PEMBERVILLE – The Eastwood Board of Education made a special effort to honor one of its administrators.
Joe Morgan, who retired at the end of June, was honored at the board’s June 28 meeting for his 11 years
of dedicated service to children in Eastwood’s elementaries, and 35 years of service to education.
Superintendent Brent Welker presented Morgan with a bronze eagle perched on a sphere, with a plaque
stating the board’s appreciation.
Morgan’s retirement, which was announced in March, was part of the district’s cost-savings measures which
also included the closure of Webster Elementary. He was principal at Luckey Elementary, and until the
end of the 2007 school year also served as principal at Lemoyne Elementary. He joined the district in
August 2000.
The district will have one elementary principal this fall, when Tom Lingenfelder takes over at Luckey
while still serving as principal at Pemberville Elementary.
District personnel also have been busy getting the middle school ready to welcome fifth-graders this
fall, and Pemberville and Luckey elementaries prepared for new students transferring from Webster.
"It has gone smoother than I anticipated, said Phil Donaldson, district maintenance director.
Welker said the work is going well due to the extensive planning by staff.
Also during the meeting the board hired Kari Hildreth to teach fifth grade at the middle school; she
replaces Laura Haase who resigned June 15 and is relocating to California. Hildreth was given a one-year
contract.
According to Welker, the district received nearly 100 applicants for the teaching position.
In other action, the board:
• Increased its substitute teacher pay rate to $75 per day, up from $70 which, Welker noted, was one of
the lowest in the area.
• Purchased an eight-passenger van from Dave White Chevrolet for $21,000, via an online auction in
collaboration with four other area school districts. The district’s two 2002 vans will continue to be
used, but for shorter trips. Donaldson noted that the two dealerships within the district were
contacted, but neither submitted bids.
• Accepted donations from Owens-Illinois Charities Foundation, $6,000 for the weight room and track and
field teams; from Jeff Dierker, $1,126.93 for installation of high school gym audio equipment; from
Harold Dippman, $208 for girls basketball program; and from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, $400 to the
FFA program. Baldwin-Wallace College also gave $1,000 on behalf of teacher Mike Godfrey for the marine
science and/or Carpe Diem programs.
• Set its next meetings for July 26 at 7:30 a.m. in the administrative building, and Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. in
the high school study hall.
