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School board approves $19.2 million budget

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Macoupin County CEO Board Chair Scott Reichmann asked the board to consider making a $1,000 “investment” in the innovative countywide education program that trains high school seniors in entrepreneurship.

Members of the Community Unit School District No. 7 Board of Education on Monday night unanimously approved a $19.2 million budget to govern spending for the fiscal year that began July 1. The action followed a 15-minute public hearing during which Supt. Shane Owsley discussed details of the tentative spending plan. Owsley cautioned that although the budget has to be filed with the Illinois State Board of Education by Oct. 1, the document approved Monday night is likely to change because some areas of revenue of expenditures cannot be known by the time the budget is due.

“There are always projects going on or things that come up and things we have to address,” Owsley said. Additionally, he said it is not possible to accurately predict what grants and the amounts of those grants the district might receive during the course of a year. The fiscal 2024-25 budget is similar to last year’s budget, which projected revenue at $20,699,566, with expenditures estimated at $19,532.378. The current year’s budget projects revenue at $19,143,287, with expenditures projected at $19,207,960. While the new budget technically is in deficit by $94,329, the district will end the fiscal year with positive balances in all funds due to healthy end-of-the-year balances in all funds.

The Education Fund represents the lion’s share of the budget, with revenue projected at $14,173,009 and expenditures estimated at $13,751,769. State funding is expected to provide 69 percent of the Education Fund’s revenue, including evidence-based funding and special education/pre-kindergarten allotments. As a Tier I school, Owsley said, the district will receive supplemental funding under the evidence-based formula, but he warned the amount of that supplemental funding is likely to decline next year if the local district is kicked up to a Tier II school. Tier status is determined by the school’s percentage of full per capita funding for educating students. When evidence-based funding began, Owsley noted, CUSD 7 was at 67 percent. This year, the district is at 76 percent, just two percentage points away of being elevated to Tier II.

“We may bump up to Tier II next year,” Owsley noted. “What that means is the tier money we receive will start to decrease.”

Local funding, which includes property tax and student fees, is expected to contribute $2,215,562, or 16 percent, to the Education Fund’s total revenue. Federal funding, including grant programs for Title I and Title II, is expected to account for $2,202,146, or 15 percent of the total. Owsley said the federal government’s share also includes Elementary and Secondary School Recovery funds (ESSR). Designed to help school districts recover from the impact of COVID-19, ESSR funding will end on Dec. 31, meaning next year’s federal share is likely to be substantially less.

Fifty-nine percent of the Education Fund’s expenditures are earmarked for instruction, with two percent allotted for support services and 12 percent for payments to other districts who cooperatively provide educational services for CUSD 7 students. Owsley said he also built in a one percent line item for contingencies in hopes of precluding the necessity of formally amending the budget if expenditures exceed expectations.

Revenue for the Operations and Maintenance Fund are expected to total $1,278,524, which includes $480,284 in local funding, $300,000 from the state, and $475,240 from federal sources, including ESSR funds that will expire at the end of the calendar year. Expenditures are projected at $1,230,195, which includes general maintenance, supplies, utilities and custodial salaries.

The Transportation Fund is expected to have revenue totaling $860,242, with 75 percent of that revenue coming from the state government. Expenditures, totaling $836,090, will include $651,699 (78 percent) for driver salaries and supplies, and $184,391 earmarked for debt services.

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A Capital Projects Fund is expected to receive $390,405, accruing from a state grant and the county’s school facilities sales tax. A total of $225,000 will be transferred from other funds to service a $1.6 million alternative revenue bond issue approved earlier this year. Additionally, there will be a $75,000 abatement to taxpayers, as agreed when the one-cent sales tax was approved by voters. The district plans to spend $872,906 from the Capital Projects fund for various capital improvement projects.

For debt services, the budget expects $1,123,614, which will come entirely from local sources including real estate taxes and a county-wide school facilities sales tax, plus $219,308 for the lllinois Municipal Retirement Fund and Social Security contributions. Expenditures are projected at $1,531,362, including payments of $410,887 for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and Social Security contributions, and $1,120,475 for debt services.

The Tort Fund, which covers legal expenses and insurance premiums, is expected to take in $564,684 and have expenditures of $587,500.

The Working Cash Fund, basically a “rainy day” fund that can loan cash to other funds, will have revenue of $105,707 with no anticipated expenditures.

Three of the funds are projected to be in deficit for the fiscal year. Expenditures are expected to exceed revenue by $91,579 in the IMRF/Social Security Fund, $22,816 in the Tort Fund and $482,501 in the Capital Projects Fund. Because each of those funds have surplus balances, however, all district funds are expected to end the fiscal year in the black. The Capital Projects fund, for example, received an injection of $1.6 million last fiscal year due to the alternative revenue bond sale. That revenue was reflected in last year’s budget, while expenditures from those funds are expected to take place over the next three years.

Allowing for existing balances at the beginning of the fiscal year, the district is expected to end the currently fiscal year with $14,655,840.

According to Owsley’s projections, the Education Fund ended the last fiscal year with a balance of $7,532,031 and is expected to end the current fiscal year with $7,953,271. The Operations and Maintenance Fund had $772,872 at the end of last fiscal year, and is expected to have $821,201 at the end of the current year. Starting with a balance of $518,728, the Transportation Fund is expected to have $542,880 at the end of the current fiscal year. Capital Projects had $1,968,901, due in part to the bond sale, and is expected to end the year with $1,486.400. Debt Service is expected to have $398,697 at the end of the year. IMRF/Social Securities started with $597,467 and is expected to end with $405,888. Starting with $173,558, the Tort Fund is expected to end the fiscal year with $150,742. With zero expenditures expected, the Work Cash Fund is likely to grow from $2,791,054 to $2,896,761 at the end of the fiscal year.

Though allowed by the School Code, CUSD 7 does not have a Fire Prevention/Life Safety fund, Owsley noted. That’s because the limitations imposed by the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), the district cannot levy a tax for the fund without exceeding the tax cap. However, Owsley reported, legislation is being proposed that would allow districts subject to tax caps to levy a Fire Prevention/Life Safety tax without it counting against the cap. If that legislation is passed into law, the district would be able to levy a tax for that fund, thereby establishing a new base for future tax levy calculations.

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DISTRICT FOCUS

Macoupin County CEO Board Chair Scott Reichmann asked the board to consider making a $1,000 “investment” in the innovative countywide education program that trains high school seniors in entrepreneurship. Launched in 2017 by a group of Carlinville area business leaders headed by Karmak founder Richard Schein, the Macoupin County Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) provides training to equip high school seniors with the tools they need to launch a business later in life. All eight Macoupin County school districts participate.

Reichmann said this year’s CEO class comprises 12 students, three of whom are from CUSD 7.

“You can tell who the leaders in Gillespie are going to be,” Reichmann said, referring to the GHS seniors.

Members of the Community Unit School District No. 7 Board of Education on Monday night unanimously approved a $19.2 million budget to govern spending for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Reichmann said the class meets in a location that is somewhat centrally located for most students. This year’s class has been meeting at the Illinois Coal Mining Museum in Gillespie. With eight districts involved, some students have a half-hour drive to attend the class.

Each student is assigned a “mentor” from among 30 business leaders on the program’s mentor roster. During the course of the year, students will brainstorm a new business from the ground up, developing a product or service, writing a business plan, and exploring how to finance and promote their business start-up. At the end of the year, the students participate in a CEO Trade Show where they showcase their concepts. Some students in the past have gone on to actually establish the business they developed in the CEO Program.

“I’ve been involved with this from the start,” Reichmann said. “I love this program.”

He told the board the CEP Program is approaching all eight districts in the county to ask for a $1,000 investment. The program receives no state or federal funding and is funded entirely by donations, primarily from Macoupin County businesses. Reichmann said the program typically operates on an annual budget of $35,000 to $40,000, which includes the salary paid to the program facilitator. The Macoupin County program also pays a fee to the Effingham CEO program, which is the parent program for the program in Maocupin County and other areas.

Answering a question from board member Amanda Ross, Reichmann said students can earn college credit through the program if the facilitator has a master’s degree. Former facilitator Pete Visintin held a masters degree. The current facilitator does not, but Reichmann said the local board is working with the Effingham parent program to find a way to offer college credit.

Reichmann was accompanied by Josh Ranger who completed the program in 2022.

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“I truly believe it is one of the best classes you can take,” Ranger said. “It had a big impact on my life. It teaches you things from how to talk to people to how to run a business.”

STRATEGIC PLAN

Board members received a new Strategic Plan for the district to guide the district in various areas over the next five years. Written over a period of about 18 months, the new plan was drafted by a 24-member committee that included community members, district administrators and teachers, and two school board members, along with the maintenance director and transportation director.

“This is very impressive,” Board President Mark Hayes said, thanking the committee members who worked on the document.

“This isn’t something that’s going to sit on a shelf,” said Supt. Owsley. “This is going to serve as the roadmap for us for the next five years.” He said he was pleased to report that some of the initiatives outlined in the plan are already being implemented in the district.

The last five-year plan was drafted in 2014 and actually expired in 2019. The work on an update was delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The updated plan focuses on five strategic areas:

• Growth and Development: which includes introducing middle school and high school students to college and career opportunities, promoting off-campus certification programs, expanding the fine arts program, expanding advanced learning and college credit opportunities, and increasing parent involvement in district initiatives.

• Student Mental Health and Physical Well-Being: which includes fostering development of social skills, providing additional food options to improve nutrition, and providing more choices for educational and extra-curricular opportunities.

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• Community and Culture: which emphasizes educational opportunities to prepare students to manage personal finances and understand financial responsibility, ensures career or college readiness on the part of GHS graduates, creates a sense of community within the district, and increases sponsorship of non-athletic clubs and organizations within the district.

• Campus Environment: which includes improving and maintaining infrastructure, providing for campus safety and emergency protocols, upgrading libraries and media centers, improving campus parking, upgrading district transportation, and upgrading and maintaining playgrounds at the elementary level.

• Financial and Fiscal Responsibility: which directs the district to seek additional revenue through grants and other resources, manage spending for the greatest efficiency, invest funds for maximum returns, and focus on facility upgrades including enhanced safety measures and expanded scholastic opportunities.

SIXTH DAY ENROLLMENT

The board briefly reviewed sixth-day attendance figures, which is the basis on which school aide formulae are calculated. The number of students enrolled and attending on the sixth day of school this year is down from the previous year, continuing a trend for declining enrollment over the past ten years.

School attendance on the sixth day in CUSD 7 totaled 1,073, which included 498 in elementary school, 245 in middle school and 330 in high school. The total attendance is down from a peak of 1,344 in 2017-18, and a ten-year average of 1,225.

“This is the lowest our enrollment has ever been and it’s not even close,” Owsley said. “We are seeing a pretty dramatic decrease.” Declining enrollment is a countywide phenomenon, according to Owsley, but it will have an impact on staffing needs, budgeting, and other areas.

Without taking formal action, the board authorized Owsley to purchase a $5,000 program from Frontline Analytics which will help project enrollment in the future on the basis of live births, compare test scores with districts of similar size, compare financial information with other districts and otherwise analyze available data.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Supt. Owsley reported to the board that CUSD 7 has been selected to receive a $221,635 Stronger Connections grant which will be used to support Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) staff at BenGil Elementary School. Owsley also reported he has been selected to be a presenter, along with superintendents from Mount Olive, Sparta and Marissa, for a session on Social-Emotional Learning at the American Association of School Administrators next March in New Orleans.

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STUDENT DISCIPLINE

Upon returning from a 35-minute executive session, the board voted unanimously to “hold in abeyance” the expulsion of an unidentified student, and transfer the student to the Macoupin County Alternative School for no less than the first semester of the current school year. The action essentially allows the student to avoid being expelled by attending Alternative School classes. The action also allows the student to continue to earn credits toward graduation.

PERSONNEL

Also following the brief closed-door session, the board voted unanimously to hire Chris Fenton as a district custodian.

Laurie Price was hired as a special education bus aide, pending verification of certification and a background check. In separate actions, the board accepted the resignation of Bennie Maddox as a full-route bus driver and rehired him as a substitute driver. Billy Bowles was unanimously employed as a full-route bus driver. Mark Smith was hired as a substitute driver, pending verification of certification and a background check.

The board accepted the resignation of Emilie Campbell as a paraprofessional classroom aide, effective Aug. 22, and hired Shelby Maguire as a paraprofessional classroom aide, pending verification of certification and a background check.

Board members unanimously accepted the resignation of Jan Allan as a part-time cafeteria work and posted the position as vacant.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the board:

• Voted unanimously to apply for a $6,000 school maintenance grant.

• Changed the date of the December board meeting from Monday, Dec. 16, to Wednesday, Dec. 18.

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CUSD 7 News

Miners girls basketball clinch SCC championship

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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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Community News

Macoupin County residential fire claims multiple victims on Saturday

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Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday morning in Macoupin County as a residential structure fire broke out in the 200 block of West Dean Street, Virden, resulting in the death of a male victim, the Macoupin County Coroner Anthony Kravanya announced.

The individual was pronounced deceased at 10:06 AM but the identity of the deceased has not yet been released, as authorities await the results of an autopsy scheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025. The coroner’s office indicated that a press release will be issued following the autopsy and the positive identification of the victim.

WAND reported a second victim died after being transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon who confirmed a 13-year-old boy and a 34-year-old male were the victims.

The fire reportedly started around 9:30 a.m. and the home was fully engulfed when first responders arrived. Two people were reportedly rescued and life flight was requested but were not available due to the foggy weather conditions. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway, involving multiple agencies including the Macoupin County Coroner’s Office, the Virden Police Department, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

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Community News

Missions group to host trivia fundraiser on March 30

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Come and join us for an exciting afternoon of trivia as we support our local 2:18 Missions! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 30 from 2 to 5 PM for an event that promises fun, camaraderie, and a chance to make a difference in our community. The event will be held at DeStefane Community Center in Benld, 201 East Central Avenue.

Teams of up to 10 people can participate for just $100 per table. Whether you want to reserve your table in advance or simply show up on the day of the event to pay at the door, we welcome all trivia enthusiasts to join in the competition!

Feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the game—just please remember, no alcohol is allowed. For your convenience, we will have bottles of water available for purchase.

The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! The first-place team will take home a prize of $150. Plus, bring some dollar bills to participate in “Heads and Tails” games during breaks and to buy mulligans for your team.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a lively trivia challenge. To reserve your table or for more information, contact Kristin at 217-691-7469.

Let’s make this a memorable event for our community and the 2:18 Missions!

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