New assistant principal named to WES

July 28, 2011

Carrie Knoch was unanimously approved for the position as assistant principal at Wapakoneta Elementary School.

The gifted coordinator, gifted intervention specialist and literacy coach for Wapakoneta City Schools has a new job title.
During a meeting of the Wapakoneta City Schools Board of Education Tuesday, Carrie Knoch was unanimously approved for the position as assistant principal at Wapakoneta Elementary School.
The employment in the position for the 2011-12 school year is at a salary of more than $59,000 for 192 days.
“She has very good experience from an instructional standpoint and a good skill set for what the needs are,” Horner said. “She will be an excellent fit.”
Knoch is to fill the newly created spot left after longtime Centennial Elementary School Principal Wes Newland, who spent one year as a co-principal of the new Wapakoneta Elementary School, accepted a position as assistant principal at Wapakoneta Middle School after the retirement of another long-term administrator there, Vickie Bidwell.
Mark Selvaggio, who had served as principal of Northridge Elementary before moving with Newland to Wapakoneta Elementary last year, will continue to serve at the helm of the new elementary school.
Horner said Knoch was selected for her position from among five “really good” candidates from within the district. A larger committee consisting of Horner, Selvaggio, Director of Instruction Julie Miars Golden and three teachers narrowed it down to two choices from whom Horner ultimately picked Knoch.
“With Vickie’s retirement and Wes’s transfer, we are moving back to a traditional structure,” Horner said of the decision to hire an assistant principal at Wapakoneta Elementary rather than continue with the co-principal arrangement.
“We have 900 students in the building,” he said. “We have to have at least two administrative personnel.”
He said Knoch’s responsibilities are typical of an assistant principal. While the district tends to distribute leadership responsibilities between principal and assistant principal positions, assistant principals typically are responsible for evaluations, scheduling and student discipline.
A 1992 graduate of Wapakoneta High School, Knoch continued to further her education since, earning a bachelor’s degree from Wright State University and her master’s degree from Bowling Green State University. She’s taken additional coursework from the University of Cincinnati, Findlay University and The Ohio State University.
Board members also recognized cafeteria worker Mattie Schultz, after 11 years of service, upon her retirement.
“You are one of the unsung heroes,” Horner told her. “You don’t get a lot of thank yous but you are there helping the kids every day.”
Schultz, who spent time at Cridersville, Centennial and Wapakoneta elementary schools said the hugs she received from the children were worth it.
Board members accepted resignations from Judith Lenhart as a cafeteria worker at Wapakoneta Middle School, her position is not to be filled; Lori Koenig as a secretary at Wapakoneta Elementary School, at this time it is unknown if her position will be filled; and Lynne Denman a bus driver with the purpose of retirement. Denman’s position is to be filled.
“We had 33 routes when I started and we have 30 now,” Horner said. “We have reduced the number of routes during the past few years but we still need people to do it.
“The less people we have for our 140-square miles, the more time kids have to spend on the bus,” he said.