Five Dixon Public Schools staffers will have new roles in 2023-24

DIXON – The Dixon Public Schools Board approved new positions for five staff members during its regular meeting Wednesday.

Kris Baker will become the new assistant principal at Reagan Middle School starting during the 2023-24 academic year. Baker had been a part-time dean of students and a technology instructor for grades six through eight.

Rob Long was approved for training for head custodian at Jefferson School, effective April 17. Long is currently at Washington.

Michelle Spinden, a social worker at Madison, will be a districtwide social worker for grades K-5 starting next school year.

Alexis DeWaele will become a seven-hour-a-day paraprofessional at Reagan Middle School starting this month after being a part-time lunchroom attendant.

Mary Beth Zachary will become a library paraprofessional starting in the fall. She currently is a 35-hours-a-week Title I paraprofessional.

New hires

The district made several new hires, including Jeff Long as a custodian at Dixon High School and Robert Collins as a custodian at Washington School.

Tori Highley will become a paraprofessional starting March 20.

Ashley Kerns will be a social worker at Madison School starting Aug. 14.

Retirements

Planned retirements will be high school business teacher Lee Eastman on June 30, 2027; middle school physical education teacher Don Randick on June 30, 2027; high school health assistant and nurse Mary Chris Pierce on Dec. 31, 2025; and Jefferson custodian Anthony Dalke on Oct. 1.

Resignations

The board also approved a list of resignations, including Jessica Meusel stepping down as assistant principal at Dixon High School, effective at the conclusion of this school year.

Other resignations during the current school year include Reagan paraprofessional Stephanie Jones as of Feb. 27, Title I reading specialist at Jefferson Amanda Fuger on June 30, bus supervisor at Jefferson Rhonda Sippel at the end of the school year, and assistant to the superintendent and receptionist Emma McCoy at the end of March.

Other

The board also approved a slate of spring sports coaches, including Rick Kent as a tennis assistant at the high school.

Other coaching appointments were at the middle school. They were Alicia McPhillips as head of track and Don Randick and Matt Hamel as track assistants, as well as Samantha Logan and Bre Shippert as track assistants.

Joining high school teams as volunteer assistants were Doug Carlson for baseball, Olivia Lawson and Samantha Valk for softball, and Lindsay Ditmars for girls soccer.

This story was corrected 9 a.m. Wednesday to properly identify and distinguish retirements and resignations.