Wood v. North Wamac School District No. 186

              1
NOTICE
Decision filed 12/11/08. The text of
this dec ision may be changed or
corrected prior to the filing of a
Petition for Rehea ring or the
disposition of the same.
NO. 5-07-0563
IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
FIFTH DISTRICT
_____________________________________________________________________
TAMMY WOOD, ) Appeal from the
) Circuit Court of
Plaintiff-Appellee, ) Marion County.
)
v. ) No. 06-L-16
)
NORTH WAMAC SCHOOL )
DISTRICT NO. 186, ) Honorable David L. Sauer and
) Honorable Patrick J. Hitpas,
Defendant-Appellant. ) Judges, presiding.
______________________________________________________________________
JUSTICE DONOVAN delivered the opinion of the court:
The defendant, North Wamac School District No. 186 (District), appeals from a
judgment finding that the plaintiff, Tammy Wood, is entitled to contractual continued service
and ordering the District to grant her tenure and to reinstate her as a teacher.
The pertinent facts are not disputed. Tammy Wood is a certified teacher who was
initially hired by the District for the 2001-2002 school year. Wood performed full-time
teaching duties during that term. Subsequently, the District tendered a contract, employing
Wood as a full-time teacher for the 2002-2003 school year and then again for the 2003-2004
school year. Wood taught full-time throughout the 2002-2003 term. On June 13, 2003,
Wood was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Wood was unable to teach during the
2003-2004 academic year because of her injuries. The District granted Wood's request for
a paid leave of absence for both semesters of the 2003-2004 school year. The District then
tendered a contract, employing Wood as a full-time teacher for the 2004-2005 school year.
Wood taught full-time throughout that term.
On March 22, 2005, the board of education for the District voted not to reemploy