BELLEVILLE — The School District of Belleville welcomes their new Business Manager, Jessie Backes. Jessie comes to Belleville from Marshall Public Schools, where she was the Interim Business Manager.  Before that, Jessie worked in the school districts of Deerfield and Evansville. Her first day with Belleville was July 1.

“We are excited to have Jessie join us. She has already provided excellent insights into the challenges school districts face financially. Her experience in a variety of school districts and private companies is an asset as she begins her position in Belleville,” said District Administrator Jim Schmitt.

Backes’s career has come full circle. She was Belleville’s volleyball coach over a decade ago, and is excited for her return to Belleville. 

“I’m so happy to be back in Belleville School District after a hiatus,” Backes said. “This is a wonderful community and I am looking forward to serving the students, staff and community.”

July is a quiet time in schools, but not in the district office. Backes has already interacted with several staff, and once staff return in late August, those interactions will increase rapidly. 

“We are in the midst of closing one fiscal year and getting ready to set the budget for the new fiscal year. I am excited to meet our students and staff when everyone returns in the fall,” she said.

Having Backes join the administrative team at Belleville starts a new chapter for the School District. This year, there are several large district projects, including a debt management task force, strategic plan development, and long-range facilities planning. Backes will be part of each project, along with overseeing the District’s finances. Schmitt said the district is eager for that work to occur and for Backes to have an impact on the outcomes of each project.