Altamont School Board Announces Administrator Plans

Upcoming changes in the administrative setup for the Altamont school district were announced by the school board Monday.

Board President Shelly Kuhns said the changes are being prompted by the hiring of a different superintendent before the end of the school year, and the pending retirement of high school principal Jerry Tkachuk. 

Board members heard that some 20 people have indicated interest in the superintendent's job. Current superintendent Steve Mayerhofer will not be returning after this school year. Kuhns said the Illinois Association of School Boards will review the applicants and develop a list of candidates for the Board to consider. She said they hope to start interviewing candidates the second week of January.

Meanwhile Monday, the Board accepted Tkachuk's retirement effective January 1, 2022 and agreed to extend his contract until his retirement date. The Board also agreed that Assistant High School Principal and Athletic Director Peggy Bueker will be promoted to high school principal as of January 1, 2022. Kuhns said the plan is for Bueker's current duties to be overseen by Bueker, grade school principal Doug Hill and grade school assistant principal and athletic director Kris Biggs.

Kuhns said the district operated for many years with three administrators, but changes at the State level in the past decade and the accompanying increase in paperwork led to the additional of a fourth administrator. She said, though, that there is sentiment to return to one less administrator and said the remaining administrators are supportive of the plan, saying Hill and Biggs are willing to "come across the road" to help with the work, a reference to the high school and grade school buildings being located on either side of Route 40 in Altamont.

The Altamont board also approved hiring First Midstate to handle the refinancing of bonds issued in 2011 and 2015 to obtain a lower interest rate. The Board also hired Chapman and Cutler to serve as bond counsel. The hope is that the district will save $800,000 to $1 million. Board members Dale Laue and Kerry Wolff, who worked on the project said, even if interest rates start climbing before the bond issue, the district can opt out of the sale.

Also Monday, the Altamont board:

--authorized the Upchurch Group to prepare bid specs on replacing the roof over the junior high gymnasium

--heard that representatives of the Altamont Education Support Personnel Association are working on a counter-proposal as contract talks continue

--agreed to renewal of Workers Compensation insurance coverage at a savings over the previous year

--passed the fiscal year tax levy, which remained less than 5% over what was extended in taxes last year but allowed for increased revenue in the Education Fund

--approved obtaining the latest edition of a new Reading series at an increased cost of $1,400 over what was approved for an earlier edition last month

--decided against external groups using school facilities

--approved a winter break and weekend meal option for students

--hired Larry Blevins to teach junior high Math as of January 4

--accepted the resignation of Holly Glenn as junior high cheerleading coach

--hired Audra Fleharty as junior high cheerleading coach