Unit 40 Board Passes Fiscal Year Budget

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education Monday passed a budget for the new fiscal year. 

The measure anticipates deficit spending in the Education Fund and in the Operations and Maintenance Fund, but there are balances to cover the deficits. Other funds are expected to see an increase.

Assistant Superintendent Rem Woodruff said fund balances are alright now, but said it's early in the year. The balance is ahead of one year earlier, and operating funds are 1.17% ahead of one year ago. Woodruff said receiving the first installment of county property tax revenue earlier in the year has been a great help to the district.

The Board heard from Effingham High School teacher Jim Hammer on his work as a mentor to other teachers in the region. Hammer's work is an outgrowth of state legislation requiring a course in Civics. He said the Civics instruction is being incorporated into a Government course. He's been interested to see students who have spent too much time in the school office get involved in the dialogue, and after initial periods of "crickets" when a topic is introduced, to see debate on major topics.

(JIM HAMMER)

Hammer said the effort is involving debate, not just discussion, and utilizing Parliamentary procedure. He's hearing from students that they need to listen to what the people on the other side of the debate have to say, and to be prepared to advance their views.

He said discussions with other mentors have encouraged him to get away from deciding the success of the endeavor by the product, but more by the process.

The Board also approved a band maintenance agreement with Chesnut Family Music of Effingham, and awarded a roof repair project at the junior high building to Mid-State Roofing in Beecher City. The project will cost $272,000 and will re-roof the small gym, the classrooms and the auditorium of the 1964 addition at the building.

The Board also endorsed the proposed Enterprise Zone being sought by the City of Effingham and the Village of Teutopolis, which, if approved, would provide tax breaks to new or expanding businesses in the zone

Unit 40 board members also took action on several personnel matters.

Those hired were Judy VanMatre as a three-hour cook at the high school, Harold Donovan as a groundskeeper and maintenance worker to replace Gehl Higgs who is resigning as of the end of the week, Tina Williams as a cafeteria monitor at South Side, and Denise Snow as a cafeteria monitor at the Early Learning Center. Resignations in addition to that of Gehl Higgs were accepted from Brittany Will as a cafeteria monitor at the Early Learning Center, and Pam Higgs as 8th grade girls track coach at the junior high.

Transfers were approved for Pam Hiatt as a 7.5 hour cook at Central, Leah Colclasure as a seven hour cook at Central, and Cindy Matteson as a six hour cook at the junior high.

Family Medical Leave Act leaves were approved for Cathy White, Rick Walkup, Dawn Byrum, Toni Chisler and Angela Johnson, and leaves were also approved for Sarah J. Sapp and Jane Wise. The Board also approved the pending retirement of Tonna Percival as Unit 40 transportation director effective February 2018.