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School board purchases math textbook series for high school grades

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High school math instructor Kyle Kozer demonstrating the online capabilities of the new math textbook series.

High school math instructor Kyle Kozer demonstrating the online capabilities of the new math textbook series.

One month after purchasing a new reading textbook series for elementary grades kindergarten through fourth and one year after purchasing a new math textbooks series for the middle school, the District 7 school board unanimously approved the purchase a new math textbook series for high school grades nine through twelve.

With board members Bill Carter, Don Dobrino and Jenni Alepra absent from the meeting held on Monday, June 22, board members Mark Hayes, Dave Griffel, Weye Schmidt and Peyton Bernot listened to a 10-minute presentation about the new textbook series from high school math instructor Kyle Kozer.

The series, which correlates with the middle school math series purchased last year, includes student editions, teacher editions and an interactive edition for classroom Promethean boards or at-home learning and homework via an internet connection. The $35,000 series includes algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry and pre-calculus.

“It’s just great what you can do with it,” Kozer told the board members after saying he used the series for two lessons during the 2014-2015 school year. “It’s what we need. It meets with what middle school math teachers are already doing.”

It’s what we need. It meets with what middle school math teachers are already doing.

Kozer explained students will be assigned an online identification and password to login into the online edition, which includes an e-book, online assignments, tutorials and example problems. He highlighted that the Gencoe math series is on-point with every aspect and the high school math teachers have all favored the proposed series.

High school principal Lori Emmons added that the series is great considering everything it includes. “It’s just great what you can do with it and what the students can do at home with it,” Emmons added. “Kyle and I went over his presentation and I think it is great.”

After approving the series, the board said they will have to review funding to add Promethean boards to the remaining two math classrooms in the high school. Kozer admitted that he is only high school math teacher with the interactive learning board and the series cannot be used to its full potential without the boards.

Board raises employee’s health insurance deductible

The school board made the difficult decision to change health insurance plans to a plan that raises the employee health insurance deductible from $500 to $1,000 after an 11-minute discussion with Superintendent Tieman about the health insurance bids for the 2015-2016 school year.

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Tieman presented the board members bids from Etna, United Health Care and the district’s current provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). BCBS was the only provider that was able to guarantee the premiums for the 106 enrolled employees, so the board didn’t consider the proposals from United Healthcare or Etna.

The employees’ current plan with a deductible of $500 raised the health insurance for the district by $40,000, but a plan that raised the deductible to $1,000 raised the health insurance for the district by $9,000. “I don’t consider it a savings either way because we are paying more both ways,” Superintendent Tieman explained. “But, one direction we have to pay $9,000 more and the other we pay $40,000 more. There’s a $31,000 savings in one direction and I’ve tried to put every opportunity in place to save money across the board and be efficient for the district.”

Board member Dave Griffel agreed, saying he doesn’t like to be left with tough decisions like this that raise costs for the employees, but he said a $31,000 savings covers majority of the math textbook series the board approved earlier in Monday night’s meeting. Peyton Bernot agreed with Griffel’s statement and added that the district has to be conscience with every dollar considering the state’s current financial position.

“We should be aware of saving every dime we can,” Bernot closed. “Hopefully next year the premiums come down. We have had to make tough choices on the board and we have had to do this in Benld too.”

Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Tieman updated the board on the athletic field improvements by saying work on the football field has already started. The building and grounds committee announced their plan for the athletic facilities during the May meeting and Superintendent Tieman explained the district wants to get the ball rolling on the many projects on-hand.

Most of the work on the football field will be finished when the football season is over late this fall, but the irrigation system will be installed before the season is underway. Maintenance supervisor Rob Graham reported the trenching is complete for the irrigation system and work will continue when the weather clears. Graham said the electricity for the pump house has been completed with the concrete pad for the pump house scheduled to be complete in the upcoming weeks.

Tieman continued by saying board member Dave Griffel and himself have talked with private parties regarding the baseball field tiling, but a decision hasn’t been made yet. He closed with the building and grounds committee’ top priority, the softball field. Tieman said work on the softball field would begin as soon as possible with concrete and masonry work being the top priority.

The backstop for the field has to be extended as well to protect the solar panels on the new elementary school, but Tieman said utilizing the construction trades class for various concrete paths, dugout roofs and dugout benches will save thousands of dollars alone.

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Superintendent Tieman closed his report by saying board member Jenni Alepra and branch manager of the United Community Bank in Gillespie reported an anonymous donor donated $500 to help with the softball field improvements and $600 toward the football field improvements.

Personnel

The school board unanimously approved maternity leave for second grade instructor Nikki Barrett starting August 14, 2015 and ending March 14, 2016. The board went on to accept Tara Allen’s resignation from seventh grade volleyball coach and later posted the position as vacant.

The board unanimously reappointed the following spring coaches for the 2015-2016 school year: high school track, Mike Bertagnolli, Jack Burns, Jeff Nehls, Jerry Rosentreter, Austin Semplowski; softball, Michelle Smith, Joe Kelly, Alina Fields, Jim Matesa, Kelcie Matesa; baseball, Jeremy Smith, Casey Sholtis, Dan Smith, Adam Tallman, Tim Wargo; soccer, Robin Niemeyer, Tara Allen; and middle school track: Christina Blevins and Casey Niehaus.

Lastly, the school board reemployed the following paraprofessionals: Amy Baker, Cathy Barylske, Trinity Bray-Jett Theresa Carter, Sharon Heyen, Shelia Katich, Misty Parker, Amy Reiniesch, Ella May Roemer, Brandi Schoen, Tim Wargo, Kathy Wheeler and Nicole Zenner.

Public Recognition

Mark Stewart, representing the Coal Country Sports Complex, requested the school board consider donating any unwanted equipment from the former elementary school site in Benld to the sports complex. Stewart explained the complex is nearing completion for the reclamation project and is hoping to add basketball courts and ball fields to the site, but would willing accept any equipment donations to ease the financial burden.

Stewart also informed the board that the complex would be a perfect location to host home cross-country events in the upcoming school years once the site is ready. He explained he has already been in discussion with cross-country coach Casey Niehaus.

The school board accepted his request, but notified him that a decision has not been made in regard to the vacant school property in Benld or the unused equipment. Superintendent Tieman said the district won’t consider departing with any softball field equipment until the new softball field is completed on the new elementary school site in Gillespie.

June Bills

The payment of the June bills was unanimously approved:

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Transportation Fund: $6,441.10
Education Fund: $84,313.73
Site & Construction Fund: $12,150.03
Building Fund: $53,954.50

Grand Total: $156,859.36

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Skinner falls to Ashby as Republicans capture a second county office

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With a commanding two-to-one tally, Republican Amy J. Ashby became the second Republican to capture a county executive office in Macoupin County in General Election balloting Tuesday.

Ashby, a resident of Carlinville, defeated Democrat Dana Carr Skinner, Gillespie, to succeed Democrat Lee Ross, also of Gillespie, as Macoupin County Circuit Clerk––an office held by Democrats since 1948 when Democrat Philip Brown defeated Republican incumbent Elery Hardin. 

Republican L. Amber McGartland defeated appointed incumbent in 2022, becoming the first Republican County Treasurer since A.C. “Junie” Bartulis, Benld, held the office from 1966 to 1970.

Unofficial results with all precincts reporting, Ashby captured 14,892 votes (65.44 percent) to Skinner’s 7,863 votes (34.56 percent). Ashby took commanding leads in 43 of the county’s 45 precincts. Skinner tallied 294 votes to Ashby’s 274 in Gillespie 1. In Gillespie 2, the candidates tied with 372 votes each.

A total of 22,755 votes were cast in the Circuit Clerk’s race. Countywide, 23,574 of the county’s 31,516 registered voters cast ballots for a voter turnout of 74.8 percent, meaning more than 800 voters did not express a preference in the Circuit Clerk’s race.

Ashby, a native of Palmyra and graduate of Northwestern High School, touted her legal experience in her bid for the Circuit Clerk’s office. A resident of Carlinville for the past 25 years, Ashby told voters she had 30 years of experience working for various law firms in Macoupin and Sangamon counties. She earned an associates degree in 1994 from Robert Morris University in Springfield.

Skinner holds a paralegal degree and has 25 years of legal experience with 15 of those years directly in the courtroom.

The Circuit Clerk is responsible for establishing, maintaining and keeping all records of the court, as well as several administrative, financial and public services.

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DISTRICT 13 CONGRESSIONAL RACE

As of 10:30 p.m., Tuesday night, incumbent Democrat Congressional member Nikki Budzinski, Champaign, was locked in a remarkably tight race for a second term against Republican challenger Joshua Loyd of Virden. Budzinski held a lead with 57.6 percent to Loyd’s 42.4 percent in the 13th Congressional District, which includes Champaign, Springfield, much of Decatur, Metro East St. Louis and Macoupin County. Associated Press and NBC projected Budzinski as the winner.

Macoupin voters heavily favored Loyd with 14,309 votes (62.65 percent) to Budzinski’s 8,532 votes (37.35 percent).

Budzinki is seeking a second term after being elected two years ago. Loyd is a West Point graduate and transplant to Central Illinois where he was a precinct committee person in Southern Illinois but has never held an elective office.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

In the presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, Macoupin voters again heavily favored Trump. Macoupin voters cast 16,023 ballots (68.67 percent) for Trump, compared with 6,867 votes (29.43 percent) for Harris.

Moreover, Tuesday night’s results demonstrated no softening of support for Trump in Macoupin County. In 2016, with a voter turnout of 71.55 percent, county voters favored Trump over Hilary Clinton 64.46 percent to 30.11 percent. In 2020, when Joe Biden captured the Presidency, Macoupin voters favored Trump 67.24 percent to 30.66 percent.

Nationally, Associated Press declared Donald Trump as the 47th president of the U.S. around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday with Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, and Alaska not called.

STAUNTON BOND ISSUE

Voters in the Staunton School District decisively authorized the Board of Education to issue $26.1 million in bonds to finance construction of a new school. A total of 1,674 votes (56.53 percent) were cast in favor of the measure, compared with 1,287 votes (43.47 percent) opposed.

Voters in all six precincts included in the district favored the bond issue.

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NONBINDING QUESTIONS

Macoupin voters favored all three non-binding statewide questions on the ballot, reflecting results from throughout the rest of the state.

A total of 12,114 voters (53.84 percent) favored a measure to impose a three percent tax on incomes in excess of $1 million with the revenue generated earmarked for property tax relief. A total of 10,388 (46.16 percent) voted against the measure.

A mesure to impose civil penalties against any candidate who interferes with the official duties of election officials was favored by 19,746 voters (87.78 percent), while 2,749 voters (12.22 percent) opposed the measure.

A measure to enact a law requiring all insurance plans that provide pregnancy benefits to also cover assisted reproductive treatments such as in vitro fertilization was favored by 14,185 Macoupin voters (63.71 percent), compared with 8,079 (36.29 percent) opposed.

UNOPPOSED RACES

Incumbent State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison and incumbent Coroner Anthony Kravanya, both Democrats, were returned to office with 16,371 votes and 17,724 votes, respectively. Both totals suggest that upward of 4,000 voters withheld their votes when provided with no choice on the ballot.

Likewise incumbent County Board members were returned to office as follows: Jon C. Payne (R) and Gordon Heuer (R) in District 2, Ross Adden (R) and Mark Dragovich (D) in District 4, and Todd Armour (R) and Molly Rosentreter (R) in District 9.  Republican John Trevino was elected to a two-year unexpired term in District 3, also without opposition.

Republican Thomas Denny was elected without opposition as resident Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge, replacing retiring Circuit Judge Kenneth Deihl, a Democrat.

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School board accepts financial report, wrestles with rising insurance costs

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Ken Loy, an auditor with Loy Miller Talley Certified Public Accountants, Alton, presented highlights of the financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30 this year.

Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education voted on Monday night to accept the district’s annual financial report and audit, and agreed to drop $5 million in mine subsidence coverage in an effort to mitigate against rising commercial insurance premiums.

Ken Loy, an auditor with Loy Miller Talley Certified Public Accountants, Alton, presented highlights of the financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30 this year. Loy said the auditors provided a “clean opinion” overall for the district’s procedures for accounting, tracking financial information and maintaining internal controls. State law requires the auditors to render opinions in three specific areas, including an opinion on overall auditing standards and an opinion on internal control compliance within each of the district’s major programs. Additionally, the auditors were required to present on opinion on the district’s handling of federal funds, which exceeded $3.4 million last fiscal year.

“You have three reports with three clean opinions,” Loy said.

The financial report also includes a financial profile assessment required by state law. Loy said the profile, determined through calculations for five different ratios, is 3.7 out of 4.0 for the past fiscal year. The “Recognition” status is the state’s highest category for school districts.

“Most districts have been on the ‘Watch List’ and Gillespie has been on the ‘Watch List’ in past years,” Loy commented. “But you’re at the top of the ladder now and have been for the past two years.” Loy said Gillespie had a perfect score in four of the five categories used to determine financial status but fell short in the area of long-term debt.

“Your long-term debt is a little on the high side,” Loy said, largely because of financial liabilities the district incurred after the loss of Benld Elementary School due to mine subsidence.

The report shows the district having $11,460,000 in long-term debt, requiring annual debt service payments of $1.1 million to $1.2 million. Additionally, the district has $639,711 in lease liabilities for equipment such as school buses.

Comparing revenue to expenditures, the district took in more money than it spent in all for two funds, where budgeted spending deficits were covered with existing surplus funds.

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The financial report documents a property tax for last fiscal year at $3.49 per $100 in equalized assessed valuation. At the same time, the district’s total equalized assessed valuation was set at $103,564,334, up from $87,198,959 two years ago.

“The last three years, you’ve had some pretty big increases in equalized assessed valuation of six to eight percent,” Loy commented. “That’s a lot different from a few years ago when it was 2.7 to three percent.”

 The document reports the cost of educating one student for one year at $8,892, which is what the district would charge as tuition for an out-of-district student. The average daily attendance was 1,005, which is up from 996 the previous year, but still shy of 1,028 for 1,100 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loy characterized the school’s overall financial condition as stable.

“You’ve had three or four pretty good years in a row that helps offset some of the bad years you had in the past from about 2016 to 2020,” Loy said.

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE DEBATE

On a motion by Amanda Ross, seconded by Peyton Bernot, the board voted to renew a commercial insurance policy with Wright Speciality with some modifications to the company’s original proposal. The action followed several minutes of debate as the board wrestled with substantive increases in premiums.

Athletic Director Jeremy Smith addressed the board with an end-of-season report.

The policy covers general liability, property damage, crime, vehicles and workers compensation, along with additional coverage for mine subsidence. While premiums for coverage in most areas were similar to the previous year, the premium for property damaged jumped nearly $40,000 from $105,821 to $142,444. Supt. Shane Owsley said the increase was due to the insurer’s experience with paying out weather-related claims over the past year. Additionally, the company proposed reducing the district’s deductible for wind and hail damage from 10 percent to 1 percent.

The total premium for standard coverage came in at $261,238, compared with $219,888 last year.

Additionally, the district purchased mine subsidence insurance for $124,189 for the first $10 million in coverage, plus $48,852 for the next $5 million and $44,175 for yet another $5 million in coverage. Essentially, the district was paying $217,216 for a total of $20 million in mine subsidence coverage.

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Owsley said the district could shave $5,893 from the standard policy premium pay upping the deductible to $15,000 for all perils excluding wind and hail.

“I’d love to keep all the insurance, but you’d be looking at about $50,000 in additional premiums,” Owsley said. “I don’t have any good answers for you.” Owsley proposed increasing the deductible from $10,000 to $15,000, dropping $5 million in subsidence coverage, and purchasing additional “gap” coverage for about $50,000 for wind and hail coverage.

Owsley noted that a castrophic loss due to mine subsidence, as when Benld Elementary School was a total loss, is unlikely. Moreover, $20 million in coverage would not be nearly enough to cover a total loss of one of the district’s classroom buildings. Mine tunnels under the newly constructed BenGil Elementary School were injected with concrete before the school was built, but portions of the High School/Middle School are undermined and subject to mine subsidence damage.

“When you drive around this area in the country, you see a lot of sinks,” Weye Schmidt commented.

Owsley said he’d been advised that it’s not a question of wthether or not the district will experience mine subsidence damage at some point but rather “when” that damage will occur.

Bernot agreed $20 million would not be enough to cover a catastrophic loss and if such a thing were to happen, the district would be forced to return to the legislature for funding to replace a school. Additionally, the amount of money the district can levy is limited by tax caps, meaning the district cannot levy enough in property tax to cover the increase in premiums.

“Where would that money come from?” Bernot asked.

“It would have to come from our reserves,” Owsley replied.

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Bernot commented that he’d be comfortable with eliminating $5 million in subsidence coverage to reduce premium costs.

The approved plan—with $15 million in mine subsidence coverage, a $5,000 boost in the deductible, and the addition of gap coverage for wind and hail—will total $475,386, compared with $421,976 the district paid last year.

ATHLETIC REPORT

Athletic Director Jeremy Smith addressed the board with an end-of-season report, which included an extensive discussion regarding to the future of the district’s soccer program. Previously, the district was part of a coop with Litchfield High School to field enough players tor a team, but Smith reported Litchfield recently dropped out of the coop.

“I’ve reached out to local schools to see if they would coop with us,” Smith said. “They’re not really interested, mainly because, with our enrollment, it would put them up into the next class.”

The district could resume a soccer program as a parent-supported sport, according to Smith and Owsley. However, the Litchfield program became a school-supported sport two years ago, meaning Gillespie soccer parents have not been active for the past two years. Owsley said a goal would be to recruit at least 18 players, at a cost of about $10,000 per player—meaning parents would have to raise about $180,000 to fund the program. Owsley was optimistic about recruiting 18 players because younger players have been reluctant to join the program because they could not drive themselves to Litchfield.

The district currently sends six players to Litchfield.

Smith said he is awaiting results from a survey of students to gauge the level of interest in a local program. In the meantime, GHS Principal Jill Rosentreter said soccer parents are “anxious” about what direction the school will take. She said she and Smith are making an effort to keep parents informed as the local district works toward a resolution.

Smith also introduced a sports webpage which can be accessed via the school district’s webpage. The new website includes a sports calendar, schedules, and information about Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Smith said parents can even set up a personal account through the page which will ensure they receive emails regarding schedule changes, cancellations and other information.

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PERSONNEL

Following a one-hour executive session, the board voted to post a vacancy for an elementary Social/Emotional Learning coordinator, and voted to hire Kelly Helen as a district custodian.

In other action, the board accepted the resignation of Jay Weber as head coach for the parent-funded middle school cross-country program, and hired Trae Wargo as the seventh grade basketball coach.

The board accepted the resignation of Alexis Ollis as the GMS/GHS head cook and posted a vacancy for the position. Board members also voted to hire Amy Costello as a three-hour part-time cafeteria worker, pending a background check, and voted to post a vacancy for a six-hour part-time cafeteria worker.

CEO FUNDING

In other action, the board accepted Owsley’s recommendation to make a $3,000 investment in the county’s Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunitites (CEO) program, payable in three $1,000 annual increments. CEO board chairman Scott Reichman made the request last month during a District Focus segment.

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Elementary school earns ‘Exemplary’ designation from state; Middle, High schools earn ‘Commendable’

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Ben-Gil Elementary School (photo/Ben-Gil Elementary)

The Illinois State Board of Education has recognized all three Gillespie Community Unit School District #7 schools with top designations, marking an outstanding achievement for the district.

Ben-Gil Elementary School has earned the prestigious “Exemplary” designation, placing it among the top 10 percent of elementary schools in Illinois, while both Gillespie High School and Gillespie Middle School have earned “Commendable” designations.

The Exemplary designation is awarded to the highest-performing schools in the state, while the Commendable designation recognizes schools that have no underperforming student groups, a graduation rate greater than 67 percent, and whose performance ranks in the top 90 percent of schools statewide.

“This is a proud moment for the entire community,” said Superintendent Shane Owsley. “This designation is a sign of the hard work, time and dedication put in by the students, staff and community members of CUSD #7.”

All three schools demonstrated strong performance across multiple academic indicators, including:

  • Student academic achievement
  • Student academic progress
  • English language proficiency progress
  • Chronic absenteeism
  • Graduation rates (High School)

Ben-Gil Elementary’s Exemplary status places it in an elite category of Illinois schools, while the Commendable designations for the middle and high schools reflect the district’s consistent commitment to educational excellence across all grade levels.

This district-wide achievement highlights Gillespie CUSD #7’s success in maintaining high educational standards and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed, from elementary through high school.

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