Porteus, Hothem honored at River View board meeting

Brent Porteus and Dan Hothem were honored for their years of service to the River View Local School District Board of Education during the meeting held Dec. 12, in the high school library. Josie Sellers | Beacon

WARSAW – Two long serving River View Board of Education members were honored at the final meeting of the year on Dec. 12 in the high school library.

“In my experience with districts over the past 23 years they are strong because of the longevity of their leadership,” said Superintendent Dalton Summers. “Our success here is largely because of our leadership. We don’t change board members all of the time.”

For the first time in several years, the board will be joined by two new members in 2020. Newly elected Gail Gallwitz and Evan Fischer will replace Brent Porteus and Dan Hothem.

“They (Porteus and Hothem) made a career of serving on this board,” Summers said.

Porteus has served for more than 30 years and Hothem for more than 20 years. Their dedication was celebrated with a small reception during the meeting. Paul Mock, southeast regional manager for the Ohio School Board Association also was present to give Hothem a plaque thanking for his work with the organization.

“He (Hothem) has been with us for many, many years,” Mock said. “I don’t want to lose him but I know he has other ventures in life to move on to.”

He then commended both Hothem and Porteus for their years of service.

“Board members do get a small compensation, but they don’t do this for that,” Mock said. “They run because they care about the kids.”

Together Porteus and Hothem have more than 60 years of school board experience in Coshocton County.

“It hasn’t always been easy, but their reward is the kids they see coming out of the River View School District,” Mock said. “Thank you for your service and for what you’ve done for these kids and River View.”

Jarred Renner, principal at Conesville Elementary, then presented Porteus and Hothem with cards from his staff.

“I was talking to my staff and we figured out you hired just about everybody there and you gave me my first administrative job,” Renner said.

Joel Moore, head of the transportation department, also had cards to hand out from his staff.

“We appreciate the support and confidence you’ve had in us,” he said.

Charles Rinkes, principal at the high school, then had choir students come in and sing the school’s alma mater for Porteus and Hothem since they are both graduates of River View.

“That’s hard to follow up,” Summers said as he passed out cards from staff members at Keene and Warsaw elementary schools.

Summers also had gifts for Porteus and Hothem. He presented those gifts to them and thanked them for helping him make decisions for the district.

During a break in the meeting for attendees to grab some cake, Hothem said the night was a little bittersweet for him.

“We have a good staff, good students and a good community,” he said.

Porteus said he was proud of River View.

“We have a good administrative team,” he said. “We’ve always tried to do what was in the best interest of the kids and provide them with the best educational opportunities we could. A quality education is a 13 year process. We have to support the schools. We have great people doing really good things for the kids.”

Category: Education