Superintendent Chuck Lane says the solar panels that have been installed behind the Centralia High School annex will soon be connected and functional. Keystone Power Holdings and Ameren have been working to resolve remaining technical issues, and Lane says that if all goes well the panels may be ready by the end of April.
The Centralia High School board will seek to fill a vacancy next month. After the consolidated election on April 1, Centralia High School will advertise to find individuals interested in taking the position left by Galen Mahle, who resigned from the school board after being named Centralia city manager. The board will also reorganize following the election and name a new president.
The superintendent briefly commented on the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle U.S. Department of Education. Lane says Centralia High school is unaffected so far as there has been no loss of funding. Lane believes that whatever happens to the Department of Education, the school’s largest sources of federal funding, IDEA grant and Title I funds, are unlikely to be cut.
“We’ve heard nothing from the state or federal government that that money would be affected,” Lane said. “Never say never, but there are a lot of legislators that have school districts that rely on those funds, Republican and Democrat. That would be a tough pill for them to swallow, I think, if they start cutting funding.”
The board approved adding Highland to the South Seven conference.
The April board meeting has been rescheduled to April 24 at 5:30.
The board approved the 2025-26 school calendar. Principal Reid Shipley says the only notable difference from this year is the lack of a voting day, which allows for a three-day Thanksgiving break. Next year’s Homecoming is scheduled for October 3. First semester exams will be December 17, 18, and 19. Prom will be April 25 and May Fete will be May 7 and 8, and second semester exams will be May 20, 21, and 22.
The board accepted the resignation of Josh Nunnery as girls’ assistant softball coach.
The board approved the employment of Doug Jack as girls’ assistant softball coach, Miah Pantak as secretary to the principal, effective April 14, Joe Fartheree as a part-time technology integration specialist for the 2025-26 school year, and Lance Wenzel as athletic trainer effective June 1.
