North Egypt News

Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District 196 Board of Education met July 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING

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, July 14, 2025. The meeting was called to order by Vice-President Kirk Packer.

ROLL CALL

Secretary Zimbro called the roll with the following result:

Members Present: Dilliner, Kelly, Kirk, Lance, Packer, Rounds (Megan), Rounds (Maya; student member)

Members Absent: Shane Garner

Staff Present: J. Henry, N. Page, K. Jones, L. Zimbro, B. Gunter, J. Lamczyk, M. Lamczyk, A. Lewis, R. Payne, D. Wingo, R. Ellis, S. White, G. White, K. Shurtz, A. Bates, S. Grider, D. Crocker, S. VanHorn, G. Tinsley, A. Whittington, P. Webb, M. Lamke, M. Berthoux, O. Page, T. Fennes, C. Tharp, J. Vanwey, C. Dennison, K. Kelly, B. Williams, D. Laur, B. Harland

Visitors Present: Doug Masters, Erin Basso, Nick Laur, Sandy Laur, Greg White, Chelsea Zettler, Travis Zettler, Tera Neikes

PUBLIC COMMENT & CORRESPONDENCE

Sandy Laur addressed the board regarding the current union negotiations. Mrs. Laur shared information and comparisons, including financials, salaries, and benefits, between the district and other local schools.

Chelsea Zettler introduced herself and shared her history with the community and school district. Mrs. Zettler shared her concerns about the ongoing negotiations and staff turnover.

REPORTS

SVEA: R. Payne shared that teachers are preparing for the start of the new school year, and many have utilized an Amazon wish list made available for teachers to purchase classroom supplies. Payne thanked all the community members who have shown their support for the SV staff.

LABORERS' LOCAL 773: No report.

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, upcoming events, including dates for upcoming student registration(s) and orientations(s).

H.S. PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Page, High School Principal, presented information regarding the following to the board: Trust fund, upcoming activities, including dates for student registration(s) and recent events.

SUPERINTENDENT: Mr. Henry 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 Centerstone Memorandum of Understanding

Approval of a Food Service Agreement with Franklin-Jefferson Special Education District No. 801

Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with Regional Office of Education #21 regarding tuition-based, alternative education service(s)

Approval of an intergovernmental agreement with Lake County Regional Office of Education #34 regarding the Illinois Virtual Schools & Academy (IVSA)

Authorization for the district superintendent to execute the FY26 Teen REACH program agreement

Authorization for the district superintendent or designee to execute a dual-credit agreement with Rend Lake College

Authorization for the district superintendent or designee to execute the 2025-2026 Section 125 plan(s)

Authorization for the district superintendent or designee to approve a facility-use request (Football Field Complex-SV Jr Football)

Approval/display of revised board policies (1st reading)

2. Heartland Mechanical Contractors (HMC) is progressing well on Phase III of the HVAC project. The old rooftop units have been removed/replaced, and all crane work should be completed as of today. Both the controls subcontractor and ceiling contractor are working "behind" HMC to get the rooms ready for release back to our custodial staff. As of today, the contractor is on-schedule.

3. The Board Policy Committee will meet immediately following this regular board meeting to review policy revisions and make a recommendation for final adoption at the regular August, 2025, board meeting.

4. Board action is slated for this meeting regarding the handling/retention/destruction of closed session minutes of meetings prior to January 1, 2024.

5. Mr. Jones, Mrs. Page, and Mr. Henry are planning to select candidates for interviews for our open support personnel positions tomorrow and begin interviewing candidates during the week of July 21st. Superintendent Henry anticipates the need for a special board meeting in late July/early August to finish up those employments in preparation for the new school year.

6. Mr. Henry attached a very simple, unaudited summary of how the District finished Fiscal Year 2025 for your review. As expected, we finished the year better than projected, with some unexpected revenues received on or before June 30th, and some unrealized expenditures/liabilities. When we receive the final FY25 audit in September, he doesn't expect much, if anything, to change from this unaudited version.

7. Superintendent Henry attached four recent Freedom of Information Act requests and the District's responses to those requests.

CONSENT AGENDA

A motion was made by Lance and seconded by Rounds to approve the consent agenda, consisting of the minutes of the previous meeting, including closed session as applicable: June 16, 2025 (Regular Meeting); Treasurer's report; the bills in the amount of $721,270.90 and salaries in the amount of $487,441.04; approval of a Centerstone Memorandum of Understanding; approval of Food Service Agreement with Franklin-Jefferson Special Education District No. 801; approval of Memorandum of Understanding with Regional Office of Education #21 regarding tuition-based, alternative school services and authorization for district superintendent or designee to execute MOU; approval of Intergovernmental Agreement between the Lake County Regional Office of Education #34 and the District regarding the Illinois Virtual Schools & Academy (IVSA); authorization for district superintendent to execute Fiscal Year 2026 Teen REACH program agreement; authorization for district superintendent or designee to execute dual-credit agreement (Rend Lake College); authorization for district superintendent or designee to execute 2025-2026 Section 125 plan(s); authorization for district superintendent or designee to approve facility-use request (Football Field Complex- SV Jr Football); and approval/display of revised board policies (1st Reading), as presented.

Roll call voting was as follows:

Yeas: Dilliner, Kelly, Kirk, Lance, Packer, Rounds

Nays: None

There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice-president declared that the motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

CLOSED SESSION MINUTES & VERBATIM CLOSED SESSION RECORDS: A motion was made by Kirk and seconded by Rounds to keep all closed session minutes closed to the public and to authorize the district superintendent to destroy the verbatim closed session records (audio recordings) for the following closed session meetings: July 10, 2023; August 14, 2023; September 18, 2023; October 10, 2023; November 13, 2023; December 11, 2023.

Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice- president declared that the motion carried.

CLOSED SESSION: At 6:23 PM, a motion was made by Rounds and seconded by Dilliner 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(c)(2)).

c. Security procedures and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or 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)

d. The placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21))

Roll call voting was as follows:

Yeas: Kelly, Kirk, Lance, Packer, Rounds, Dilliner

Nays: None

There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice-president declared that the motion carried.

RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION: At 7:30 PM, a motion was made by Rounds and seconded by Kirk to reconvene from closed session.

Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice- president declared that the motion carried.

PERSONNEL (NEW BUSINESS)

EMPLOYMENT OF EXTRACURRICULAR COACH(ES) AND/OR SPONSOR(S) (CLARRY, M.): A motion was made by Rounds and seconded by Dilliner to employ the following extracurricular coach(es) and/or sponsor(s).

High School Football Assistant Coach: Marcus Clarry

Roll call voting was as follows:

Yeas: Kirk, Lance, Packer, Rounds, Dilliner, Kelly

Nays: None

There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice-president declared that the motion carried.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE RESIGNATION(S) AND/OR RETIREMENT(S): A motion was made by Dilliner and seconded by Kirk to acknowledge the following employee resignation(s)/retirement(s):

Special Education Aide: Jade McFarland (effective June 27, 2025)

APPROVAL OF VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH(ES) AND/OR SPONSOR(S) (NORRIS, H.; LAUR, P.; MASSA, T.; MCMURRAY, K.; STANHOUSE, J.): A motion was made by Lance and seconded by Rounds to approve the following volunteer assistant coach(es) and/or sponsor(s).

JHS Girls Softball: Hailey Norris, Patrice Laur, Trystin Massa, Kimber McMurray HS Football: John Stanhouse

Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice- president declared that the motion carried.

AUTHORIZATIONS FOR DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT: A motion was made by Dilliner and seconded by Rounds to authorize the District Superintendent to 1) post positions on an as- needed basis, and 2) make faculty/staff transfers and/or appointments on an as-needed basis.

Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice- president declared that the motion carried.

OTHER BUSINESS:

Superintendent Henry recognized retiring student board member with a plaque and sincere gratitude for serving the district.

Maya Rounds (1 year of service)

ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by Rounds and seconded by Lance to adjourn.

Voting was as follows: All voted yea. There being six (6) yeas and zero (0) nays, the vice- president declared that the motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 7:34 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, July 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM, is, to the best of my knowledge, a true and accurate account of the aforementioned meeting.

https://www.sv196.org/district_information/board_meetings