Published on May 19, 2025 8:13 pm
Last Updated on May 20, 2025 9:06 am
Effingham Unit 40 board members Monday acted on the intent to issue $38 million in bonds to pay for a Grades K-2 building, and the intent to issue $19 million in working cash fund bonds.
The vote was 6-1 with Andrew Altman voting No. Altman said he was hoping the 1% sales tax would pass in November to help pay for the K-2 building, but doesn’t want to pay for the project solely through an increase in property taxes.
However, the Board also tabled any action on authorizations with Holland Construction to replacing the gym floor and bleachers at Central Grade School and renovation work at the library at Central. Also tabled was an agreement with Holland Construction to repair parking lots, an agreement with BLDD Architects for the design work on the Central project, and an agreement with Holland Construction on the Grades K-2 building. The Central School work and the parking lot work is scheduled for the summer of 2026.
The items were tabled to see whether petitions will be filed in the next 30 days opposing the bonds and the working cash fund bonds. If the petitions are filed, the issuance of the bonds would go to referendum.
Also Monday, Superintendent Andy Johnson said the portable classrooms to be used at South Side School arrived Monday. Johnson hopes the classrooms will be in place by July 1. The plan is to house all second grade classes at South Side.
The Board approved a kitchen air conditioner installation agreement for $12,170, and approved a 21st Century summer school agreement with the Effingham Park District. The agreement will allow kids in Grades K-5 to be in Adventure Camp at Evergreen Hollow Park this summer.
In personnel moves, the Board accepted resignations from Tracie Riley as EHS musical director; Kelby McCoy and Elizabeth Short as summer bridge teachers; Ana Macias as an ESY paraprofessional; Donald Kimura as a Special Education teacher at the junior high; John Westendorf as a custodian at the junior high; Renee Dial as a three-hour cook at the high school; and Jaci Brockett as a paraprofessional at the junior high.
Those hired: Lisa Beck, Jill Feldhake, Rebecca Quandt and Lisa Pals as junior high credit recovery and summer school 2025; Courtney Mathews as high school summer school paraprofessional; Tia O’Dell, Victoria Shupe and Leslie Koester as ESY Paraprofessionals for 2025; Lisa Thompson and Autumn Peddycoart as K-5 summer bridge teachers; Kate Beals as K-5 summer bridge paraprofessional; Elizabeth Russell as K-5 lead instructor for the 21st Century Grant Summer Program; Becky Daugherty, Ana Macias, Kali Ort, Kenna Koester, Stacey Hollinshead, April Hardiek and Brittney Lindsey as K-5 facilitators for the 21st Century grant summer program; Aaron Adams, JaLana Robison, Ryan Ervin and Karla Greenwood as junior high and high school site supervisors for the 21st Century grant summer program; Ryan Ervin, Karla Greenwood, Sara Mitchell, Alexandra Estes, Jenny Wudtke, Haley Brown, Jeremy Rinkel and Dan Walker as junior high and high school lead instructors for the 21st Century grant summer program; Brooke Bayles as a special ed teacher at South Side for the coming school year; Hailey Denton as an English Language Arts teacher and yearbook sponsor at the high school for the coming school year; Amy Kepp as an english language arts teacher at the junior high for the coming school year; Chrissy Brown 7th grade girls basketball coach and freshman girls basketball coach; Alexandra Tuttle as second shift custodian at the junior high; and Kelli Robertson, Kelley Esker and Jeffrey McGee as four-hour bus drivers for the coming school year.
Other moves: Jaiden Olinger was transferred to a three-hour cook at the high school year for the coming school year; Kenny Cornell was transferred to fresh/soph boys basketball coach for the coming school year and Kyle Stortzum was transferred to 7th grade boys basketball coach for the coming school year; and retirements were accepted from Kevin Mante as director of safety and security, Rebecca Meyers as high school English teacher, and Barbara Kreke as a bus driver.