The Effingham Unit 40 school board has modified the fee structure for next school year and allowed the school district to absorb more costs of dual credit classes of its high school students.
Included in next year’s fees will be a $25 per semester fee for any student taking a dual credit or multiple dual credit course.
The presentation came from Effingham High School Principal Kurt Roberts and school counselor Tara Raddatz, who researched the matters and scenarios of students and families in the school district using Lake Land College for dual credit courses. They also talked with other school district administrators before bringing a modified fee proposal to the board.
“We are noticing the high costs it is for a family who has a student who is taking dual credit classes,” said Roberts. “While the costs will change based on the number of students in the classes. It changes every year. But, the estimated yearly cost to the district for dual credit classes is $44,000.”
Roberts said that’s Lake Land College’s bill to Unit 40, and so far, the Unit 40 families are paying the bulk of that, if not all of it.
“We are proposing the district will be assuming more of that amount,” said Roberts. “We want to pass along some of that savings to our families.”
The college provides the text books, the Unit 40 district provides the instruction. Fees range between $36-$185 per course, depending on the number of credits and what it is.
One example presented was that of an unnamed Unit 40 student or family of that student that was billed $823 for dual credit classes. With the proposed new program fee of $25 per semester paid by any student taking a dual credit class– that same bill would be lowered to $256.
Raddatz said having a flat dual credit program fee doesn’t deter them from taking as many dual credit course as they want or need. Unit 40 offers several dual credit options: math, English, social studies, business, and shop courses.
“We want to encourage them to stay at the high school and we want to encourage them to take the classes they need in order for them to be successful in college,” said Raddatz. “We feel like this makes it more affordable for families.”
Superintendent Andrew Johnson said he encouraged the research and believes this proposal will help students and Unit 40 families.
In other business, the Watson Masonic Lodge 602 along with the Illinois Grand Lodge, Illinois Masonic Children’s Assistance Program, made a donation to help pay off unpaid meal debts in the Effingham school district. Together they presented a check for $8,500 to board President Robin Klosterman.
“Our Lodge talked about the possibility of providing a donation like this toward meal debt a couple of years ago,” said Andrew Evans, Junior Warden of Watson Lodge 602 and head of the student debt committee, in a press release.
“But then the pandemic hit, schools started receiving state and federal help and all lunches were paid for. I reached out to the district and started working with Mr. Ryan Elsasser, (director of food services at Unit 40). “I was shocked to learn the problem had ballooned to the point of over 325 families being affected, and the meal debt for students was on pace to surpass $12,000 by the end of this semester.”
Evans submitted a Youth Organization Connection proposal to IMCAP for a grant to help the student debt. IMCAP approved $6,500 in grant funds towards reducing the student meal debt in the Unit 40 school district.
Johnson applauded the Masonic group saying, “There are a lot of needs in this community and sometimes these debts don’t get paid.”
Worshipful Master of Watson Lodge 602 Nicholas Webb said, “The grand aim of the Masonic Lodge, worldwide, is to provide relief and support to our myriad communities and their members.”
In related matters, the board heard the district’s food service served 27,744 meals in November 2022. Revenue from student and adult meals that month totaled about $67,266 and state and federal revenue earned about $69,590 for a total revenue for November 2022 at about $136,857. Expenses for the month including salaries, supplies and purchased services, totaled about $153,161.
Following closed session, the board:
– Employed Kelli Robertson, 4 hour bus aide; Kevin Jamison, 2 hour bus driver; Laci Willenborg, paraprofessional; Amanda Baxter, paraprofessional; Maggie Carroll, paraprofessional; Trenton Colwell, custodian at EJHS; Mackenzie Walker, 5th Grade Teacher 2023-24 School Year; Josaphine Westendorf, LBS1 Teacher 2023-24 School Year; Lacy Althoff, Dean of Students/Teacher 2022-23 Dean of Students 2023-24 for East Side, Early Learning Center and South Side;
– Appointed Erin Browne, High School Flag Squad Sponsor; Emily Flach, High School Volunteer Asst. Cheer Coach;
– Transferred Alixandrie Summers, LBS1 Teacher 2023-24 School Year at EHS;
– Accepted the resignations of Stephanie Ochs, paraprofessional at SS; Megan Ames, Cafeteria Monitor at ELC; Sarah Stock, Nurse Paraprofessional; Christin Hartke, Junior High Track Coach; Theresa Vogt, High School Volleyball Coach;
– Approved leaves of absences: Charity Ozier, Rene’ Green, John O’Dell and Susan Gillenwater, all FMLA; and Allison Bowen, LOA.
