Number of personnel changes at ACSD special session include hiring of new Board Secretary/Business Manager

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Tuesday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m. for a special session. Several personnel matters were decided, among them hiring a replacement for retiring Board Secretary/Business Manager Janice Rea.

After conducting its regular business and prior to adjournment, the Board entered a series of closed sessions to conduct interviews with Angela Carlson, Tina Cooper and Jaime Curtin for the School Board Secretary/Business Manager position. The recommendation to hire Jaime Curtin as the School Board Secretary/Business Manager at an annual salary of $65,000 was approved when the Board reconvened in open session and reviewed all information and references for each applicant.

Prior to those closed sessions, the Board approved the hiring of Tharin Benson as a junior high assistant football coach. Blaine Snitker was approved as 8th/9th grade baseball coach for both 2016 and 2017, as well as a secondary math teacher and junior high football coordinator. Amanda Jellings was approved as a first grade teacher at West Elementary; Anne Wuebker was approved as a Secondary Spanish/ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, pending the receipt of her ESL endorsement; and Tyler Scholl was approved as a secondary science teacher and assistant girls track coach.

The Board also accepted the resignation of Cheryl Adam from her part-time Title I teaching position, effective at the end of the current school year, as well as the resignation of Shala Llewellyn from her Secondary 21st Century Site Coordinator position.

The Board also voted in favor of a recommendation to approve equal distribution of Teacher Salary Supplement funding in the amount of $1,250 per staff member to all staff members who are eligible, depending on Full Time Equivalency. The Board also approved the recommendation to hire Sarah Bieber Palmer as high school vocal music instructor and high school musical director.

The list of Alternative High School graduation students was approved. The Board also approved changing the time for its regular board meetings from 7 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., beginning in May 2016. This change will be re-evaluated at the September 2016 board meeting.