March 2020 Board Minutes
March 11, 2020
The Board of Education, Community Unit School District No. 1, 149 South Elm Street, Winchester, Illinois counties of Scott, Morgan and Greene, met in regular session on Tuesday March 11, 2020 at 5:30 PM in the Board of Education office located at 149 South Elm Street in Winchester, Illinois.
President Steve Moore called the meeting to order with the following members answering roll call: Ron Coultas, Phyllis McGuire, Bill Jacquot, Shanna Eddinger, Jody Clanton, Trista Freeman and Steve Moore. Also present were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WHS Principal Denny Vortman, WGS Principal Andy Stumpf, District Bookkeeper Angie Slagle and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Freeman motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve the minutes of the February 11th regular meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Freeman motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
The principals reported on building level activities and student accomplishments. Superintendent Blankenship announced that the Governor may be closing schools for a two week period in light of the coronavirus, and that steps are being taken to prepare for such action.
CO-OP COMMITTEE
The committee continues to review and revise the proposed student drug testing policy, and will have a final recommendation for both boards in April. Junior high basketball at both schools have a low number of participants for both girls and boys. The committee is exploring the possibility of adding those to the Co-Op agreement and will have a recommendation for the May meeting.
BUILDINGS / MAINTENANCE
The committee has asked Superintendent Blankenship to obtain cost estimates for renovation of WHS, a new WHS building, and a ‘county-wide’ high school and the Board consensus was to collect the necessary data on school facilities and shared services. After which, a public survey and building tours will take place in order to get community input.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Coultas motioned to approve the revised job description for the Fleet Supervisor. Jacquot seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
The proposed school calendar as developed by the administrator/staff calendar committee was presented. McGuire noted that parents do not like all the early dismissal times and days off, indicating 4 or 5 day weekends are not conducive to education and that she had a serious objection to the proposed calendar. Freeman motioned, with a second from Coultas to approve the calendar as presented. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, nay; Jacquot, nay; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being five yeas and two nays, the motion passed.
IESA/IHSA RENEWALS
Freeman motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve renewal of the IESA and IHSA memberships. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
LITTLE LEAGUE
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Freeman, to approve the summer use of ball fields by the Winchester Little League. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS / QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
President Moore asked the status of Freedom of Information requests, and Superintendent Blankenship reported there were none. President Moore asked for questions or comments from the audience, and there were none.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
McGuire motioned at 6:37 PM to enter into closed session. Coultas seconded and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
McGuire motioned, with a second from Freeman, to return to open session at 8:52 PM. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced the purpose of the executive session was to discuss personnel items and student discipline.
PERSONNEL ACTION
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Clanton to approve the personnel recommendations as presented:
1) Granted Tenure: Jayme Duncan Davis, Grant DeWitt, Tamaque Ator, Jodi Brown, Grace Pinkerton, Kenny Mayner, Sheila Wigger 2) Re-Employed Non-Tenured Teachers for FY21: Stacy Valentine, Tina Leonard, Amber Sichting, Amy Sutton, Claire Coonrod, Ryan Sichting, Carl Wicklander, Jacob Schumacher, Kalli Fuhler, Megan Hurrelbrink, Erin Studer, Dakota Beavers, Krista Kunz, Lauren Brown, Megan Davis, Christina Stocker, Angie Heberling, Kenny Smith 3) Issued Reduction in Force Notifications: Aides: Tina Brown, Ann Jones, Jenna Lawson, Kessie Melanson; Drivers: Norvin Adams, Jimmie Bruns; LPN Aide Dianne Potter; PT Custodian: John Peters; Bus Monitor: Anita Morgason 4) Issued Notice of Non-Reemployment(for licensure): Sami Killebrew, Breann Nichols 5) Approved Coaches: Jr Hi Track - Jason Likes/head, Rusty Monroe/assistant, Chris Fuller /vol; Football - Grant DeWitt, Justin Hartley / assistants; John Marshall, Wes Lashmett, Chaz Walker / volunteers; Bass Fishing - Steve Hoots, Scott McCleery, Richard Snodgrass, Jed Arnold, Jim Young, Kenny Smith, Rick Crews/ volunteers; Baseball - Chaz Walker / assistant, Brayden McLaughlin /volunteer .
Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
APPEAL
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Coultas, to uphold the student disciplinary action taken by the administration in an appeal from the parents/student. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, no; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and one nay, the motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:54 PM.
