Published on June 18, 2025 4:27 pm
Last Updated on June 18, 2025 4:27 pm
Teutopolis school board members this week continued their in-depth review of district facility needs, long-term planning, and potential future financing strategies.
The Board heard a presentation from Tom Crabtree and Lucas Davenport of Stifel, the district’s current brokerage and underwriting firm used last in 2019. The Stifel presentation was the second of two scheduled presentations.
The district is utilizing reserves to fund renovations this summer in the high school cafeteria; to secure office entry upgrades at the high school, the junior high school, and the unit office; and for asbestos abatement work.
Meanwhile, the board awaits architectural drawings for an expansion at the junior high school. The project would facilitate the relocation of sixth graders to the junior high for the 2026-2027 school year.
Moving the sixth grade classes to the junior high would help the district address a growing student population and set the stage for a long-term facility improvement project at the grade school, potentially as early as 2027-28. Those plans could include restroom infrastructure upgrades, ADA accessibility improvements, and instructional space modernization. Such a project would require additional funding.
The Board also approved property/casualty/liability insurance coverage, workers compensation insurance, and employee health insurance, and approved an amended budget for the fiscal year.
In personnel moves, the Teutopolis board accepted letters of resignation from Amy Thoele as grade school secretary, Jon Lee as high school boys tennis coach, and Lea Hooch as band director. Also, Dean Vahling was allowed reassignment from head track coach to assistant track coach; Meredith Dust was named head girls track coach; Ashley Martin was allowed reassignment from paraprofessional to grade school secretary; and Shelby Siemer was hired as a grade school intermediate teacher for the coming school year only. The Board also approved a memorandum of understanding with the Teutopolis Education Association to add a grade school Student Council sponsor to the stipend schedule, and amended a memorandum of understanding regarding the Ag 3 Circles grant.
