Community News
School Board votes to participate in Liquid Asset Fund
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to approve a resolution authorizing the district to participate in the Illinois School District Liquid Asset Fund+, an investment pool in which more than 600 of the state’s 900 school districts participate. Supt. Shane Owsley said the measure will allow the district to temporarily invest surplus funds at a higher rate of earning than the district would realize from traditional bank Certificates of Deposit. Moreover, the funds remain “liquid,” meaning the district can withdraw money at any time without penalty.
In other action, the board extended by one-year the employment contracts of High School Principal Jill Rosentreter, Middle School Principal Patrick McGinthy, BenGil Elementary Principal Angela Sandretto, and District Assistant Principal Tara Cooper. The administrative staff work under a three-year contract subject to annual one-year extensions. In other action, the board voted unanimously to accept “with regret” the resignation of popular district band director Zach Simon, effective June 2, and post the position as vacant.
Other personnel action following an 80-minute executive session included hiring Zane Ireland and Korben Clark as volunteer assistant football coaches. On a motion by Amanda Ross, seconded by Mark Hayes, the board voted to hire Jeff Gibson as a district custodian, pending a routine background check. On a motion by Weye Schmidt, seconded by Jack Burns, the board appointed Tate Wargo as an assistant high school boys baseball coach. Nick Schoen, Larry Schweppe and Mark Enslow were hired as assistant bass fishing coaches, pending routine background checks. Robert Hearn was hired as a substitute bus driver, pending a routine background check.
The board accepted the resignation of Jill Strole as the high school girls track and field coach, and posted the position as vacant. The board also posted a vacancy for an assistant middle school track and field coach.
DISTRICT FOCUS
Three charter members of the Partnership for Educational Excellence’s Board of Directors presented a “District Focus” segment before the board entered into an executive session, reporting upon the Partnership’s contributions to the school district over the past 30 years. Supt. Owsley said charitable groups and individuals like the Partnership are important to the financial well-being of the school district, helping fill the void between educational needs and resources.
“Before evidence-based funding, which is basically 2018, our funding was at 55 percent adequate,” Owsley said. “After evidence-based funding, we’re up to 69 percent, but we are still a long way from 100 percent, which highlights the importance of groups like the Partnership.” Most recently, Owsley said, the Partnership donated $30,000 to help underwrite the district’s program to ensure every student has a computer to use and committed to making two more $30,000 donations over the next two years. “It’s not a one-time expenditure,” he said. “Computers have a life of four or five years before they have to be replaced.”
Donna Prevedell told the board the Partnership grew out of a graduate school project undertaken by Nanci Grandone, who also attended Monday night, to research how educational foundations could help schools. “Thirty years later, here we are,” Prevedell said.
Marking its 30th year of existence, the Partnership is nearing a number of milestones. By the end of the school year, Prevedell said, the organization will have raised and donated more than $1 million since its inception. She said the Partnership has donated about $660,000 in direct donations to the district in the form of classroom grants and other gifts. After this year’s commencement, the organization will have awarded more than 500 scholarships representing about $320,000.
In the early years of the Partnership’s work, scholarships were limited to $250. Today, scholarship recipients receive $1,000.
“We keep the scholarships small so we can recognize more students,” Prevedell said. “We don’t care about GPA, we don’t care about class ranking. We care more about goals and work ethic.”
John Fassero, who serves as Partnership President, said the Partnership recognizes the scholarships are small, but the group hopes the recognition provides a spark that inspires recipients to succeed later in life. When the Partnership has been able to follow up with the careers of scholarship recipients, Fassero said students’ accomplishments “are inspiring.”
“We’re all unpaid volunteers,” he noted. “We do this because we think it is work worth doing. Our whole mission is to benefit Community Unit School District 7 students and the school district itself.”
Fassero said the board works diligently to assure donors that the Partnership is an exceptional steward of their money. “When they give money to us, they know it will be used for its intended purpose.”
Board member Bill Carter said his youngest son is an example of someone who was “sparked” to succeed by the Partnership. A Partnership scholarship recipient, Carter’s son is finishing his associate’s degree in criminal justice this year and is applying to four-year universities with the intent to complete a bachelor’s degree. Carter said his son will be the first member of the family to earn a college degree, a fact for which he credits the Partnership’s influence.
Likewise, Ross said receiving a Partnership scholarship boosted her confidence as she faced the prospect of attending college away from home.
Fassero said board members initially expected to limit themselves to three years of service. “Thirty years later, here we are,” he said. The veteran members, however, are recruiting younger trustees they hope will take over the organization as the founding members step away.
In addition to the Partnership, Owsley noted that people like John Schmidt who provided generous financial support to the district. Recently, Dr. Ross and Rosemary Billiter donated $25,000 for supplementary curriculum.
“It never ceases to amaze me, the number of people in a small community who go out of their way to help students,” Owsley said.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TRAINING
Owsley reported to the board that he and Ross, a member of the bargaining committee, attended a Feb. 9 training session in Springfield, along with representatives of the local teachers union. The focus of the session, he said, was on a negotiating technique that precludes the need for lawyers. Instead, administrators and teachers would meet and work with a facilitator to reach a contract agreement, facilitated by a former school superintendent working for the Illinois Education Association.
“It’s a common sense approach, but it isn’t anything that’s been done before here,” Owsley said.
If the district signs onto the program, a facilitator would arrive on a Friday evening, and work with both sides of the negotiation with a goal of reaching an agreement by the end of the weekend.
Union President Jennifer Parker said the teachers are optimistic about the new approach to negotiations, particularly the facilitator’s goal of completing the negotiations before the end of the school year.
“I’m extremely optimistic,” Owsley said. “There is a cost but the cost is usually shared by the school district and the union. But, if we use an attorney, he will charge an hourly rate from the time he gets in his car to drive here. I think this approach would do wonders for the school district. If it doesn’t work, we always have the option of going back to the traditional form of negotiations we’ve used in the past.”
Owsley also reported the district has received a high-impact tutoring grant in the amount of $51,934 and teachers already are in training to offer high-impact tutoring programs to students.
STRATEGIC PLAN
The board spent several minutes discussing preparations for drafting an updated Strategic Plan to guide future school improvement efforts. A previous Strategic Plan outlined goals through 2021 but the district has not yet updated the plan because of the COVID pandemic. “Now that COVID is behind us, now is a good time to come up with a new plan for the next few years,” he said.
He recommended reviewing the old plan and identifying which goals were met and which were not, and brainstorming new goals for the next five years. The effort, he said, should involve board members, teachers, administrators and community members.
Board member Schmidt, who was closely involved with writing the last Strategic Plan, said the district should keep the process as streamlined as possible. The last plan, he noted, took upward of six months to create.
“That first meeting, we probably had 25 people here,” he said. “By the time we were done, we were lucky to have three people for a meeting. It went on too long. I would definitely recommend that we not let it drag out too long.”
Owsley said he envisioned a maximum of three or four meetings and hammer out details of a new five-year plan.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Voted to approve an agreement with Loy, Miller, Talley, PC to perform the district’s annual financials at a cost not to exceed $11,695.
- Voted to make public minutes for 19 executive sessions held between March 2017 and April 2020.
- Place on first reading a tentative 2023-24 school calendar for which Owsley will seek final approval next month.
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The Wilsonville Progressive Club will celebrate and host a 90 year Anniversary Party on Saturday, May 11. The party will include a catered dinner, a live band, and fireworks.
Doors will open at 2 pm with a catered dinner being served at 4 pm. The Shane Kessinger Experience (live band) will play at 5 pm, and a grand fireworks display will be held at dusk.
The Progressive Club was originally established in 1934 by the Progressive Miners and was located on the northwest side of Wilsonville’s main street. The Club moved to their new building in January of 1949 and today this is still the current location at 212 Wilson Street in Wilsonville.
Wilsonville was founded in 1917 when Superior Coal Co. Mine No. 4 was sunk and this was the most modern mine in the Superior field. At that time, the little settlement which grew up around the mine was called Wilson. One day a worker paused and asked, “What are we going to name this town?” President Wilson was in office, thus the town was then and there named Wilson until 1919 when it was incorporated and the name expanded to Wilsonville.
The Wilsonville Progressive Club is operated and maintained by an elected panel of trustees and loyal members. The Club is open to the public and membership is always welcome. The large outdoor covered pavilion and manicured grassy side lot offer an attractive and convenient venue for any event along with inside facilities.
If you are interested in renting for any kind of event, call 217-835-3122 during open hours which are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 4 pm to close, and Sunday doors open at 2 pm. Every Sunday afternoon at 4 pm is the Queen of Hearts drawing and the Club is on Facebook as well.
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SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Oak Street in reference to a dog bite.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Abba Street to pick up a found item.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Maple Street in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of West Chestnut Street in reference to a burglary.
An officer was out in the 200 block of North Macoupin Street in reference to a motorist assist.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Schmidt Street in reference to a 911 call.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of South 1st Street in Benld in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Broadway Street in reference to a medical call.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of South Illinois Street in Benld in reference to illegal burning.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South 5th Street in Benld in reference to an animal complaint.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Horizon Street in reference to a 911 call.
MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2024
An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Police Department to speak with a male in reference to a theft in the 100 block of South Main Street in Benld.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of West Osie Street in reference to a violation of an order of protection.
Nicholas O. Landolt, 36, of Gillespie was arrested on multiple warrants including one out of St. Clair County for possession for methamphetamine, a second one out of Montgomery County for failure to appear for driving while license was revoked, and a third out of Macoupin County for failure to appear for methamphetamine.
An officer was dispatched to East Walnut Street in reference to a suspicious noise.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Abba Street in reference to a juvenile issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Broadway Street in reference to a medical alarm.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a theft in the 200 block of West Oak Street.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to criminal damage to her property.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to identity theft.
An officer spoke with a female in the 100 block of North 7th Street in Benld in reference to a neighbor dispute.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a violation of an order of protection.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Southern Street in reference to a suspicious person.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 1100 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to criminal damage to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of East Walnut Street in reference to criminal trespass to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of North 7th Street in Benld in reference to criminal trespass to property. Melissa J. Hughes, 49, of Benld was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for theft/larceny.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Maple Street in reference to criminal trespass to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Francis Street in reference to a traffic crash.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a civil issue in the 700 block of Rose Street in Benld.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South 5th Street in Benld in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of East Pine Street to assist the Department of Children and Family Services.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of Broadway Street in reference to reckless driving.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of East Central Avenue in Benld in reference to a 911 call.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to fraud in the 200 block of South Macoupin.
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 500 block of East Elm Street in reference to criminal trespass to property.
An officer was dispatched to Route 4 and Staunton Road in reference to reckless driving.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Gillespie Street in reference to unwanted solicitors.
An officer was dispatched to High Street and Gillespie Street in reference to a suspicious noise.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of High Street in reference to unwanted solicitors.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a civil standby.
An officer was flagged down at Elm Street and Clinton Street and spoke with an individual in reference to a civil issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Mt. Olive Road in Eagarville in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a suspicious circumstance.
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 400 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a panic alarm sounding.
An officer was dispatched to the 1300 block of South Second Street in reference to a civil standby.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of West Osie Street in reference to a dog bite. Heather L. Kimberlin, 47, of Gillespie was issued a citation for dog at large.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of West Baker Street in reference to a juvenile issue.
An officer was out with a suspicious vehicle in the alley in the 500 block of Park Avenue.
An officer was dispatched to East Walnut and South Main Street in Benld in reference to reckless driving.
An officer was dispatched to the Veterans Memorial Park in Benld in reference to a suspicious vehicle that had been parked there for a couple of days.
Gillespie Police Department was requested for traffic control by the Gillespie Fire Department for a fire on Eagarville Road.
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of East Walnut Street in reference to a traffic crash.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of South Street in Gillespie in reference to a juvenile issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Litchfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to a suspicious person at the storage units. Kathy J. Henderson, 49, of Sawyerville was arrested on a Macoupin County warrant for failure to appear for bad checks
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Maple Street and Macoupin Street. Kenny L. Fults, 18, of Belleville was issued a citation for possession of cannabis.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Mt. Olive Road in Eagarville in reference to civil standby.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of West Burton Street in reference to an animal complaint.
SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Abba Street in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of North 7th Street in Benld in reference to criminal trespassing. Timothy J. Dalpozzo, 57, of Benld was arrested for criminal trespassing to residence and a Macoupin County warrant for criminal trespassing to a residence.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at South Street and Chestnut Street and charges are pending crime lab results.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Maple Street in reference to reckless driving.
An officer was dispatched to Macoupin Street and Elm Street in reference to reckless driving.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of Osie Street in reference to a dog at large.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of North 8th Street in Benld in reference to medical assist.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of West Spruce Street in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of West Baker Street in reference to criminal trespass to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Park Street in Benld in reference to a medical call.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to an ordinance issue.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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LITCHFIELD, Ill. — HSHS St. Francis Hospital is offering service opportunities to area teens this summer through the 2024 Junior Volunteer Program. Applications are being accepted now through May 1.
Applicants must be high school students maintaining at least a “C” average, be a minimum of 14 years of age by June 1 and be willing to volunteer at least two hours per week during the summer program. Junior volunteers will perform a variety of duties in various hospital departments.
Registration materials are available on the hospital’s website volunteer page at https://www.hshs.org/st-francis/community/volunteer.
All participants in the program will be required to present proof of immunizations for MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and Varicella (chicken pox). An additional requirement includes attendance at a hospital orientation.
A limited number of positions will be available. For more information, contact HSHS St. Francis Hospital at 217-324-8200.
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