Unit 40 Board Approves Amended Budget, Acts on Many Personnel Items

(SEAN ZERRUSEN WAS RECOGNIZED AT MONDAY NIGHT'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FOR HIS 800 METER RUN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP)

Effingham Unit 40 school board members Monday approved a revised budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

Assistant Superintendent Rem Woodruff said the measure now better reflects fund balances. The measure also now includes the working cash bonds that were issued earlier in the fiscal year. The district then bought the $650,000 worth of bonds, which kept the bonding capacity of the district higher in case the State follows through on a proposed plan to freeze amounts. The Board also abated the amount sought in funds by $650,000 since the bonds were sold.

The measure also properly reflects corporate personal property replacement tax allocations.

The Board also renewed property/casualty insurance coverage for $400,470, which is actually a .37% decrease over last year's cost. The coverage is handled locally by Weis Insurance Agency.

Board members passed the prevailing wage resolution for contracted work done for the district. It was also agreed to table action on administrators' salaries until the July meeting.

Loads of personnel moves were approved.

Kim Knierim, Janet Inman and Denise Willenborg were hired as transportation workers for elementary registration, while Knierim was also hired as a transportation worker for high school registration. Also hired were Talitha Wiedman as a second grade teacher at South Side, Jamie Waldhoff as a library clerk at the high school, Tiffany Mumm as an English/Language Arts teacher at the high school, and Amber Will, Rick Gregory, Lauren Raymond, Douglas Hagy and Brandy Simmons as paraprofessionals.

Resignations were accepted from Terry Harbaugh as high school boys track coach, Steve Pickett as 8th grade boys track coach, Stephanie Uebinger as high school prom sponsor, Lacy Althoff and Andrew Glosser as teachers, and Amber Scoles and Ciara Baker as paraprofessionals.

Lauren Pals was granted a leave of absence; Don Tieffel's retirement as a custodian was accepted; and Carsen Funneman and Jordan Adams were appointed as junior high Student Council co-sponsors.

Board members also approved coaching and sponsor assignments for the coming year. They are as follows:

Head Football Coach Brett Hefner

Head Boys Basketball Coach Ron Reed

Head Girls Basketball Coach Jeff Schafer

High School Band Director Trent Mason

JV Boys Basketball Coach Ryan Wohltman

JV Girls Basketball Coach Aaron Witges

High School Football Coordinator Derek Logue

High School Wrestling Coach Bryan McMillan

High School Head Baseball Coach Chris Fleener

High School Head Soccer Soach Lee Althoff

High School Head Softball Coach Jerry Trigg

High School Head Girls Track Coach Dannette Williamson

High School Head Volleyball Coach Mindy McCollum-Boswell

High School Co-Student Council Advisors Julie Flack and Katherine Mette

Frosh/Soph Boys Basketball Coach Weldon Dunston

Frosh/Soph Girls Basketball Coach Whitney Duncan

High School Assistant Football Coaches Nick Bushue, Blake Wesselman and Shane Smith

8th Grade Boys Basketball Coach Rod Wiethop

8th Grade Girls Basketball Coach Whitney Duncan

7th Grade Boys Basketball Coach Ken Cornell

Girls 7th and 8th Grade Basketball Assistant Coach Mike Depoister

High School Cross Country Coach Jennifer Kirk

High School Girls Golf Coach Jerry Trigg

High School Boys Golf Coach Jeff Schafer

High School Boys Tennis Coach Lee Althoff

High School Girls Tennis Coach Erik Williamson

High School Chorus Director Ethan Hayward

High School Scholar Bowl Coach Sarah Wyckoff

High School Varsity Basketball Cheerleading Coach Dana Koester

High School Assistant Volleyball Coach Colleen Westendorf

Junior High Band Director Courtney Leach

High School Assistant Baseball Coach Ty Totten

High School Assistant Soccer Coach Juan Angel

High School Assistant Softball Coach Megan Tylka

The Board was updated by Central School Principal Amy Niebrugge on the certified staff evaluation process, and took time to recognize the recently-graduated Sean Zerrusen for winning the Class AA state championship in the 800 meter run. Zerrusen is the first male athlete to win a state title for EHS. He's headed to Western Illinois University to run track for the Leathernecks.