By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
The Stryker Board of Education approved the rehire/retire of Superintendent Nate Johnson at its board meeting on Monday, January 12.
Following a public hearing to consider the re-employment of Johnson without any comments, the board approved Johnson, who has served the district for the past 20 years. He will be re-evaluating his future plans at the end of the school year.
The oath of office was then administered by Treasurer Nate French to board members, Chase Stuckey, Sharon vonSeggern and Lincoln Calvin. Calvin is the new board member replacing Emily Clemens, who decided not to run again.
Board member Brent Froelich was elected as board president for 2026 and Stuckey was elected as vice-president.
The board also established meeting dates and compensation for 2026. Meetings will be held in the Stryker High School meeting room at 5:30 p.m., with board committee meetings to follow if needed. Compensation for meetings was set at $110 per month, up to 12 meetings per year.
Board members were appointed to serve on board committees and as liaisons or trustees. Serving as liaisons or trustees were Brent Froelich (OSBA Legislative Liaison), Sharon vonSeggern (OSBA Student Achievement Liaison), and Chase Stuckey and Lincoln Calvin (Stryker Schools Foundation Trustees).
Committee appointments included: Buildings/Grounds/Transportation: Froelich, Calvin. Curriculum/Technology/Policy: vonSeggern, Dan Hughes, Calvin (alternate). Finance/Records: vonSeggern, Stuckey, Froelich (alternate), and Special: Froelich, Stuckey, Calvin (alternate).
The board also established a service fund at $7,500.00 for the calendar year 2026 and appointed the legal firm of Ennis Britton of Cincinnati, and Newcomer, Shaffer, Spengler and Breininger as legal counsel for the district.
Approval was made for membership in the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) for 2026.
In the regular session, the board approved the minutes of the December 15 meeting and the December financial report.
The board accepted three anonymous donations of $1,486.98 and $3,875.03 to the FFA, and $2,000.00 to the food service fund for student accounts. Also received was a donation of $500.00 from UPI/PARKS, LLC to the FFA.
A transfer of $175,000 from the general fund to the PI Construction Fund was approved. French reported the NWOESC is holding a board member basic training workshop on February 4, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the ESC building in Archbold. He also recommended adding PNC Bank as a depositor for the district.
Elementary principal Kallie Gensler reported that eighth grader Noah Andres is the Stryker School Spelling Bee Champion, and fifth grader Graisen Martin was runner-up. They will compete in the Williams County Spelling Bee on January 27 at Hilltop. The mobile dentist will be visiting the school on February 11 and 18.
High School Principal Jamie Grime reported that the homecoming basketball game is set for Friday, January 23, against Hilltop, with the homecoming dance to follow on Saturday, January 24.
Johnson updated the board on a pair of school building expansion projects. Workers are finishing the punch list for the new Ag Tech classroom and starting the flooring for the two-story Courtyard Infill project, as well as waiting for delivery of the elevator, which is expected later this month.
The next Stryker Board of Education meeting will be on Monday, February 17, at 5:30 p.m.