Unit 40 Board Thanks Moschenrose

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education took another opportunity Monday night to thank longtime district custodian Jim Moschenrose for a job well done, and for many decades of doing his job so well.

(JIM MOSCHENROSE WITH UNIT 40 SUPERINTENDENT MARK DOAN)

Moschenrose is retiring as of the end of the school year, after working for Unit 40 for 54 years. He began working at the old Central School for one year in 1961 and then moved to Watson School until it was closed in 1979 when he moved to the new Central School. He is closing out 36 years of service there.

Moschenrose said, "I really enjoyed working for Effingham Unit 40, I couldn't find a better Unit to work for."

Mr. and Mrs. Moschenrose are preparing a meal for school district administrators later this week as a going away celebration.

In regular business, the Board renewed student athletic insurance, a supplemental coverage, for $39,500 and renewed catastrophic insurance coverage that would kick in if primary and supplemental coverage runs out at a cost of $1,264. Also approved was placing an amended budget for the current fiscal year on display for action at the June meeting. Here are the changes from the original budget:

--fund revenues were adjusted to reflect a decrease in General Student Aid and only receiving three of four reimbursement payments, lowering the anticipated revenue by about $260,000

--operations and maintenance fund was adjusted by about $75,000 as a result of using the audited fund balances

--the debt service was increased to reflect a fee now charged by the Federal government that was not included in the original budget

--the transportation fund balance was adjusted up by about $106,000 as a result of revenue and expense adjustments requested by the auditor

--the municipal retirement and Social Security fund balance was raised by about $18,000 to reflect the amount of Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax revenue received

--the Tort Fund was reduced by almost $70,000 to reflect allowed expenses

Also Monday, the Unit 40 board heard from John Craft who opposed using District funds to feed the Board members after meetings, saying Board members are supposed to be paid no compensation for their service; paid the Treasurer's bond for Assistant Superintendent Rem Woodruff; agreed to take bids on a van on which the engine blew, with a plan to sell it for scrap if no bids are received; agreed with new Board member Jane Willenborg's suggestion that each meeting begin with the Pledge of Allegiance; and appointed Todd Schafer as the Board representative to the Eastern Illinois Area Special Education Board with Steve Bone the alternate.

In personnel moves, the Unit 40 board hired Judy Ruffner as a summer food service program cook, Becky Daugherty as an extended school year teacher, Jennifer Castillo as an extended school Speech teacher, Robin Imburgia as an extended school year nurse paraprofessional, Abigail Rossi, Ciara Baker, Ronda Flowers and Taylor Hinkle as paraprofessionals, Lee Althoff as high school assistant soccer coach, Dana Koester as high school varsity cheer coach, Rebecca Miller as high school pom pon sponsor, Janice Flack as head custodian at Central School, and John Limes as a maintenance department staff member.

Resignations were accepted from Maci Meinhart as junior high cheer coach, and Michelle Eaton as a paraprofessional. Leaves of absence were granted Nicole McClellan and Jackie Haarmann, Carol Babbs was approved as a volunteer for high school Scholar Bowl, and Amy Donaldson was recalled as a secretary at Effingham Junior High School.