Triway makes moves in advance of new building
While not new to the district, Ben Holt, seated, and Andy Buchholz have new titles this year. Holt is principal at Triway High School, and Buchholz is director of student services for the junior high and high schools.
Completion of a new one-campus building for Triway Local Schools is three years away, but the district already is laying the groundwork by restructuring staff and transitioning students.
Scheduled to open in fall 2024, the 200,000-square-foot building will house preschool through 12th grade and combine Triway High, Triway Junior High, Shreve Elementary and Wooster Township Elementary schools.
“We’ve started a three-year transition phase into the new building,” superintendent Nate Schindewolf said, “so when we come together under one roof, we can do it as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
The restructuring has led to a carousel of administrative changes for the 2021-22 school year. Faces remain the same. It was just a matter of shifting staff to new positions with different titles, said Jennie Bishko, dean of students at the secondary level, covering both the junior high and high school.
“I’m excited. I always like a challenge,” said Bishko, who worked at Shreve Elementary for 16 years, first as a teacher, then as dean of students. Her new role, she said, will be to support staff and students.
Heather Clark, who last year was dean of students at Wooster Township, is filling that position for both elementary schools.
Ben Holt is the new Triway Junior High School principal, replacing Joshua Stutz, who became director of secondary education. Stutz will oversee and assist with professional development, “making sure staff is aligned with where we’re trying to go as a district,” Holt said.
In his new role as principal, Holt said he wants to move forward with “great things going on at the junior high.” That includes continuing to make it an environment where people want to come to work every day and students want to come to school every day.
“I want to give kids a chance to learn at the highest level so they can transition into the new building,” Holt said.
Andy Buchholz relinquished his position as a language arts instructor to become director of student services at the secondary level. He will oversee the special education program for the junior high and high school, which includes an umbrella of services for students and their families. Holt previously held this title.
Tony Lee’s role as assistant principal of the high school has been extended to the junior high as well.
Matt Beres is director of elementary education, and Angela Amstutz will manage elementary student services.
In conversations with school personnel from other districts who transitioned to a one-campus building, many of them mentioned not preparing enough in terms of professional development, Schindewolf said.
This has led the district to align staff for the transition to one building, “and that’s going to land us in a really good spot for the fall of 2024,” Schindewolf said. “With never having all our staff members under one roof, we didn’t feel it was fair to open the doors and say, ‘Have at it.’”
Another step in the transition will be moving sixth-graders from Wooster Township and Shreve Elementary schools to the junior high for the 2022-23 school year, combining three grade levels.
Schindewolf said a number analysis of the building showed it has the capacity to absorb those additional students. “We think this will open opportunities for students,” he said.
They will have more elective choices in the areas of STEAM, and it will give students a chance to mentor in academics and coaching. “We feel that’s a huge win for us in the new building,” Schindewolf said.
Now that the site for the new building has been established as the northern parking lot area between the high school and junior high, the project will move into the design phase. Throughout the year current classrooms will be outfitted with possible furniture pieces for the new building, and students will have a chance to try them out and vote for their favorites.
“We’re going to have kids really put them to the test,” Schindewolf said. “That’s a huge part of the new building. We want to be sure it’s something the kids like and feel comfortable with.”
The building project’s architectural firm, GPD Group, has partnered well with the district, Schindewolf said, even hosting a retreat for the school’s administrators. The next step is to hire a construction manager.
“It’s bringing that light at the end of the tunnel a little closer,” Schindewolf said. “When we put shovels in the ground, it will really be exciting.”
New to the staff this year are Jade Shambre, french teacher, Triway High; Myranda Miller, grade-one teacher, Wooster Township Elementary; Rheanna Vura, grade-one long-term substitute teacher, Wooster Township Elementary; Matthew Slanta, mentally disabled unit teacher, Wooster Township Elementary; Katie Rowles, art teacher, Wooster Township Elementary; Stacey Pake, kindergarten teacher, Wooster Township Elementary; Carrie Nehrenz and Jessica Taylor, secretaries, Wooster Township Elementary; and Beth Sutter, paraprofessional, Wooster Township Elementary. Veronica Miller is manager of the Education Management Information System.