Westmont High School has a new varsity softball coach and a full-time athletic trainer after the CUSD 201 Board of Education approved both hires at its Tuesday, July 21, meeting.

Krista Sbarra will lead the Sentinels' varsity softball program at a coaching stipend of $7,018. Melanie Veclavik joins the athletic staff as the school's athletic trainer at an annual salary of $60,000. Both appointments were part of the consent agenda, approved as a package alongside other personnel and financial items at the 6:30 p.m. session at South School in Westmont.

The hires continue a stretch of athletic staffing moves for the district. The board approved Anthony Cirrincione as head wrestling coach at its Tuesday, May 19, meeting, and a District Athletics Committee met Wednesday, May 13, at Westmont High School to discuss areas for growth and a vision for the program. The board reviewed that committee's findings at its Tuesday, June 16, session.

Athletic director Rainy Kaplan's staff now includes a dedicated wrestling coach hired in May, a new softball coach, and a full-time athletic trainer, all added since the athletics committee's spring review.

The board also accepted a $35,000 donation for new baseball dugouts at Westmont High School at the same July 21 meeting.

On the financial side, the consent agenda included approval of an additional June 2026 expenditure report totaling $1,597,644.74 and ratification of the June 2026 regular payroll at $4,405,593.95.

Students return Wednesday, August 19, for the first day of attendance. Teacher institute days are scheduled for Monday, August 17, and Tuesday, August 18. The next regular CUSD 201 board meeting falls on Tuesday, August 18, the same day as the second institute day.