On Thursday, the Delaware City Schools Board of Education approved the hiring of two assistant principals at Hayes High School as well as a roof replacement project at Carlisle Elementary.

The regular meeting was held in the board room at Willis Education Center and began with a discussion of the leadership at Hayes High School. Last August, then-Assistant Principal Adonis Bolden departed the school to take a position at Marion High School and in December, then-Principal Ric Stranges left the school to become the superintendent of Buckeye Valley Local Schools, leaving vacancies in two positions at Hayes.

Jean Trimble was brought in at the start of the school year year to fill Bolden’s position in an interim capacity and Vice Principal Rex Reeder was made interim principal after Stranges’ departure and was officially made the high school’s new principal last month. On Thursday, the board approved formally making Trimble the assistant principal at the school along with Jacob Shafer, the assistant principal of Olentangy Liberty High School. Shafer was a math teacher at Hayes until he accepted the position at Olentangy last year.

“We want to be the best. We’re going to go get the best. You deserve the best,” Reeder said at the meeting Thursday about Trimble and Shafer’s hiring. “It’s a true honor to work with two professionals like this.”

Trimble said she was “honored” to be approved for the position at Hayes.

“I’m excited. I appreciate the opportunity and truly, I feel blessed,” Trimble said.

Shafer said he vividly remembered standing in the board room last year bidding the district farewell and wondering when he would return.

“For me, it wasn’t wondering if I’d be back but when I’d be back,” Shafer said Thursday. “I’m excited it’s already here. … It’s good to be home. The people at Olentangy have been great but even they recognize that (I) needed to come home.”

Shafer will rejoin with the district on Aug. 1.

Board Vice President Melissa Harris thanked Reeder for his leadership during the transition and welcomed Trimble and Shafer to the district.

The board also approved a $236,635.84 contract with Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc. for roof restoration project at Carlisle. Jason Sherman, the district’s director of facilities and transportation, said the section being replaced is above the lunch room and adjacent storage area. Sherman said the project will cover the old roof with the new roof, preventing leaks and adding insulation to the area.

Additionally, the board accepted the resignation of Paula Vertikoff, principal at Carlisle, who announced this week that she would be leaving the school to take a position as an instructional coach with education company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The board also discussed the ongoing work of the Facilities Committee. Superintendent Heidi Kegley said the group has completed all its building tours.

“(The) conversations have really focused on what the needs are,” Kegley said. “What we are hearing are common themes coming forth that will help lead us into next discussions.”

Board President Ted Backus said the feedback from the committee has been valuable as the district decides what it wants to look like in the future.

“(It’s about) what do we want to be?” Backus said. “It’s not about comparing ourselves (to other districts), it’s about what do we want to be. It’s not about making us the same as someone else, it’s whats right for us, as a district.”

The board also accepted the resignations of Christina Dunahue, an intervention specialist at Woodward Elementary; Grace Frikken, an art teacher at Conger Elementary School; Melinda Hastings, the supervisor of preschool at Woodward; Sydney Hood, an occupational therapist at Carlisle; Zachary Kneisel, a science teacher at Schultz Elementary; Amanda Layman, a school psychologist at Carlisle; Kaitlyn Mitchell, an intervention specialist at Schultz; Stephanie Van Schaik, an intervention specialist at Schultz; and Kelly Wagner, the school nurse at Dempsey Middle School.

The board also approved the employment of Jodie Herning, an occupational therapist at Carlisle/Dempsey; Samantha Tomusko, a school counselor at Schultz; and Casie Weems, a math teacher at Dempsey.

The board will meet next on May 20.

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.