Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District 196 Board of Education met Jan. 9.
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 on Monday, January 9, 2023. 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, B. Gunter, C. Basso, R. Payne, T. Masters, N. Wingo
Visitors Present:
See sheet
PUBLIC COMMENT & CORRESPONDENCE
President Rounds asked for public comment. Kendra Burgess shared her opinion on the Superintendent Employment Contract and Retirement agreement for Mr. Henry. Burgess expressed concern on procedures that were in place during the COVID-19 pandemic for students, including remote learning and close contact cases. Mrs. Burgess also shared thoughts on members currently on the board and those that would be up for reelection.
Christie Sweely addressed the board regarding the possibility of starting a wrestling team at Sesser-Valier High School. She shared towns that have recently started the program, including Christopher and Johnston City. Sweely asked the board if they had any questions since the last discussion. Stacey asked about the number of interested students and what age/grade they would be in next school year. Sweely stated that the number of interested students had increased and that most would be in HS next year. Additional questions/concerns discussed were qualifications for coaching the sport, out-of-district students/partnering with other schools, and cost of equipment.
President Rounds asked District Athletic Director Chip Basso if he had information to share, and Mr. Basso summarized an estimated cost for wrestling equipment and suggested that a cooperative agreement with another district might be a possibility. Mrs. Page indicated that she will send out a required, periodic student interest survey to students (not limited to wrestling) and bring the results to the regular February, 2023, board meeting.
SVEA Co-President Rachel Payne raised concerns on behalf of SVEA including paid coaching positions that have been eliminated over the years due to funding not being reestablished before adding new positions. Mr. Henry indicated that he would work with the SVEA to gather information to determine what positions were vacated and when those positions were vacated.
President Rounds stated that more information and further discussion is needed and would be continued at next month's regular board meeting.
REPORTS
SVEA: SVEA President Rachel Payne reported that students and teachers have returned from holiday break. Elementary teachers were busy before break working on holiday activities for students including Polar Express night. Teachers worked on end of quarter grades.
LABORERS' LOCAL 773: Nick Wingo thanked Brian Gunter and his staff for their hard work during the Holiday Tournament.
CUSTODIAL & MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR: No report.
K-8 PRINCIPAL: Mr. Jones, Elementary/JH Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, recent activities, and upcoming activities and events including JH sock hop and 8th grade nights for sports concluding seasons.
H.S. PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Page, High School Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, upcoming calendar entries, past events including the Sesser- Valier Holiday Tournament, Benton Invitational Tournament and upcoming first event for the Drama Club.
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 the licensed staff seniority list
Adoption of a resolution regarding the Intergovernmental Agreement between the District and the Franklin County Regional Delivery System
Approval/display of revised board policies (1st Reading)
2. Work on an intergovernmental agreement between the District and the Franklin County
Sheriff's Office is continuing. At this time, Sheriff Bacon and Mr. Henry are working to schedule a conference call/ZOOM meeting involving the District's attorney and the Franklin County State's Attorney. He is optimistic that agreement will be reached on all pending matters and that the Board will be able to approve the final agreement within the next 1-2 months. In the meantime, FCSO School Resource Officer Ron Howard is periodically working in the District on an informal basis.
3. The Board Policy Committee is scheduled to meet immediately following this regular board meeting to review 41 policy updates (copies of which were included in this month's board packet). Following that meeting, the Committee will make a recommendation for final adoption at the regular February 13, 2023, board meeting.
4. Superintendent Henry is closely following House Bill 5188 (and subsequent amendments) that, in its current form, would remove local school districts' authority to opt-out of certain sexual education curriculum/standards. HB 5188 was expected to be called for a vote last week, but the bill's sponsor paused action on it following public input/feedback. As this legislation works its way through the Illinois General Assembly, he will keep the Board updated. He attached two recent IASB publications (attached) regarding this bill/amendment to the printed superintendent's report.
CONSENT AGENDA
A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Spence approving the minutes of the previous meeting: December 12, 2022 (Regular Board Meeting); Treasurer's report; the bills in the amount of $131,278.21 and salaries in the amount of $383,846.43; approval of the licensed staff seniority list; adoption of an intergovernmental agreement between the District and the Franklin County Regional Delivery System; and approval and display of revised board policies (1st reading), 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
STATUS OF CLOSED SESSION MINUTES AND/OR DESTRUCTION OF CLOSED SESSION VERBATIM RECORD AUDIO RECORDINGS: MOTION TO KEEP ALL CLOSED SESSION MINUTES CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC: A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to keep all closed session minutes closed to the public.
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared the motion carried.
A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to authorize the district superintendent to destroy the verbatim closed session records (audio recordings) for the following closed session meetings: February 8, 2021; March 8, 2021; May 3, 2021, June 14, 2021.
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 6:55 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 schedules 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 8:22 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 the motion carried.
PERSONNEL (NEW BUSINESS)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE RESIGNATION(S): A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to acknowledge the following employee resignation(s):
JHS Science Teacher: Travis Neal (effective January 13, 2023)
Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being seven (7) yeas and zero (0) nays, the president declared the motion carried.
APPROVAL OF ADMINISTRATOR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT(S) AND/OR AMENDMENT(S): A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey to approve the Superintendent Employment Contract and Retirement Agreement for Jason D. Henry, as presented.
Roll call voting was as follows:
Yeas: Rounds, Sample, Spence, Stacey, Acosta
Nays: Barry, Menser
There being five (5) yeas and two (2) nays, the president declared that the motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS:
None
ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by Acosta and seconded by Stacey 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 8:24 PM.
https://cdn5-ss2.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_5786889/File/Henry/FY23%20Board%20Meetings/January%209,%202023,%20BdMtgMin.pdf
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