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Board hears results of school report card, administrators begin plans to address shortfalls

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Superintendent Joe Tieman says the board had to support their teachers and make sure that their curriculum and structure match the PARCC standards

Superintendent Joe Tieman says the board had to support their teachers and make sure that their curriculum and structure match the PARCC standards

Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night reviewed recently released school report cards that assess student performance in key academic areas, and heard strategies school administrators and teachers plan to implement to address some of the shortfalls detailed in the report card document.

The state report card is prepared annually by the Illinois State Board of Education for all school districts in the state. Members of the public can access the data by visiting illinoisreportcard.com, and typing “Gillespie CUSD 7” into the search field.

Through the website, members of the public can explore test score averages for the entire school district, as well as scoring for individual schools within the district. The report card shows Community Unit School District 7 students performing at levels that are below statewide averages at all grade levels and in all subject areas.

25 PERCENT OF CUSD 7’S STUDENTS “MET” OR “EXCEEDED”

According to the report card, 25 percent of CUSD 7’s students “met” or “exceeded” composite academic standards set by ISBE, compared to 33 percent of students statewide. In math, 29 percent of district students met or exceeded the standard, compared with 38 percent statewide. A total of 20 percent met or exceeded the state standard in math, compared with 28 percent statewide.

Composite test scores for Ben-Gil Elementary students show 24 percent meeting or exceeding the standard. In English/Language Arts, 29 percent of local elementary students met or exceeded the standard, while 19 percent met or exceeded standards in math.

A total of 28 percent of Gillespie Middle School students met or exceeded composite academic standards. In English/Language Arts, 30 percent met or exceeded the standard, and 25 percent met or exceeded the standard in math.

A screenshot of the percentage of students in the distrct that

A screenshot of the percentage of students in the district that “met” or “exceeded” according to the standards set by ISBE. See chart online here. 

At the high school level, the report card shows 17 percent of students meeting or exceeding composite state standards. By specific subject areas, 27 percent of local high school students met or exceeded state standards and English/Language Arts, while only four percent met or exceeded standards in mathematics. At the high school level, a disturbing 52 percent of students did not meet performance standards in mathematics, prompting questions from board member Weye Schmdt.

52 PERCENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DID NOT MEET MATH STANDARDS

“That’s a phenomenal number,” Schmidt noted. Statewide, an average of 15 percent of students did not meet the performance standard in math. Only four percent of Gillespie High School students met the standard, compared to 20 percent of students throughout the district’s three attendance centers.

Supt. Joe Tieman noted that assessment test for high school math will need to be revised before the next testing cycle.

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“Under PARCC not one high school student in Illinois exceeded the standard for math,” said Tieman, adding that students at the prestigious Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora were among those taking the test. “They (the test designers) know they have some problems.”

Moreover, the design of the report card data makes it impossible to compare local performance levels to performance levels statewide in specific grade levels. The statewide performance levels included in the report card include all grade levels from Kindergarten through 12th grade, meaning there is no way to specifically compare local high school students with high school students statewide.

Interpreting the report card is further complicated because the state switched from the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) to the Partnership for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) last year. Since this is the first year the PARCC test scores are reported on the report card, there is no “baseline” from which to measure academic improvement.

A screenshot of the high school's percentage of student that did not meet in mathematics. See online here.

A screenshot of the high school’s percentage of student that did not meet in mathematics. See online here.

TIEMAN ADDRESSES LACKLUSTER PERFORMANCE

“We’re not in the excuse making business,” Tieman told the board, saying the administration will use the report card data as a foundation to launch specific programs to address the shortfalls in academic performance. “The most critical element is the classroom teacher. We want to make sure we support those teachers and we want to make sure that our curriculum and structure match the PARCC standards.”

Another that may have affected local scoring, Tieman said, was the fact he insisted upon local students taking the test online rather than on paper. There is some evidence, he said, that students who took the test on paper performed slightly better than those taking the test electronically. Still, he defended the decision to have local students take the online test version, saying it helps prepare them for functioning in the digital age. Eventually, he predicted, ISBE will require all students to take the test online.

Additionally, Tieman said there is some indication that high school students do not take the PARCC test seriously, believing that their ACT and ISAT scores are more critical to them personally because of their impact on college admission. The speculation is borne out, he said, by the fact that ACT test score averages for Gillespie High School students are significantly better than scoring on the PARCC test.

Given the lackluster performance on the test, Tieman and building administrators outlined strategies they plan to implement to improve PARCC scores in the future. Tieman was critical of the testing system, saying that results from the new strategies probably won’t be seen until the 2017-18 academic year. ISBE had promised results from last year’s PARCC testing by June 2015. Results were not available to administrators, however, until January–well into the 2015-16 academic year and too late for the school district to make curriculum adjustments.

BOARD CHANGES GRAD REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGLISH

One of the most significant measures to address test scoring is change in graduation requirements for English which was approved unanimously by the board Monday night to be implemented at the start of the 2016-17 school year. On a motion by Peyton Bernot, seconded by Dave Griffel, the board eliminated Literature Strategies and Academic Review from the English curriculum, and added Speech Communication, English Novel, Short Story and Holocaust Literature to the curriculum. Starting with incoming freshmen next year, English I, II and III will be required for graduation, along with Speech and one other English elective.

PRINCIPALS ADD DEEPER INSIGHT

Building administrators briefly outlined strategies and goals they and teaching staff are implementing with an eye toward boosting PARCC scores.

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Elementary Principal Angela Turcol said she and the elementary teaching staff have set a goal of “continuing to build student  academic growth by giving students the skills that will allow them to move forward.”  A focus of the effort will be on building better reading skills among students with a goal of bringing up English/Language Arts scores. Additionally, she said, teachers and staff are using a team approach called “PASS” to identify and intervene on behalf of students who are struggling academically.

Jill Rosentreter, Secondary School Assistant Administrator for the Middle School, said her teachers were disappointed but not surprised when they saw the PARCC scores. She outlined strategies to be implemented in the Middle School with a goal or raising the percentage of students who meet or exceed state standards from 30 to 38 in English/Language Arts and from 25 to 30 percent in Math.

She also indicated Middle School staff will align the science curriculum to match PARCC standards, anticipating the addition of science to the PARCC test in the future.

A snapshot of each of the district's schools readiness percentage for the next level. See online here.

A snapshot of each of the district’s schools readiness percentage for the next level. See online here.

High School Principal Lori Emmons also noted efforts to work with students individually and in groups to make sure they are “on track” academically throughout the year. In addition to approving graduation requirements for English, she said the addition of Explorer programs in medical careers and engineering should help students move forward academically as well as prepare them for future careers after graduating.

SUPPLEMENT DATA ON REPORT CARD

The report card also includes data on school finances, graduation rates and drop-out rates.

Some of that data, Tieman noted, needs to be taken with a grain of salt. For example, students who move out of the district and enroll in another school within Illinois are not counted as drop-outs. However, students who move out of state are counted as drop-outs whether or not they re-enroll in another school because the ISBE has no way to monitor whether or not students re-enter school when they leave the state. The report card shows a drop-out rate of five percent compared with two percent statewide. Chronic truancy was reported at 11 percent, compared with nine percent statewide.

Total enrollment, Tieman noted, has declined by about 45 students over a five-year period, which is not significant except that it affects the amount of state aid the school district receives to the tune of $5,500 per student per year.

The report card also shows the disparity between educational funding between small rural school districts and urban school districts with significantly larger property tax bases. Instructional per student spending in CUSD 7 amounted to $5,125–more than $2,000 below the $7,419 state average. Operational spending per student was $9,763, compared with a statewide average of $12,521.

The report shows the district inordinately dependent upon state funding for operating the education system. The report card shows 72.2 percent of the district’s $15 million budget coming from state sources, compared with a 26 percent average for schools statewide. Likewise, CUSD 7 gets 21.6 percent of its funding from local sources, such as property tax, compared to a statewide average of 66.1 percent.

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Tieman said he is part of a consortium of downstate school superintendents working with State Sen. Andy Manar and other legislators who want to revamp the school funding formula to equalize per student spending among school districts statewide.

“5 ESSENTIALS” SURVEY

Also during Monday night’s meeting of the board, Tieman briefly discussed a “5 Essentials” survey, the results of which also are documented on the school report card. Students and teachers completed the survey questions to assess how well the CUSD 7 schools district meet five parameters the ISBE identifies as essential to quality education. The essentials include effective leadership, collaborative teaching, a supportive learning environment, involved families and ambitious teaching. According to the survey results, Gillespie High School was average for ambitious instruction and involved families, but less than average for effective leadership, collaborative teaching and supportive environment. GMS was rated above average for ambitious instruction, average for effective leadership and involved families, and below average for collaborative teaching and supportive environment. Survey respondents reported BenGil Elementary School to be below average for effective leadership, collaborative teaching and involved families; there were not enough respondents to report outcome for supportive environment and ambitious instruction.

Tieman cautioned that the 5 Essentials data could be skewed by the number of respondents participating and other factors, but still could provide important data for planning purposes.

“We’ll take this data and use it as a planning tool,” he said. “Surveys like this can be skewed by the number of respondents, but it is important data.”

The survey is done every two years. Tieman said district schools should move toward meeting the parameters for all five essentials in the future.

“Ideally, in the next survey, we will move toward that,” he said.

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Gillespie teen wins drive safe Chicago video contest

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Wins $2,000 Prize and Video She Created will Air on 160 TV Stations Nationwide

CHICAGO – Emily Bergen, 16, a student at Gillespie High School in Gillespie, has won the annual Drive Safe Chicago public service announcement contest.  Antonio Knott, 15, of Merrillville High School in Merrillville IN, placed second in the voting, and Noelani Elizalde, 17, also from Merrillville High School, was third. 

Sponsored by the National Road Safety Foundation in partnership with the Chicago Auto Show, teens from Illinois and surrounding states were invited to submit ideas for a 30-second PSA about sharing the road with other passenger vehicles, trucks, motorcycles and pedestrians.

Three finalists were selected and each worked with an Emmy Award-winning producer to transform their PSA submissions into 30-second TV public service announcements.  The public was then able to vote for their favorite online.  More than 1,400 online votes were cast.

The winner received $2,000 and will be featured on nationally-syndicated Teen Kids News, reaching more than 160 TV stations across the country. The first runner-up got $1,000 and the second runner-up won $500.  All three finalists’ teachers received $100 gift cards.

Bergen’s winning PSA shows a young driver starting her car and pressing a “share the road” button.  As she drives, an AI voice warns her of a bicyclist, a pedestrian and children in a school zone. The voice then reminds her, “Cars don’t come with devices like me, which is why you need to know how to share the road.”

“The carnage on our roads can be reduced if drivers remain aware of others who share the road,” said Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes safe driving. “We think the creative ideas about sharing the road from our Drive Safe Chicago winner and runners-up convey that message effectively.”

“Although today’s new cars are safer than ever, with technological advances that are proven to help avoid crashes,” said Chicago Auto Show Chairwoman Kelly Webb Roberts, “drivers must still be aware of others they are sharing the road with, whether it’s a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrians.”

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The National Road Safety Foundation says driver error accounts for 94 percent of all fatal crashes, with speeding and driver distraction among the leading factors.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 40,990 people died on U.S. roads and highways in 2023, with hundreds of thousands of injuries and an estimated annual cost of more than $340 billion.

View Bergen’s winning video below:

Bergen’s video is also featured center on the National Road Safety Foundation’s website with the runners-up videos to the right and to the left: https://m.shortstack.page/NLxMqT

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School board bans local man from school property, parents make case for school-funded cross country

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Speaking on behalf of about 20 parents who attended the meeting, Dustin Fletcher, Benld, asked the board to consider converting the cross-county program from a parent-funded program to a school-funded one.

Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night heard a plea from cross-county parents to make the program school-funded, rather than parent-funded, and voted unanimously to ban a local man from school property, meetings and events following an incident on the CUSD 7 from earlier in January.

Speaking on behalf of about 20 parents who attended the meeting, Dustin Fletcher, Benld, asked the board to consider converting the cross-county program from a parent-funded program to a school-funded one. Board President Mark Hayes said the board would refer the issue to Supt. Shane Owsley for a recommendation, but he cautioned that the district has “a couple of parent-funded sports that have been parent-funded a lot longer than cross-country.”

Fletcher said the high school cross-country program started in 2021, followed by a middle school program a year later. Both programs have grown from a handful of participants to a robust and successful program this past year. For 2024, the high school program began with eight girls and 10 boys. The middle school program fielded eight girls and eight boys.

According to Fletcher, the athletes compete as a team as well as individuals.

“There’s more than one way for a kid to experience growth,” he said. “They can compete as a team but also challenge themselves.”

In addition, Fletcher said cross-country participants can pursue their sport long after graduation.

“Some kids don’t get to play their sport after high school, if they don’t make the team in college,” he noted. “Cross-country kids can run the rest of their lives.” Running as adults has multiple benefits, he said, including physical fitness and improved mental health.

Fletcher reported the 2024 season was the teams’ most successful. The middle school girls were Southwestern Invitational champions, and Harper Thackery qualified for state. At the high school level, the girls team produced two all-conference designees. The girls team also placed sixth at Regionals and advanced to Sectionals. The boys team was Conference Champions, placed third at Regionals and advanced to Sectionals. The boys produced five All-Conference runners. Despite losing one of the team’s strongest runners for medical reasons, the boys placed sixth at Sectionals and advanced to State, where they placed 27th. Chaz Oberkfell had an outstanding season, with eight meet victories, and championships at the Conference, Sectional and State levels. Oberkfell posted the fastest time in Gillespie High School history, and was the first two-time All State in the school’s history. He was the first State Champion in GHS, Macoupin County, and Conference history.

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With the teams’ success this past season, Fletcher said the school should be able to start charging admission to meets to help defray the costs. “It’s the most interactive sport for parents and spectators,” he said.

Ceanna Bearden with a photo of her art entry, “Infinite Rust,” which earned a Silver Key in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program.

Fletcher estimated the annual basic costs associated with the middle school and high school programs at about $13,375, including entry fees for 14 meets, coaching stipends and transportation. Additionally, the programs could incur incidental or variable expenses of $5,300 for uniforms, hosting costs, coaching clinics and a tent the team occasionally uses. The variable expenses also include $1,000 for lodging and food to participate in the State meet.

“That’s an expense I hope you have every year,” Fletcher joked.

He said parents would continue their role as sports boosters, raising money for all school-funded sports programs. Those fundraising activities include a run-a-thon, bake sales, concession revenues, t-shirt sales, and donations. 

Dean Plovich, one of the parents attending in support of the proposal, noted that the program does not have a field to maintain, making it less expensive than most other sport programs.

Hayes told the group the board would refer the issue to Owsley for a recommendation at a later date.

LOCAL MAN BANNED FROM PROPERTY

On a motion by Weye Schmidt, seconded by Peyton Bernot, the board voted unanimously to ban Steve Laurent from school property, meetings and events for the remainder of the calendar year in connection with a Jan. 9 incident at BenGil Elementary School. 

Laurent is accused of “exhibiting improper conduct and behavior, including yelling, use of profanity, and eventually threatening the District’s superintendent,” according to a statement prepared by the School District and made available to the public in compliance with state law. Gillespie Police Chief Jared DePoppe confirmed a police report was filed in connection with the incident but declined to release details pending a decision from the Macoupin County State’s Attorney’s office regarding whether or not to file criminal charges.

A Gillespie police officer attended Monday night’s meeting, presumably as a precaution.

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The incident apparently is related to Laurent’s concerns over elementary students waiting outside for buses or to be picked up during cold weather. A consent agenda accepted by the board indicated Laurent had filed Freedom of Information Act requests for video evidence recorded between 2:35 and 2:50 on Jan. 9 on the north side of BenGil Elementary School where first grade students are released, along with a copy of the district’s cold weather policy.

PERSONNEL

After a 45-minute executive session to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to approve the district’s seniority list for both certificated and non-certificated employees. 

On a motion by Weye Schmidt, seconded by Peyton Bernot, the board extended Supt. Owsley’s contract by one-year. The superintendent is subject to a three-year contract, meaning his new contract is extended to the 2027-28 school year. The board conducted a performance review in executive session during last month’s meeting.

In separate actions, the board approved maternity leaves for Radeano Gertzyel and Alexandria Newton, both of whom are teachers at BenGil Elementary School. Both leaves are set to start approximately May 5.

Jordan Bartok was employed by a unanimous vote as a coordinator for a grant-funded Gear-Up program designed to help prepare students for college, trade school or a career.

Sydney Wilson with her honorable mention entry, “Shoot for the Sky”, in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program.

Board members accepted the resignation of part-time cafeteria worker Brittany Harbison, effective Jan. 23, and voted to post a vacancy for a three-hour cafeteria position. 

Michael Otten was appointed as an assistant coach for the parent-funded women’s soccer program, pending a routine background check.

DISCLOSURE REPORT 

Supt. Owsley briefly discussed contents of a financial disclosure statement mandated by the Securities Exchange Act in connection with various bonds issued by the school district. 

Among the data included in the report are outstanding general obligation bonded debt in the amount of $9.36 million, and alternate revenue bonded debt totaling about $1.6 million. Owsley said the report suggests the district may wish to refinance general obligation bonded debt to extend the life of bonds by one year, meaning the bonds would be retired in 2036.

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The report shows ending balances for all funds at the end of the 2024 fiscal year totaling $15,313,418—nearly double the $8,191.723 the district had on hand at the end of the 2019 fiscal year.

Owsley noted a steady growth in the district’s total equalized assessed valuation from $74,961,151 in 2019 to $103,564,334 in 2023. Additionally, the total property tax rate has fallen from $4.17412 in 2019 to $3.34525 in 2023. The property tax rate for CUSD 7, Owsley said, is “one of the lowest in the county.”

State aid provides the lion’s share of funding for the local education system at 58.09 percent. Federal money covers 22.65 percent of the costs, while local sources (including property taxes) account for 19.26 percent.

DISTRICT FOCUS

During a District Focus segment early in the meeting, GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter and GMS Principal Patrick McGinty recognized art students who placed in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. The 100-year-old program recognizes students nationwide for artistic endeavors.

Local students competed in the Mid-Central Illinois region. A total of 728 entries were received from 28 school districts. Only 257 entries were accepted into the juried art show. Gold Keys were awarded the creators of 52 pieces; 66 pieces earned Silver Keys and 139 were recognized as honorable mentions.

CUSD 7 students who placed in the competition include:

  • Ceanna Bearden, Silver Key for a piece titled “Infinite Rust,” and honorable mention for a piece titled “Mowgli.”
  • Reanna Compton, honorable mention for a piece titled “Can’t I Do Something?”
  • Abigail Sharp, honorable mention for a piece titled “tic-tax-toe waffle.”
  • Lila Shuey, Silver Key, for a piece titled “Nature Vessel.”
  • Jayden Stangle, Silver Key, for a piece titled “By the Shore.”
  • Sydney Wilson, honorable mentions for photos titled “Bleacher Maze” and “Shoot for the Sky.”

Both Rosentreter and McGinty thanked art instructors Nikki Browner and Casey Edgerton for guiding and inspiring the student artists.

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School board authorizes educational Holocaust trip

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Owsley recognized department heads during a District Focus segment early in the meeting. He called out Maintenance Director Brian Page, Technology Director Mark Carpani, and Transportation Director Tim Besserman.

Gillespie High School students will have an opportunity to participate in a 12-day trip to Europe to tour sites associated with the Holocaust following action by the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education Wednesday night, although the trip’s $5,000 price tag may be an hindrance to many. In other action, the board approved the 2024 property tax levy request and signed onto a multi-agency document setting statewide goals for education through 2030.

The meeting was moved from the fourth Monday of the month to meet a deadline for filing the tax levy and to avoid the start of the district’s winter break starting on Friday.

Without taking formal action, the board agreed to allow Gillespie High School students the opportunity to participate in a 12-day trip to Europe to tour sites associated with the Holocaust with CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Terre Haute. GHS teacher Katie Prange, who also serves on the museum’s board of directors, outlined the trip for board members and briefly discussed the role Holocaust survivor Eva Kor played in establishing the museum and organizing the trip.

Kor, who died in 2019, and her sister, Miriam, were among the twins notoriously experimented upon by Joseph Mengele while incarcerated at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Liberated by allied forces in 1945, the twins were transferred to a nearby orphanage before eventually making their way to the United States. CANDLES is an acronym for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments.

Before her death, Kor led annual trips to Europe to tour Auschwitz and other sites associated with the Holocaust. After her death, according to Prange, the museum’s board of directors decided to continue the tours.

The trip is open to both students and adults, Prange said. The experience is not recommended for persons under the age of 16 because of the emotional intensity associated with visiting the concentration camp. This year, the museum is partnering with the Anne Frank Center to include Amsterdam and the Anne Frank house and museum. From there the group will travel by motor coach to Berlin to visit historic sites associated with the rise of the Third Reich. The trip will conclude in Krakow, Poland, where participants will visit the Krakow Ghetto and Auschwitz. The tour will leave Chicago on June 21 and return on July 3.

GHS teacher Katie Prange, who also serves on the CANDLES museum’s board of directors, outlined the educational Holocaust trip for board members.

The cost of the tour includes airfare from Chicago to Amsterdam and from Krakow back to Chicago, lodging, transportation, tour fees and two meals per day. 

Further information is available at candlesholocaustmuseum.org.

TAX LEVY

Board members formally approved a $3,725,100 property tax levy for 2024 taxes to be collected in 2025. The levy is expected to generate an estimated $3,590,500  due to the impact of the Property Tax Extension Law (PTELL), commonly known as tax caps and adopted by Macoupin County voters in 1995. PTELL allows the property tax extension (the amount generated from property taxes) to increase by no more than five percent or the consumer price index, whichever is less. This year’s CPI is 3.4 percent, meaning the extension cannot increase by more than that amount.

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School districts and municipalities typically request more than they can receive in order to avoid eroding the base extension for future levies. The actual tax rate, the amount that must be applied to the total equalized assessed evaluation, to generate the maximum extension possible is set by the County Clerk.

During a brief public hearing held earlier in the meeting, Supt. Shane Owsley said details of the levy were unchanged from last month when he presented a PowerPoint presentation to the board. For the first time in five years, he said he received a phone call from a district resident concerned that his property taxes would increase by an unreasonable amount. He said he explained how the levy request exceeds what the school district can receive and sent the individual a copy of the PowerPoint he presented to the board last month.

In somewhat related actions, the board approved a resolution transferring $75,000 from the School Facilities Sales Tax fund to the Bond and Interest Fund to service indebtedness for previous capital improvements. The resolution also abates an equal amount in property taxes in keeping with a pledge the board committed to prior to voters approving a one percent School Facilities Sales Tax.

The board also approved a resolution abating taxes previously levied to service a $1.6 million General Obligation Bond Issue approved in May last year to finance capital improvement projects over the following three years. Those bonds are being serviced with revenue from the School Facilities Sale Tax fund in lieu of property tax revenue.

Both resolutions are routine items approved by the board on an annual basis.

VIRTUAL SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY SERVICES

Board members unanimously approved Owsley’s recommendation to contract with Stepping Stones Teleservices to provide speech and language pathology services at a rate of $75 per hour. Owsley said Stepping Stones offered the lowest price of three companies contacted by the district. Additionally, the district already contracts with the company to provide virtual instruction in Spanish.

Owsley said he interviewed only one candidate for the speech and language pathologist position following the resignation last month of speech and language pathologist Beth Sies. The single candidate, however, withdrew her application before it could be presented to the board.

State law requires school districts to offer speech and language pathology services, prompting Owsley to investigate contracting with a virtual provider until such time as the district can hire a staff member. He said finding a candidate, however, may be challenging since many qualified candidates can find higher paying jobs outside the education field.

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PERSONNEL AND STUDENT ISSUES

Following an hour-long executive session, Board President Mark Hayes announced the board conducted an annual evaluation of the superintendent in closed session and would take up the issue of renewing Owsley’s contract during the board’s January meeting.

On a motion by Amanda Ross, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to return a student to Gillespie High School as of Jan. 7 for the start of the district’s second semester. In September the board had voted to “hold in abeyance” the student’s expulsion, enabling the student to attend Alternative School and continue to earn credits toward graduation.

On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Dennis Tiburzi, the board voted unanimously to re-employ fall athletic coaches as follows: Cory Bonstead as head football coach; Nate Henrichs, Korbin Clark, Alex Jasper, Jarrod Herron, J.O. Kelly, Trenton Cleveland and Florian Seferi as assistant high school football coaches; Jordan Bartok as head high school volleyball coach; Shelsie Timmermeier as assistant high school volleyball coach; Tim Wargo as head middle school baseball coach; Trae Wargo as assistant middle school baseball coach; Michelle Smith as head middle school softball coach; Jim Matesa, Joe Kelly and Melissa Height as assistant middle school softball coaches; Jay Weber as head high school cross country coach; Jack Burns, Chase Peterson, Liz Thackery, Jacob West and Laura Peterson as assistant high school cross country coaches; Jack Burns, Laura Peterson, Jacob West and Liz Thackery as volunteer assistant middle school cross country coaches; Casey Sholtis as head golf coach; and Jake Kellebrew as volunteer assistant golf coach. 

The board voted unanimously to hire Quentin Heyen as a full-route bus driver, and accepted “with regrets” the resignation for purposes of retirement of Cathy Edwards as district secretary, effective August. 15, 2025, and posted the position as vacant.

As a formality, the board voted to keep all current closed session minutes closed to the public.

VISION 2030

Board members unanimously approved a resolution in support of Vision 2030, a policy recommendation ratified by the Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Principals’ Association, Illinois Association of School Business Officials, Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, Superintendents’ Com mission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity, Illinois Alliance of Special Education Administratorsand the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools. The document calls upon the state legislature to pass legislation to implement goals outlined in Vision 2020.

Owlsey said Vision 2030 is an outgrowth of Vision 2020, a previous policy statement that resulted in implementing Evidence Based Funding for Illinois schools—a policy change the increased state funding for the local school district from 62 percent of full funding to 70 percent. 

“A lot of the legislators who were advocates for EBA are no longer there,” Owsley said, emphasizing the need to pursue new legislative objectives to protect EBA and improve other educational objectives.

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Among the objectives of Vision 2023 is limiting unfunded mandates imposed on local school districts by the state, emphasizing future-focused learning to allow for more college and career exploration, enhancing student safety, attracting and retaining top educators, and promoting curriculum and instructional flexibility to meet the needs of individual communities.

Owsley noted that CUSD 7’s long-range plans already address the parameters of Vision 2030’s Future-Focused Learning initiatives. “I was really proud to see what we’ve done in our district,” Owsley said. “All of these things are things that we’ve been addressing.”

Vision 2030 also calls for reforms in school assessment practices and stabilizing state funding expectations.

DISTRICT FOCUS

Owsley recognized department heads during a District Focus segment early in the meeting. He called out Maintenance Director Brian Page, Technology Director Mark Carpani, and Transportation Director Tim Besserman.

“Often times these people get taken for granted,” Owsley said. “I come to work everyday and everything runs as it should because of their work. You get spoiled because those things just get done. We couldn’t do this without you and I can’t imagine doing it without you.  I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough.”

Owsley pointed out Page’s dedication to seeking out information to improve operations, Besserman implementing software to design bus routes and reducing paperwork by having drivers use electronic pads to record information, and Carpani for marshaling more than 1,600 electronic devices, along with networking.

Carter praised Page’s efforts to improve student safety.

“I was shocked to see the steps Brian had taken to (ensure communication with first responders in the event of an incident),” Carter said.

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“Tonight is just a small token of our appreciation,” Owsley said. “We need to say it more often.”

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