Bellefontaine Schools Board of Education members hosted a special recognition and reception at their Monday evening meeting to honor its retiring treasurer, who upon his last day with the district Dec. 31, will have spent 40 1/2 years working for Bellefontaine City Schools.
Family members, friends and co-workers honored upcoming retiree Keith Krieger, a 1971 Bellefontaine High School graduate, who began working for BCS July 16, 1979.
“I wouldn’t have stayed all of these years if I didn’t enjoy it,” he said, relating that before working for BCS, he had spent just 1 1/2 years working for the state auditor’s office. “This district has been good to me and I am so grateful I’ve had this opportunity.”
Board President Joan Haushalter presented him with an engraved token of the district’s appreciation and expressed deep gratitude for his four-decade record of service.
“Forty years of service to a single entity is such a remarkable and rare occurrence today we want to honor and highlight this achievement. Keith has truly earned the respect and trust of the board, the staff of Bellefontaine City Schools and the community with his competence, integrity, ethics and fiscally responsible results.
“In his 40-plus years as our district treasurer, Keith has amassed in his head and in his heart an incomparable history and understanding of our district. To say he will be missed is an incredible understatement. He blends professionalism with just the right mix of discretion, kindness and humor to run the financial matters of our district.
“Keith, while we look back with admiration and grateful thanks, we hope you will look forward with anticipation.”
Relating to the treasurer transition, the board approved a financial consultant agreement with Krieger to provide assistance to new Treasurer Joshua Wasson, who begins working in the position Jan. 1. Wasson was hired by the board on a 2 1/2-year contract last month and he currently serves as the Northwestern Local Schools assistant treasurer, as previously reported in the Examiner.
The financial consultant agreement runs from Jan. 1 through July 31, 2020, and provides for Krieger to serve in the consultant role for up to 10 days on an as-needed basis during that period for a compensation of $366 per day.
Also during the meeting, Bellefontaine Elementary School Principal Pat Martz and teacher Paula Wood presented about the district’s new Begindergarten program that began this school year. The two-year kindergarten program provides students with summer and late spring birthdays who might not be ready for full-day kindergarten with the chance to participate in the introductory half-day of schooling.
Martz said 30 students are currently enrolled in the morning program taught by Wood. She said parents have provided positive feedback about how their children are responding and she read a letter she received from a mother of one of the students.
“As a parent, you always worry about your children. I wasn’t sure that my son was ready for kindergarten. An all-day program would have been too much for him physically and mentally.
“Now he loves going to school and comes home telling us all about it.”
Begindergarten pupil Grady Zachrich also told the board that he’s learning his alphabet at school.
Members also recognized Bellefontaine High School senior Ben Sailors of his recent achievement of attaining National Merit semifinalist standing, as previously reported in the Examiner. The board also learned that he received a perfect score of 36 on his ACT. He is now in the running as a National Merit finalist.
In other action, the board:
• accepted the resignation of Roy Hobson, middle school math, effective May 22;
• accepted the retirement resignation of Debra Vermillion, high school cook, effective Dec. 2, she has worked for the district for seven years;
• accepted the resignations of the following service and support personnel: Ciara Ericksen, intermediate school custodian; effective Nov. 11; Joshua Jones, effective Nov. 14; and Erik Wical, coordinator of bus maintenance, effective Nov. 11;
• appointed Morgan Richmond as a second-grade teacher, effective Jan. 3, to fill the position of Kim Davis;
• approved $200 stipends for the following Building Leadership Team members Angie Haver, Jean Minnick and Jordan Reser;
• approved Michelle Fosnaugh as a home/school tutor to be paid $18 per hour;
• honored seniors of the month Ben Sailors, Caitlyn Shumaker, Brett Belser and Angelica Edu;
• approved the indoor track program led by Benjamin Davis, with no extra stipend, with members noting that Davis has led the indoor track program without pay for about 20 years.
The next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16.