April 2024 Board Minutes
April 9, 2024
The Board of Education, Community Unit School District No. 1, 149 South Elm Street, Winchester, Illinois counties of Scott, Morgan and Greene, met in regular session on Tuesday April 9, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Winchester Elementary School gymnasium.
President Steve Moore called the meeting to order with the following members answering roll call: Thad Walker, Bill Jacquot, Shanna Eddinger, Trista Freeman, Eric Peterson, Aaron Littig and Steve Moore. Also attending were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WGS Assistant Principal Nick ZuHone, WHS Principal Denny Vortman, and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Littig motioned, with a second from Walker, to approve the minutes of the March 12, 2024 regular meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
The building principals provided an update on student testing and accomplishments. Superintendent Blankenship reported on the finalization of summer maintenance projects and provided a legislative update.
BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT
The first of three Community Forums was held on April 3rd, with 54 people in attendance. The purpose of these forums is to gain insight and direction from within the community / taxpayers on the options for the WHS building project. The options presented were construction of a new school, remodeling the current building, or only making the necessary repairs / upgrades.
POLICY AND HANDBOOK CHANGES
A first reading of the semi-annual PRESS policy updates, as well as the 2024-2025 WGS and WHS Student / Parent Handbook changes was conducted. A second reading and adoption is slated for the May meeting.
CLOSED MINUTES
Freeman motioned to make public the executive session minutes from July through December, 2023. Eddinger seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
CURRICULUM PURCHASE
Walker motioned, with a second from Peterson, to approve the purchase of the Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum package for grades K-5, at a total cost of $63,285.28. Roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS / PUBLIC COMMENTS
President Moore asked the status of Freedom of Information requests, and Superintendent Blankenship reported there were none. President Moore then asked for questions or comments from the audience, and there were none.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Jacquot motioned at 7:11 PM to enter into closed session. Littig seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Walker, to return to open session at 8:46 PM. Roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced the purpose of the executive session was for student discipline, collective bargaining and personnel matters.
PERSONNEL ACTION
Jacquot motioned to accept the resignation of Kim Gourley / bus driver effective March 21st, and of Jamie Daws / SLP and Kaitlin Winks / 4th grade teacher effective at the end of the current term. Freeman seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacqot motioned, with a second from Freeman, to employ Garry Baker as part-time custodian effective April 8th, and to reassign Kendra Bass to WGS PE at her request, and to approve volunteers for the spring play; Tom Welch, Emily Vinyard and Lcy Daniel. Roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
Jacquot motioned to approve the newly negotiated collective bargaining agreement with the bus driver union for FY25 and FY26. Freeman seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Walker, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Peterson yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM.
Steve Moore, President Trista Freeman, Vice-President
Shanna Eddinger, Secretary Becky Lashmett, Administrative Assistant
