Cash-strapped Steeleville district forced to amend budget

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Following a formal public meeting on an amended budget for 2010-2011 last week, the measure was passed by the Steeleville District 138 Board of Education.

The budget needed amending due to a shortfall of $110,000. The cash shortage can be attributed to the state being behind in various payments totaling more than a quarter of a million dollars.

Nevertheless, the board approved a 4.4 percent salary increases for Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland and Jennifer Hagel, high school principal/assistant superintendent. According to Mulholland, the raises were less than those of Administrative Assistant Gayla Bradley, Deb Uchtman and Judy Rodewald, administrative secretaries, Cindy Ramsey, business manager/board secretary, and Jan Wolters, district treasurer.

In other personnel matters, the board hired Katrina Niemeyer to teach third grade.

Darryl Winkelman was named to coach both girls' basketball and boys' golf at the high school. Renee Rheinecker and Andy Gerlach were named to coach volleyball at the high school and softball at the grade school, respectively.

Bart Tuetkin, who resigned as a maintenance worker for the village this month, was hired as custodian at the grade school, replacing Dave Harper, who is retiring.

The board was informed that more than 80 percent of students met the adequate yearly progress standards in reading and math in the district.

A Belleville auditing firm, J.W. Boyle and Company, was selected to perform the district's audit for the new year.

The student handbook for the upcoming year was approved. Except for some informational items, there are no major changes, according to Hagel.