|
 After
Roll Call, the Board recognized members of the public which included
the state qualifying 8th grade girls basketball team and the 7th
grade girls volleyball team. Also recognized were the 7th grade IESA
Runner-Up girls basketball team and the 8th grade IESA 3rd Place
girls volleyball team. It has been a fantastic year for this group
of young ladies and the Board awarded each team with a gift card to
Pizza Man. Congratulations to Coach Anderson, Coach Nichols and all
of their assistants.
Consent Agenda, which included the approval for the payment of
bills, the sales tax report, meeting minutes from February 23, 2022
and February 23, 2022 Executive Session minutes, as well as from the
special board meeting on March 3, 2022. Superintendent Lamkey
informed the Board that sales tax revenues reported for November was
over $31,915 for Logan County.
There were no additional questions on the consent agenda, which
passed 7-0.
Under Reports, Mr. Lamkey informed the Board that the FY24 Sangamon
County Extension was received and the tax rate has dropped from 5.19
to 4.987. He expects the Logan County Extension to reflect the same
decrease. In addition, Superintendent Lamkey noted that the
landscaping on Spring Street at the high school was on hold until
Ameren completed work on the gas lines.
The discipline report reflected one in-school suspension at the high
school, three in-school suspensions at the grade school and one out
of school suspension at the grade school. None of the suspensions
exceeded 1 day.
In Unfinished Business, the Board first discussed a Memorandum of
Understanding that would alter the Parent-Teacher Conference
Schedule from the schedule in the collective bargaining agreement
for the second year in a row. The Board voted 5-2 to conduct
Parent-Teacher Conferences during the late afternoon and evening of
October 19th and 20th with no school on Friday, October 21st.
The Board then approved the 2022-23 School Calendar 7-0. While the
calendar will be formally released later this month, it should be
noted that student attendance begins on August 17, 2022.
Superintendent Lamkey then interjected that the Board considered
moving the guests from the YMCA up on the agenda so they could make
an early exit. President Cowan agreed and the YMCA representatives
pitched a project that would allow the organization to use the grade
school facility during the summer to house a “Summer Camp” program
that would provide daycare for area students. There would be no
extra cost to the district, only use of space for summer programs.
The Board gave the YMCA representatives the go ahead to investigate
and determine if there was enough interest in Mt. Pulaski to support
such a program. Mr. Lamkey will report back to the Board in April.
The Board Policy Committee then conducted the second reading of the
PRESS policy update. Mr. Brown and Mr. Wilham reviewed new policy
dealing with staff leave, curriculum and pandemic preparedness. The
board approved the second reading with a 7-0 vote. The next action
by the Board adopted the policy update with another 7-0 vote.
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The Board then entered a conversation that started
the last Board meeting concerning the placement of vape detectors in
the high school restrooms. SRO Officer, Deputy Pharis, and high
school principal, Heather Fricke, expressed great concern for the
growing number of vaping incidents at the high school. There were
even reports of students avoiding restrooms due to the students' use
of vape pens. Both Fricke and Pharis spoke on the dangers of
addiction with vaping. After considerable discussion, the Board gave
administration the go ahead to install vape detectors in high school
and junior high restrooms.
The first item under New Business was the consideration of a
memorandum of understanding that would eliminate language in the
collective bargaining agreement restricting the district from
awarding new teachers any experience over 10 years. In addition, the
MoU would begin the process of restoring teachers, who were
previously affected by the language, to their actual step. The MoU
passed 7-0.
The last two items, the Board approved 7-0. Each allowed for the
purchase of new Smartboard/Prometheans in the high school and grade
school through ESSER funding.
In the Personnel Report there were sixteen items, including one
resignation, 7 hires and the granting of tenure to 9 teachers. The
Board approved the report 7-0:
● Andrea Galvin resigned as District Librarian
● The following hires were also approved:
-
Jonathon
Tribler as MPHS Business Teacher
-
Heidi
Zenor as MPHS Science Teacher
-
Kaytlyn
Newburn as MPGS Teacher
-
Tara
McLaughlin as MPGS Secretary
-
Hannah
Skaggs as MPGS Paraprofessional
-
Ryan
Deibert as MPHS Assistant Track Coach
-
Gale
Clark as MPHS Volunteer Assistant Track Coach
● The following teachers were granted tenure:
Jessica Awe, Ashley Burgard, Kristin Przykopanski, Anthony Lisenko,
Kayleigh Parker, Calob Pluhm, Leah Varvel and Jamie Whitwood.
Under Items of Information, Mrs. Mott spoke about
suicide prevention program that Mr. Lamkey and she learned about it
during a recent Illinois Association of School Board’s March Dinner
Meeting. The program is to make high school students more
understanding and empowered to deal with themselves and peers when
recognizing signs of suicide and preventing the tragedy.
Superintendent Lamkey has already begun preliminary conversations
with administrators to consider the possibility of the program's
implementation.
Principal Fricke announced four students were named Illinois State
Scholars, Riley May, Grant Skelton, Daniel Phillips and Elana Bruns.
In addition, Riley May is our Senior of the Month.
The Board adjourned at 6:29 PM.
[Sarah Farris
Administrative Assistant
Mount Pulaski CUSD 23] |
