Coal City Unit 1 announced Thursday that Amanda Herrera-Ford will be its new Director of Business Services starting July 1.

Herrera-Ford replaces Jason Smith, who is retiring at the end of the fiscal year.

“The district is excited to welcome Mrs. Herrera-Ford back to the district,” Superintendent Christopher Spencer said. “Amanda previously worked in the District for 6 years as the Administrative Assistant for Human Resources. She will be a great fit for the District, and I look forward to her starting her new role with us.”

Herrera-Ford was a 12-month contract with a salary of $112,000 that includes typical benefits like vacation time, sick time and personal time typical of a district employee.

She returns to Coal City from Valley View School District, where she’s the Director of Human resources. She has also been the Director of Human Resources for Joliet Township High School District 204.

Herrera-Ford has her bachelor’s degree in business management from Rasmussen College, and her master’s degree from Northern Illinois University.

“Amanda’s previous experience as a Director of Human Resources, work ethic, and ability to build relationships makes her a great fit for District 1,” Spencer said.

The school board also approved administrators’ contracts, along with a 2.85% salary increase for both them and the support staff. The teacher’s union is entering the final year of a four-year contract. Teachers also will see a 2.85% increase for the 2026-27 school year after seeing 6% increases over the last three years.