Dieterich School Board Gets Update on Construction and Renovation Project

Dieterich school board members learned this week that the addition and renovation project for the district continues to be ahead of schedule.

All new classrooms will be made available for occupancy when students return from Christmas Break in January with the exception of the new science lab, which is to be occupied around Thanksgiving. Also, the softball and junior high baseball field renovations have been completed. The Board expressed thanks to Troy Althoff, Jim Worman, Cory Niebrugge, Brent Bohnhoff, Jason Newkirk and Scott Wohltman for their efforts to improve the field.

Also, the Dieterich board dissolved the intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Dieterich. The agreement was for an annual payment of $15,000 to the school district through 2032. The agreement was made upon the extension of TIF District #1. Dieterich Superintendent Cary Jackson said changing circumstances in school funding, coupled with the need to fund village projects, including the Wright Family Center, prompted the school board to discontinue the payments to allow the funds to be used for village improvements.

20 chrome tablets were purchased from Quality Network Solutions for $10,474.80. REAP grant funds and Niemerg's Steak House "Round Up for Education" funds will be used to fund the purchase. The devices will be used in Kindergarten and 1st grade. The Board also approved the purchase of 20 high school boys basketball uniforms for $4,880. An increase in participants and the unavailability of current uniforms prompted the need for additional uniforms.

Dieterich board members approved a senior class trip to Branson, Missouri April 23-25, 2024.

In personnel moves, the Dieterich board accepted resignations from Alisha Chaney as an aide and Bethany Orsburn as a custodian, Nicole Flood as junior high head volleyball coach, and Gabi Hardiek as junior high assistant volleyball coach. The Board approved hires of Shallene Richardson as K-12 Music instructor, Liza Kuhl as a custodian, and Savannah Leturno as a student worker in the after school program. Also, Josie Meinhart was approved as a student teacher for the spring semester, and the Board adjusted the athletic officials pay scale as presented by junior-senior high school principal Scott Kocher.

The Dieterich board also discussed dates for a board goal setting session in November, discussed dates for a county wide school board member meeting in November, and learned that the annual audit is delayed until the auditing firm completes the process.

Board members also learned that Superintendent Cary Jackson has been selected to participate in Vision 2030--a statewide initiative to focus on four areas of education. Those four areas include student success, educator excellence, accountability, and finance and funding. Educational leaders and 42 superintendents from throughout the state will be participating.