Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District #196 Board met June 14.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
CALL TO ORDER
A regular meeting of the Board of Education of Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District No.196 was held in the High School Library at 6:00 PM. The meeting was called to order by President Megan Rounds.
ROLL CALL
Secretary Malinee called the roll with the following result:
Members Present: Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: J. Henry, N. Page, V. Malinee, R. Payne
Visitors Present: None
PUBLIC COMMENT & CORRESPONDENCE
Kevin Acosta thanked Board Member Teresa Stacey and other S-V student helpers that helped clean up after the VFW and American Legion ceremony at the cemetery.
REPORTS
SEA: No report. LABORERS' LOCAL 773: No report.
CUSTODIAL & MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR: Superintendent Henry indicated that he would cover the Custodial and Maintenance Supervisor's report during his report.
K-8 PRINCIPAL: In the absence of Mr. Jones, Elementary/JH Principal, Mrs. Page, HS Principal presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, recent and upcoming activities and dates, and special recognition for student achievements. Discussion followed regarding the Elementary School Summer Rti Program and the Junior High School Summer Credit Recovery Program offered this summer.
H.S. PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Page, High School Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, the High School graduation, special recognition for student achievements and upcoming activities and dates.
SUPERINTENDENT: Mr. Henry, Superintendent, presented the following information to the board:
1. The consent agenda for this month's meeting includes the following additional item(s):
• Approval of a 2020-2021 Public School Calendar (Final; Retroactive to June 3, 2021)
• Approval of the district depository resolutions for Fiscal Year 2022
• Approval of the district prevailing wage resolution for Fiscal Year 2022
• Approval of the Fiscal Year 2021 amended district budget
2. In order for the HVAC remodeling project to be ready for the Winter, 2021, bid cycle, the board needs to authorize the district's architect/engineer (and their associates (e.g. structural engineer, HVAC control consultant)) to proceed with the design and project planning phase. This large, 3-4 phase project will require a significant amount of time to design, necessitating an early start to the process.
Phase I of the project will begin in the elementary classroom areas of the building (estimated to begin in Summer, 2022). The remaining phases will be completed in subsequent summers. (The project requires the removal of almost all of the suspended ceiling to provide access to the work areas.)
3. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) approved the district's ESSER II grant application on Monday, June 7, 2021. That grant application included $125,000 for architectural/engineering costs for the upcoming HVAC remodeling project.
ISBE has previously-indicated that the ESSER III grant applications will be made available around July 1st. Superintendent Henry's plan is to include at least $600,000 of the HVAC remodeling expenses in that grant application.
The ESSER II grant application also included anticipated expenses for employing an additional special education teacher (previously employed) and elementary classroom teacher (currently posted) to assist specific students who need additional, "catch-up" interventions. The grant will support those positions for a 2-year period. Superintendent Henry expects to be able to recommend 1) a teacher transfer; and 2) a teacher employment by the regular July, 2021, board meeting.
5. As of June 14, 2021, the following Fiscal Year 2021 payments are due & payable to the school district:
A question was asked regarding the possibility of continuing the HVAC project during the school year by moving students to different areas. Superintendent Henry indicated that he did not believe that would be possible due to the amount of work that needs done prior to installing the new system (removing ceiling, etc.). Superintendent Henry also addressed the possibility of ating some lighting replacement during this process depending on the final cost of the project.
Discussion followed regarding dual credit classes that will be offered in FY2022 (PE, Health & Nutrition, and Math).
Kevin Acosta left the meeting room at 6:27 PM.
CONSENT AGENDA
A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Barry approving the minutes of the previous meetings: May 3, 2021 (Regular Meeting) and May 3, 2021 (Special Meeting; Reorganization); Treasurer's report; the bills in the amount of $255,567.55 and salaries in the amount of $390,478.10; approval of the 2020-2021 Public School Calendar (final); adoption of district depository resolution(s) for Fiscal Year 2022; adoption of the Prevailing Wage Resolution for FY 2022; and approval of Fiscal Year 2021 amended district budget, as presented.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey
Nays: None
Absent: Acosta
There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
Kevin Acosta returned to the meeting room at 6:32 PM.
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
APPROVAL OF COPIER LEASE AGREEMENT (GFI DIGITAL; 3-YEAR AGREEMENT): A motion was made by Menser and seconded by Spence to approve a 3-year copier lease agreement with GFI Digital, as presented.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING DESIGN, PROJECT PLANNING, AND/OR FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR HEATING/VENTILATION/AIR CONDITIONING REMODELING PROJECT: A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Menser to authorize the district architect, mechanical engineer, their associates, and/or the district superintendent or designee to proceed with the design, project planning, and/or financial planning for a heating/ventilation/air conditioning remodeling project.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta, Barry
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
DISCUSSION OF OPTIONS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES: Superintendent Henry stated that Board Member Barry sent a request to add this item to the agenda, and he asked Mrs. Barry to address the board.
Mrs. Barry addressed the board asking for discussion regarding options to increase participation in the girls' junior high sports. She mentioned the possibility of giving 5th grade girls the option to participate to help increase the number of participants. She indicated that she felt the goal would be using in-house 5th graders and possibly combining in a cooperative agreement with Waltonville. Discussion followed (need to address issue with Mr. Jones and Mr. Basso; difference in age and maturity from 5th grader to gth grader on bus and locker rooms; having included 5th graders in the past to help different programs with numbers). Superintendent Henry informed the board that any issue would have to be addressed and considered for both boys and girls to comply with Title IX. The possibility of hiring a P.E. teacher in the elementary to help build-up fundamental skills was also added to the discussion.
Mrs. Barry thanked the board for the discussion. Superintendent Henry said that he would ask JHS Principal Jones to report back to the board in July.
APPOINTMENT OF BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS: President Megan Rounds appointed the following as board committee members:
• Board Negotiations Committee: Teresa Stacey, Kevin Acosta, Megan Rounds
Board Policy Committee: Jennifer Menser, John Spence, Rebecca Barry, Jason Sample, Megan Rounds
CLOSED SESSION: At 6:45 PM, a motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Sample to enter into closed session for the purpose of discussing the following exceptions to the Open Meetings Act:
a. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of the public body (5 ILCS 120/2()(1), as amended by P.A. 93 57)
b. Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning the salary schedule for one or more classes of employees (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2))
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Sample, Spence Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION: At 7:25 PM, a motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Acosta to reconvene from closed session.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Spence Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (O) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
PERSONNEL
EMPLOYMENT OF EXTRACURRICULAR COACH(ES) AND/OR SPONSOR(S): A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to employ Cheyenne Pitchford as High School Girls Volleyball Assistant Coach.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
APPROVAL OF SIDE-LETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE SESSER-VALIER EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE REGARDING SI motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Acosta to approve a side-letter agreement with Sesser-Valier Education Association and District Music Teacher Alyssa Lewis, as presented.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (O) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE RESIGNATION(S): A motion was made by Menser and seconded by Stacey to acknowledge the following employee resignations:
JHS Girls Basketball
Coach: Rachel Payne JHS Girls Cheerleading
Sponsor: Mackenzie Tindall
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
APPROVAL OF VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH(ES) AND/OR SPONSOR(S): A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Spence to approve the following volunteer assistant coach (es) and/or sponsor(s):
• HS Football: Rod Sides, Nick Wingo, Shane Garner, Clayton Hoffard, Jonathan Neace, Jamie Lance, Eli Gunter
• HS Girls Volleyball: Carlie Page
• HS Girls Softball: John Kiselewski, Olivia Massie
• JH Boys Baseball: Rusty Miller
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS
None
ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by Menser and seconded by Acosta to adjourn.
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b7tInJNhSJaUkUwjQUc1juk4tj6UdlhJ3yvtILmPq8s/edit
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