May 2022 Board Minutes
May 10 , 2022
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 May 10, 2022 at 6:30 PM in the Winchester Elementary School Gymnasium.
President Steve Moore called the meeting to order with the following members answering roll call: Ron Coultas, Bill Jacquot, Shanna Eddinger, Molly Traw, Aaron Littig and Steve Moore. Trista Freeman was absent. Also attending were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WGS Principal Andy Stumpf, WHS Principal Denny Vortman and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Coultas motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the minutes of the April 12th regular meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
Recognition was given to student accomplishments, as well as reports on student activities and upcoming events. Superintendent Blankenship provided an update on the technology purchases, roof repairs and progress on Kerr’s Court.
STUDENT HANDBOOKS
Eddinger motioned to approve the proposed changes to the 2022-2023 Student Handbook. Littig seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
FY22 BUDGET AMENDMENT
Littig motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to approve the tentative FY22 budget amendments. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced a hearing to be held at the June 14th meeting, followed by a vote on final approval.
CURRICULUM PURCHASES
Traw motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the purchase of updated Science and Geography curricula materials for WHS. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
COMMUNITY SURVEY
Dr. Blankenship presented the results of the recent community study which asked ‘would you support the Board discussing/reviewing the reorganization recommendations in greater detail?’. 82.52% of the 429 responses were in favor. Freeman and Littig will meet with two representatives of the Bluffs Board, and will report the outcome at the June 14th regular meeting.
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 then asked for questions or comments from the audience, and former Superintendent Lawrence Coultas spoke regarding the talks with the Bluffs Board.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Littig motioned at 7:25 PM to enter into closed session. Jacquot seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Coultas, to return to open session at 7:51 PM. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced the purpose of the executive session was for personnel matters and student discipline.
PERSONNEL ACTION
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Coultas, to accept the resignations of Elena Moran-Cortes as WHS English teacher and Jason Likes as Elementary Girls Basketball coach. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Eddinger motioned to employ Kendra Bass as Elementary Girls Basketball coach and Curt Lawson as High School Girls Assistant Basketball coach, and to re-employ teaching staff previously RIF’d for licensure - Sami Killebrew, Bobbi King, Breann Nichols and Rene Chapman. Littig seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:54 PM.
