Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPERRYSBURG TWP. Ohio (WTVG) - Firefighters from six different departments worked together to extinguish a large field fire Friday It happened early Friday evening in a Perrysburg Township field not far from 199 between Dowling and Reitz According to Perrysburg Township’s Fire Chief it appears to have started from a burn barrel The windy conditions caused it the fire to spread very quickly Lake Township and Troy Township worked to put out most of the fire in about half an hour The chief said a farmer’s discs went a long way in dousing the flames Crews treated a farmer who was experiencing some chest pain there but fire officials said there were no fire-related injuries Latest Local News | First Alert Weather | Crime | National | 13abc Originals Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPERRYSBURG, Ohio (WTVG) - The independent investigation pertaining to a former Perrysburg who resigned his position has now been released. We’re getting new information about what led to the resignation of a Perrysburg teacher late last year This fills in some of the gaps many parents have been wondering about since this came to light in December Plus the high school principals' role in all this will be examined The report does talk about allegations but no charges were filed in fact in some cases police did investigate but did not find enough evidence to file charges lots of questions arose at Perrysburg High School the district hired an outside law firm to investigate Principal Aaron Cookson was made aware of an allegation in 2022 according to the report A current teacher alleging inappropriate behavior when they were a student at the hands of that now former teacher Principal Cookson did not find enough information to issue discipline In 2023 two students reported the former teacher making an inappropriate comment during a CPR demonstration Even with two students saying the comment happened the principal wrote that “the alleged misconduct could not be confirmed through the PHS administrative team’s investigative efforts.” Just before the resignation the report documents the most serious allegation of sexual contact with a young woman who had recently graduated back in the 1990s This instance was never reported to authorities by the alleged victim but was being unearthed for the first time That former student did not speak with investigators but a family member did That teacher who resigned was asked questioned and acknowledged having that young person at his home a few times He admits in this report to kissing the girl on two occasions The investigative report notes this teacher' credibility suffered in that his admissions were given in slow drips But also noted zero evidence was given by that woman who was not able to be reached during this investigation Thursday statement from Perrysburg Schools: We understand that questions have arisen following the recent resignation of a longtime staff member after allegations were made concerning his conduct more than two decades ago We recognize the importance of transparency and we will continue to share details of the school district’s investigation and findings with our school community while also balancing the legal and privacy rights that limit the details we may share regarding matters that involve students including those involving former students from decades ago During the last week of school in May 2024 a former student made an allegation that a teacher had engaged in inappropriate behavior during his instruction in a physical education class during the early 2000s a second former student also made a complaint about the teacher’s handling of a dance team injury while he was working as an Assistant Athletic Trainer and assisting that student along with her coach in the early 2010s The school district immediately opened an investigation The former student with a complaint from the early 2000s told us that in 2022 she had filed a report with the police regarding the alleged incident The school district was never made aware of the report and no charges were filed by the police We encouraged the former student with a complaint from the early 2010s to file a report with the police no charges were pursued by law enforcement the original complainant shared a rumor that the teacher may have had an inappropriate relationship with a student in the late 1990s So far as the school district can determine Perrysburg Schools had never previously been made aware of this allegation Several attempts to speak to the alleged 1990s victim were unsuccessful several attempts to speak with a possible witness regarding that alleged incident were also unsuccessful Attempts to identify and locate a witness with direct knowledge were unavailing despite the investigator’s efforts to contact former staff and students Perrysburg Schools consulted with Wood County Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Wood County Prosecutor’s office in June 2024 regarding the allegations In addition to consultations with the Wood County Prosecutor and Child Protective Services Perrysburg Schools initiated its own investigation using a third-party attorney Some of those efforts were described above was interviewed by the investigating attorney He admitted that he had one physical encounter with the student at his residence either immediately prior to the end of the school year or days after in the summer in the late 1990’s He denied that any inappropriate conduct with the student had occurred prior to that evening and claimed that this inappropriate conduct did not happen again Henline was placed on administrative leave the day he was interviewed to remove him from contact with our students Administration met with him the following week and asked for his resignation the Perrysburg Board of Education would take steps to initiate his termination He will remain out of school using leave available to him under his contract until his resignation date We accepted his resignation rather than re-victimize any student or former student who might have been required to testify during a termination proceeding We are aware of the findings detailed in the investigation report concerning allegations against the former staff member We are grateful for the efforts of the investigator and the staff members who worked to ensure this report was thorough and comprehensive including the concerns raised about the actions of certain staff members during the investigation process We are committed to addressing these issues transparently and ensuring that our school district’s policies and procedures prioritize the safety and well-being of all students and staff members we acknowledge the report’s findings that his actions fell short of the expectations for handling sensitive allegations appropriately we will be working to implement necessary corrective actions to ensure the integrity of future investigations We have begun the process of evaluating this information as it pertains to Mr We will follow the school district’s established policies and guidelines to address any performance issues in a manner that respects due process and ensures accountability We remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering a safe and accountable school environment for all This includes holding all staff members to the highest standards of professionalism and ensuring that our policies and practices reflect our unwavering dedication to student and staff member safety Henline’s resignation during the course of the school district’s investigation to Ohio’s State Board of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct which is authorized to conduct its own investigation and determine whether to take action to suspend or revoke Mr The safety and well-being of our students and staff members remains our highest priority We have put in place several ways for students and the school community to bring concerns to our attention The Safer Ohio School Tip Line may be accessed at (844) 723-3764 and accepts calls and texts twenty-four hours a day We also have a crisis text line where anyone can submit reports to the number 741-741 and texting “4hope.” If anyone has additional information or needs to report a concern, please use the reporting services identified above, or feel free to contact Don Christie, Perrysburg Schools Executive Director of Human Resources, at (419) 874-9131, ext. 2131 or by email at dchristie@perrysburgschools.net We recognize the community’s desire for transparency and will continue to provide transparency to the extent we are permitted under the law Here is the report released by the district to the 13 Action News I-TEAM: Perrysburg HS Investigation Report 011025 by Jake Pietrasz on Scribd Perrysburg HS Investigation Report 011025 by Jake Pietrasz on Scribd An Ohio.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the State of Ohio A lock or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website Share sensitive information only on official and personal information are protected by federal and state digital security standards Governor DeWine in Zanesville with representatives from Zanesville High School and the Muskingum Ohio Valley Education Service Center (MOV-ESC) Governor DeWine visited Zanesville High School to tour the in-school driver's education program that operates in partnership with the Muskingum Ohio Valley Education Service Center The program was created in October 2022 and has since provided essential driver's education to more than 1,800 students.  Governor DeWine proposes the creation of a grant program to help more schools launch similar driver training programs.  The grant program would help schools partner with independent driver training academies or start their own driver training programs to make this training more accessible and affordable Governor DeWine visited the YMCA Child Development Center at Owens Community College to tour the facility and discuss how giving families access to affordable quality childcare stimulates the state’s workforce and economy The center serves families that are eligible for support through Ohio's Childcare Choice Voucher Program which continues to be a priority in the Governor's new budget proposal.  finding affordable and quality childcare has become difficult," said Governor DeWine "It is time that we help families lift this burden and create a stronger workforce in Ohio." For more information on Governor DeWine's biennial executive budget proposal, visit goveror.ohio.gov