Unit 40 Board Members Hire S-Side Dean of Students

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education packed a lot of business into a special meeting Wednesday evening.

The Board hired Talitha Wiedman as Dean of Students at South Side Elementary School. Wiedman will work with Jessica Reeder, who will serve as South Side Principal after working with Cheri Marten this year. Marten is retiring at the close of this school year.

Unit 40 Superintendent Andy Johnson said Wiedman was one of 10 applicants for the position and one of three people interviewed for the job. She will begin her duties July 1.

The Board also approved a new two-year contract for Effingham High School Assistant Principal Tony Pullen. His current two-year contract is expiring.

Board members approved a revamp of certain vocational courses to create a FFA program at Effingham High School. Ty Totten will serve as the instructor for the courses. Johnson said 38 students are already indicating interest in the program. The district approved an extended assignment grant agreement for the program.

The Board approved the purchase of $472,000 in curriculum for ELA, Government, and Computer Science, and agreed to seek bids on perimeter fencing at district schools as a security measure. In a related move, the Board hired summer school security officers since the SSOs currently working are only hired for the nine months of the school year. Also approved was a renewal of an employee assistance program for $15,000, and the hiring of Glass and Shuffett to perform the district audit work for $28,100. 

Several other personnel moves were approved, including hiring Michelle Habing as an ESY paraprofessional; Troy Bloemker and Shannon Edwards as part-time SSOs; Lori Koester as junior high Health and PE teacher, junior high assistant softball coach, and 8th grade volleyball coach for the coming school year; Katie Lacy as PFA paraprofessional for Little Hearts Early Childhood Center for the coming school year; Stacey Hollinshead, Bernice Schabbing and Taryn Johnson as seasonal help at Little Hearts; Leland Knierim as an ESY bus driver and Kelli Robertson as an ESY bus aide; Barb Mueller, Sue Kinkelaar, Nathan Delks and Nancy Moeller as summer bridge bus drivers; Lisa Campton as a summer bridge bus aide; Hollie Sarchet, Wayne Mapes and Kelli Robertson as transportation summer help; and Katherine Batley and Chelsea Painter as paraprofessionals for the coming school year, along with Mack Thompson as varsity boys basketball coach as reported on elsewhere.

Those appointed were Trent Mason as high school band director, Michael Lambton as high school chorus director, Austin Stout as junior high vocal director, and Logan Andrews as junior high band director.

Leaves of absence were granted Micaela Zerrusen, Kadi Borries, Abigail Taylor, Bethany Parker, Sidney Donaldson, Angie Byers and Mikkel Andrews.

Resignations were accepted from Kay Inman as a bus driver as of the end of the school year, Heather Martin as special education teacher as of the end of the school year, and DeAnna Bowlin as lead teacher at Little Hearts as of June.

Retirements were approved for Dana Flowers as a bus driver in August and for Troy Kyle as a mechanic as of September. 

Anissa Lyons was terminated as a paraprofessional.

Board members Andrew Altman, Chad Thompson and Erica Boone were not present for Wednesday's meeting.