North Egypt News

Bluford Unit School District # 318 Board of Education met Sept. 22.

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

1. Call to Order

2. Roll Call

3. Opportunity for Public Comment: (This is the time when visitors may request to address the Board of Education on any item germane to the role and function of the Board of Education. When the Board President so directs, persons should stand, give their name and begin their statements. Persons must refrain from making any personal comments regarding any individual. The Board President reserves the right to limit presentations to five minutes.) 

4. Correspondence/Scheduled Visitors

4.1 Thank you note received from Emma Hill for scholarship

5. Additions/Deletions to the Agenda

6. Approval of Agenda

7. Consent Agenda* (The Consent Agenda includes matters of usual business of the Board that may be approved through one motion, second, and roll call vote, unless it is determined that one or more items be removed from the Consent Agenda for additional discussion or because one or more negative votes may be anticipated.) 

7.1 Approval of Minutes*

7.1.1 August 18, 2022 Regular Monthly Meeting Minutes

7.2 Financial Reports September 2022

7.2.1 District Fund Balance Report*

a. Cash Balance (August 31, 2022) $4,925,901.28

b. Activity Accounts (August 31, 2022) $88,444.68

c. Payroll for September 2022 $213,593.87

7.2.2 Approval of Payment of September 2022 Bills*

8. Building Reports

8.1 Mrs. Henson, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Dunaway, & Dr. Gordon

9. Executive Session 

(The purpose of the Executive Session is to consider evaluation, resignation,  compensation, disciplinary action, or dismissal of employees, and other personnel matters of employees of the District, collective bargaining, and possible litigation of the school district. **) 

9.1 Personnel Matters**

9.2 Pending or Current Litigation**

10. Action Items/Possible Action Items

10.1 Consider Approval of the September Personnel Report

10.2 Consider Approval of FFA National Convention Trip

10.3 Consider Approval of Submission of School Maintenance Grant- Playground 

10.4 Consider Approval of FY23 Budget

10.5 Consider Approval of Certificate of Deposit with Edward Jones

10.6 Consider Approval of Substitute Teacher Pay Increase

11. Adjournment

* Consent Agenda

** Executive Session

By Order of: Mr. Steve Tate, President

Board of Education

Bluford Unit School District #318

Personnel Report September 2022 

Resignations: 

- Matthew Cox Physical Education

Recommendations for Employment: 

- Bobby Herzing Part-Time School Counselor

- Melanie Spangler Debate Sponsor

- Savannah Creighton High School Cheer

- Josh Simmons High School Softball Coach

- Dave Moser High School Assistant Softball Coach

- Jackson Pierce High School Track Coach

- Chad Shreves High School Bowling Coach

- Sierra Forristall Grade School Track Coach

- Ashley Snow Grade School Gifted Sponsor

Recommendations for Voluntary Assignment:  

- Shana Lusby Grade School Track Coach

- April Flexter Pee Wee Cheer

- Katelyn Phelps Pee Wee Cheer

- Matt Hicks Third Grade Pee Wee Boys Basketball

- John Kiel Third Grade Pee Wee Boys Basketball

- Shane Gordon Fourth Grade Pee Wee Boys Basketball

- Jessica Case Pee Wee Girls Basketball

- Jerry Case Fifth Grade Basketball

The October Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 20, at 6:00 p.m. Administrative and Building Reports 

Maintenance Report: 

Security Alarm is installing a new duct detector on the south hall HVAC unit. The old one has failed and is causing trouble on the fire alarm panel.

The admin and weight room buildings have the new 320-amp service up and running. We are waiting on Ameren to disconnect the temporary service.

All of the high school HVAC coils have been cleaned.

All HVAC filters have been changed.

A new bathroom faucet was installed at the ballfield concession building.

I brought my tractor last week to brush cut and level dirt. The grass area east of the High school has been cut and the dirt around the admin building and breezeway leveled. The dirt was also seeded and strawed.

Grade School Principal’s Report: 

GS Enrollment: We ended last year with 235 students. There are 244 students enrolled as of September 19. There are 29 students new to the grade school

We had 160 cross-country runners at the Bluford Bash meet on 9/10. It was a tough course with some hills. There are plans to tweak a few spots in the course.

The School Store program has been completed. To date $1,750.00 in gift cards has been donated to teachers. The school earned $290.59. Teachers will likely earn more gift cards throughout the year.

The Booster Club hosted a Back to School Dance on 9/10/2022 & invited Farrington - 42 students attended, 20 of them fifth graders. There were no issues and overall it was a great night. There is a plan for a county school dance in January

Midterm for the 1st trimester is Thursday. Grade reports will go home on Friday

Golf information from Region 13 schools that replied to email: 

Woodlawn - Coaches take to Regional & State, no other matches $100 stipend increasing $50 each year thereafter. The golf coach says the golf course agreement is for the high school only, so that is why they do not have any other matches.

Rome - It is a paid position in our CBA. All the cost is absorbed by the school. The students do not pay for anything. They do have to find their own rides to and from practices. Carlyle - Carlyle runs golf as a club sport. We have a coach that receives a stipend and is responsible for creating the golf schedule and practices. Parents get the kids to/from practices/matches and participants have to pay a set fee that pays for the use of the course that is used for practices/matches. The total cost to the district is the coaches’ salary (5% head coach 3% assistant coach).

Spring Garden - We had a team last year. One of our teachers took them. She was also a parent of one of them. We do not have a stipend for it. We are just in the trial phase. Breese - We have a parent as our coach. We are fortunate to have a course in Breese for our kids to play for practice, etc. There are also a few other local courses we play at for matches. The stipend is 5% of base salary. I would have to look more into total cost.

High School Principal’s Report: 

Rend Lake College held their College Fair on September 13. There were 45 colleges represented. We had 40 students attend! The students reported it was very informative and they were excited.

The Senior Banner pictures have been taken for sports and are in the process of being made. Picture day was held on September 16 for individuals, clubs, and sports.

Our second fire drill was held September 15. It all went according to procedure.

On October 4, interested juniors and seniors will attend a career day at Rend Lake College. There will be representatives in the areas of natural resources, industrial and engineering technology, arts and communication, human services, business management and technology, social and behavioral science, health sciences, and the STEM areas.

Superintendent’s Report: 

FFA National Convention: The National Convention is in Indianapolis on October 27-29. An itinerary is included in the Board packet.

School Maintenance Grant: Another round of $50,000 matching maintenance grants has been released. It is recommended to apply the grant toward repaving the asphalt on the playground.

Budget: Approval of the FY23 budget.

Certificate of Deposit: The CD would be for $1,000,000 at 3.4% with Edward Jones. Rates were received from local banks as well. Edward Jones had the best rate of return.

Substitute Teacher Pay: We currently pay $90 per day. Others school districts in Jefferson County: Bethel- $115, Farrington $110, McClellan $100, D80- $115, MVTHS- $100, Rome- $95, Woodlawn- $100. The recommendation is to raise substitute teacher pay to $110 per day to be competitive with area districts. Based on absences last year (excluding COVID and extended leaves) a $20 increase would cost approximately $3,200. Additionally, if we have a substitute who is licensed/endorsed in the grade level/subject, the recommendation is to pay $150 per day.

Construction Update: The rubber surface of the track is complete. They began the process for grass seed this week. From there all that remains is painting the lines and installing the fence. Fence installation is scheduled to begin within two – three weeks. Construction of the greenhouse has begun. Additionally, Jeff will finish the pavilion beginning this week.

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/701/Bluford_Unit_School_District_318/2454472/September_2022_BOE_Agenda.pdf