Teacher charged with theft takes unpaid leave

The board announced several other personnel changes.

BELOIT — A teacher charged with two counts of theft is taking unpaid leave from the West Branch School District.

The district’s board of education voted unanimously early Monday to approve the leave requested by Meredith L. Wayt, 33, of West Maryland Avenue, Sebring.

The leave began immediately, according to a district statement. Wayt had been teaching at Beloit Elementary.

Wayt was charged with two felony count of thefts earlier this month on allegations she took $656 from the West Branch Little Warriors Athletic Association. The association is not affiliated with the school district.

Krista L. Zinni, 36, of South Range Road, Beloit, a part-time bus driver for the school district and treasurer of the association, faces nine felony counts of theft on allegations she took $5,086 from the association.

Superintendent Dr. Scott Weingart said, “This is a good solution to a very difficult situation. Mrs. Wayt’s request for a leave allows us to place a well-qualified teacher in the classroom immediately and gives both the school board and Mrs. Wayt a chance to work with legal counsel to see where we go from here.”

Monday was an in-service day for West Branch staff. Students will return today.

Heidi Shreve, a special-education teacher at Beloit Elementary School, will assume the responsibilities of the fifth-grade class at Beloit Elementary.

Shreve is licensed both as an elementary and a special-education teacher and meets the new state requirements for a “highly qualified teacher” for fifth grade, according to the district.

“Mrs. Shreve has served Beloit Elementary for a number of years and is well known among the staff, students and parents,” Dr. Weingart said. “We believe that she will be able to give the classroom the continuity it needs and is someone the students already know and respect. We will bring in a substitute in the short-term to assume Mrs. Shreve’s special-education responsibilities.”

In other action, the school board approved Monday as the starting date for new Beloit Elementary Principal Roger Kitzmiller.

Sherri Kitzmiller, current Beloit Elementary principal, will assume the duties of director of special services. She will replace Marsha Schumacher, who is retiring in January.