Board Welcomes New Activities Director
The Mt. Pulaski CUSD 23 Board of Education called their regular meeting to order on July 17, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the MPGS Learning Center. All school board members attended in person, with Deanne Mott & Ashley Combs attending remotely. The Board entered Executive Session for discussion of Employment, Purchase of Property and Consideration of Executive Session meeting minutes. The Board came back into regular session at 7:00 PM. President Cowan asked everyone to stand to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Michael Chandler signed in for an opportunity to speak. Mr. Chandler exhausted his five minutes and discussed his constitutional right to speak at these board meetings. He mentioned that he asks questions at these board meetings and has not received a response from the BOE. He asked if Social Emotional Learning was being taught at the high school this year. He mentioned that there is a big disruption coming soon and asked if our schools were ready to operate with no electricity. He expressed his disappointment that the board would not directly answer any of his questions during his opportunity for visitors to speak. He also mentioned that due to recent legislation being passed, students can sue the district once they become 18 years of age.
The first action item was the approval of the Consent Agenda, which included minutes of the regular June 17th meeting and executive June 17th meeting, bills, and sales tax revenues. Superintendent Spang reported that the district office had no questions concerning bills, and sales tax revenues topped $31,000. The Board approved the Consent Agenda 7-0.
In the new Good News segment, the BOE recognized several groups of students with board resolutions. First was the MPHS FCCLA Parliamentary Procedure Team, which placed 5th in the nation at the National FCCLA Convention in Seattle. The students were Juan Andrade, Lupe Andrade, Tanner Bishop, Sophia Buenrostro, Conner French, Bella Niccolls, and Lily Woodworth. Next, the Board recognized members of the MPHS FFA who received state or national FFA degrees with board resolutions. The students were Ella Bobell, Scout Tschantz, Grace Davis, and Alec Martin, who all received their State FFA Degrees, and Clay Aylesworth, who received his American FFA Degree. The last group recognized were our staff members who attended the NWEA MAP National Convention in Denver at the end of June. These staff members were asked to present what they learned at the National Convention and how they plan to implement that learning to improve student achievement in the classrooms. The staff members who attended were Linda Smith, Donna Koehler, Michael Copley, Val Hauge, Jamie Selinger, Lauren Spang, and Jason Spang.
Under Reports, Mr. Spang discussed that the district received one FOIA from Creative Energy, which requested the names and email addresses of our BOE members, administrators, and teachers of CUSD 23.
In New Business, Superintendent Spang introduced an authorization to expend funds to cover the cost of salaries, materials, and supplies. Mr. Spang explained this authorization is required for approval from July 1 until the board adopts the annual budget for the current school year.
Next, Superintendent Spang introduced an authorization for Mr. Spang and Kathy Tschantz to develop a tentative budget for fiscal year 24-25. These two authorizations are required and are state law.
President Cowan next asked for a motion to adopt the tentative FY25 budget. Doug Martin made the motion, which Blane Olson seconded. BOE voted 7-0 to adopt the tentative FY25 budget.
President Cowan next introduced a motion to approve the second reading of PRESS 115 Policy updates. Members of the Policy Committee, Aaron Wilham and Chris Brown, briefly summarized the Press Policy 115 Update for the BOE. BOE members had no questions, and Doug Martin motioned to adopt PRESS 115 Policy Updates, which Chris Brown seconded. The BOE voted 7-0 to adopt PRESS 115 Policy Updates.
The Board then adopted the PRESS Policy updates, 7-0.
President Cowan next introduced a motion to adopt the District Consolidated Plan for SY 24-25. Mr. Spang explained that the district plan to expend Title I, Title II, Title IV, and Title V revenues received by the district must be adopted by the BOE in July each year. Doug Martin made the motion, which Aaron Wilham seconded. The BOE voted 7-0 to adopt the SY 24-25 District Consolidated Plan.
President Cowan then introduced a motion to adopt a resolution approving the acquisition of Land from Wamble Mountain Farms LLC. Mr. Spang explained that there was a delay in this acquisition due to an agreed-upon contingency between Wamble Mountain Farms and CUSD 23, declaring a maximum amount per acre to be expended upon damage to existing tile by CUSD 23 during any construction project. This is strictly a contingency agreed upon by both party's attorneys and is not expected to be exercised. The motion was made by Aaron Wilham and seconded by Blane Olson. BOE voted 6-0, with one abstention to adopt the resolution.
President Cowan next introduced a discussion to justify the employment of a full-time social worker in the district. Mr. Spang spoke to the national recommendation of a 250:1 ratio of students to social worker as justification and also pointed to recent crises in the district that would have benefited from the potential employment of a full-time social worker. Mr. Spang next spoke to the legal requirement of all districts to exercise all available interventions before considering exclusionary discipline (out-of-school suspensions) for any students. Finally, there are some daily issues under the purview of a social worker that the building principals and school counselors absorb on days when the social worker is not in the district. These issues are best practices to be addressed by a licensed social worker. Tri-County Special Education Cooperative assigns a social worker to the district, and she does a phenomenal job; however, she is not available five days per week.
President Cowan next introduced a discussion of Public Act 103-0591. Mr. Spang wanted to clarify any potential misunderstanding that most of this law pertains to PTELL districts and the Debt Service Extension Base. These districts receive financial assistance with their bonding capacity under this new law. Mr. Spang wanted to clarify that CUSD 23 does not qualify for most of these new measures due to this new law, and Stifel has released a PowerPoint that was included in the board packet that explains all the details of this new law.
President Cowan next introduced a discussion of Incident IQ. Mr. Spang spoke to this new ticketing platform that will directly impact buildings and grounds, make CUSD 23 operate much more efficiently, and allow us to track building issues, time, and items that must be addressed. This improves our current communication process regarding items that buildings and grounds address. This also creates a communication bridge between CUSD 23 and any third-party vendors through which we receive services for more complicated fixes.
President Cowan next released the results of the review of Executive Session minutes and then introduced an action item to approve the destruction of executive session meeting minutes reviewed during the executive session. Aaron Wilham made the motion, which Chris Brown seconded. BOE voted 7-0 to approve the destruction of those minutes.
President Cowan next introduced an action item to approve a substitute teacher pay increase for SUB License Holders to the amount of $155 with a $15 per day increase for 10 consecutive days in the same assignment. Aaron Wilham made the motion and Doug Martin seconded. BOE voted 7-0 to approve the increase.
President Cowan next introduced an action item to approve a substitute teacher pay increase for PEL License Holders to the amount of $170 with a $15 per day increase for 10 consecutive days in the same assignment. Aaron Wilham made the motion and Chris Brown seconded. BOE voted 7-0 to approve the increase.
Personnel Report was approved 7-0, containing five hires and one resignation:
Hires
Johnathan Jordan as MPCUSD 23 Athletic Director
Brett Garlits as MPGS Assistant Baseball Coach
Rick Edwards as MPGS Boys Basketball Volunteer Assistant Coach
Kayleigh Parker as MPGS Speech Coach
Amanda Doherty as MPHS Scholastic Bowl Coach
Resignations
Marie Zirkelbach as MPGS Title I Aide
Mr. Jordan comes to the district with a strong background in the sports world. He was a swimmer and water polo player in college, after which he became a collegiate level coach. Most recently, he was the head swim coach for men's & women’s teams at Eastern Illinois University.
Items of Information
Mrs. Fricke
Absent
Mrs. Lora
MPGS crew is working hard on summer projects!
Mr. Kavelman
Absent
The meeting adjourned at 8:46 PM. The next regular meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on August 21, 2024.