Manhattan 114 Sets Committee of the Whole Schedule, Approves Key Administrative and Teaching Hires

Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education Meeting | April 8, 2026

Article Summary: To improve meeting efficiency and strategic planning, the Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education formalized a new Committee of the Whole schedule and approved several key personnel appointments, including a new administrative assistant to the superintendent.

Manhattan District 114 Administration Key Points:

• Amy Maher was officially hired as the new Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent and will also serve as the board’s recording secretary.

• The board established a recurring schedule for its Committee of the Whole meetings, setting them for the last Wednesday of the month.

• Following a closed session, the board approved the employment of four new staff members, including teachers and a school psychologist.

The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, finalized a new meeting structure to enhance its strategic planning capabilities and approved multiple hiring contracts to bolster its administrative and educational staff.

During his report, Superintendent Dr. Damien Aherne introduced Amy Maher as the new Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent. Maher, who comes to the district from New Lenox, holds a Master of Business Administration from North Central College and possesses a strong background in public relations and community leadership.

“Not only will Amy be my assistant, but she will also be the recording secretary here to the Board of Education and will be shadowing Sarah in that role over the next couple of months,” Dr. Aherne told the board. Maher’s employment was formally approved via a unanimous roll call vote following the board’s closed session.

To streamline board operations and provide ample time to digest complex district issues, the board formalized a schedule for its newly adopted Committee of the Whole (COTW) model. The board agreed that holding COTW meetings on the last Wednesday of the month provides the ideal spacing between their regular action meetings, which typically occur on the second Wednesday.

The board set its upcoming COTW dates for April 29, May 27, and June 24. The April 29 meeting, scheduled for 6:00 p.m., will double as a special action meeting to allow the board to approve time-sensitive summer roofing contracts.

In addition to regular board business, the district will participate in a goal-setting and direction workshop facilitated by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) on May 6 at 6:00 p.m. Dr. Aherne noted that the workshop will give the administration direction for the upcoming school year while laying the groundwork to develop a comprehensive strategic plan in the fall.

Before adjourning for the evening, the board returned from an executive closed session to unanimously approve the employment of several new educational professionals for the upcoming school year.

The approved hires included Angie Turner as a kindergarten teacher at Wilson Creek Elementary, Natalie Stefani as a fourth-grade teacher at Manhattan Intermediate School, Rachel Taylor as a resource teacher at Manhattan Junior High School, and Jacqueline Castellaco as a school psychologist.