Peotone School Board Approves Sweeping Personnel Changes, Fills Key Vacancies

The Peotone School District 207-U Board of Education approved a lengthy and significant personnel report during a special meeting on Monday, July 21, addressing numerous vacancies through new hires, internal promotions, and status changes while also accepting a slate of resignations and one retirement.

The comprehensive report, the sole action item on the agenda, outlines changes across all district schools and departments as officials prepare for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

Among the new certified staff, the board hired Elizabeth Sanders as a second-grade teacher at Peotone Elementary School (PES) and Alyssa Alexander as a math teacher at Peotone High School (PHS). The district also filled two long-term substitute teacher positions at PES with the appointments of Janine Podgorny and Carrie Norwood.

The board also approved several key changes in status for existing certified staff. Stephanie Wilda will move from a 6th-grade special education teacher at Peotone Junior High School (PJHS) to a permanent substitute teacher role covering both the junior high and high school. Stephanie Worman is transferring from a teaching position at PES to become a special education teacher at PJHS. In a notable move, PHS math teacher Marisa Banowski was appointed as the new Math and Science Instructional Coach for PJHS and PHS, effective July 30.

This appointment fills a role left vacant by the resignation of Nicole Phelps, which the board also accepted, effective July 1. Other certified staff resignations included Andrew Butz as the 7th-grade boys’ basketball coach, James Wedic as the 8th-grade girls’ head basketball coach, and Kacey Dewall as a second-grade teacher at PES.

On the classified staff side, the district is bolstering its transportation department by hiring four new school bus drivers in training: Erin Davidson, Harmonie Gustafson, Karen Sawinski, and Paige Watkins. The board also hired several paraprofessionals, food service workers, and filled key administrative support roles. Meredith Lafferty was hired as District Registrar/Assistant to the Bookkeeper, and Lyda Robinson will serve as an Administrative Assistant/Assistant to the Athletic Director at PHS.

The report detailed several status changes for classified staff, including the non-renewal of the contract for District 1:1 Nurse Alyssa Mack. In contrast, the position of PHS Administrative Assistant, held by Mandi Fier, was changed to a 12-month role. The board also eliminated a permanent substitute paraprofessional position held by Kevin McIntyre, citing it was no longer needed.

Finally, the board accepted the retirement of transportation school bus driver Susan Hoffman, effective July 1, and the resignations of summer crew member Laith Abumijmeh and Accounts Payable Coordinator Gabriel Rivera-Sklarenko.