Macomb Community Unit School District 185 Board met Jan. 22.
Here is the minutes provided by the Board:
Board President Jill Myers called the meeting to order in the C.T. Vivian Library at Macomb Jr./Sr. High School. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, roll was taken with the following members present: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad.
The Board recognized Mengzhu Wang for being selected Senior of the Month for January 2018.
In response to a question about the hiring of the new high school principal, Dr. Twomey advised the applicant pool had been reduced to seven and the interview team, consisting of MHS division chairs, Dr. Twomey and another administrator, is ready to go. Interviews are scheduled February 8 and 9. Ms. Myers noted the MHS Speech Team had been re-established and is winning awards.
Lauren Hensley, a Program Assistant at Edison, and Kayden Moon, her student, demonstrated one of the new tactile boards. Lauren recognized the need for students like Kayden to have an outlet for extra energy and a way to regain focus on the classroom. She thought of the tactile board and approached NTN Bower about fabricating the boards. Steve Hensley and two Bower engineers worked with Lauren to develop the boards and NTN Bower produced five of the boards – one for each building in the District. The Board recognized Lauren, Steve Hensley and the NTN engineers who worked on the project.
Dr. Twomey shared the following information with the Board:
• January 3 Teachers’ Institute – peer led sessions were well-received and the session topics received good evaluations from staff.
• Lincoln Addition – progress is being made. The beam structure is in place and soon work on the inside of the existing structure will begin.
• Middle School update – not much change since the last report. Community partners are ready to bring board members together to discuss the future of the project. Discussion will likely result in a decision whether to move forward with the community project or if the school district will proceed on its own.
• FOIA Request Report: Parents’ Foundation for Education requested information on all staff members, position, salary, etc.
• Western Division Dinner Meeting: March 1 at Monmouth-Roseville. One of the breakout sessions at this meeting will focus on Vision 20/20 and the Illinois Balanced Assessment Measurement. This will be the instrument districts use to implement continuous school improvement.
• ESSA: Requires that local financial reporting be done at the state and federal level. Working with Dianne and a consulting company to figure out what the process will look like. An advisory document was created to help districts look at their current way of financial reporting and how to tweak it to meet ESSA guidelines.
Ms. Isackson and Mr. Rumley, Principals of MJH and MHS, presented information on what practices are employed to make progress toward Goal 1: Strategies 1-1 and 1-2 of the District Strategic Plan. They cited specific examples from classroom environment, instructional environment, and plans for the future of providing innovative, enhanced educational experiences which expand opportunities for all learners, and outlined the process used to ensure regular review of the District core curriculum/common core standards, analysis of student assessment data, and design of the curriculum map for the year.
President Myers removed items 9.1, Minutes from the December 18, 2017 public hearing re: the proposed 2017 levy, and 9.2, Minutes from the December 18, 2017 regular meeting, from the consent calendar for separate consideration, and announced item 11, Action Upon Personnel Recommendations, would be acted on following the closed session before adjournment.
Member Bierman moved, and member Adams seconded, to approve the minutes from the December 18, 2017 public hearing re: the proposed 2017 levy. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Members Myers and Thompson abstained. Motion carried.
Member Adams moved, and member Duncan seconded, to approve the minutes from the December 18, 2017 regular Board of Education meeting. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Member Thompson abstained. Motion carried.
Member Torrance moved, and member Adams seconded, to approve items 9.3-9.12 from the Consent Calendar, which included the following: Treasurer’s Report, Investment Report, Monthly Board Report, Bills and Payroll, Financial Update on Life Safety Projects (.05 levy), Financial Update on Life Safety Projects (combined), Monthly Activity Account Reports, Monthly Food Service Report, State Funding Update, and WCISEC Financials and Personnel. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Motion carried.
Member Torrance moved, and member Duncan seconded, to approve and hold indefinitely the minutes from the closed meeting held during the December 18, 2017 regular Board meeting. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Member Thompson abstained. Motion carried.
Dr. Twomey took a moment to answer several questions regarding items on the Consent Calendar and in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. He advised the negative FFA account balance was due to the club borrowing funds in order to take advantage of an early registration discount; payment made to Russ Middleton was the balance of the bus garage project and part of his fee for the Lincoln project; money at First Banker’s Trust has been there since the bank guaranteed a steady rate of interest that on average is higher than that paid for CD investments - with interest rates beginning to rise, we will be begin to invest in short term CDs; and, the $2.4 million increase in the TRS on-behalf payment is due to uncertainty at the state level about payment. While a substantial increase, this is flow-through money. Member Bierman noted the increase is tied to the unfunded pension liability and would continue unless the debt is re-amortized. Member Bierman also mentioned that $123,000 of District monies went to professional development – mostly for certified staff – and the positive impact these professional development opportunities have. Member La Prad pointed out the population figure reflected in the demographic section is likely inaccurate and skewing the per capita income figure. Member Bierman moved, and member Torrance seconded, to accept the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, as presented. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Motion carried.
Member Bierman moved, and member Adams seconded, to authorize the superintendent to proceed with the sale of $6,000,000 in Working Cash Bonds. Dr. Twomey advised he placed the motion on the agenda to be transparent with the community. The timeline presented at the November bond hearing indicated bonds would be issued in May, in time for summer construction. However, with the anticipated increase in interest rates, First MidState advises issuing the bonds earlier to avoid the higher rates. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Motion carried.
Member Thompson moved, and member Duncan seconded, to authorize the Superintendent to prepare a tentative budget for the School District for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018 and ending June 30, 2019. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Motion carried.
At 7:57 p.m., member Thompson moved, and member La Prad seconded, to hold a closed meeting for the purpose of discussing the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees, pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1), collective negotiating matters, pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2), the purchase or lease of real property, pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5), student discipline, pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(9), pending or imminent litigation, pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11), and conducting the semi-annual review of minutes and audio recordings of closed meetings, pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21). Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Motion carried.
President Myers noted the Board would take action on agenda item number 11, Action Upon Personnel Recommendations, following the closed meeting.
The Board returned to open session at 8:39 p.m. Member La Prad moved, and member Bierman seconded, to approve recommendations regarding personnel, as follows:
Certificated Staff:
Request for Leave:
Kelle Kelso, Language Arts/Reading Teacher, Macomb Junior High School, request intermittent leave to begin December 13, 2017. Amber McVeigh, Grade 5 Teacher, Edison Elementary School, request intermittent leave to begin December 13, 2017. Karigan Spalding, School Counselor, Edison Elementary School, request intermittent leave to begin January 4, 2018. Educational Support Staff:
Resignation:
Kelly Joiner, Program Assistant, Macomb Senior High School, effective January 12, 2018. Jazmyn Logan, Program Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School, effective December 20, 2017. Employment:
Tiffany Cox, Program Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School, 29 hours per week, effective January 4, 2018.
Debra Russell, Program Assistant, Macomb Senior High School, 29 hours per week, effective January 11, 2018 (replaces Joiner). Co-Curricular:
Employment:
Ronel Engnell, Read 100!, Lincoln Elementary School, effective 2017-2018 school year. Carol Jackson, Read 100!, Lincoln Elementary School, effective 2017-2018 school year. Tara Stockham, Read 100!, Lincoln Elementary School, effective 2017-2018 school year. Members voting “yes”: Duncan, Torrance, Adams, Bierman, Myers, Thompson, and La Prad. Members voting “no”: none. Motion carried.
Member Bierman moved, and member La Prad seconded, to adjourn at 8:40 p.m. Motion carried by voice vote.
http://www.macomb185.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/627
Alerts Sign-up