Sesser-Valier Community Unit School Board of Education met Feb. 14.
Here are 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 Zimbro called the roll with the following result:
Members Present:
Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey
Members Absent:
None
Staff Present:
J. Henry, K. Jones, L. Zimbro, R. Payne, N. Wingo, T. Masters, B. Gunter
Visitors Present:
None
PUBLIC COMMENT & CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence reported.
President Rounds asked for any public comments. None were forthcoming.
REPORTS
SVEA:
Tracy Masters reported recent activities and acknowledged teachers for pitching-in and substituting/filling-in for each other when needed.
LABORERS' LOCAL 773:
No report.
CUSTODIAL & MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR:
Brian Gunter, Maintenance Supervisor, presented information on the intercom system that was recently installed by Johnson Controls and noted that someone from the company would be in later in the week to handle any issues. Gunter also noted a security camera project at the VFW ballfield.
K-8 PRINCIPAL:
Mr. Jones, Elementary/Junior High Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, recent activities/news, upcoming activities, and state testing information.
H.S. PRINCIPAL:
Mrs. Page, HS Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, upcoming activities, and the recent senior night for Lady Devils basketball. Page praised Mrs. Froemling and her students for their participation in the rEV Electrify America Program through the National Energy Foundation.
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 revised board policies (final approval)
2. Mr. Jones, Mrs. Page, and Mr. Henry have an annual duty to report upon the school and district ISBE Report Cards (Copies of those documents are provided.). Mr. He Jones & Mrs. Page to briefly address selected, school-specific components of the documents, and Mr. Henry addressed selected pieces of information in the District's report (separate district-level data summary document provided). ISBE has not provided, as of this writing, statewide assessment data or aggregate district summary data for comparison.
3. Mr. Henry reviewed the September, October, November, December, and January (all Fiscal Year 2022) treasurer's reports with the board to highlight how the receipt of property taxes affects the District's cash flow in a typical fiscal year.
4. Superintendent Henry attached a copy of a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and the District's response to it.
5. Mr. Henry attached the following newsletter(s) and/or report(s) for review:
• IASA Capitol Watch (February 11th)
• IASB Legislative Report (#102-32)
PRESENTATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Mr. Jones, Mrs. Page, and Mr. Henry presented a report regarding the 2021 ISBE School Report Card for the elementary school, junior high school, high school, and district, which included student performance on standardized tests (IAR & SAT), successful completion of the curriculum, attendance, and drop-out rates. They reported to the Board on their findings as to student performance and their recommendations for curriculum or instructional changes as a result of this evaluation of student performance.
CONSENT AGENDA
A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Menser approving the minutes of the previous meetings: January 10, 2022 (Regular Meeting), January 10, 2022 (Policy Committee Meeting); Treasurer's report; the bills in the amount of $171,699.08 and salaries in the amount of $371,185.16; and approval of the revised board policies (final approval), as presented.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
REVIEW OF DISTRICT SAFE RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION & CONTINUITY OF SERVICES PLAN:
Following a short discussion, a motion was made by Sample and seconded by Menser to modify the District's Return to In-Person Learning plan to allow masking to be optional/recommended unless otherwise required as a reasonable accommodation, and to authorize and direct the District Superintendent to make this policy change, effective immediately.
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared the motion carried.
CLOSED SESSION:
At 7:20 PM, a motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Acosta 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 120/20(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)
c. Security procedures and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(8), as amended by P.A. 93-79 and P.A. 93-422)
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.
RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION:
At 8:43 PM, a motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Spence to reconvene from closed session.
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared the motion carried.
PERSONNEL (NEW BUSINESS)
EMPLOYMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER (SEVERS, KARSON): A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Acosta to employ Karson Severs as a special education teacher, subject to her successful completion of a required, fingerprint-based criminal background check and presentation of the required professional educator license for the position.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
EMPLOYMENT OF JHS/HS ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER (CHANCE, TYLER): A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Acosta to employ Tyler Chance as a JHS/HS English/Language Arts teacher, subject to his successful completion of a required, fingerprint based criminal background check.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (O) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
EMPLOYMENT OF JHS BOYS TRACK COACH (GARNER, SHANE):
A motion was made by Spence and seconded by Menser to employ Shane Garner as JHS Boys Track Coach.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Spence, Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser, Rounds, Sample
Nays: None
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 Girls Track: Mike McKee
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared the motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS
None
ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by Sample 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 the motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 8:48 PM.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KBLYuS9bKwZfeFzoClNGcWPxOUxD8za-N80_sB5ZWxs/edit
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