Unit 40 Loses Board Member

Laurie King Borrelli has resigned as a member of the Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education.

The former Laurie King recently married Jim Borrelli of Teutopolis and they are making their home in Teutopolis, which is outside the Unit 40 district. A board member must be a resident of the district in which they serve.

Unit 40 Superintendent Mark Doan said Borrelli, who is in her first term on the Board, will be missed for her passion for kids and for education. She has been a long-time member of the Unit 40 Foundation Board.

Doan said the Board will begin seeking applicants for the vacant Board seat and will vote at either the April or May board meeting to choose a successor. Whoever is selected would serve through the April 2017 election, when Borrelli's term ends. The individual could seek election to a full term in that contest.

Also Monday, the Board approved the curriculum fee schedule for the 16-17 school year. Two increases in class fees were approved, with the Ag Careers and Health Occupations class fees going to $125, to match the rate charged members of the Construction Trades class. The Board also approved a 10-cent increase in breakfast and lunch prices to remain eligible for Federal funding for the meal program.

The Board adopted the PERA Evaluation Plan, which was required to be in place for the 16-17 school year. The plan adds a Student Growth component to a teacher evaluation. Director of Curriculum Michelle Beck said 40 district teachers volunteered to assist with a pilot program designed to develop the plan. Doan mentioned that the District's attorney firm is recommending the program to other school district clients. The plan will be reviewed annually.

There was considerable discussion over whether to purchase accident insurance for all Unit 40 athletes. Assistant Superintendent Rem Woodruff pointed out that parents already present a signed statement that they have primary insurance coverage for their children who are athletes; this is a supplemental plan. The plan is to cost the District more than $50,000 for the coming year, and seven claims were filed last school year.

Board member Carol Ruffner wondered whether the District could just make the coverage available for parents to purchase it, rather than the District cover the cost. The plan would cost a parent about $100. No vote was taken last night.

Woodruff reported that the overall Unit 40 fund balance is up 2.56% over the same point last school year, and the operating funds balance is 1.34% higher than last year.

Unit 40 Foundation Director Todd Schuette urged students to apply for the more than 40 scholarships available through the Foundation, and Doan reported overall district enrollment is down 46 students from the same point last school year.

In personnel moves, the Unit 40 board accepted resignations from Becky Wilson as junior high Student Council co-sponsor, Kassie Ross as a teacher, Derek Logue as frosh-soph boys basketball coach, and Angela Woods as boys tennis coach. Lee Althoff was hired as the head soccer coach for the coming school year and Carol Babbs was hired as the EHS yearbook sponsor for the balance of the school year. Leaves of absence were approved for Michelle Michael, Maci Meinhart, Ronda Flowers and Kali Carroll.

The Board approved the summer camp and athletic physicals schedule, heard from Woodruff about the summer maintenance projects in the district, approved Angie Byers as a Unit 40 Foundation Board director, rejoined the IHSA for 2016-17, and rejoined the SEPCO food purchasing cooperative.