Chester Community Unit School District 139 Board of Education met May 14.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
The Board of Education of Chester Community Unit School District No. 139 met in the Chester Community Grade School Conference Room on May 14, 2019. President Hammel called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members present: Dan Colvis, Trent Vasquez, Debi Caraway, Tom Welge, Chuck Fricke, Mitch Hammel. Members absent: Lorin Mott
A motion was made by Mr. Fricke and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to approve the agenda as presented. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Tom Crabtree of Stifel presented a bond profile of Chester School District to the Board of Education.
Grade School Maintenance Report:
The mechanical room air compressor pumps and motor are in the process of being replaced. HSG ran into an issue with the motor not fitted for the tank and are in the process of rectifying the problem. It is now running on one side until they can get back to complete the work.
Grass mowing has been difficult with the rain, but managing to keep up.
Mr. Paulus thanked the board for the newly purchased truck for the grade school.
The air conditioner in the cafeteria was not working so TMI came to look at it. While they were here, they checked the others and found a bad humidity switch on the gym air conditioner and a bad set point number on the cafeteria one.
Another outside hydrant was leaking and has been fixed.
Summer orders are being submitted.
Mr. Lochhead sent out an email to employees to keep the fans and ventilators on since we are in the cooling season.
High School Maintenance Report:
The AC in room 131 had a new compressor installed on May 6 and is working great.
We have tried everything we can to fix the AC in rooms 117 and 217 and they are completely out so we are in need of 2 AC rooftop units for these rooms.
The football field is starting to come around with the new mower and it has responded well with cutting it down to 1 inch.
Will be ordering summer supplies.
Ordering and replacing the emergency lighting in the high school this summer, plus we will be looking into upgrading the lights to LED.
Grade School Athletic Report:
Track season has finished. There were a total of seven meets. Regionals were held on April 30 in Du Quoin.
Emma Eggemeyer qualified for the state track meet for shot put.
Finalizing coaches for the 2019-20 school year.
Inventorying and ordering athletic supplies for the upcoming school year.
May 11 is SIJHSAA State Finals at Carterville at 9am.
High School Athletic Report:
Track season is coming to a close. The girls and boys teams have both performed well this year. Aiden Jany has recorded 7 first place finishes including a new school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.74, breaking the previous mark of 51.05.
Josie Kattenbraker was named Female Athlete of the Bi-County Track Meet.
Softball team record is currently 4-12 and 3-4 in the conference. This team is young and learning more and more every day. Four seniors - Carlee Weir, Shea Petrowske, Caitlin Roberts and Kaylee James - took part in the senior day activities. We will play at Sparta for the first round of the 2A IHSA Regional.
Baseball team record is currently 10-14 and 2-6 in the conference. The baseball team received an 8th place seed in the Regional and will take on Sparta at home on Monday 5/13/19. This team is very young and improving every day.
Coach Norman and the boys’ basketball team will be hosting a kids camp May 28th-30th.
IHSA compliance and code updating.
Surveying coaches on areas for improvement relating to facility, equipment and the AD.
Coaches’ summaries were given to board members.
Curriculum Report:
All IAR testing is complete.
Grade 8 completed the ISA on April 16. Grade 5 and high school biology completed the ISA on April 24.
All district testing has been finalized and district assessment corrections are completed in SIS.
We currently have 27 students in our district who are LEP, Limited English Proficient. To date all EL and EL screener data are entered in SIS.
On May 3, the grade school teachers met for their final best practices presentations.
The high school teachers met with their PLC teams on May 3.
Each of the PLC teams will complete their 2018-19 year-end report and submit these in their vertical Google Classroom by May 21.
Have started and will continue through the remainder of this school year to review the various educational resources being used in the district and will meet with Mr. Pasero soon after the school year is complete to discuss these resources and their renewals.
Grade School Principal’s Report:
CGS Spring Concert was held on April 24.
A faculty meeting was held on April 26.
A state school meal review was held on April 29.
On April 30, Mrs. Shaver’s 5th grade class had “Lunch with the Principals”.
On May 1, Mrs. Renfroe’s 6th grade class had “Lunch with the Principals”.
A Star Stinger Assembly was held for Grades 2-6 on May 1.
A junior high dance was held on May 2.
13 superior ratings and 24 1st ratings were received at the State Solo and Ensemble Contest on May 4.
Congratulations to both Mr. and Mrs. Colonel.
Teacher Appreciation Week was May 6-10. PTS provided breakfast on May 6. First Baptist Church provided lunch on May 7, and CGS provided a potato bar from Reids on May 9.
Gail Kordys and Joann Meyer received this month’s Team Player Award.
Emma Eggemeyer placed 5th in shot put at the State track meet.
Mr. Lochhead was pleased to report that Mrs. Liefer received $583 from Delta Kappa Gamma.
Grade school graduation is Thursday, May 16.
Compressor and HVAC update.
The board received a listing of upcoming events.
High School Principal’s Report:
Decision Day was held on April 24 and was a huge success.
Teacher Appreciation Week was May 6-10. A big thank you to First Baptist Church for the lunch they provided to faculty and staff on Wednesday, May 8.
The Spring Concert was held on May 7. The music department put on an amazing show.
Honors Night was held on May 8.
AP testing has finished.
Senior exams were held on May 10 and May 13. Underclassmen finals will be held May 17 and 20.
Graduation practice is scheduled for May 16.
Graduation will be held on Sunday, May 19 at 3:00 p.m.
April’s Employees of the Month are Tammy Brockhouse and Jacob Cowan.
CHS will be holding summer school through the ROE.
Superintendent’s Report:
Will plan to amend the budget in June. As of the end of April, we are at roughly 89% of our anticipated revenue and 75% of our anticipated expenditures.
No conclusion to this point on a follow up bill to address the issues resulting from EBF law passed in 2017 regarding the school calendar. Still expect it to pass.
Thank you to Jamie Eggemeyer for his 6 years of service to Chester Schools as Board of Education member.
Thank you to Tim Lochhead for his 25 years of service to Chester Schools as an administrator, teacher and coach. We wish him well in his retirement.
Name badges have been ordered for district employees for next year. The badges will serve as identification for our employees and volunteers that work with our students.
We are currently taking sealed bids for the old Dodge truck. The bids will be opened on May 20.
One of the motors was put in last week. HSG had an issue with the size of the second and will return to replace soon.
Serve-Pro has completed the ceiling work. The carpet that had been done earlier will need to be redone. I am in the process of getting this scheduled (at no additional cost).
The district underwent a lunch/breakfast audit completed by the state this week. Thanks to the central office and head cooks, everything went smooth and there were no major findings.
We received notice from the state that the district has successfully completed its special education EE code remediation process. I credit the staff at the grade school for their cooperation in implementing more math minutes and finding ways to increase regular education time for students that need and would benefit from
this increase.
Received notice that Moore & Simonin will no longer be able to conduct our annual audit. I am currently looking at recommendations for another firm to perform the audit this coming fall.
Recommending the board approve a resolution to abate $450,000 from the working cash fund to the education fund to make the inter-fund loan from 2016 permanent.
Motion was made by Mr. Colvis and seconded by Mr. Fricke to enter into executive session at 7:46 p.m. for the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body. Upon roll call Mr. Colvis voted yea, Mr. Vasquez voted yea, Mrs. Caraway voted yea, Mr. Welge voted yea, Mr. Fricke voted yea, Mr. Hammel voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Fricke to return to open session at 7:56 p.m. Upon roll call Mr. Fricke voted yea, Mr. Welge voted yea, Mrs. Caraway voted yea, Mr. Vasquez voted yea, Mr. Colvis voted yea, Mr. Hammel voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Welge and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the consent agenda and items as listed. Upon roll call Mr. Colvis voted yea, Mr. Vasquez voted yea, Mrs. Caraway voted yea, Mr. Fricke voted yea, Mr. Welge voted yea, Mr. Hammel voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Minutes of the April 4, 2019, special meeting;
Minutes of the April 16, 2019, regular meeting and executive session;
Minutes of the April 25, 2019, organizational meeting;
Bills in the amount of $720,462.16 and payroll in the amount of $417,901.29;
Financial reports.
Motion was made Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mrs. Caraway to approve the Lady Jacket summer basketball camp on June 24-27 at the grade school for grades 3-12. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Welge and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the CHS boys’ basketball team to host a basketball camp May 28-30 for boys and girls in grades 3-8. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Colvis and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the football team to host a one day camp for grades K-8. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Welge to approve new high school class offerings for the 2019-20 school year as recommended by administration. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to change the high school graduation requirement for computer concepts from 1 credit to.5 credit. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Per the recommendation of Superintendent Pasero, motion was made by Mr. Fricke and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to adopt a resolution to abate $450,000 from the working cash fund to the education fund making the inter-fund loan of 2016 permanent. Upon roll call Mr. Colvis voted yea, Mr. Vasquez voted yea, Mrs. Caraway voted yea, Mr. Welge voted yea, Mr. Fricke voted yea, Mr. Hammel voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Welge to adopt a resolution to place the 2018-19 amended budget of Chester School District 139 on file and to schedule a hearing to present said amended budget for Thursday, June 20, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. directly followed by the regular meeting of the Board of Education. Upon roll call Mr. Colvis voted yea, Mr. Vasquez voted yea, Mrs. Caraway voted yea, Mr. Welge voted yea, Mr. Fricke voted yea, Mr. Hammel voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Welge and seconded by Mrs. Caraway to accept the resignation of Paul Estel as high school volunteer bass fishing coach. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Fricke to accept the resignation of Joe Kassebaum as grade school head softball coach. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Colvis to accept the resignation of Steve Colonel as the music director of high school musicals. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve Jeff Braun as high school volunteer bass fishing coach for the 2019-20 school year. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to approve Shane Mifflin as high school volunteer bass fishing coach for the 2019-20 school year. Upon roll call all members voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
Motion was made by Mr. Fricke and seconded by Mr. Colvis to approve Justin Davis as grade school head softball coach for the 2019-20 school year. Upon roll call Mr. Colvis voted yea, Mr. Vasquez voted yea, Mrs. Caraway voted yea, Mr. Fricke voted yea, Mr. Welge voted yea, Mr. Hammel voted yea. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
The board tabled other employment.
Tim Lochhead thanked the district, Board of Education, and community for allowing him to serve over the past 25 years.
Motion was made by Mr. Welge and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:08 p.m. Upon roll call all members voted yes. 6 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.
The next REGULAR MEETING of the Board of Education will be held on June 20, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. in the Chester Community Grade School Conference Room, 650 Opdyke Street, Chester, IL 62233.
http://www.chester139.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_105222/File/May%2014,%202019%20Regular%20Mtg%20Minutes.pdf
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