Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night renewed principals’ contracts, viewed a proposed school calendar for the upcoming 2025-26 school year and voted to refer two students to the Regional Office of Education’s Alternative Education program in lieu of expelling them.

Actions to extend the contracts of all three building principals and the district’s assistant principal by one year followed an hour-long executive session to discuss personnel, legal issues and other items. BenGil Elementary Principal Angela Sandretto, Middle School Principal Patrick McGinty and High School Principal Jill Rosentreter are each employed under terms of a three-year contract. The one-year extension extends their contracts to the end of the 2027-28 school year.

In other personnel action, the board voted to hire Denise Garner, Staunton, as an administrative assistant, effective April 1, pending a routine background check.

Board members unanimously accepted the resignation of Chris Fenton, District Custodian, effective Jan. 27, as well as the resignation due to retirement of paraprofessional Shelia Katich, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Motions to accept the resignations also authorized posting vacancies for both jobs.

The board voted unanimously to hire Makayla Huff for a three-hour cafeteria worker position, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check.

In separate actions, the board accepted the resignations of Casey Sholtis as Gillespie High School head mens basketball coach, effective at the end of the 2024-25 season, as well as coaching the parent-funded golf program. Vacancies were posted for both positions.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

The board placed on first reading a proposed school calendar for the 2024-25 academic year. The tentative calendar calls for teacher institute days on Aug. 11 and 12, with the first day of student attendance on Aug. 13. The last day of student attendance would be May 26, but could be as early as May 18 if no emergency days are required.

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School holidays would include Labor Day on Sept. 1, Columbus Day on Oct. 13, Veterans Day on Nov. 11, Thanksgiving, Nov. 26-30, Martin Luther King Day on Jan 19, Presidents Day on Feb. 16, and Memorial Day on May 26. Winter Break would run Dec. 20-Jan. 4, and Spring Break would run April 2-6. Teacher Institute days are tentatively scheduled Oct. 24, Feb. 13, March 20 and the day after the last day of student attendance.

If approved, the calendar calls for commencement on May 17.

Subject to final approval by the board, classes will dismiss at 1:45 p.m. on Oct. 17, Oct. 22, Oct. 23, Dec. 19, March 13 and for the last day of student attendance.

SCHOOL EXPULSIONS

In separate actions, the board agreed to “hold in abeyance’ the expulsion of two district students, referring them to the Regional Office of Education’s Alternative Education program in Carlinville, which will allow them to continue to meet their educational requirements. Supt. Shane Owsley told the BenGil Post that the board will revisit the expulsions after one year to determine if the students can return to classes or continue to attend the Alternative School program.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Supt. Owsley reported to the board that the governor’s budget proposal includes $350 million for education, which could mean an increase in state aid to the district. The amount of the increase, however, will not be known until it is determined whether CUSD 7 is a Tier I or Tier II school based on average per student expenditures for education. Funding for mandated services, however, is not increased in the budget proposal, meaning reimbursement to the district for such things as transporting students for special education needs is likely to fall from 98 percent to about 80 percent.

Owsley also reported that Lewis and Clark Community College has approved two GHS business courses for dual credit, meaning students can earn college credits by taking those courses. Additionally, the South Central Illinois Regional Training and Innovation Center, Litchfield, is now providing four dual credit courses aimed at students who expect to go into teaching as a career.

Owsley acknowledged the recent death of Rose Tebbe who was among the founding members of the Partnership for Educational Excellence, a non-profit organization that provides scholarship funds and classroom grants for CUSD 7.

DISTRICT FOCUS

GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter recognized 17-year-old Emily Bergen, whose safe driving video won first place in the National Road Safety Foundation’s annual contest. A professional video producer visited Gillespie last year to film and edit Bergen’s concept. Competing with entries from through the nation, Bergen’s video was first selected as one of three finalist, then selected as the winner two weeks ago at the Chicago Auto Show. Bergen’s 30-second public service announcement will be featured on the nationally-syndicated Teen Kids News, reaching more than 160 TV stations across the country. Additionally, Bergen earned a $2,000 cash award.

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“Thank you for representing Gillespie High School well,” Owsley told Bergen.

Rosentreter also cited the GHS women’s basketball team for their undefeated season and South Central Conference championship win. She said the team, the first undefeated women’s  team since 1997, will be invited to a future meeting to be recognized by the board.

Additionally, Rosentreter called out Elle Wilson, who recently was named to the All-State Choir.

CONCUSSION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

By a unanimous vote, the board approved members for a state-mandated Concussion Oversight Committee to establish protocols for students to return to class are return to sports participation after having sustained a concussion. Owsley said the protocols are in place but a number of the committee’s original members have retired or left the district.

Committee members approved Monday night are: Supt Owsley, Principals McGinthy and Rosentreter, Assistant Principal Cooper, Ben-Gil Nurse Rachel Bouillon, GHS/GMS Nurse Whitney Page, Athletic Director Jeremy Smith, GHS physical education teacher Tate Wargo, high school teacher and coach Korben Clark, dean of students and coach Casey Sholtis, and special education teacher and coach Cory Bonstead.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the board voted unanimously to again retain Loy-Miller-Talley, PC, to perform the district’s annual audit at a cost not to exceed $16,850.

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The Partnership for Educational Excellence is pleased to announce that it has made a third consecutive donation of $30,000 to the school children of Community Unit District 7 in Gillespie.

“Every one of these dollars was donated by a community member, family, business, or
professional,” says Donna Prevedell, vice president and an original member of the education
foundation that formed in 1992. “Witnessing and passing on generosity of our community
continues to be a joy.”

To date, The Partnership has invested more than $1 million of donations to classroom and district-wide grants as well as academic tuition scholarships for Gillespie High School graduates entering accredited trade schools, colleges, and universities.

“This remarkable gift from the Partnership demonstrates their deep commitment to
advancing educational opportunities in our community,” said R. Shane Owsley, Superintendent
of Gillespie CUSD #7. “Their support will have a lasting impact on our students’ educational
journey and future success.”

CUSD7 Technology Coordinator Mark Carpani explains: “These are not chrome books
but rather full-blown laptops that are two-in-one design, meaning they can double as a laptop and a tablet, with touch and pen recognition,” he says. “They are specifically designed for education and built to withstand damage more than a traditional laptop. They serve the students well.”

Owsley continues: “This generous contribution will be directly invested in expanding our
students’ access to technology through the purchase of new computers. This significant
investment in our students’ future will enhance their learning experiences and better prepare them for success in our increasingly digital world with vital tools for research, skill development, and academic achievement.

The Gillespie CUSD7 Board of Education, administration, teachers, and students extend their heartfelt appreciation to the Partnership for their dedication to improving educational resources in our district.

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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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