hight, Patti Camper, Janice Adams, Kimberly Howard, Ann Wolf, Jessica Pseekos, Trisha Adcock, Amy Gephart and Brady Overholt.
Also announced were extended-day contracts. A five-day extension went to Nurses Aide Yvonne Dix; 10-day extensions to District Nurse Carol Blymyer, Middle School Guidance Counselor Linda Kristoff and District Librarian Carol Gibson; 15-day extension to Band Director John Stetler; 20-day extensions to High School Guidance Counselor Allen Clum, High School Guidance Counselor Deb Thomas and High School Guidance Counselor Dennis Schwinnen; and 25-day extensions to Kindergarten Principal Robert Kiracofe and Athletic Director Dave May.
The board approved several sales projects as well: High School Cheerleaders Little Girls Cheer Camp, June 23-24; class of 2012 No-Call List, Sept. 1-18; class of 2012 Boo-Grams, Oct. 26-29; and class of 2012 Sadie Hawkins Dance, Feb. 6, 2010.
The Extra-curricular Pay to Participate Plan was also approved, with a one-time fee of $65 for high school students and a one-time $55 fee for middle school students for the 2009-10 school year.
With regard to the middle school gym floor renovations, the board accepted a bid from The Final Floor, Inc., in the amount of $48,560, funds which are to be taken out of the Permanent Improvement Fund. Bids for the project were opened May 15.