Elmwood hires YMCA for after-care

By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post

ELMWOOD – Elmwood CUSD 322 students will have new after-school care providers for the 2024-25 school year.

The Elmwood School Board on Monday approved a three-year after-care program with the Greater Peoria YMCA.

The YMCA will replace Right at School, which handled after-school programing last year.
“I think it will be a better service for our families,” said Joel Schmieg, who was presiding over his first meeting as superintendent.

Schmieg noted that the YMCA is a partner in a proposed Wellness Center in Elmwood, which could offer expanded programming down the road if the facility is built.

Schmieg said the YMCA will charge $55 per week for one child participating in five days of after-care. That’s $3 more than Right At School charged last year but is $6 lower than the YMCA typically charges, Schmieg said.

The board also unanimously approved a three-year lease with Heart Technologies, Inc., of Peoria for phone service. Heart will provide new phones, software upgrades and technical support for a cloud-based system that will cost $1,200 per month.

The current school phone system was installed in 2015, according to School Board President Mark Davis. In addition to a $28,000 system upgrade required to run the old phone system, nearly half of the school’s 60 or so Mitel phones would have to be replaced at $375 apiece, according to Kevin Faulkner, the district’s director of technology.

As another part of its consent agenda, the board approved Schmieg to develop a tentative budget for Fiscal Year 2025 and to expend funds until the budget is adopted.

Schmieg said he will check with the board on any expenditures over $10,000.

In personnel, the board approved several 2024-25 hirings. Hired at a salary to be set by the collective bargaining agreement were Jennifer Ferguson, Spanish teacher; Rick Hutchison, second-shift custodian; Kimberly Lawrence, bus driver; and the following part-time paraprofessionals: Makayla Vicary, JoAnna Bernal, Constance Roberts, Mallory Miller, Emily Brunnelson and April Jansky.

Also hired was Cara Edwards as a long-term substitute, Branden Bruninga as emergency long-term elementary physical-education substitute, Dianne Burwell as learning loss specialist, Susan Flinn as part-time student facilitator, Cooper Hoffmann as junior high boys cross country coach and Kate Meyers as a volunteer junior high boys and girls cross country coach.

In other business, the board approved naming Schmieg and Treasurer Stephanie Baysingar as Freedom of Information Act officers.

After the meeting, Schmieg and the board toured the building. Renovations to the elementary school are completed and include new floor tile and paint in all hallways and classrooms.

 The first day of school for students is Aug. 15, with dismissal at 2:15 p.m.