Teutopolis School Board Agrees to Add Section of Kindergarten

Teutopolis school board members Thursday voted to add a section of Kindergarten for the coming school year.

The Board reviewed projected enrollments before reaching the decision. They then hired Mary Jo Kreke to teach the new section.

The Board swore in and seated newly elected members Courtney Tegeler and Leon Gobczynski. Incumbent Troy Ozenkoski was elected to a new term earlier this month.

Board officers were also elected for the coming term. They are President Jim Buhnerkempe, Vice President Gene Niemerg and Secretary Brad Koester. The Board also named Leslie Hille as Board Treasurer, effective June 1. Hille will succeed Myra Pruemer, who is retiring May 31.

Board members Chad Hewing and Tegeler were named to serve on the Teutopolis Education Foundation Committee, and Niemerg was named the Board's Eastern Illinois Area Special Education governing board member, with Gobczynski to serve as alternate.

The Board approved several resignations including Melissa Cowman as junior high cheerleading sponsor, Sister Christina Frick as elementary teacher, Amy Thoele as grade school secretary, Jenni Dittamore as high schoool cheer sponsor, and Sally Hanson as library aide.

Several individuals were hired, in addition to Kreke as a Kindergarten teacher for next year. They include Michael Buening as junior high cross country coach, Ashli Davidson as high school Pomerettes sponsor, Melissa Ziegler as part-time preschool teacher, Maggie Bohnhoff as junior high Language Arts and Literature teacher, Monica Kremer as high school secretary, Randi Yager as elementary school teacher, Traci Chojnicki as elementary teacher, Elizabeth Walker as elementary teacher, and Amy Nice as district librarian. The Board also hired Mike Wilson for a second year as part-time high school athletic director at a salary of $20,000.

Board members also approved an intergovernmental agreement to receive the district's percentage of revenue from the new Cumberland County facilities tax. A portion of the Teutopolis district is in Cumberland County. The Board also discussed the defeat of a similar initiative in Effingham County and how to proceed with proposed building improvements including at the high school building.

The Board approved payment documents to Security Alarm Corporation for high school and junior high school security work, renewed membership in the IESA for next school year, and agreed to again participate in the SEPCO purchasing cooperative.