Charleston Community Unit School District No. 1 Board Education met Sept. 15.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
The Board of Education of Community Unit School District No. 1, Coles and Cumberland Counties, Illinois met in regular session at the Administration Building – 410 West Polk Avenue, Charleston, Illinois 61920
At 6:30pm, President Coe called the meeting to order and asked Secretary Daniels for roll call.
The following members were present:
Jason Coe, President
Scott Clarke, Vice President
Susan Daniels, Secretary
Charles Jarrell, Treasurer
Brian Gough
Eva Ritchey
Brandon Wright
The following staff members were present:
Todd J. Vilardo, Superintendent of Schools
Chad Burgett, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services
Kristen Holly, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Genia Lang, Recording Secretary
Visitors _23_ and _1_ Member of the Press
Under Public, Staff Comments or Questions, Written Communications, President Coe asked if there were requests to address the Board of Education. There were no requests received.
Under recognition, the following Competency Based Education Pilot teachers were recognized: Paige Harrington, Rick Cohoon, and Dawn Kuhns. Jessica Rodriguez was not in attendance. On the evening of Tuesday, August 24 a parent information session about Competency Based Education and Empower was held in the CHS Auditorium. Approximately 30-40 parents attended this event. Assistant Superintendent Kristen Holly reported that these teachers did an exceptional job articulating the benefits of CBE and presenting important information for parents.
Dr. Vilardo reported that during the Board of Education Retreat held on July 28, facilitator Jim Burgett made the suggestion that was met favorably by our Board to address one standard or principle from the Code of Conduct at each regular Board meeting. Dr. Vilardo provided each board member a copy of the document based upon Mr. Burgett’s The Art of School Board What Every School Board Member Needs to Know, (document located in official board book).
President Coe read the first principle and definition from the Code of Conduct.
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
A. Approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of August 12, 2021, Public Hearing of August 18, 2021, and Regular Meeting of August 18, 2021.
B1. Approve the bills and payrolls for the month of August 2021.
B2. Approve the Activity Fund Reports for the CUSD #1 attendance centers, period ending August 2021.
B.3 Approve the summary of revenues and expenditures year to date as presented by Assistant Superintendent Chad Burgett.
VI. Consent Agenda: New Business
• Accept the annual administrator and teacher salary compensation report to be posted on the school district website and submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education.
VII. Consent Agenda: Employment
• Accept a letter of resignation from Amanda Reed as an LBS1 teacher at Carl Sandburg Elementary School, effective August 1, 2021.
• Accept a letter of resignation from Karly Coffey as a Color Guard coach at Charleston High School, August 27, 2021.
• Grant an intermittent Family Medical Leave of Absence to Judy Walters, a 12-month secretary at Carl Sandburg Elementary School.
• Approve the voluntary transfer of Steven Armstrong into the position as a custodian (3rd shift) at Charleston Middle School, effective August 31, 2021.
• Approve the employment of Theresa Bates as a fulltime LBS1 teacher at Ashmore Elementary School effective for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year and contingent upon completion and proof of professional credentials.
• Approve the employment of Kim Pounds as a fulltime LBS1 teacher at Carl Sandburg Elementary School effective for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year and contingent upon completion and proof of professional credentials.
• Approve the employment of Alexandria Finn as a fulltime special education program paraprofessional at Charleston High School beginning with the 2021-22 school year. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required paperwork for employment.
• Approve the employment of Carol Parkhurst as a fulltime special education 1:2 paraprofessional with student #82096 and student #85100 at Charleston Middle School beginning with the 2021-22 school year. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required paperwork for employment.
• Approve the employment of Paige Gillmore as a fulltime special education program paraprofessional at Jefferson Elementary School beginning with the 2021-22 school year. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required paperwork for employment.
• Approve the employment of Megan Stults as a fulltime custodian (3rd shift) at Charleston High School, effective September 8, 2021. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required paperwork for employment.
• Approve the employment of Doug Kanouse in the extra-curricular assignment as the 7th grade girls’ basketball coach at Charleston Middle School, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
• Approve the employment of Max Miller in the extra-curricular assignment as the 8th grade girls’ basketball coach at Charleston Middle School, effective for the 2021-22 school year. This employment was contingent upon the receipt of all information required paperwork for employment.
• Approve the list of substitutes and volunteers, effective September 16, 2021.
Mrs. Ritchey moved and Mr. Gough seconded the motion to approve items under IV through VII inclusive on the Consent Agenda.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Ritchey, Gough, Clarke, Jarrell, Wright, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Under the Superintendent’s Report: Enrollment Projections Report
Assistant Superintendent Burgett presented enrollment projections for the school years 2021-22 through 2025-26. Mr. Burgett reported that enrollment was up approximately 43 students from last year and that the projections reveal enrollment to remain level through 2026.
Dr. Vilardo provided an update on how things were going in CUSD #1 schools, noting that he was proud of the students and staff for working together to follow protocols. He also reported that the Coles County Health Department was no longer providing the district with daily COVID-19 case counts, yet the district has restored the practice of posting each school’s student and staff positive case and quarantine counts on our website based on information from our staff and CCHD reporting of some point during one’s quarantine. He said that data revealed case numbers remain relativity low.
Dr. Vilardo opened up the meeting to receive comments from the building principals and Board of Education. Discussion centered around the Governor’s executive order and how the district was preparing for the mandated weekly testing requirements for unvaccinated school personnel.
Dr. Vilardo stated that he has sent notification to all-staff on unvaccinated school personnel COVID-19 testing protocols as directed by the Governor’s executive order. He said that in order to prepare for adequate staffing for the week of Monday, September 27, they are asking unvaccinated school personnel to submit negative test results by noon on Friday, September 24. Based on reports received about appointment availability and result return timelines, a delay in the scheduling of a test risks a delay in submitting of a result. He stressed the importance of unvaccinated school personnel to be proactive in scheduling their testing to help ensure that staffing is available to serve kids.
Dr. Vilardo reported that he and Mr. Burgett attended a SHIELD introductory Zoom meeting on Monday. They are pursuing SHIELD’s “Option 1” in which the IDPH pays for weekly testing as well as a 3rd party operations partner who will handle collections, transportation and results reporting for a minimum of 100 samples per day (or per weekly testing). He said there is a start-up time frame of six weeks to begin the SHIELD testing. In the meantime, unvaccinated school personnel will need to find and complete weekly testing on their own, which begins on September 19. Dr. Vilardo reported that approximately 100 school personnel will need to be tested weekly.
Discussion also included student quarantine protocols and if the district provides remote learning for those students in quarantine. Mrs. Holly reported that students need to be made an opportunity and have the option for remote learning.
Parent/Teacher Conference Dates/Times
Dr. Vilardo announced that parent/teacher conference dates have been scheduled for October 14 - 15, 2021. On Thursday, October 14 there will be a half day of student attendance and on Friday, October 15, no student attendance.
Mr. Jarrell moved and Mrs. Ritchey seconded a motion to accept the Superintendent’s Report.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Jarrell, Ritchey, Clarke, Gough, Wright, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Under Old Business: Adoption/2021-2022 CUSD #1 Budget
The following School Board Policies for the required layover period. It was the recommendation of the superintendent that the Board of Education adopt the revised Board Policies as listed. Mrs. Ritchey moved and Dr. Clarke seconded the motion.
1:10 School District Legal Status
1:20 District Organization, Operations, and Cooperative Agreements
1:30 School District Philosophy
2:10 School District Governance
2:20 Powers and Duties of the School Board; Indemnification
2:30 School District Elections
2:130 Board-Superintendent Relationship
2:240 Board Policy Development
3:30 Chain of Command
5:10 Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Recruitment
5:30 Hiring Process and Criteria
6:100 Using Animals in the Educational Program
6:145 Migrant Students
6:160 English Learners
6:170 Title 1 Programs
6:235 Access to Electronic Networks
6:255 Assemblies and Ceremonies
6:260 Complaints About Curriculum, Instructional Materials, and Programs
7:220 Bus Conduct
7:230 Misconduct by Students with Disabilities
7:280 Communicable and Chronic Infectious Disease
8:90 Parent Organizations and Booster Clubs
On roll call vote:
AYE: Ritchey, Clarke, Gough, Jarrell, Wright, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
Under New Business: Proposal/CHS Bass Fishing Team
Dr. Vilardo reported that he had received a request from Mr. Lock to start a bass fishing team at Charleston High School. Bass fishing is an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) activity and the IHSA state series for bass fishing is in May of each year. In the proposal, Mr. Lock reported that he and CHS Athletic Director Derrick Zerrusen support the beginning of a CHS bass fishing team at minimal cost to the District and had received inquiries from multiple students regarding such an activity.
It was the recommendation of the superintendent that the Board of Education grant the authority for Charleston High School to establish a Bass Fishing Team as a District-sponsored extracurricular activity supervised by a volunteer school-approved sponsor, effective during the 2021-22 school year. Mr. Gough moved and Dr. Clarke seconded the motion.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Gough, Clarke, Jarrell, Ritchey, Wright, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none Abstain: none
Motion carried
At 7:23pm, Dr. Clarke moved to adjourn from the board meeting. Mrs. Ritchey seconded the motion.
On roll call vote:
AYE: Clarke, Ritchey, Gough, Jarrell, Wright, Coe, Daniels
NAY: none ABSTAIN: none
Motion carried
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