Elmwood board picks Reyling as member

By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post

ELMWOOD – After interviewing nine candidates for an open school board position last week, the Elmwood School Board selected Jessica Reyling for the board at its Monday meeting.

Reyling has three children who attend the school, has lived in Elmwood since 2014 and is employment manager at Liberty Steel & Wire. She was approved by a 5-1 vote. Kevin Windish was the lone dissenting vote.

“I just feel like there were better candidates out there,” Windish said. “But I’ll be the first to welcome her and I’m more than happy to work with her.”

Reyling fills the vacancy left by Dean Cantu.

Board members praised the number of applicants for the position and Mark Davis noted that there will be four contested spots in the next election.

“I just encourage you to get your name in the hat,” Davis said.

The board also elected two officers: Davis as vice president and Katie Vaughan as secretary. President Val Ramirez said he would be working on committee assignments for the next meeting.

In other business, the board approved Mike Case as volunteer trap shooting coach; approved Dee Hanlon as academic progress specialist for the remainder of the school year for $9,349.56, to be paid for with ESSER III funds; and moved the June 27 board meeting to June 20.

The board also discussed but took no action on the possibility of shipping and supply issues for the HVAC replacement in the elementary school this summer. A building meeting was scheduled for an extension to the ag shop.

Finally, Principal Tony McCoy’s report noted that the scholastic bowl team is hosting an IHSA regional on March 7, which is to start at 4:30 p.m. Elmwood will also hold the sectional on March 12, starting at 10 a.m.