Cumberland Board Hires Grade School Principal

The Cumberland Board of Education has hired a grade school principal.

The new principal is Daniel Huffman. He will succeed Todd Hall, who asked to return to the classroom as a teacher.

Board President Jack Ingram spoke about the interview process during Huffman's selection. The recommendation was formed through a compilation of scores that candidates earned. Scores were given by in-district personnel, but also by inviting out-of-district administrators to join the committee. The out-of-district individuals complimented the committee and were impressed with the interviewing detail, and felt it was structurally sound, featuring many ideas they would like to use in their districts.

Board members congratulated freshman student Drew Warner, who finished second in the state in the WYSE finals in Engineering Graphics. Also congratulated was Olivia Ross, who was selected as the Illinois Association of Student Councils state secretary, just the second time for such an occurrence in Cumberland High School history.

Cumberland board members accepted a bid from Craftmaster, Incorporated for roof replacement, and accepted a bid from NE-CO for pavement construction. The Board also granted a leave for Sara Brown and agreed to prohibit the attendance of a community member at all home and away school district athletic events for one year.

The Cumberland board acted on several other personnel matters. Resignations were accepted from custodians Cherie Trybull and Wyatt Daugherty, Speech and Language Pathologist Jill Vogt was honorably dismssed and classroom aide Debbie Wilson was honorably dismissed. Spring season coaching positions held by non-staff members or open due to resignations were posted in-district, as were the assistant high school football coach's job, and bus aide and custodian positions.

Board members approved Jaton McMechan as high school assistant basketball coach, Jim Miller for another season as high school wrestling coach, Gabrielle Bushue for another season as varsity girls basketball coach and Bill Yocum as assistant girls high school basketball coach, Bob Gabel as middle school boys head basketball coach and Cole Carlen as middle school boys assistant basketball coach, Audra Gobel as middle school head volleyball coach, and Jim Talley as middle school head baseball coach.

The Cumberland board also hired Jill Mathenia as district speech and language pathologist, Jamie Mahaffey as a fifth grade teacher, Jake Edwards as a Kindergarten teacher, and Andria Verdeyen as a first grade teacher, and to post a position in-house for a third grade teacher.