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Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Bowling, soccer will be added for girls

District working to comply with Title IX federal law prohibiting gender discrimination

By Betty Lawrence
COLDWATER - Two varsity girls sports, bowling and soccer, will be instituted in the upcoming school year at Coldwater schools in an attempt to make the school compliant with Title IX, a federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in educational programs and activities.
Athletic Director/Dean of Students Eric Goodwin presented an update to the board of education Tuesday on the latest effort to comply with the rules of the Title IX law.
"We did a preliminary sign-up for girls interested in soccer next year and 38 signed up," Goodwin told the board.
The games would not be played in Coldwater, he said, adding he also would need to find a coach.
"We have to show growth to meet Title IX specifications and we can't count cheerleading as they don't consider that a sport," he said.
The school has been under a Title IX watch since 2006 when the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights investigated the school, following discontinuation of the girls gymnastics program.
Bowling will be moving from a club sport to a fully-sponsored school sport, high school Principal Steve Keller said.
"They asked that we initiate two new girl's activities," he said. "I think this qualifies us to be in compliance."
Board members approved the additions to the school sports program, which allows Goodwin to look for a soccer coach.
Board members also heard a presentation from Nan List and Marlene Springer on the personal finance class that was offered to juniors and seniors for the first time this year.
"It's been popular. We've had 97 students sign up for the class and a good response from the community," List said, adding students are taught various money management skills, including financial planning, banking services and credit card use.
In other action at Tuesday's school board meeting, members:
• Hired Ken Siefring for summer school bus cleaning at a rate of $150 per bus.
• Hired two people for summer custodial help and five for summer technology help.
• Approved the elementary student and staff handbooks for the 2009-2010 school year.
• Went into executive session to discuss compensation, employment of personnel and preparing for negotiations.
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Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Fort Recovery board of education approved the hiring of Matthew Triplett of Teays Valley as the new middle school principal on Tuesday night.
Tripl
ST. MARYS - Variety and simplicity are the keys to reducing fat and calories in a meal without making it taste like cardboard, says Chef Chris Glass, the director of food services at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital in St. Marys.
COLDWATER - School Treasurer Sherry Shaffer distributed copies of the district's five-year financial forecast at Tuesday's board of education meeting that showed what she called a "healthy, but a lean healthy" cash balance.
The contract for this summer's Johnson Avenue resurfacing project will most likely go to low bidder Shinn Brothers, Celina, for a total of $769,000, Celina Planning and Community Development Director Kent Bryan said.
Seventy-eight seniors will receive diplomas Sunday during 1 p.m. commencement exercises at the Marion Local High School gym.
Tara Hartings, daughter of Kevin and Sandy Hartings, will give the valedictory address while the salutatorian is Katherine Garmann, daughter of Greg and Ann Garmann.
NEW BREMEN - Local voters will decide the fate of a proposed 1.25-mill renewal levy for ambulance and emergency medical service at the polls in November.
A local agency feels lucky to have contracts with four area people to communicate with the Spanish-speaking and hearing/speech-impaired population.
Collectible money and knives are bought and sold at a new store in downtown Celina.
Collectable Coins and Knives, 122 W. Fayette St., is owned by Jerry and Joetta Ward of Celina.
Therapist opens counseling center for addictions
As an addiction counselor, Bobbi Stoner has found heroin usage increasing in Mercer County and now she has her own therapy service to expand her options in treating it.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Coldwater clinched a share of its 25th Midwest Athletic Conference baseball title on Tuesday with an 18-7 win against St. John's at Stadium Park in Delphos.
COLDWATER - Finals of most of the field events were run Tuesday night as well as preliminaries in most of the running events on the first day of the Midwest Athletic Conference track meet.