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District receives another $2k anonymous donation for technology

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The board of education recognized the Pre-K teachers this month at their board meeting. The teachers from L-R are Misty Parker, Colleen Favre, Mindy Savant and Nikki Zenner.

The board of education recognized the Pre-K teachers at their October board meeting. The teachers from L-R are Misty Parker, Colleen Favre, Mindy Savant and Nikki Zenner.

Superintendent Joe Tieman reported during the October school board meeting that the school district’s anonymous donor has donated another $2,000 earmarked for technology bringing this individual’s donation total to $15,500 in the last 12 months.

Tieman explained the donation requested the $2,000 be used for document cameras for the elementary school. The Partnership for Educational Excellence matched the anonymous donation with $2,000 of their money to allow technology coordinator Mark Carpani to order $4,000 worth of document cameras.

The Partnership for Educational Excellence matched the anonymous donation with $2,000 of their money

Elementary principal Angela Turcol explained the document cameras, which are the modern version of projectors, will be checked out by teachers. Turcol said teachers can put a book or any other teacher manipulative under the document camera to display it on the Promethian board for all students to view.

Technology Update

Superintendent Tieman continued with the technology subject by noting a new hard wired lab will be formed in the sixth grade hallway by the end of November. Tieman said the district has the counter top to install the new lab. “Sometimes an area to work on is beneficial,” Tieman explained. “We are looking to add a hard-wired lab each year if the funds are there. Mark Carpani does a lot of hard work and research to bring the cost down.”

Tieman said the high school teachers on the first level have requested a mobile lab for use in English and social studies classrooms, so the district deployed a mobile lab specifically for the first floor of the high school. “This lab will not go up and down stairs or in the elevator,” Tieman closed. “Second floor teachers can come down and use it in the library, but we are looking to add a mobile lab next year for the second floor.”

Tieman publically apologizes to Partnership

After closing the technology discussion, Superintendent Tieman publically apologized to the Partnership for Educational Excellence after reading no high school classrooms applied for the mini-grant opportunities.

Tieman explained the high school either did not receive any applications or why high school teachers did not receive the applications. The Partnership donated over $15,000 in mini-grants for the fall semester to students of Ben-Gil Elementary School and Gillespie Middle School.

District sells land to MCHA

The district #7 school board unanimously approved to sell a tract of unimproved real estate to the Macoupin County Housing Authority (MCHA) for a sale price of $80,000. The land was donated by the Schmidt family and is located adjacent to Western Avenue between Ash and Cherry Street in north Gillespie.

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The MCHA plans to construct a single-family housing complex on the land. The plan to construct the complex was already established and the construction was going to take place regardless, but now the complex will have much more room between the homes after the purchase of the district’s land.

Pre-Kindergarten Program highlighted as District Focus

It is an overall awesome program and it’s a win-win for us

The administrative team highlighted the pre-kindergarten program during the October meeting. The program is comprised of teachers Mindy Savant and Colleen Favre along with assistants Nikki Zenner and Misty Parker. The program houses 60 students.

“The pre-k program is a play based program, but there are many parent activities,” elementary principal Angela Turcol explained. “We try to screen as many students as possible even if they aren’t enrolling in our pre-k program.”

Turcol explained the program has had much success thanks to the four teachers in the pre-k program. “It is an overall awesome program and it’s a win-win for us,” Superintendent Joe Tieman added.

Personnel

The school board unanimously approved Tara Allen as assistant girls’ soccer coach for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year. The board also accepted the resignation of Mark Kirk as high school cheerleading sponsor.

Administrator Updates

Gillespie High School extended their appreciation to the Mustangs Football Organization for the $1,500 donation to the Miner football team. Superintendent Tieman also reported that GHS and GMS teachers have been working on changing formal assessments following a ROE 40 workshop day help on October 10 during School Improvement Day.

Gillespie Middle School reported participation was at 52% for the student led conferences held in October. The teachers provided help with goal setting and parent strategies and student presentations of classroom work was displayed.

Ben-Gil Elementary Principal Angela Turcol also reported the conferences were well attended with the elementary school holding over 600 conferences.

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October Bills

The October bills were unanimously approved:

Education Fund: $89,838.44
Transportation Fund: $7,582.65
Building Fund: $22,661.64

Grand Total: $120,082.73

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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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L&C announces fall 2024 honors lists

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Lewis and Clark Community College

Students earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher out of a possible 4.0 are named to the President’s List. Those students earning a grade point average between 3.25 and 3.74 are recognized each semester on the Dean’s List.

Further requirements are listed in the college’s online catalog at http://catalog.lc.edu. All questions should be directed to the Enrollment Center at (618) 468-2222. Below is an excerpt containing students residing in Macoupin County.

President’s List

BENLD – Ryleigh L. Phillips; Zander E. Rieffer; Emily R. Schoen; Tristen B. Wargo;

BRIGHTON – Brandon M. Adams; Ike D. Austin; Lainie L. Behrends; Reagan Beilsmith; Ian C. Brantley; Tina M. Brass; Lane Cox; Madison P. Fenstermaker; Hunter D. Gillis; Hailey Gula; Alexis R. Harrop; Gavin Humm; Thomas D. Kunz; Nicholas O. McGee; Audrey A. Perkins; Ava J. Pulley; Alyssa J. Schuchman; Addison Strohbeck; Sydney A. Valdes; Abby Van Doren; Piper L. Voorhees; Madelyn E. Zarges;

BUNKER HILL – Alex Betts; Grant J. Burch; Kayleigh K. Butler; Abigayle L. Collins; Denise Deias; Braden T. Fulton; Dillon M. Guess; Maya R. Henfling; Hannah J. Herrmann; Madalynn Hilyard; Madelyn Landreth; William Manar; Kaylee L. Richert; Andrew Sanner; Abby N. Spraggs; Noah A. Thyer;

CARLINVILLE – Jack E. Beard; Matthew J. Eldred; Jack Goby; Stephanie K. Harding; Gabriel R. Henson; Alexsis A. Kalaher; Weston E. Kuykendall; Lillian McCurley; Emerald Ondrey; Joanna M. Roemer; Jessica N. Strubbe; Karleina J. Tipps; Samuel L. Wilson;

GILLESPIE – Lauren E. Bertagnolli; Ean L. Davis; Lanie G. Doty; Kennedy G. Helmkamp;

MEDORA – Aubrey M. Reno; Anneliese M. Shatley; Haleigh Sinclair;

SHIPMAN – Alyssa L. Beck; Gracie B. Darr; Addison A. Jeffers; Tyson Kahl; Josiah A. Schuette; Bailee A. Sorgea;

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SOUTH ROXANA – Lyndsey M. Johansen; Caden O. Lara; Savanah M. Stogsdill;

STAUNTON – Julie A. Aloisi; Samantha R. Anderson; Zane P. Anderson; Shane Baker; Lilly M. Bandy; Grace Bekeske; Gianna Bianco; Carson G. Buffington; Kiersten L. Carlson; Karla J. Castillo; Izabella Claussen; Lillian Dothager; Olivia M. Favre; Eli J. Henke; Alexis A. Hester; Samantha D. Hoffman; Harold I. Irvin, III; Dylan Jarden; Korryn O. Keehner; Nicholas L. Raphael; Alexis P. Schaaf; Brady Seelbach; Carli L. Skinner; Cole Sternickle; Tyler J. Thompson; Lilly Trettenero; Lillyan S. Troeckler;

Dean’s List

BENLD – Ridge A. Braundmeier; Kaitlynn E. Conner; Elizabeth M. King; Alyssa S. McCollum; Marria D. Middleton; Alyssa F. Schuette;

BRIGHTON – Garrett R. Beuttel; Troy J. Brooks; Emily Y. Cambron; Jacob G. Carpenter; Lucy Childress; Olivia Cody; Logan T. Crane; Tristyn N. Ditterline; Kaylin G. Gerard; Cooper J. Hagen; Ashlyn K. Hall; Evan Hanold; Samuel J. Harshbarger; Amelia R. Hines-Pattan; Ella J. Kadell; Daylin M. King; Kayla A. Lemarr; Tucker Mayhew; Elizabeth L. Milford; Stacey M. Mynatt; Blythe E. Roloff; Jordan R. Short; Shiann Vinson; Grace A. Wylde;

BUNKER HILL – Cole T. Burch; Hanna N. Heeren; Madelynne K. Heflin; Taylor Miklavic; Katelyn J. Miller; Abigail G. Scott;

CARLINVILLE – Boedy E. Baker; Emily A. Barbre; Zachary Chapman; Ella R. Clevenger; Alana N. Dixon; Alison J. Dixon; Nathan Dyer; Addison Eldred; Saralynn I. Joiner; Henry S. Kalaher; William G. Meyer; Chloe A. Payne; Amy L. Pocklington; Jack Rives; Lanna P. Vanderpoel; Ella C. Wise; Braley M. Wiser;

GILLESPIE – Reese E. Bussmann; Regan E. Bussmann; Addie M. Hayes; Karter Mix; Adrianne B. Niemeyer; Grace J. Vandoren; Shannon L. Wright;

MOUNT OLIVE – Libbie M. Nowell;

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PIASA – Anna C. Fink;

SHIPMAN – Kaden G. Cottingham; Rocky Darr; Kathryn M. Mueller; Sayuri Owada; Rocky J. Rose;

STAUNTON – Rylee K. Baugh; David S. Dann; Belle M. Darte; Jacob A. Dillon; Vivienne Dothager; Sean T. Fleming; Kennedy L. Legendre; Zander MacHota; Savannah M. Missey; Nicholas Monahan; Nicole M. Narup; Kelley Perrine; Christopher S. Pritchett; Alivia Royer; Katie N. Schalk; Lakesi Settles; Priya E. Siegfried; Justin A. Smith; Kylie A. Tomso; Whitney Weller;

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Gillespie to host blood drive on Feb. 17

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Gillespie Community will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, February 17 at 900 Broadway, inside Gillespie Methodist Church Gym.

To donate, please contact Brenda Lowe at (217) 710-1336 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 60020 to locate the drive. You may also call ImpactLife to schedule at 800-747-5401. Appointments are requested.

Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate.  For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at (800) 747 5401. Donors who last gave blood on or before 12/23/24 are eligible to give at this drive.

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