Steeleville District 138 BOE approves new Ag teacher
<span>The Steeleville District 138 Board of Education met in regular session on Monday and approved the hiring of new agriculture education teacher Sarah McKinnies.</span>
<span>McKinnies will replace current teacher Blake Colclasure, who submitted his resignation last month to pursue his Ph.D. Colclasure's resignation is effective at the end of the current school year.</span>
<span>McKinnies is from Du Quoin and graduated from SIU with a degree in agriculture education. This will be her first teaching position.</span>
<span>"We had five or six applicants and we needed someone who was well-rounded in being able to offer all the elements of the Ag. program," said District Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland. "It's a pretty long list of skills you need to have and we felt she fit that the best."</span>
<span>In other action, the board approved the 2015-16 public school calendar, with the first day of student attendance set for Aug. 19. The district will start the school year with two teacher institute days on Aug. 17 and 18.</span>
<span>The board also approved a summer school program in conjunction with the Monroe-Randolph Regional Office of Education. </span>
<span>"The board did approve for us to host a summer school program," Mulholland said. "We're working with the ROE in conjunction with their truancy grant."</span>
<span>In September 2014, the Monroe-Randolph ROE was one of many ROEs across the state to be awarded the Truants' Alternative and Optional Education Program (TAOEP) grant. According to the Monroe-Randolph ROE's website, the TAOEP program "is established to offer modified instructional programs or other services designed to prevent students from missing school, or dropping out."</span>
<span>No dates have yet been set for Steeleville's summer program.</span>
<span>During teachers' curriculum reports, the board heard from Steeleville High School math teacher Brad Copelin, kindergarten teacher Julie Sutton and first grade teacher Kristin Wedemeyer.</span>
<span>"One of the things that the teachers had in common was there is a need to purchase new textbooks," Mulholland said. "They're right, there is. We're going to be taking a look at that and seeing if we can fit it into next year's budget because they're not cheap."</span>
<span>Mulholland said a decision on new textbooks could take some discussion.</span>
<span>"When we purchased our textbooks 10 years ago, it was about $25,000 for a new series," Mulholland said. "I'm sure it's even more now. It's a substantial expense."</span>
<span>When asked if the district had considered online or CD-based textbooks, Mulholland gave her opinion.</span>
<span>"I never discount anything new, but that is not a trend we are investigating currently," she said. "We get samples from different publishers and it's been awhile since I've ordered new textbooks."</span>
<span>In other board news, a special reorganization meeting will be held on April 29 at 8 p.m. at Steeleville High School. Randolph County Clerk Pat Laramore told the Herald Tribune on Tuesday that she did not receive any more late ballots from Steeleville, meaning Lisa Lowry-Rohlfing's one-vote lead over Lisa Ernsting for the final seat on the BOE stands.</span>
<span>Lowry-Rohlfing is one of three board members to win a second term, joining Aaron Fiene and Korey Bockhorn. With an election-best 233 votes, newcomer Shelley Dintelman won a seat on the board.</span>
Roundup
<span>The Steeleville BOE approved maternity leave for Jamie Petrowske beginning Thursday. Megan Bradley was approved as her substitute.</span>