South West Illinois News

Chester Community Unit School District No. 139 Board of Education met July 16.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

The Board of Education of Chester Community Unit School District No. 139 held their Regular Meeting on July 16, 2020, in the High School Cafeteria. President Hammel called the meeting to order at :00 p.m. Members present: Debi Caraway, Charles Fricke, Trent Vasquez, Mitch Hammel. Via phone: Dan Colvis, Tom Welge, Lorin Mott (left meeting at 7:15 p.m.)

Motion was made by Mr. Fricke and seconded by Mrs. Caraway to approve the agenda and items as listed. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 7 aye, 0 nay; motion carried.

No public comment was presented to the Board.

Grade School Maintenance Report:

 Construction is going well.

 Classrooms have been prepped, but are not able to put items back in all rooms until construction permits.

 Painting is the biggest project at this time.

 Roof top units have been cleaned but will need it again before school begins.

 Building 5 bookcases for the relocation of the library.

High School Maintenance Report:

 Cleaning is going well. Bottom floor and outside buildings are left to complete.

 Room 220 A/C is down again and in need of replacement.

 Lohman Lawn Service is doing a wonderful job again this year.

 The welding shop is in need of some roof repair; will be contacting the architect.

 Looking at the week of July 27 to wax the Colbert gym floor.

Grade School Athletic Report:

 Preparing for the upcoming school year athletic season, despite the unknown. A decision by the SIJHSAA will be made on July 20 concerning fall sports.

 Baseball and softball will have tryouts at the end of July/beginning of August, pending the July 20 decision.

 Cross country will begin the first full week of school, also pending the July 20 SIJHSAA decision.

High School Athletic Report:

 Phase 4 of Return to Play for Illinois high school athletes has begun. CHS workouts have moved to this phase with some limitations.

 Free sports physicals are tentatively scheduled for July 25 at the high school. 

Curriculum Report

 Mrs. Stegmann has been helping with the grouping of students in A/B categories for the upcoming school year.

 EL Plan.

Grade School Principal’s Report:

 Construction is going well. Ceiling is up in several rooms, heating and cooling units are all hung and refrigerant lines are being installed. The custodial staff is waxing classrooms and moving teacher materials back into the rooms.

Heating/cooling units are delayed.

 Registration for the 2020-2021 school year is scheduled for Monday, July 28 from 9am-3pm and on Tuesday, July 29 and Wednesday July 30 from 1-7pm. We are hoping registration will be mostly online this year, except for early childhood, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten students.

 CGS hosted another blood drive on July 9 in the cafeteria.

 Schedules for 6-8 grade students are begin completed. We are working on grouping the students into A and B days.

 Planning for the upcoming year continues to take place and is evolving daily.

High School Principal’s Report:

 The custodial staff has been doing a fabulous job getting the rooms/areas ready for the upcoming school year.

 All students have complete schedules.

 We have the breakdown for the A-group and B-group of students.

 Online registration is ready to go.

 A new bell system has been created to include four lunches and time before and after classes to allow for increased check-in time and bus pickup.

 Graduation for the Class of 2020 is planned and set for August 2 at 7:00 p.m. on W.O. Smith Field.

 The first day for teachers is August 12.

 The first day for students is August 17.

Superintendent’s Report:

 Discussed the PRESS Plus Policy Issue 104 updates.

 Mr. Pasero will be asking for approval of a resolution to approve the Remote and Blended Remote Learning Day Plan for the 2020-2021 school year.

 Mr. Pasero thanked the committee for their work on the EL Learning Plan that is being recommended for approval. The consortium group has the added benefit of professional development to assist our committee’s work. Funding will come out of both EBM and Title III (Consortium Group).

 FY21 Budget will go on display in August. Cash on hand = 87 days

 Title grant applications have been submitted. Last year we were awarded an additional allotment in December, hopefully this year will be similar.

 Mr. Pasero optioned for an additional $1,000,000 of coverage for cyber-attack coverage through PSIC. The cost of this premium was roughly $1,700.

 We will be applying for a newly released Digital Equity Relief grant and will primarily steer this money towards hotspot access for students without home internet access.

 Asking for approval of a change order from A&W Plumbing to replace and relocate an existing water heater in the amount of $38,711.04.

 Asking for approval of a change order from A&W Plumbing to install a lavatory in the school nurse’s office in the amount of $11,463.01.

 Need approval of the amended 2020-2021 school calendar to include the new November 3, 2020, Election Day as a State Holiday and for the Blended Learning Plan changes.

 Requesting approval of payment to contractors and subcontractors, A&W Plumbing for HVAC project work completed as presented for the amount of $301,023.22.

- Earl Kleidon from Baysinger Architects and Bill Todd from A&W Plumbing addressed the Board apprising them that production of the cooling (rooftop) units are behind schedule and may not arrive until after the start of school.

Current production date is July 25 plus 3 weeks. This puts us at the start of school. There is the possibility that they could come sooner but it does not look promising. Earl was notified of this on June 9 and notified Mr. Pasero that same day.

- Change order for $3,578 to remount projectors and outlets that were previously mounted to the lay-in ceiling.

 We will be tabling the proposal from Bel-O-Sales to direct-replace each roof-top HVAC unit above the media center and band room.

 Maintenance Grant funds were received, the $50,000 will help offset some of the cost of the grade school project.

 Requesting approval of the proposal from Egyptian Asphalt to reseal the high school parking lot for $35,295.12.

 Thank you to the Remote and Blended Learning Plan committee that has been meeting and working to bring issues and solutions to hundreds of decisions that we need to make given the situation. Our plan will include splitting the attendance of our students into two groups; each group will attend 2 days per week, with the remaining days to include remote learning. Mandates from the state are now being sorted out in the courts.

 Junior highs are considering cancelling their fall sports. Administratively we will need to make this decision soon. If infection rates continue to increase within the county/region, it is a likely outcome.

 IHSA is considering flip flopping many of their spring and fall athletics. An IHSA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for July 22.

Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mrs. Caraway to enter into executive session at 8:08 p.m. for (A) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body, and (B) collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives. Upon roll call Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to return to open session at 8:29 p.m. Upon roll call Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mrs, Caraway voted aye, Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the consent agenda and items as listed. Upon roll call Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

 Minutes of the June 18, 2020, amended budget hearing, regular meeting, and executive session; 

 Bills in the amount of $930,452.82 and payroll in the amount of $407,259.48;

 Financial reports.

After conducting the second reading, motion was made by Mr. Welge and seconded by Mr. Colvis to adopt the 2020-2021 Grade School Handbook as presented. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

After conducting the second reading, motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mrs. Caraway to adopt the 2020- 2021 High School Handbook as presented. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Colvis and seconded by Mr. Welge to approve the first reading of PRESS Plus Policy Issue 104. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

After reviewing closed session meeting minutes, motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Fricke to accept the semi-annual review of closed meeting minutes and determined that all minutes shall remain closed to the public. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Welge to approve the change order from A&W Plumbing in the amount of $38,711.04 to replace and relocate an existing water heater at the grade school. Upon roll call Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the change order from A&W Plumbing in the amount of $11,463.01 to install a lavatory in the school nurse’s office at the grade school. Upon roll call Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Fricke and seconded by Mr. Welge to approve payment to contractors and subcontractors, A&W Plumbing, for completed HVAC project work in the amount of $301,023.22. Upon roll call Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the proposal from Egyptian Asphalt and Sealcoating in the amount of $35,295.12 to complete sealing and striping of the high school parking lot. Upon roll call Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

The Board tabled the proposal from Bel-O-Sales to direct-replace each rooftop HVAC unit at the high school above the media center and band room.

Motion was made by Mr. Welge and seconded by Mr. Colvis to authorize the district bookkeeper to pay utility and miscellaneous bills to take advantage of discounts between board meetings and to make the necessary end of year budget transfers to close out the fiscal year. Upon roll call Mr. Vasquez voted aye, Mr. Fricke voted aye, Mrs. Caraway voted aye, Mr. Welge voted aye, Mr. Colvis voted aye, Mr. Hammel voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the return to school and to adopt the Resolution approving the District’s Remote and Blended Remote Learning Day Plan for the 2020-2021 school year, also known as the district’s reopening plan, pending a consultation with the Public Health Department regarding a cross-contamination protocol. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mrs. Caraway and seconded by Mr. Fricke to approve the amended school calendar for 2020-2021, as presented by Mr. Pasero, reflecting the new November 3 Election Day as a State Holiday and the Blended Learning Plan changes. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Welge to approve the EL Learning Plan as presented. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Colvis and seconded by Mr. Fricke to accept the resignation of Monica Gorecki as grade school yearbook sponsor as of August 1, 2020. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Fricke and seconded by Mr. Vasquez to accept the maternity leave request of Sophia Durbin through FMLA during the approximate dates of November 24 through February 1, 2021. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

Motion was made by Mr. Vasquez and seconded by Mr. Colvis to adjourn the meeting at 8:56 p.m. Upon roll call all members voted aye. 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

The next REGULAR MEETING of the Board of Education will be held on Thursday, August 20, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. in the Chester High School Cafeteria, 1901 Swanwick Street, Chester, IL 62233.

https://www.chester139.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_105222/File/July%2016,%202020%20Regular%20Mtg%20Brief.pdf