Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Wednesday night approved a package of four capital improvement projects totaling more than $160,000 in value. Work will start on the projects after the end of the current school year and is expected to be completed before the start of the 2026-27 academic year in August.

The board met on Wednesday night after Monday’s inclement weather forced the district to reschedule the board’s regular monthly meeting.

The board approved entering into a contract with Fisher Tracks, Boone, Iowa, to resurface the district’s all-weather track at a cost of $105,209. Supt. Shane Owsley told the board the district will use about $50,000 from an all-weather track activity fund, with the remainder to be paid with proceeds from an alternate revenue bond issue approved last year for capital improvements.

Great Western Abatement, Jerseyville, was retained to remove flooring containing asbestos from the choir room floor and middle school gymnasium school at a cost of $40,700. Great Western’s bid was the lowest of seven bids, ranging up to $65,000, submitted for the work. Additionally, the district is paying $8,900 to Reliable Environmental Services, Springfield, for engineering and design work associated with the asbestos removal.

All-purpose rubberized flooring material will be installed on the middle school gym floor by Dynamic Sports Construction, Leander, Texas, at a cost of $51,424.

For the first time in a number of years, the high school gymnasium floor will be sanded and refinished with new artwork. Blast Technologies, St. Louis, was hired to sand the 4,200-square-foot floor at a cost of $5,250. Designs Unlimited, Pinckneyville, will paint game lines and logos on the floor before sealing it with a clear stain at a cost not to exceed $18,738.

The board also accepted a bid of $33,890 from DeLaurent Construction, Wilsonville, to resurface the 118,700-square-foot parking lot at Benld Elementary School.

Though no action was taken, Board President Mark Hayes reported that the Building and Grounds Committee had directed Owsley to investigate the cost of replacing the CUSD 7 administrative building.

“This building is very much in need of replacement,” Hayes said. “It’s beyond its time.” During Monday’s torrential rainfall, Hayes said water came in through windows and water seeped in under the sill plate, bringing displaced nightcrawlers into the building. Staff members ran fans after the storm in an effort to dry out the interior.

According to Hayes, the school has been in contact with the local Baptist Church to investigate the possibility of acquiring the former Trinity Baptist Church for use as an administrative building. Church officials, however, have not yet made a decision about the fate of the former sanctuary after Gillespie’s two Baptist churches merged.

Owsley said the current administrative building comprises about 6,000 square feet. Current estimates are $400 per square foot for new construction which would translate into about $2.5 million to replace the administrative facility. The district might be able to shave some dollars off that estimate by reducing the size of the building.

“There’s a lot of unusable space in this building,” Owsley said, suggesting a more efficient floorpan could reduce cost. He also mentioned the possibility of a basement to provide storage space for outdated documents.

In addition to construction costs, Owsley noted, the district would be responsible for tearing down the existing building.

“I have no idea what’s in this building,” Owsley said, raising abatement concerns. “I’m guessing disposal of this building is going to be expensive.”

Hayes said Kevin Wills, the district’s bond issue advisor, will attend the June board meeting to discuss the possibility of refinancing some existing bonds to free up enough revenue to build a new administrative building. The administration currently is housed in a “temporary” structure that has served as the administration building for several decades.

MINE SUBSIDENCE STUDY

After several minutes of discussion, the board took no action in relation to entering into a contract with Marino Engineering and Associates to assess the district’s risk for incurring damage from a mine subsidence event. Owsley said existing maps show that portions of Gillespie Middle School are undermined. While the high school is not undermined, a major subsidence would likely damage the high school as well as the middle school. In recent months, more than one residential home on Elm Street near the school property has experienced damage from mine subsidence.

Marino’s $94,000 Phase I proposal would “determine the likelihood of something happening to one of our buildings,” Owsley said. The problem is that too much information could negatively impact the district’s ability to purchase subsidence insurance. “Information is great until it’s not.”

The district currently pays about $300,000 for mine subsidence insurance on the middle school, high school and vocational arts building. The school carries no subsidence insurance on BenGil Elementary because mine shafts under the building were grouted before the school was built.

“If we find out there’s not a major concern,” Owsley noted, it could reduce the district’s subsidence insurance costs. 

On the other hand, if the study reveals a high risk of experiencing mine subsidence, the insurer could drop the district at the end of the current policy’s term. With only two companies in the country offering subsidence insurance, the district could end up with no insurance at all to cover damage from mine subsidence.

Advertisement

The only way to avoid that scenario would be to implement whatever options Marino might recommend to reduce risk. Those recommendations would likely include grouting (backfilling) mine shafts under the middle school. Grouting for the elementary school cost $4 million. To grout under the middle school would likely run as much as $6 million or more.

The only way the study would make sense, Owsley suggested, would be if the district was “comfortable making the corrections the study is going to make.”

Moreover, $94,000 would cover only a preliminary assessment.

“To get a full understanding of what’s going on underground, we’d be looking at a half million dollars,” said Owsley.

The issue was allowed to die when no board member moved to consider the contract.

COMMUNITY SOLAR PARTICIPATION

On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Summit Ridge Solar to participate in a community solar project. Under terms of the 15-year contract, the district will realize a 13 percent savings on electrical power bills. The contract is automatically renewable for five years unless the district chooses to withdraw.

“Illinois provides a number of incentives for using solar,” Owsley said. “However, not everyone likes the look of having solar panels on their property. This will get us the benefits without putting up solar panels on our property.”

Summit Ridge’s proposal was the most lucrative of the proposals the district received. Other companies offered shorter terms with savings of five percent. 

After 20 years, it’s likely the savings would drop to five percent. Owsley said he was told the district was better off going with the longer contract to get 13 percent in savings for as long as possible.

The school district was able to secure such favorable rates, according to Owsley is because there is an issue with solar fields storing the power they generate. “Our main usage time is during their maximum production time.”

DISTRICT FOCUS

During a District Focus segment, the board recognized sophomore Matrix Wright, whose art was the only entry from the United States included in the 2026 TOLI International Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition is a project of The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies in New York. The exhibit includes student art relating to themes associated with the Holocaust.

Wright’s work, entitled “An Immortal Continuum,” attempts to portray “the constant entrapment a Holocaust survivor might feel.” 

Exhibition organizers received more than 250 entries from around the globe. 

BUDGET PROCESS

On a motion by Peyton Bernot, seconded by Board President Hayes, board members voted unanimously to begin work on developing a district budget for fiscal 2027. Board members also approved a routine measure to permit expenditure of fiscal 2027 funds after July 1, pending approval of a new budget.

The school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 but new budgets typically are approved two to four months after the start of the fiscal year.

The current fiscal year’s $19 million budget was approved in September last year.

PERSONNEL

Following a one-hour executive session to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to approve the request of long-time middle school English and language arts teacher Kim Henderson, effective at the end of the 2028-29 school year.

Board members also voted unanimously to hire Andrew Crook as a first-year, non-tenured high school English teacher for the 2026-27 school year, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check. A graduate of Gillespie High School, Crook earned his teaching certificate at Illinois College, Jacksonville and for the past two years, he taught English at North Mac High School.

In separate actions, the board made multiple assignments to staff the district’s summer school program. Those hired include: Jessica Kelly as a middle school teacher, Ashlee Gibbs as a high school math teacher, and Jennifer Brown and Rob Macias as high school drivers’ education instructors. Each of the positions are contingent upon adequate student enrollment to offer the classes. In addition to academic staff, the board hired Andy Hirstein as a summer school food service worker.

The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Foli Seferi as high school paraprofessional and as assisted football coach. Both resignations are effective immediately.

Advertisement

In other personnel action, the board appointed Cate Plovich as the BenGil Elementary School yearbook sponsor, and appointed Josh Ross as a volunteer assistant football coach, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the board:

• Approved a mens highs school soccer coop with the Carlinville School District, with the provision Carlinville will dissolve the agreement if it pushes its program into a higher competitive classification.

• Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Lewis and Clark Community College under which the college will recognize some high school courses as college level credits.

• Approved early graduation requests for an undisclosed number of students, provided all graduation requirements are met.

• Approved renewing the district’s membership in the Illinois Elementary Schools Association.

• Approved the final calendar for the 2025-26 school year pending no further emergency days. Barring the use of emergency days, Monday, May 18 will be the last day of student attendance, with graduation ceremonies set at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 17.

Comments

comments

CLASS OF 2026 (SENIORS)

High honor roll: Emily Bergen, DeShaunta Cooper Jackson, Brookelyn Crotchett, Marshall Garwood, Katherine Gerdes, Anna Giorgi, Collin Griffith, Madyson Grogg, Jule Hansmann, Lillianna Jones, Kayden Koelker, Dawson Lancaster, Sophia Lewis, Jessalyn McElyea, Dawson Morgan, Tyler Palmer, Ava Parish, Kori Petersen, Ava Rakers, Joseph Reid, Sean Roach, Lucas Rosenthal, Luke Schuckenbrock, Brody Shaw, Sadie Sholtis, Carter Sies, Nevaeh Thomas, Kaia Vickery, Whelen Walker, and Hailey Young.

Honor roll: Anthony Amoroso, Jacob Baglin, Paul Balestri, Ceanna Bearden, Edin Compton, Carson Cooper, Addison Cox, Jackson Crook, Brayden Enslow, Hank Fletcher, Zachary Haas, Carson Hailstone, Jersey Helvey, Elin Herold, Roadie Jackson, Cedrick Krieder, Kayley Maykopet, Douglas Neverdowski, Chaz Oberkfell, Zachary Phillips, Makayla Price, Paxton Reid, Desiree Rife, Alexis Schardan, Ava Segarra, Brock Sherman, Nathan Spencer, and Teagan Welch.

CLASS OF 2027 (JUNIORS)

High honor roll: Mitchell Clark, Emily Helvey, Cole Katich, and Cheyenne Sarti

Honor roll: Zowe Badolato, Jaxon Ballinger, Logan Belcher, Clayton Bethard, Sloane Brawner, Wrigley Bruhn, Jack Bulla, Bryce Carter, Keenin Compton, Lillian Conner, Olivia Crumley, Briley Flournoy, Margaret Heyen, Beverly Hupp, Marli Johnson, Lucca Kapp, Olivia Kelly, Zaden King, Isaac Kravanya, Michael Marcacci, Tember Miller, Adam Peterson, Matthew Plovich, Cash Reynolds, Karlee Rhodes, Landon Ridenhour, Kolten Robbins Lasica, Alex Schoen, Laci Schuckenbrock, Emilia Segarra, Jasmine Smith, Cali Stagner, Emerson Striegel, Payten Taylor, Caleb Thompson, Amari Vickery, Macie Williams, Maxwell Young.

CLASS OF 2028 (SOPHOMORES)

High honor roll: Cali Barkley, Scarlet Bruhn, and Hadyn Hegel

Honor roll: Bryce Alpi, Gracelynn Balestri, Dallas Barker, Logan Buhs, Aleeyah Busch, Ava Carr, Annabelle Daniels, Tegan Davis, Tess Dixon, Lyla Drewel, Madison Durston, Kylie Edge, Lainey Edwards, Taylor Flournoy, Katie Hamann, Olivia Hitos Colino, Nolan Hostettler, Levi Hughes, Henry Knetzer, Sophie Knetzer, Cory Knotts, Paige Marcum, Noah Marks, Kyndall McElyea, Weston Melchert, Alexis Nalley, Preston Noe, Stephen Otten, Elijah Pabon, Urijah Pabon, Brianna Phillips, Braden Reich, Caitlynn Rhodes, Nolan Ruyle, Kendall Schweppe, Helaina Scott, Destini Smith, Gillian Smith, Aliana Snow, Xzavier Spencer, Rafe Stangle, Richetti Stewart, Bryce Stoecker, Addisyn Tallman, Madisyn Thomas, Jason Wolf, Matrix Wright, Carter Young.

CLASS OF 2029 (FRESHMEN)

High honor roll: Chyla Crainick, Mariella Garrison, Collins Hagan, Regan Harbaugh, Marlee Hebenstreit, Kristina Schuette, Lyla Shaw, and Sydney Wilson

Honor roll: Alesana Adams, Ella Brawner, Audrina Burkel, Bryson Cox, Rayne Crites, Joshua Crumley, Thodrick Dirks, Rylee Geisler, Landyn Hagler, Owen Hammann, Kai Hampson, Isabella Harbour, Caley Head, Alex Johnson, Giana Kapp, Izzabella Manus, Frank Montoro, Storm Moreland, Sabrina Osborn, Amaelie Patterson, Dominique Payne Jr., Lila Polach, Avianna Ranger Fleshman, Jewel Rife, Dominic Savant, Jacob Schuette, Holden Sies, Kelleigh Simmons, Hanley Stoecker, Addyson Strang, Graham Striegel, Paige Swank, Jacob Walker, Jazmin Webb, Payton Welch, Bryleigh Whaley, Ashton Wright, and Michael Yeager.

Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night voted to accept a new three-year union contract covering the district’s non-certificated workers. In other action, the board learned the district may responsible for additional fees in the near future to send students to the South Central Illinois Workforce Training and Innovation Center in Litchfield, and reviewed a tentative calendar for the upcoming 2026-27 school year.

The non-certificated contract approval followed a 40-minute executive session during which board members discussed personnel, collective bargaining and other issues.

The new contract becomes effective on July 1, and bumps non-certificated employees up by one step on the salary schedule, and includes a $1,500 longevity provision for long-time employees who have reached the top tier in the step system. Additionally the contract provides a three percent wage increase for non-certificated personnel in the district’s Birth to Three program.

The contract also includes an additional $150 clothing allowance for cooks and custodians. Custodians are to wear matching polos, while cafeteria staff are required to wear chef’s coats. The new contract now requires six-hour cafeteria workers to hold a food managers license rather than a food handlers license.

With the new contract, the school district will pick up 90 percent of the cost of health insurance premiums for each employee, with the employee being responsible for the remaining 10 percent.

Both certificated and non-certificated employees are represented by the Illinois Federation of Teachers, though both groups have separate contracts. The non-certificated contract includes a sick day buyout and a perfect attendance bonus that matches the contract for certificated employees.

Supt. Shane Owsley told the board the contract negotiations were cordial and productive. He specifically thanked custodian Neil Balzraine, who serves as president of the union local, and paraprofessional Theresa Carter for their professionalism during the negotiations.

“I know it’s kind of a thankless job and a lot of work with no compensation other than the contract,” Owsley noted. “I want to thank you for being respectful and kind, and for being understanding to come up with a contract that not only benefits the employees but also the school district.”

“We are happy to come to terms on a new contract with the CUSD 7 school board,” said Balzraine, reading from a prepared statement. “Our negotiations were cordial, efficient and most productive. We look forward to this atmosphere of negotiations in the future.”

POTENTIAL SCI FEES

Supt. Owsley briefly advised the board regarding the potential for the school district incurring additional fees in the near future to continue participation in the South Central Illinois (SCI) Workforce Training and Innovation Center.

The three-year-old facility, located in Litchfield, was launched with state grant funds but Owsley said those grants are expiring necessitating alternative revenue to keep the facility in operation. With an annual budget of about $624,000, SCI serves students from school districts in Macoupin and Montgomery counties, offering classes in construction trades, automotive mechanics, and other vocational concentrations. 

Owsley, who serves as SCI’s Board of Governors Board of Directors, said the governing body has discussed the possibility of charging a per student tuition to send students to SCI or assessing a participation fee for each participating school district. The later option could run in the neighborhood of $16,000 per year.

“I just wanted you to know this may be coming,” Owsley said.

Gillespie High School Principal Jill Rosentreter said nearly 30 students are attending SCI classes this year. She had no estimate regarding the number of students attending SCI over the past three years but she suggested having the option to attend vocational training is important, especially for students who are not college-bound and intend to enter the workforce immediately after high school. 

Underwritten by the Laborers Union, SCI’s construction trades course qualifies students for union membership upon completion. Students studying automotive mechanics graduate from the program with the qualifications to work at automotive dealerships or other employers. In addition, SCI offers training in sports medicine and plans to add a sports marketing component in the near future.

DISTRICT FOCUS

During a District Focus segment, the board recognized students Emily Bergen and Lucas Rosenthal, both of whom were recently designated as Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. The recognition is based on academic performance and SAT scores. Only about ten percent of Illinois seniors earn the State Scholar designation.

“This is a very high honor,” said GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter. “They were the only two out of our senior class this year.”

The board also recognized students who won spelling bees at the local level and went onto compete in the Regional Office of Education’s regional spelling bee.

Those advancing to regional competition were Ryder Costello, fourth grade; Charlotte Gotchell, fifth grade; Chaysen Thomas, sixth grade; Gunner Koniak, seventh grade; and Ryan Helmkamp, eighth grade. Costello went on the place fourth in the regional competition.

Advertisement

PERSONNEL

In separate actions, the board voted unanimously to extend the contracts of High School Principal Jill Rosentreter, Middle School Principal Patrick McGinthy and Assistant Principal Tara Cooper by one year each. All three administrators work under a three-year contract, meaning their new contracts will expire in 2029-30.

Supt. Owsley pointed out that Elementary Principal Angela Sandretto was not offered an extension because of her upcoming retirement. With two years left in her contract, Sandretto has announced she will retire at the end of the 2028-29 school year.

Board members voted unanimously to accept the resignation of high school social studies teacher Alex Jasper, effective at the end of the current school year, and to post the position as vacant.

The board also accepted the resignation of Jody Dunn as BenGil Elementary School yearbook editor at the end of this school year, and to post the position as vacant.

The board voted unanimously to update the effective date of title teacher Dana Tieman’s retirement from the end of the 2027-28 school year to the end of the 2026-27 school year.

In other personnel action, the board voted to post positions for an elementary school teacher and a high school special education teacher for the upcoming 2026-27 academic year.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

The board placed on first reading a tentative calendar for the 2026-27 school year. Though subject to change, the calendar schedules teacher institute days on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, followed by the first day of student attendance on Thursday, Aug. 13. The last day of student attendance could be as early as May 12 if no emergency days are used during the academic year. School would end on May 20 if all emergency days are used, or on May 21 if the General Assembly approves legislation requiring school districts to deem Election Day as a school holiday.

A parent-teacher flex day set for Monday, Nov. 2, also is contingent upon legislation requiring Election Day to be a holiday. If no legislation is passed regarding Election Day, both Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 will be student attendance days.

Otherwise the calendar is similar to past years. There will be no school for any of the major holiday observances—Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day. School improvement days with no student attendance are set for  Oct. 23, Jan. 4, and Feb. 12. Winter break is tentatively set form Dec. 23 through Jan. 3. Spring break is anticipated March 25-29.

Early dismissals are set Oct. 21 and 22 for evening parent-teacher conferences, and for the end of the first quarter on Oct. 16, end of the first semester on Dec. 22, and end of the third quarter on March 12. Early dismissals are at 1:45 p.m. The last day of student attendance also will be an early dismissal day.

The calendar is subject to change prior to the start of the 2026-27 school year.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the board:

• Entered into an agreement with public accountants Loy Miller Talley, P.C. at a cost not to exceed $20,250.

• Agreed to declare as surplus and offer for sale for following items: stainless steel single oven; stainless steel double oven; stainless steel range; 88-passenger 2008 Thomas school bus with 152,345 miles; 77-passenger 2008 Thomas bus with 124,897 miles; 77-passenger 2003 Freightliner bus with 152,282 miles; and a 1979 GMC Sierra Grande 35 pick-up truck with 157,985 miles.

Comments

comments