Two retirements and one resignation in Collinsville Unit 10 set off a game of musical chairs in the district to fill the vacated positions.
Webster Elementary School sign / Photo by Roger Starkey
Vicky Reulecke is retiring from her position as director of curriculum and assessment and Dave Stroot is retiring as principal of Caseyville and Jefferson elementary schools. Mathew Noyes is stepping down as principal of Dorris Intermediate School to become the Triad Middle School principal.
Current DIS 5th-grade teacher Kevin Robinson will replace Stroot at Caseyville and Jefferson. School Board President Garry Peccola, who bargained with Robinson as the co-president of the Collinsville Education Association – the Collinsville teacher’s union – praised Robinson.
“He is a great teacher and he was always fair when we were working with him and the union,” Peccola said.
Kevin Stirnaman will move from his position as Webster Elementary School principal to replace Noyes at DIS. Superintendent Bob Green approached Stirnaman about the position after Noyes announced his resignation, Green said. “He was the best candidate for the job,” Green said.
The DIS principal is in charge of more teachers and students and is an 11-month position, the Webster principal position is 10 months. Brad Snow, a 6th-grade teacher at DIS, will replace Stirnaman at Webster.
Current Collinsville High School Assistant Principal LaToya Berry-Coleman will step in for Reulecke as the director of curriculum. Berry-Coleman’s work ethic and strong people skills were her greatest assets in the competition for the job, which included nine other candidates, all of whom are outside of the district, Green said.
“She communicates well with people,” Green said. “She gets along with people.”
Berry-Coleman was instrumental in the district’s Professional Learners Community, training team members and administrators, Green said. PLC was started this year in Unit 10 as a way for teachers to meet one time per week to discuss ways to improve the learning process.
A strong familiarity with Common Core and the assessment process were also beneficial, Green said. “She is bringing the skills to the table,” Green said.
No replacement for Berry-Coleman has been identified.
Every open position was filled by an internal candidate, which Green said was not intentional. “The last time we had openings, we hired some from the outside,” Green said.
Several other personnel matters were addressed at the School Board’s special meeting Thursday. Zachary Bilyeu was hired as a new CHS physical education teacher. It was announced that Collinsville Middle School social studies teacher Deborah Lexow will retire at the end of the school year.
Several postings were made for positions in the district, including a part-time physical education teacher at CMS, a health care attendant or educational assistant at Webster as well as two special education teachers and three educational assistants at Hollywood Heights School.
