Vaping a Topic at Unit 40 Board Meeting 

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Effingham High School Principal Kurt Roberts spoke to the Unit 40 school board Monday night on the subject of vaping.

Roberts said 1.2 million high schoolers were vaping in 2024 along with another 400,000 middle schoolers. He proposed an anti-loitering policy in school restrooms, put messages on school message boards, and expand use of vape detectors in bathrooms.

Also Monday, the school board adopted the budget for the coming year that calls for a $6 million cut in all funds. Negotiations with teachers and with support staffers continue.

The Board approved a plan to have Talitha Wiedman take over as the district’s Foundation director when Todd Schuette retires in December, and a crisis plan for the coming fiscal year was approved after receiving input from local law enforcement.

In personnel action Monday, the Unit 40 Board employed Gina Farrar as a two-hour cashier at the high school, Teresa Riley as a three-hour cook at the junior high school, Arianna Hollingsworth and Isabel Carter as paraprofessionals, Ann Grasher as junior high girls B-team basketball coach, Robert Leturno as second shift custodian at the junior high school, Juliana Martin as P/T mentor facilitator at the high school, Lindsey Harris as AM and PM bus aide, and Jacob Stoneburner as 5th grade boys basketball coach.

Approved as volunteers were Jacob Stoneburner as assistant football coach, Jodie Davidson as head boys and girls swim coach, Jack Harper as assistant JV baseball coach, and Jett Gillum as assistant football coach.

Resignations were accepted from Kristine Seiler as cafeteria monitor, Don Kimura as junior high track coach, Kelli Robertson as AM and PM bus aide, Jacy Boatman as volunteer high school assistant volleyball coach, Tina Herzing as a mentor facilitator, Kim Blickem as junior high 7th grade B-team volleyball coach, and Victoria Shupe, Katie Lacy and Michelle Habing as paraprofessionals.

The Board also accepted Larry Micenheimer’s retirement as a bus driver.