Superintendent's Update
Otsego Local Schools
SPRING AHEAD
Dear Otsego Stakeholders,
In this month’s letter, you will find several District informational updates along with news related to recent successes. I encourage you to take a moment to review the activities and achievements highlighted at the end of this message.
I am so proud of the efforts of our students and staff this year. I truly believe that the knowledge and experiences gained here at Otsego are building a solid foundation for their future successes. I am so thankful for the unwavering support and dedication of our Otsego Community. It takes a village as they say, and we all play an important role in these kids' lives. Your sacrifices and commitment to the education and well-being of our Otsego students are extremely valuable.
As we transition into Spring, there is still much to look forward to this year. It’s a chance to build upon the progress we have made so far and continue the positive momentum.
Thank you for continuing to work with the District to preserve, celebrate, and promote the value of an Otsego education and to ensure that every one of our students develops the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue their passions and find happiness in the years ahead.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
Good luck to all our students who are competing or performing over in the weeks ahead.
#OneHeartbeat Go Knights!
STUDENT SUCCESSES
Kendall Mehl
Congrats Kendall on qualifying for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Kendall won the Regional competition earlier this month and is now moving onto the National Spelling Bee Competition in Washington D.C. later in May. At the Regional competition she competed against 21 other students at and finished in first place successfully spelling the word Declamatory. She will now compete nationally against 249 other competitors from across the country and has a chance to the top prize of $50,000. To our knowledge, Kendall is the first and only student from Otsego to qualify for this. Kendall says she has been practicing for over a hour a night preparing for this competition. Good Luck Kendall!
Jack Simpson
Congratulations Jack! He was Honored at the 62nd Annual Scholar Athlete Dinner hosted by the Toledo Chapter National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Inc. Jack was recognized as a deserving Student Athlete that excels on the field, in the classroom and in the community. He got to meet the keynote speaker, Marcus Freeman, the Head Football Coach at the University of Notre Dame. Jack has had an amazing career on the field, in the classroom, on the court, and in the community.
Trevor Wilcox
Congrats to Trevor! He Placed 5th at State Wrestling competition earlier this month. Trevor qualified for the OHSAA state tournament in Columbus all four years of his high school career and is Otsego’s only 4X State Placer! He also won several league titles in his weight class and was named the 2024 NBC Wrestler of the Year! He is an outstanding Student-Athlete. I am so incredibly proud of this young man. He is genuinely one of the nicest human beings you will ever meet. Way to go Trevor!
Otsego Competition Cheer Team
Congrats to the Otsego High School Competition Cheer Team for competing in the OASSA State Cheer Competition. There they placed 2nd in the state out of 6 teams competing for the their Gameday Building and Tumbling routine and also 2nd in the State for their Traditional Building and Tumbling Routine. These girls have worked incredibly hard for this and it showed. They did an amazing job representing their school and the community. I am so proud of them.
HS Musical Cast and Crew
Congrats to Ms. Schaffer and her students on their production of Shrek the Musical. This was Ms. Shaffers' first ever show and the weekend was a huge success with multiple sold out shows. This group of incredibly talented students worked very hard and put on an amazing show. Hard work pays off! You all did an amazing job.
District Awards W.A.T.E.R Grants
The Northwestern Water and Sewer District (The District) recently awarded $1,500 in grant funding to Otsego Schools to support educational programs focused on water resources. Water And Environment Teacher Education Resources (WATER) grants aim to assist local schools by providing direct funding to educators, enabling them to teach about the vital importance of water conservation and environmental stewardship.
In 2024, The District will allocate over $9,000 to local schools within our service area for water-focused educational initiatives. These programs will teach students about water quality, sustainability, and responsible water usage.
District Board Member Brooke Hahn presented a $500 WATER grant to Otsego High School science teacher Bob Furlong as part of this initiative. The grant will fund a water collection and testing project from four local water sources. Students will measure the presence of E. Coli bacteria using chromogenic analysis of the water.
Mrs. Hahn also presented Otsego High School science teacher Jillan Bodey with a $500 WATER grant. Ms. Bodey will use the funding to purchase water sampling kits. The kits will help students investigate how chemical levels fluctuate in local water sources after weather or agricultural events.
The District also presented Otsego Elementary Art teacher Kirstina Roberts with a $500 WATER grant to purchase materials needed to build terrariums. These interactive kits will help students observe how water impacts plants during growth.
The District introduced the WATER grant program in December 2014, driven by a strong desire to give back to the schools and communities it serves. By fostering educational awareness about water resources and environmental sustainability, The District remains committed to its mission of responsible environmental stewardship.
OAB Golf Outing
We will once again be having our golf outing at Stone Ridge. The event will take place on May 5th with a shotgun start at 8:30. We will be having a steak dinner immediately following the round and a hotdog lunch at the turn. We would love for you to register a team again this year. Please follow the link below to register your team. Slots are filling up so if you could register soon that would be appreciated. We need to get final numbers to the Stone Ridge a week before the event.
Thank you for the continued support of the Otsego Student Athletes!
Upcoming Events
Please refer to the District Events Calendar for a full list of events.
Friday March 29th - Monday, April 8th
NO SCHOOL: Spring Break
Monday, April 1st
Open Enrollment Application Window opens.
Monday, April 8th
Solar Eclipse: See more information below. There will be no school for students on Monday, April 8 due to the Total Solar Eclipse. This decision was made under advisement from local law enforcement and emergency management officials who expect an influx of visitors to NW Ohio. We encourage you to learn how to safely view and enjoy the eclipse.
Spring Testing is Coming Soon: Mid-April
The buildings are gearing up for the state testing window. While some absences cannot be avoided, please avoid scheduling appointments and vacations during the spring State Testing window next month. Building principals will be communicating testing times and dates.
2024-2025 District Calendar
CASTLE CONNECTION SERIES
2024 State of the Schools Address
Episode #2: Open Enrollment
Episode #3: Cost Saving Measures
Travel Opportunity
For more information about the trip email Carrie Lockhart clockhart@otsegoknights.org or Natalie Lambert nlambert@otsegoknights.org
The Round Table Podcast (Season 2)
The Round Table is a district podcast for Otsego Local Schools in NW Ohio. Our show has been created to share the amazing aspects of our school district with our community and beyond.
Latest Episodes:
Episode 24: Shrek: Otsego's 2024 Musical
Episode 23: Wrestling: Coach Gerwin and Senior Trevor Wilcox
Episode 22: Otsego Operational Levy
Episode 21: Weight Room Coordinator: Matt Rohn
Episode 20: Weston & Grand Rapids Public Libraries: Shelen Stevens
FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:
Twitter: @OHS_RoundTable
Instagram: @ohs_roundtable
Email: podcast@otsegoknights.org
Spirit Store
Board of Education
President: Brad Anderson banderson.otsego@gmail.com
Vice President: Jessica Mehl jmehl.jd@gmail.com
Board Member: Gordon Digby gdigby44@gmail.com
Board Member: Mark Tolles mdt814@cs.com
Board Member: James Harter jameslharter@gmail.com
March Superintendent Recommendations
March 28, 2024
After consultation with the administrative staff, the Superintendent recommends that the Board approve the employment of the following personnel:
Approve the substitute teacher list as submitted by the Wood County ESC
Correct the Resignation approved 1/24/24 for Susan Gamby to Retirement Resignation effective 2/1/24
Resignations:
Rebecca Eiben, Intervention Specialist, effective end of 2023/2024 school year
Ashley Florek, Library Aide, effective March 22, 2024
2023-2024 School Year Supplemental Contracts:
Catarino Hernandez Audio
Sidney McCoy Assistant Track Girls
Tracy Wilson Choreographer
Trena Wiseman-Esparza 0.5 HS Assistant Track
Hannah Wright 0.8 Head Softball; .10 Assistant Softball; 0.12 JV Softball
2023-2024 School Year Substitute Teacher Contracts:
Angela Cassady
2024-2025 School Year Supplemental Contracts:
Scott Bylow Head Girls Golf
DEPARTMENTS
Treasurer's Office
Steve Carroll
Steve has served as the Treasurer of Otsego for six years, following a nine-year stint teaching business and accounting at both Otsego and Springfield. Steve completed his undergrad and Masters degree at Bowling Green State University. He, along with his wife Jenna, resides within the district, and all four of their children are enrolled as students in Otsego, ranging from preschool to 8th grade. In his free time, Steve dedicates his time to coaching our Boy's Basketball team and enjoys time with his family.
Email: scarroll@otsegoknights.org
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 419-823-4381
Justin Slauterbeck
Justin was hired in the summer of 2022. He is in charge of all athletics in the Junior High and High School. Any questions, comments, or concerns related to athletics should be directed to him.
Email: jslauterbeck@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://otsegoathletics.org/
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: (419) 823-4381 (2147)
Twitter: @OtsegoAthletics
Music/Arts
Join us for a fundraiser at Panda Express on Tuesday, April 16th to support Otsego Music Boosters. You can order from any Panda Express location nationwide. Only online orders on PandaExpress.com or the Panda Express App will count towards the event. Pick up at your favorite Panda Express location. Our unique online code (921216) must be applied at the time of checkout. Share with friends and family!
Emilia Bires
Email: ebires@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://www.otsegoknights.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=382639&type=d&pREC_ID=878306
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 419-823-4381
Pay It Forward Campaign
I am pleased to announce that since lunches are no longer free to all students through federal funding we are bringing this account back. At this point, the account has a zero balance. If you are interested in donating to the Pay It Forward program please contact Emily Bires, ebires@otsegoknights.org or Kevin O'Shea, koshea@otsegoknights.org.
Checks are made payable to the Otsego Board of Education. If you send money in, just make sure you put on the memo or a note that says Pay It Forward - Lunch
Eva Vasher
Email: evasher@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://www.otsegoknights.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=382642&type=d&pREC_ID=868691
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 419-823-4381
Bus Safety
Special Education - Click Here
Lauri Dunham
Email: ldunham@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://www.otsegoknights.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=382643&type=d&pREC_ID=868699
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 419-823-4381
Stephen Bihary
Email: sbihary@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://www.otsegoknights.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=382643&type=d&pREC_ID=868699
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 419-823-4381
Jessica Weatherwax
Email: jweatherwax@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://www.otsegoknights.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=382643&type=d&pREC_ID=868699
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 419-823-4381
Luke Swartz
Email: lswartz@otsegoknights.org
Website: https://www.otsegoknights.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=382641&type=d&pREC_ID=868689
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, USA
Phone: 4198234381
Twitter: @OtsegoTv
COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS
Please send me any and all community events that you might know of. I love sharing things in and around our great community.
SPONSORS
The Otsego Local School District would like to take the time to thank all of our generous sponsors who support our students, staff, and community. Click on the links below to support our sponsors. If you are interested in advertising with us and would like more information, please contact me at koshea@otsegoknights.org or 419-823-4381 ext. 1102
DISTRICT CONTACTS/INFORMATION
1. District Website CLICK HERE The Otsego Local Schools website will more effectively highlight what is important to us and the community. We keep the site updated with pictures, news articles, and other important information regarding the district and our buildings.
2. Twitter follow @Otsego_Supt
Safe Schools Helpline
Recent polls show that parents’ first concern about schools today is their child’s safety. That is my concern as well. Fortunately, the Otsego is very safe. However, no community is immune from the threats of violence and drugs that endanger public schools nationwide.
We are introducing a Safe School Helpline® to help prevent such actions. It is designed to assist you in reporting any wrongdoing that impacts our schools, our students, or our staff – anonymously, so as to protect your privacy. For example, you may wish to report acts of violence, theft, drug or alcohol use, weapons, or sexual harassment.
Just call from a touch-tone phone to 1-800-4-1-VOICE, ext. 359 (418-6423) to leave your information. Or TEXT: 614-426-0240 Then type: TIPS Your message will not be traced, and you will not be identified. The Safe School Helpline® team will transcribe and fax your message to school officials, so appropriate action can be taken.
Thank you for your continued support to provide a better education for all Otsego students.
800-418-6423 (800-4-1-VOICE ext. 359)
TEXT: 614-426-0240
Then type: TIPS
Superintendent & CEO - Chief Energy Officer of Otsego Local Schools since 2013.