Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District No. 196 Board of Education met March 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, N. Page, K. Jones, L. Zimbro, N. Wingo, R. Payne, D. Laur, T. Masters
Visitors Present:
None
PUBLIC COMMENT & CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence presented.
President Rounds asked for any public comments. None were forthcoming.
REPORTS
SVEA: Rachel Payne reported on the recent activities including Dr. Suess week and the FFA petting zoo. Upcoming events include Sweetheart dance, Red Cross blood drive and paint party.
LABORERS' LOCAL 773: No report.
CUSTODIAL & MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR: Superintendent Henry presented the report on behalf of Brian Gunter. The recent Johnson Controls intercom project is still on-going with a few outstanding issues to be resolved.
K-8 PRINCIPAL: Mr. Jones, Elem/JH Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, recent activities, upcoming activities, and the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) testing schedule.
H.S. PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Page, High School Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, upcoming activities, and special recognitions.
Jennifer Menser asked about the district's substitute pay rate. Menser asked how long it has been at the current rate, how does it compare to surrounding schools/districts and how difficult has it been to get/book subs. Mrs. Page stated that recently it has not been as difficult (as the recent past). Mr. Henry shared where the district falls in the pay scale compared to other districts and suggested that the topic be added to an upcoming board agenda this summer.
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 an amended school calendar for 2021-2022 incorporates use of emergency days)
• Approval of the 2022 graduation dates (SVHS: Thursday, May 26, 2022; SVJHS: Friday, May 27, 2022)
2. The Spring, 2022, legislative agenda has significantly less bills making their way through the process. As of March 8, 2022, 479 bills had passed their chamber of origin (293 House bills & 186 Senate bills), compared to almost 800 such bills last year. Some of the possible outcomes of the Spring, 2022, legislative session are starting to take shape, as follows:
Expect the passage of HB 1167 regarding COVID-19 administrative leave under certain conditions specified in the bill/amendments Expect some form of SB 3914 regarding school personnel mental health days to pass Expect several bills related to school personnel shortages to pass (expansion of allowable work days for retired teachers, expansion of substitute teacher engagements in the same classroom; reduction of continuing education requirements) Expect additional unfunded curriculum mandates to pass (drivers education, postsecondary/career expectations) Expect approximately $350M to be added to the Evidence-Based Funding model for Fiscal Year 2023 (e.g. increased state aid, dependent mostly upon enrollment for Tier I districts)
Some of the legislative actions that will undoubtedly make their way to final approval are election-year measures (common practice) designed to generate vote records and political "good-will." Most long-time observers of the Illinois General Assembly expect this year's session to wrap-up around April 8th (about 1 12 months earlier than usual) due to the June, 2022, primary election.
3. Upcoming, routine board actions:
• April, 2022: Approval of 2022-2023 student handbooks & extracurricular rules;
Approval of 2022-2023 initial school calendar
• May, 2022: Approval/display of tentative, amended budget for Fiscal Year 2022
• June, 2022: Final approval of FY22 amended district budget
4. Superintendent Henry attached the following newsletter(s) and/or report(s) for review:
• Illinois School News Service (March 14th)
CONSENT AGENDA
A motion was made by Stacey and seconded by Acosta approving the minutes of the previous meeting: February 14, 2022 (Regular Meeting); Treasurer's report; the bills in the amount of $185,707.23 and salaries in the amount of $374,226.15; approval of 2021-2022 Amended Public School Calendar; and approval of 2022 graduation dates 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
APPOINTMENT OF BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBER(S): President Rounds appointed Menser to the Board Negotiations Committee.
CLOSED SESSION: At 6:18 PM, a motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey 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(c)(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(0)(2)
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.
RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION: At 7:10 PM, a motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to reconvene from closed session.
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS (PERSONNEL)
EMPLOYMENT OF KITCHEN PERSONNEL (HARRIS, JODI): A motion was made by Menser and seconded by Stacey to employ Jodi Harris as Kitchen Personnel, subject to her successful completion of a required, fingerprint-based criminal background check.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta, Barry, Menser
Nays: None
There being seven (7) yeas and zero (O) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
EMPLOYMENT OF KITCHEN PERSONNEL (HUNT, ANGIE): A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Spence to employ Angie Hunt as Kitchen Personnel, subject to her 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 (0) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
DISMISSAL OF EXTRA CURRICULAR SPONSORS, COACHES, AND OTHER EXTRA DUTY STIPEND POSITIONS (TINSLEY, HACKER, N. WINGO, KISTNER, GRASKEWICZ): A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to adopt certain resolutions entitled "Resolution Reference Decision to Terminate Extra-Duty/Stipend Assignments and Duties” regarding district employees Regina Tinsley, Leslie Hacker, Nick Wingo, Karla Kistner and Beth Graskewicz as presented and that the superintendent be authorized and directed to deliver or cause to be delivered the notice to the employee as specified in the resolutions.
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.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE RESIGNATION(S): A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Menser to acknowledge the following employee resignation(s):
JHS/HS English/Language Arts Team Teacher: Mike Sample (updated retirement effective June 30, 2022)
• Cook (Kitchen Personnel): Cassie Webb (effective February 25, 2022)
• Cook (Kitchen Personnel): Jessi Byerly (effective March 16, 2022)
• Elementary Library Secretary: Lisa Sehlke (effective March 4, 2022)
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 EXTRACURRICULAR COACH(ES) AND/OR SPONSOR(S): A motion was made by Menser and seconded by Spence to approve the following volunteer assistant coach(es) and/or sponsor(s):
• JHS Boys Track: Brian Laur
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 Acosta and seconded by Menser 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 7:14 PM.
CERTIFICATION OF MINUTES
The above-listed account of the regular meeting of the Board of Education of Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District No. 196, held on Monday, March 14, 2022, at 6:00 PM, is, to the best of my knowledge, a true and accurate account of the aforementioned meeting.
http://p2cdn4static.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_5786889/File/Henry/FY22%20Board%20Meetings/March%2014,%202022,%20BdMtgMin.pdf
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