Indian Lake Board of Education members hired a new high school assistant principal, honored several students, approved the graduate list, accepted donations and received a financial update during a busy end-of-the-year meeting Wednesday night, May 21.
Clayton Westerbeck was in attendance to introduce himself as the new Indian Lake High School assistant principal to take the place of the retiring Mr. Dave Coburn.
Westerbeck comes to Indian Lake from Greenville Schools. He has served in education for 27 years as a teacher, coach and administrator. The board approved Westerbeck for a two-year administrative contract beginning with the 2025-26 school year.
“It’s impossible to replace Dave Coburn. He’s meant so much to me,” Superintendent Dr. Rob Underwood said. “But I will say, I think we have an excellent candidate. Clayton Westerbeck rose to the top of a very talented pool of applicants and he was the unanimous choice.”
Dr. Underwood gave board members details on the upcoming graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2025. There are 125 seniors, who have met Indian Lake High School graduation requirements, not simply State of Ohio recommendations.
ILHS Commencement takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, May 23, at Laker Stadium. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is the featured speaker. The event is open to the public and tickets are not needed.
District officials encouraged attendees to dress for the weather, noting that the ceremony will only be moved indoors to the ILHS Main Gym in case of storms.
Laker Stadium will open at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening.
In addition, the baccalaureate service begins at 6 p.m. in the auditorium.
Several ILHS/OHP FFA students were honored for their achievements this school year.
Three students, Caleb Altstaetter, Alex Kinney and Cambria Tuttle, received their State FFA Degree this spring and several more earned high marks for their projects and team competitions throughout the year.
Indian Lake Treasurer Coleen Reprogle offered a five-year forecast update. She said the numbers remain steady since her last official update last fall, but with many questions surrounding proposed changes in the state budget, nothing will be certain until the end of June.
“This board of education has been very good with funding and with our finances. Our projections are good. Until we know more, we’re just going to try to do the best we can to spend money on students and spend it effectively,” Dr. Underwood explained.
In other personnel matters, the board extended three-year administrative contracts to Molly Hall, elementary school co-principal, and Pat Smith, transportation director, both effective beginning with the 2025-26 school year.
Members also awarded a contract to Grand Lake Building Company for the high school wrestling wall removal project for an amount not to exceed $96,640.
The project involves removing the wrestling wall, installing bracing, and installing a rear masonry wall in order to increase the size of the wrestling room and to improve safety for athletes.
The board accepted a donation from the Indian Lake Music Boosters for $9,000 to go toward the purchase of new choir robes to replace ones that are more than two decades old. In addition, the board accepted a $5,000 donation from the Indian Lake Athletic Boosters to support the new weight room project and $10,000 as part of their semi-annual donation for uniforms and equipment.
In other action, the board approved or extended:
• the retirement resignation of Mike Pusey, bus driver, effective June 1;
• the following classified contracts: bus drivers: one-year — Jonathan Griffith; and two-year — Chris Burden, Valarie Chamberlain, Robert Hill, Brenda Mitchell, Sandra Stultz and Steven Warniment (mechanic); custodian contracts: two-year — Robert Benedict, Dan Kirkpatrick and Pam Robson; educational assistants: two-year — Gabriella Davidson, Ethan Fulkerson, Sarah Woodcock, Kelli Yoder; food service: two-year — Ashley Brentlinger, Deb Risner (head cook), Arielle Thompson and Connie Warniment; secretary: two-year — Carrie Cummins;
• the following certified teaching contracts: one-year —Brian Claybaugh, Emali Davidson, Jamie Hampton, Karinne Herndon, Alex Jacobs, Hannah Kilgore, Melissa Kunkler, Jacklyn Leffel, Amber Newkirk, Randy Page, Kay Schulze, Cassandra Sullivan and Amy Van Horn; two-year — Robin Boots, Stacy Everhart, Bailey Robison and Linsey Titus; three-year — Alice Darrough, Elizabeth DeLeeuw, Jason Fauley, Andrea Jacobs, Sarah Kinsey, Justin Metzger, Jenna Speelman, Brian Sutton, Lindsay Ross, Jessica Tussing, Greg Tuttle and Tracy Whitlow; continuing — Amber Shively;
• a number of supplemental contracts for 2025-26 and summer tutoring staff;
• the 2025-26 membership in the West Central Ohio Assistive Technology Center at an annual cost of $900;
• the summer 2025 FFA overnight trips to the Ohio FFA Camp in Muskingum June 2-6 and Officer Retreat June 21-22;
• the resolution authorizing membership in the INCompliance Consulting National Purchasing Consortium; and
• the athletic services agreement with Mary Rutan Hospital, effective July 1,through June 30, 2030.
The next meeting is 5 p.m. Thursday, June 26, in the board office.