South West Illinois News

Sparta Community Unit School District #140 Board of Education met Feb. 14.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

The regular meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by President Corey Rheinecker and upon the roll being called, Corey Rheinecker and the following members of the Board of Education answered present: Angela Craig, Kenneth Kempfer and Alan Young. Absent: Bert Byington, Howard Gallois and Kevin Holliday. Others present were: Superintendent Dr. Gabrielle Schwemmer; Recording Secretary Tina Witherby; Principals Scott Beckley, Chris Miesner and Amy Price; and members of the faculty, community and press (County Journal).

Board President Rheinecker led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mrs. Laurie Penford spoke on behalf of the Sparta Service Employees regarding OPAA Food Management. She would like the Board of Education to allow the cooks to implement some of the ideas they have gotten on their visits before going out for bid for outsourcing.

With no other public comment requests, the meeting continued.

Angela Craig moved, Alan Young seconded to approve the minutes of the January 10, 2019, regular meeting and the January 31, 2019, special meeting as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Young, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Alan Young seconded to approve the Bills, Payroll, Cash Flow and Fund Balances as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Young, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mr. Kempfer asked about the Maryville payment. This was for tuition for a student that attended at that school. He also asked about the Ken Hall Electric payment. While installing the lift in the Sparta High School gymnasium, lines were found that were not on the original plans. Mr. Hall had to locate them and reroute the lines. Mr. Kempfer also asked about the payment to Bushue HR firm. That is the firm that hired to keep the district in compliance.

The next regular board meeting will be March 14, 2019, at 7 p.m. at Sparta Lincoln School.

Principal Amy Price thanked the Beloved Community Committee. The celebration was great for the community and students. Some of the Sparta Lincoln School teachers are volunteering for “Girls on the Run.” Girls will run a 5K race, but it is really about developing social and emotional well-being.

Principal Miesner reported that the Evansville Attendance Center students participated in 100th Day, National Read-Aloud Day and Jump Rope for Heart. The Beta Club delivered cookies to residents. The volleyball team collected canned goods; then donated to the Tilden Food Pantry.

Principal Scott Beckley reported that he was pleased with the Sparta High School NWEA results. They have started with incentives for SAT. Mr. Beckley thanked the Art teachers and Mr. Ward for their art work for the assemblies. He passed out the high school weekly grade report.

Dr. Schwemmer presented the Superintendent Shout-Out plaques to: Sparta Lincoln School – Students Lilian and Abigail Wilson and Adult Volunteer Jeanette Wilson; Evansville Attendance Center – Student Dylan Heinen and Adult Volunteer Rhonda Gerlach; Sparta High School – Student Dustin Lohman and Adult Volunteer Jeremy Harms.

Dr. Gabrielle Schwemmer presented the NWEA MAP data. That is the assessment taken three times each year. There have been multiple grade levels that have excelled in math and reading. That is a credit to the teachers.

Dr. Schwemmer met with Ameren. They will replace the lighting in all three buildings with LED lighting. There are a couple of options for payment. The savings will be $2,145 per month. That amount can be paid monthly for 48 months or the $93,000 can be paid up front from sales tax money. That would be a savings of 10 percent. The Board of Education will let Dr. Schwemmer know how to proceed.

Improvements will be made to the Sparta High School flooring with TIF money. The architects will start the bid process at the March meeting. The gym floors need to be refinished every ten years. Dr. Schwemmer is looking into companies to do that.

Dr. Schwemmer explained that members of the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce had been sent letters on job shadowing for high school students. With the flexibility of the instruction day, students will be able to gain real experience working.

The district was awarded more money in the Title Grant. It has to be used for school improvement. Some materials and speakers have been moved out of Title and put into Title II and Title IV – A grants. The district will be able to offer a free week-long summer camp to students.

District administration and head cooks visited Freeburg schools to see how the food service program was run by OPAA Food Management. They will visit Millstadt soon. After the visit, a committee will be formed to discuss further.

Dr. Schwemmer passed out data on the number of students who had accident reports or suspensions. Bushue HR firm recommended that names not be provided to the Board of Education due to HIPPA and FERPA laws.

Alan Young moved, Angela Craig seconded to accept the resignation of Mekalia Cooper as Cheerleading Coach at Sparta Lincoln School effective February 4, 2019. Roll call vote. Yeas: Young, Craig, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Alan Young seconded to adopt the Resolution Abating the Tax Heretofore Levied for the Year 2018 to Pay Debt Service on General Obligation School Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2015, of Community Unit School District Number 140, Randolph County, Illinois. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Young, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Alan Young seconded to define the instructional day as follows: A student instructional day is defined as any day a student is engaged in one or more assigned learning activities regardless of the amount of time the student spends engaged in the learning activity and regardless of the location where the student is engaged in the learning activity. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Young, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

A discussion was held regarding students leaving during the school day. The definition of instructional day was recommended by the district’s attorney to cover the district if a student would take advantage of job shadowing. Dr. Schwemmer and Principal Beckley met with Corey Rheinecker and Kevin Holliday to discuss the definition based on legislation that came out.

Perandoe would like to rent four classrooms at Sparta High School for next year. It would be for grades 2-8. They pay $3,500 right now for the church they are in, which has more square footage than the school. They would like to pay $3,000 rent to the district.

A BD classroom will be placed at Evansville Attendance Center. It will be students with IEPs, but have not been sent to PEP yet. They would do well in a smaller environment. Mr. Kempfer would like to see Head Start moved to a different classroom to accommodate the BD classroom better. Head Start currently pays $600 monthly rent.

Angela Craig moved, Kenneth Kempfer seconded to adopt the Professional Personnel Policies: #5:200 Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal, #5:210 Resignations, #5:220 Substitute Teachers, #5:230 Maintaining Student Discipline, #5:240 Suspension and #5:250 Leaves of Absence as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Kempfer, Young and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

First readings were held for Professional Personnel Board Policy #5:260 Student Teachers; Educational Support Personnel Board Policy #5:270 Employment At-Will, Compensation and Assignment; #5:280 Duties and Qualifications; #5:285 Drug and Alcohol Testing for School Bus and Commercial Vehicle Drivers; #5:290 Employment Termination and Suspensions; #5:300 Schedules and Employment Year; #5:310 Compensatory Time-Off; #5:320 Evaluation; #5:330 Sick Days, Vacation, Holidays and Leaves; and Instruction Policy #6:140 Education of Homeless Children.

Alan Young moved, Angela Craig seconded to enter into closed session at 8:08 p.m. to discuss items related to the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body. Roll call vote. Yeas: Young, Craig, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Alan Young moved, Angela Craig seconded to come out of executive session at 8:27 p.m. Roll call vote. Yeas: Young, Craig, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Kenneth Kempfer seconded to approve the closed session minutes as presented for the January 14, 2019, meeting and as amended for the January 31, 2019, meeting. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Kempfer, Young and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Alan Young seconded to approve a one-year contract with Staci Kramper as Assistant Principal at Sparta High School with an annual salary of $58,000 for the 2019-2020 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Young, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Kenneth Kempfer seconded to approve Staci Kramper as Athletic Director at Sparta High School for the 2019-2020 school year at an annual salary of $6,000. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Kempfer, Young and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Alan Young seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 p.m. Roll call vote: Yeas: Craig, Young, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

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