Centerville schools promote 2 to principalships

Two educators familiar to Centerville-Abington Community Schools will lead Centerville Senior High and Rose Hamilton Elementary.

On July 10, the school board promoted Brian Bellew, who had been Centerville Junior High principal, and Diana Hill, formerly Centerville-Abington Elementary assistant principal.

Superintendent Mike McCoy said teachers already are expressing excitement about those hires. Two interview committees, composed of administrators, teachers and board members, evaluated candidates for the principalships, including applicants from outside the district.

Bellew and Hill replaced Tim Hollendonner at CSHS and Sam Pritchard at Rose Hamilton.

McCoy said Centerville is lucky to have qualified internal candidates for both roles, especially when fewer external administration candidates are available, which he links to a teacher shortage. 

When McCoy was CSHS principal, he encouraged Bellew to pursue administration, and is pleased to see his growth in leadership. Bellew has worked at CACS for 16 years, starting as a special education aide and transitioning to teacher, elementary assistant principal, high school assistant principal and middle school principal.   

Bellew spoke of several former CACS leaders he admires and hopes to honor by his actions, including Jim Howell and Phil Stevenson.

McCoy complimented Hill’s work in her four years at CAE after prior work in Jay County and Winchester. Hill does what she feels is best for students, McCoy said. 

Although much of Hill’s recent work involved student discipline, McCoy said she also has had experience in curriculum and the teachers’ learning community.  

CACS is advertising the openings created by the promotions. McCoy is hopeful that candidates can be hired at the board’s 7 p.m. July 24 meeting at 115 W. South St., Centerville.  The public may attend.

In other business

The board: 

• Approved Whisenhunt Construction’s quote to repair flooding at the athletic complex near tennis courts, an issue for about 20 years. After accepting donations for a new gate, fixing the issue became urgent. Whisenhunt will install an inlet next to the gate and run a 10-inch pipe to a storm drain. Tennis courts were resurfaced this month.  
• Learned the company that built CAE’s chiller will be on site to analyze issues that should be covered by warranty, and its roof has been fixed.  
• Learned materials are being obtained for the new transportation center’s guardrail so it can pass inspection for opening. 
• Approved quotes from VanTreese & Associates to replace one oven at CSHS for $23,725 and two at Rose Hamilton for $47,451; another contract with FCS Data Services for $47.50 per hour; and additional pay for Jason Talbot and Bellew to cover administrator needs at CSHS summer school. 
• Received a triennial report from CACS’ School Wellness Committee, which included representatives from food service, nursing, physical education, board member Todd Dooley and Assistant Superintendent Sean Stevenson. Cafeteria and physical education employees suggested some areas for improvement.  
• Approved donations from Golden Engineering, $1,500, and Robert/Brenda Jefferson, $250, for CSHS Drama Club; and $1,000 from Special Olympics.
• McCoy thanked Wayne County Foundation’s Unrestricted Fund for $7,500 to buy and train an emotional support dog for grades 7-12. 

Personnel updates 

• Departures: Haley Conway and Blake Babcock, special education teachers; MaKayla Wert, seventh grade volleyball coach; Ciara Hanes, Bulldog Connections-CJHS
• Hires: Elizabeth Lahman, CAE special education teacher; Camile Golay, CJHS special education assistant
• Transfers: Jennifer Cooper, CAE cashier to RH cashier; Jennifer Morgan, speech/preschool aide to kindergarten Title 1 aide; Joann Tubesing, kindergarten Title 1 aide to first grade Title 1 aide
• Rehires: Sarah Wells, CJHS English teacher; Luann Moore, CJHS dishwasher
• Pending hires: Alexi Weddle and Mindy Graf, RH preschool assistants; Vickie Jackson, CSHS cafeteria cashier; Amber Wert-May, special education assistant; Kimberly Melton, CAE cashier; Gloria Cowin, RH cafeteria aide; Sylvia Dungan, CJHS assistant head cook