Austin returns to Wooster school board; principal, associate principal spots to fill

Former board member Cody Austin was welcomed back to the Wooster City School District Board of Education at its June meeting.

He was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Danielle Schantz.

Austin, a financial planner with Austin Wealth Solutions, served on the board beginning in August 2022 to fill a position resulting from a resignation.

In public comments, Barb Friedhoff congratulated Austin on his reappointment.

“I thought you did an exemplary job your first time around,” Friedhoff said. “I’m really excited to see your work going forward.”

She also had a word of praise for Schantz, complimenting her “legal expertise and attention to detail, (which was) invaluable,” particularly in areas of policy. “Her primary focus was making sure all students’ needs are met.”

Schantz submitted a written comment congratulating Austin, calling him “an excellent choice” to contribute to the work of the board.

The board appointed Rik Goodright, in the absence of Schantz, vice president of the board.

The board will hire two new administrators, whose resignations were accepted, effective Aug. 1, on Tuesday evening.

District interviewing for principal and associate principal

Superintendent Gabe Tudor said interviews are in process for replacing Nate Steiner, associate principal at Wooster High School, and Kevin Wolf, principal of Melrose Elementary School.

Steiner is on the agenda of the Triway Local School District board to be hired as its junior high school principal.

Wolf will become the assistant principal at West Holmes High School, Tudor said.

Tudor told the board he may bring candidates to the board as early as a meeting in the coming week.

Board member Joy Kleinhenz commended Director of Student Services Diana McMillen for the “massive” amount of work reflected in her report on the use of the Student Wellness and Success Funds and Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid for Fiscal Year 2024, in addition to the Federal Special Education Part-B IDEA funds for the education of children with disabilities.

Kleinhenz also pointed out how much money comes out of the general fund to handle students’ special needs not covered by state or federal funding.

“I’m just noting how much we are doing for our students,” Kleinhenz said.

It’s important for people to know and understand how money is being spent, she said, pointing out in this case “how much work is done, how expensive it is − it’s not negotiable.”

“There are a lot of these types of pieces of information that might not occur to them,” Kleinhenz said, highlighting costs of unfunded mandate can be “massive and complex.”

As part of the business conducted Tuesday evening, the board approved increasing the daily rate for substitute teachers from $110 to $120, effective Aug. 1, in order to remain competitive, Tudor said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Cody Austin to fill seat vacated by Schantz on Wooster school board