CUSD 7 News
CUSD 7 board approves $20 million budget
Published
1 year agoon
By
Dave A
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night approved a $20 million budget for the current fiscal year as Supt. Shane Owsley cautioned that next year’s budget is likely to be leaner due to the loss of COVID-related emergency funding from the federal government.
The board also approved a $108,000 HVAC project, reviewed current enrollment numbers, and enacted a new board policy regarding tuition waivers for children of employees who live outside the district.
Approval of the budget followed a 20-minute public hearing during which Supt. Owsley explained expected revenue and anticipated expenditures for the fiscal year that began July 1.
The newly approved budget projects revenue at $20,699,586, compared with about $18.5 million budgeted last year. The lion’s share revenue—$10,580,420— is expected to come from the state government in the form of Evidence-Based Funding and grants. Local sources, including real estate taxes and the Macoupin County School Facilities sales tax, is expected to comprise $4,691,802, while $3,772,526 is expected to come from federal sources.
It is the federal funding that school officials are eyeing for the next fiscal year. An estimated $2.6 million of this year’s federal funding is expected to come from Elementary and Secondary School Recovery funds—the so-called ESSR money appropriated by the federal government to help schools recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. That funding source will not be available next fiscal year, meaning the amount of federal funds the district receives may be two-thirds less than this year.
“This year is a much rosier picture than next year is likely to be,” Owsley said. “ESSR money will be gone and our federal funding will be drastically reduced.” Some of the ESSR money, he said, was used to pay salaries and benefits for specific district employees; those obligations will have to be shouldered by the school district, using funds from other sources a year from now. Owsley predicted the district may have to draw down on surplus money that has accumulated in various funds over the last three years, in part as a result of the injection of federal COVID recovery funds.
Owsley said he also has concerns about state aid payments next fiscal year, which may not be as lush as the district has come to expect. CUSD 7 currently is listed as a Tier I school, meaning the state considers it most in need of additional funding to reach optimum per student spending for instruction. The district is on the cusp, however of being elevated to Tier II, which could limit the amount of additional funding the school receives next fiscal year.
“We won’t get less,” Owsley said of Evidence Based Funding, “but we would go up by as much as we did this year.”
Enrollment, which also factors into the state aid formula, is down from pre-COVID levels, Owsley noted. “That’s not just a Gillespie thing,” Owsley said, “it is a Macoupin County thing; all of the school districts are down.”
Board member Weye Schmidt noted that accounting for the loss of ESSR money and the one-time influx of money from a recent bond sale, the new budget is “about break even.”
“That’s right,” Owsley agreed.
The budget projects expenditures at a total of $19,532,378, which would result in a surplus of $1,167,188. Coupled with existing fund balances, the district would end the fiscal year with $12,796,604 in reserve.
The Education Fund accounts for more than half the budget on both the revenue and expenditure sides. The budget anticipates $13,884,603 in revenue for education. More than half that amount—$9,494,836—is expected to come in the form of state aid. Federal funding, including ESSR money, is projected at $2,261,321, while local sources will contribute $2,088,446.
Expenditures from the Education Fund is projected at $13,771,878, which includes $100,000 for contingencies.
Revenue for the Building, Operations and Maintenance Fund is projected at $2,104,758, including $1.4 million in ESSR funding that will disappear next year. Expenditures are projected at $2,033,790, including $100,000 for contingencies. The fund should end the year $70,968 in the black, or up to $170,968 if the contingency money is not used.
A total of $2,054,818 in revenue is expected for Capital Projects, but that figure is skewed by the injection of $1.6 million resulting from an alternate revenue bond issue approved by the board earlier this year. The expected $780,000 in expenditures is based upon preliminary estimates for improvements to the high school baseball and softball fields. In addition, $25,000 will be transferred to Debt Service to shore up a deficiency in that fund.
The Transportation Fund is expected to take in revenue in the amount of $924,329, including $71,915 in ESSR money that is being used currently to cover the cost of salary and benefits for the Transportation Director. Expenditures of $861,359 are anticipated, including $187,272 for debit service on the purchase of three new buses, plus $674,087 for salaries and supplies.
Revenue for the Debt Service Fund is projected at $867,475, with expenditures of $1,171,847—making it one of two funds expected to end the year in the red. Expenditures also exceed revenue in the Tort Fund, which expects to take in $282,206 and spend $453,750.
Revenue for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and Social Security is projected at $522,786, with anticipated expenditures of $459,754. Revenue for Working Cash is anticipated to be $98,591, with no expenditures.
Based on the newly approved budget, the district will end the fiscal year total fund balances of $12,796,604. With a beginning balance of $5,946,929, the Education Fund is expected to end the year with $6,019,672 in reserve. Other funds are expected to end the year with balances as follows: Building, Operations and Maintenance, $753,319; Debt Service, $350,923; Transportation, $422,868; IMRF/SS, $422,226; Capital Projects, $1,838,139; Working Cash, $2,765,597; and Tort, $223,860.
Owsley reiterated that the budget is a spending plan that is subject to change as conditions change throughout the year. The approved budget, for example, does not include money from a State Safety Grant that has not been awarded. Owsley said he intends to apply for as many grants as possible as they become available throughout the year. Accordingly, he said, the board will likely be called upon to approve an amended budget next June as the fiscal year winds down.
WEIGHT ROOM HVAC PROJECT
On Owsley’s recommendation, the board approved a project to install rooftop air conditioning units to serve the high school weight room at an estimated cost of $107,935. The estimated cost includes replacing two air conditioning units that were vandalized while on the ground awaiting installation.
Owsley said the plan was to take units taken off the high school roof as part of an HVAC upgrade and put them into service for the weight room. While the units were on the ground, however, someone stripped them of copper.
Insurance will cover $12,000 of the $22,000 replacement costs.
TEACHER VACANCY GRANT
The board approved a memorandum of understanding regarding a state Teacher Vacancy Grant, which will allow the board to use state grant money to reimburse teachers who acquire additional certification to teach courses for which there is a “high need.”
Owsley said two teachers who acquired special education certification are eligible for reimbursement at this time.
“Our contract already provides for $3,200,” Owsley said. “This would be above and beyond that.”
The state has earmarked up to $100,000 to reimburse the district for eligible costs under terms of the grant.
Under terms of the program, teachers who receive the reimbursement must remain in the district a minimum of three years. If they leave before three years, the recipients are required to pay back a pro-rated portion of what they received.
TUITION WAIVERS
Board members voted unanimously to adopt as board policy provisions set out in Public Act 103-0111 which allows school districts to waive tuition for the children of certificated and non-certificated employees who reside outside the district. Public Act 103-0111 allows school districts to waive tuition upon a formal vote of the board. By adopting provisions of the act as board policy, the tuition waiver becomes automatic without requiring the board to consider waivers on a case-by-case basis.
Additionally, by adopting the provision as board policy precludes amending the district’s contract with the teachers union, meaning the perk could be revoked by a board vote in the future without violating the contract.
SIXTH DAY ENROLLMENT NUMBERS
Supt. Owsley shared with the board enrollment totals from the sixth day of classes for the 2023-24 school year, which show total enrollment grew by four students from last year but remains far below pre-COVID numbers.
Enrollment at BenGil Elementary School is 520 for this year, compared with 523 last year and a nine-year average of 598. Gillespie Middle School’s current enrollment is 265, compared with 245 last year and a nine-year average of 283. Gillespie High School has 333 students this year, compared with 346 last year and a nine-year average of 362.
“I don’t think this is a surprise,” Owsley said. “When you look at when enrollment started to drop, it was during COVID.”
For the 2018-19 school year, before the COVID pandemic, the district’s total enrollment was at 1312.
The number of students enrolled has an impact on the amount of state aid a district receives.
“We’re going to do everything we can to get more students enrolled here,” Owsley said.
PERSONNEL
Following a 45-minute executive session, the board voted unanimously to appoint Jarrod Herron as the Gillespie Middle School Scholar Bowl sponsor and hire Nikki Hunter as a substitute bus driver, pending a routine background check.
As part of a District Focus segment, GMS Principal Patrick McGinty introduced the board to Brad Taulbee, newly hired band instructor for the district. Board member Bill Carter encouraged Taulbee to contact the board with “whatever you need to our band going and growing.”
In addition to traditional marching band instruction, Taulbee said he expects to introduce programs for jazz and rock.
“I think kids will respond very well because it’s much closer to their culture,” he said.
A second new teacher, Ken Bates, was not available to attend. Bates is teaching business at both the middle school and high school levels.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
- Voted unanimously to apply for a $50,000 state matching grant for facility maintenance. Last year, the district used ESSR funds to match the grant award.
- Accepted a bid of $814 from Michael and Jane Roth to purchase a real estate lot previously declared as surplus property.
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CUSD 7 News
Miners girls basketball clinch SCC championship
Published
1 day agoon
February 16, 2025By
BenGil Staff
In a nail-biting showdown that will be remembered for years to come, the Gillespie Miners girls basketball team captured the South Central Conference title with a hard-fought 55-52 victory over the Pana Panthers on Thursday night, February 13. This marks Gillespie’s first conference championship since their back-to-back titles in 2001-02, when they shared the honors with Southwestern both finishing with a 9-1 conference record.
The game held at Pana High School was anything but straightforward. After a tumultuous 13-minute delay due to injuries and a technical foul controversy, the Miners rallied their spirits to secure the win. Amari Vickery led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 21 points, while Mia Brawner added 11, Maggie Heyen contributed 10, Delaney Taylor posted 5, Sadie Sholtis scored 4, and Lainey Edwards and Corrine Fellin each had 2 points.
From the opening tip, it was clear that Pana was not going to roll over easily. The Panthers held leads at the end of the first two quarters, 15-14 and 28-26, showcasing their tenacity. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Pana had edged ahead 44-42, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
However, the game took a chaotic turn in the fourth quarter when a collision between Vickery and teammate Sloane Brawner resulted in both players going down with injuries. Sloane was not able to return the game but Vickery did. The Miners also lost both Delaney Taylor and Sadie Sholtis to fouls and Gillespie was assessed a technical foul under controversial circumstances which tied the game at 49. But Heyen carried the weight through the fourth quarter recording 6 of her 10 points in the final quarter of play.
Despite the setbacks, the Miners displayed remarkable teamwork resilience under the leadership of Nikki and Matt Brawner. With the SCC championship secured and the regular season concluded with a 22-8 overall record and 9-0 conference record, the Miners now shift their focus to the upcoming regional which is being hosted in Gillespie.
Gillespie hosts Alton Marquette on Monday, Feb. 17 for the regional semi-finals after Alton Marquette knocked East-Alton Wood River, 36-29, to face the Miners. The winner advances to the regional championship that will be played on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Gillespie versus the winner of Staunton/Roxana.
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Community News
Gillespie teen wins drive safe Chicago video contest
Published
2 weeks agoon
February 6, 2025By
BenGil Staff
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.”
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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Community News
School board bans local man from school property, parents make case for school-funded cross country
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 30, 2025By
Dave A

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.
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.

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.
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.

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.
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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