Unit 40 Board Finalizes School Year, Coming School Year

The final day of the Unit 40 school year will be May 19.

The school board finalized the calendar Monday night. Students will go in the morning on the 19th, while staff will be there the full day.

The first day of the 2023-2024 school year for students will be Thursday, August 17.

The Board heard a Preschool for All presentation from Early Learning Center Principal Jennifer Fox. We will have more on that program in future stories.

Board members also heard from Troy Ozenkoski on Unit 40's purchase of Little Lambs Early Childhood Center. Ozenkoski, who sits on the board of a local daycare center, is a member of the Teutopolis Board of Education and said he understands the move by Unit 40 to buy a facility to attract teachers with children who could utilize the center. He said that the move would make it tough for them to compete and provide an unfair advantage against private businesses.

Unit 40 Superintendent Andrew Johnson said, though, that they hope to educate individuals as part of their program who could end up working for other daycare centers. Johnson added that he is losing two more staff members for lack of childcare and said, "That has to stop."

The Board voted to extend Johnson's contract by one more year, leaving him with a five-year contract. It was also agreed to utilize a SuperEval software program to be utilized by Johnson and the Board for use in evaluating Johnson. The program may later be used to evaluate other admininstrators and staff members. 

Johnson reported that testing has been worked out, despite the loss of the district's computer network. Some of it will be done by paper and pencil, some will be done by a combination of paper and computers, and high school testing will be done by desktop computer units. 

The Board approved changes in the school handbooks and in discipline guidelines. The changes add two college days for seniors, add 15 points at the junior high for depantsing someone, and added 40 points for doing videotaping in any school building.

Board members also hired Imagine This! for $9,400 to begin a rebranding project for the school district, and also approved hiring a Marketing and Communication Specialist to work on the district's behalf with the project. Still to be finalized is a revamp of the school district website.

The Board approved purchase of a transportation truck and a special education bus, and approved utilizing Wolke Nursery to do landscape projects at the Early Learning Center and at Central Grade School for an amount not to exceed $23,000.

Glass and Shuffett was retained to do the audit of the past fiscal year, and Effingham Asphalt was awarded the quote for asphalt sealing and striping at the front parking lot of Central Grade School for $14,310. Also approved was the waiver that will let students whose parents live outside the district but work in the district to pay a lower tuition.

The Board also got to recognize the EHS Competitive Cheer squad who competed at the state tournament.

Following a closed session, the Board took action on these personnel moves:

EMPLOYMENT:

Katie Carie Parapro @ ELC

Jared Parmenter Custodian @ EJHS

Tammie Line Secretary/Receptionist @ BOE

Heather Piper LBS1 @ Central for 2023-24 School Year

Jennifer Fritcher LBS1 @ EHS for 2023-24 School Year

Barb Williams 4 Hr. Bus Driver

Michael Lambton, Norene Ault, Jennifer Kesl, Jenny Wudtke EHS Summer School 2023

Missy Donaldson, Samantha Eads-Drake, Jennifer Hall, Christin Hartke, Amy Hewing, Shanna Lewis, Angie Moeller, Jeni Phillips, Elizabeth Russell, Denice Tarin, Elizabeth Wilkinson K-5 Summer Bridge Teachers

Diane Arnold, Destiny Hans, April Hardiek, Stacey Hollinshead, Darlene Krietemeyer, Angie Probst, Lisa Probst, Brandy Simmons, Shelby Wilkinson, Catherine Zumwalt K-5 Summer Bridge Paraprofessionals

Deb Blankenship K-5 Summer Bridge Secretary

LEAVE OF ABSENCE:

Dana Flowers LOA Extension

Shelia Rentfrow LOA

RESIGNATION:

Carrie Hankins Parapro

Savannah Mooschekian Parapro

Joshua Morton Teacher - End of 2022-23 School Year

Lacy Althoff F/S Girls Basketball Coach

Mendi Pals Co-Sponsor EJHS Student Council

RETIREMENT:

Lorrie Milleville End of 2023-24 School Year

Norene Ault End of 2025-26 School Year

Kathryn (Katie) Breer End of 2025-26 School Year

TERMINATED:

Trenton Colwell Custodian @ EJHS