Community News
Gillespie council disputes over city sirens and Gillespie Lake residency
Pomatto park to be possibly moved
The Gillespie council debates two issues Monday evening.
In a regular meeting last week on Monday, August 12, the council had some fiery discussions inside the meeting room at Gillespie city hall. The two issues that sparked multiple interests were the city warning sirens and road work out at the lake. The new warning sirens were purchased at the last regular council meeting in July.
Mayor Hicks explained the sirens were brought up in executive session and the only way the city can go back and not purchase the sirens they previously purchased is to resend the vote by the person who made the motion or either the person who made the motion or the person who seconded the motion wish to withdraw their motions. “Jim made the motion and Roger made the second,” Hicks explained. “Neither wanted to withdraw their motions.”
Hicks went on to explain the sirens will stay, it’s a dead issue since no one wants to withdraw. “Are we leaving them where they are at,” Gus asked again. “Yes, that is the plan. They can be moved at a later date,” Hicks responded. “The motion read to leave them where they stand,” Jim Alderson explained.
Mayor Hicks read Resolution #13-6 to fund the sirens and Gus made a motion to “not” pass the resolution. Gus said he would like to move one siren behind the football field to the west side. “The siren will travel throughout the community when storms come from the west,” Gus continued. “We are not paying for 60% of the sound to travel out past East Gillespie to the railroad tracks. I didn’t get elected to protect the residents in East Gillespie; I got elected to protect the residents in Gillespie.”
“We are picking up a lot more bamboo territory when we move it out by the school,” Jim Alderson explained. “I don’t see us picking up any more territory.” Gus explained the locations of the sirens were decided by us, no engineers decided on the location the sirens. Gus’ motion died without a second, Roger motioned to approve the resolution and Jim Alderson seconded to purchase both sirens.
“So, you’re replacing two sirens with one of them perfectly functional,” Gus interrupted. Alderson confirmed Gus was correct. Alderson said the siren that is fully functional now was over 40 years old and that is too old to leave up. “Well, you should buy 2 more since we have 2 others one that are getting pretty old.” Alderson assured Gus the other two sirens would be addressed at a later date. The motion was denied 5-3 with Tucker, Roger, and Alderson voting yes.
“This is a waste of time,” Roger explained. “If it doesn’t work out where they are at, you can move them.” Gus told everyone again the sirens would not be heard if they ever get installed. “This is stupid,” Roger continued. “The only thing stupid is leaving them where they are at,” Gus replied. Mayor Hicks explained he would talk to the contractor and have him at the meeting next Monday.
Gillespie Lake Residency
Frank Barrett, alderman of the lake, wanted an ordinance passed amending Chapter 18, Article 1 to allow the council to offer more options to leasing lake lots to residents. The permanent residency stopped in 2003, but Mayor Hicks said the council has the option to add a lot more permanent residency at the lake.
“It’s not like we are going to have a big influx of permanent residents,” Frank explained. “They would have to come and get approved and update their septic systems,” Kevin Polo clarified. Dan Fisher explained the lake is not inhabitable 12 months of the year.
The roads are undersized, Fisher continued. Barrett said he already compared the roads in town with out at the lake and some are the same size. “We at least have a plan of when we are going to replace the roads, we don’t even know what we are going to do with the roads at the lake,” Fisher added. “We don’t have any police at the lake.”
Fisher said the council keeps adding more residents at the lake without thinking where water will come from and without a plan of action. “This lake brings in $300,000 a year, we can’t spend a little money on roads,” Barrett asked. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t. You [Barrett] have never presented a plan to the council with anything,” Fisher responded.
Frank Barrett laughs as him and Dan Fisher get into a bit of a disagreement about roadwork at the Gillespie Lake.
Barrett said he was going to get a bid from DeLaurent to see how much a mile of road costs. “It doesn’t matter what a mile costs when you don’t know which mile you are doing,” Fisher explained. “We don’t have any sort of plan when we are doing this. We stick our finger in the dyke all the time out there and we don’t even know where full time and part time residency is.”
Fisher said the city owns the boat/ski club and the city hasn’t even taken care of that. “We can’t even manage that property,” Fisher concluded. “Every person that lives out at the lake full time is a person that does not live in the city. The income we would have gotten from that person counted in our census is about $12,000 each person. We lose that each person.”
Pomatto Park
Steve Kluethe said he was approached by Ruth Anne Pomatto who questioned him if the city would like to take over Pomatto Park. Kluethe went on to explain he told Pomatto the city is interested in having a park more centrally located in the Gillespie area.
He suggested a committee be formed to salvage any and all materials from Pomatto Park to use in the new park. The current location of Pomatto Park will then be leveled to possibly expand the fire department. Steve explained the plants are beginning to be too much for Ruth to take care of.
The gazebo, benches, iron fences, and possibly the brick work could be saved. The council advised Steve to continue investigating the issue.
Street Repairs
Paul Madden addressed the council about a hole in his road he recently replaced with rock. “I replaced the sewer in my yard,” he explained. “The contractor said the hole in the road has to be fixed with concrete immediately.” Madden said there are many parts of the city that have just been asphalted in and that is much cheaper than concrete, but he would do whatever the council preferred. He didn’t understand why he had to fix his repair with concrete when the city never mends their holes with concrete.
Mayor Hicks advised Madden that the road has to be fixed to the same condition it was before the repairs, but would take the decision before the council. The council decided to have Paul repair the road to the condition it was in before he replaced his sewer line.
Police News
Chief of Police, Jared DePoppe, gave the council his monthly report. DePoppe reported the court fines from July totaled $2,400, $260 in ordinance violations, and another $500 in towing and impound fees for a total of $3,300 for the month of July. He went on to report the police department has updated their server. He also requested the department purchase two new tasers. The board approved the department to purchase two new taser units at an approximate cost of $800 each.
Later in the meeting, the council approved the hiring of 1 full time officer, Jeremy Bradford, 2 part time officers Joe Berry and Jack Wofford, and part time dispatcher Ashley Partridge.
Gus Ottersburg questions bills
Gus Ottersburg raised concern with a couple bills to be paid in August. Ottersburg questioned why a police car had to be towed from Hillsboro. “Did we chase someone over there,” Janice Weidner asked. Steve Kluethe said he would look into that expenditure.
Gus went on to say the city spent nearly $3,000 on weed killer. Mayor Hicks thought the weed killer went to the street department or maybe one for the lake, one for the water department, and one for the street department. Hicks advised Gus to look into it further.
Façade Grant
Dave Tucker explained the council should work on putting together a façade grant for the City of Gillespie. Mayor Hicks explained anyone in the downtown area can use the future grant, ideally anyone in the TIF district. Tucker advised the council to get back to him if they would like to change anything.
Public Recognition
Dan Fisher said he agreed with Frank on some issues, but there has to be a plan for the Gillespie Lake.
Kent Tarro updated the council on the services offered at Macoupin County Maple Street Clinic. Tarro said the clinic is open 50 hours a week now and transportation is free provided by the Macoupin County Public Transportation. “If you need a doctor,” Tarro started, “This is the place you need to come.”
Tarro and Mark Stewart also informed the council about the Labor Day Celebration scheduled at the Coal Country Sports Complex at Little Dog Mine. Tarro explained the celebration was moved from July 4 to Labor Day and they are “going all out this year.”
The celebration will have a 1-mile fun run and 5K run, soccer tournaments, volleyball tournaments, kittenball tournament, mouse races, and then fireworks to end the evening. “We look forward to having you all out there,” Tarro closed.
Tarro explained Department of Mines and Minerals are going to replace the ditches from the hill on Little Dog Mine. The group is also going to take 15 feet off the top of the hill and plant trees around the ballpark to take in the moisture. “This is a permanent solution,” Tarro said.
He went on to say they will sod everything and the Sports Complex hopes to have a premier cross-country jogging course and a practice ballpark. The work is hoping to be started in November with completion scheduled for spring 2014.
Boat Club
Linda Gumprecht and Gary Thornhill are interested in leasing the boat club. Gumprecht, a certified chef, would like to lease the club for two years to put a restaurant in while Gary would like to make a residence out of the building.
Gary said he has been in the club a couple times and informed the council he would make all necessary repairs at no expense to the city. He explained the project would take one to two months expedited because he wants his son to go to school in Gillespie and he spends all his weekends at the lake anyway.
The council made sure Gary would take care of all the repairs and he said yes. Thornhill said there is about $30,000 to $40,000 worth of work to be done in the building. Linda Gumprecht has not seen the inside, so the council advised her to get with Frank Barrett and check out the inside before he commits to anything.
Dan Fisher, the city treasurer, wanted to point out the boat club has $2,240 in backed taxes to be paid at the boat club. “We have paid taxes two times previously, so we might have $3,000 or $4,000 tied up already,” Fisher explained. He went on to say he didn’t want to have “a revolving door” at the residence and not be caught paying the backed taxes every time someone leaves.
“It’s great we have people that want to move in the building,” Fisher continued, “But, we haven’t come to grips with the fact that we don’t have a plan how we handle things out at the lake. How are you going to decide between a restaurant and a residence out there?” Barrett explained that’s why we have a council.
Fisher said he agreed, but the council has went through this boat club ordeal multiple times before and there still isn’t a policy written to how the boat club operates. “I am saying before we pick, we need to decide what we want to do out at the boat club,” Fisher explained. “We have an obligation to the public we need to be better custodians to this property.” Mayor Hicks explained taxes are around $880 for residential, but taxes would be higher for commercial buildings. The council will discuss the boat club property and come to a decision in the months forward.
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Ye Olde Christmas is the theme of the Macoupin County Historical Society’s annual Christmas Show, which will be held Friday through Sunday, December 5–7, at the John C. Anderson Home and Museum, 920 West Breckenridge in Carlinville.
“The Christmas Show is one of the most magical times to visit the Anderson Home,” said MCHS Board Member and House Manager Brandy England. “Some families make it an annual Christmas tradition to visit the Anderson Home when it is decorated for Christmas. It’s a great opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit and pick up some ideas for decorating your own home for the holidays.”
MCHS member Kendra Mize, of Bunker Hill, who has coordinated the decorating effort for more than two decades, has again marshalled a small army of volunteers to decorate all 13 rooms of the home. Each room features a themed Christmas tree, along with mantle pieces, centerpieces, tabletop decor, garlands and florals, and other special touches.
The home will be open for self-guided tours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 5; from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 6; and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 7.
“We’re very excited to offer for the first time candlelight tours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday,” said Shawna Ashby, who serves as a co-manager with England. “Viewing the decorated home by candlelight promises to be a magical experience.”
The final candlelight tours on Friday and Saturday start at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the home is five dollars for adults and one dollar for children ages five to 12, with four-year-olds and younger admitted free of charge.
The Anderson Home Gift Shop will be open during tour hours, offering one-of-a-kind gift items and stocking stuffers. Santa Claus will be on hand in the downstairs parlor to greet children and listen to their Christmas wishes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 6.
While the decorated home is the centerpiece of the Christmas Show, several other features on the Historical Society’s grounds will be open. The Red Barn will be open and serving hearty beef stew, chili, homemade pies, and warming holiday beverages such as wassail and hot chocolate on Friday and Saturday.
The General Store and Print Shop will be decorated and open to the public, with the Print Shop offering its popular handmade Christmas cards and other items produced in the shop; kids can print their own blank “Santa List” to keep track of their Christmas wishes.
“The General Store offers unique gift items, including some small antiques, for shoppers to peruse,” England noted.
Local blacksmiths will demonstrate their craft in the MCHS Blacksmith Shop located on the north side of the Historical Society Grounds, with wrought iron gift items, including stocking hooks and decorative pieces, available for purchase.
The Macoupin County Historical Society’s Christmas Show runs concurrently with the Carlinville Christmas Market and Downtown Christmas events, and a free trolley and shuttle buses include the Anderson Home as a regular stop during the festivals, enabling visitors to ride from the square or the Macoupin County Fairgrounds to the Historical Society grounds.
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Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night voted to approve a property tax levy request totaling $3,920,295 for 2025 property taxes payable in 2026. Because of tax caps and other factors, however, the district expects to collect only an estimated $3,786,607 of the requested amount.
In addition to acting on the tax levy, the board also held a lengthy discussion regarding annual district “report cards” issued by the Illinois State Board of Education to assess school performance from last year, approved a high school band/choir performance trip to Chicago in March, and agreed to apply for a school maintenance grant of up to $50,000 in matching funds.
The new proposed levy exceeds last year’s tax extension of $3,599,569 by more than $320,726—an increase of about nine percent if the levy were to be approved at the county level. The more realistic anticipation of $3,786,607 exceeds last year’s extension by $187,038, or an increase of about three percent. A Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), approved by Macoupin County voters in 1995, restricts increases in the levy to five percent or the federal Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. This year’s CPI is estimated at 2.9 percent.
The approved levy seeks $1,650,000 for the Education Fund while expecting to realize $1,653,831; $450,229 for Operations & Maintenance, while anticipating $438,041; $200,000 for Transportation while expecting $180,434; $35,000 for Working Cash while expecting $42,602; $174,700 for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund while anticipating $117,788; $154,101 for Social Security while expecting $105, 248; $247,264 for Tort while anticipating $240,570; and $33,501 for Special Education while expecting $32,593. For Bond and Interest, which is not subject to PTELL, the district is levying $975,500 while anticipating the same amount.
Local property tax revenue accounts for about 20 percent of the district’s overall annual budget.
Because the levy request exceeds 105 percent of the previous year’s extension, a public hearing is required. That hearing is scheduled at the start of the board’s regular December meeting at 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15. In the meantime, the proposed levy is available for public inspection on the district’s website and in the district office.
Using a PowerPoint presentation, Owsley emphasized the levy request is essentially a wish list for what the district would like to raise through property taxes.
“The levy is the ‘Christmas list’ I talk about every year,” Owsley said. “If you don’t put it on the list, you’re not going to get it.”
Projecting what the district can legally seek under tax caps can be challenging because the district’s total equalized assessed valuation will not be confirmed until after Jan. 1 while state law requires the district to file its levy request before the end of December. For that reason, local school districts routinely file requests that exceed what they actually expect to receive in property tax revenue, and rely on the County Clerk to adjust the request to the maximum amount the district can receive.
“Because of tax caps, we have one shot to capture increases in the EAV and new construction,” Owsley said. “If we don’t do that, we lose it in perpetuity.”
To calculate the new levy, Owsley projected a 15.12 percent increase in the EAV—nearly double the previous year’s rate of increase. By overestimating the EAV growth, the district expects to capture the entire increase in assessed valuation when that number is finally determined.
“Even though we know the EAV will likely be around the historical average, we base our levy on a much higher amount so as not to lose revenue from new growth,” Owsley told the board. “We can do this without running the risk of overtaxing taxpayers because the district will receive no more than what we are entitled to by law.”
Owsley said relatively stable increases in EAV have resulted in a steadily declining tax rate. Since 2014 when the rate was $4.24 per $100 in EAV, the rate has fallen to $3.20 for 2024. In other words, the county can use a lower rate to generate the extension to which the district is entitled because the value of taxable property has increased.
“As long as the EAV goes up by more than the Consumer Price Index, our tax rates are going to go down,” Owsley noted.
SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORT CARDS
The board spent several minutes discussing recently released school report cards issued by the Illinois State Board of Education. Interested persons can view local report cards by visiting https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.
All three attendance centers received a “Commendable” designation, meaning there are no student groups that are underperforming academically, and the high school graduation rate exceeds 67 percent. Last year, BenGil Elementary School achieved an “Exemplary” designation—the top designation a school can achieve.
Elementary Principal Angela Sandretto said administrators knew the school would not earn an Exemplary rating, even though students are state average in English/language arts, math and science. The Report Card designations are based on growth rather than academic performance. With students already exceeding state standards last year, the opportunity for growth was limited.
Assistant Principal Tara Cooper agreed, noting BenGil Elementary’s student performance is in the upper half of schools statewide that are meeting academic standards. “So, while we are not ‘Exemplary,’ we’re very happy with where we are.”
Supt. Owsley told the board the State Board of Education is working on revamping the assessment system because of the growth vs. performance issue. “That’s why they’re redoing all of this because they are penalizing schools for meeting goals,” he said.
For Gillespie Middle School, the report card shows students meeting or exceeding state averages in math and science but significantly lagging in English/language arts.
“ELA is our most concerning area,” Principal Patrick McGinthy told the board, “along with absenteeism.” The report card shows a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent, but Owsley and other administrators said the rate is exacerbated by the State Board of Education including nearly all absences whether or not they are excused.
Rosentreter noted the State Board will allow a student to be absent five days for illness without a doctor’s excuse. On the sixth day, however, the absence is unexcused unless the parent or guardian provides a doctor’s slip. Many parents, however, are reluctant to pay for a doctor’s visit for a child that is suffering from a minor illness.
McGinthy said Middle School teachers are attempting to address the deficiency in English/language arts by increasing writing exercises and requiring students to write in conjunction with other curriculum areas.
Rosentreter noted that the assessment standards for high schools differ from the standards for elementary and middle schools in that the State Board emphasizes graduation rates. For Gillespie, the graduation rate is an impressive 86 percent, though chronic absenteeism checks in at 31 percent.
“Math is definitely our shining star,” Rosentreter said, noting the school scored 17.8 points compared with the state average of 18. The school performed less well in the areas of English/language arts and science, scoring 16 points on ELA compared with the state score of 18 and 17.2 points compared with the state average of 19.
The report cards are based on results for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test for elementary and middle school students, and ACT scores for high school students.
Administrators said it’s difficult to motivate students to do well on state-mandated tests since the tests do not affect the student’s grade point average. To incentivize testing, Rosentreter said the high school is offering to let students skip final exams if they hit state standards on the mandated tests.
Owsley noted that the district report card documents the continuing decline in school enrollment—dropping from 1,325 seven years ago to 1,082 for the 2024-25 academic year.
“We don’t see that turning around anytime soon,” Owsley said. “It’s not just a Gillespie thing; it’s a trend for schools throughout Macoupin County.
BAND/CHOIR TRIP TO CHICAGO
Following a presentation by band/choir instructor Brad Taulbee, the board approved a high school band and choir performance tour to Chicago set for March 19-21. Taulbee said the tour company retained for the trip places emphasis on security and safety for traveling students. The company supplements hotel security with its own security personnel to monitor student rooms during the trip.
The tour includes workshop sessions at Vandercook College in downtown Chicago, and performances by the choir at the John Hancock Center and by the band at one of the city’s museums.
Taulbee said he is attempting to keep the cost affordable for participating students. Depending upon the number of students who ultimately go on the trip, he said he expects the cost to be about $739 per person. Additionally, he is lining up sponsors who can help with expenses for students who could not otherwise afford to participate.
“Security is my main concern,” said Board President Mark Hayes. “We just came back from there and seven people were shot in the area we were in.”
Taulbee said he expects to recruit seven to 10 chaperones and will ensure that the ratio of students to chaperones does not exceed 1:10.
SCHOOL MAINTENANCE GRANT
The board concurred with Supt. Owsley’s recommendation to again apply for a state School Maintenance grant of up to $50,000. The grant is a “matching” grant requiring the district to match grant funds dollar for dollar. The district has successfully applied for the grant for the past several years.
If the application is successful, Owsley said the funds will likely be used to remove asbestos-containing floor tiles in the choir room and elsewhere in the Middle School.
PERSONNEL
Following an executive session of about 40 minutes to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Tim Wargo as an assistant high school baseball coach and post the position as vacant, and voted to appoint Wargo as the head high school baseball coach for the coming season.
In separate actions, the board approved maternity leaves for Alexis Lupkey, district paraprofessional, and Gear-Up Coordinator Jordan Bartok. Lupkey’s leave is tentatively scheduled from Dec. 8 through March 18. Bartok’s leave is expected from Dec. 12 through Jan.6.
Board members voted unanimously to hire Christopher Whaley as a substitute bus driver, pending a routine background check and documentation of certification.
The board also voted unanimously to terminate Makayla Huff as a three-hour cook and post the position as vacant.
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to rehire fall coaches as follows: Jordan Bartok as head high school girls volleyball coach with Shelsie Price, as an assistant coach; Cory Bonstead as head football coach with Nate Henrichs, Jarrod Herron, Korben Clark, Alex Jasper, J.O. Kelly, Billy Gill and Florian Seferi as assistant and volunteer assistant coaches; Jay Weber as head coach for the parent-funded high school cross-country program with Jack Burns as a volunteer assistant coach; Jake Kellebrew as head coach for the parent-funded high school golf program, with Michael Otten as a volunteer assistant coach; Tim Wargo as head middle school baseball coach with Trae Wargo as assistant coach; Michelle Smith as head middle school softball coach with Jim Matesa, Joe Kelly and Melissa Heigert as assistant coaches; and Liz Thackery as head coach for the parent-funded middle school cross-country program with Laura Peterson as a volunteer assistant coach.
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, Supt. Owsley introduced newly hired School Resource Officer Jacob Linhart, and High School Principal provided a report with photos of a recent school-wide Veterans Day observance.
Linhart, who has served five years as a police officer on the Gillespie Police Department, replaces Wade Hendricks, who recently retired after serving three years as the CUSD 7 School Resource Officer.
Linhart said it is a “great privilege” to serve as a Resource Officer, protecting students and staff. “I’m honored that you guys are allowing me to do it,” he said.
High School Principal Rosentreter said the school served breakfast to about 200 veterans and their families Tuesday morning, Nov. 11. Later, the veterans were joined by nearly 700 high school and middle school students for a recognition ceremony in the high school gymnasium.
Since the event coincided with the 25th anniversary of CUSD 7’s Wall of Honor program, the annual event did double duty as an induction ceremony for five are individuals, all of whom happened to be U.S. Military veterans.
The inductees included the late Sergeant Major John Marion Malnar, Command Sergeant Major John “Jack” Burns, Colonel Mark Daley, Lieutenant Colonel William P. Falke and Captain Robert Leone. Rosentreter said Daley and Leone traveled with their families from Colorado and Texas, respectively, to attend the ceremonies.
Burns, a retired CUSD 7 teacher, later visited BenGil Elementary School to present a program and teach students how to properly fold an American flag.
Rosentreter recognized the City of Gillespie for a donation of $1,000 to help purchase food for the veterans.
Born in Benld and a resident of Sawyerville, “Big John” Malnar earned a Silver Star during the Korean Conflict and a Gold Star, awarded posthumously after he was killed in action in 1968 in Vietnam. A Marine training center at Camp Geiger in North Carolina is named in his honor.
Though not a Wall of Honor inductee, Jacob Miller, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and recipient of two Purple Hearts, was recognized with a standing ovation.
The annual Veterans Day breakfast and ceremony provides students with an opportunity to meet and recognize local veterans as potential role models for their own futures.
Owsley said the event is a major event on the district’s calendar which grew out of a simple flagpole ceremony initiated 25 years ago.
CEJA GRANT FUNDS
Board members briefly discussed plans for about $74,000 in anticipated Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) grant funds. The federal program is intended to compensate communities that have experienced revenue loss as a result of coal mine closures.
Owsley said the district committed about $86,000 in last year’s CEJA grant funds to the City of Gillespie to help pay for improvements to Plum Street, which is heavily used by district school buses. He has not transferred those funds, however, pending the start of the project.
Owsley said he was seeking the board’s input on how the money should be used.
“We could continue to partner with the city on Plum Street,” he said. “But there are plenty of project areas within the school.” The money could be used, for example, for continuing asbestos abatement. He identified other upcoming needs, including a new roof for the high school/middle school and an HVAC project.
President Hayes pointed out the school district paid for improvements to Kelly Street when BenGil Elementary was built and subsidized a project to reconfigure drainage on Broadway Street, in addition to the dollars committed for Plum Street.
“The school district is not in the business of building roads,” he said. “I think we’ve been more than generous with the city.”
Board member Peyton Bernot agreed the money should be committed for use by the school district.
TRIPLE I CONFERENCE
Several board members who attended a conference for board members and administrators Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23, in Chicago, commented briefly about their take-aways from conference sessions. Popularly known as the Triple I Conference, the convention is sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials.
Owsley said more than 700 Illinois school districts were represented, making the Triple I the largest gathering of education professionals in North America.
Bernot briefly reported on a session he attended regarding upcoming legislation and financial outlooks for school districts. He described the session as “much less optimistic” than sessions he’s attended in the past.
Owsley was among the convention presenters, discussing social-emotional learning. He commented that several districts attending reported efforts to involve students in school administrators. Some districts, he said, appointed a non-voting student representative to the school board to take part in discussions directly affecting students.
“When you think about it, we hear from faculty members and we hear from parents,” Hayes commented. “The people we don’t hear from are the most important part of what we do.”
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The Holiday Sparkle Committee of Gillespie is preparing for the 4th Annual Holiday Sparkle Lighted Parade and Community Tree Lighting, set for Sunday, November 30, at 6:00 p.m. in downtown Gillespie. This beloved community tradition invites residents and visitors to kick off the holiday season with lights, music, and festive cheer.
Food trucks will line the parade route starting at 4:00 p.m., offering a variety of tasty options for families to enjoy before and during the celebration. The event will culminate in the illuminated parade and the ceremonial lighting of the community tree, signaling the official start of the season’s celebrations.
A highlight of this year’s festivities will be a special performance by Gillespie area students in grades 3 through 5. The group will join together to sing Christmas carols, lending their voices to the town’s joyous welcome to the holidays.
Parade participants are invited to bring extra sparkle to the evening—whether by entering a parade float, walking in the parade, or simply attending to enjoy the atmosphere. Participation helps make the event truly magical for the entire community. The only requirement for the parade is all entries have to incorporate holiday lighting.
To join the parade lineup, interested participants can sign up at https://forms.gle/L7Q4tEkgjj8Lt5E47. The Holiday Sparkle Committee expresses gratitude for the ongoing support of residents, businesses, and volunteers who help bring this festive occasion to life each year.
The second part of the holiday festivities will take place on Saturday, December 13 when the Sparkle will sponsor the vendor fair and food trucks in downtown Gillespie including a visit from Santa. Vendors will be located in the Gillespie Civic Center, Zion Lutheran Church, and Emma G’s Upscale Boutique while local businesses and eateries will also be open. An egg nog jog benefitting Gillespie Cross Country will also be held on December 13 and interested participants can join here.
The Holiday Sparkle Committee invites everyone to mark their calendars and join in the celebration. For more information, please contact the committee by email at gillespieholidaysparkle@gmail.com or visit Gillespie Holiday Sparkle on Facebook.
