Effort at Teutopolis High School to Retain the Old As Part of the New

The plan to renovate Teutopolis High School has been emotional for many in the community.

Board members this week heard about a project that would retain some of the old as part of the new.

The 1929 and 1949 sections of the high school building are being demolished. Board member Troy Ozenkoski shared an idea at this week's meeting from community members. The residents would like to take the cornerstone and approximately 1,000 bricks from the old section of the building and create a memory wall. The wall would feature photos of the old building. Ozenkoski said the creation would be a wall graphing on an existing wall by the entrance to the new addition.

The other board members asked to see a design of the project.

The Teutopolis board took action on several personnel matters. The Board re-hired Greg Beck as Teutopolis High School Principal and Pat Drees as Teutopolis Junior High School Principal for the 2020-2021 school year, and accepted a letter of retirement from Kay McMahon as of the end of the current school year.

The Board hired Jason Huber as Director of Facilities and Grounds, effective March 16; hired Morgan Mette as high school girls and boys assistant track coach; hired Rich Niebrugge and Jenna Funneman as part-time junior high track coaches, Niebrugge 2/5ths of the time and Funneman 3/5th of the time; hired Connie Deters and Elizabeth King as head co-coaches of high school boys tennis; and hired Carrie Copple as junior high track coach.

Board members approved changes to the high school class schedule for 2020-2021, including reverting back to one main lunch hour, as it was done a few years ago. It was also decided to hold high school graduation on Sunday, May 17 at 2:30pm and junior high promotion on Tuesday, May 26 at 7:30pm. The Board also received an update from THS Senior Nicholas Tensen on his Eagle Scout project involving podiums for the school music programs. Two podiums have been completed and delivered to the high school and the junior high.

The Teutopolis board approved to continue alternative education programs through the Regional Office of Education; hired Glass and Shuffett to do the fiscal year audit for up to $12,000; and heard that a meeting with village officials regarding the Teutopolis TIF District has not been scheduled.