New member joins Hobart school board
As Thursday’s Hobart school board meeting got underway, technology director Christopher King offered a short computer tutorial to newly elected board member Sandra Hillan, who replaced William Bigler.
Board members vote electronically on laptops, and the results are displayed on two screens in the board room.
She quickly picked up the drill and then raised her right hand to be sworn into office by board attorney and Hobart City Judge William Longer.
“It’s quite humbling to serve with such talented people,” Hillan said. “I plan to spend time trying to get to know the business of the board.”
Hillan, a 1981 Hobart High School graduate, is a retired administrator who served in Hammond and Merrillville, where she was principal at Iddings Elementary School. She came out of retirement recently to teach kindergarten at Meister Elementary School in the River Forest Community School Corp.
“It’s a desire I had to contributed to my community,” Hillan said about her quest to run for school board. She and her husband, Chuck, have a daughter who’s a sophomore at Hobart High School. Their son graduated last year.
Hillan commended Superintendent Peggy Buff- ington for quickly filling an administrative position at the high school after Assistant Principal Jake Rodriguez left recently for a job at Crown Point High School.
The school board unanimously appointed Craig Osika as dean of students at a salary of $66,745. Osika is also varsity football coach and was a wellness coordinator for the district.
Buffington said there are three deans at the high school along with co-Principals Misty Scheuneman and Brett Munden. She added that Larry Juzwicki, director of security, recently retired.
“Kids see him more than just their coach,” Buffington said of Osika, a Hobart graduate and former NFL player. “They see him as someone they can look up and help mentor them.
Student school board representative Faith Spencer also commended Osika’s hiring. “My peers respected that. It showed a lot,” she said.
Munden said Osika will be equipped to deal with new trends such as vaping and discipline issues. “He checks the boxes for us,” Munden said. “He’s a great leader. He commands respect, and the kids like him at the same time.”
The board also reelected Terry Butler as president. Other officers include Mike Rogers, the vice president, and Rikki Guthrie, the secretary.