Burling named to IWHS board; assistant principal, coach hired

Mark Burling was appointed by the Illini West High School board to fill the vacancy on the board. He will serve until the next school board election in the spring of 2011.

Burling has experience, having served from 2001 to 2005 on the Carthage Unit District School board. He is a farmer and beef producer, and is a graduate of Carthage High School. He and his wife, Joni, have had four sons attend Carthage schools, including Zach who will be a senior at Illini West High School in the fall.

The board accepted the resignation of Eric Bryan from the board. Bryan begins as assistant regional superintendent for Hancock and McDonough counties on July 1.

In other business, the board hired Joey Dion as assistant principal and director of transportation.

They employed Andrea Weirather as cheerleading sponsor. She is a teacher at Dallas City Elementary School.

John Hughs was hired as physical education teacher and varsity boys basketball coach.

Jim Unruh was hired as head coach for the new wrestling program. Unruh coaches at Illini West, and is a teacher at Carthage Elementary School.

Deb Wilson, a secretary at the high school, was hired as SADD sponsor.

An interfund loan of $300,000 was approved from the education fund into the transportation fund. Superintendent Mike Mauzy said that the district has received one transportation reimbursement payment for the school year, and would have typically received at least three.

“I do not anticipate receiving another payment before the end of our fiscal year (June 30). The state is back at Feb. 2 for paying bills. This is not just us. Every school district in Illinois is affected,” Mauzy said.

A life safety fund amendment was made to allow for replacement of a door frame into the ag department. Earlier in June the board approved a life safety fund amendment to replace the door to the ag room. In making those plans, the architect reported that the door frame did not meet code and should also be replaced.

Mauzy reported to the board that the district's average daily attendance (ADA) had dropped about 14 students for the 2008-2009 school year. He explained that ADA statistics are provided in two ways: the best three months, and nine months per day average. The best three months ADA was 467.86 in 2007-08, and 453.15 in 2008-09. The nine-month daily ADA was 442.34 in 2007-08 and 428.96 in 2008-09.

General State Aid is calculated on the best three months.

“That's a difference of 14 students. Take that times roughly $6,000. That $84,000 is our loss,” Mauzy said.

The board approved paying bills in the amount of $382,679.03.

The board discussed a resolution originating from an East Peoria school district, encouraging the Illinois Association of School Boards to request that the Prairie State Exam be passed before a student graduates.

“Twenty-six states have an exit exam from high school,” Mauzy said. “At this point our board is not in support of this resolution. It takes away local control. Their question is what's this going to do to the drop-out rate.”