Community News
School Board approves $14.6 million budget for 2019-20
During the District Focus portion of Monday night’s meeting of the Community Unit School District Board of Education meeting, administrators introduced teachers who are new to the district this year (from left) Amber Allan, BenGil Elementary School physical education teacher; Chase Peterson, sixth grade math teacher; Jessica Kelly, sixth grade special education teacher; and Jill Strole, middle school/high school guidance counselor. Korben Clark, high school science teacher, was unable to attend to the meeting. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about all of you,” Supt. Joe Tieman told the group.
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night approved a $14.6 million budget for the current fiscal year. In other action, approved a $51,000 software update and maintenance agreement for BenGil Elementary School heating and cooling system, and accepted notices of retirement from two veteran teachers.
Approval of the annual budget followed a 30-minute public hearing during which Supt. Joe Tieman offered a budget analysis. It is the third balanced budget for the school district in as many years after several years of deficit spending that landed the district on the Illinois State Board of Education’s “Financial Review” list. The new budget exceeds last year’s budget by roughly a half-million dollars.
“The budget is a plan,” Tieman said, noting that it could be impacted by natural disasters or other emergency spending. “If everything goes as planned and nothing happens, we have a balanced budget.”
Tieman said the budget includes about $400,000 in additional revenue resulting from the state’s new Evidence Based Funding formula for distributing state aid dollars. The budget is predicated on the state fully funding state aid in which case the district would receive about $9.1 million in state aid. However, Tieman noted the formula has been pro-rated at 90 percent, which would reduce the district’s slice of the state aid pie to $8.9 million. About $200,000 of the expected $400,000 revenue increase is committed to increased personnel costs resulting from the addition of several certificated staff positions last year.
“Last year, we added about $200,000 in new personnel,” Tieman said. “We’re carrying that forward this year, plus a three percent increase in salaries (dictated by the district’s contract with the teachers union).”
The lion’s share of the district’s state aid receipts—about $8.5 million—is earmarked for the Education Fund. The remainder, Tieman noted, will be parceled out to other funds for which the district is unable to levy sufficient taxes to cover expenses due to tax caps that are in place in Macoupin County. School districts in Macoupin County are subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) that limits increases in the tax levy to no more than five percent or by the consumer price index, whichever is less. The consumer price index typically is less than two percent, meaning that increases in the levy are restricted to that level.
For example, Tieman said the district is precluded from levying enough in local taxes to cover the anticipated $550,000 in expenditures from the Building, Operation and Maintenance Fund. Accordingly, the new budget shifts $180,000 in state aid to the Building Fund to supplement $370,261 the district expects to generate from local property taxes.
For the Education Fund, the budget anticipates revenue of $11,428,618 with $8,453,250 (74 percent) coming from state aid, and $1,445,659 (13 percent) coming from federal sources. Another $1,429,709 is expected to come from local property taxes. The budget anticipates $11,427,465 in expenditures from the Education Fund. About $7.4 million of those expenditures will be comprised of salaries for professional staff and other instructional costs. About a quarter of the expenditures will be for support services, including more than $500,000 for custodial salaries and benefits. A total of $1.2 million will go to other districts, primarily for educating special need students.
The budget anticipates $550,261 in revenue for the Building, Maintenance and Operations Fund, with expenditures projected at $550,000.
For Debt Service, the budget anticipates $1,147.356, all of which will be generated from local taxes, to cover an expected $1,076,227 in expenditures.
The Transportation Fund is expected to reap $546,768 in revenue, including $136,768 from local taxes supplemented with $410,000 in state funds. Expenditures are projected at $515,500.
The Capital Projects Fund is expected to benefit from about $424,000 in revenue from the County School Facilities Sales Tax. Expenditures are projected at $494,000, which includes $170,000 for a recently completed project to eliminate “hairpin” turnaround in front of the Middle School and improve stormwater drainage from the area.
The Illinois Municipal Retirement and Social Security Fund is expected to have revenue of $334,863, $234,863 coming from local taxes and $100,000 from state aid. Expenditures are expected to total $399,600,
Anticipated revenue for the Tort Fund, which basically covers insurance costs, is projected at $177,699, all of which will come from local taxes. Expenditures are projected at $170,000.
Working Cash, a fund designed to supplement revenue for various funds when needed to cover expenses, is expected to receive $31,000 in revenue from local taxes. There are no Working Cash expenditures anticipate, meaning this year’s revenue will be added to a beginning balance of nearly $2.5 million in Working Cash funds.
In total, the budget anticipates revenue of $14,650,566 for the school district, with expenditures of $14,632,292. That leaves a narrow surplus of $7,774 for the year, assuming there are no “surprises” on either the revenue or expenditure side of the budget.
Two funds—IMRF/Social Security and Capital Projects—are expected to have expenditures that exceed anticipated revenue, but both funds have substantial beginning balances to cover the deficit. IMRF/Social Security had a balance of $162,299 at the end of the last fiscal year, and Capital Projects had a balance of $568,336.
The Education Fund had a balance of $4,169,167 at the end of the last fiscal year. Combined with end of the year of balances for other funds, the school district started the new fiscal year with more than $8.2 million in surplus funds. Tieman warned, however, that about $5 million of that balance is in the Working Cash Fund and certificates of deposit purchased with the proceeds of the district’s successful lawsuit to recover damages for the loss of Benld Elementary School.
Combined with the expected surplus from this year’s budget, the district expects to end the year with $8,217,733 in surplus funds.
Tieman said the Illinois State Board of Education advises school districts to hold 20 percent of their total operations in surplus funds.
“We have well over 50 percent of our operational costs in reserve,” Tieman said. “I’m not throwing a parade because we all know that can go quickly.”
The full budget is or soon will be available for review on the district’s website at www.gcusd7.org.
HVAC SYSTEM CONTRACT
After several minutes of discussion, the board reluctantly voted unanimously to enter into a $51,000 contract with Technical Solutions & Services, East Peoria, to update software and provide maintenance for a computer-controlled system to monitor and control the heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems at the Ben-Gil Elementary School. The company was the subcontractor that installed the controller system when the building was constructed.
Tieman told the board that the system is supposed to allow building manager Rob Graham to control environmental services via computer. Under Graham’s control, the system is supposed to permit Graham to restrict teachers to adjusting temperatures in their classrooms by no more than two degrees up or down. Additionally, it allows him to reduce heating or air conditioning to minimal levels in specific sections of the building during weekends, breaks and other periods when those areas are not occupied.
“That system is beginning to fail,” Tieman said, essentially precluding Graham from controlling the environmental systems. The problem, he said, is that the original software is outdated.
Tieman had high praise for the company, saying that whenever Graham had a problem, a company representative contacted him within minutes regardless of the time of day he called. Those maintenance services were offered free of charge, he said, because the service representative was able to resolve the problem via the internet without having to personally come to the site.
Though surprised by the $51,000 price tag, Tieman said the updated software should last eight to 10 years. He said the service representative pointed out to him that the cost averages out to about $5,100 per year. “That’s not out of line,” Tieman said, for a system to control an HVAC system that cost more than $500,000. Over the life of the contract, the system should pay for itself in reduced energy costs, he said.
The cost could be paid from the County School Facilities Sales Tax Fund or the Building Fund, Tieman said, either of which has sufficient funds to cover the cost.
The board eventually approved the contract on a motion by Dennis Tiburzi, seconded by Jenni Alepra. Several members paused to struggle with their decision before voting in favor of the measure.
Tieman advised the board that he is likely to come back next year with a proposal to install a similar system for Gillespie Middle School where the HVAC system currently is controlled manually. At that time, he anticipates computer controls for all three attendance centers to be merged and controlled from a single computer server.
BUS DRIVER COMPLAINT
Tieman pledged to investigate a complaint from several parents who attended Monday night’s meeting regarding an incident during which a bus left the elementary school before students from one class had boarded. Speaking on behalf of the parents, Leslie Chapman said the incident occurred about a month ago. He said he had planned to attend last month’s meeting of the board but missed it, requiring him to delay his addressing the board until this month.
The focus of his complaint was that parents allegedly were not called “when a whole class was left at the school.”
Using a PowerPoint slide show, Community Unit School District Supt. Joe Tieman discusses details of the district’s budget during a public hearing prior to the Board of Education voting to accept the document. There were no members of the public attending the hearing and there were no questions about Tieman’s presentation.
He said he went to the bus stop where his daughter is usually dropped off. When the bus arrived, he noticed that only about half as many students as usual disembarked and that his daughter was not among them. “I talked to the driver and he said, ‘I’ve got more than one kid to worry about,’ and then he drove off,” Chapman said.
Chapman said he then went to the school where he found that a class didn’t hear the bus call and were subsequently left behind. “The bus driver and this secretary both acted like this wasn’t a big thing,” he said.
Chapman also complained that the driver has been observed to pull away from bus stops before children who boarded had time to find a seat and sit down. He said he once saw the driver pull away before all the students who were to disembark had gotten off the bus. “He had to slam on the brakes in the intersection and back up,” Chapman said. “That’s my daughter’s safety and I’m sure every parent feels the same. He could wait another 10 seconds instead of trying to get through his route as quick as he can.”
Tieman said he would “take up this issue with the driver” but he bristled at the parents’ decision to wait a month before contacting the school, and he expressed disgruntlement over the issue being a topic on Facebook before the school was made aware of it. “I shouldn’t have to have a Facebook post forwarded to me to find out about this,” he said.
Tieman told the parents that if they ever see an incident they believe jeopardizes the safety of their children, they should call the school immediately. He said Transportation Director Gary Niehaus is assigned to respond to such complaints. If Niehaus’ response is unsatisfactory, Tieman said, the parent should contact Tieman directly.
“If their safety is in jeopardy, we want to know about it,” Tieman said. “We prefer to call the driver in quickly.”
Addressing the incident directly, Tieman said the students were with a teacher who is new to the district who did not hear the bus call. When it was discovered what happened, he said, the students were taken to the office and parents were supposed to have been called. “We know the kids were safe,” he said. “You should have received a call.”
He promised to investigate the driver’s alleged behavior and to communicate his findings to the parents.
“I will pledge to you tonight that I will track this down and get back with you personally,” Tieman said.
TEACHER RETIREMENTS
Board members voted unanimously to accept “with regrets” the retirement plans of third-grade teacher Tracy Petersen and Jack Burns, who teaches history, geography and drafting at the high school level. Petersen plans to retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year, while Burns will retire at the end of the 2021-22 school year.
The board also accepted the retirement of special education bus driver Janelle Cherry, effective Dec. 31, and voted to post a vacancy for that position.
Board President Mark Hayes said Cherry has worked for the district for 35 years. At the time of their retirement, Burns will have been employed by the district for 35 years and Petersen will have worked for the district for 31 years.
“That’s a lot of years of experience that just walked out of our district,” Hayes said. “Their shoes will be very hard to fill. They’ve influenced a lot of children over the years.”
In other personnel action, the board:
- Hired Judy Melchert as a full-time playground/cafeteria paraprofessional.
- Hired Jeff Nehls and Richard Mitchell as route bus drivers.
- Hired Cindy McCarty as a substitute bus driver.
- Hired Victoria Spencer as a middle school cheerleading coach.
- Posted a vacancy for a special education bus aide.
ENROLLMENT DATA
Tieman briefly discussed enrollment numbers collected on the sixth day of the school year, which shows the number of students enrolled in the district down by about 18.
“Our enrollment in general is very stable,” Tieman said. Sixth-day enrollment for this year was 1,294, compared with 1,312 last year and a five year average of 1,323. Total enrollment at BenGil Elementary was 625, compared with 648 on the same day last year. Gillespie Middle School enrollment was 301, up slightly from 292 last year; and Gillespie High School enrollment was 372, which is exactly the same as the sixth-day enrollment last year.
Tieman noted that under the Evidence Based school aid funding formula, the portion of the formula related to the student numbers will be based on total enrollment rather than attendance. The old formula factored in attendance rather than enrollment. For purposes of the school aid formula, the state will look at total enrollment on Sept. 30 which could vary slightly from the sixth-day enrollment.
In other action, the board unanimously accepted the Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefits Report for the current school year. With a total of 81 certificated employees, the report projects the district spending $4,997,506 for base salaries, plus $12,500 in bonuses. The district will pay out $499,817 in retirement enhancements and $533,332 in other benefits.
During the administrative reports portion of the meeting, Gillespie Middle School Principal Jill Rosentreter reported that representatives of the American Institute of Research plan to use GMS and its school improvement plan as a model for other schools the company works with statewide. Rosentreter said the company was drawn to the school’s initiative to improve math scores on school assessment tests.
“This is a great compliment to our School Leadership Team who worked this summer and then shared their initiative with all staff,” Rosentreter said.
Administrative reports presented for Gillespie High School and Gillespie Middle School also focused on recent activities and recent athletic successes.
“It sounds like some amazing things or happening inside the classroom and outside the classroom,” President Hayes commented.
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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.
