'Valued asset' hired as Norwalk schools associate director of support services

The Norwalk school board, during Tuesday's meeting, approved hiring Tim Scheel as the district associate director of support services on a 2 1/2-year contract. Scheel's contract is effective from Jan. 24 of this year through July 31, 2020. He most recently was custodial operations/the head custodian in Edison Local Schools, where Norwalk City Schools Superintendent George Fisk said Scheel took on larger responsibilities over the years. Scheel, who also was a Norwalk substitute teacher at one point, had been with Edison since February 2011."I'm confident he will be a valued asset to the district," Fisk said during Tuesday's meeting.The district interviewed six people. Fisk, who called the process competitive, said all the applicants are "very capable."Addressing state legislation news, Fisk said the state superintendent has created focus groups to address issues related to the state report cards for school districts.In other action, the board:• Accepted the bid from Cardinal for two school buses and awarded the contract for purchase at a cost of $92,517 each. The buses hold 83 to 84 passengers.• Approved four Sunday volunteer cheerleading competitions from Jan. 21 through March 4.• Accepted two donations: $1,000 from Exxon Mobil (Hy-Miler) to Norwalk High School and an anonymous $25,000 contribution toward the Whitney Field bleachers.• Delivered the oath of office to three board members: Steve Linder (who was re-elected for his third term), Ralph Ritzenthaler (who was elected and returns to the board) and new board member Beth Schnellinger.• Elected Lisa Wick as the president and John Lendrum as the vice president.• Appointed Lendrum to serve as a trustee for the district endowment fund and the legislative liaison member to the Ohio State School Boards Association (OSSBA).• Appointed Schnellinger as the student achievement liaison to the OSSBA.• Authorized the appointment of the following legal counsel, as needed: Pepple & Waggoner, Ches Sumpter & Associates, Squire Sanders, LP and Brickler & Eckler.• Established the following meeting dates at 7:30 p.m.: Feb. 13, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 19, July 10, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11. All the meetings will be at the NHS Fisher-Titus Learning Center, expect for Feb. 13, which will be in the library.The 2018 Norwalk school board consists of (from left) are: Steve Linder, John Lendrum (vice president), Lisa Wick, Beth Schnellinger and Ralph Ritzenthaler.