Cambridge City School District Board of Education hired assistant Middle School principal Jennifer Lorenz to succeed current Middle School principal Heath Hayes upon his retirement in February during the Board of Education meeting Thursday at the Garfield Administrative Center.
Jennifer LorenzLorenz was hired as the assistant principal at CMS in May after serving a year as the student support specialist at the Middle School. Prior to that, Lorenz, known as Mrs. Carpenter to many former students, spent 30 years in the classroom teaching mostly English Language Arts and led the ELA Department as department head.
“When we face a mid-year vacancy, you take a hard look at interested internal candidates,” Coffman said. “Jen is familiar with the Middle School, she has dedicated many years to Cambridge City Schools, and she has shown an ability to lead the Middle School in a positive direction. We are pleased she accepted the position and will continue to be part of our leadership team.”
Cambridge Superintendent Coffman updated Board members on the bus driver shortage that is affecting all school districts including Cambridge.
The district experienced delayed routes one day last week due to sickness and a lack of substitute drivers.
“Having enough drivers is a challenge for all school districts right now,” Coffman said. “We are doing what we can to recruit new drivers so we can meet the needs of the district now and into the future.”
Cambridge currently has 13 drivers and runs 13 routes daily. But if two drivers are sick on the same day, problems arise.
Coffman explained to board members that Cambridge has recently increased the pay rate for drivers to close to $20 per hour. Drivers work for five hours each day and are eligible for full benefits. The district also pays for CDL training.
“We believe this is a good retirement job for someone who needs health insurance,” Coffman said. “We also have opportunities available for driver to pick up additional hours either driving bus for extracurricular activities or working in one of our kitchens between the morning and afternoon routes.”
Coffman also informed board members that a plan for additional marketing and advertising will be implemented in the near future.
Coffman also updated board members on the districts’ Veterans’ Day activities which included busing all fourth-12th graders to the Veterans’ Day parade and ceremony in downtown Cambridge on Veterans’ Day.
“Instead of taking the day off to observe Veterans’ Day, we were in session so our students can learn about and participate in Veterans’ Day activities,” Coffman said. “I believe part of what we should do as a school district is to help our students understand what being a Veteran means and why we celebrate Veterans Day and Memorial Day.”
For students who did not get to attend the ceremony at Courthouse, there were activities. Jim Gibson from Guernsey County Veterans Council, a former board member, visited the Primary School to do a presentation about the United States Flag and the importance of Veterans’ Day for the district’s Kindergarten through second graders. On Veterans’ Day, Primary and Intermediate students participated in Veterans’ Day activities in their classrooms.
In other business, the board approved the revised District Gifted Identification Plan and Process; approved an amendment to the 2024-2025 student handbook specific to the middle school and high school regarding technology; approved Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC as an Investment Firm; and approved the superintendent and/or treasurer to execute a five-year oil and gas lease agreement for 34.13 acres (former Fairdale property) between CCSD and EAP Ohio, LLC.
In other matters, the board approved the Alisha Secrest as a substitute bus aide, approved Ava Byerly and Chevelle Landman as substitute teachers, approved Zachary Boyd and Evelyn Brenneman as 21st Century Community Learning Center Afterschool teachers, approved Nicole Baker as substitute custodian and substitute clerical/aide, approved Rachel Levi as a substitute teacher, approved George Marshall as a substitute van driver, and approved Scott Meredith as a substitute cook.
The board approved Ann Sherry as a year one resident educator mentor for Khloe Taylor.
The board approved the retirement of Middle School principal Heath Hayes effective Feb. 1, 2025, and the retirement of Judy Miller effective June 1, 2025. They also approved the resignation of Mike Hill.
In athletics, the board approved Steven Clinard as the swim coach, Logan Ball as Middle School wrestling coach, Robert “Bo” Hill as assistant wrestling coach, Elijah Chandler as eighth grade girls’ basketball coach. The board approved Dustin Rose as a volunteer wrestling coach. The board approved Stacy Mathews, Tom Hannon, and Ray Sims for athletic support positions.
The next meeting of the Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. on December 19, 2024, at the Garfield Administrative Center.