RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
April
10, 2007
The
regular meeting of the Board of Education of Morrison Community Unit District
#6,
On
roll call, the following were present: Joy Tegeler, Kent Forth, Greg Houldson,
Dave Boyles via teleconference, and Sally Gray.
Board Members Kevin Schlueter and Steve Swanstrom were absent. Also present were Superintendent Jody Ware,
District Volunteer Coordinator Brenda White, Kent Humphrey, Audrey Humphrey, Recording
Secretary Wendy Krajnovich, and two media representatives.
Board
President Sally Gray called for any changes or corrections to the minutes of
the last regular Board meeting held on March 27, 2007. Hearing none, she called for a motion to
approve the minutes of the previous meeting.
Motion:
Tegeler; Second:
COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC
COMMENTS
Superintendent’s
Report
Dr.
Jody Ware noted that we did have a quorum for the meeting in spite of two
members being absent, and Dave Boyles was attending via teleconference. At a previous meeting she had provided the
Board with a list of information she needed to gather for the consultants doing
the consolidation study. She reported
that all items had been obtained and forwarded to them. She also reported on the written bomb threat
that was found on a boys’ bathroom wall on Wednesday, March 28th at
Building
Administration
No
administrators were present.
Public
Comments
Audrey
Humphrey addressed the Board over her concerns about how information was
released regarding the recent bomb threat.
Although it was available on the radio, thecity1.com, and the district
website, she said a number of parents were concerned that no note was also sent
home. She said verbal accounts brought
home by students are usually partially inaccurate or incomplete, and some
parents would like the correct information in a written form directly from the
schools.
Board
Comments
Board
member Joy Tegeler referred to a letter to the editor that was just published
in the Morrison Post regarding school fund balances. She said it was misleading because some tax
dollars are received in the current year which are to be used for the upcoming
year, but those payments are reflected on the current year’s financial
reports. The letter also mentioned the
amount that was spent for mirrors for the high school weight room. Board
President Sally Gray noted that the expense was covered by funds donated by
Drs. Woods and Bird, and Becky West from school physical fees, and did not come
from district funds. Dr. Ware then
reviewed the extracurricular fees that were a result of the failed 2003
referendum, and the other sources that fund the extracurricular program such as
gate receipts and donations from the Booster group. Joy Tegeler also stated that the district
auditor was complimentary of the four months fund balance the district
currently carries, and that six months is considered a healthy balance. These are funds held in reserve in case of an
emergency and have been accumulated over the past several years as part of the
district’s wise financial planning.
RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
April
10, 2007
INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
Volunteer Recognition
District Volunteer Coordinator Brenda White
attended to discuss this year’s volunteer program and participation. This year’s theme is “Volunteering is a Work
of Heart”. Brenda has been tracking hours
and distributed written reports to the Board members showing individual hours
volunteered, and totals by month and school.
The week of April 15-21 is Volunteer Recognition Week. Posters will be displayed in the schools and
special thank you gifts will be distributed.
The top 15 volunteers will be named in an article that will be published
in the local papers.
2007-2010 Technology Plan
Dr. Ware reviewed the new three-year technology
integration plan that will be submitted to the state. This was prepared by the district Technology
Committee with information gathered from the community, parents, staff and
students. All recommendations are
data-driven.
First Reading Policies 2:170, 4:120, 6:160, 6:310,
7:70, 7:130, 7:190
New policy updates and changes were reviewed by
Dave Boyle. They will be approved at the
next meeting.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion: Forth; Second: Houldson; to approve the one
personnel recommendation on the Consent Agenda.
Ayes: Tegeler, Houldson,
ACTION ITEMS
Reduction
in Force: Educational Support Personnel
Until
more information is received regarding state funding, the Board of Education
needs to act on reduction of force for Educational Support Personnel. By law,
we need to give Educational Support Personnel 30 days notice prior to the end
of the school year regarding reduction in force.
Motion:
Houldson; Second: Tegeler; to adopt the resolution that the following named
educational support personnel shall be honorably dismissed and not reemployed
for the 2007-2008 school year because of the decision of the Board to
discontinue some particular type of educational support service: Darrell House,
Carol House, Dorothy Rosenow, Luann Wieneke, Tori Eads, Cheryl O’Neil and Laura
McCullough; and Educational Support Personnel shall be honorably dismissed and
not reemployed for the 2007-2008 school year because of the decision of the
Board to decrease the number of educational support personnel employees:
Michele Becker, Jamie Rodriguez, Krintine Rogers, Tori Eads, and Jonathon
Etnyre. Ayes:
Student
Catastrophic Insurance
As
in years past, the Board of Education purchases catastrophic student accident
medical insurance for interscholastic athletics. She reviewed the different types of coverage
offered by our student insurance provider. The Board will continue to offer an optional
student insurance plan parents can purchase at registration.
Motion:
Tegeler; Second:
Textbook
Approval: K-5 Social Studies
At
the last meeting, Mr. Wroble reviewed the Harcourt K-5 Social Studies series
selected by the elementary teachers. The
third and fifth grade texts would be purchased right away, the fourth grade
textbook when the new edition is published, and the K-2 textbooks will be
ordered next year when lower elementary is designated by the Illinois Textbook Loan Program.
Motion:
Tegeler; Second: Forth; to approve the purchase of Harcourt School Publishers
K-5 Social Studies program for third and fifth grade now, and the fourth grade
edition when the new book is
published. Ayes: Houldson,
RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
April
10, 2007
Textbook
Approval: High School Natural Resources
At
the last meeting, Janet Ward reviewed a new text selected for the high school natural
resource course by instructor Gregg Dolan.
Motion:
Forth; Second: Houldson; to approve the purchase of a classroom set of Environment:The
Science Behind the Story at $95.96 each for a total of
$3,358.60. Ayes: Houldson, Tegeler,
Boyles,
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Policy Committee
New policy changes reviewed earlier in the meeting
by Dave Boyles.
Strategic Planning
No report
Personnel/Negotiations
No report.
Dr. Ware noted that lump sum would be available to teachers this year as
written in the MEA Contract.
Finance Committee
No report.
Facilities Committee
No report.
Citizens’ Advisory Committee
No report.
Extra-Curricular Committee
No report.
Insurance Committee
No report.
Local Wellness Committee
Greg Houldson reported that some of the committee
members met last Friday to work on grant writing. They are nearly through and will be submitting
the grants soon.
Energy/Utility Committee
Sally Gray reported that our fuel usage increased
by $2,000 last month. Currently, we are
still under what was budgeted for this year.
CLOSED
SESSION 7:30 P.M.
Motion:
Houldson: Second: Forth; to enter into a closed session to approve closed
session minutes. Ayes:
RETURN
TO OPEN SESSION 8:30 P.M.
Motion:
Forth; Second: Houldson; to return to open session. Ayes: five; Nays: none. Motion carried.
ACTION
FROM CLOSED SESSION
Motion:
Houldson; Second:
RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
April
10, 2007
Board
President Sally Gray adjourned the meeting by consent at 8:32 P.M.
(President)
______________________________________________
(Secretary)
______________________________________________ Date Approved __________________________