South Central Hires VanScyoc as AD, Basketball Coach

Jamie VanScyoc is heading back home.

The longtime teacher and coach at Dieterich has been hired by the South Central Board of Education as a teacher, athletic director and boys varsity basketball coach for the coming school year. VanScyoc will succeed Rick Simmons, who is retiring as AD and boys coach at the end of the current school year. 

VanScyoc is a South Central graduate. He is a former boys basketball coach at Dieterich and the varsity baseball coach and has also helped with AD duties there.

The South Central board also heard from Superintendent Kerry Herdes about local legislators' efforts to enact legislation to obtain the $6.9 million the State owes the district. St. Rep. John Cavaletto, in conjunction with St. Reps. David Reis and Brandon Phelps, are trying to craft a bill that would bring the allocated monies to the districts that was promised to their legislative districts. South Central officials are waiting on the funding to begin an expansion and renovation project at their high school building in Farina. 

District officials said they appreciate the legislators' efforts to get the money the districts has been waiting many years to receive. The legislation hopes to circumvent the state budget process and allocate Capital Development Board funds for approved projects.

The South Central board also:

--approved the 2016-17 school calendar, and an amended calendar for 2015-16

--approved renewing voluntary student insurance and approved renewing a catastrophic insurance policy for the 16-17 school year

--approved a lease/purchase agreement for acquisition of equipment for the district 

--approved donations to the local ball fields for maintenance and use by the district for school events, to the Kinmundy Lions ball field, St. Peter Ball Association, and the Village of Farina ball field

--approved Cole Jezek and Ivan Barnett as volunteers for the bass fishing club at South Central High School

--approved leaves of absence for Cindy Neilson and Alan Linder

--granted tenure to teachers Jessica Lother, Jessica Phillips, Michelle Hawkins, Jordan Pals, Kara Short, and Erica Fox