Unit 40 Board Puts Brakes on Technology Purchase While Waiting on Technology Plan

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education Monday decided against a purchase of computers while waiting on a comprehensive technology plan for the school district.

The Board did okay buying 32 laptop computers and a mobile cart to house them for Effingham Junior High School, but took no action on the acquisition of 40 units for the Science department in the building.

Board member Brad Waldhoff said he wants a districtwide technology plan. Member Robin Klosterman concurred, saying, "I want to know that we have a plan, a bigger picture." Klosterman asked whether instructors have been involved in the decision-making process, and that professional development is being provided to instructors. She noted there will be new Science teachers in the junior high building and said, "this is a curriculum matter", asking whether Curriculum Director Chelle Beck and technology leaders are being involved in the process.

Waldhoff said there's nothing to say the purchase can't be revisited later, but he asked to table the purchase of 40 units until the plan is in place.

The Board also discussed establishing committees. Superintendent Mark Doan suggested committees to address finances, curriculum and/or technology, facilities and/or transportation, and personnel. Board members plan to review the suggestions and whether they want to establish committees before voting on the matter.

Effingham High School Band Booster Rene Green and EHS Director of Bands Trent Mason were on hand to suggest the purchase of replacement high school band uniforms. The current uniforms were purchased in 2007 and Green said some are stained, some have had knee blowouts, and others have gone through numerous alterations to fit the sizes of different band members through the years.

Two uniform suppliers were discussed. Doan suggested Green and Mason work with EHS Principal Kurt Roberts on the project, which has a completion goal of the 2020 marching band season. No decision, though, was made on whether to purchase new uniforms.

Doan presented numbers on the impact of Tax Increment Financing districts and the City/County Enterprise Zone on school unit revenues. He acknowledged that TIF districts and the Enterprise Zone have been tools in fostering economic development, but reports on an annual basis how much revenue that could have been used by the school district instead go to those tools.

Doan said more than $2.6 million in revenue that went to TIF and the Enterprise Zone didn't go to Unit 40.

Doan also reported on the district's fiscal year tax rate for 2018, payable in 2019. The district's overall tax rate dropped from $3.56950 to $3.56246. He noted that the tax rate dropped despite the sale of health and life safety bonds to finance the junior high renovation project and improvements at other buildings. Doan had said a year ago that the sale of the bonds would raise the tax rate by a penny; instead the rate dropped.

Assistant Superintendent Jason Fox reported on the renovation work. Fox said the construction work at the junior high is a couple of days behind. He said this year's work mainly involved the first floor of the 1939 portion of the building. Junior high principal Cody Lewis said work on the school office area is behind because the primary emphasis is on getting classroom work completed.

Fox reported on other buildings involved in the life safety work, saying a new roof has been installed on two-thirds of the Southside building, along with new ceiling in areas where there hasn't been ceiling previously, and new lighting and painting. He said the floors have been painted, but said a long-term method of treating the floors is still in the works. Work at the Early Learning Center has included a new roof with added insulation and balancing of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.

Fox also reported that the District's all funds balance totals more than $30 million, with $14.7 million on hand in operating funds and $13 million in health and life safety funds.

In personnel moves, the Unit 40 board hired Lisa Orsborn as a two-hour cashier at the high school, Carol West as a three-hour cook at the junior high school, Jessica Mathis as a paraprofessional, and Lowell Fehrenbacher as a two-hour bus driver. Leaves of absence were granted Greg Lankford, Cathy White, Wendy Guenther and Jason Warner, with Lankford's being an extension of a leave. Abra Woomer's resignation was accepted as a teacher at South Side School. Former EHS athlete Curran McNeely was named varsity baseball coach at the high school, succeeding Chris Fleener. McNeely will also be teaching in the district and handling other coaching assignments. Approved as volunteers were Mark Burgess as a high school girls golf coach, Janelle Schuette as high school football cheer coach, and Christin Hartke as junior high cross country coach.