Unit 40 Board, Johnson Hitting the Ground Running (ADDING PERSONNEL MOVES)

(UNIT 40 SUPERINTENDENT ANDY JOHNSON)

New Effingham Unit 40 Superintendent Andy Johnson and school board members took a look at Monday night's meeting at what's been accomplished in recent years in the district, but are also ready to do some planning for what's to come.

Assistant Superintendent Jason Fox reviewed six years and $30 milion in work to renovate district buildings, noting that all of those projects were undertaken without raising tax rates.

Johnson said, " For you to have done all of that without raising taxes is amazing."

At the same time, Johnson and Board President Robin Klosterman both suggested that it's time for goal setting and planning to continue improvements in the district. Klosterman suggested utilizing the firm that was used to help locate Johnson as superintendent, but members Jill Wendling and Desha Wear wondered whether other firms should also be considered and member Chad Thompson said he'd be ready to entertain proposals from firms that would help with the planning and goal setting process.

Johnson said he'd get to work contacting firms for proposals, and Klosterman said she would hope to revisit the issue in August.

Wendling said the last time some visioning took place in the district, it led to some of the projects that were celebrated at Monday's meeting.

Johnson also wants to seek input from the community on what matters should be pursued. He said, "I would like to have goals and plans and have those posted in this (Board) room". 

The Board Monday voted to transfer $750,000 from the district's Working Cash Fund to its Operations and Maintenance Fund to pay the district's share of the cost of the turf field and scoreboard at Klosterman Field at Washington Savings Bank Stadium.

By the way, Fox said that crews plan to begin putting down the carpet on the turf field on Tuesday, even in the rain. The scoreboard is already in place.

The Board following a closed session acted on a number of personnel moves to get ready for the new school year.

Mary Walters was granted a leave of absence, Madison Meinhart was hired as a special education teacher and Destiny Hans was hired as a paraprofessional, and Amanda Miller was transferred to a six-hour food service position at the junior high school. 

Resignations were accepted from Michelle Jeffries as cafeteria monitor at South Side, Kierstyn Green as speech language pathologist at East Side, Chelsea Garcia as an ESL teacher, Lillie Stevens as a bus aide, and Lana Adams as a cafeteria monitor at South Side.

The Board accepted the retirement of Dorothy Depoister as a bus driver, and approved appointments of Donna Walls as fall musical director at the junior high school and of Tracie Riley as fall play director, drama club sponsor, and spring musical director at the high school.

Many coaching assignments were approved including John Stout as high school football coordinator, Kaleb Blake as assistant high school soccer coach and Tony Munoz as volunteer high school soccer coach, Jerry Trigg as high school head girls golf coach and Mark Burgess as volunteer assistant girls golf coach, Theresa Vogt as high school head volleyball coach, Kylie Moore and Abra Woomer as girls tennis co-head coaches, Melissa Armstrong and Kacie Volpi as girls tennis volunteer coaches, Wyatt Jones as boys JV basketball coach and Sam Thompson as boys volunteer basketball coach, Troy VanBlaricum as girls fresh/soph basketball coach, Bryan McMillan as head wrestling coach and Jeremy Patnaude as assistant high school wrestling coach, Kyle Bourgeois as assistant boys high school and fresh/soph baseball coach, Alexa Semple as volunteer assistant high school and junior high track coach, Jerry Trigg as head high school softball coach, Jeff Tonn as assistant varsity high school softball coach and Kristin Harvey as assistant fresh/soph high school softball coach, Ryan Engel as volunteer high school fresh/soph softball coach, David Duncan and Elizabeth Braunecker as volunteer high school boys and girls swimming coaches, Carol Babbs as assistant high school Scholar Bowl coach, Lisa Sigg as head basketball cheer coach and Ashley Clough as assistant high school basketball cheer coach, Brittany Mooney, Steve Dale and Madi Stortzum as assistant volunteer high school basketball cheer coaches, Rich Hirtzel as junior high school assistant baseball coach, Dave Parker as junior high school volunteer assistant baseball coach, Phil Hull as volunteer junior high school baseball coach and volunteer junior high school basketball coach, Stan "Mike" Depoister as 7th grade girls basketball coach, and Ken Cornell as 7th grade boys basketball coach.