Unit 40 Board Hires Career and Technical Education Coordinator (ADDING PERSONNEL MOVES)

(LAURA SULLIVAN)

Effingham Unit 40 school board members Monday hired Laura Sullivan to direct Career and Technical Education programs and to serve as Pathways Coordinator for the school district.

Unit 40 Superintendent Andy Johnson said the effort is designed to make students aware of career options and how to equip those students. Johnson said the work will start at the high school level and then "build back" until it provides guidance for Grades K-12.

Sullivan comes to Unit 40 from her work with Eastern Illinois Education for Employment System the past 18 years. We will talk more with her in future newscasts. 

The Board also approved job descriptions for new positions, including six "flex teachers". Johnson said the plan is to employ fulltime substitute teachers. As the flex teachers gain experience, they could be considerred for regular teaching positions in the district. Johnson is hopeful of finding a Special Education teacher for one of the flex spots.

Also approved was acquisition of a character and culture building curriculum. The $56,000 curriculum is designed to develop more consistency in helping students. Johnson said it's going to be a "slow rollout" for the program.

The Board approved a memorandum of understanding for a hard to fill position in public speaking. Current Unit 40 teacher Dannette Williamson is being hired for the position, as a dual credit position with Lake Land College. It's hoped the position could be ready effective Spring 2025 Semester.

Board members heard from Effingham High School student Lincoln Ervin, who recently traveled to Washington, DC as an ambassador for Tourette Syndrome. Ervin will speak at a national gathering in Chicago in August. 

Lincoln reminded that Tourette Syndrome, which involves various tics such as repetitive movements or unwanted sounds, is something you're born with; it's not something you catch. He shared statistics that 1 in 160 children ages 5 to 17 have Tourette's, and what you see in the media isn't reflective of the majority of those with Tourette; swearing occurs in less than 10% of cases.

The Unit 40 Board acted on other personnel matters.

Those hired were Kayla Blair as secretary at Central School; Samantha Conrady as a general education teacher at South Side for the coming school year; Erin Wendling and Becky Quandt as assistant high school volleyball coaches, Wendling as JV coach and Quandt at fresh/soph coach; Gail Warner as assistant high school cheer sponsor; Grace Clark as head high school pom pon sponsor; Megan Adkins as 8th grade girls basketball coach; Nancy Ervin as 7th grade girls track coach; Dan Walker as assistant junior high Scholar Bowl coach; and Brandie Thompson as paraprofessional for the coming school year.

Transfers were approved with Morgan Wilson named head junior high softball coach and Stacey Walk named head junior high Scholar Bowl coach. A leave was granted Tiffany Mumm.

Resignations were accepted from Sidney Donaldson as 8th grade girls basketball coach, Bethany Parker as 7th grade girls track coach, and Marichu Lavengood as cafeteria monitor at Central School.

Several people were appointed as volunteer EHS Band assistants including Dan Brickner, Cheyenne Brickner, Braden Kiser, Erick Somodi, Brandon McDaniels, Marc Moss and Michael Terry.