The Montpelier School Board met for their regular meeting on Tuesday April 9 and heard reports from both Elementary Principal Connie Graham and High School Principal Su Thorp about how students are ending their year.
It was reported that both the choir and robotics team will be competing at the state level soon. The choir will compete on April 26 in Van Buren while the robotics team will be competing on April 26 and 27 in Columbus. The Junior High Science Olympiad has also earned a spot at the state level.
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During the Olympiad’s regional competition in Defiance, the A team finished 4th while the B team finished 5th in the overall competition. With the 4th place, the A team has qualified to move on to the state competition at OSU on April 27. The A team finished the competition earning 9 medals while the B team finished right behind them with 8. With these finished, the 2013 Junior High Science Olympiad team is the most decorated team Montpelier has had.
Junior High Science Olympiad Medal Winners
1st Anatomy – Maddie Richmond and Summer Moon
1st Experimental Design – Aubree Moss and Caitlyn Nixon
1st Helicopters – Landri McKelvey and Kaylea Peffley
1st Water Quality – Katie Scott and Aubree Moss
2nd Boomilever – Kolden Uribes
2nd Crime Busters – Simon Wang and Maddie Richmond
2nd Dynamic Planet – Sam Rings and Clay O’Neal
2nd Food Science – Katie Taylor and Kylea Peffley
2nd Experimental Design – Peyton Houk, Angel Keller, Megan Steele
2nd Mission Possible – Katie Taylor and Hayleigh Hamrick-Sharp
2nd Keep the Heat – Clay O’Neal and Sam Rings
3rd Boomilever – Jaden VanTong and Michael Blake
3rd Keep the Heat – Elaine Schaffter and Peyton Houk
3rd Mousetrap Car – Hayleigh Hamrick-Sharp and Destiny Oliphant
3rd Road Scholar – Bryce Cooley and CJ Roth
3rd Rocks and Minerals – Elaine Shaffter and Angel Keller
3rd Shock Value – CJ Roth and Bryce Cooley
Graham also noted that both Grandparents Day and the Elementary Art show will be taking place the first week of May. She also informed the board that Spring pictures have been taken and will be sent home with students in time for Mother’s Day.
Thorp told the board of the Jazz Band’s trip to The Ohio State University where they listed to the OSU Jazz Band as well as received tips from instructors. She also commented that with Commencement coming on May 26 that she is impressed with the seniors’ ability to stay focused.
Choir Instructor Ben Lupo was also on hand and played a beautiful recording of the High School Choir, which has enjoyed much success due to both their talent and commitment. After the recording, Superintendant Jamison Grime commented that “Every year I see five or six seniors graduate and wonder how we’re ever going to replace them but then another handful of students the next year steps up. It just goes to prove the saying ‘Tradition Never Graduates’ and we have an excellent music tradition in Montpelier.”
Business related matters addressed during the meeting included the approval of several contracts for personnel. A two year limited administrative contract was approved for SuAnn Thorp (High School Principal). One year limited contracts were approved for both Connie Graham (Elementary School Principal) and James Lee (Technology Coordinator).
Other approvals for certified staff included continuing contracts for both Joseph Brigle and Kacie Viteck. Two year limited contracts were approved for both Cassandra Boron, Timoty Ford, Colleen Kelley, Jassmine Reyes, Lance Thorp, Jennifer Carpenter, Stacey Guelde, Khrysta Long, Krista Roe, Katy Corkle, Marjory Johnson, Jessica Oetjens, Elizabeth Schoenrock, and Tayna Dutkiewicz. Charlene Johnson was approved as the spring weight room coordinator for the 2012-13 school year. The resignation of Laura Frey effective at the end of the school year, as well as graduate hours for Lance Thorp for the 2012-13 school year were also approved.
Contracts for classified staff included approvals for continuing contracts for Jill Altaffer, Krystal Beres, and Steve Porath and two year limited contracts for Troy Christman and Debra Cook. One year limited contracts were approved for Cathy Bowman, Kathy Lehman, and Scott Goodnight. A revised contract for Kathy Lamberson was also approved.
The resignation of Odilia Clements effective March 14, 2013 and Susan Cliffton as a summer custodian for the 2012-13 school year were also both approved. Julian & Grube, Inc has

In other business several policies were revised, replaced, or added. The Senior Trip Proposal to Kalahari and Cedar Point for the 2013-14 school year was also approved.
Several area donations were also received and approved by the Board. The Class of 2014 received donations totaling $1066.50 (Montpelier Athletic Booster, $290.20; CK Technologies and Montpelier Civic League, $200 each; Montpelier Music Boosters, $126.30 for concessions worked; Montpelier Fire Fighters Association, $100; Montpelier Moose Family Center #312 and Athena Study Club, $50 each; Tri-State Vision Center and Ohio Gas Company, $25 each. Other donations included:
- $346.09 from First United Methodist Church to the Nurse’s Discretionary Fund
- $20.00 from Edon High School to Locomotion as a thank you for use of equipment
- $1250.00 from Montpelier Area Foundation to the Academic Scholarship Banquet
- $1000.00 from CK Technologies and $25.00 from the Montpelier Area Chamber of Commerce to the Robotics Program
- $75.00 from St. Paul’s United Methodist Church to the Band
- $50.00 from BRC Rubber to the Band (in memory of Glenn Willard Suffel)
- $500 from Athena Study Club to Locomotion
- $79.00 from Hammer Athletics to Girls’ Basketball
- An additional $373.70 from the Montpelier Music Booster for concessions worked (The Class of 2015, $166.90; The Class of 2016, $436.40; Yearbook, $25.00; Archery, $104.58).
The meeting closed with the Board going into executive session for purposes related to personnel. No further actions were taken.[/emember_protected]