Principal as football coach? Dixon administration will be more visible on game days

DIXON — Dixon Public Schools made it official on Wednesday, retaining Jared Shaner as high school football coach for next school year even as he assumes new duties as principal.

The board of education acted on a list of new hires, resignations and retirements at its regular May meeting. It included several coaching assignments, too.

Superintendent Margo Empen said the administration met about the situation and plans to have members of the district leadership be more visible on game days because Shaner will be occupied with coaching.

It also creates the administrative oddity that in his role as coach, Shaner falls under the jurisdiction of incoming Activities Director Roger Fegan. As principal, however, Shaner is Fegan’s supervisor.

“On football calls, it will definitely be Mr. Shaner,” said Empen, her tone light when asked about the peculiarity.

These were the other personnel changes made:

Coaching resignation: Mandy (Curia) Hinckey, dance team, effective May 9.

Coaching appointments: Josh Brigl, boys soccer; Bunyan Cocar, girls volleyball; Simon Thorpe, cross country; Lee Eastman, golf; Jamie Brigle, girls tennis; Luke Ravlin, girls basketball; Chris Harmann, boys basketball; and Micah Hey, wrestling.

New hires: Amber Johnson, special education teacher at Reagan Middle School; Zack Heitz, physical education-strength and conditioning at Dixon High School; Hannah Hopkins, social worker at Jefferson.

Resignations: Tiffany Irvin, lunchroom attendant at Madison; Deylan Delhotal, part-time tech at DHS; Rod Garman, custodian at Washington; Molly Jacobs, music teacher at Jefferson; Justice Smith, paraprofessional at Jefferson; and Brittany Thies, lunchroom attendant at Madison.

Retirements: Judy Dillon, kindergarten teacher at Washington; Tammy Hill, language arts teacher at Reagan.

Changes in status: Meg Penaflor, from first-grade teacher to Title I first-grade teacher at Washington; Zack Sandrock, from social studies teacher to physical education teacher at Reagan; Greer Collins, from English language arts teacher to social studies teacher at Reagan; Gretchen Bulfer, from paraprofessional at Washington to paraprofessional at Jefferson and Angie Ortgiesen, from Title 1 paraprofessional to first-grade teacher at Washington.