Board hires two principals

COLDWATER - Two new principals will be leading the district in the coming year.

Board of education members on Tuesday welcomed 1988 Coldwater graduate Jason Hemmelgarn as the high school principal, replacing Charles Tackett. David Kennedy is the new middle school administrator, taking over for Bill Ruane.

Hemmelgarn was athletic director at Parkway Schools from 1995-1999 and has taught geometry and discrete math at Coldwater High School since 1999. He is an assistant varsity baseball and football coach. His starting salary will be $88,000

Kennedy was a music educator at Cleveland Municipal Schools, and most recently held the position of middle/high school principal at Edon Northwest Local Schools. His salary will be $84,000.

Tackett's letter of resignation was accepted during the June 25 board meeting; he has accepted an administrative position at Lakota Local Schools. Ruane was hired as principal for St. Marys Memorial High School. Both men worked for the Coldwater district for one year.

Kennedy and Hemmelgarn will be given a 10-day paid orientation. Both will receive $300 for any days logged prior to Aug. 1, the formal start date of their two-year contracts.

Board members also approved a one-year, 2 percent salary increase for all classified, non-certified administrators in the district, including positions of secretary, bus driver and custodian, according to Superintendent Rich Seas.

Teachers are working under a three-year collective bargaining contract entered on July 1, 2011. Salaries have been frozen across the board for the past two years.

The board also heard a brief update from athletic booster president Charmaine Bettinger, regarding the proposed stadium renovations and new athletic complex.

"We are currently working on fundraising, and getting plans drawn up for (cost) estimates," she said.

Bettinger also announced what she termed an "aggressive" completion date of fall 2015.

"That's kind of what (the boosters) are targeting; we need to have a target, or it could go forever."

Booster board member and former president Kevin Gilliland gave an initial presentation to the board at its April 23 meeting, reporting the project will entail updated restrooms and concession stands, among other stadium repairs. The complex, to be located at the stadium's northeast end, will house new locker rooms, batting cages and facilities for indoor golf and track practice.

Booster fundraisers this year will include laundry detergent sales in September and the second annual Cav Pride night July 20.

Bettinger added that athletic schedules will be available at no cost this year instead of the traditional $5 price, with free-will offerings toward the project encouraged.

In other business, board members,

• hired Mark Bruns as high school social studies teacher for the 2013-2014 school year.

• welcomed Sarah Doenges, who will serve as secretary to student services superintendent Paula Byers.