Mike Keffer, a Weir graduate opposed to changing the unofficial Red Rider’s logo, spoke before the Hancock County Board of Education Monday. While Keffer who had earlier organized a rally in front of the Millsop Community Center on the issue, had called for a large crowd to attend the Board meeting, Keffer was the lone speaker and was accompanied by three youth wearing Red Rider t-shirts.
Keffer told the Board he had a petition which wanted “political correctness” stopped in the county which was signed by 2,200 area residents in protest of the unofficial logo being removed. He then asked Board members if they too would sign the petition. Board President Dan Kaser declined saying he knew too little about the issue and would not want to show bias should the issue come before the Board in the future. Members Michelle Chappell and Larry Shaw declined both indicating they had not attended school in Hancock County so knew nothing about the history behind the logo while member Chris Gillette said he wanted to research the issue prior to committing. Board member Toni Hinerman signed the petition.
The unofficial logo is a red-faced, angry Indian which appears to be a caricature of an Indian warrior and has been declared “racist imagery” by opponents. Those who attended Weir High said that logo began appearing on promotional material around 1981.
Weir High’s Principal had deemed that the logo should be phased out and that a block W will replace the Indian.
The Board Honored Golden Horseshoe Winners Kenneth Goddard, St, Joseph the Worker; Maxwell Wood, Weir Middle; Sophia Shafer, Weir Middle; Dominic Maple, Weir Middle; and Samuel Wright, Oak Glen Middle.
Students who achieved membership in the Governor’s Stem Institute recognized were Hendrik VanDyke, Weir Middle; Liam Mannion, Weir Middle; and Brayley Lash, Weir Middle.
Oak Glen student Talia Kosonovich will attend the Governor’s Academy from Hancock County. The three-week enrichment program for college-bound junior will be held at Marshall University with two weeks digital and one week on campus.
Personnel action taken by the Board for the coming school year included:
**Assigned Jim Leuvano as Diesel Equipment Tech/Class A CDL Truck Driving Instructor, JDRIV Career Center;
**Approved the resignation of Ray Seifer, teacher at Weir High. Siefert is retiring;
**Approved the resignation of Carrie Graff, asst. principal at Oak Glen Middle;
**Accepted coaching resignations of Jeffrey Dopp, Asst. Boys Soccer at Oak Glen High;
**Accepted coaching resignation of Ray Case. Asst. Girls’ Basketball at Weir High;
**Accepted the resignation of Timothy J. Eddy, substitute custodian;
**Extra-curricular resignations were accepted for the following; Harry Olenick, National Honor Society; Ray Seifert, Band, Chorus and Play;
**Approved 2021 Summer Sole program teaching assignments for Weirton Elementary: Susan Mastrantoni, Pre-K, Special Need; Jennifer Sanner, Pre-K, Special Needs; Jackie Foder, Kindergarten, Jennifer Curtis, Grade 1; Ashley Pietrangelo, Grade 1; Mona Davis, Russell Johnson, Grade 2; Leah Crow, Grade 2’ Monica Martich, Grade 3; Ashley Orwasky, Grade 3; Errin Basil, Grade 4; Emily Ruiz, Grade 4; Mary Ann Petrelle, School Counselor; Kathleen Nail, Multi-categorical/autism; Andrew Romitti, Multi-categorical/autism; Sarah Howells, Reading Specialist; and Jami Mazeika, Reading Specialist.
**Approved Weir Middle School Summer Sole program teaching assignments for Weir Middle: Cheryl Meadows, Grade 5; Jodi Fidler, Grade 5; Amy Durkin, Grade 6; Delaynie Campinelli, Grade 6; Mia Kerber, Grade 7; Stacy Riggs, Grade 8; Jennifer Powell, Grade 8. Angelina Allen was approved as School Counselor;
**Approved Weir High Summer Sole Program teachers, Luke Takosik, credit recovery; Alisa Hannah, Math-Algebra I; Andrew Bellevage, ACT/SAT Prep;
**Approved Oak Glen High Summer School teachers, Chris Hill and Jennifer Molish;or, Cyor
**Approved Justin Horstman as substitute teacher for Summer School
Oak Glen High coaching assignments:
**Football head – Edson Arneault; assistants, Brian Cunningham, Ethan Delekta, Scott Pryor, Chris Hill, James Tyler Ossman, Jason Wiley and Pat Chaney;
** Boys’ Basketball Head Gerald Everly, Assistants Jason Wiley and Brian Hissam;
**Girl’s Basketball Head Scott Wiley, Assistants Ashley Tharp, Rachel Wright McKay, Ray Six and Jeremy Kryz;
** Wrestling Head Patrick McGillian, Assistants Jessie Mahan, Brandon Miller, Josh Cornell and Alex Shuman;
** Boys’ Track Head Rance Everly, Assistants Joshua Weltner, Travis Simpson, Richard Everly, statistician Kathy Everly;
**Girls’ Track Head Ashley Tharp, Assistants Ethan Delekta and Jordann Mitchell.
** Baseball Head Eric Haydent, Assistants Robert Bozek, Christopher P Fugh, Mark McHaffie, Mark Shenton and Tom Martin;
**Volleyball Assistants Ashleigh Kaufman and Joseph Jimboy;
**Girls’ Track Assistants Diane Wells and Steven McConnachie;
**Volleyball Assistants Michelle McHaffie and Mark McHarrie;
**Cheerleading Assistant Jocelyn Nolder;
**Girls’ Softball Head Sherri Garner, Assistants Rachel Wright-McKay, Sara Wright, Stephanie Fidak (unpaid);
**Girls’ Volleyball Head Morgan Poling, Assistant Julie Zoellers;
**Boys’ Tennis Head Michael Moran;
**Girls’ Tennis Head Kenneth Keller;
**Boys’ Soccer Head Jaison Polly, Assistant David Harris (unpaid);
**Girls’ Soccer Head Ryan Wells, Assistant Ashley Tharp;
**Cheerleading Head Debbie Fish, Assistant Megan White (unpaid);
**Golf Head Joe Provenzano, Assistant Rick Provenzano (unpaid);
**Cross-Country Assistant Jeremy Kryzs (unpaid);
**Swimming Head Chris Hill, Assistant Brandis Kosonovich;
Oak Glen Middle School coaching assignments:
** Football head: Jason Kekseo, assistants – Josh Weltner and Scott Little;
**Boys’ Basketball Head – Ken McElhaney, Assistant, Jake McElhanney;
**Girls’ Basketball Head Ryan Wells, assistant – Monica Bragg;
** Wrestling head Garret Railing, assistant – Robert Bozek;
** Boys’ Track assistants Richard Gibson, Clayton Flowers
Weir High Coaching Assignments:
**Football Head Frank Sisinni, Assistants Frank Sisinni, David Cowden, John Leary, Quinton Smith, Gerald Spencer, Tom Taylor, Jordan Allen, Matthew DeAngelis and Zach Hartman (booster paid);\
**Boys’ Basketball head Anthony Santangelo, Assistants Ron Smith, Dylan Cassiadoro and Larry Hood (unpaid);
**Girls’ Basketball head Richard Stead, Assistant Jessica Naughton;
**Wrestling Head Tom Taylor, Assistants Eric Pi and Perry Miotlowski (unpaid);
**Boys’ Track Head Tom Taylor, Assistnt Gerard Spencer;
**Girls’ Track Head Jeffrey Lewis, Assistants Tyler Warrick, Monica Martich (unpaid);
**Baseball Head David Cowden, Assistants Jordan Allen, Tim Provenzano, Perry Miotlowski (unpaid) and Larry Flaus (unpaid);
**Girls’ Softball Head John Leary, Assistants Joseph Aperfine and Jenna Wilsonl
**Girls’ Volleyball Head Francesca Capaldi;
**Golf Head Lucas Flaus;
**Cross Country Head Jeffrey Lewis;
**Boys’ Soccer Head Matthew Kopp, Tyler Warrick;
**Girls’ Soccer Head Jeremy Angelo, Assistants Kristen Malinowski and Mikayla Zias;
**Swimming Head John McGowan, Assistant Dominique Dober;
**Cheerleading Head Taelor Frankhouser, Assistant Macey Gump;
**Bowling David Thompson, Assistant Bob Babinchak (unpaid);
Weir Middle Coaching Assignments:
**Football Assistants Rick Stead, Gary Hostuttler, Scott Cook;
**Boys’ Basketball Assistants Jason Angle and Justin Horstman;
**Girls’ Basketball Assistants Joseph Jimboy and Reagan Stead;
**Wrestling Assistants Stan Robinson and Gary Hostuttler;
**Boys’ Track Assistant John J. Pennacchio, Jr.;
**Girls’ Track Assistant Monica Martich;
**Cheerleading Assistant Kim Trushel;
**Oak Glen Middle Extra-curricula assisgnments: Chorus – Bethany Fernbaugh, Band – Kimberly Smith; Yearbook -Mary Lou McGowan, Newspaper – Stephanie Kuca and Student Council – Mandy McGeehan;
**Weir Middle Extra Curricula assignments: Yearbook – Stacy Riggs, Builders Club – Stephanie Riggs, We Take a Stand – Amy Angle;
**Oak Glen High Extra Curricula Assignments Band -Wendy Zinn, Chorus – Wendy Zinn, Yearbook – Jennifer Molish, Student Council – Edson Arneault, Pep Club – Tricia Enochs, Key Club – Jennifer Molish, National Honor Society Co-Sponsor – Amanda McKinney and Elisa Greathouse, Masque & Sword – Linsey Spilecki, Culture Club – Michelle Bernardi, Art Club – Elissa Greathouse, Play Director – Lindsey Spilecki, Senior Class – Cynthia Nelson, Elissa Greathouse, Amanda McKinney; Junior Class – Chris Hill and Nicolette Hill; Sophomore Class – Michelle Bernardi and Julie Zoellers; Freshman Class – Angela Chaffin and Brandy Smith.
WEIR HIGH
**Extra- curricular assignments approved included Student Council Co-Sponsors Morgan Bricker and Gail Creel; Yearbook – Morgan Bricker, Newspaper – Sherri Lengthorn, Lit Magazine – Betty Smith, Key Club – Tierra Duffy, National Honor Society – Betty Smith, Drama Club – Corey Miller, GAA – Sherri Lengthorn; Science Club – Dee Williams, Future Business Leaders of America – Candice Dotson, Class of 2022 Co-Sponsors – Candice Dotson, Carrie Gillette Gayle Martin; Class of 2023 – James Truax,
Rockefeller Career Center
**Tech National Honor Society – Jeffrie Hardy
Countywide
**Academic Games – Betty Smith
**Approved the following contract renewals : Christina Rush and Kristen Malinowski from second probationary to continuing;
**Transferred Patricia Blesecker fron Secretary II, Oak Glen Middle, to Secretary III, Board Office;
**Bettye Mullins, Bus Operator #154 to 151
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