President Diana Wehri opened the business meeting of Beta Eta Chapter of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International at the Ottawa Presbyterian Church on April 6.
The treasurer’s report was given.

Legislative Advocate Nancy Fortman had information available about websites for new teachers. Personal Growth and Services Chair Karen Steffan and her committee presented options to the membership for a social day during the summer. The group decided to attend the Allen County Museum in Lima.

Under new business, the telephone/e-mail chain will be adjusted. Cards will be sent to some of the members who were not able to attend.

An initiation ceremony was conducted for new member Jenny von der Embse.

Delphos FFA member Caitlin Landwehr presents St. John’s High School Principal Don Huysman with the Honorary Chapter FFA degree at the 63rd annual FFA Banquet Sunday. Farmers, school superintendents, principals, members of boards of education, chapter advisors, teachers, staff members in agricultural education, business people, and others who are helping to advance agricultural education and the FFA, and who have rendered outstanding service may be elected to honorary membership by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting or convention. “Huysman is a 41-year veteran of education and will be retiring after this school year. This was a tribute to him,” Scott R. Elwer, agriculture Education instructor/FFA advisor of Delphos City Schools said. “Huysman has always been a supporter of our program in Delphos and works hand in hand to benefit both school communities and my FFA members. He has always been all about the kids, has a true passion for education and will truly be missed by the Delphos community. Our organization felt that because of his support, compassion, and true heart behind education and the support of the program he was overly deserving of this award at our banquet.”

nspencer@delphosherald.com

DELPHOS — After three long years, the search is finally over: Delphos City Schools has a new superintendent.
Current Ayersville High School Principal Kevin Wolfe was hired during Monday’s meeting to oversee the district. Wolfe caught the board’s attention during his interviews.

“Kevin’s ability to communicate with the board really stood out,” Board President Perry Wiltsie. “He will be able to put together a team of people who will be committed to a vision for the district and he will be able to communicate not only with the staff but the community.”

Wolfe’s three-year contract includes a base pay of $95,000 per year and he will start on Aug. 1. He and his wife, Brenda, attended Monday’s board meeting.

“The Delphos job intrigued me,” Wolfe said. “I did my student teaching in Kalida more than 20 years ago and I loved the area. I was in a good place at Ayersville, so to move it had to be the right job and Delphos was it.”

Apollo Career Center has an item on the ballot for the upcoming May 7 Primary Election with a bond issue for enlarging, improving and rebuilding structures, including the maintenance of classroom facilities, at a rate not exceeding 0.19 mill for each one dollar of valuation.

The levy will cost $2.56 per month per $100,000 assessed home value and if passed, Apollo will receive $23 million in matching funds from the state of Ohio.
The income will be used to improve, expand and renovate buildings and facilities to acquire career-technical equipment and upgrade the school site to meet the needs of 21st-century learning.

The current Apollo Career Center is 36 years-old and has plumbing, heating and electrical issues. In recent years, space and technology upgrades have also become critical to the career center.

Ohio School Facilities Commission funds have now been made available and the administration believes this is the time to take advantage of this opportunity.
Apollo plans to keep all current structures and renovate the buildings, also adding two additions to the house programs. If the levy passes, Apollo plans to renovate the high school building by: renovating the total facility and upgrading to the HVAC electrical and plumbing; upgrade technology, fire alarm and security systems and wireless network; and new science labs; lecture hall/ testing lab; new Career Technical program space for automotive and carpentry programs; Career Tech renovations to add on-campus Sports Fitness and Exercise Science and Alternative Energies; and parking lots and sidewalks.

LIMA —National country band Thompson Square won its second consecutive Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Duo of the Year recently at ACM’s annual celebration in Las Vegas.

The band will open for Josh Turner at the 2013 Allen County Fair on Aug. 18 in the fair’s grandstand.

“Thompson Square is a solid and hot act in country music; they will energize the crowd before Josh. And to think they won this award twice in a row. Everyone will enjoy their music,” Fair General Manager David Grimm said.

Thompson Square is the married couple Keifer and Shawna Thompson, who burst on the country music scene in 2010 with the single “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.”

Their recent single, “If I Didn’t Have You,” made its chart debut in late 2012 and is on their newest album “Just Feels Good,” released in March 2013.

Tickets to the concert are available at www.allencofair.com or by calling 419-228-7141 and are priced at $39, including service charges.