Unit 40 Board Approves Bond Issue

Effingham Unit 40 school board members Monday to approve a bond issue, while paying off existing bonds.

First, the Board voted to issue $650,000 in taxable G.O. school bonds and then abated the levy for bonds issued in 2008 by the same amount. Superintendent Mark Doan said the action will not mean any more expense to the taxpayer, and will mean a lower interest rate, 3% for the new bonds. 

The Board heard more about the Perfect Pals Club, an effort to match Effingham High School students with adults with disabilities. Doan said final action on the program could come at the March meeting.

In personnel moves, the Unit 40 Board accepted the resignations of teachers Annie McClellan and Kim Repking as well as the resignation of EHS teacher and Yearbook sponsor Stephanie McGuire, as well as varsity soccer coach Aaron Witges. Also approved was the resignation of teacher Donna Rhodes at the end of the first semester in 2016-17.

Unit 40 board members had the chance to talk with EHS teacher Joe Fatheree, now in the Top 10 in the Global Teaching Prize competition. The Board also heard that two directors have agreed to remain on the Unit 40 Foundation Board, but one more individual is needed.

Unit 40 Curriculum Director Chelle Beck spoke on the PERA Evaluation Plan, which is a new assessment tool likely to be adopted this spring. The Board also traded equipment for a new lawn tractor from Barnes Kubota, and agreed to clear out lockers and the like from the locker rooms at Central School and to sell the items while making more room at the school.

The Unit 40 Board also set high school graduation for Sunday, May 22 at 2pm.