Feb. 24—URBANA — In the fifth hour of this week's marathon meeting, school board members signed off on the promotion of Beth Ladd — from principal at Urbana's Early Childhood School to the district's executive director of student services.
Said Ladd, the former special education administrator in Champaign's Unit 4: "I know we, over the last few months, have heard some concerns from families about our special education services and programs and I am ready to do the hard work to make sure we are meeting the needs of all of our students."
Ladd, also a one-time principal at Champaign's Garden Hills Academy, will replace retiring Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Todd Taylor, only with a different title and restructured job description.
Ladd's role will include "more opportunities to participate in individual school planning and problem-solving meetings which occur during the school day," Assistant Superintendent for HR Angi Franklin said.
In other news
— With a few grant applications still in the works, $100,874.41 has been raised for Urbana High's band renovation project. Given the relatively short time frame of the fundraising drive — six to eight weeks — that amounts to "a miracle," chair Karen DeBauche told board members.
IGW Architecture's Scott Wachter said the plan is to present bids to the board at its March 7 meeting. Depending on the scope of the project, it's estimated to cost between $571,320 (the original plan) and $776,320 (with alternate items, including $103,000 for instrument/music storage and $32,000 for sound panels).
Construction would begin in May, with the project "substantially completed" by summer's end, Wachter said.
— Wiley Elementary isn't the only district facility in line for asbestos abatement. It will also happen at Urbana Middle School's gym floor and east balcony, with board members OK'ing a $184,984 bid from St. Peters, Mo.-based Midwest Service Group.