Doug Ogle will stay on as Warsaw Community High School's varsity boys basketball head coach for another year.
Monday night, by a 5-2 vote, the Warsaw School Board approved a motion made by board member Deb Wiggins to keep Ogle as coach through the 2008-09 school year.
It was only slightly different than Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth's recommendation, which also was to keep Ogle through the 2008-09 season.Wiggins' motion was for the school corporation "to retain Doug Ogle as its varsity basketball head coach for the school year 2008-09 with this decision based upon the inadequacies of the Warsaw Community School Corporation's evaluation tools, procedures, compensation and review structure for coaches; and further, this decision is not based upon any evaluations or performance reviews of Doug Ogle; and that the board direct the superintendent to form a task force of the new (athletic director), high school principal, superintendent and no less than three board members to establish measurable goals and skills needed to be a coach within the WCS system, to be presented to the entire board no later than three months from the date of this meeting and to be adopted by the board no less than four months from the date of this meeting."
Voting in favor of Wiggins' motion were Wiggins, Vice President Dan Robinson, President Ron Yeiter, Secretary Gene England and Chuck Sauders. Opposed were Delores Hearn and Tammy Dalton.
Before the vote, Hearn asked Wiggins if the decision was not based on job performance.
"My motion states that, Delores," Wiggins said.
Prior to Wiggins' motion, Haworth read from a prepared statement, noting the school board met in executive session for five hours May 5 to discuss personnel matters and how the current evaluation and recommendation process affected those involved in that evening's executive session. Haworth said he also instructed current Athletic Director Dave Fulkerson and WCHS Principal Dr. Jennifer Lucht to conduct a reflection and evaluation of the 2007-08 varsity boys basketball season, and Haworth also completed an evaluation and reflection.
Haworth's statement continued:
"I wish to recognize that flaws exist in our current extracurricular system in regards to the evaluation and recommendation process. These matters are currently being addressed by the Board of Trustees as they work ... to develop a new corporation policy book.
"In regard to the boys varsity basketball position, I believe that Mr. Doug Ogle met all of his performance goals that were established for him prior to the start of the 2007-08 basketball season. Under the current evaluation system, it is my recommendation that Coach Ogle remain as the head basketball coach for the 2008-09 season.
"It is further my recommendation that our new athletic director, upon his arrival in July, collaborate with myself, and the new high school principal, Troy Akers, and at least two members of Board of Trustees to establish goals and other skills needed to be a coach in the Warsaw Community Schools system. This evaluation instrument would be used for all coaches throughout the program."
Monday's school board hearing at Edgewood Middle School was less than an hour, including other non-basketball coach items on the agenda, with about 60 people in attendance. At the April 28 hearing on the issue in the Washington Elementary gymnasium, more than 225 people attended a four-hour public forum.
While about three dozen people spoke out April 28, no members of the public spoke Monday night except Cindy Hepler. She asked if all concerns and praises regarding Ogle should be readdressed to the school board and superintendent for Ogle's next evaluation.
Haworth said comments would be something he would want to hear. Hearn also said the board welcomed any concerns the community has.
The school board represents the people who elected them, Wiggins said. If they have concerns or complaints, she said they should get those to the board member who represents them, as well as the superintendent.
"It's not a closed door," Wiggins said, "it really is an open door."
