Charleston Community Unit School District No. 1 Board Education Met Dec. 16.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
The Board of Education of Community Unit School District No. 1, Coles and Cumberland Counties, Illinois conducted their regular session meeting at the Administration Building –410 West Polk Avenue, Charleston, Illinois 61920.
At 6:30 p.m., President Coe called the meeting to order and asked Secretary Daniels for roll call.
Superintendent Vilardo requested that the record show that this meeting was also being conducted through the use of a Webex internet audio conferencing service in accordance to Public Act 101-0640, which allows both open and closed meetings to be conducted via audio or video conference without the physical presence of a quorum of members. The general public could listen to the public meeting by phone. Requests to address the Board were to be submitted by email by 6:00pm.
The following board members were physically present in the board room:
Jason Coe, President
Scott Clarke, Vice President
Charles Jarrell, Treasurer
Brian Gough Eva Ritchey
The following staff members and board members present via Webex:
Susan Daniels, Secretary
Matt Titus
The following staff members were physically present in the board room:
Todd Vilardo, Superintendent of Schools
Chad Burgett, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services
Kristen Holly, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
Genia Lang, Recording Secretary
Visitors 7 Physically Present
Visitors 9 and 1 Member of the Press Remote
Under public comments, written communications: President Coe asked if there were any comments, questions or written communications. The Board received a request to address the Board of Education from Eugene Ohba, a senior at Charleston High School. Mr. Ohba is enrolled in the Class E program and was invited by Board Member Matt Titus to talk about the Class E program and his business that he was establishing as part of the program. Mr. Ohba said that his business was a political pod cast room entitled“The Right Frequency.” He stated that he has lived in Japan and wanted to make people aware of thedangers and effects of the Chinese Communist Party. He also was using the pod cast to promote area businesses in Coles County. He talked about the Class E program and what other types of businesses the students were establishing. He answered questions about the program from the Board of Education.
President Coe thanked Eugene for attending the meeting.
Under Consent Agenda, Mr. Coe asked if there were any items under the consent agenda that the Board of Education would like to remove for discussion. There were no requests from the Board of Education.
At that time, Dr. Vilardo reviewed the recommendations under the consent agenda.
IV. Consent Agenda: Standard Items
· Approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of November 18, 2020.
· Approve the bills and payrolls for the month of November 2020.
· Approve the Activity Fund Reports for the CUSD #1 attendance centers, period ending November 2020.
· Approve the summary of revenues and expenditures year to date as presented by Assistant Superintendent Chad Burgett.
VI. Consent Agenda: New Business
2021-2022 CHS Course Descriptions
Approve the changes to the 2021-2022 Charleston High School Course Description Booklet as presented.
VII. Consent Agenda: Employment
· Consistent with board policies, grant a Leave of Absence to Jena Borah a Title 1 teacher at Jefferson Elementary School.
· Accept a letter of resignation from Frankie Wilson Perkins as a paraprofessional at Charleston High School, effective immediately.
· Accept a letter of resignation from Stephen Higgins as a paraprofessional at Carl Sandburg Elementary School, effective 11/18/20.
· Accept a letter of resignation from Melissa Watson as a paraprofessional at Jefferson Elementary School, effective 1/29/21.
· Approve the voluntary transfer of Chad Pedigo into the position as a 1st shift custodian at Charleston High School, effective 12/21/20.
· Approve the employment of Hannah McMahan as a full time LBS1 teacher at Charleston Middle School, beginning 1/4/21. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required for employment.
· Approve the employment of Catherine Moses as a full time special education paraprofessional at Carl Sandburg, remainder of 2020-21. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required for employment.
· Approve the employment of Nichole Woodall as a full time special education paraprofessional at Carl Sandburg School, remainder of 2020-21. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required for employment.
· Approved the list of substitutes and volunteers, effective December 2020.
Mr. Gough moved and Mrs. Ritchey seconded the motion to approve items under IV through VII inclusive on the Consent Agenda.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Gough, Ritchey, Clarke, Jarrell, Titus, Daniels, Coe
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Under the Superintendent’s Report: CHS Final Exam Schedule for First Semester
Dr. Vilardo reported that final exams have traditionally been administered for each course over a two-day period immediately before the end of a semester at Charleston High School. However, he stated that pandemic-related changes to the district’s calendar and instructional practices have prompted our high school’s staff to consider alternatives to the traditional exam schedule. CHS Principal Aaron Lock outlined the school’s plans for this year’s first semester final exam practices as discussed and prepared by the faculty. Mr. Lock stated that the best options for students is to allow teachers the flexibility to help improve student grades, not lower the grades.
Discussion ensued among the Board of Education and administration regarding academic achievement and reasons why kids are failing during COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple reasons were discussed to include learning loss and difficulty for students to recover and to find a way to get caught up. Dr. Vilardo commended the CHS faculty and staff for being creative in helping the students and identifying mental health issues, concerns for food/shelter as circumstances and needs are different for individual students. He stated that we rely on the professional staff to evaluate individual needs of the students since being in close contact.
School Opening Status Update
Dr. Vilardo announced that Charleston CUSD #1 re-opened its schools to in-person instruction on November 4 and as of this date 17% of the student population is remote learning. He extended praise for the district’s staff who made the extensive preparations necessary to re-open safely and minimize risk of virus spread, as well as their execution of our district’s plans to maximize our ability to keep schools open for in-person instruction. Plans for 3rd quarter are to remain open for in-person instruction.
Dr. Vilardo asked building principals to facilitate discussion with their staff as what is working well and what could be improved. He shared a summary with the Board of school principals’ facilitation of staff assessment of opening status, (handout located in official board book). He reported that the building principals’ will follow up with their faculty and staff.
Dr. Vilardo shared a rolling average report of Coles County COVID-19 cases reported by the Coles County Health Department. Mr. Burgett also shared a graph outlining the number of staff members and students in quarantine due to possible exposure/symptoms. He stated that as of December 15 there were 53 students and 7 staff members in quarantine, (reports shared with Board located in official board book). Mr. Burgett stated that of those people with the virus, none of them were infected while at school or in a district building. He stated this data can be found on the district website and is updated daily.
Mr. Jarrell moved and Mr. Gough seconded a motion to accept the Superintendent’s Report.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Jarrell, Gough, Clarke, Ritchey, Titus, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Under New Business: Authority to Staff Schools for Remainder of 2020-2021 School Year
Under pandemic circumstances, the district has experienced an ongoing need to fill open positions for teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff on an expedited basis. It was the recommendation that the Board of Education grant the authority to the superintendent to employ personnel as needed and contingent upon receipt of all information required for employment and Board of Education approval at its next available meeting. Dr. Clarke moved and Mrs. Ritchey seconded the motion.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Clarke, Ritchey, Gough, Jarrell, Titus, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Long-term Teacher Substitute Compensation Rate
It was the recommendation of the superintendent that, beginning on January 1, 2021, the Board of Education approve a wage rate of $160 per day for long-term substitute teachers who are qualified to substitute teach but not necessarily licensed (and not the teacher of record) for their specific assignments and a wage rate of $180 per day for long-term substitute teachers who are licensed for their specific assignments and who serve as the teachers of record for unfilled positions or for teachers who are taking extended leave. Dr. Clarke moved and Mr. Gough seconded the motion.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Clarke, Gough, Jarrell, Ritchey, Titus, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Intergovernmental Agreement Between CUSD #1 & Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System
Dr. Vilardo reported that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System (SBLHS) had reached out to the District to make arrangements to utilize Charleston High School as an emergency medical surge facility. This medical surge facility is a SBLHS temporary emergency hospital for approximately 200 patients as required by the State of Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Emergency Medical Services and Highway Safety. Such a medical surge facility would be activated in theevent of a ‘medical disaster,’ defined as any incident which would generate human casualties in excess of theability of SBLHS and other area hospitals to treat at their respective facilities. The need to activate a medical surge facility shall be determined by SBLHS based on the information it receives regarding the potential influx of patients.
It was the recommendation of the superintendent that the Board of Education enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System to establish Charleston High School as an emergency surge facility as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding to remain in effect for a period of eight (8) years unless terminated earlier by either Charleston CUSD #1 or Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System. Mr. Gough moved and Dr. Clarke seconded the motion.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Gough, Clarke, Jarrell, Ritchey, Titus, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
At 8:02pm, Mr. Gough moved to adjourn from the board meeting. Dr. Clarke seconded the motion.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Gough, Clarke, Jarrell, Ritchey, Titus, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none ABSTAIN: none
Motion carried
https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1086299/12.16.Regular_Bd_Minutes.pdf
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