Quincy Public School District 172 Board of Education met Feb. 22.
Here is the minutes as provided by the Board:
Meeting Convened
The Board of Education of School District No. 172, Adams County, Illinois, met in regular session on February 22, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. at Baldwin School, 3000 Maine Street, Quincy, Illinois, in said school district.
Roll Call
The meeting was called to order by President Ali, who directed the secretary to call the roll. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member was absent: None. Whereupon the President declared a quorum was present.
Moment of Silence
The President declared a moment of silence and reflection. He mentioned that Dr. Patrick McGinley, former teacher at QHS, recently passed away.
Pledge of Allegiance – Baldwin Student Council Fifth grade members of the Student Council led the Pledge of Allegiance. Student Council Sponsor Judy Mehaffy said the 5th grade leaders were elected by their peers and have stepped up to help plan various fundraisers and events for their fellow students.
Focus on Students – Good Things Going On!
1. Baldwin Drama Club. Board members and the audience got a sneak peak of the Baldwin Drama Club’s upcoming performance of The Lion King Jr. The cast did an excellent job singing and dancing. The performances are scheduled for next week in the Baldwin auditorium. Drama Club staff sponsor is Diana Gedsted.
2. Public Information Report. Raquel Piazza reported on upcoming events and activities in the schools. Farm & Home Supply will present a check donation to Kelly Weiman, QAVTC Ag Instructor, for the FFA students. A wellness fair hosted by Operation Choose Life, PAL’s, and community volunteers will be held next Friday, Feb 24th , during PE/Health classes at Quincy High School. This is a student-led follow-up to the Welcome & Wellness Week activities held in September. The Kroc Center will host students from Washington School to teach them about fitness and how to stay active. Mrs. Barnett’s 4th grade students will enjoy the musical talents of local musician, Liz Bentley. She will specifically share songs of the Old South as the class has been studying the southern region of the U.S. Berrian students are invited to Super Hero Night sponsored by the Crossing 929. Berrian students and one guardian/parent will be served dinner and can dance, play games, and have fun
3. PTA Report. Kathleen Taylor, Baldwin PTA secretary, presented the PTA report. Some of this year’s PTA activities included a Back-to-School lunch for staff, spider maze for students, book fair— buy one, get one free, and athletic day. Quincy Community Theater representatives come to Baldwin and provide theater experiences for the students. She said a spring book fair is coming up and appreciation lunch for staff.
Questions and Comments
President Ali opened the meeting to questions and comments to members of the Board, by members of the public and employees of the district, in compliance with state statutes
Jeff Kerkhoff commented on the need to continue teaching children cursive writing. He said if students can’t read cursive writing, they will be unable to read the original documents of the founding fathers. He also distributed an article and commented on how student test scores show little improvement despite spending increases.
Trudy Gay, Quincy Youth Alliance, commented on diversity among students in the new K-5 buildings. She said diversity should also pertain to staff district-wide. Students need examples or models who look like them. She said more can be done to recruit minority teachers.
Jody Cook, parent of a Monroe student, commented that third graders at Monroe should remain next year for 4 th grade. Current 3rd graders will move to Baldwin next year, then back to Monroe for 5th grade. The new building is large enough to house 4th graders and the space will be wasted if not used. She raised concerns about demolition beginning at Baldwin this summer with kids returning there in the fall.
Consent Agenda It was moved by Member Whitfield and seconded by Member McNay to approve the following items on the Consent Agenda:
a. Treasurer’s Report – January 2017
b. Board Minutes – January 25 and February 2, 2017
c. QHS Student Council State Convention Field Trip – Chicago, IL
d. QHS Biomedical Science Program Field Trip – Chicago, IL
e. Acknowledge receipt of Freedom of Information Request Log January 21, 201 through February 17, 2017 7(For Information Only)
On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Reports of the Superintendent
1. Naming of Schools. A Superintendent’s Committee for the Naming of Schools will be formed in the next few weeks to gain input from staff and community members. Board Members Jim Whitfield and Carol Nichols will help facilitate the committee. President Ali said that the schools will be part of the community for decades and in naming them needs to be done the right way. Superintendent Webb said anyone interested in being a part of the committee should contact him at the Board Office.
2. Boundary Committee Update. The Boundary Advisory Task Force will hold three more public forums. The forums, all slated from 6 to 8 pm, will be held Thursday at Frederick Ball Community Room, Feb. 28 at Indian Hills Community Room, and March 2 at the Quincy Mall. After the forums are held. final boundaries will be presented to the Board in March, for implementation in August 2018. Superintendent Webb stated that this committee, led by Joel Murphy and Board Members Whitfield and Bailey, has worked tirelessly and done an excellent job developing these boundaries.
Building Committee
The Building Committee report was presented by Chairperson McNay. Updates on the new elementary schools at the Monroe, Columbus Road, Harrison Street, and 12th Street sites were presented. Preliminary plans for the new elementary school at the Baldwin site were presented. The committee recommended the Board of Education accept the low bid from Blick’s Construction for the demolition of the old Monroe School and the bid for asbestos abatement work at the Monroe School from Schemel-Tarrillion.
Demolition of Monroe School
It was recommended by the Building Committee and moved by Member McNay to approve the low bid from Blick’s Construction Co. for the demolition of the old Monroe School at cost of $125,000. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Asbestos Abatement – Monroe School It was moved by member Troup and seconded by Member Whitfield to approve the low bid from SchemelTarrillion at a cost of $79,790 for asbestos abatement at Monroe School. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Curriculum Committee Chairperson Bailey presented the Curriculum Committee report. The committee discussed revising the schedule of reports and agreed to some changes. PARCC results were presented.
Finance Committee Chairperson McNay presented the Finance Committee report. The committee reviewed the check register and the cash summary report. The Financial Over-Watch Committee will provide a monthly report to the Finance Committee.
Check Register/Jr & Sr High Activity Fund It was recommended by the Finance Committee and moved by Member McNay to approve the Check Register dated February 17, 2017 and the junior/senior high activity funds. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Policy Committee Chairperson Bailey reported that the Policy Committee met February 14 and reviewed Policy Service updates from October 2016. The committee recommended two policies be approved at the February Board meeting and the remainder lay on the table for 30 days. Policies 5:250 and 5:330 are on hold for further review. The Policy Committee will be scheduling monthly meetings to review each section of the Policy Manual. The meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Tuesday of the month beginning April 11 at 4:00 p.m.
Adopt Policies Regarding Expenses It was recommended by the Policy Committee and moved by Member Bailey to approve Policy 2:125 – Board Member Compensation Expenses and Policy 5:60 – Expenses (Personnel). On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Policy Service Revisions – October 2016 It was recommended by the Policy Committee and moved by Member Bailey to lay on the table until the next Board meeting the remainder of the Policy Service revisions for October 2016 (except for Policy 5:250 and Policy 5:330 which are on hold). On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Discipline Committee The Discipline Committee did not meet since last month’s Board meeting.
Annual Grants/Allocations It was moved by Member Troup and seconded by Member McNay to approve writing and submitting/participating in the following annual grants or allocations: Title I, Title II, Title IV Part A, Special Education IDEA Flow-Through, Office of Rehabilitative Services (STEP Grant), Special Education Preschool, Head Start, Early Childhood Block Grant, Truants’ Alternative and Optional Education Program (TAOEP), Regional Safe Schools-Subcontract, Adult Education and Family Literacy, WCR Carl Perkins, WCR Career and Technical Education Improvement Grant, QAVTC QPS Perkins Sub-Grant, QAVTC QPS CTEI Sub-Grant, Title I Delinquent, Title I Neglected, 21st Century Community Learning Center, Title II Part D Enhancing Education through Technology (Ed Tech Formula Grant), Advanced Placement, School Library Per Capita Grant, Illinois Partnership Advancing Rigorous Training, Tracy Family Foundation Grants, the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation Grants, and Community Foundation Grants. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Administrator Contract Extensions It was moved by Member McNay and seconded by Member Troup to approve the 2017-2018 administrator contract extensions (Doc. Reg. No. 2916). On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Resolution – Board Member/Employee Expense Reimbursements It was moved by Member Troup and seconded by Member McNay to approve the Resolution to Regulate Expense Reimbursements (Doc. Reg. No. 2917). On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Assignment of Construction Contracts for Monroe School Site and 48th Street School Site It was moved by Member Troup and seconded by Member McNay to approve the assignment of construction contracts for Monroe School and 48th Street School from Maas Construction, a partnership, to Maas Construction, a corporation (Doc. Reg. No. 2918). On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Executive Session At 7:30 p.m., it was moved by Member McNay and seconded by Member Whitfield that the Board suspend the rules and go into executive session to discuss: a) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the School District; b) collective negotiating matters between the School District and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees; c) the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the District; d) the setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the District; g)student disciplinary cases; and i) pending, probable, or imminent litigation and j) attorney/client privilege. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Resumption of Rules At 8:50 p.m., it was moved by Member Rose and seconded by Member Troup to resume the conduct of the regular meeting under rules. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Student Discipline It was moved by Member Whitfield and seconded by Member Nichols to adopt the recommendation made in executive session regarding pre-expulsion disciplinary agreements for one QJHS student and two QHS students and the expulsion of one ACRSS student. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
Personnel Addendum It was moved by Member Rose and seconded by Member Troup to approve the Revised Personnel Addendum. On the call of the roll, the following members voted Aye: Members Ali, Bailey, McNay, Nichols, Rose, Troup and Whitfield; and the following member voted Nay: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.
http://qps.org/files/board/Minutes_201617/022217regmnt.pdf
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