Two new faces joined the seven-member school board Tuesday, November 9 after the recent election.
Retired teacher, Becky Ingle, feels the district is moving in the right direction and wants to continue to play a role in that progress. Retiring in June after 39 years, she cares a lot about the students, including two grandchildren that currently attend Ottumwa Schools.
Ingle is a Cedar Falls native and has a BA from the University of Northern Iowa and her Master’s from Truman State University. Her passion for working with children went beyond the classroom walls. She is a founding member of the Ottumwa Community Children’s Playhouse, where she has served as an officer and director for the past 17 years.
Ottumwa native, Jan Wetrich, is excited about serving as a school board member. A preschool teacher for 23 years, she retired in 2015. “It was always a dream to have our own preschool building,” she said, remembering her tenure serving students at Smith Warren, Pickwick Elementary, Walsh, and finally Agassiz. That dream is now a reality with the Pickwick Early Childhood Center.
“I’ve been considering running for school board for a while,” she said, but didn’t think the time was right. “I love kids and care about the staff,” she said. “I want things to go smoothly and be a positive influence in the district.” She plans to be part of decisions that continue to move the district forward.