March 2023 Board Minutes
March 14, 2023
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 14, 2023 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: Bill Jacquot, Ron Coultas, Shanna Eddinger, Trista Freeman, Molly Traw, Aaron Littig and Steve Moore. Also attending were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WGS Principal Andy Stumpf, WHS Principal Denny Vortman, and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve the minutes of the February 14th regular meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Coultas motioned, with a second from Jacquot, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
Students of the Month were reported by the building principals, as well as an update of student and staff activities and upcoming events. Superintendent Blankenship reported on recent legislative action, and noted the need to begin replacing the interactive white boards due to their age, and indicated the door bids for WHS should be available in April. He also reported the paving contractor who did the work on the WGS drive last summer has asked to perform corrective repairs on several areas.
2023-2024 SCHOOL CALENDAR
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the proposed 2023-2024 school calendar as developed by the calendar committee. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed. Changing to a Sunday afternoon graduation was discussed, with the administration to collect data from parents, students, staff and other districts, and report at a later date.
IESA / IHSA RENEWALS
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the annual renewals for IESA and IHSA membership. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ISP REPORTING
Traw motioned to approve a mandated agreement with the Illinois State Police for any ‘clear and present danger’ to be reported via a web portal. Coultas seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
APRIL MEETING
President Moore announced a change in the date of the April meeting from the 11th to the 18th to ensure results from the April 4th election are received in time to canvass and reorganize. Moore and Traw will serve as the Canvass Committee and will meet at 6:25 PM on April 18th.
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 there were none.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Freeman motioned at 7:16 PM to enter into closed session. Coultas seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Coultas motioned, with a second from Littig, to return to open session at 8:38 PM. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced the purpose of the executive session was for student discipline and personnel matters.
PERSONNEL ACTION
Traw motioned, with a second from Coultas, to grant tenure at the end of the school term to Lauren Brown and Christina Stocker. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Littig motioned, with a second from Coultas, to re-employ all non-tenured teachers for the 2023-2024 school term. This includes Kenda Bass, Addy Welborne, Lisa Hileman, Rene Chapman, Kaitlin Melton, Kessie Melanson, Dominic LaSalle, Bobbi King, Hillary Milam, Sami Killebrew, Steve Carey, Amy Davis, Mackenzie Gieseke and Allyson Huffman. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Coultas motioned, with a second from Littig, to employ Nick ZuHone as WGS assistant principal for FY24, Katie McDevitt as WGS science teacher for FY24, and Natasha Kuglar as custodian beginning immediately.
Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacquot motioned to accept the resignations of Brittany Peterson as WGS cheer coach and Izzy Cox as WGS girls basketball assistant. Coultas seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Littig, to extend the contracts of Denny Vortman, Kysta Coon and Kevin Blankenship, with salaries for Vortman and Blankenship to be determined along with remaining administrators in May. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Littig motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve Addy Welborne as WGS assistant track coach for the upcoming season. Roll call vote resulted: Jacquot, yea; Coultas, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:43 PM
