South West Illinois News

Sparta Community Unit School District 140 Board of Education met Sept. 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The budget hearing was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Board Vice President Jennifer Allard.

Bookkeeper Tina Witherby presented the FY26 budget. With no questions or comments, the meeting continued.

Mekalia Cooper moved, Heather Price seconded to adjourn the budget hearing at 7:03 p.m. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

The regular meeting was called to order by Board Vice President Jennifer Allard and upon the roll being called, Jennifer Allard and the following members of the Board of Education answered present: Mekalia Cooper, Christine Ledendecker, Ryan Pillers, Heather Price. Absent: Angela Craig and Rob Soderlund. Others present were: Superintendent Chris Miesner; Recording Secretary Tina Witherby; Principals Kelly Carpenter, Lynda Loesing and Jackie Smith and members of the staff and community.

Board Vice President Jennifer Allard led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Gail McElroy passed out the history of “See you at the Pole.” It will be held on September 24, 2025, at 7 a.m. She said a prayer to protect the students and school.

With no other public comment requests, the meeting continued.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the minutes of the August 14, 2025 regular meeting and August 26, 2025, special meeting as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

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

Principal Lynda Loesing reported that Sparta Lincoln School held a cross country meet yesterday at the Sparta Fairgrounds. It was a great experience for all. She thanked Mr. Norton, Mr. Klausing and Mrs. Pillers for their help with the event. The Sparta Lincoln School girls’ team placed first and the boys’ team placed third.

The Junior Beta Club has received the National Beta School of Distinction for the second year in a row. In order to receive this achievement, the club has to increase its membership by 10%. It really speaks to how hard the students, their families and teachers have been working.

All of the schools do NWEA testing in the winter and spring. There are different levels of achievement. She reported on the achievements of the lowest 10th percentile. Fourteen percent of the K-3 students are in that percentile. First grade improved by 10%; second grade improved by 1%, third grade improved by 15%. The teachers are working hard They have really redesigned their instruction.

Principal Kelly Carpenter reported the math consultant spent the day at Evansville Attendance Center. She was able to meet with each of the teachers. Eighth grade banners have been put up. They will continue to do this for each sport. Mid-term reports will go home with students next week. The playground concrete is finished. Now they will need to plant grass in certain areas. The track long jump pit will be redone so it can be covered when not in use.

The Evansville Attendance Center staff came to Sparta Lincoln School on the last school improvement day. They collectively worked on common goals. They used the mission statement and core values and collaborated to work on more engagement with children and student confidence.

Sparta High School Principal Jackie Smith reported the first football game is coming up on Friday. The guidance counselor, athletic director, nurse and both principals now meet weekly to go over what they are going to accomplish for the week. There are already some students with a D or F. They are working on that. The departments have met to review the NWEA data.

The SEL committee launched Panarama. Mr. Kordys has a new app that will push notifications to text about any game changes. It will also send out officials’ notifications. Mrs. Reagan has designed a mural in the Dawg Pound hallway.

Superintendent Miesner reported that he has been in conversation with Jason Jackson and what their union can offer the students. He is working to figure out how to reinvent the program.

The universal mental health screening will not go into effect until the 2027-2028 school year for grades 3-12. ISBE will provide guidance. The ROE will help with opt out information. They are working with legislators so the districts will be in compliance.

Mr. Miesner gave a binder with updates of the strategic plan. The progress reports will be on the website soon.

The Sparta Lincoln School playground is getting closer to completion.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price, seconded to approve the fiscal year 2026 official budget as presented. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Heather Price moved; Ryan Pillers seconded to approve the Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefits report for the 2025 school year as presented and to post the report to the district website as required by law. Roll call vote. Yeas: Price, Pillers, Cooper, Ledendecker and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Heather Price moved; Ryan Pillers seconded appoint Mekalia Cooper as the IASB Liaison for the 2025-2026 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Price, Pillers, Ledendecker and Allard. Nays: none. Abstain: Cooper. Motion carried.

Ryan Pillers moved; Heather Price seconded to adopt the Resolution directing the Regional Superintendent of Schools for The County of Randolph, Illinois, to certify to the County Clerk of said County the question of expanding the use of revenues from a currently imposed retailers’ occupational tax and a service occupation tax exclusively for school facility purposes to include school resource officers and mental health professionals for submission to the electors of said County at the general primary election to be held on the 17th day of March, 2026. Roll call vote. Yeas: Pillers, Price, Cooper, Ledendecker and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Heather Price moved; Ryan Pillers seconded to approve the FFA overnight trip to Indianapolis, Indiana, from October 28-31, 2025. Roll call vote. Yeas: Price, Pillers, Cooper, Ledendecker and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Ryan Pillers moved; Heather Price seconded to enter into closed session at 7:27 p.m. to discuss items related to the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body; the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body, including meetings held for the purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should be acquired; and to discuss minutes of meetings lawfully closed under this Act, whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes as mandated by Section 2.06. Roll call vote. Yeas: Pillers, Price, Cooper, Ledendecker and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to come out of executive session at 8:20 p.m. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to approve the executive session minutes as presented for the August 14 and 19, 2025, meetings. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Heather Price moved; Christine Ledendecker seconded to authorize the destruction of the audio recordings of the Board’s closed session meetings up to and through March 2024, in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. Yeas: Price, Ledendecker, Cooper, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Kelli Hughes as Co-Sponsor of STEAM Club at Evansville Attendance Center for the 2025-2026 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Heather Price moved; Mekalia Cooper seconded to approve Clint Peck as the Skills USA Sponsor at Sparta High School for the 2025-2026 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Price, Cooper, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to approve Becki Niemietz as the SADD Sponsor at Sparta High School for the 2025-2026 school year. Roll call vote. Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Ryan Pillers seconded to approve Bailey Rainey as the Head Coach for Girls’ Basketball at Sparta Lincoln School for the 2025-2026 school year. Yeas: Cooper, Pillers, Ledendecker, Price and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

Mekalia Cooper moved; Heather Price seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 p.m. Roll call vote: Yeas: Cooper, Price, Ledendecker, Pillers and Allard. Nays: none. Motion carried.

https://www.sparta140.org/_files/ugd/c42bd2_5f0e3670ff0d41a1bc3b0811c736efd4.docx?dn=091125%20minutes%20(1).docx