Unit 40 Board Acts on Personnel Matters; Adjust School Day at Central School

Effingham Unit 40 board members Monday acted on several personnel items.

The Board hired Kelli Robertson as a four-hour bus aide, Kevin Jamison as a two-hour bus driver, and Laci Willenborg, Amanda Baxter and Maggie Carroll as paraprofessionals. Also hired were Trenton Colwell as a custodian at the junior high school, Mackenzie Walker as a 5th grade teacher for the 2023-2024 school year, Josephine Westendorf as a LBS1 teacher for the 2023-2024 school year, and Lacy Althoff as a Dean of Students and teacher for the balance of this school year and as Dean of Students at East Side, Early Learning Center and South Side for the 2023-2024 school year.

Two appointments were approved: Erin Browne as high school Flag Squad sponsor and Emily Flach as high school volunteer assistant Cheer coach. Also, a transfer was approved for Alixandrie Summers as a LBS1 teacher for the 2023-2024 school year at the high school.

Resignations were accepted from Stephanie Ochs as a paraprofessional at South Side, Megan Ames as a cafeteria monitor at Early Learning Center, Sarah Stock as a nurse paraprofessional, Christin Hartke as junior high Track coach, and Theresa Vogt as high school Volleyball coach. 

Leaves were okayed for Charity Ozier, Rene Green, John O'Dell, Susan Gillenwater and Allison Bowen, and Ian Kemper was terminated as a paraprofessional at Central School.

In other business, Superintendent Andy Johnson reported district enrollment is at 2,367, down 13 students from the previous month; the Board purchased a security camera upgrades proposal not to exceed $150,000 in cost; a dishwasher was purchased for the junior high school; and a bid was awarded for asbestos removal at South Side School to make way for other renovations at the building this summer through IDEAL Environmental Engineering, the low of three bids, for $46,500.

The Board also approved a request from the Effingham Classroom Teachers Association to change their work day at Central School from 8am to 4pm to 7:45am to 3:45pm to sync up better with when students are on the grounds to provide more supervision.