South West Illinois News

Sparta Community Unit School District 140 Board of Education met Oct. 10.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The regular meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Board Vice President Mekalia Cooper and upon the roll being called, Mekalia Cooper and the following members of the Board of Education answered present: Jennifer Allard, Heather Price and Corey Rheinecker. Absent: Angela Craig, Ryan Pillers and Rob Soderlund. Others present were: Superintendent Chris Miesner; Recording Secretary Tina Witherby; Principal Kelly Carpenter and members of the staff.

Board Vice President Mekalia Cooper led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

With no public comment requests, the meeting continued.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the minutes of the September 12, 2024 regular meeting and October 3, 2024, special meeting as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the Bills, Payroll, Cash Flow and Fund Balances as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

The next regular board meeting will be November 14, 2024, at 7 p.m. at Sparta Lincoln School.

Principal Kelly Carpenter reported that Kristen Kelley will be leading the Girls Who Code Club for kindergarten through fourth grade students and Rebecca Juelfs will lead the students in fifth through eighth grade. Mrs. York will help overall. The Evansville Attendance Center PTO would like help purchasing new curtains for the stage. The Scott Rust family has been very generous and donated gift certificates for the poster winners.

Superintendent Miesner congratulated the Sparta Lincoln School Softball Team for their win at State. The vocational building repairs and renovations from the fire are completed and the walk-through with insurance should happen soon. The 12-month warranty check on the Dawg Pound was done. There were several issues that will be repaired. The main doors are still not finished, but it is moving along.

The audit was tabled as the auditors are still preparing it.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the School Board Policies #2:70 Vacancies on the School Board - Filling Vacancies; #2:125 Board Member Compensation Prohibited; #2:160 Board Attorney; Operational Services Policies #4:15 Identity Protection; #4:40 Incurring Debt; #4:70 Resource Conservation; #4:80 Accounting and Audits; #4:140 Waiver of Student Fees; General Personnel Policies #5:130 Responsibilities Concerning Internal Information; #5:180 Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity; #5:200 Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal; Educational Support Personnel Policies #5:285 Drug and Alcohol Testing for School Bus and Commercial Vehicle Drivers; #5:310 Compensatory Time-Off; Instruction Policies #6:110 Programs for Students At Risk of Academic Failure and/or Dropping Out of School and Graduation Incentives Program; #6:140 Education of Homeless Children; #6:150 Home and Hospital Instruction; #6:230 Library Media Program; and Students Policies #7:170 Vandalism as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Corey Rheinecker moved; Jennifer Allard seconded to enter into closed session at 7:09 p.m. to discuss items related to the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body and to discuss the placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students. Roll call vote. Yeas: Rheinecker, Allard, Price and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Corey Rheinecker moved; Jennifer Allard seconded to come out of executive session at 7:45 p.m. Roll call vote. Yeas: Rheinecker, Allard, Price and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the executive session minutes as presented for the September 12 and October 3, 2024, meetings. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to accept the retirement request of Wanda Anderson as Head Cook at Sparta High School effective December 31, 2024. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Corey Rheinecker seconded to accept the retirement request of Vanessa Roberts as 8-hour Cook at Sparta High School effective December 31, 2024. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Rheinecker, Price and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to accept the resignation of Olivia Beattie as Paraprofessional at Sparta Lincoln School effective October 18, 2024. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Ryan Kordys as a Volunteer Assistant Basketball Coach at Sparta Lincoln School for the 2024-2025 school year, subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check and employment history review. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Austin Carpenter as the Assistant Basketball Coach at Evansville Attendance Center for the 2024-2025 school year. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Corey Rheinecker seconded to approve Avery Carpenter and Wesley Carpenter as Volunteer Assistant Basketball Coaches at Evansville Attendance Center for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Rheinecker, Price and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Jacob Wente as the Bowling Coach at Sparta High School for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Corey Rheinecker seconded approve Ashley Reagan as the Flags Sponsor at Sparta High School for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Rheinecker, Price and Cooper. Nays: none. Abstain: Cooper. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Corey Rheinecker seconded to approve the Leave-of-Absence for Kristen Craig through December 31, 2024. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Rheinecker, Price and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to allow Student #2425-02 to graduate in December 2024. Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to adjourn the meeting at 7:48 p.m. Roll call vote: Yeas: Allard, Price, Rheinecker and Cooper. Nays: none. Motion carried.

https://www.sparta140.org/_files/ugd/c42bd2_4e7ba12a3d644943b21d7a809678e806.docx?dn=101024%20minutes.docx