Monbrum, Mikula moving into administration

Courtesy photos
THE UNIT 1 Board of Education has approved the transfers of classroom teachers Rodney Monbrum [left] and Corey Mikula [right] into administrative positions. Monbrum will serve as assistant high school principal and Mikula will take over as assistant principal at the middle school effective July 1.

By: 
STAFF REPORT

Two Unit 1 educators will be leaving their classrooms to assume administrative positions in the district.

Rodney Monbrum, a physical education and health instructor at the high school and Corey Mikula, a middle school math teacher, will assume the assistant principal positions in their respective buildings beginning July 1.

The transfer from classroom teachers to front office personnel was approved by the Board of Education on Wednesday [April 7].

Monbrum will assume the assistant’s position from Lucas Kripple who is moving to the district administration center to serve as director of special populations replacing Sandy Rakes who is retiring at the close of the school year.

Mikula will assume the post currently held by Taryn Trotter who was recently selected to serve as principal of Coal City Elementary School replacing Jennifer Kenney who is transferring to the co-principal position at the high school for the 2021-2022 school year.

The appointments are part of the Board’s administrative transition plan.

Mikula, an alum of Coal City High School, has been teaching in the district for four years, and in that time he as coached multiple sports, served as the middle/high school math department leader and was a participant in the Leadership Practicum program started by Superintendent Dr. Kent Bugg prior to it being cut short due to the pandemic.

Monbrum, also a Coal City High School alum, has been teaching and coaching in the district for the past eight years. He serves as chairperson of the district’s Wellness Committee and was also a participant in the Leadership Practicum program. Prior to assuming a teaching position in Coal City, Monbrum served as an athletic director in another district.

Both Monbrum and Mikula were granted one year contracts with salaries of $78,000 and $74,500 respectively.