DOWLING — Eastwood administrators are looking for photos and memorabilia for a Legacy Wall in the new
school.
Specifically, photos of the Webster Township and Freedom Township one-room schools are being sought.
Board member Denny Helm, at Tuesday’s meeting, said he had lots of memorabilia from Luckey Elementary,
but was holding on to it for the Troy-Luckey Celebration set for April 30 from 2-4 p.m. at the school.
To date, varsity letters have been donated from Troy-Luckey, Webster, Pemberville and Superintendent
Brent Welker is working on Troy-North (Lemoyne).
“We have a number of great pictures of the 1880 Pemberville School, which sat on the same site as the
current building, but that is really it. We found a couple of pictures from old news stories of the
school in New Rochester as well as a picture of Brown School in Webster,” Welker shared in an email. “We
need more of those.”
Pictures from Troy Township, Luckey, Stony Ridge, Lemoyne and some of the old one-room buildings also
have been received, as have photos of several of buildings that served Dowling and Dunbridge.
Anyone with pictures of the older schools is encouraged to contact Welker.
“During this search it is humbling to realize that we are just the latest stop in an educational journey
that began back in 1833,” he wrote. “You also realize that there have been triumphs and tragedies,
celebrations and controversies going back 180 years. When our kids walk past this wall on a daily basis,
we want them to understand that they follow in the steps of pioneers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and
dedicated men and women who have lived and learned in what we now call Eastwood Local Schools.”
The Legacy Wall will be placed at the entrance of the new K-5 building, which is set to open in fall
2017.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board agreed to spend approximately $60,000 to add air conditioning to the
second floor of Pemberville Elementary in offices where central office support staff will be working
year round.
Once the new school opens, the preschool will be moved from Webster to the first floor of Pemberville;
administrative offices will be moved from Dowling to the second floor; and the nursing school will be
moved from Webster to the third floor.
Welker said there are funds available by not demolishing the building to add the air conditioning; there
also is a heating element involved in the cost.
The board also:
• Accepted the retirement of Phil Donaldson as director of operations, then gave him a one-year
contract as building and grounds supervisor, effective Aug. 1. The position is part time.
• Hired Jessica Glanz as a fourth-grade teacher.
• Approved continuing teaching contracts for Cale Hover, Tami Howard, Kaylene Kramer, D.J. Michel,
Leslie Oestreich and Jerry Swartz.
• Accepted donations totaling $725 for after prom; $50 for the high school musical fund; $3,675 for
the purchase of concert chimes and $2,000 for instrumental repairs; $3,300 for the boys track program;
and $744 to the girls softball program.
• Approved adding pre-algebra to the high school curriculum.
Last month the board extended several administrative contracts including Dave Riley, Joe Wank, Matt
Routson and Betsy Hood, three-year extensions; and Ed Eding, Jodi Zunk, Jeff Hill and Ann McVey,
two-year extensions. All are effective Aug. 1.
