Unit 40 Board hears about summer programs for students

EFFINGHAM — Effingham Unit 40 is finalizing its summer plans as it approaches the end of the 2023-24 school year.

During Unit 40 School Board’s meeting Monday, members heard about some of the programs the district will be offering to students this summer.

“There will be lots and lots of opportunities, and we’re looking for more over the years to offer students in the summertime,” Unit 40 Superintendent Andrew Johnson said.

This summer, for the first time, the district will be teaming up with Benchworx, an educational program that introduces children to woodworking. Johnson said the program will be available for students from June 25 to 27.

“I’ve never seen it in operation, but I’ve been told he’s got this trailer, and he goes to parties for kids and things like that,” Johnson said regarding Benchworx. “It’s incredible, so we’re going to team up with him for this summer for grades 1-5.”

Another program the district will be offering this summer is Full STEAM Ahead, a program that educates students from grades 1-6 on several subjects, including science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

“We did this last summer,” Johnson said. “It went really really well. We’re looking forward to that.”

The district’s students will also be able to take part in the Effingham County Chamber’s Camp Start-Up, an entrepreneurial camp for children between 11 and 15 years old. Johnson said the camp will be held at Effingham High School from July 31 to Aug. 1.

Additionally, district students can once again participate in Teens With Tools, which consists of programs that teach students about different trades and technology.

“Last year, it was a pilot program that we kind of worked out with Lake Land. They want to expand it to other school districts other than just Effingham,” Johnson said.

Also during the meeting, Johnson said the district’s enrollment, which is currently 2,296, has decreased by 16 students in the past year. He responded to residents who have asked why the district continues to plan for the expansion of its facilities and programs despite this trend.

“I would hope people would understand and be on board with the idea that if we go bigger and better and provide more space and more opportunities and programs, then we’re going to be in a position to hopefully see that increase in enrollment as we move forward,” he said. “I would like to hope that the more we offer, the more enticing it will be to people to move to our community and be a part of the programs that we’re expanding.”

In other matters, the board approved job descriptions for a dean of students at South Side Grade School and a career and technical education programs and pathways coordinator for grades K-12. Johnson said the district has already received about 10 applications for each of these positions.

“Both of those have been posted, and the deadline was Tuesday, I believe. And we have very good applicants,” Johnson said.

In other matters, the board:

• Approved registration fees for the 2024-25 school year.

• Approved a personnel manual and updated salary schedules for Little Hearts Early Childhood Center.

• Approved the purchase of a van from Northside Ford in the amount of $32,850.

• Approved the district’s final calendar for the 2024-25 school year.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Effingham Police Department, extending its contract for a school resource officer by three years.

• Approved an agreement with Bushue Human Resources for the monthly cost of $1,050.

• Approved the purchase of a new floor scrubber for Effingham Junior High School in the amount of $16,500.

• Approved the employment of Chloe Larimore and DeAnna Bowlin as general education teachers at South Side Grade School for the 2024-25 school year.

• Approved the employment of Brooke Overbeck as a paraprofessional for the 2024-25 school year.

• Approved the employment of Heather Batson and Lexie Boggs as learning behavior specialist 1 teachers for the 2024-25 school year.

• Approved the employment of A.J. Lybarger, Andrew Lotz and Braden Verdeyen for district maintenance over the summer.

• Approved the employment of Megan Adkins, Jason Eirhart, Katrina Eirhart, Jared Hammer, Andrew Donaldson, Landon Wright, Kyle Webb, Braden Kiser, Sean Mahaffey and Lindsey Storm for work on the district’s technology over the summer.

• Approved the employment of Missy Donaldson, Karla Greenwood, Jennifer Hall, Christin Hartke, Amy Hewing, Shanna Lewis, Erica McNeely, Angie Moeller, Jeni Phillips, Nita Romack, Joy Rubin, Kristen Runde, Elizabeth Russell, Denice Tarin, Delaney VanDoren and Abra Woomer as bridge teachers for grades K-5 for the summer.

• Approved the employment of Diane Arnold, Diana Brown, Ronda Flowers, Pam Freeman, Darlene Krietemeyer, Glynnis Leftwich, Ana Macias, Lisa Miller, Lisa Probst and Brandy Simmons as bridge paraprofessionals for grades K-5 for the summer.

• Approved the employment of Kristy Rutledge as a bridge secretary for grades K-5 for the summer.

• Approved the employment of Courtney Mathews, Erica McNeely and Jim Whittier as English as a second language staff for the summer.

• Approved the employment of Lisa Beck, Jill Feldhake, Stephanie Mitchell, JaLana Robison and Shayna Scott for Effingham Junior High School summer school.

• Approved the employment of Becky Daugherty and Rene Green as extended school year learning behavior specialist 1 teachers.

• Approved the employment of Jenny Castillo and Emily Lotz as extended school year speech-language pathologists.

• Approved the employment of Angie Dust, Amy Wernsing, Allison Bowen, April Hardiek, Katherine Batley, Barbara Jamison, Kristi Lee, Seth Hinson and Diana Brown as extended school year paraprofessionals.

• Approved the employment of Mackenzie Koester as a nurse paraprofessional.

• Appointed Megan Tylka as a sponsor for the Effingham High School Student Council.

• Appointed Sarah Wyckoff as a senior class sponsor for Effingham High School scholar bowl.

• Appointed Sidney Donaldson as an Effingham High School yearbook sponsor.

• Appointed Tracie Riley as a sponsor for Effingham High School’s drama club, spring musical and fall play.

• Appointed Melissa Habing as a junior class sponsor for Effingham High School scholar bowl.

• Appointed Jean Cornell as the community service hours coordinator for Effingham High School and the high school’s junior prom sponsor.

• Appointed Jackie Haarmann as an Effingham High School FHA and pep club sponsor.

• Appointed Norene Ault as the sophomore class sponsor for Effingham High School.

• Appointed Ty Totten as the freshmen class sponsor for Effingham High School.

• Appointed Becky Wilson and Lynsie Hoffman as co-sponsors for the Effingham Junior High School Student Council.

• Appointed Stephanie Mitchell as an Effingham Junior High School yearbook sponsor.

• Appointed Jeni Phillips as an Effingham Junior High School literary sponsor.

• Appointed Stacey Walk as an assistant for Effingham Junior High School scholar bowl.

• Appointed Donna Walls as an Effingham Junior High School drama sponsor.

• Appointed Haley Brown as an Effingham Junior High School Mustang Outreach sponsor.

• Approved the transfer of Angie Byers as a secretary at Effingham Junior High School.

• Approved leaves of absence for Jeffery Habing, Josie Westendorf, Janelle Schuette, Elizabeth Budde, Katie Beckman and April Karpus-Weddle.

• Accepted the resignation of Miranda Burk as a paraprofessional at Effingham Junior High School.

• Accepted the resignation of Amy Donaldson as a secretary at Effingham Junior High School.

• Accepted the resignation of Tommy O’Brien as a health/physical education teacher at Effingham Junior High School and assistant track coach at Effingham High School in August of 2024.

• Accepted the resignation of Natalie Boldt as a teacher assistant at Little Hearts Early Childhood Center.

• Accepted the resignation of Delaney VanDoren as a teacher at South Side Grade School in August of 2024.

• Accepted the resignation of Stephanie Mitchell as the Effingham Junior High School scholastic bowl coach at the end of the 23-24 school year.

• Approved the retirement of Angela Denoyer, Jeff Schafer, Nicole Wear-Maloney, Rene Green and Marina Zaring at the end of the 2026-27 school year.