Unit 40 Board Looks at Building Scenarios

(DAMIEN SCHLITT OF BLDD ARCHITECTS SHARED INFORMATION ON FACILITY SCENARIOS WITH THE BOARD MONDAY NIGHT)

Effingham Unit 40 school board members Monday got a look at four scenarios regarding district facilities.

The options are based on a common goal determined by focus groups that met over the past several months to plan for a centrally-located Pre-K to Grade 5 facility

Damien Schlitt of BLDD Architects presented the options.

SCENARIO 1--a new Pre-K to 2nd grade building; utilize Central School for grades 3-5, and house Little Hearts Early Childhood Center at South Side--cost $64 million

SCENARIO 2--two new buildings, one housing Pre-K to grade 2, the other to house grades 3-5--cost $92 million 

SCENARIO 3--a new Pre-K to grade 1 building, housing grades 2-4 at Central, and housing grades 5-8 at the junior high--cost $70 million 

SCENARIO 4--a new grades 6-8 building, housing grades Pre-K to second grade at Central, and housing grades 3-5 at the junior high--cost $79 million 

Schlitt said the existing facilities were evaluated first. He said, "most of the buildings are in very good shape to start." He added, though, that if the status quo is maintained, the District will look at $19 million dollars in repairs over the next 10 years. Meanwhile, eliminating older facilities would save maintenance dollars.

Schlitt said Scenario 2 is due to pushback over the idea of one Pre-K to 5th grade building, since almost 1,000 students would be housed there.

Unit 40 Superintendent Andrew Johnson said the planning is needed, saying, "We need to have a vision as to where we are going as a district."

No decisions were made Monday night; the information is there for input from board members, teachers and other district employees, and the community.

Also Monday, the Board amended the lease agreement with Tri-Barr Investments to assume mowing, snow removal and maintenance duties at the building now housing the Little Hearts Early Education Center. The decision will lower Unit 40's monthly lease payment to $2,875 from $3,300. It was also agreed to submit a request for a $50,000 maintenance grant that could be used to help pay for eletronic marquees at the high school building and the junior high school building. The district would match the amount of the grant.

Board members approved Jesse Patnaude and Katie Harper as directors of the Effingham Unit 40 Foundation; to extend the district mowing contract with Herrmann Mowing; and agreed to seek bids on a new and a used backhoe.

The Board approved a tentative fiscal year tax levy expecting a 12% increase in the school district's equalized assessed valuation and heard and saw a report from Chris Strohl and Bonnie Moore from Lake Land College on a Teens w/Tools program collaborated on the district and the college this past summer. 48 junior high students participated in the program that introduced the students to everything from rocketry to welding to wind turbines. The purpose is that some students may want to seek a career that involves working with their hands and to give them a taste of what that's all about.

The Board also recognized member Jane Willenborg as an Illinois Association of School Boards Distinguished Board Leader. The award recognizes Willenborg for her years of service on the Board but also for her service to the IASB at higher levels.

(UNIT 40 SUPERINTENDENT ANDY JOHNSON PRESENTS JANE WILLENBORG WITH THE IASB DISTINGUISHED BOARD LEADER AWARD)

In personnel action, the Unit 40 board hired Macy Mayhaus as Little Hearts Early Childhood Center Instructor, Christy Mesnard as Little Hearts Early Childhood Center Administrative Assistant, Natalie Boldt as Little Hearts Early Childhood Center Teacher Assistant, and Julie Wortman as Payroll Assistant. 

Unit 40 is establishing 5th and 6th grade boys and girls basketball programs. Elizabeth Russell was hired as the 6th grade girls coach, Megan Adkins as the 5th grade coach, Andrew Donaldson as the 6th grade boys coach, and Garrett Wolfe as the 5th grade boys coach. Also, Don Kimura was hired as the junior high boys basketball "B" team coach with Superintendent Johnson said the hirings indicate "no more cuts" in the basketball program, and Violet Marshall was hired as a four-hour bus driver.

Transfers were approved: Rhonda Parmenter as a seven-hour food service person at South Side, Sharon Goldman as a four-hour food service person at South Side, Denise White as a 5-1/2 hour food service person at the high school, and Sharon Poynter as a swing shift custodian at the high school.

Leaves of absence were approved for Erica McNeely, Allen Birch and Diane Claar, and a resignation was accepted from Katelin Roedl as a Little Hearts Early Childhood Center Teacher Assistant.