Mahomet-Seymour School Board President Max McComb confirmed that the Board of Education has had ‘informal’ discussions on retaining Superintendent Rick Johnston as a building consultant during the renovation and addition to Middletown Prairie Elementary.
“The Board of Education has no plans to retain Rick Johnston in any administrative capacity,” McComb said. “There have been informal discussions regarding potential consulting opportunities relating to building construction. We are not making any announcements or further comments at this time.”
Johnston was hired as Superintendent in July of 2012 and helped the district break ground Middletown Prairie Elementary in November 2012. His contract as Superintendent expires July 1. He will be replaced by Dr. Lindsay Hall, current Superintendent of District 709 in Morton, Illinois.
When the Mahomet Daily asked McComb for an interview, he said the board has no public comment at this time. When asked for a timeline for public board discussion, McComb did not give a timeline. When asked for a two-weeks notice for an interview, McComb said he was not sure if he could do that.
As Superintendent, Johnston oversaw the construction of Middletown Prairie Elementary. The building opened in 2014. The addition to Middletown Prairie will include first and second-grade classrooms and an enclosed playground. Changes to the current Middletown Prairie Elementary building will include the relocation and renovation of the receptionist’s office, the board room, the library, a full-size FEMA tornado-rated gymnasium, the art room, technology offices, meeting rooms and an expanded cafeteria where all grades can eat lunch.
