05-08-03: Search on for St. Marys principal

05-08-03: Search on for St. Marys principal

By LANCE MIHM
The Daily Standard

    ST. MARYS - Eight semifinalists are being considered for the open elementary principal position at St. Marys East Elementary School.
    School board members have narrowed a field of 19 applicants down to the semifinalists. Interviews already have begun and the board hopes to make a selection at the Wednesday board meeting, Superintendent Paul Blaine said.
    The elementary principal position opened in February when Principal Jerry Vanderhorst turned in his resignation to the board of education. Vanderhorst has decided to return to teaching and has accepted a job as a special education teacher at New Knoxville Local School.
    Semifinalists for the job include Marion Local Schools kindergarten to eighth-grade Assistant Principal and Curriculum Director Greg Puthoff, Botkins sixth-grade teacher Tony Rogers, Western Buckeye Educational Service Center Director of Student Services Larry Claypool, Washington Intermediate School in Piqua Principal Rebecca Holthaus, Lima Middle School Principal Rise Light, Allen East elementary Principal Erik Belcher, Mississinawa Valley School Support Coordinator Brenda Braun and Buckeye Local Schools elementary Principal James Carpenter.
    Other applicants for the position were Coldwater High School Principal William Stoner, Allen East Local Schools teacher John Stoner, Lima City Schools teacher James Thomason, Wayne Trace Local Schools teacher Sarah Burden, Fort Wayne Community Schools teacher Jason Woolard, Upper Scioto Local Schools teacher Frank Crea, Toledo Public Schools Assistant Elementary Principal Marie Bungard, Miami East Local Schools kindergarten-4 Principal Kenneth Schmiesing, Princeton City Schools Curriculum Coordinator Lynn Resch Bartz, Sylvan Learning Center Interim Director of Education Rita Schnipke and Yuma, Ariz., schools teacher Julie Corona.
    Vanderhorst will leave the job at the end of the school year.
    After serving one year as principal in St. Marys, Vanderhorst said he realized he really had a desire to teach.
    "This is nothing against the school system," Vanderhorst said earlier this week. "The school system in St. Marys is great, and I was treated well. I just came to realize that being a principal was not what I was happiest doing. I felt it was the best thing for both me and my family to go back to teaching."
    Prior to coming to St. Marys, Vanderhorst had worked as a health and physical education teacher in New Knoxville for nine years and two years as elementary school principal. He also was coach of the girl's basketball team for several years. Vanderhorst said returning to any coaching spot is not definite at this point.
    Vanderhorst earns about $55,000 annually as principal at St. Marys.

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