Cumberland Board Hears About Scholastic Bowl Success

Cumberland school board members heard about a successful run by their academic squads during this month's board meeting.

The Cumberland Scholastic Bowl team won their regional, then won their sectional on bonus questions to reach the Elite Eight.

At the EIU math competition, Marshall Tipsword placed 1st in Pre-Calculus, the fresh-soph team placed 1st, and the Oral Presentation Team of Marshall Tipsword and Michael Beaumont finished 1st.

Also, Cumberland Superintendent Todd Butler told the Board that the State is still reviewing the wastewater project design, with the hope that upgrades will start as soon as school dismisses for Summer. 

Butler shared that Veregy contractors need to begin boring geothermal wells as soon as they can so next school year can begin without construction disruptions. The boring contractor wants to move the wells to the south where the southwest blacktop is located. It'll will mean an added expense, excavating old asphalt that is in bad shape. The work will prevent the use of the playground during the last part of this school year so the other blacktops and play areas will have to be used by the third, fourth and middle school students.

There was also discussion of HVAC ducts that badly need cleaned, and proposals for two new sidewalks, along with repairing and painting the high school lockers.

In personnel moves, the Cumberland board hired Michael Murdock as a PE teacher, Rachel Due as a high school Science teacher, Marcy Nave an an elementary teacher, Sherry Parker as the part-time unit office secretary, and Cassie Watkins as a one one one aide. The Board also accepted resignations from Billy G. Hall as a teacher as of the end of the school year, Tara Scales as middle school cheerleading coach, Brittany Gilbert as middle school head softball coach, and Auddie Maynard as grade school head cook.