Effingham Unit 40 is closer than ever to having its own day care facility.
During the school bard’s meeting Monday, members unanimously approved a resolution establishing Unit 40’s eleventh fund, which will be used primarily for the district’s new day care facility, the Little Hearts Early Childhood Center.
“I think there’s prime examples in the area right now of, if you didn’t do it this way, how you could have some problems,” Superintendent Andrew Johnson said.
The district has been taking the steps to establish a day care, including the acquisition of the Little Lambs Early Childhood Center building, as the area continues to grapple with a lack of affordable child care and businesses as well as school districts struggle to recruit and retain staff who sometimes struggle to find somewhere affordable to send their children while they work.
Unit 40 hopes the day care will help alleviate these problems by giving district staff members access to convenient and affordable child care. It will initially be open only to Unit 40 staff, and those who are now enrolled in Little Lambs. But Johnson said the district might later open it to others.
Johnson explained why he believes it is in the district’s best interest to establish a fund for the day care.
“We are not a for profit-business, and the business we purchased was a for profit business,” Johnson said. “They’re separate entities. Levying money does not go into tuition-based day care like we’re providing. That has to be separate.”
Johnson clarified that any additional revenue from the day care would be used to make spots at the facility more affordable.
“We are not in this to make money; we are in this to pay our bills” he said. “If we make money, we are going to reduce the rate at which we charge for people to bring their children to our day care, and that is an intent.”
Johnson said that although it may take some time for the facility to get its feet on the ground financially, the district expects to soon receive tuition based payments in early to mid July, and he said grant funding for the day care is also anticipated “right out of the gate.”
“Unfortunately for us, we’ll show a negative in that business until we get those regular checks flowing as far as tuition and grants.”
According to Johnson, the day care will close under the district’s leadership for a week, beginning Thursday, June 29, at which time staff will undergo training before opening its doors in July.
“The first students will come on property the 10th, and we should be receiving tuition payments, I’d say, by the 10th,” Johnson said.
In other matters, the board approved a contract for the district’s interim assistant superintendent, Rem Woodruff.
Also during the meeting, the board recognized some of the district’s spring athletes for their recent performances at the state level.
Being recognized Monday were coaches and players from the Effingham High School baseball team, which finished fourth in the state, as well as the Effingham High School boys and girl track and field teams who both had several athletes compete in the state track meet.
In other matters, the board:
• Appointed Cheyenne Brickner, Dan Brickner, Erin Browne, Stormy Durkin, Brandon McDaniels, Marc Moss, Matt Chesner, Brandon Duncan, Erick Somodi as band volunteers.
• Approved the hire of Tracey Etheridge, Daniel Walker, Ana Macias, Patricia Stevens as paraprofessionals.
• Approved the hire of Angela Byers as a secretary at Central Grade School.
• Approved the hire of Christina Mayes a teacher assistant at Little Hearts Early Childhood Center.
• Approved the hire of Joy Rubin as Learning Behavioral Specialist 1 at Central Grade School.
• Approved the district’s list of fundraisers for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the hire of Lindsey Storm to work in the Effingham Junior High School computers/technology department.
• Approved the hire of Hollie Sarchet as a four hour bus driver.
• Approved the hire of Don Brown as a maintenance employee.
• Appointed Jean Cornell as an Effingham High School Community Service Coordinator.
• Appointed Jeff Tonn as a coach for the Effingham High School boys junior varsity baseball team.
• Appointed Melissa Armstrong as a the co-head coach of the Effingham high School girls tennis team.
• Appointed Abra Woomer as a volunteer coach for the Effingham High School tennis team.
• Accepted the resignation of Elizabeth Wilkinson as an Effingham Junior Junior High School cheer coach.
• Accepted the resignation of Carol Babbs as a coach for the Effingham Junior High School scholastic bowl team.
• Accepted the resignation of JuLee Heuerman as a teacher assistant at Little Hearts Early Childhood Center.
• Accepted the resignation of Cheryl Scanlan as a guidance counselor.
• Accepted the resignation of Dannette Williamson as an Effingham High School prom sponsor.
• Approved the district’s updated handbook of for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved a pole vault camp for this summer.
• Approved dairy bids from Prairie Farms for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved a bakery bid from Aunt Millie’s for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved a pizza bid from Domino’s Pizza for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved grocery bids from Kohl Wholesale for the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the policy manual for the Little Hearts Early Childhood Center.
• Approved cyber security insurance through Travelers Insurance.