Ridgemont Board Accepts Resignation of Superintendent

Ridgemont Superintendent Sally Henrick submitted her resignation at the July meeting of the Ridgemont Board of Education Thursday evening.

Her resignation was accepted by the Board, and Scott Howell of the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center was approved as Acting Interim Superintendent.

Henrick stated that it has been an honor and pleasure to serve as the Superintendent of Ridgemont, and she wished the district and community the best in years to come.

As the district prepares for the new school year, it was noted that the Welcome Center is now open to enroll students.

Open House for students in grades K-12 will be held on Monday, August 15th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 17th.

Also at the meeting, the board approved two year contracts for Nick Stuck as Junior and Senior High School Principal and Tana Mull as the Elementary Principal.

Numerous teaching positions were filled, as well as several supplemental contracts for coaching positions.

The following are the complete minutes of the meeting as supplied by Superintendent Henrick:

Everyone has been busy and working hard the past month to get everything in place for our students. The teachers and principals are already preparing for the 2022-2023 school year. Thank you to everyone who has worked hard to prepare the building, the enrollment, the requisitions, the classrooms, the education, the meals, and the fields. We are proud of how everyone steps up to make it all work.

The new track surface is moving forward, and the construction for the preschool rooms at the Ridgeway building is also.

The Welcome Center is now open to enroll students. We will be emailing information on schedules soon. Parents should enroll and update current student information in Final Forms for the 2022-2023 school year. Please make sure that all bus information is updated as we are working on new bus routes.

Open House for students in grades K-12 will be held on Monday, August 15th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm to come in and meet your teachers, drop off your supplies, pay school fees and for 7-12 can pick up their chromebooks. More information will be sent out closer to the event.

The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 17th. School hours will remain the same, doors will open at 8:15 am and classes start at 8:30 am. Dismissal will be at 3:15 pm. The drop off and pick will remain the same.

Lunch prices and free and reduced lunch applications are on the school website ( https://www.ridgemont.k12.oh.us/ ) under Departments and Food Services.

More information about the 2022- 2023 school will be posted on the Ridgemont School website and shared with parents via ParentSquare as we get closer to the start of next school year.

Upcoming Calendar:

Wednesday, August 17- First Day of School

Monday, September 5- No School – Labor Day

Tuesday, September 6 to Friday, September 9 – No School – Enjoy the Hardin County Fair!

Monday, September 12- No School – Teacher Professional Development

Friday, October 21- No School – Teacher Professional Development

Thursday, October 20- End of First Grading Period

July 28, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Highlights

Congratulations to Brooke Nelson for earning Bellefontaine Examiner All Area Team for softball.
Personnel

The board accepted the resignations from the following employees, effective the end of the 2021-2022 contract:

Anthony Fink – 7-9 Social Studies / English Language Arts

Tammy Kissell – K-6 Principal

Samantha McCullough – Intervention Specialist

Tobin O’Reilly – 7-9 English Language Arts

Katrina Riepenhoff – 5th Grade

The board hired Nick Stuck as Junior/Senior High School Principal and Tana Mull as the Elementary Principal on two year contracts. Both principals have been working to get everything set for the students to start strong.

Mr. Stuck has been a teacher in the Ridgemont, Findlay City, White Hall, and Kenton City districts. Mr. Stuck received degrees from The Ohio State University, Ashland University and Concordia University.

Ms. Mull was a teacher at Marion City Schools and received her degrees from Ashland University.

All of the following teachers were hired on one year contracts starting with the 2022-2023 school year.

Angela Arthur was approved as the 9-12 Language Arts/English teacher. Ms. Arthur earned her degrees from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and The Ohio State University. Ms. Arthur has experience teaching in the Columbus area.

Madison Geyer was approved as the 7-9 Language Arts/English teacher. Ms. Geyer received her teaching degree from Bowling Green State University.

Tara Neer was approved as the 9-12 Language Arts/English Teacher. Ms. Neer received her teaching degree from The Ohio State University.

Araina Johnson was approved as the Director of Student Services. Ms. Johnson has been a teacher of High School Sciences at Ridgemont, Auglaize Co ESC online, Focus Learning, and Ohio Hi Point. Ms. Johnson has received degrees from the University of Nebraska, The University of Toledo and The Ohio State University.

Matthew Stemmer was approved as the 7-9 Social Studies Teacher. Mr. Stemmer received his teaching degree from Bowling Green State University.

Andrew Trihaft was approved as the 9-12 Social Studies, Government, and American History Teacher. Mr. Trihaft received his teaching degree from Ohio Northern University.

Luke Taviano was approved as the ½ Athletic Director – ½ Monitor/Aide Position. Mr. Taviano has a degree from Bluffton University.

An agreement with Christine Jeffers was approved to assist the district with scheduling. Lynda Vermillion was approved as a regular route bus driver for the 2022-2023 school year.

The following supplemental contracts for the 2022-2023 school year were approved:

Football Head Assistant Coach – Rene Essex , Football Assistant Coach – Don Galbraith, Football Assistant Coach – Bobby Snyder, Football Assistant Coach – Mike Bell, Football JH Head Coach – Mike McGue, Football JH Assistant Coach – Jace McGue, Guidance 20 days – Araina Johnson, Cheerleading Advisor JH Fall – Nikia Rudasill, Quiz Bowl Advisor – Danielle Webber, Senior Class Advisor – Danielle Webber, and District Test Coordinator – Araina Johnson.

Volunteer Assistant coaches approved for the 2022-2023 school year are: Bob Stuck and Nick Stuck for Boys Basketball and JT Taviano for Football.

Operations:

A shared service agreement with Kenton City Schools for special education services was approved for the 2022-2023 school year and the SRO Contract with Hardin County Sheriff was approved for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. A resolution was approved for declaring transportation to be impractical and an Exchange of Services agreement with The Ohio State University Marion was also approved.

The following was approved for Season Passes for the 2022-2023 school year:

Family- $250
Individual- $100
Student- $50
Senior Citizens in district- Free *See below for instructions.
HS Football Pass- $30
HS VB Pass- $45
JH Football Pass- $15
JH VB Pass- $35
Activities Booster Officers – Free Passes from Athletic Director

*Individual Senior Pass – Free passes for all home athletic events for all senior citizens age 62 and older who currently live in the Ridgemont School District will be available through Hometown Tickets online. Current Senior passes from the 21-22 school year will be valid for the 22-23 school year. Beginning August 8th, senior passes will be available in the Welcome Center with proof of residency and age (driver’s license, golden buckeye card, passport, etc.) for those needing a new senior pass.

For the transportation department the 2022-2023 Bus Driver Handbook was approved, as well as all bus drivers, school owned van drivers and bus driver substitutes for the 2022-2023 school year. Classified substitutes and teacher substitutes were approved for the 2022-2023 school year as well as the substitute pay was approved.

CCIP Assurances for FY2023 were approved and the Ridgemont Activities Boosters were an approved organization. Payment for teachers was approved for Title I, PBIS, and New Teacher Professional Development. The 2022-2023 Staff Handbook was approved.

Kate Wingfield was approved as the Delegate for the OSBA Annual Business Meeting and Matt Jennings will be the Alternate.

“My resignation was accepted tonight as Superintendent. Scott Howell of the Midwest Regional ESC was approved as Acting Interim Superintendent. It has been an honor and pleasure to serve as the Superintendent of Ridgemont and I wish the district and community the best in years to come.”