Area Man Taking Administrative Position at Charleston

Jim Littleford had a good career as an administrator in the Effingham Unit 40 school district and as superintendent in the Altamont Unit 10 district before taking over as superintendent of the Charleston Unit 1 school district.

Now, Littleford's retirement at Charleston at the end of this school year is giving another person with deep local ties an administrative opportunity in the Coles County district.

The Charleston school board has hired Altamont native Aaron Lock as assistant principal and athletic director at Charleston Middle School and principal at Ashmore School for the coming school year.

Lock's hiring is one of a series of administrative moves at Charleston related to Littleford's impending departure. As of July 1, Todd Vilardo will become Charleston school superintendent, Charleston Middle School Principal Chad Burgett will become Assistant Superintendent (in charge of finance), high school assistant principal Tim Keefe will become middle school principal, athletic director and teacher Jim Wood will become high school assistant principal, and middle school teacher and coach Robert Lynn will become assistant principal at Jefferson Elementary School and Special Education coordinator.