N Baltimore superintendent to retire

NORTH BALTIMORE, Ohio - Amid a flurry of good news about financing for the district’s new school building and its cutting-edge design, members of the North Baltimore School Board were faced Tuesday with accepting the unexpected resignation of Superintendent Kyle Clark.

“That’s due to my retirement effective Jan. 1,” he explained. “Retirement laws are out there. This is the right time for us as a group. It’s bittersweet. It’s the right time for me to retire.”

Clark listed a number of items which are coming together as he prepares to step down. “The building will be designed. The land is going to be there. Funding for it ... is there. The academic performance of our students is out there, (rated) Excellent. It’s a good time, and we’re got some transition time for spring.

“I couldn’t be happier for the district, the kids in this community, what they’ll be moving into. We’re opening up the eyes of educational delivery systems. It’s really going to be a facility second-to-none in Northwest Ohio. There aren’t any other buildings designed quite like this. We’re bringing the 21st Century to North Baltimore.”

Board President Jake Trevino said when he first came to the school board there were some things he didn’t agree with, but in serving on it he had grown to respect Clark. During the vote to accept the resignation, Trevino’s response was “reluctantly yes.”

“You set us a pace into the future with North Baltimore,” said member Holly Gray-DuVall.
The board unanimously accepted the resignation, effective Dec. 31.

The resignation of Athletic Director Bradlee Rowlinson, effective at the end of the 2009-2010 school year, was also accepted.

“I think Brad is working on still some educational programing he’s committed to,” said Clark, “and he has a wonderful family, and he loves the classroom. He keeps saying ‘no’ when I twist his arm.”

Main Building Principal Dr. Robert Falkenstein publicly thanked Rowlinson for his service “and the wonderful strides the district has made in athletics. I’m thrilled to work with him. Brad’s approach has always been toward our athletes and what’s best for them.”

Falkenstein announced a free H1N1 clinic, open to the public, would be held in the main building’s gym on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Wood County Health Department is providing the vaccines.
He also announced “5th Quarter” events after football games have been extremely successful, with over 100 students attending each event. On Friday there will be a costume/Halloween party after the football game. Kim Graham will continue organizing events after basketball games called “5th Period.”

Principal Marlene North announced Powell students and parents had a wonderful experience at camp the previous week. It included archery, a zip line which successfully replaced horseback riding, an Underground Railroad experience and pioneer bartering. Donations from the community raised enough money to provide scholarships to help students in financial need pay for camp.

North also thanked Fire Chief Doug Ebright and his crew of five who spent a day at Powell teaching children fire safety, including escaping from the “smoke house.”

The board approved supplemental contracts for the remainder of the school year, including Josh Stuftt as head wrestling coach. Joe Stewart and Jim Stewart were added as volunteer assistants to the wrestling program.

When the board broke for an executive session at the end of the meeting, Falkenstein said Stuftt has worked in the wrestling program for several years and was the junior high wrestling coach. “He has a wonderful student-centered approach. (The students) are thrilled he’s coach.”

Guest Gwenn Mauk made a personal delivery of a sheaf of papers to Trevino without commenting on the action. Moments later she left the meeting.

The board held an executive session to discuss personnel at the beginning of the meeting, and a second one at its conclusion, to discuss personnel and land acquisition, after which no action was expected to be taken.

 

(The Sentinel-Tribune newspaper is a FOX Toledo News media partner)