An agriculture education program for Central Junior High and Neponset students will be revived, if the Kewanee School District gets funding for the program.
At Monday’s meeting the Kewanee School Board approved applying for funding for the program.
Supt. Dr. Chris Sullens said there had been an ag program at Central previously. But the program was dropped a few years ago when the teacher who conducted it retired.
Also Monday:
— Greg Wertheim, director of the Henry-Stark Special Education District, gave his annual report to the board.
Wertheim reported that about 19% of the students in the Kewanee district received some sort of special education services in the past school year. That compares with about 15% of the students in the other schools in the district and in Illinois statewide.
— Sullens reported that fears that the federal government would lower funding for local school districts were unfounded.
In fact, he said, a 3.9% increase in that funding is anticipated.
At the state level, Sullens said, the funding level for Illinois state aid to schools hasn’t been determined yet for the coming fiscal year, which starts July 1.
— Parent surveys are planned, to determine how much interest there is in starting a golf program at Central Junior High, the superintendent said.
— Kewanee High School Principal Rebecca Baney said testing will be held next month for college-bound students.
The SAT and PSAT tests will be administered entirely online this year, she said.
— The board accepted resignations Neponset music teacher Elise Swinford, KHS ag teacher and bowling coach Alexis Ruemker, Central Junior High cheer coach Chelsea Hamerlinck and KHS boys basketball coach Matt Clark.
Hires approved by the board were Brett VanDeWostine as KHS math teacher, Trenton Terry for a new position as KHS science teacher, Annie Johnson as KHS ag teacher, Karen Raschke as social studies teacher at Central Junior High, Scott Endress to a new position as English as a second language teacher at Central, Abbie Hamilton as a full-time districtwide substitute teacher and retired Central teacher Bob Dybdal as a bus driver.
