GMS
All of Gillespie Middle School Applicants awarded mini-grants
Gillespie Middle School students (foreground) celebrate the gift of $6,358.81 from The Partnership for Educational Excellence. Principal Jill Rosentreter (center back row) accepts the check from Partnership president John Fassero, Jr. Partnership directors Nanci Grandone (far left) and Don Throne (far right) joined all teacher-recipients (holding congratulatory letters) for the presentation.
All 14 Gillespie Middle School (GMS) teacher-applicants received classroom mini-grants from The Partnership for Educational Excellence on Wednesday October 7, for a total gift of $6,358.81. The Partnership is an IRS-chartered 501(c)(3), not-for-profit education foundation serving Macoupin County’s Community Unit School District 7 (CUSD 7).
“The applications covered every subject matter taught in middle school and will improve the quality of instruction in every classroom,” said John Fassero, Jr., president of The Partnership.
Principal Jill Rosentreter said: “GMS is extremely honored and thankful that the community, along with the Partnership’s support, promotes educational excellence.”
The entire GMS staff and student body assembled to witness the check presentation by Partnership representatives Fassero; founder and first president Nanci Grandone; director Don Throne; and vice president Donna Prevedell.
“The students and staff of Gillespie Middle School welcomed members of the Partnership to join their daily morning assembly … to take part in a celebratory presentation where the teachers were each presented with a check for supplemental classroom supplies,” said Rosentreter.
“This fall is exceptional,” said Fassero. “The Partnership set a new one-semester record with a gift of $26,157.98 to all three CUSD 7 schools. We’re thrilled. We received an unprecedented 65 applications from all three CUSD 7 schools and were able to award all or part of 58 of them.”
By school the totals were:
Ben-Gil Elementary School: 30 teachers received $13,581.31. Almost every classroom from Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade has received up to $500 for supplemental curricular materials.
Gillespie Middle School: 14 teachers (100% of academic faculty) received $6,358.81. History, geometry, robotics, experimental science, and literature were all enhanced in this round of mini-grants.
Gillespie High School: A record 14 grants were awarded, directing extra resources to classroom units on math, history, biology, health, fitness, hockey, robotics, welding, and agricultural education. The total high school award was $6,217.86, its highest award to date.
These gifts were made possible by the generosity of alumni and local residents. In particular, the Schmidt and Barton Family Foundation has been especially generous for the entire 23-year life of The Partnership. And this semester, The Partnership welcomes its newest mini-grant supporters, Dr. D. Ross and Mrs. Rosemary Billiter of Litchfield. The Billiters initiated a scholarship last year, and returned to ask The Partnership to channel a second gift of $25,000 to its mini-grant program.
Teachers may apply each semester for awards of up to $500 for supplementary curricular materials that will enhance their students’ learning. Projects which encourage critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and life skills will receive a high priority. Projects, which involve team teaching and/or interdisciplinary activities, are encouraged.
All money is deposited directly with the schools and must be used only for the designated purpose within the 2015-2016 academic year. All unexpended money must be returned to The Partnership at the end of the academic year. To maintain eligibility for future awards, teachers must submit receipts for covered materials and written evaluations. Mini-grants cannot be given for textbooks, field trips, computer hardware, equipment/furniture, supplies/consumables, or for expenses for outside speakers.
To learn more and to donate, please visit www.thepartnership7.org. You can also contact The Partnership at P.O. Box 125, Gillespie, IL 62033.
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Members of the Community Unit School District 7 voted unanimously Monday night to place the district’s tentative 2024-25 budget on file for public inspection. The document will remain on file for a minimum of 30 days before the board officially adopts a budget during the board’s regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 23.
Board President Mark Hayes emphasized that the budget document on file is “tentative” and likely to change before the final budget is approved. The new budget will govern spending for the fiscal year that began July 1.
Supt. Shane Owsley confirmed the document “will change” over the coming month. Pending grant awards, for example, are likely to alter the tentative budget on the revenue side. During Monday night’s meeting, Owsley confirmed the district has been approved for a $10,000 Breakfast Expansion Grant which will be used to install a salad bar in the high/school middle school cafeteria. During breakfast hours, the bar will be stocked with fresh fruit. He also reported the district has been approved for a Stronger Connections grant that will be used to expand curriculum and teaching opportunities. The amount of the Stronger Connections grant is not yet known but could be as much as $174,985, which is the amount for which the district applied.
Last year’s budget totaled $20 million. At the time last year’s budget was adopted, Owsley indicated the 2025 budget would likely be “less rosy.” Last year’s budget included $2.6 million in Elementary and Secondary School Recovery (ESSR) funds. Those funds will not be available this year, reducing the amount of federal money the district receives by about one-third. Owsley noted last year that the district may have to dip into surplus funds that accumulated as a result of COVID-19 emergency funding in order to balance the 2025 budget.
Approval of the budget will be preceded by a public hearing on Sept., 23 during which Owsley typically provides a PowerPoint presentation illustrating budget details.
PERSONNEL
Following a one-hour executive session, the board hired Tim Wargo as the head middle school baseball coach, and accepted Wargo’s resignation as an assistant middle school baseball coach. Additionally, the board hired Trae Wargo as an assistant middle school baseball coach, filling the vacancy created by Tim Wargo’s resignation.
J.O. Kelly was hired as an assistant football coach, pending verification of certification and a background check.
Board members voted unanimously hire Brandy Ernst as a district paraprofessional, pending verification of certification and a background check.
On a motion by Weye Schmidt, the board hired Terri Rhodes as a special education bus aide, pending a background check. In a separate action, the board voted unanimously to post a vacancy for a special education bus aid.
In other personnel action, the board accepted the resignation of Mike Smith as a full-route bus driver, and reassigned him to a half-route position. In separate actions, the board hired Quinten Heine as a substitute bus driver, pending a background check, and posted a vacancy for a full-route bus driver.
ONGOING PROJECTS
Owsley reported to the board on the status of several life safety projects. He told the board that shatterproof film has been applied to windows and a new intercom system has been installed at the middle school. The intercom system makes it possible for all three schools to communicate with each other in the event of an emergency.
A key card entry system has been installed at the middle school/high school, and workers are in the process of installing secondary locks on classroom doors. The secondary locks provide a means by which teachers can block entry buy an intruder from inside the classroom.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Voted to enter into an intergovernmental transportation with the Jerseyville School District to provide bus transport for a CUSD 7 student who attends the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville.
- Approved a salary and benefits report for teachers and administrators to be filed with the Illinois State Board of Education. The document also will be available for public review on the CUSD 7 website.
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The top 59 boys’ and girls’ basketball seniors from South Central Illinois played in the 19th Annual Carlinville Rotary Club All-Star Basketball Classic on Sunday, March 26 in Carlinville which was presented by Prairie Farms Diary and CNB Bank & Trust.
Representing Gillespie High School among the athletes on the West teams included Emily Schoen, Jenna Clark, Kam Link, and Bryan Jubelt. Clark posted 2 points in the girls’ contest while Link posted 15 and Jubelt helped with 5 points in the boys’ game. Link also put on a show in the dunk contest scoring 48 out of the possible 50 points to win first place.
The Girls East beat the West 68-51 behind 14 points from MVP Layne Rupert of Hillsboro. The 3-point shootout was won by Paige Henson of Carrollton in a corner shootoff with Natalie Engelman of Nokomis. Staunton coach Corrie Allan was selected as the Rotary Club’s Girls’ Coach of the Year.
Devon Peebles of Pana took MVP honors in the boys’ Carlinville Rotary Club All-Star Basketball Classic. Peebles scored 25 points to lead the East to a 108-97 win over the West. Elijah Aumann of Nokomis won the 3-point contest hitting 10 treys and edging out Ryan Eisenbarth of Nokomis, Peebles and Jubelt of Gillespie who all had 9. In the Slam Dunk contest, Link scored 48 out of the possible 50 points for his routine with Peebles finishing second with a score of 41. Nokomis coach Dan DeWerff was named the Rotary Club’s Boys’ Coach of the Year.
With the East winning both the girls and boys match-ups this year, the all-time series record for boys moves to 12-7 with the West holding the lead and the girls record extends to 13-5 with the East holding strong.
The All-Star Classic serves as a fundraiser for the Carlinville Rotary Club who help with community projects throughout the year.
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The Kaskaskia Region of the Illinois Principals Association hosted its 27th annual Student Recognition Breakfast on Friday, March 17 at Greenville University.
Honored at the event included Olivia Kelly of Gillespie Middle School. Kelly is an eighth-grade student of GMS and is the daughter of J.O. and Jill Kelly of Gillespie. She attended the event with GMS Principal Patrick McGinthy.
The annual Student Recognition Breakfast event recognizes a student from each school in the Kaskaskia region for outstanding achievements in and out of the classroom. Over 50 students were honored at the event.
Students were individually recognized in front of the audience and enjoyed a buffet-style breakfast followed by a motivational speech by Dr. Lori Franke-Hopkins.
The Kaskaskia Region includes schools in the Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Macoupin, Marion and Montgomery Counties. The Illinois Principals Association is a professional organization of building and district level school administrators.
