The Urbana City Schools Board of Education held its regular session on Thursday night, marking the first meeting of 2026.
During the organizational portion of the meeting, Taylor Armstrong was appointed board president, while Darrell Thomas was elected vice president.
Newly elected board members Drew Sponheim and Nate Long were officially sworn in.
Following the oath of office, Sponheim and Long spoke about attending their first board meeting and shared their goals and priorities for the upcoming term.
Several board members also noted that public attendance was among the highest seen at a board meeting in recent years.
During public participation, numerous community members, coaches, and student-athletes addressed the board regarding the reopening of the hiring process for the next head football coach.
Speakers included Urbana High School starting quarterback Grady Lantz, with many attendees advocating for the consideration of Geron Stokes for the position.
Superintendent Charles Thiel offers remarks on the recent arrest of a district teacher, as well as providing updates on the ongoing search for a new head football coach.
Other Business
In other actions taken by the board:
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Amy Paul, a former board president, was approved to serve as a substitute administrator for the remainder of the school year.
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Xavier Williams was approved as a volunteer for Urbana High School track for the remainder of the school year.
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The resignation date of Mark Fenik was modified to February 13, 2026.
Donations Approved
The board also approved the following donations:
- To Urbana High School French Club, from Kroger Rewards — $63.53
- To Urbana High School DECA, from Monument Square District — $250
- To Urbana High School Football, from Sunshine Book Nook — $500
- To Urbana High School Baseball, from Josh Wingfield — $50
- To the Urbana Athletic Department, from McDonald’s — $294.90
- To Urbana Elementary and Junior High Schools, from Shutterfly — $3,722.31
The board will meet again at its next regularly scheduled meeting, scheduled for later this month.
