In Rossford, site of new high school is debated
By DAVID DUPONT Sentinel Staff Writer
ROSSFORD — The three candidates vying for two seats on the Rossford Board of Education took stands
Tuesday on where any new high school should be located.
The three candidates — incumbent Dianne McKinney, former board member Dawn Burks, and Al Espen — gave
their views on that and other issues at the candidates forum sponsored by the Rossford Business
Association.
“When I’m on the board I will not support any action to put the high school anywhere other than
downtown,” Espen promised.
To move the high school to another location — the district has property out near Glenwood Elementary
school — would leave “a big hole” in the business district, he said.
McKinney said she was “waiting to see what the facilities committee comes up with.”
She did say she would like to see the football stadium remain downtown.
She added that the district is “pouring money into these existing buildings like nobody’s business” and
there’s a “tsunami” coming as they continue to age and need more and more work.
Burks, who serves on the facilities committee, said that school officials will survey the community to
find out what residents of the district want. She did say having the school downtown was “positive.”
“To take that away would be detrimental,” Burks said. She also pointed to Maumee’s renovation of its old
high school as a model of what could be done in Rossford.
The candidates were also asked if they would favor teaching intelligent design.
Burks said the issue should go through the department chair. Personally, she said she would not want
intelligent design taught in her child’s class.
McKinney said: “Yes, intelligent design should be offered as much as evolution.”
Espen said the curriculum should be based on state standards. Intelligent design “borders too much on the
spiritual area” and it is not the role of schools to delve into that area.
Asked what they would do to improve academics and athletics for Rossford students, McKinney cited the
district’s improvement from being a continuous improvement district to a ranking of excellent over the
four years she’s been on the board. “We’ve accomplished a great deal.”
The board and administration did this by fashioning a mission statement to guide the district’s
operations and realigning the curriculum.
Burks noted that her child benefits from some of those changes, including new honors courses at the
junior high. The district needs to continue to move in that direction.
She also said that the district has a plan for improving facilities, including sports facilities. That
will be done in stages. “We’re moving in the right direction,” Burks said.
Espen also said the curriculum has improved in the last few years. He said he supports continued
cooperation with other area schools and Owens Community College to offer courses that a few Rossford
students may want, but that the district can’t offer itself.
He also stated his belief that sports is a key component of a student’s education, teaching values not
learned in class.
Citing the condition of tennis courts, Espen said that some of the district’s sports facilities are “an
embarrassment.”
Local teacher challenges incumbents in BG
By MARIE THOMAS Sentinel Education Editor
Two members of Bowling Green’s Board of Education want to continue serving their community for another
four years, but they’re facing a challenge from a local school teacher.
Three candidates are competing for two open seats on the board. Bruce Jeffers, a city resident since 1999
and a teacher at Otsego High School, is challenging Eric Myers and Ellen Scholl, who are the incumbents.

Jeffers said his experience teaching math and sociology in high school and community college will help
him bring valuable insight to the board.
“I think I have leadership skills and a lot of experience in education and a lot of knowledge about how
things work in the classroom,” Jeffers explained. “I want to bring my current experience in the
classroom to the board to help make decisions from the perspective of someone who’s actively teaching.”

Jeffers, who also is a former teachers’ union president at Otsego, cited several issues on which he has
based his campaign: While adequate funding is needed to continue the excellent job currently being done,
if cuts are necessary, he will work to protect the classroom above all else and keep class sizes as low
as possible. The first cuts should come, he said, in extracurriculars.
The candidate also would like to see physical education a higher priority in the school system. Jeffers
also would like to replace the focus on standardized testing.
“I think we need to trust teachers to implement creative and challenging lessons, and focus less on
standardized test scores” as they only give a snapshot of what’s happening in schools, he stated.
His community activities include the Bowling Green Tree Commission, basketball coach for fifth- and
sixth-graders at Conneaut Elementary, Rural Opportunities community relations committee, and the social
action committee at Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
Myers is finishing his second term on the school board. His ties to Bowling Green Schools run deep: He
worked for the district for 28 years, first as a teacher, then high school principal, and as assistant
superintendent.
“I have a long history with the school district, so I have a great deal of institutional knowledge,”
Myers said about why voters should consider him for the job.
Most recently, he’s been an instructor at Bowling Green State University and licensure officer for
principals and superintendents.
“I think I bring a unique perspective to the school board, with my educational experience, my connections
with the university, and obviously with folks in the community.”
A city resident since 1972, he said his run for re-election is not for political gain, but because of his
love for education and for Bowling Green.
Myers has served the community as a member of the Exchange Club and his church. and as volunteer for the
holiday parade.
He foresees the biggest challenge facing the district will be finances.
While the recent five-year forecast looks good, “it’s just a guess,” he pointed out.
The cancellation of fifth-grade camp continues to be a thorn for board members.
“The reason we’re where we are financially is because we made those cuts, and we’ve been very dollar-wise
how we’ve been spending our money,” Myers stated, referring to the $1 million in spending cuts the board
made this summer. He added he was more bothered by reductions in staff, including a middle school
counselor and psychologist. “Those are the ones, the cuts most bothersome to me because we’re affecting
the education and counseling of children. …”
Scholl agreed that while the cuts have made the bottom line more attractive, there remains uncertainty in
Columbus on how financing will continue.
She also said upcoming challenges include developing all-day kindergarten, as it could become a state
mandate, and teacher contract negotiations.
“It’s not all doom and gloom, but we can’t take our eye off the ball, either,” she stated.
An assistant adjunct profession in the College of Musical Arts at BGSU, Scholl has lived in Bowling Green
since 1997 and has two children in the city school system.
She’d like to serve another four years because “I’m interested in kids and their well being. I think that
our school district does wonderful things and continues to strive for excellence.”
She said she’s enjoyed the process of learning how to make the district a better place for children to
learn. That has included learning the rules and regulations and policies of the district; and
understanding the jobs of district administrators, including how they develop curriculum.
With her background in music — she trained as an opera singer — she worked with architects in designing
the new auditorium, and is helping develop policies for the facility.
Scholl also said she attends PTO meetings and sporting events to talk with parents.
“People do talk to me in the community and ask me questions, so I feel like I’ve become a resource for
people,” she said.
The candidate added that continuity is important given the present economic climate. “We have a really
good working team right now, and that’s very important in a school system.”