Ayersville Schools officially gives mascot a name

According to Superintendent Beth Hench, the pilot was named Snoopy years ago. However, after the death in 2000 of Charles Schulz — the cartoonist and creator of the Peanuts comic — that ceased to be.

This occurred before Hench came into position, but according to her, it is rumored the school received a cease-and-desist letter from the Schulz estate after his passing. The mascot had never been named anything else up until now.

Siebeneck, who was giving a report on behalf of Elementary Principal Nancy Miller revealed how the new name came to be. Apparently, a long list of potential names was generated in collaboration with the Ayersville PTO. That list was then sent to teachers and staff in order to narrow it down to five names.

Once this was accomplished, the entire student body had the opportunity to vote on the school mascot’s official name, ultimately selecting “Wingman.”

“A wingman is a pilot who helps support another pilot in a potential dangerous situation, and we think that is a perfect name for our mascot,” Siebeneck relayed.

Other discussions the board concerned Ohio’s biennial budget discussions. This budget is extremely important to Ayersville, emphasized Treasurer Abby Sharp. That is because the budget now continues the next phase of the Fair School Funding Plan.

“This is both great news for Ayersville and the state of Ohio, as the Ohio Supreme Court had declared that Ohio school funding was unconstitutional in 1997,” Sharp stated. “Since then, there have been numerous, unsuccessful attempts to correct the funding. The Fair School Funding Plan is the first to make this right, but it needs to be fully funded to be considered constitutional.”

Although the budget contains the next phase of the Fair School Funding Plan, Sharp told board members it still needs to go through the Ohio House of Representatives as well as the Senate, where changes will undoubtedly be made. Sharp said that the district needs help to advocate for the plan, especially as some senators and state representatives would rather see a voucher pay method instead.

Through the Fair School Funding Plan, Ayersville could receive an additional $1.8 million in state funding annually if it were fully phased in. As of right now, Ayersville is receiving about 33% of what they could have.

If the next phase is approved in the biennial budget, Sharp confirmed that the percentage of funds the school receives will increase over the next two years. The budget passage deadline is June 30, and it will take effect on July 1.

“This is important for our school district. If you go out and compare our school district to other GMC school districts, you will see how important funding-wise this is for us,” the board’s president, Matt Hanenkrath, said. “When it comes time, we will have to write letters to the House, our representatives for our area as well as Sen. McColley. It is vitally important.”

In other news the board approved:

• the following donations from the Ayersville Athletic Department for working concessions: $400 to the AEA scholarship fund, $400 to the Washington D.C. fund, $1,000 to the Class of 2024, $600 to the baseball camp fund, $600 to the boys basketball camp fund, $1,000 to the softball camp fund, $600 to the golf camp fund, $200 to the track camp fund, $2,000 to the girls basketball camp fund, $400 to the volleyball camp fund, $800 to the cheer camp fund.

• the following donations: $550 from Jordan and Alicia Carr to be used wherever needed, $55 from miscellaneous donors to the Washington D.C. fund, $200 from Ayersville Athletic Boosters to the volleyball camp fund and a school mascot costume valued at $650 from Ayersville Elementary PTO.

• the creation of an emergency connectivity fund.

• participation in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) for the 2022-23 school year.

• the following swim fees: $25 for water volleyball, $40 for swim lessons for district residents, $50 for swim lessons for out-of-district residents.

• an overnight trip for the high school cheerleaders to the OASSA state cheerleading competition at Big Walnut High School in Sunbury March 4-5.

• an overnight trip for the robotics class to the National Robotics Challenge in Marion from April 13-15.

• the Ohio Schools Council governance policy change resolution.

• the agreement with NWOESC to provide agreed-upon services for the period of July 1-June 30, 2024.

• Lori Schultz and Sandra Mannon as volunteers for the 2022-23 school year.

• Peyton Martin as a pool worker with pay as per the board-approved rate.

• Beau Hahn’s resignation of the supplemental contract for co junior high girls track for the 2022-23 school year.

• the following non-certified individuals to supplemental contracts as indicated for the 2022-23 school year: Amber Brown, co junior high girls track; Jacob Smith, assistant track; and Don Gorrell, co-assistant softball.

• Aubrey Florence as a certified individual to a co-assistant softball supplemental contract.

• the hiring of Mabel McGuire as a pool worker.

• the updated list of substitutes from the NWOESC for the 2022-23 school year (includes Nicholas Pepple).