The Commercial-News, Danville, IL

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June 17, 2009

Oakwood hires technology leader

BY KIM LUTTRELL

OAKWOOD — The Oakwood school district now has a full-time technology coordinator.

The school board named David Calkins as the first full-time technology coordinator at an annual salary of $55,000 for a 12-month contract. Terms of the contract include 20 vacation days and other district benefits.

Calkins had been a business/computer instructor at Oakwood High School, as well as a part-time technology coordinator.

Board members also approved a plan to purchase natural gas for the district through the Illinois Energy Consortium. The consortium purchases electricity and natural gas for participating school districts in Illinois at wholesale prices. Oakwood already purchases its electricity through the consortium.

Superintendent Keven Forney estimated the district will save about $30,000 a year by purchasing its natural gas through the consortium.

Constellation Energy of Baltimore is the natural gas supplier to the consortium.

In other action, board members:

-- Approved a resolution that sets U.S. Route 150 as a hazardous crossing. This allows the district to bus students so they don’t have to cross the busy highway.

-- Approved a contract with John Burrows of Tilton as water treatment plant operator. Burrows’ salary is $350 per month.

-- Approved a resolution adopting the prevailing wage schedule.

-- Approved the renewal of property/casualty insurance with Heartland Insurance Agency in Danville for $209,000.

-- Heard a report from Donna Miner on the library and media services in the district.

-- Learned that Amie Burke of Oakwood was elected Illinois FFA president for the upcoming year.

-- Learned from Forney that the district is still $390,000 short in state funding that it was to receive. Forney said he has no idea when or even if the money will be paid to the district.

-- Approved a one-year leave of absence to Holly McNellis for medical reasons and a one-year leave of absence to David Calkins to accept the full-time technology coordinator position.

-- Approved the employment of Amy Hoepper as junior high seventh-grade math teacher.

-- Approved the employment of Breanna Whittum and Lori Gooden as teachers for summer school; Debbie Calvin and Susan Baer as assistants for summer school.

-- Approved the employment of Joe McDonald as a personal assistant for a student at Westville High School for summer school and regular school.

-- Approved the re-employment of certified staff: Courtney Hemker, Jennifer Leach and Carol Moore.

-- Approved the employment of education service personnel: Robert Hall, Kim Pinegar, Sharon Powell, Julia Calkins and Shelly Knee.

-- Discussed the shortage of space in the high school and the possibility of relocating the unit office and the weight room. No decisions were made pending further study.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Oakwood School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. July 22 in the grade school conference room.

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