GREENVILLE – A new face was welcomed Thursday night during Greenville Board of Education’s 2020 organizational and regular January meeting.
Elected to the board in November, Melissa Riethman is filling the seat of the late Fred Matix, who passed away last month after serving the school district for many years as educator, coach and board member.
Mr. Matix had elected not to seek re-election for another four-year term. Board members and administrators held a moment of silence in remembrance of his service to the district during Thursday’s regular meeting.
When approached by an acquaintance to see if she was interested in running for the board, Riethman initially said “no.”
When asked again, she decided to talk it over with her husband and pray about it.
After much consideration, Riethman decided to go ahead and put her name on the ballot.
“I didn’t have any aspirations to campaign,” Riethman said, so when she learned she was running unopposed for the b0ard seat, she believed that was confirmation she had made the right decision.
“I am looking forward to learning more and growing with the board members and school district. Overall, I am looking forward to helping Greenville City Schools and mainly its students and staff, shine in the upcoming years, being recognized for all the goodness it/they possess,” Riethman said.
Volunteering with Greenville’s K-4 classes as well as with the 7-8 grade Youth For Christ Campus Life program, Riethman said she sees a great deal of potential in the school district.
She and her husband Craig also volunteer as coaches for Greenville’s 4th grade girls basketball.
As their family was contemplating a move from a smaller school district to Greenville, Riethman said they did a lot of research and “felt Greenville had a lot to offer. We’ve always had a good experience from day one.”
Riethman said she is aware of the challenges a larger school district like Greenville faces, and hopes her input and positive attitude can help as the school board and administration combat such issues as homelessness.
In November, Riethman was invited to attend the Ohio School Board Association’s yearly conference.
“I attended some workshops and learned how other districts were dealing with issues such as homeless students,” she said. “How can we (Greenville) better acknowledge these issues?”
A graduate of Ansonia High School, Riethman works as a fitness instructor/personal trainer. She and her husband, who teaches 6th grade math and is a coach at Ansonia, own BMF Fitness, which is above Bach to Rock on Broadway in downtown Greenville.
The couple are the parents of two children, Kamdon, a 7th grader and Hallie, a 4th grader. The family is active with EUM Church.
