Dieterich Cuts Program Due to Budget Concerns

The Dieterich Board of Education has voted to eliminate the Family and Consumer Science program at the junior-senior high school.

The move was made due to financial concerns. The elimination of the program does not require a reduction in the workforce as last year's instructor resigned at the end of the school year. 

An additional elective in the Agriculture program (Ag Exploration) will be offered to junior high students to fill out their schedule. High school students will now have a choice of how they meet the Consumer Education requirement. Business Concepts or the Dave Ramsey course that is part of the Current Events curriculum will meet the state requirement for Consumer Education.

The Board also amended the budget for the current fiscal year. The loss of additional revenue has forced the district to dip further into reserves. Superintendent Cary Jackson said that final deficit amounts will be available after the end of the fiscal year and the annual audit is completed.

Dieterich board members approved an agreement with the Effingham County Sheriff's Department for the School Resource Officer program. The agreement includes a fee increase for each of the next three years. This is the first fee increase since the inception of the program. Board members also discussed a request of support for an extension of the Dieterich TIF District. The Board felt more information and discussion was needed to make a decision on the request. The item was tabled until the July meeting.

Board members approved a resolution to partially abate the Working Cash Fund. The abatement allows the district to transfer money from the Working Cash Fund to the Bond and Interest Fund. The transfer was needed to erase a negative balance that was created when the Board, in past years, partially abated a bond payment. Board members also heard from Ag instructor and FFA sponsor Garrett Helregel and FFA member Hunter Flach regarding replacing the greenhouse. The Board approved a bid from International Greenhouse for replacement of the structure. Helregel is hopeful the new structure will be completed sometime this fall.

In personnel moves, the Dieterich board accepted resignations from Obie Farmer as JV boys basketball coach, from Deano Tull as volunteer junior high boys basketball coach and as high school softball assistant coach, and from Courtney Koester as dance coach. The Board hired Ashley Rentfro as Special Education teacher, Rhiannon Boehm as part-time Art teacher, Marcy Kingery as Special Edcation aide, and Tim Pezan as junior high boys basketball head coach.

Jackson reported on several Illinois Association of School Boards items including a summer goal-setting workshop for the Dieterich school board. He also reported on formation of a district public relations and communications committee in an effort to keep the public informed of various items important to the stakeholders of the district. The Board assigned members Charity Bohnhoff and Cory Niebrugge to the committee. They will join Jackson, junior-senior high school principal Kevin Haarman and grade school principal Kathy Pattenaude on the committee.

Jackson also shared information on the proposed Rural Development Technology Center at the Lake Land College Kluthe Center campus in Effingham. He said progress is being made on the new vocational center. Information on the project was shared with the public last week. The planning committees are working while awaiting the state's Capital Development Board grant funding to be finalized. Once the grant is approved, Lake Land College President Josh Bullock estimates it'll take 34-36 months to complete the facility. The Center would be a 36,000 square foot facility near the Kluthe Center and would cost an estimated $12 million. The Center would bring multiple high school course offerings as well as adult education to the area.