The Waterloo School Board unanimously approved three-year contracts for many administrators in the school district at its March 16 meeting. 

The board OK’d contracts for Waterloo High School Principal Lori Costello, WHS Assistant Principal Alan Guehne, WHS Assistant Principal Christy Osterhage, Waterloo Junior High School Principal Nick Schwartz, WJHS Assistant Principal Amber Cruser, Gardner Elementary School Principal Jessica Washausen, Rogers Elementary School Principal Brian Smith, Curriculum Coordinator Johnathan Schmieg and Special Education Coordinator Julie Bender. 

“I’m proud to report that these individuals are interested in three-year contracts,” Waterloo Superintendent Brian Charron said. 

Those new contracts begin at the start of the school’s fiscal year on July 1. The salaries for all the administrators will be set at a later date. 

The board also discussed the coronavirus pandemic, as the meeting took place the night before all Illinois schools closed for at least two weeks to help slow the spread of COVID-19. 

“It was just a weird day today with all the kids showing up and cleaning out their lockers,” Schwartz remarked. “We didn’t know what to expect, but they were really good. They were very calm.” 

Zahnow Elementary School Principal Mary Gardner echoed that sentiment and praised the district’s teachers for working over the weekend to prepare for the closure and explaining it to the students, especially the younger ones. 

Director of Building and Grounds Jack Latchem also noted his team planned to spend the week thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing all the district’s buildings. 

Finally, school board member Gary Most reminded those assembled that Harrisonville Telephone Company is offering free internet access to students who currently do not have it during this pandemic. 

Because of responses like that, Charron said he was as optimistic as he could be. 

“I think it’s all going to work out as good in Waterloo as it can anywhere because of the quality of the people and the amount of support I’m hearing,” he said.