District Directory

Mr. Akers

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Arbisi

Fine Arts Coordinator/ Bertha Frank Manager/ Band Assistant
Morton 709 District
Morton High
Morton Junior High
Subject: Aide

"Does life imitate art, or does art imitate life?" Whatever the answer is, the Arts are alive and well here in Morton 709.

It is a pleasure to be a part of the team that helps get nearly every arts-related production up and going in the district. Band, Orchestra, Choir, Theater, and Art Shows with promising student resident artists bring many into our community to enjoy the talents of our students.

The Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center is a busy place for budding talent and creative minds. Learn more about the school and community connection at berthafrank.org

Ms. Baldovin

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms Ball

Cafeteria - Assistant Director of Food Services
Morton 709 District
Morton High
Grade: High School
Subjects: Cafeteria - Assistant Director, Cafeteria

Ms. Barden

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Bolkema

Payroll and Grants Coordinator
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Payroll & Grants Coordinator, Business Office

Processes payroll for all school district employees and maintains accurate, up-to-date information in Frontline for employee time/attendance (Veritime) and absences (Aesop). Responsible for providing support to the Chief Financial Officer to file Grant applications and quarterly reports, as well as Illinois State Board of Education financial reporting and claims for the District.

Mr. Bomgarden

Director of Technology
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Director of Technology, Technology

Ms. Brown

Assistant Director of Student Support Services & Wellness
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Assistant Director- Student Support Services, Staff & Student Wellness Coordinator, Special Education

Mr. Castleman

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Crum

District Technologist
Morton 709 District
Subjects: District Technologist, Technology

Responsibilities: User accounts, email, web filter

Ms. Davis

Cafeteria - Bethel
Morton 709 District
Subject: Cafeteria - Manager/ Head Cook

Ms. Dodson

District Wide Information Systems
Morton 709 District
Subjects: District Technologist, Technology

Responsibilities: PowerSchool support; Data Management

Ms. Domnick

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Falk

School Resource Officer
Morton 709 District
Morton High
Subject: School Resource Officer

Mr. Finck

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Franklin

Director of Student Support Services
Morton 709 District
Morton Academy
Subjects: Director of Student Support Services, Principal, Special Education

Ms. Garcia

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Getz

Custodial Staff
Morton 709 District
Subject: Custodial Staff

Ms. Glascock

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Glaser

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Goodspeed

Cafeteria Manager/ Head Cook- Jefferson & Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Jefferson Elementary
Subjects: Cafeteria - Manager/ Head Cook, Cafeteria, Bus Drivers

Ms. Grawe

Bus Driver Aide
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Aides

Ms. Heitz

Speech Language Pathologist
Morton 709 District
Morton High
Morton Junior High
Subject: Speech Language Pathologist

Ms. Heppard

Human Resources Coordinator
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Human Resources Coordinator, Business Office

Brenda is our HR Coordinator. She handles dental, vision and health insurance as well as personnel topics ranging from new hires to retirees.

Ms. Hoffman

Speech Language Pathologist
Morton 709 District
Subject: Speech Language Pathologist

Mr. Jacob

Director of Business Services
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Director of Business Services, District Accountant, Business Office

Adam Jacob is the Director of Business Services. As the District's accountant, Adam manages the district's cash ledger and general ledger by performing monthly reconciliations. He oversees District contracts, helps the CFO prepare for audits, assists in monitoring assets, and manages Revtrak and Revtrak-related events.

Mr. Keefauver

Grounds Crew
Morton 709 District
Morton High
Subject: Grounds Crew

Ms. Kerby

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Kizer

DO Adminstrative Assistant
Morton 709 District
Subject: Adminstrative Assistant

Carolu is the front desk receptionist and secretary to the District Office. She oversees building rentals, substitutes, crossing guards and school volunteers.

Ms. Kowalski

Chief Financial Officer
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Chief Financial Officer, Business Office

Lisa Kowalski graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University in 1996, and a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University in 2001. She has worked in the legal field, marketing, and business management. In 2017, she received her Chief School Business Official Endorsement from Illinois State University and is licensed with the State of Illinois.

Lisa was the business manager at the Illinois State University Laboratory Schools before joining Morton CUSD 709 in 2019, where she is currently serving as Chief Financial Officer.

Ms. Larson

Transportation - Aide
Morton 709 District

Ms. Livengood

Food Service Truck Driver
Morton 709 District
Morton High
Subjects: Cafeteria, Cafeteria - Driver

Ms. Lohnes

Director of Food Services
Morton 709 District
Ward Grundy
Jefferson Elementary
Lettie Brown
Lincoln Elementary
Morton High
Morton Junior High
Morton Academy
Subjects: Cafeteria - Food Services Director, Cafeteria

Crystal Lohnes came to Morton 709 to bring the food services home. After decades of paying food service providers, she came on board to intentionally build a meal program that students and staff can look forward to in the middle of the school day. She is building menus as she builds a food services team. She would love to hear what your students look forward to the most.

Mr. McGuire

K-6th Building Grounds Crew
Morton 709 District
Ward Grundy
Jefferson Elementary
Lettie Brown
Lincoln Elementary
Subject: Grounds Crew

Ms. McKinley

MTSS Elementary Coordinator
Morton 709 District
Ward Grundy
Jefferson Elementary
Lettie Brown
Lincoln Elementary
Subjects: Special Education, Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

Ms. Meester

Administrative Assistant
Morton 709 District
Morton Academy
Subjects: Adminstrative Assistant, Special Education

Ms. Miller

Human Resources Assistant
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Administrative Assistant-SPED, Special Education

Ms. Miltenberger

Bus Driver Aide
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Aides

Troy Orrico

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Pfeifer

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Pilcher

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Rabe

Director of Data Services
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Director of Data Services, Technology

Ms. Rademaker

MPTV Coordinator
Morton 709 District
Subject: MPTV

Mr. Railey

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Rankin

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Rivera

District Technologist
Morton 709 District
Subjects: District Technologist, Technology

Dr. Sander, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent
Morton 709 District
Subject: Assistant Superintendent

Ms. Savicz

Bus Driver Aide
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Aides

Ms. Schauer

District Technologist
Morton 709 District
Subjects: District Technologist, Technology

Responsibilities: AirWatch, Apple Profile Manager, Copiers
Security/Communication System

Ms. Schoon

bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Schoon

Director of Maintenance K-8
Morton 709 District
Subject: Director of Maintenance K-8

Mr. Schoon has been with Morton 709 since 1994. As Director of Maintenance K-8, he stays busy with the upkeep of four grade schools and Morton Jr. High. When something isn't working, Mr. Schoon is on the job. Much of maintenance involves being proactive before there is a problem. He works closely with building custodians daily. He is a familiar face in all of the K-8 buildings. When Mr. Schoon walks in the door, something is going to get fixed.

Mr. Schuck

Director of Operations
Morton 709 District
Subject: Director of Operations

Mr. Schuck has been with Morton 709 since 1986. He started as part-time help, which led to full time in 1990. As Director of Operations, he is responsible for the care of the Morton 709 school buildings and grounds across the district. From the oldest buildings steeped in history and tradition to the newest structures like the transportation office and the new gymnasiums, Mr. Schuck knows the buildings inside and out. He makes sure the Morton 709 schools and grounds are well kept, safe and ready for student learning and extracurricular activities.

Ms. Scroggs

Assistant Director of Special Education
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Special Education, Assistant Director- Student Support Services

Ms. Sheehan

District Multilingual Coordinator
Morton 709 District
Jefferson Elementary
Subjects: Special Education, Multi-Language Learner

Mr. Shumaker

Custodial Supervisor
Morton 709 District
Subject: Custodial Supervisor

Mr. Shumaker is the Morton 709 Custodial Supervisor. He joined Morton 709 in 2016. He knows the value of excellence in a custodial staff. He values working with a team of people who care about their buildings, the staff and the students. Mr. Shumaker knows the custodial team does so many little things that go beyond their job descriptions. Their helpful hands that serve, generous smiles and attention to detail make them vital not just to the buildings, but to the students and staff. Mr. Shumaker always enters the building with a smile and a willing set of hands to help.

Ms. Smith

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Smith

Superintendent & Board of Ed. Administrative Assistant
Morton 709 District
Subject: Adminstrative Assistant

I am so grateful to be a part of Morton 709. My heart has always loved school and being in schools. I graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with degrees in Communications and Psychology.
My professional life has been a mix of both communications and social services. From Youth Services at the Human Service Center to pioneering Student Assistance Programs in District 150 (Richwoods & PAHS), and providing social services at St. Jude, I have seen the power of education, choices, and community.

My husband and I have raised our sons here, worshiped here, and somewhere along the way... Morton became our home. Our oldest son married the amazing girl he walked with in high school graduation. Our youngest son walked into graduation with a special friend from diapers to diplomas. They both have chosen to live here as adults. This community is special. Look for the good and you find it. I've kept a gratitude journal since January 2013 to remind me of the littlest gifts in each day.

After 13 years as a parent volunteer at Lincoln, I joined the team at Morton Jr. High in 2012 where every day was "a great day to be a Jr. Potter". Today, I am grateful to serve our hardworking and amazing Board of Education and Dr. Smock as their Administrative Assistant.

Dr. Smock, Ed. D.

Superintendent
Morton 709 District
Subject: Superintendent

Dr. Craig Smock has served as the assistant superintendent of Morton Schools for 15 years prior to becoming the superintendent in 2022. In his former role, he was responsible for district operations and human resources. Before his employment with Morton Schools, Dr. Smock spent the first 17 years of his career as a teacher and high school principal.

1990-1998 Mathematics Teacher and Tennis Coach, Ottawa Township High School
1998-2000 High School Principal, Bradford High School
2000-2005 High School Principal, Peoria Heights High School
2005-2007 High School Principal, Pekin Community High School
2007-2022 Assistant Superintendent, Morton C.U.S.D. 709
2022-Present Superintendent, Morton C.U.S.D. 709

Dr. Smock graduated from Tremont High School in 1986 and married his high school sweetheart, Peggy, in 1990. They raised all three of their children in the Morton community, and they all attended the Morton school system. Cassie graduated in 2013; Ryan graduated in 2015; and, Kayla graduated in 2016. Both of their daughters, Cassie and Kayla, graduated from Olivet University and became teachers. Their son, Ryan, graduated from Bradley University as an electrical engineer.

The Smocks credit Morton’s outstanding community, their church, and our exceptional school system for their children’s solid foundation, passion for learning, and academic success. Dr. Smock and his wife are avid pickleball players and enjoy playing as much as they can. When they are not on the court, they love traveling and spending quality time with their family and friends. Their faith and their church are very important in their lives, and they enjoy investing in their community. Dr. Smock considers it an honor and a privilege to be entrusted by the Board of Education to lead Morton C.U.S.D. 709 into the next chapter of educational excellence.

Our Mission... to stimulate a desire for life-long learning, to graduate productive individuals, and to challenge everyone to achieve their highest potential.

Mr. Spencer

Custodian
Morton 709 District
Subject: Custodial Staff

Ms. Spicer

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Stephens

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Mr. Sturm

Instructional Coach
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Instructional Coach, Technology Education , Technology

Ms. Suellentrop

Occupational Therapy Assistant - Early Childhood
Morton 709 District
Ward Grundy
Subject: Occupational Therapy

Dr. Teater, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent
Morton 709 District
Subject: Assistant Superintendent

Dr. Teater graduated from Bradley University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, with an emphasis in secondary education. After graduating, he began teaching math, chemistry, and physics at Woodruff high school in Peoria, IL. He also coached football and ran an after-school remediation program for math.

In 1994, Dr. Teater began teaching physics at Morton High School, where he taught for nine years. During that time he coached football, softball, WYSE and served as the junior class sponsor and Science Department chair. He also earned his Master of Science in Educational Administration from Illinois State University in 1997.

His first administrative position was at Morton High School as an assistant principal in 2003. While serving as the assistant principal, he earned his Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Illinois State University in 2004. In 2006, he moved to the central office at Morton where he has served as the Director of Technology, Director of Curriculum and Technology, and is currently serving as an Assistant Superintendent.

Dr. Teater has been married to his wife, Linda, for over 30 years and they have lived in Morton for most of that time. Their three children, Lillian, Elaina, and Clinton, have all attended the Morton schools.

Ms. Tharp

Transportation Director
Morton 709 District
Subject: Transporation Director

Mr. Thompson

Social Worker
Morton 709 District
Morton Junior High
Subject: Social Work

Mr. Tucker

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Charlene Tucker

Bus Aide
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Aides

Ms. Tuggle

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Wagner

Nurse - Part-Time
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Special Education, School Nurse Staff

Ms. Wallace

Administrative Assistant - Student Support Services Lead
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Administrative Assistant-SPED, Special Education

Ms. Waller

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Warner

Bus Driver Aide
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Aides

Nancy Weigle

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District
Subject: Bus Drivers

Ms. Weigle

Bus Driver
Morton 709 District

Ms. White

MP-TV Assistant Tech
Morton 709 District
Subject: MPTV

Ms. White is seen all over the district and helps put together some of the amazing videos found on the MP-TV YouTube channel .

Mr. Widby

Maintenance
Morton 709 District
Subject: Maintenance

Ms. Winkler

Social Worker
Morton 709 District
Lincoln Elementary
Subject: Social Work

Ms. Wright

District Technologist
Morton 709 District
Subject: Building Technologist

Ms. Zimmerman

Accounts Payable Clerk
Morton 709 District
Subjects: Accounts Payable Clerk, Business Office

Amy Zimmerman is the Accounts Payable Clerk. She assists with accounts payable, managing the free and reduced lunch program, managing certificates of insurance, managing elementary activity accounts, district credit cards, and reimbursements. Contact Amy regarding any of these functions.