Casey-Westfield Board Approves 12 Personnel Actions After Closed Session

Casey-Westfield CUSD C-4 Board of Education Meeting | June 22, 2026

Article Summary: Returning from a 55-minute closed session on Monday, June 22, 2026, the Casey-Westfield Board of Education accepted two departures and filled 10 positions, including a district bookkeeper, a cook, a custodian, a full-time bus route driver and six coaching and sponsor roles.

Personnel Actions Key Points:

• The board accepted a resignation/retirement from Rhonda Smiley, effective immediately, and a resignation from Carrie Patrick as JV volleyball coach, effective immediately.
• April Wade was employed as district bookkeeper/financial assistant.
• Six coaching and activity sponsor positions were filled, including head and assistant junior/senior high cross country.
• The board also hired a 12-month custodian and a two-hour cook for Monroe Elementary and a full-time bus route driver.

CASEY — The Casey-Westfield Community Unit School District C-4 Board of Education on Monday, June 22, 2026, acted on 12 personnel items after emerging from a closed session, filling a central office finance position, two Monroe Elementary support roles, a bus route driver slot and six coaching and sponsor positions.

The board adjourned to closed session at 7:43 p.m. under exemptions c1, employment, and c21, discussion of closed session minutes, of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, on a motion by Mike Fouty seconded by Lisa Huddlestun. Members reconvened in open session at 8:38 p.m. on a motion by Huddlestun seconded by Fouty. Both roll calls were 7-0. No formal action may be taken in closed session under Illinois law, and the personnel votes followed the return to open session.

Departures

The board accepted a letter of resignation and retirement from Rhonda Smiley, effective immediately. The minutes do not state Smiley’s position; the agenda listed the item as acceptance of a notice of retirement from a certified faculty member.

Members also accepted a letter of resignation from Carrie Patrick as junior varsity volleyball coach, effective immediately.

Appointments

The board employed April Wade as district bookkeeper/financial assistant, filling a central office role in the district’s business operations.

At Monroe Elementary, the board employed Tim Lubold as a 12-month custodian and Kendra Braden as a two-hour cook for the 2026-2027 school year.

Dawn Collins was employed as a full-time bus route driver, an appointment that lands as the district prepares to take delivery of its new route bus fleet, expected July 8.

In athletics and activities, the board employed Jennifer Harris as head junior/senior high cross country coach and Megan Schnetzler as assistant junior/senior high cross country coach. Robin Karras was employed as high school girls JV basketball coach and AJ Cox as freshman/sophomore basketball coach. Devin Tharp was employed as Class of 2030 sponsor and Savannah Short as color guard sponsor.

Harris was among three visitors recognized at the opening of the meeting, along with Gina Ritter and Sarah Seaton.

Before taking up employment recommendations, the board approved a post-closed-session consent agenda covering approval of the May 18, 2026, closed session minutes and a determination to keep those minutes confidential. The motion, by Becky Clement and seconded by President Tracy Gelb, passed 7-0.

The board adjourned at 8:46 p.m. on a motion by Fouty seconded by Jason Sharp, with all seven members voting yes.