Unit 40 Board Holds Off on Decision on Advertising

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education has discussed whether to permit advertising on school facilities for the past couple of months, and reached no decision at Monday night's meeting.

Superintendent Mark Doan said some members were against the idea, while others thought the prospect should be explored. Doan said one thing made clear was that if advertising is permitted, it should be under the direction of the District with oversight by the Board, rather than each individual sport or organization doing their own thing. 

Unit 40 Activities Director David Woltman was directed to secure a firm proposal for the Board to consider.

The Board voted to hire their own nurses for next fiscal year. Doan said additional testing now required could result in the County Health Department raising their price for services. He said the goal is to maintain the same level of services at the same cost. Board members approved retired EHS Principal Mike McCollum as a member of the Effingham Unit 40 Foundation Board of Directors, and also okayed next year's school calendar. The calendar will begin with a Teacher's Institute on Tuesday, August 18 and the first day of classes on Wednesday, August 19.

Board members adopted a Vision 20/20 Resolution earlier approved by most area districts, stating goals for what resources schools must have to be successful, and heard from teachers Mary Dust and Julie Flack on Light Speed Grants. Doan said the grant program is a part of ongoing professional development for staff members. He said the development, which is optional for teachers, is designed to improve the use of technology in the classroom.

The Board voted to keep all closed session minutes closed for now. In personnel moves, the Unit 40 Board transferred Amy Miller to serve as a guidance counselor for next school year, hired Pam Higgs as an eighth grade girls track coach, Michelle Rieman as a bus driver for an additional two-hour route, and Cindy Mapes as a bus driver for a two-hour PM route. The Board accepted the resignations of teachers Kathy Thomas and Deb Fehrenbacher as of the end of the current school year, and approved leaves for Jim Moschenrose, Bill Stahl, Patricia Jansen and Michelle Niebrugge.