South West Illinois News

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

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

The regular meeting was called to order at 7:02 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: Mekalia Cooper, Angela Craig, Howard Gallois, Kevin Holliday, Kenneth Kempfer and Jennifer Morgan. Absent: None. Others present were: Superintendent Dr. Gabrielle Schwemmer and Recording Secretary Tina Witherby.

Board President Corey Rheinecker led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

With no public comment requests, the meeting continued.

Kevin Holliday moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to approve the minutes of the April 9, 2020, regular meeting as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Holliday, Morgan, Kempfer, Cooper, Craig, Gallois and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Kevin Holliday seconded to approve the Bills, Payroll and Fund Balances as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan, Craig, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mr. Kempfer asked why the payments to Zweigart Bus Service and Perandoe Special Education District were for all the services since there was no school. He also asked about the Harms Excavation payment. Tracy Smith, Building and Grounds Director, would like to trade in some of the tractor/mowers to get another tractor that could do some of that work.

The next regular board meeting will be June 11, 2020, at 7 p.m. at Sparta Lincoln School.

Superintendent Schwemmer reported that the district received a formal invitation to join the Cahokia Conference. This would not be for next year but for the 2021-2022 school year. They evaluate based on enrollment every two years.

The process of reopening school in the Fall was discussed. Dr. Schwemmer would like to have a plan in place by the July board meeting.

The following committees were appointed until April 2021:

Finance CommitteeAngela Craig and Corey Rheinecker

Building & Grounds CommitteeKevin Holliday and Kenneth Kempfer

Policy CommitteeHoward Gallois and Jennifer Morgan

Mekalia Cooper will serve on the Trauma Committee.

Jennifer Morgan moved, Kevin Holliday seconded to approve the FY 2020 Tentative Amended Budget, to establish the Public Hearing on the Budget which will be held prior to the June 2020 board meeting to publish notice of the Public Hearing and to display the FY 2020 Tentative Amended Budget in the district office for 30 days. Roll call vote. Yeas: Morgan, Holliday, Cooper, Gallois and Rheinecker. Nays: Craig and Kempfer. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Kevin Holliday seconded to approve the Building Budget Requests for FY21 as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan, Cooper, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Registration begins in June for the IASB/IASA/IASBO Joint Annual Conference in Chicago in November.

Kevin Holliday moved, Howard Gallois seconded to accept the bid from Lake Contracting Inc., of Addieville, Illinois, in the amount of $88,973.50 for bid package #1 Woodshop Dust Collection System. Roll call vote. Yeas: Holliday, Gallois, Kempfer, Morgan, Craig, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Mekalia Cooper seconded to accept the bid from Evrard Company Inc., of Marion, Illinois, in the amount of $37,418, for bid package #3 Metal Shop Ceiling and Toilet Room Partitions. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Cooper, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

These bids were part of a grant that Dr. Schwemmer received. The grant will cover $50,000 of the building maintenance.

Angela Craig moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to approve the amended calendar for the 2019-2020 school year as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Morgan, Cooper, Holliday, Gallois Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Kevin Holliday moved, Howard Gallois seconded to approve the School Board Policies #2:125 Board Member Compensation; Expenses; #2:150 Administrative Procedures – Superintendent Committees; #2:160 Board Attorney; Operational Services Policies #4:50 Payment Procedures; #4:170-AP6 Exhibit. School Staff AED Notification Letter; General Personnel Policies #5:35 Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act; #5:50 Drug- and Alcohol-Free Workplace; E-Cigarette, Tobacco and Cannabis Prohibition; #5:60 Expenses; #5:90-AP Administrative Procedure – Coordination with Children’s Advocacy Center; #5:120-AP1 Administrative Procedure – Statement of Economic Interests for Employees; #5:150 Personnel Records; Professional Personnel Policy #5:210 Resignations; Educational Support Personnel Policy #5:280 Duties and Qualifications; Instruction Policies #6:120-AP1 Administrative Procedure – Special Education Procedures Assuring the Implementation of Comprehensive Programming for Children with Disabilities; #6:135 Accelerated Placement Program; #6:235 Access to Electronic Networks; #6:280 Grading and Promotion; Students Policies #7:70 Attendance and Truancy; #7:90 Release During School Hours; #7:130 Students Rights and Responsibilities; #7:190-E2 Exhibit: Student Handbook Checklist; #7:325 Student Fundraising Activities; Community Relations Policies #8:10 Connection with the Community; #8:30 Visitors to and Conduct on School Property; #8:80 Gifts to the District; #8:110 Public Suggestions or Concerns as presented. Roll Call Vote. Yeas: Holliday, Gallois, Kempfer, Morgan, Craig, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to enter into closed session at 7:40 p.m. to discuss items related to the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific independent contractors, or specific volunteers of the public body. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Morgan, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Angela Craig seconded to come out of executive session at 8:40 p.m. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Craig, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Morgan moved, Angela Craig seconded to approve the closed session minutes for the April 9, 2020, meeting as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Morgan, Craig, Cooper, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to accept the resignation of Brian Williams as Softball Coach at Sparta Lincoln School effective May 4, 2020. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Morgan, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Kevin Holliday moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to accept the resignation of Monica Kunkel as Teacher at Evansville Attendance Center effective at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Holliday, Morgan, Cooper, Craig, Gallois, Kempfer and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to employ Cameron Selman as a Full-Time Teacher for the District with no years of experience for the 2020-2021 school year subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, physical and drug screening along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Morgan, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Angela Craig seconded to employ Taylor Harbaugh as a Full-Time Speech Language Pathologist for the District with no years of experience for the 2020-2021 school year subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, physical and drug screening along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Craig, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to employ Nick Jones as a Full-Time Teacher for the District with no years of experience for the 2020-2021 school year subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, physical and drug screening along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Morgan, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Howard Gallois seconded to employ Aleen Dutkanych as a Full-Time Teacher for the District with no years of experience for the 2020-2021 school year subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, physical and drug screening along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved, Angela Craig seconded to employ Luke Lochhead as a Full-Time Teacher for the District with 4 years of experience for the 2020-2021 school year subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, physical and drug screening along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Craig, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved, Angela Craig seconded to employ Kyle Gerlach as a Full-Time Teacher for the District with 5 years of experience for the 2020-2021 school year subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, physical and drug screening along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Craig, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved, Howard Gallois seconded to approve Becky Thompson as the Cheerleading Coach for Sparta High School for the 2020-2021 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Gallois, Craig, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to approve Barry Dickerson as the Girls’ Basketball Head Coach for Sparta High School for the 2020-2021 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Morgan, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Howard Gallois moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to approve Luke Lochhead as the Head Baseball Coach for Evansville Attendance Center for the 2020-2021 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Gallois, Morgan, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper, Craig and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Angela Craig moved, Jennifer Morgan seconded to approve the extra-curricular recommendations for Evansville Attendance Center, Sparta Lincoln School and Sparta High School for the 2020-2021 school year as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Craig, Morgan, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Cooper and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved, Angela Craig seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Roll call vote: Yeas: Cooper, Craig, Gallois, Holliday, Kempfer, Morgan and Rheinecker. Nays: none. Motion carried.

https://www.sparta.k12.il.us/copy-of-board-of-education-meeting--1