New principal: District ‘looks phenomenal’

Ottawa school board members Monday night approved the hiring of Vicki Schweinler, who will succeed Ron Brummett at Lincoln.

Schweinler is principal and athletic director of Americus Elementary School, a K-8 school in north Lyon County. She said she previously had looked in the Ottawa area for jobs, noting that she likes the area and has family in Kansas City.

“It’s a really pretty town,” Schweinler said of Ottawa. “And the school system looks phenomenal.”

Close to 50 candidates applied for the position, Ottawa Superintendent Dean Katt said Monday. He touted Schweinler’s experience and said she comes very highly recommended and is a “real team player.”

“I think we’re fortunate to get her,” Katt said.

Schweinler is in her fourth year as principal at Americus. She and her husband, Kurt, have two sons, Jacob and Ethan.

In other matters, board members:

• Heard an update from Becky Nevergold, director of Communities In Schools, about the success of different programs and where CIS is headed in the future. Some projects this year included dental treatment for children, a mentoring program, an after-school program serving 150 children at Garfield Elementary School and more.

Mike Sipple, board president, said it was amazing how far the program had come in a short time.

“It’s apparent you’re excited about what you’re doing, what’s going on,” he told Nevergold. “That’s what we need.”

• Approved a bid totaling  $20,154 to run fiber-optic cable to the old TeamBank building, 421 S. Hickory St., which is set to become the Ottawa Learning Center, and the old Maytag building, 416 S. Main St., suites 1 and 2, which is set to become the district’s central office. The board also approved a bid of $22,697 for carpet in the new office.

Herald staff writer Jodie Garcia can be e-mailed at jgarcia@ottawaherald.com.