Altamont Board Chooses Kollman to Fill Vacancy

The Altamont school board has chosen Alan Kollman to fill a vacancy.

Kollman will serve until the 2019 spring election. He succeeds Randy Tillman, who resigned from the Board due to changes in his job duties.

The Board heard from district Kindergarten teachers and also heard from local resident Tayler Polk. They also heard from Casie Bowman on the Eureka Math K-8 curriculum and implementation, along with the book study of "Minds on Math". 

High school principal Jerry Tkachuk told board members that registration for the new school year went well. Tkachuk said Altamont officials are having discussions with the Cumberland and Vandalia school districts, both of whom do the majority of their registration online, in hopes of Altamont moving to that format for next year.

Superintendent Jeff Fritchtnitch updated board members on Senate Bill 1, the education funding bill, as well as the governor's amendatory veto of the bill and the Senate's override of the veto. The Illinois House still needs to decide whether to try to override the veto.

The Board did vote to approve an intergovernmental agreement for the Effingham Regional Career Academy; approved the tentative fiscal year budget; approved review of the board policy regarding bullying; discussed district finances and the state budget; and discussed a second phase of improvements to the playground at Altamont Grade School including the addition of swings.

Altamont board members accepted resignations from Kassie Bullard, Jessica Scholes and Barb Williams; employed teacher aides Heather Began and Suzanne Jackson and cook Amanda Tonn; and approved Tera Hahn as volunteer flag corps sponsor.