By Howard Packowitz
Unit 5 is hiring a consultant to help find the next superintendent who will take over when Mark Daniel leaves at the end of the school year.
The school board voted unanimously to hire School Exec Connect at a cost of $23,500, and up to $5,000 for various expenses.
The board welcomed plans to start lacrosse teams for boys and girls, which won’t cost taxpayers. Both Unit 5 high schools and Bloomington High School are involved.
The board’s unanimous vote was greeted with cheers from many of the young athletes attending Wednesday night’s board meeting.
Friends of Bloomington-Normal Lacrosse are funding the team through donations.
The team will practice at Kingsley Junior High and play their home games at Normal West and NCHS. The District 87 School Board has not voted yet on BHS involvement.
Illinois Wesleyan University fields lacrosse squads for men and women.
No one spoke out Wednesday night at a public hearing on Unit 5’s budget for the current fiscal year.
The $192 million budget for all Unit 5 funds has a $12.8 million deficit, which is in line with the district’s two year plan that includes increased spending for higher teacher salaries.
Unit 5 is selling $16.5 million in bonds over two years to balance the budget.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
