South West Illinois News

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

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The regular meeting was called to order by Board President Angela Craig and upon the roll being called, Angela Craig and the following members of the Board of Education answered present: Jennifer Allard, Mekalia Cooper, Ryan Pillers, Heather Price, Corey Rheinecker and Rob Soderlund. Absent: none. Others present were: Superintendent Chris Miesner; Recording Secretary Tina Witherby; Principals Scott Beckley and Lynda Loesing and members of the staff and community.

Board President Angela Craig led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Parent Lance Glodo spoke on behalf of the Sparta Little League Football Association concerning the football program at Sparta High School.

With no other public comment requests, the meeting continued.

Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to approve the minutes of the October 10, 2024, regular meeting as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

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

The next regular board meeting will be December 12, 2024, at 7 p.m. at Sparta Lincoln School.

Superintendent Miesner reported that the action items portion of the strategic planning has been completed. He will report quarterly on the action items. The summative designations came out with the Illinois School Report Card. Two schools are commendable and one is targeted because of two subgroups. Chronic absenteeism is a main concern.

James Funk of Fick, Eggemeyer & Williamson, CPAs presented the audit for fiscal year 2024.

Corey Rheinecker moved; Jennifer Allard seconded to approve the FY24 Audit as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Rheinecker, Allard, Soderlund, Cooper, Pillers, Price and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

After a review of the ending fund balances for fiscal year 2024, Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to approve the resolution stating the aggregate amount of taxes estimated to be levied for the year 2024 is $5,005,900 not including the Bond and Interest Levy of $1,946,048 and that the aggregate amount of taxes estimated to be levied for the year 2024 does not exceed 105% of the taxes extended in the year 2023. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to approve the FY24 Maintenance Grant as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

First Readings were held for: School Board Policy #2:260 Uniform Grievance Procedure; #2:265 Title IX Grievance Procedure; General Personnel Policies #5:100 Staff Development Program; Students Policies #7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited; and #7:185 Teen Dating Violence Prohibited.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to enter into closed session at 7:31 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: Allard, Price, Cooper, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to come out of executive session at 8:17 p.m. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Allard, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the executive session minutes as presented for the October 10, 2024, meeting. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund, Allard and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Jennifer Allard seconded to accept the retirement request of Debra Farley as 8-Hour Cook at Sparta Lincoln School effective December 31, 2024. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Allard, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to accept the resignation of Tiffany Grab as Paraprofessional at Sparta Lincoln School effective October 31, 2024. Yeas: Allard, Price, Cooper, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Corey Rheinecker seconded to accept the resignation of Brandon Lanton as Assistant Boys’ Basketball Coach at Sparta Lincoln School effective November 13, 2024. Yeas: Cooper, Rheinecker, Pillers, Price, Soderlund, Allard and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to employ Crystal Rogers as a full-time paraprofessional for the district with no years of experience for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year retroactive to October 28, 2024, subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, employment history review, physical and drug screening, along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to employ Gracie Ledendecker as a full-time paraprofessional for the district with no years of experience for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year, subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, employment history review, physical and drug screening, along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund, Cooper and Craig. Nays: none.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to employ Melanie Dorf as a full-time paraprofessional for the district with no years of experience for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year, subject to and contingent upon successful completion of a criminal history background check, employment history review, physical and drug screening, along with proper licensure. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Cooper, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none.

Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to employ Brooke Hargis as the 12-month Accounts Payable Clerk/Confidential Secretary in the District Office at $20 per hour starting December 2, 2024 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none.

Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to approve Wayne Roberts as a volunteer Assistant Bowing Coach at Sparta High School for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund, and Craig. Nays: none.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Angel York as a Volunteer Assistant Cheerleading Coach at Evansville Attendance Center for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Cooper, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none.

Jennifer Allard moved; Ryan Pillers seconded to approve Mekalia Cooper as a Volunteer Assistant Cheerleading Coach at Sparta High School for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Pillers, Price, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: Rheinecker. Abstain: Cooper. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Rob Soderlund as a Volunteer Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach at Sparta Lincoln School for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Pillers, Rheinecker and Craig. Nays: Cooper. Abstain: Soderlund. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Ryan Kordys as the Assistant Boys’ Basketball Coach at Sparta Lincoln School for the 2024-2025 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Price, Pillers, Rheinecker, Soderlund, Cooper and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Jennifer Allard moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to approve a medical leave-of-absence for Diana Casten as Paraprofessional at Sparta Lincoln School through December 18, 2024. Roll call vote. Yeas: Allard, Cooper, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker and Craig. Nays: none. Abstain: Soderlund. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Corey Rheinecker seconded to expel Student #2425-04 through the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Rheinecker, Pillers, Price, Soderlund, Allard and Craig. Nays: none.

Corey Rheinecker moved; Heather Price seconded to allow Student #2425-03 to graduate in December 2024. Roll call vote. Yeas: Rheinecker, Price, Soderlund, Allard, Cooper, Pillers and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Jennifer Allard seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:23 p.m. Roll call vote: Yeas: Cooper, Allard, Pillers, Price, Rheinecker, Soderlund and Craig. Nays: none. Motion carried.

https://www.sparta140.org/_files/ugd/c42bd2_2c17995c51684ff1849851e84204660d.docx?dn=111424%20minutes.docx