POMEROY — Longtime Meigs teacher Rick Blaettnar was hired as a part-time interim high school assistant principal for Meigs High School at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Meigs Local Board of Education.

The part-time position is for the remainder of the school year, October through June. It carries a salary of $7,000 over and above Blaettnar’s teaching salary since he will continue to teach special education classes and work as a co-teacher with Tim Lawson in the high school math program.

Blaettnar who has been teaching for 29 years, is fully credentialed with a principal’s certificate. His primary role in the part-time position will be addressing student disciplinary problems and handling assigned duties from the principal.

Personnel matters handled during the meeting included accepting the resignations of Yvonne Moore as a bus driver, Nolan Yates as 7th grade boys basketball coach and Suzanne Bentz as high school newspaper advisor.

Jackie Ortman was hired as advisor of the National Honor Society, and Pierette Morales as freshman class advisor for the current school year. Jeremy Hill was named seventh grade boys basketball coach. Employed to work in the food service area were Fonda Young, re-employed on a two year contract, and Nancy Clark as substitute cook for the current school year.

Ron Hill was hired as the project director/coordinator of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant, effective Oct. 1 with the stipulation that he remains at his current salary. To fill a vacancy by the resignation of Sandra Butcher as a personal assistant to a health handicapped student, Vickie McKinney was hired.

New and revised policies approved by the Board related to bullying, promotions, placement and retention, student abuse and neglect, and the third grade reading guarantee.

The Board approved a three year contract renewal for the E-Federal E-Rate Program Funding for 2013, 2014 and 2015 with Strategic Management Solutions at a cost of $1,080 per year per instructional building.

Also approved was an exclusive toll-free school hotline service with the Southeastern Ohio Voluntary Education Cooperative at a cost of $250 a year.

John Sharp, a teacher, spoke to the Board about tentative plans for taking eighth grade students on a trip to Washington, D. C. this year. As for funding the trip, he said money would be raised through sales of various things, along with sponsoring events such as dances, and monetary contributions. He indicated that the trip would depend on how much the kids are willing to work to come up with the money. In the past many eighth grade classes were taken to Washington, D. C. as an enrichment opportunity. There are 152 students in the Middle School who would have the opportunity to go on the motorcoach trip. No action was taken by the Board at this time pending further information. Any overnight trip has to be approved by the Board of Education.

Attending the meeting were Superintendent Rusty Bookman, Treasurer-CFO Mark E. Rhonemus, and Board members, Ryan Mahr, Larry Tucker, Roger Abbott, Todd Snowden, and Ron Logan.