 The primary need for the special meeting was to create a new
contract with CTS for installing new windows in the school building.
The new contract was needed for the windows because the district
received a $50,000 maintenance grant that would specifically pay for
that item of the renovations.The board approved the removal of
the windows from the old contract and the creation of the new
contract for those windows.
On another matter, former board member Kenda Kitner commented on
the decision at the last meeting to send Lori Birnbaum and Tish
Podunajec to the Triple-I Conference in Chicago in November. Kitner
said she knows the school is looking at a tight budget in the next
year. As a result, she thinks the board should do everything they
can to reduce the cost of such high-priced conferences.
In total, the cost of sending two people to the conference,
including rooms and registration, would cost over $1,500.
"I think the money could be better spent sending our teachers to
classes and sending board members to downstate classes," said Kitner.
Superintendent Jennifer Hamm said she is concerned over the high
costs of paying for training for five new board members. The fund
that pays for the training is the same fund that pays for teacher
training. Hamm said that last year, she had to turn down teachers
for training opportunities because the fund ran dry.
The board members present agreed but said that Birnbaum and
Podunajec (who were not present) would be splitting the costs of
hotel rooms when attending the conference.
Alan Schuch, who was appointed as the new treasurer for the
school district, had recently offered to take the position as a
volunteer. Hamm said that a non-board member who is the treasurer
has to receive a stipend, but there is no minimum amount. As a
result, the board voted to pay Schuch a stipend of $1, as per
Schuch's suggestion at the previous board meeting.
The next topic was switching providers for the district's
workers' compensation and casualty policies. For the last 13 years,
the district has worked with Selective Insurance. Hamm said that
last year's expense for that coverage was becoming too high, and so
she looked into coverage with Liberty Mutual.
[to top of second column] |
 Liberty Mutual coverage would give the district lower deductibles
and a greater range of coverage areas, such as terrorism and violent
event coverage. In total, Liberty Mutual would cost $6,000 less than
Selective.
Brooks voiced his concern over the terrorism coverage, as the
definition for a claim falling under that category is vague. As a
result, Brooks made a motion to accept Liberty without the terrorism
coverage. No second was made, and the motion was dropped.
The board proceeded to approve the entirety of the coverage with
Liberty Mutual, with Brooks voting no.
The final topic of discussion was posting a potential teaching
position. Hamm said she believes the number of kindergarten students
will increase before the new school year begins, and she would like
to be prepared for that. Last year, because of last-minute
registrations, the school had to hire a new kindergarten teacher in
the week before school began.
Brooks asked why the kindergarten classes are split if there are
high numbers. Hamm said students of that age need to be in small
groups in order to effectively teach them what they need to know for
first grade. However, more kindergarten students are not attending
preschool, and as a result they need a little more help in learning
the types of concepts children would learn in that environment.
The board approved the posting of the potential position.
As part of public recognition, Jeff Brooks read a card from Darla
Rohrer thanking the board members for her recent retirement party
and the gifts she received.
Board members present were board president Jeff Brooks, Kenny
Golden, Ben Roland, Jason Toft and Randy Wolf. Superintendent
Jennifer Hamm was also present.
[By DEREK HURLEY] |
