CUSD 7 News
School Board authorizes vocational building project, hears plans for school opening during pandemic
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education selected a contractor Monday night to replace the roof and build an addition for the high school vocational education building but delayed a decision on the size of the addition. The board also heard extensive reports about how the district will open the school year with remote learning protocols in less than a month.
Continuing to observe COVID-19 protocols, the board met in the Gillespie Middle and High School cafeteria where board members sit six feet apart and wear face coverings.
David Leggans of Graham-Hyde Architects, Springfield, told the board that bids for the vocational building project came in over budget and that his firm recommended accepting a low bid from R.W. Boeker Construction, Hamel, to replace the roof and build an addition. Before stepping down as district superintendent, former Supt. Joe Tieman had told the board the vocational building improvements could be financed with $400,000 in vocational education grant funds, coupled with a $50,000 state matching grant—essentially allowing the district to underwrite a $50,000 project with only $50,000 in local funds.
Boeker Construction’s base bid for a new roof and a 30-foot addition, however, came in at $529,300—about $30,000 in excess of the architect’s estimate. Leggans told the board his firm was unsure of what to expect from bidders seeking contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic and was surprised to obtain bids fluctuating nearly $200,000 between the low and high bids.
Extending the building by 48 feet would require the removal and relocation of an existing greenhouse on the north side of the building. Boeker’s bid to remove and replace the greenhouse, Leggans said, was about $260,000. “That’s half of your budget,” he noted.
Board President Mark Hayes said the existing greenhouse was built by volunteers and questioned why the contractor’s bid exceeded $200,000. Leggans responded that volunteers would not be bound by the same state-mandated standards as the contractor. The new greenhouse, he said, would be a commercial grade greenhouse with a concrete floor, a sprinkler system for fire suppression and a glass outer shell. “What you have now is basically a framework with a plastic covering,” Leggans said. “As a school district, you can do that” but a contractor would have to build a facility meeting minimal standards.
Armed with that information, Hayes proposed accepting the higher bid to add 48 feet to the building and opting to use school personnel and volunteers to relocate the existing greenhouse. Supt. Shane Owsley calculated that the district’s “out of pocket” costs (excluding grant funds) for the 30-foot addition would amount to about $83,000. For the 48-foot addition, he said, the school’s out of pocket expenditures would nearly double—$146,000.
“My gut is that the larger addition is the better buy,” Hayes said, adding that the larger project would be consistent with the district’s goals of putting greater emphasis on vocational education.
Board member Jenni Alepra asked about the funds available to the district for capital improvements. Owsley said he did not have an exact number without researching the issue.
Hayes pointed out that the larger addition is consistent with plans the district has for vocational education “down the road.”
“We have a lot of things down the road,” Alepra said. “I don’t want to make another $146,000 decision in three or four seconds.”
Without having numbers available, Hayes asked if the decision could be delayed to a later meeting. Leggans responded that some decision would be needed in order the meet the timelines the contract specifies for the contractor. Under terms of the bidding specification, the contractor would be expected to begin site work prior to the start of the school year and completing the project by late November. Supt. Owsley suggested the possibility of accepting Boeker as the contractor and delaying a decision on the size of the addition.
“Let’s start the process,” Owsley said, while the board reaches a decision on the scope of the project.
Given the time frame, Hayes moved to accept Boeker’s low bid, but before a vote could be taken, Alepra sought clarification. Owsley and Hayes said the motion was to accept the bid for the smaller addition while reserving the option to authorize a larger addition later in the construction process.
“If we decide to change that, we can?” Alepra asked.
“Yes,” said Leggans, adding that such a change would require a change order to the contract.
Brought to a vote, the board unanimously agreed to accept Boeker’s base bid and authorized the project to proceed.
PLANS EVOLVE FOR STARTING SCHOOL YEAR
By a unanimous vote, the board approved a resolution authorizing the superintendent to plan and implement reopening plans for CUSD 7 schools. Among other considerations, the resolution requires the superintendent to take into consideration the health and safety of students, staff and the community; educational and social/emotional needs of students; transportation issues; technology needs; social distancing requirements; health screenings; sanitation and disinfecting protocols; and provisions for personal protective equipment. The resolution further authorizes the superintendent to solicit and rely upon information from the State Board of Education, Illinois High School Association, Illinois Elementary School Association, CDC and other resources. In addition to authorizing the superintendent to make decisions about the delivery of educational services, the resolution also authorizes the superintendent to make and implement decisions about extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.
The authorities granted by the resolution expire at the end of summer school offerings in 2021 unless the board takes action to revoke the resolution prior to that time.
Last week during a special meeting of the board, Supt. Owsley announced that the 2020-21 school year will start as last year ended with remote learning. Depending upon the evolving pandemic, the district may move to in-classroom learning later in the year with specific protocols in place. In that event, students would attend school four days a week with one day set aside for cleaning and sanitizing school facilities. All students, staff and visitors would have their temperatures taken before entering the school. All persons would be required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Students would be subject to an abbreviated schedule with older students attending during the morning and younger students attending in the afternoon.
Reporting to the board Monday night, High School Principal Jill Rosentreter said building principals had been working together to make plans for the new school year. She said the Remote Learning Plan and In-Person Plan both have been subject to changes as new guidance becomes available from the State Board of Education and other agencies. Additionally, she said updates were made in conjunction with input from the teachers union, teachers and non-certified staff. Among the issues under discussion are daily schedules, instructional expectations, family communication, safety protocols and staff responsibilities.
Rosentreter said teachers have been learning to use Microsoft Teams which will be the remote learning platform for grades 4-12, and well as working with the Skyward, a school management software.
The new school year will open with “distribution” days on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 17 and 18, during which students are expected to go to their respective schools to pick up laptop computers, textbooks, assignments and other materials for the start of the school year.
At the BenGil Elementary School, teachers will schedule times for students/parents to enter the building so the number of persons in the building can be closely monitored. All persons entering the building must wear a face covering and all persons must have their temperature taken to enter. Fourth and fifth-grade students will receive a laptop computer for remote learning, along with other materials. Each computer will be accompanied by an operator’s manual and a copy of the district’s policy regarding the use of district computers. Only one student/parent at a time will be allowed in their teacher’s classroom and will spend no more than 15 minutes in the classroom. Students are encouraged to bring their book bags to carry materials. Teachers will be provided with rubber gloves and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the building.
Seventh and eighth-grade students are set to come to the Gillespie Middle School to pick up materials on Aug. 17. Recommended arrival times for seventh-grade students with last names beginning with the letters A-H from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.; seventh-graders with names starting with the letters I-P will arrive between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.; and those with last names starting with the letters Q-Z will arrive between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eighth graders also will arrive on Aug. 17, with the following recommended arrival times: last names starting with A-H from noon to 1 p.m.; I-P from 1-2 p.m.; and Q-Z, 2-3 p.m.
Distribution day for sixth-grade students will be on Aug. 18 with the following recommended arrival times; students with last names starting with the letters A-E from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.; F-J, 9-10 a.m.; K-O, 10-11 a.m.; P-T, noon to 1 p.m., and U-Z, 1-2 p.m.
The number of students in the Middle School building will be limited to about 25 at any one time. Symptom checks, including temperature, will be taken at the door. Students will be encouraged to bring their book bags to carry materials. Face coverings will be required for all persons in the building. After the first meeting with their homeroom teacher, each student will move from room to room to receive materials from their other teachers, spending about three minutes at each station. Middle school students also will receive a laptop computer, along with an operator’s manual and a copy of the school policy on computer use. Teachers will be provided with rubber gloves and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the building.
High school freshmen will receive materials on Monday, Aug. 17, with the following recommended schedule: students with last names starting with the letters A-G from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.; H-O, 9-10 a.m.; and P-Z, 10-11 a.m. Sophomores also will arrive on Aug. 17 with the following recommended schedule: A-G, noon to 1 p.m.; H-O, 1-2 p.m.; and P-Z, 2-3 p.m. Juniors and seniors with pick up materials on Aug. 18 with juniors expected on the following recommended schedule: A-G, 8-9 a.m.; H-O, 9-10 a.m.; and P-Z, 10-11 a.m. Seniors are expected to arrive on the following recommended schedule: A-G, noon to 1 p.m.; H-O, 1-2 p.m.; and P-Z, 2-3 p.m.
As with the Middle School, the number of students in the building will be limited to about 25 at any one time. Each person entering the building will undergo a symptom check, including temperature. Students will enter through the south breezeway door and exit through the south English hallway door. All persons in the building will be required to wear a face covering. Students will be given their laptop computer and enough instructional materials to last through the midterm. Students will spend three to four minutes in the classroom for each of their classes in order to meet teachers and receive materials. Teachers will be provided with rubber gloves and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the building.
Administrators told the board that plans for distributing materials could be adjusted on the basis of new recommended protocols from the Macoupin County Public Health Department.
Owsley said the district is trying to provide the “safest environment possible” for students, staff, and the public. He said he is in contact with the County Health Department every week. The re-opening plan is necessarily fluid, he said, because of new information becoming available.
“For example, as of Friday, the state provided new rules,” he said. “About the time we think we have things figured out, we get new recommendations.”
In two matters related to the re-opening plan, the board voted unanimously to add a $50 technology fee to the schedule of student fees to defray the cost of providing computers to students, and unanimously approved on seconded reading a new policy requiring all students, staff and visitors to wear face masks within school facilities.
Board member Don Dobrino asked if the computers will be given to students when they complete their senior year. Owsley said that is the intention, but he has to check rules regarding the distribution of the equipment since the district is using grant funds to buy the devices.
The face mask policy includes penalties for students who refuse to comply. A student not wearing a face mask can be sent home for the day upon the first offense. Upon the second offense, the suspension is increased to one week and the suspension is increased to the remainder of the school year upon the third offense.
Owsley reported to the board that he recently learned that the district will receive about $86,850 from the state’s COVID-19 School Relief Fund, a portion of which can be used to acquire an additional 29 laptop computers for student use. He also reported that the community has responded to the pandemic by donating goods and services to the district. Among the donations received are free face masks provided by one of the sports boosters groups and sanitation wipes donated by a local insurance agent. Verticchio Law Office, one of the attorneys representing the district, has offered to write living wills and power-of-attorney documents for teachers returning to the classroom amid the pandemic. “We’ve got lots of support from the community,” Owsley said.
EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT
The board took under advisement a request from Troy Boy Scout member Justin Spencer to have access to a parcel of property next to the district’s storage shed on the north side of Illinois Route 16 for an Eagle Scout Project. Spencer said he needs a small area to erect a 12-by-seven-foot welcome sign reading “Welcome to Gillespie-Home of the Miners.” Owsley said he would consult with Building Manager Rob Graham and get back to Spencer with a decision.
PERSONNEL
In other action, the board voted to hire Michael Smith as a full-time, full-route bus driver and to post a vacancy for a high school softball coaching position.
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Gillespie High School students will have an opportunity to participate in a 12-day trip to Europe to tour sites associated with the Holocaust following action by the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education Wednesday night, although the trip’s $5,000 price tag may be an hindrance to many. In other action, the board approved the 2024 property tax levy request and signed onto a multi-agency document setting statewide goals for education through 2030.
The meeting was moved from the fourth Monday of the month to meet a deadline for filing the tax levy and to avoid the start of the district’s winter break starting on Friday.
Without taking formal action, the board agreed to allow Gillespie High School students the opportunity to participate in a 12-day trip to Europe to tour sites associated with the Holocaust with CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Terre Haute. GHS teacher Katie Prange, who also serves on the museum’s board of directors, outlined the trip for board members and briefly discussed the role Holocaust survivor Eva Kor played in establishing the museum and organizing the trip.
Kor, who died in 2019, and her sister, Miriam, were among the twins notoriously experimented upon by Joseph Mengele while incarcerated at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Liberated by allied forces in 1945, the twins were transferred to a nearby orphanage before eventually making their way to the United States. CANDLES is an acronym for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments.
Before her death, Kor led annual trips to Europe to tour Auschwitz and other sites associated with the Holocaust. After her death, according to Prange, the museum’s board of directors decided to continue the tours.
The trip is open to both students and adults, Prange said. The experience is not recommended for persons under the age of 16 because of the emotional intensity associated with visiting the concentration camp. This year, the museum is partnering with the Anne Frank Center to include Amsterdam and the Anne Frank house and museum. From there the group will travel by motor coach to Berlin to visit historic sites associated with the rise of the Third Reich. The trip will conclude in Krakow, Poland, where participants will visit the Krakow Ghetto and Auschwitz. The tour will leave Chicago on June 21 and return on July 3.
The cost of the tour includes airfare from Chicago to Amsterdam and from Krakow back to Chicago, lodging, transportation, tour fees and two meals per day.
Further information is available at candlesholocaustmuseum.org.
TAX LEVY
Board members formally approved a $3,725,100 property tax levy for 2024 taxes to be collected in 2025. The levy is expected to generate an estimated $3,590,500 due to the impact of the Property Tax Extension Law (PTELL), commonly known as tax caps and adopted by Macoupin County voters in 1995. PTELL allows the property tax extension (the amount generated from property taxes) to increase by no more than five percent or the consumer price index, whichever is less. This year’s CPI is 3.4 percent, meaning the extension cannot increase by more than that amount.
School districts and municipalities typically request more than they can receive in order to avoid eroding the base extension for future levies. The actual tax rate, the amount that must be applied to the total equalized assessed evaluation, to generate the maximum extension possible is set by the County Clerk.
During a brief public hearing held earlier in the meeting, Supt. Shane Owsley said details of the levy were unchanged from last month when he presented a PowerPoint presentation to the board. For the first time in five years, he said he received a phone call from a district resident concerned that his property taxes would increase by an unreasonable amount. He said he explained how the levy request exceeds what the school district can receive and sent the individual a copy of the PowerPoint he presented to the board last month.
In somewhat related actions, the board approved a resolution transferring $75,000 from the School Facilities Sales Tax fund to the Bond and Interest Fund to service indebtedness for previous capital improvements. The resolution also abates an equal amount in property taxes in keeping with a pledge the board committed to prior to voters approving a one percent School Facilities Sales Tax.
The board also approved a resolution abating taxes previously levied to service a $1.6 million General Obligation Bond Issue approved in May last year to finance capital improvement projects over the following three years. Those bonds are being serviced with revenue from the School Facilities Sale Tax fund in lieu of property tax revenue.
Both resolutions are routine items approved by the board on an annual basis.
VIRTUAL SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY SERVICES
Board members unanimously approved Owsley’s recommendation to contract with Stepping Stones Teleservices to provide speech and language pathology services at a rate of $75 per hour. Owsley said Stepping Stones offered the lowest price of three companies contacted by the district. Additionally, the district already contracts with the company to provide virtual instruction in Spanish.
Owsley said he interviewed only one candidate for the speech and language pathologist position following the resignation last month of speech and language pathologist Beth Sies. The single candidate, however, withdrew her application before it could be presented to the board.
State law requires school districts to offer speech and language pathology services, prompting Owsley to investigate contracting with a virtual provider until such time as the district can hire a staff member. He said finding a candidate, however, may be challenging since many qualified candidates can find higher paying jobs outside the education field.
PERSONNEL AND STUDENT ISSUES
Following an hour-long executive session, Board President Mark Hayes announced the board conducted an annual evaluation of the superintendent in closed session and would take up the issue of renewing Owsley’s contract during the board’s January meeting.
On a motion by Amanda Ross, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to return a student to Gillespie High School as of Jan. 7 for the start of the district’s second semester. In September the board had voted to “hold in abeyance” the student’s expulsion, enabling the student to attend Alternative School and continue to earn credits toward graduation.
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Dennis Tiburzi, the board voted unanimously to re-employ fall athletic coaches as follows: Cory Bonstead as head football coach; Nate Henrichs, Korbin Clark, Alex Jasper, Jarrod Herron, J.O. Kelly, Trenton Cleveland and Florian Seferi as assistant high school football coaches; Jordan Bartok as head high school volleyball coach; Shelsie Timmermeier as assistant high school volleyball coach; Tim Wargo as head middle school baseball coach; Trae Wargo as assistant middle school baseball coach; Michelle Smith as head middle school softball coach; Jim Matesa, Joe Kelly and Melissa Height as assistant middle school softball coaches; Jay Weber as head high school cross country coach; Jack Burns, Chase Peterson, Liz Thackery, Jacob West and Laura Peterson as assistant high school cross country coaches; Jack Burns, Laura Peterson, Jacob West and Liz Thackery as volunteer assistant middle school cross country coaches; Casey Sholtis as head golf coach; and Jake Kellebrew as volunteer assistant golf coach.
The board voted unanimously to hire Quentin Heyen as a full-route bus driver, and accepted “with regrets” the resignation for purposes of retirement of Cathy Edwards as district secretary, effective August. 15, 2025, and posted the position as vacant.
As a formality, the board voted to keep all current closed session minutes closed to the public.
VISION 2030
Board members unanimously approved a resolution in support of Vision 2030, a policy recommendation ratified by the Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Principals’ Association, Illinois Association of School Business Officials, Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, Superintendents’ Com mission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity, Illinois Alliance of Special Education Administratorsand the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools. The document calls upon the state legislature to pass legislation to implement goals outlined in Vision 2020.
Owlsey said Vision 2030 is an outgrowth of Vision 2020, a previous policy statement that resulted in implementing Evidence Based Funding for Illinois schools—a policy change the increased state funding for the local school district from 62 percent of full funding to 70 percent.
“A lot of the legislators who were advocates for EBA are no longer there,” Owsley said, emphasizing the need to pursue new legislative objectives to protect EBA and improve other educational objectives.
Among the objectives of Vision 2023 is limiting unfunded mandates imposed on local school districts by the state, emphasizing future-focused learning to allow for more college and career exploration, enhancing student safety, attracting and retaining top educators, and promoting curriculum and instructional flexibility to meet the needs of individual communities.
Owsley noted that CUSD 7’s long-range plans already address the parameters of Vision 2030’s Future-Focused Learning initiatives. “I was really proud to see what we’ve done in our district,” Owsley said. “All of these things are things that we’ve been addressing.”
Vision 2030 also calls for reforms in school assessment practices and stabilizing state funding expectations.
DISTRICT FOCUS
Owsley recognized department heads during a District Focus segment early in the meeting. He called out Maintenance Director Brian Page, Technology Director Mark Carpani, and Transportation Director Tim Besserman.
“Often times these people get taken for granted,” Owsley said. “I come to work everyday and everything runs as it should because of their work. You get spoiled because those things just get done. We couldn’t do this without you and I can’t imagine doing it without you. I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough.”
Owsley pointed out Page’s dedication to seeking out information to improve operations, Besserman implementing software to design bus routes and reducing paperwork by having drivers use electronic pads to record information, and Carpani for marshaling more than 1,600 electronic devices, along with networking.
Carter praised Page’s efforts to improve student safety.
“I was shocked to see the steps Brian had taken to (ensure communication with first responders in the event of an incident),” Carter said.
“Tonight is just a small token of our appreciation,” Owsley said. “We need to say it more often.”
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Community News
Ben-Gil Elementary achieves “exemplary” status; Board approves $3.7 million property tax levy
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night, Nov. 25, celebrated BenGil Elementary School’s earning of “exemplary” status from the Illinois State Board of Education, and reviewed a tentative $3.7 million tax levy for 2024 property taxes to be collected next year. The board and school district also recognized BenGil Principal Angela Sandretto upon being named Elementary Principal of the Year within the Illinois Principals Association seven-county Kaskaskia Region.
During a detailed presentation regarding the state’s annual School Report Cards, Superintendent Shane Owsley noted that BenGil Elementary earned exemplary status, the highest level possible, while Gillespie Middle School and High School each earned a status of “commendable.” Exemplary status means BenGil’s performance was in the top 10 percent of schools statewide and that no student groups underperformed state standards. Commendable status goes to schools with a minimum graduation rate of 67 percent with no underperforming student groups.
“We have no underperforming student groups in any of our schools,” Owsley announced. “That’s a huge, huge thing. I’m extremely proud.”
This marks the first time a local school achieved Exemplary status. According to Owsley, BenGil Elementary is the only school in the county to reach exemplary status with this year’s release of School Report Cards.
Upon learning BenGil Elementary was rated among the top 10 percent of elementary schools in Illinois, Owsley said he contacted the State Board of Education, in part to confirm the announcement was accurate but also to explore how the state agency assesses school performance. That information may influence how the district approaches specific issues in order to boost scoring. For example, a small part of the score is based on the number of students who participate in a “climate survey” in which students assess teachers and administrators. Schools earn full value in that category if more than 95 percent of the student body completes the survey.
“They don’t care what the surveys say,” Owsley said. “They just want to make sure a 95 percent of the students complete it.”
Owsley said the complicated formulas used to assess elementary schools emphasizes academic growth in English/Language Arts and Math. Academic growth in those areas comprise 50 percent of the score for rating elementary school performance.
“What’s important is that you’re improving,” Owsley said. “That makes a lot of sense for a school district.” Scoring for high schools, however, “makes no mention of growth whatsoever.”
BenGil Elementary, Gillespie Middle School and Gillespie High School all lost points due to chronic absenteeism.
“Absenteeism is a big thing,” Owsley noted. “If students are in school more, they’re going to score better (on assessment tests).” The district is “working to find ways to address absenteeism,” he said, including programs to reach out to parents and students when a student is chronically absent.
If the emphasis is on growth, board member Peyton Bernot asked, how can a school continue to reach Exemplary Status if more and more students are performing at the level of state standards. Owsley said he asked that question of ISBE representatives who told him they are looking at revising the formula because they “realize there are schools out there that are consistently doing well every year.”
Owsley said he looked into how the Report Cards are calculated because he sees them as sort of a “scoreboard” for school performance. “When there’s a scoreboard, I want to know how they keep score so we can improve our score.”
Owsley told the board that Gillespie Middle School came close to an exemplary rating, missing state averages by only a few points.
“Look at how close those numbers are,” he advised. GMS matched the state average in English/Language Arts proficiency and came within nine percentage points of exceeding the state standard for academic growth. Likewise, growth in math skills came within about eight points of the state standard.
ISBE gave Gillespie High School a score of 60.33 percent—enough for commendable status but about 30 points shy of exemplary status. While no student groups were underperforming, GHS students fell short of state averages in academic proficiency in virtually all subject areas. While the school earned a commendable status, GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter said numbers reflected on the report card were disappointing.
“These numbers lit a fire with the High School staff as far as setting goals,” Rosentreter said. “Teachers saw these numbers and said, ‘We have to change the way we teach.’ We’re not happy with these numbers.”
Rosentreter said the staff is strategizing to address some of the areas in which the school fell short.
The four-pronged approach includes strategies to improve student attendance and behavior, programs to implement mentoring for teachers and professional development, programs to help students prepare for ACT testing which comprising a large part of the state’s overall assessment, and a social/emotional learning component to help students cope with emotional issues.
“If you’re shooting for perfect, you can get great,” Owsley commented. “We have one school that is exemplary and I’m convinced we can get the other two schools there.”
Earlier in the meeting, as part of a District Focus segment, Elementary School Principal Sandretto addressed the board about how her staff achieved exemplary status for the school.
“We are exemplary because I have an exemplary staff,” Sandretto said. She said teachers made a commitment to individualize instruction to meet specific students at their current performance level and bring them forward. “What the staff has done is say, ‘This is where we’re at. I’m going to work every day to bring that kid forward’.”
“We spend a lot of time talking about our challenges,” Owsley said, noting that small rural school districts perceive themselves to be hampered by lack of funding, higher poverty levels, and social/economic factors that would seem to make it impossible for them to compete academically with larger, wealthier school districts.
“What they’ve done at BenGil Elementary is prove 99.9 percent of the state wrong,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what your social/economic status is or how much the state underfunds your schools, if you have the right people in the right places, and they love what they do and they do it every day, you can reach the summit. With every barrier they faced, they simply stepped over it.”
TAX LEVY
Board members reviewed a $3,725,100 proposed tax levy for 2024 taxes to be collected next year. The new levy is available for public review either at the District Office or on the District website for the next 30 days. The levy is expected to be finalized following a public hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 18, prior to the regular monthly meeting of the board.
The new proposed levy exceeds last year’s tax extension of $3,464,254 by less than $300,000 but is expected to generate only an estimated $3,590,500 due to the impact of the Property Tax Extension Law (PTELL), commonly known as tax caps and adopted by Macoupin County voters in 1995.
Owsley emphasized that the levy is the amount of money the district is requesting while the tax extension is the amount the district will actually receive. The amount levy typically exceeds the extension in order to capture the maximum amount of money the district can receive. He compared the process to a child’s Christmas list, noting, “if it’s not on your list, you’re not going to get it.”
Taxpayers are protected by PTELL, which limits next year’s extension to five percent or the Consumer Price Index (whichever is less) of the previous year’s extension.
“Because of tax caps we would leave money on the table indefinitely if we don’t overshoot,” Owsley said. The district can ask for more money than it is likely to receive, he said, because tax caps protect taxpayers from being overtaxed.
While the levy must be approved in December, Owsley said there are some factors affecting the levy that will remain unknown until sometime next year. The district’s total equalized assessed valuation (EAV) will not be known until after the first of the year. The average increase in the district’s EAV over the the past 10 years is slightly more than four percent, but reached 8,59 percent last year. To preclude undertaxing, Owsley said he prepared the levy proposal based on a 13.95 percent increase in the EAV, even though the actual increase may be far less.
“If we base the levy on an increase of 10 percent, and it turns out to be 13 percent, we will have lost out on that three percent forever,” Owsley said.
The Consumer Price Index, basically the rate of inflation, for this year is 3.4 percent, meaning next year’s extension will be limited to no more than 3.4 percent in excess of this year’s extension.
Once approved, the tax levy will be submitted to the County Clerk, who will make the necessary adjustments in regard to PTELL and the district’s finalized EAV.
Broken down by various funds, the levy requests includes $1,650,00 for Education, $437,000 for Operations and Maintenance, $180,000 for Transportation, $42,500 for Working Cash, $117,500 for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, $105,000 for Social Security, $240,000 for Tort, $32,500 for Special Education, and $920,600 for Bond and Interest.
CROSS COUNTRY RECOGNITION
During a District Focus segment, the board recognized the GHS cross-country team that represented the school at state playoffs this year.
“For those of you who have never been involved, I can tell you this is a group of boys that are like family to one another,” GHS Principal Rosentreter said.
Head coach Jay Weber told the board the team was “dead last” in their conference two years ago.
“We set a mission to improve and get better,” he said. “They’re out running at 7 a.m. every day during the summer and in 10-degree weather in the winter. That’s just a testament to their work ethic.”
Weber said the work paid off about mid-season when the team won the Coal Miner Classic meet, as well as invitationals at Southwestern and Carlinville. They placed sixth at sectionals and qualified for state despite temporarily losing one of their top runners, who suffered a stroke at school.
The team placed 27th overall at state.
“Mathematically, our team should not have made it to state,” Weber said. Marshall Garwood missed sectionals but came back to run at state, Weber said. “It was really just a crazy recovery.”
Chaz Oberkfell ran a three-mile run in 14:31 to become the first state champion in GHS, county and SCC history.
PERSONNEL
Following a 40-minute executive session during which the board discussed personnel issues, board members voted unanimously to accept “with regrets” the resignation of Beth Sies, district speech and languages pathologist, effective Dec. 31. In the same action, the board agreed to post a vacancy for the position.
Board members also voted to post a vacancy for a district GEAR UP coordinator. A grant-funded program, GEAR UP is designed to help prepare for college entry upon graduation.
The board also voted to post a vacancy for a Title I reading teacher position for the 2025-26 school year.
In separate actions, the board:
- Accepted the resignation of Michael Rodriguez as assistant GHS Women’s Soccer coach.
- Hired Cora Schalk as head cook for the GMS/GHS cafeteria.
- Hired Brittany Harrison as a six-hour cafeteria worker.
- Accepted the resignation of Alexi Lumpy as GMS volunteer assistant cheerleading coach.
- Appointed Chase Peterson as head GMS cross-country coach.
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In a stunning display of athletic prowess and determination, Chaz Oberkfell, a junior at Gillespie High School, crossed the finish line first at the 2024 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 1A State Cross Country Championships, securing his victory with an impressive time and personal best of 14:31.9.
Rounding out the top five was senior Nicolai Martino of Winnebago (14:33.9), senior Gabriel McLain of Benton (14:33.9), sophomore Maxwell Kirby of Peoria Notre Dame (14:47.7), and senior Andrew Kurien of Rockford Christian (14:54.8).
The championship race, held at the scenic Detweiller Park, drew competitors from across the state, all vying for the coveted title. Oberkfell showcased his exceptional talent and training and was in second place before securing the first place spot toward the end of the race.
Oberkfell’s victory is a testament to his relentless dedication and the support of his coaches and teammates. Throughout the season, he has consistently demonstrated remarkable speed and endurance, often finishing races well ahead of his competitors.
The Gillespie community turned out in full force to support the team with many friends, family members, and fellow students cheering the team on Friday morning when the team bus was escorted through town and again on the sidelines Saturday morning. The triumph victory not only highlights Oberkfell’s personal achievements but also brings recognition to Gillespie High School’s cross country program. The team has shown tremendous growth over the past few years, and this victory is a significant milestone.
Also representing Gillespie in the state championship race were Carter Sies (16:59.4), Marshall Garwood (17:03.3), Hank Fletcher (17:15.4), Nolan Hostettler (17:23.9), Matthew Plovich (17:37.4), and Lucca Kapp (17:40.1).
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