PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
THE NUMBERS … Montpelier Board of Education members, Patti Rockey (left) and Troy Roth (right), go over the financial report at the school board meeting held on Tuesday, October 14.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
For the first time since 2015, Montpelier’s High School football program will become a new member of the Great Lakes Conference following approval by the Board of Education at its meeting on Tuesday, October 14.
Following the roll call with board members, Patti Rockey, Nate Rose, Troy Roth, Dunne Gambler, and Jennifer Schlosser, a moment of silence was held, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Montpelier is currently a football-only member of the Toledo Area Athletic Conference, which is disbanding following the 2025 season, with Ottawa Hills joining the Sandusky Bay Conference next year.
The Great Lakes Conference will include Montpelier, Edon, Hilltop, North Central, along with four Michigan schools, Erie Mason, Sand Creek, Whiteford, and Summerfield, beginning with the 2026 season.
“Every school involved will actually have a say on how the league is governed,” said Montpelier High School athletic director Joe Brigle.
“Two athletic directors from Michigan and two athletic directors from Ohio will make up the executive committee. That will rotate every year as everybody will get an opportunity to take their turn in every role. It’s a good opportunity.”
Brigle pointed out that the Toledo Area Athletic Conference has been on life support lately after the departure of former member Northwood last year and the pending exit of Ottawa Hills following the 2025 football season.
“For us, the TAAC has been a great option, and it was a good landing spot when we left the NWOAL in 2015, so I have nothing but good things to say,” said Brigle.
“It was just to the point now where the majority of the schools that are competing in football reside in this neck of the woods, not in the Toledo area.
“This was essentially why this all came to fruition, and Matt Ripke, who is the athletic director at Edon, did a lot of work behind the scenes to get this done. We are all very excited for this.”
The school board approved the purchase of a Blue Bird 72-passenger T3FE bus from Cardinal Bus Sales & Service, Inc., at a cost of $142,362. The purchase will come out of the permanent improvement fund.
Also, the board approved the 2026-27 school calendar, the 2025 state volleyball tournament in Dayton, Ohio, from November 6-9, 2025, and a corporate membership to the Montpelier Rotary Club with bills billed quarterly for the superintendent, treasurer, and three principals.
In personnel action, the board approved the following:
-The resignation of Taccara Torres, bus driver, effective September 26, 2025.
-Amy Buck-Orndorff was added to the substitute aide/paraprofessional list for the 2025-26 school year, pending all requirements that have been met.
-Doug Wolff (substitute custodian); Julia Nofziger (substitute cafeteria worker); Cathy Moore (substitute aide and cafeteria worker); and Kelli Dreher (substitute paraprofessional worker) for the 2025-26 school year.
-Anthony Salazar and Sean Taylor (high school assistant wrestling coaches); Austin Grubb and Jacee Altaffer (junior high wrestling coaches); Brian Nelson (junior varsity boys basketball); David Sharps (freshman boys basketball); John Waterston and Seth Miller (junior high boys basketball); Briton Moore and Nelson Turner (boys basketball volunteers) for the 2025-26 school year.
The board accepted the following donations: $3,900 (boys basketball) and $750 (Multi-Media Class) from the Athletic Boosters; $116 (National Honor Society Christmas Drive) from miscellaneous donors; $183 (athletic department) from Kona Ice; $200 (AR-Media) from the Montpelier Civic League; $500 each (snacks for testing for high school, junior high school, and elementary school) from anonymous donor and $179 (National Honor Society Santa Shop) from miscellaneous donors.
Superintendent Travis Lichty reported there was a recent fire when a small motor had malfunctioned in the high school building, resulting in minor smoke in a classroom. He noted the building was evacuated. He also thanked the Montpelier Fire Department and Montpelier EMS for providing emergency services.
Lichty is also looking for options to replace the non-functioning sign in front of the school. He is working with the Montpelier Rotary on installing a new sign.
The district is also planning to replace laptops for teachers, which is expected to be a five-to-six-year process.
Elementary Principal Lance Thorp reported that 38 fifth graders had signed up to participate in the fifth-grade musical, which accounted for more than half of the class.
Thorp also reported the upcoming Elementary Quiz Bowl taking place on October 21, and Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for October 23 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Kindergarten through Second Grade Halloween Parade will take place on October 31.
High School Principal Su Thorp updated the board on the upcoming events beginning with the Sounds of Stadium by the Montpelier High School marching band on Monday, October 27, at Hobe Krouse Field. The upcoming fall musical, Nunsense, is to be presented on November 1-2. Tickets are currently available for both performances.
The junior high and senior high fall sports awards will be held on Monday, November 3, beginning at 6 p.m.