Board of Education
Back Row: David Schooley, Dennis Vetter, John McCalla--Vice President
Front Row: Stephanie Mazur; Karen Schmidt--President
John McCalla began his service on the Board of Education in January of 2008. Currently, he serves as the Board’s Vice-President. He and his wife, Janet, have one son, Jason. Mr. McCalla is a graduate of Hicksville Schools and Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana, where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In addition to his duties as a Board of Education member, Mr. McCalla is the transportation representative on the Local Emergency Planning Committee for Defiance County. As a volunteer, he works with the County Emergency Management Agency to plan emergency response to disasters in the county. In reflecting on the school system he serves, Mr. McCalla says, “We have a dedicated group of teachers and support staff that provide the students at Hicksville with the opportunity to receive an excellent education. The results of the standardized tests, Ohio Graduation Tests, and Ohio Achievement Tests show that the students are working hard and taking advantage of the opportunities offered. Looking forward, we need to continually find ways to improve upon our performance and increase parental involvement with the education of the children. Proper budget planning and efficient use of money needs to be a top priority for us to maintain our educational programs.”
Steph Karacson-Mazur began her term as a member of the Board of Education in January of 2010. She and her husband, Michael, have two children, Mijana and Reyna. Mrs. Karacson-Mazur is a 1987 graduate of Hicksville High School. She earned her B.A. from Bluffton University and her M.A. from The Defiance College. She is an English teacher at Bryan High School. Mrs. Karacson-Mazur is also active as President of the Friends of the Hicksville Library, Chair of the Hicksville Relay for Life, and as a member of St. Michael Catholic Church. In addition, she works with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Interact, the high school division of Rotary International. She notes, “Hicksville Schools is an overwhelmingly positive district. Regardless of the economic issues, a lot of good things are happening here, and it is a privilege to serve such a wonderful community and school district.”
Karen Schmidt has been a Hicksville Board of Education member since 2001. She and her husband, Jim, have three daughters: Kendra, Kelsey, and Karley. Mrs. Schmidt is a homemaker and active volunteer in the community and Defiance County. She serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Hicksville School Foundation, the United Way of Defiance County, Christ’s Cupboard, and Meals on Wheels. In addition, she volunteers in several capacities at Hicksville Schools. Mrs. Schmidt is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School and the Ohio State School of Cosmetology and Barbering. Regarding her role as a Board of Education member, she stresses, “As a community and board member, I am proud of the improvements and growth that our school district has shown in the past years. In the future, I’d like to see our district continue the hard work that they put forth in the many areas of student achievement, including readiness kindergarten through college preparation and graduation. First hand, I have seen what it takes, from faculty to administration, to follow and meet required state standards. It is not an easy task, but our staff and students are up to the challenge. I am thankful to the citizens and community leaders of Hicksville for the ongoing generosity and support that they have shown for our new school project, academics, and extra-curricular programs.”
Board Member Dennis Vetter is a 1981 graduate of Hicksville High School. He attended Four County Career Center in the Electronics Program. Mr. Vetter continues serving Four County as a member of the Welding Advisor Committee. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Avionics and Radar from the Spartan School of Aeronautics. Mr. Vetter and his wife, Sheryl, are parents to two children: Alyssa and Eric. He is President of Arc Solutions, Inc. Mr. Vetter attends St. Michael Catholic Church, where he is a past council member and a current member of the maintenance committee. In addition, he served on the Design Committee for Hicksville’s new Pre-K through 12 school building and serves as a 4-H Endowment Committee member. Mr. Vetter’s term on the Board of Education began in January of 2010. Regarding his service to the community as a member of the Board of Education, he says, “I feel very fortunate to live in a community that understands that a strong school educational system is an important component for the growth and well-being of our community. While serving on the Board, I want to be a good steward of our district resources and work with my fellow Board members and administration to continue to improve the learning experience for the next generation. Since becoming more involved in our school district, I’ve been very pleased and proud of the dedication and effort that our Board, administration, staff, and community volunteers have put forth to continue to see our school district improve and evolve.”
Board Member David Schooley—no biographical information submitted.
