MINUTES
- REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
The Board of Education of the
Ms. Marianne
Clancy, Board Secretary, established a quorum and the following Members were
present: Mr. John Dirks, Mr. John Hanson, Mrs. Cheryl Jackson, Mr. Uvaldo
Herrera, Mr. Keith Davis, Mrs. Millicent Roth and Mrs. Janet Smith, Board
President.
Present from
the administrative staff were Dr. Robert Nielsen, Dr. Roger Kilpatrick, Mr.
Barry Reilly and Mrs. Sally Tucker.
Ms. Linda Aschenbrener, Public Relations Facilitator, was also in attendance.
Present from the
news media was Ms. Michele Steinbacher from The Pantagraph, Ms. Melissa Dunton,
WEEK TV, Mr. Will Koch, WMBD TV and Mr. Kevin Hankis, WJBC Radio Station.
Mrs. Smith
presented the Minutes for approval. It was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr.
Dirks that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on
Mrs. Cindy Helmers, Bloomington
High School (BHS) Principal and Mr. John Szabo, Athletic Director, introduced
two coaches and three students who recently placed at State Competition and
were each named All-State.
Coach Mark Gardner introduced junior wrestler, Brett Robbins. Brett
recently placed 2nd at State in the 130lb. weight class and finished the season
with a 45-1 record.
Mrs.
Smith congratulated Brett, and asked him, his parents and Coach Gardner to come
forward and receive congratulations from the Board.
Coach Bob Loy introduced senior Matt Hug and sophomore Chase Fillingham.
Matt placed 7th at State in the 500 freestyle and broke two school records this
year. Chase placed 9th in the 200 IM, placed 8th in the 100 backstroke at
State and broke two school records this year.
Mrs.
Smith congratulated both athletes, and asked them, their parents and Coach Loy
to come forward and receive congratulations from the Board.
Mrs.
Smith congratulated Brett and asked him, his parents and Coach Gardner to come
forward and receive congratulations from the Board.
Mr. Hanson attended a Regional Planning Commission meeting where it
was announced that Zilka Renewable Energy Corp. will be developing the largest
wind energy project in the nation just east of the Bloomington/Normal. This
$400 million project will likely begin construction in 2005-06 and may produce
up to 400 megawatts of power - the size of a medium size community.
Mrs. Jackson attended a recent Illinois Association of School Boards
(IASB) Leadership Conference in
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Mrs.
Smith reported that she and Mr. Hanson
attended a recent Judge John M. Scott Vocational Education Trust Investment
meeting on March 2. She stated that there was an increase in investment income
this year and that the group has decided to allocate up to $50,000 of the
surplus towards the District 87 Summer School Scholarship Fund.
Mr. Lue Walters, Community Member
and husband of Dr. JoAnn Walters, spoke in opposition of eliminating the
position of Director of Title I,
Mr. Mike Williams, President of the Bloomington/Normal NAACP, spoke in
opposition of eliminating the position of Director of Title I,
Mr. Dirks, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Roth
and Mrs. Smith attended the Corn Belt IASB dinner and panel discussion
on Tuesday at Normal Community High School (NCHS).
Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Herrera, Mrs. Roth and Mrs. Smith attended
Mrs. Roth attended
Dr. Nielsen presented changes to the 2004-05 BHS, Bloomington Junior High
School (BJHS) and Elementary School Handbooks. No major revisions are
proposed, other than changes in fees, dates, contact information, and
clarifications to established policies.
Mrs. Helmers and Mr. Tim Moore, BHS Associate Principal, presented the BHS
Textbook Purchase Proposal for the 2004-05 school year. The State's
Textbook Loan Program is expected to contribute over $64,000 towards the
purchase of books. The district's costs for all textbooks will be about
$13,000. This proposal came in under budget.
Purchases will be made for the following departments:
English: $9,921.06
Social Studies: $35,921.06
Math (
Business: $1,464.96
PE/Health: $3,608.20
Special Ed: $4,411.39
Foreign Lang. (Spanish): $8,293.95
Science (Chemistry): $9,369.75
Total funded by State's Textbook Loan Program$64,326.56
Total funded by district $12,947.23
Dr. Roger Kilpatrick proposed changes to fees for 2004-2005.
Includes
fee increases in:
Kindergarten 1/2 day: from $30 to $35
Kindergarten full day: from $50 to $55
Grades 1-5: from $50 to $55
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Early Childhood:
from $30 to $35
Trans. Special Ed.: from $50 to $55
Junior High: from $55 to $60
High School: from $65 to $70
Driver Ed. (in District): from $50 to $200
Lunch Fees:
Elementary: up 5˘ to $1.45
Junior High: up 5˘ to $1.80
Senior High: up 5˘ to $1.80
Adult: down 15˘ to $2.35
Extra milk: down 5˘ to $.35
Breakfast fees:
Elementary: up 10˘ to $1.10
Junior High: up 10˘ to $1.10
Senior High: up 10˘ to $1.10
Adult: no change ($1.30)
Extra milk: down 5˘ to $.35
No changes were proposed for:
Parking permits, Band uniform cleaning, Summer Band program, or Single
athletic event ticket prices. (Increased fees for these areas were implemented
last year).
Mrs. Smith presented the Consent
Agenda for consideration. It was moved
by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the Consent Agenda (Personnel Report,
Bills, Payroll, Second Cycle Bill Payments-March, 2004, Agreement for Actuarial
Services, John M. Scott Vocational Education Trust Filing, and the Annual
Catalog Request for Supplies) be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members
present, voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See
with Original Minutes, Attachment 03-10-04/1)
It
was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mrs. Jackson that the Board approve the Resolutions for Dismissals. Upon a roll call vote, Mr. Dirks, Mr. Hanson,
Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Herrera, Mr. Davis and Mrs. Smith voted “Aye”. Mrs. Roth voted “Nay”. Motion carried. (See with Original
Minutes, Attachment 03-10-04/2)
It was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by
Mrs. Jackson that the Board approve the Resolution
Reference the Discontinuation of a Central Office Administrative Position.
Mrs. Jackson stated that she would like to
dispel what she thinks is a misconception.
The people that have spoken at our meetings are not the only ones I have
heard from on this issue. In fact, I
have heard from a very large number of District 87 taxpayers and employees. I have received telephone calls, emails and
snail mail. With respect to District 87
employees I have heard from administrators, principals, food service workers,
office personnel and teachers. I have
heard from current employees, as well as retirees. The overwhelming majority of the people who
have contacted me, voice their support of the administration’s deficit
reduction plan and their conviction that District 87 dollars are best spent in
the classroom.
Upon a roll call vote, Mr. Hanson, Mr.
Dirks, Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Herrera, Mr. Davis and Mrs. Smith, voted “Aye”. Mrs. Roth voted “Nay”. Motion carried. (See with Original
Minutes, Attachment 03-10-04/3)
A few community members spoke in opposition
of eliminating the position of
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Director
of Title I,
It was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the Board go into Closed Session to consider a student disciplinary case. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried.
It was moved by Mr. Herrera, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board return to the Regular Meeting. Upon a roll call vote all members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried.
There being no further business to come
before the Board, Mrs. Smith adjourned the meeting.
APPROVED:
ATTEST:
_________________________________
President
Secretary