CUSD 7 News
School board extends all three principal contracts
Published
10 years agoon
By
BenGil Staff

Mike Grimes of Commercial Energy Consultants explains how the district could have lower natural gas and electric prices. Board members (L-R) Dave Griffel, Billy Carter and Weye Schmidt follow along.
Despite meeting in executive session for nearly one hour to discuss principal contracts during the district’s monthly board meeting held on Wednesday, February 25, the school board returned to public session and immediately extended the principal contracts for Angela Turcol, Lori Emmons and Jill Rosentreter.
Rosentreter, who was hired as a secondary school assistant administrator in 2013, was reclassified as principal of Gillespie Middle School and was placed on a 3-year contract with a 7.5% pay increase for next year. A salary wasn’t assigned for years two and three.
Rosentreter was reclassified as principal of Gillespie Middle School and was placed on a 3-year contract
In other personnel actions, the board hired Don Dobrino as high school football coach and accepted the resignation of volunteer football coach Larry Caldieraro.
The board also appointed Tim Wargo as volunteer high school baseball coach to assist head coach Jeremy Smith. Wargo and Smith, along with other assistant coaches at the high school level, now coach Gillespie’s baseball teams for grades 6-12.
Board scuffles over proposed Elementary reading series
The school board listened a 13-minute presentation from first grade teachers Amy Price and Amy Gerdes who recommended a new elementary reading series for Kindergarten through 5th grade. The proposed McGraw-Hill series would coordinate with the elementary school’s McGraw-Hill math series and would cost the district $130,000, but was turned down 4-3 by the school board.
The presentation by the teachers highlighted features of the series saying it would strengthen the school’s “Daily 5” reading block and would better coordinate the reading curriculum while replacing the current curriculum which is constructed by the school’s teachers. “We really see it is a great deal and it offers a solution to a lot of our problems,” Price explained to the board.
Following their presentation, board member Weye Schmidt motioned to purchase the series, but then was disgruntled after hearing fifth grade teachers weren’t sure if they would use the series. “The fifth grade teachers are still meeting with the middle school teachers to see how it transitions into the middle school reading curriculum,” Turcol announced to the board.
Schmidt questioned why one grade level would not go with the series while board member Dave Griffel questioned why Price and Gerdes would propose a K-5 series without the new series being researched at the fifth grade level. “I assumed every grade was on the same page since it was proposed and we motioned for this,” Griffel added.
I’m hoping our teachers have done enough homework to propose a $130,000 series.
Griffel added to Schmidt’s statement saying he would like the teachers to find out if there is a middle school reading series to accompany the elementary series so students don’t have to switch to a different curriculum when transitioning to middle school. “I would like to see more cohesion,” Griffel closed.
After the scuffle, Schmidt refused Superintendent Joe Tieman’s request to table to series. “I’m not withdrawing my motion. I don’t know how you have progression without a series – it makes no sense to me. We need to do something about that. There is enough concern that it is not happening,” Schmidt said. “I’m hoping our teachers have done enough homework to propose a $130,000 series.”
The motion was denied with objection from Peyton Bernot, Don Dobrino, Mark Hayes and Dave Griffel. Griffel said everyone needs to do more homework before the district jumps into the $130k series.
Board approves Natural Gas and Electricity supply contract
The school board unanimously approved a natural gas and electric cost savings opportunity through Commercial Energy Consultants, a St. Louis-based firm led by president Mike Grimes. Grimes proposed a deregulation for natural gas giving District 7 a break on the price and a break on the delivery.
The lowest bid for natural gas was from Tilak of Houston with a bid almost 30% lower than what the district is paying currently and lowest bid for electric was in the low 5s, according to Grimes. The board locked in both prices for two years through Commercial Energy Consultants.
Board member Weye Schmidt clarified that Grimes is not paid through the district, but paid by the supplier the district selects. “I don’t get paid from school dollars, I’m paid commission by the supplier you select.” Grimes confirmed.
Administrator Updates
High school principal Lori Emmons announced that GHS juniors will take the ACT test next Tuesday in the high school gym. She also told the board that GHS is celebrating FFA week this week and the FFA alumni pancake and sausage breakfast is rescheduled for this Saturday, February 28 from 7-10 a.m. in the cafeteria.
Rosentreter thanked everyone who supported the middle school during their state championship run which resulted in a 1st place finish.
Rosentreter also wished the students attending the Olympiad competition the best of luck saying those students will compete on Feb. 27 and March 3. Lastly, Rosentreter thanked everyone who supported the middle school during their state championship run which resulted in a 1st place finish.
Angela Turcol, elementary principal, announced elementary students are taking practice tests and learning to manipulate the tools for the PARCC testing and four teachers attended a PARCC information ROE. Lastly, Turcol said the school’s annual family literacy night is scheduled for March 12. The event features a camping theme and is titled “Camp Read-a-Lot”.
February Bills
The school unanimously approved the payment for the February bills.
Transportation Fund: $5,750.26
Education Fund: $54,947.23
Building Fund: $37,852.01
Grand Total: $98,549.50
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Community News
Gillespie teen wins drive safe Chicago video contest
Published
1 week agoon
February 6, 2025By
BenGil Staff
Wins $2,000 Prize and Video She Created will Air on 160 TV Stations Nationwide
CHICAGO – Emily Bergen, 16, a student at Gillespie High School in Gillespie, has won the annual Drive Safe Chicago public service announcement contest. Antonio Knott, 15, of Merrillville High School in Merrillville IN, placed second in the voting, and Noelani Elizalde, 17, also from Merrillville High School, was third.
Sponsored by the National Road Safety Foundation in partnership with the Chicago Auto Show, teens from Illinois and surrounding states were invited to submit ideas for a 30-second PSA about sharing the road with other passenger vehicles, trucks, motorcycles and pedestrians.
Three finalists were selected and each worked with an Emmy Award-winning producer to transform their PSA submissions into 30-second TV public service announcements. The public was then able to vote for their favorite online. More than 1,400 online votes were cast.
The winner received $2,000 and will be featured on nationally-syndicated Teen Kids News, reaching more than 160 TV stations across the country. The first runner-up got $1,000 and the second runner-up won $500. All three finalists’ teachers received $100 gift cards.
Bergen’s winning PSA shows a young driver starting her car and pressing a “share the road” button. As she drives, an AI voice warns her of a bicyclist, a pedestrian and children in a school zone. The voice then reminds her, “Cars don’t come with devices like me, which is why you need to know how to share the road.”
“The carnage on our roads can be reduced if drivers remain aware of others who share the road,” said Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes safe driving. “We think the creative ideas about sharing the road from our Drive Safe Chicago winner and runners-up convey that message effectively.”
“Although today’s new cars are safer than ever, with technological advances that are proven to help avoid crashes,” said Chicago Auto Show Chairwoman Kelly Webb Roberts, “drivers must still be aware of others they are sharing the road with, whether it’s a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrians.”
The National Road Safety Foundation says driver error accounts for 94 percent of all fatal crashes, with speeding and driver distraction among the leading factors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 40,990 people died on U.S. roads and highways in 2023, with hundreds of thousands of injuries and an estimated annual cost of more than $340 billion.
View Bergen’s winning video below:
Bergen’s video is also featured center on the National Road Safety Foundation’s website with the runners-up videos to the right and to the left: https://m.shortstack.page/NLxMqT
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Community News
School board bans local man from school property, parents make case for school-funded cross country
Published
2 weeks agoon
January 30, 2025By
Dave A

Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night heard a plea from cross-county parents to make the program school-funded, rather than parent-funded, and voted unanimously to ban a local man from school property, meetings and events following an incident on the CUSD 7 from earlier in January.
Speaking on behalf of about 20 parents who attended the meeting, Dustin Fletcher, Benld, asked the board to consider converting the cross-county program from a parent-funded program to a school-funded one. Board President Mark Hayes said the board would refer the issue to Supt. Shane Owsley for a recommendation, but he cautioned that the district has “a couple of parent-funded sports that have been parent-funded a lot longer than cross-country.”
Fletcher said the high school cross-country program started in 2021, followed by a middle school program a year later. Both programs have grown from a handful of participants to a robust and successful program this past year. For 2024, the high school program began with eight girls and 10 boys. The middle school program fielded eight girls and eight boys.
According to Fletcher, the athletes compete as a team as well as individuals.
“There’s more than one way for a kid to experience growth,” he said. “They can compete as a team but also challenge themselves.”
In addition, Fletcher said cross-country participants can pursue their sport long after graduation.
“Some kids don’t get to play their sport after high school, if they don’t make the team in college,” he noted. “Cross-country kids can run the rest of their lives.” Running as adults has multiple benefits, he said, including physical fitness and improved mental health.
Fletcher reported the 2024 season was the teams’ most successful. The middle school girls were Southwestern Invitational champions, and Harper Thackery qualified for state. At the high school level, the girls team produced two all-conference designees. The girls team also placed sixth at Regionals and advanced to Sectionals. The boys team was Conference Champions, placed third at Regionals and advanced to Sectionals. The boys produced five All-Conference runners. Despite losing one of the team’s strongest runners for medical reasons, the boys placed sixth at Sectionals and advanced to State, where they placed 27th. Chaz Oberkfell had an outstanding season, with eight meet victories, and championships at the Conference, Sectional and State levels. Oberkfell posted the fastest time in Gillespie High School history, and was the first two-time All State in the school’s history. He was the first State Champion in GHS, Macoupin County, and Conference history.
With the teams’ success this past season, Fletcher said the school should be able to start charging admission to meets to help defray the costs. “It’s the most interactive sport for parents and spectators,” he said.

Fletcher estimated the annual basic costs associated with the middle school and high school programs at about $13,375, including entry fees for 14 meets, coaching stipends and transportation. Additionally, the programs could incur incidental or variable expenses of $5,300 for uniforms, hosting costs, coaching clinics and a tent the team occasionally uses. The variable expenses also include $1,000 for lodging and food to participate in the State meet.
“That’s an expense I hope you have every year,” Fletcher joked.
He said parents would continue their role as sports boosters, raising money for all school-funded sports programs. Those fundraising activities include a run-a-thon, bake sales, concession revenues, t-shirt sales, and donations.
Dean Plovich, one of the parents attending in support of the proposal, noted that the program does not have a field to maintain, making it less expensive than most other sport programs.
Hayes told the group the board would refer the issue to Owsley for a recommendation at a later date.
LOCAL MAN BANNED FROM PROPERTY
On a motion by Weye Schmidt, seconded by Peyton Bernot, the board voted unanimously to ban Steve Laurent from school property, meetings and events for the remainder of the calendar year in connection with a Jan. 9 incident at BenGil Elementary School.
Laurent is accused of “exhibiting improper conduct and behavior, including yelling, use of profanity, and eventually threatening the District’s superintendent,” according to a statement prepared by the School District and made available to the public in compliance with state law. Gillespie Police Chief Jared DePoppe confirmed a police report was filed in connection with the incident but declined to release details pending a decision from the Macoupin County State’s Attorney’s office regarding whether or not to file criminal charges.
A Gillespie police officer attended Monday night’s meeting, presumably as a precaution.
The incident apparently is related to Laurent’s concerns over elementary students waiting outside for buses or to be picked up during cold weather. A consent agenda accepted by the board indicated Laurent had filed Freedom of Information Act requests for video evidence recorded between 2:35 and 2:50 on Jan. 9 on the north side of BenGil Elementary School where first grade students are released, along with a copy of the district’s cold weather policy.
PERSONNEL
After a 45-minute executive session to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to approve the district’s seniority list for both certificated and non-certificated employees.
On a motion by Weye Schmidt, seconded by Peyton Bernot, the board extended Supt. Owsley’s contract by one-year. The superintendent is subject to a three-year contract, meaning his new contract is extended to the 2027-28 school year. The board conducted a performance review in executive session during last month’s meeting.
In separate actions, the board approved maternity leaves for Radeano Gertzyel and Alexandria Newton, both of whom are teachers at BenGil Elementary School. Both leaves are set to start approximately May 5.
Jordan Bartok was employed by a unanimous vote as a coordinator for a grant-funded Gear-Up program designed to help prepare students for college, trade school or a career.

Board members accepted the resignation of part-time cafeteria worker Brittany Harbison, effective Jan. 23, and voted to post a vacancy for a three-hour cafeteria position.
Michael Otten was appointed as an assistant coach for the parent-funded women’s soccer program, pending a routine background check.
DISCLOSURE REPORT
Supt. Owsley briefly discussed contents of a financial disclosure statement mandated by the Securities Exchange Act in connection with various bonds issued by the school district.
Among the data included in the report are outstanding general obligation bonded debt in the amount of $9.36 million, and alternate revenue bonded debt totaling about $1.6 million. Owsley said the report suggests the district may wish to refinance general obligation bonded debt to extend the life of bonds by one year, meaning the bonds would be retired in 2036.
The report shows ending balances for all funds at the end of the 2024 fiscal year totaling $15,313,418—nearly double the $8,191.723 the district had on hand at the end of the 2019 fiscal year.
Owsley noted a steady growth in the district’s total equalized assessed valuation from $74,961,151 in 2019 to $103,564,334 in 2023. Additionally, the total property tax rate has fallen from $4.17412 in 2019 to $3.34525 in 2023. The property tax rate for CUSD 7, Owsley said, is “one of the lowest in the county.”
State aid provides the lion’s share of funding for the local education system at 58.09 percent. Federal money covers 22.65 percent of the costs, while local sources (including property taxes) account for 19.26 percent.
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment early in the meeting, GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter and GMS Principal Patrick McGinty recognized art students who placed in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. The 100-year-old program recognizes students nationwide for artistic endeavors.
Local students competed in the Mid-Central Illinois region. A total of 728 entries were received from 28 school districts. Only 257 entries were accepted into the juried art show. Gold Keys were awarded the creators of 52 pieces; 66 pieces earned Silver Keys and 139 were recognized as honorable mentions.
CUSD 7 students who placed in the competition include:
- Ceanna Bearden, Silver Key for a piece titled “Infinite Rust,” and honorable mention for a piece titled “Mowgli.”
- Reanna Compton, honorable mention for a piece titled “Can’t I Do Something?”
- Abigail Sharp, honorable mention for a piece titled “tic-tax-toe waffle.”
- Lila Shuey, Silver Key, for a piece titled “Nature Vessel.”
- Jayden Stangle, Silver Key, for a piece titled “By the Shore.”
- Sydney Wilson, honorable mentions for photos titled “Bleacher Maze” and “Shoot for the Sky.”
Both Rosentreter and McGinty thanked art instructors Nikki Browner and Casey Edgerton for guiding and inspiring the student artists.
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Community News
School board authorizes educational Holocaust trip
Published
2 months agoon
December 19, 2024By
Dave A

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.”