Unit 40 Board Discusses Site Work at Junior High

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education Thursday discussed site work at Effingham Junior High School.

The project was first shared at the Board's November meeting. It would replace the circle drive in front of the building with a roadway extending off Henrietta Street and then running north to Richland Avenue. The roadway would handle bus traffic at the school.

The project would also involve a north-south roadway running from Richland to Grove Avenues. The roadway would run east of the current development in back of the school, running basically along the west leg of the current junior high track. The roadway is being built in part since the renovation of the junior high involves closing the breezeway in back of the school.

A third component of the project would be a parking lot to be built on what is now the north end of the junior high track.

Superintendent Mark Doan is hopeful that the project could be let for bids after the first of the year, with bids back in time to award the project at the Board's January meeting.

The Board recognized two groups of students.

Norene Ault's Physics students at EHS participated at Marshall High School's Engineering Design Competition in November. The team earned third place out of 12 participating teams. The students are Ashton Baker, Aiden Beck, Jaelyn Boone, Brady Chaves, Dalton Greene, Morgan Krouse, Zach Kyle, Nathan Lohman, Teagan Maloney, Seth McMurray, Eliza Montgomery, Zeel Patel, Andrew Qiu, Emaan Rauf, Gabe Schuette, Eli Seaman, Rachel Sloss, Olivya Smith, Parker Snow, Charlie Westendorf, Andrew Womack and Zach Worman. Lohman earned fourth place for his mousetrap car; Maloney earned seventh place.

(EHS PHYSICS STUDENTS WERE HONORED AT THURSDAY NIGHT'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WITH INSTRUCTOR NORENE AULT, TOP RIGHT)

Mike Depoister's 7th grade girls basketball team reached the 2019 State Tournament. Team members are Saige Althoff, Kristen Armstrong, Bria Beals, Jerzi Bierman, Sidney Donaldson, Remi Franklin, Mia Harvey, Emma Jones, Hali Kreke, Melia King, Madison Kirk, Triana Reed, Angeline Rivera, Keley Stone and Hannah Thompson.

(MEMBERS OF THE 2019 EFFINGHAM JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 7TH GRADE STATE TOURNAMENT GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM)

The Board also recognized the six teachers who received grants from the Effingham Unit 40 Foundation for projects to benefit their classrooms. They are Kammy McKenna, Jim Hammer, Lisa Lauritzen, Susan Young, Amy Hewing and Donna Walls. Recognition was also given EHS students who placed in the Association of Filipino Physicians of Southern Illinois Scholar Competition. Dane Seiler-1st place, Zach Kyle-3rd place.

Board members discussed video streaming of school board meetings. Members are in favor of streaming, but Board President Angie Byers said she is concerned about the more than $6,000 cost with other needs present. Two board members, Kathleen Smith and Jill Wendling, were not present so the matter was tabled until the January meeting.

Approval was given for Transitional Power and Transitional Math courses at EHS next school year. There was discussion whether upgrading current equipment is worth the savings due to the manpower needed to complete the upgrades. The matter will be revisited.

There was also discussion about pre-school education. Doan reminded that preschool instruction appears to be a priority in Springfield, so funding might become available. He noted Unit 40 has 50 slots spoken for in their Early Childhood Special Education program, and they only have 60 slots. Doan said Unit 40 can't apply for funding on their own, but might be able to apply through their Special Education Co-op.

In personnel moves, the Unit 40 Board employed Lisa Campton as cafeteria monitor at South Side, Sharon Poynter as custodian at Central, and Stacey Huston as secretary at Central; accepted resignations from Clair Monroe as teacher at the junior high, Megan Faber as cafeteria monitor at Central, and Timothy Bright as custodian at EHS; approved the appointment of Kyle Bourgeois as fresh soph high school boys baseball coach; okayed leaves of absence for Penny Deters, Peggy Manley, Vicki Stuckemeyer, Tina Haarmann and Cathy Hayes; and approved as volunteers Brittany Mooney as EHS assistant basketball cheer coach, Chase Green as assistant high school baseball coach, and Rebecca Quandt as assistant junior high volleyball coach.