Board OKs ex-Limestone teacher, coach Bell
By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post
ELMWOOD – While the weather is warmer in Arizona, Tom Bell is excited to leave the Grand Canyon State for a more familiar lifestyle and climate in central Illinois.
The Elmwood School Board on Monday unanimously approved hiring Bell as junior and senior high principal to replace Tony McCoy, effective July 1. McCoy is retiring after eight years as a principal in CUSD 322.
Prior to spending the past five years in Arizona, the last three as principal at Southern Arizona Community Academy in Tucson, Bell’s educational work was all in Illinois.
A native of the Cass County town of Virginia,where his family still farms, Bell served three years in the U.S. Army before graduating from Western Illinois University. He later earned master’s degrees in public history and archival research from the University of Illinois-Springfield and education administration from Quincy University. Bell was a social-studies teacher at Astoria Junior High from 2004-08 and at Limestone High School from 2008-20.
Bell also has extensive coaching experience, having served as a football assistant at Limestone and head coach of the boys and girls cross country and tennis teams.
“My family and I are so excited to be part of the community,” Bell said. “The main reason we want to come back is we just miss the sense of community. Elmwood is a great town. For me a small town doesn’t mean small minds. To me it’s the opposite, it means big hearts.”
Bell, 49, and his wife, Allie, have two children, Charlotte, 6, and 6-month old Angus. Bell said he plans to live in Elmwood.
“I think it’s very important for an administrator to be a part of the community,” he said.
Elmwood Superintendent Joel Schmieg said Bell rose above three other finalists for the position, which attracted seven applicants overall. Bell receives a starting salary of $100,000 on a three-year contract.
“His vision for school emphasizes values such as academic excellence, community involvement and a student-centered culture for learning,” Schmieg said. “These values mirrour our own Trojan Way – Tradition of Excellence.”
In other personnel moves, the board congratulated teachers Kayla Peters and Tricia Little for earning tenure. The board also accepted the following resignations: Constance Roberts and JoAnna Bernal, elementary aides; Emily Roberts, high school spirit cheer; Dianne Burwell, learning-loss specialist; Thomas Huffcutt, bus driver; and Cindy Dunn, cafeteria worker.
In other business, the board approved a $212,500 bid from GIVSCO Construction Company of Pekin to install a new floor and remodel the elementary-school gym. There were six bids for the project. The deal with GIVSCO includes a $5,000 allowance for bleacher adjustment and repairs and a $11,270 contingency if a vapor barrier is needed under the flooring.
Work on the gym will start June 2 and must be completed by July 31, Schmieg said. Funding comes from the Peoria County school facilities sales tax and from a $50,000 ISBE school facilities maintenance grant.
The board also handled annual formalities by approving membership in the IHSA and IESA and a consolidated district plan for ISBE.
In regards to finances, Schmieg said he plans to present an amended budget to the board in May with expected adoption in June.
Also, Schmieg said the school district’s tax rate will decrease again, from 5.23289 to 5.22793.
Board member Jessica Reyling reported that work on a new district strategic plan for the next three to five years is nearly complete and will include a new vision statement, mission statement and goals.
McCoy reported students donated 39 units of blood during a school blood drive and said senior Josie Griffith was seventh in Illinois’ oice of Democracy audio-essay competition to earn a $700 scholarship.
