By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
There will be a new head coach pacing the sidelines at Wynford boys basketball games next season after the Wynford school board approved Jason Engel Monday night.
Engel, a Mohawk graduate, comes to Wynford from Ayersville where he was the school’s junior varsity basketball head coach. During his three years at Ayersville Engel had a won-loss record of 45-20. This will be Engel’s first varsity head coaching position.
Engel explained that he will be bringing an up-tempo philosophy to the court.
“We are going to be aggressive; it depends on who we play, but we will be pretty aggressive,” Engel said. “We will try to run the floor if we have numbers by trapping and pressing, and bringing back an aggressive style.”
Engel added that everyone is learning through his short time with the school.
“Those kids that have been in the weight room, and at camp, they’re learning from me and I’m learning from them. The biggest thing for me was just getting to know everybody. We got some upper classmen who are pretty good.”
Engel, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Heidelberg University and a masters degree in Early Childhood Education from Ashford University, was also approved to teach high school physical education.
The school board recognized four local businesses who were recipients of the OSBA Business Honor Roll Monday night: Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, IB Tech, Hord Livestock, and Advanced Fiber Technology. Todd Boyer from Ohio Mutual Business Group, John Wheeler from IB Tech, and Chris Stuckey from Hord Livestock were on hand at the meeting to accept the plaques of recognition.
The board approved the reassignment of High School Principal Jeff Holbrook from 7th-12th grade principal to the 10th-12th grade principal. Taking over the duties of the 7th-9th grade principal will be former assistant principal/athletic director Chris Solis.
The board also approved the hiring of Andrew Amlin as the 7-12 social studies teacher, Amlin will also serve as an assistant football coach.
Elementary teacher Becky Prenger, along with the first grade reading team, gave a presentation on the Guided Reading Program to the board members. During the presentation Prenger and her team showed different teaching methods in which they prepare students to become lifelong readers. The teaching method used also tracks the students’ growth rate as readers throughout the school year. With goals of the students being at level 16 by the end of first grade, level 28 by the end of second grade, and level 38 by the end of the third grade.