001[Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Oh yeah, it was definitely [Music] Okay. I'd like to call this meeting to order. Regular and organizational board meeting on Monday, May 12th, 2025. Can I get a roll call? Yes, you can. Mr. Sterling, here. Mr. Thompson, here. Mr. Mcnite, present. Mrs. Carlson, here. Mr. Smith here. Mrs. Hastings here. Mrs. Meets here. Chris Arduino, reporting secretary. Terrell Yarro, superintendent. Shelley Wagner, human resources. Michelle, curriculum and instruction. Jason Bloom, communications, community relations. Josh Ram, business operations. All right, if we can give everybody to when you're ready. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under
002God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. approve. I would like to add something to the the agenda. It's going to be a 14 A12 [Music] 1412. Yeah, you're adding Jason Bloom complaint manager. He's already doing the complaint manager. So, this would be makes sense. Yes. And then we're going to go back to A5E, 14 A6F, and 14 A7G. We are taking Dan Felts as an alternate. He is now the superintendent at Rackton Rockton. Okay. 48 by E. So somebody else E F and G. All right. And then is this still on everybody else's? Yes, we need to move 15. We're going to move 15 down to adjourn the organizational meeting and 17 can uh 17A can be uh removed. All right. With those changes, can I get a motion to approve the
003agenda? Motion. Motion. Second. Mr. Thompson. I. Mr. Mcnite. I. Mrs. Carlson. Yes. Mr. Smith. Yes. Mrs. Hastings. Hi. Mrs. Smith. Hi. Mr. Sterling. Hi. Dr. Troy. Mr. Smith. Would you like to to read the mission statement? I would. The mission of the Harlem Consolidated School District as a vital part of the community is to help diverse learners realize their unlimited potential by providing an educational program dedicated to academic excellent and the development of strong character in a safe and respectful learning environment. That is way better than me. I felt that one. Thank you, sir. With that, can I get a motion to approve board meeting minutes, special and closed minutes of April 3rd, 2025, and regular closed minutes of April 22nd or 28th at 2025? Motion. Second, Mr. Mcnite. I Mrs. Carlson, yes. Mr. Smith,
004yes. Mrs. Hastings, I Mrs. Meeks, I Mr. Sterling, I Mr. Hi. At this time, we have no comments from the community. All right. for announcements and discussion. We turn it over to you guys to like to tell you how much you guys have been enjoyed, learned from, and I think Harlem is a better place because you guys have been in it and will continue to be in it. Yep. I'm not going anywhere. I know you're not. Oh man, you have no words for I mean that speaks more than 1,200 words I normally say. It's I mean it's going to be different. I mean we've got you know you get to to work and gel as a board Larry for four years began for two but still like we worked well and I think the the
005thing Mike called out is the part you're not going anywhere. So, you know, hopefully we can still pick your ear time to time and uh vice versa if you've got questions coming back around. But yeah, I don't know. Anything I'm going to say like the two and four years speaks far louder than anything I'm going to come up with now. But yeah, we just going around. Um, so Larry, we might not have seen eye to eye on everything, but I respect you. I respect your opinion and I learned a lot from you. I learned I loved your perspect you had a different perspective coming in as a as a principal to a board. It's a different perspective that now I look at things differently because of um our conversation. Megan kind of the same way.
006We've said it a hundred times. We weren't supposed to get along but we did. And and I I would consider you a friend now. Um and and once again, we have different perspectives and I look at things through different eyes, you know, and and we're not going to change each other's mind on some things and and but and other things we did and but we were able to work together and that's what the board is. So, um you guys will both be missed. Um and and I thank you for your time. Mike said it. Harlem is a better place because you guys were a part of this team. Should put it on banner. I put on a t-shirt. T-shirt. I appreciate you both. I we had a lot of differences, Megan, and we still sat
007across from each other and worked with each other and dealt with it. It was a fight to the finish for the election just to just to get it taken care of. But we we both got through it. Uh Larry, I appreciate you. Excuse me. Just being a different voice. both of you being a different voice, but you especially being a different voice, being a principal, being a teacher, knowing your way up through the up through the course of the years, and I will miss both of your opinions and ideas. And so, have a great future. And I'm sure like they all say, we'll we'll hear from you one way or another, Sydney. Um, as I look to both of you, I just want to say I thank you, Larry, for your time as a principal
008and as being a board member. We've gained a lot of knowledge from you and your jokes. But you are truly an amazing man, a respectable man, and you walk the walk and you talk the talk and I want you to know you'll be greatly missed and I appreciate serving my time with you. Thank you. And then Megan, I appreciate you. We sat together and I learned a lot from you and I want to tell you I admire your strength. how you when you have know something is wrong is not doing not being right you stand for what you believe and you do a lot of um what I'm trying to say if you want to know what's going on you would definitely do your research and you know what you're talking about you will be
009greatly missed and I know the students everybody in this community would miss when that person's when someone you see injustice you stand for it and you fight to the finish and you walk the walk and talk the talk Also, I learned a lot from both of you guys sitting next to you guys. I really admire both of you and I want you to know you will be greatly missed and I will keep both of you in my heart and some of the things that I have learned from both of you and want you to know that you both are greatly appreciated. Thanks. Thank you for your four years and thank you for your two years. It seemed like it's been forever, but I just want you guys to know, hold your head up high. Even
010though this election, you know, didn't work out, God has other things planned for you. That's the way I look at life. When it's something that you want, but you it doesn't happen, there's something else in that future that's meant for you to get. And we will always cherish you guys and some of the things that you brought to this board, we will still be reminiscing on it. So, thank you guys and good luck in the future. Thank you. Now I'm going to cry. All right. Uh, do you want to do some pictures? All right. We have What else did we have, too? We have We have pictures and we have some cookies and water for a little reception for about 10 minutes. Yep. We can take some time. Farewells. Can we do the picture first?
011Yes. We know you in the picture. We have some bells. I didn't even see Tom. He's sitting over there. I saw you saw formally adjourned. So if I could do that later. I didn't even see you. We're going to adjourn. Sign you die. We can do either do it now or we can do it after the reception. I just want to make sure. We have plenty of cookies for everyone in the audience. All right. We'll do that and then we can send you back. Yeah. I need a motion. I'm out. I'm out. We're just here for the cookie the whole time. I didn't I didn't catch the I didn't catch them. We were coming back. Sorry. Motion to adjurnn sign. A motion. Second. Mrs. Carlson. Yes. Mr. Smith. Yes. Mrs. Hy. Yes. Mrs. Meeks. I.
012Mr. Sterling. Hi. Mr. Thompson. Yes. Mr. Mcnite. Hi. Okay. All right. This part of the meeting will be done. We got 10 minutes. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Can we get the new board members to to your your seats? We welcome you. Who's over here? Diana. Okay. Chris, what do you want me to do with Larry's bag? He left it near his computer and stuff. We have two water. This is the rowdy seat. There's some truth to that. This is the rowdy seat. I just appreciate more color now. Also, people wearing black shirts. She was a teacher. Don't think I'm see everyone here. Okay. I'd like to call this organizational meeting to order with
013the new I don't have that name right here. I got you. Actually, Chris got you. I stole it. All right. Can I get a roll? Yes, you can. Mr. Sterling here. Mr. Thompson here. Mr. Mcnite, present. Mrs. Carlson here. Mrs. Meeks here. Mrs. Johnson here. Mrs. McKenzie here. Chris Arduino recording secretary. Roy, superintendent. Wagner, human resources. Michelle, curriculum instruction. Jason L, communications and community relations. Josh Sharan, business operations. All right. And with this uh for our new board members, this is our organizational part of the meeting. So, we will not be having a president at this moment. So now we have to assign uh President Prom to do uh a vote to get our organizational chart. So I need a nomination for president prom. Kurt Thompson. You just say any name you want to say.
014Me or what? Exactly. Prom for the actual voting. This is for the voting someone to run the meeting for the voting of who's going to do a second so I got one for Aaron. I will chief second. So three for Aaron. uh you might want to take a nomination for who's going to be secretary pro tep just so you all right so can I get a nomination for who is going to be secretary pro temp actually no I'm not supposed to do that see this um so just announce Yeah, just so um announce the official April 1st uh election canvas results. Evelyn Meeks 2151 votes. Diane McKini 250 votes. Kurt Thompson 1,880 votes and Diana Johnson 1,831 votes. You got to do the next one. I know. I need to know what the I need
015to I need to open them up. It's in my pile. You need to secretary right here. He did. President I'm happy too fast. You got out of here too fast. So, um, I luckily didn't have to. Yeah. Can we get a nomination to appoint a secretary prom? I nominate Evelyn Meeks. I second him. Second Evelyn Meeks. Evelyn Meeks. There you go. You're in Evelyn. You're secretary. Yeah. Can she do it when she's going to be right now? Chris, doesn't she have to take the oath? Yes. So, I I would I nominate Rebecca. I guess that I nominate Kurt. Um I also have to take the oath. So, I will second. We nominate Mike or Mike as well. Rebecca, what are we doing here? nomination for Rebecca for secretary prom. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Okay, you're it.
016Thank you so much. I think we did. Okay. Okay. Somewhere in there. It is written out. There it is. All right. Can I do them both together? Thank you. You can do all four of them. Do we have them stand? Yes. Up in the middle here. All right. Yes. You have to repeat after you're going to do your hand. Sorry, we're not normally this uh crazy, but did this more and then they're going to they're going to say, you know, they have to raise their hand. Thank you for doing this, sir. All right. So, what am I doing? I'm going to sit back and stand this way. [Music] That's a different. [Music] All right. So, they're going to repeat after me. They can all say it. So, right. You guys want to see it? So,
017please raise your right hand and repeat after me. Um, as a member of the school board, I will do my utmost to represent the public interest in education by adhering to the following standards and principles. This is where you repeat after me. I will represent all school district constituents honestly. I will represent all schools constituents honestly and equally and refuse and equally and refuse to surrender my responsibilities to special interest to surrender my responsibilities to special interests or partisan political groups or partisan political groups. Number two, I will avoid any conflict of interest. I will avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance of improprietary which could result from my position. How about one more time? Um, right. And I will not use my board membership. I will I use my board membership for personal
018gain or publicity. for personal gain or publicity. Number three, I will recognize that a board member I will recognize that a board member has no legal authority as an individual has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority and decisions can be made only by majority. Vote at the board meeting. Vote at the board meeting. stopped in a different place. Number four, I will take no private action I will take no private action that might compromise the board or administration that might compromise the board or administration and will respect the confidentiality of privileged information. I will respect the confidentiality of privileged information. Okay, number five. We're not even halfway there. I will abide by the majority decisions of the board. I will abide by the majority decision
019of the board while retaining the right to seek changes while retaining the right to seek changes in such dis decisions through ethical and constructive channels in such decision through ethical and just channels. I will I will encourage and respect the free expression of opinion. I will encourage and respect the free expression of decisions of opinion opinions by my fellow board members by my fellow board members and will participate in board discussions in an open and will participate in board discussions in an open honest and respectful manner. honest and respectful manner. Honoring differences of opinion or perspective. Honoring differences of perspective. All right, we're halfway done. Okay. A little bit more. These these are a little bit shorter. I will prepare for I will prepare for attend and actively participate attend and actively participate in schoolboard
020meetings in schoolboard meetings. I will be sufficiently informed and prepared I will be sufficiently informed and prepared to act on the specific issues before the board to act on the specific issues before the board and remain reasonably knowledgeable about local state and global education issues. How about we split that one up a little? And remain reasonably knowledgeable about local And remain reasonably knowledgeable about local state, national, and global education issues. State, national, and global education issues. I know. Again, there's no commas. Um, I will I will I will respectfully listen to those who communicate with the board. I will respectfully listen to those who communicate with the board, seeking to understand their views. Seeking to understand their views while recognizing my responsibility while recognizing my responsibility to res to represent the interests of the entire
021community. Represent the interests of the entire community. All right, almost done. I will strive for a positive working relationship with the superintendent. I will strive with a positive working relationship with the superintendent respecting the superintendent's authority respecting the superintendent's authority to advise the board to advise the board implement board policy implement board policy and administer the district and administer the district All right, this one's a long one. I I will model continuous learning and work. I will model continuous learning and work to ensure the good governance. To ensure the good governance by taking advantage of board member development opportunities by taking advantage of board me opportunities such as those sponsored by my state such as those sponsored by my state and national school board associations and national school board associations. and encourage my fellow board
022members to do the same. Encourage my fellow board members to do the same. Take a deep breath. Last one. I will strive to keep my board focused I will strive to keep my board focused on its primary work of clarifying the district purpose on it primary work of clarity the district's focus purpose purpose focus focusing on purpose directions and goals directions and goals and monitoring district performance and monitoring district performance all That was better for two years ago. when I was when I was standing on the other side. I just remember the average person, seven numbers. That was a lot longer than I think your name is seating board members. Yeah. Okay. Seated. Let's see. I've got So now this is we're going to announce this is the election for twoyear terms and for the
023office of president. So, um, this is the election for officers for a two-year term. Um, nominations received and taken by myself for the office of president. So, who are we, uh, nominating for president? I would like to nominate Mike Sterling for president. Second. Third. forward. Yeah. All right. So, as many are in favor of Mike Sterling, say I. I. I. Any opposed of Mike Sterling for office of president? Say no. No. Oh, what are you opposed? So, don't say no. I thought you said don't say. I'm sorry. eyes. Yes, the eyes have it. Um, I was reading something. I guess you were. So, uh, secondly, okay, this is back. [Applause] That was terrible. Good, man. Thank you for your voting confidence. That's a lot of work. pass that. That's a lot of words. The next
024the nomination will be received be taken for the nomination for vice president. Do I have any nominations for the vice president? I nominate Kurt Thompson. I second for Kurt Thompson. Third. Are there any other nominations? fourth. Okay. Are there any objections? Welcome back. Thank you guys. Yes, sir. [Applause] Nominations for the office of secretary. I'd like to nominate Evelyn Meeks. I would like to second Evelyn Meeks. Thanks. Are there any nom other nominations? third. Okay. Are there any objections? Welcome back. [Applause] With that, we are going to adjourn the organizational meeting the election is now closed and the recording secretary can announce the newly elected officers. So, president is Mike Sterling, vice president is Kurt Thompson, and secretary is Am. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you guys. [Applause] All right. Did everybody go over
025the meeting minutes or not? The meeting Is it possible, Michael, to split the COTW into two evenings and make the board meeting once a month and still have just three meetings? uh so as not to spend nearly as much time on one evening and also to allow for out stakeholders or whomever may want to come to a couple of the CO2 group meetings. That makes sense. I think we would need to have that discussion among the boards and then also then bring it back as a as a voting item. Okay. For it to be split because as as it is right now it's Correct. So, we would have to bring that back as an a new item. Yeah. Okay. So, we can always change a schedule. We we do need to approve the one. So,
026I'm we'll just bring it forward and bring that into a discussion. Okay. With that, with the calendar as it is, can I get a motion to approve the 2025 2026 board meeting and committee of the whole meeting dates and times? Motion, Mr. Thompson. Second. Thank you, Mr. Thompson. I Mr. Mcnite. Hi, Mrs. Carlson. No, Mrs. Hi, Mr. Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mrs. McKinley. Hi, Mrs. Sterling. All right. Wow. McKini and Mcnite sitting right next to each other. Is it just going to be fun? We don't have to deal with this. Um, so we're going to approve the appointment of board chairs. uh 2025 2026 business services will be Kurt and Aaron policy Rebecca education uh Diane and Diana and equity will be Miss with those can I get a motion to approve motion second Mr. Mcnite
027I Mrs. Carlson. Yes. Mrs. Meeks. I Mr. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson. I Mr. McKenna. I Mr. Sterling. I Mr. Thompson. I with that. With all the 14A uh organizational action items, are there any that need to be pulled out or approved separately? because otherwise we can approve them all at once. I would like to bring out 14A15. [Music] Okay. I just had a I don't know if anybody's looked at it. I mean, it's on it's on the agenda. If anybody has read it top to bottom, I'm not sure if we all have. Um I I think that the uh ethics is a good thing. Um I know I've spent a lot of time looking through it. I just I think we need to look a little closer into all of the things it says. Um there
028have been the gift ban I'm not worried about but the ethics. Um there have been some things that have taken place over the course of the election since approximately September that have been a little concerning um for some of the ethics. I know even for myself I I signed a a petition um even sitting in the boardroom and didn't even think about it until I had had already done it. But um there were just a few things that that I had highlighted. Preparing for organizing, participating in political meetings, rallies, demonstrations, um uh distributing uh mailings, literature, signs, campaign material, um participating in challenges. I just think that we need to be more determined if we're going to vote on it and going to actually uphold these. We need to be more determined to follow each
029one piece by piece separately. So, it was just a concern that we were kind of letting things go during some of our election time. So, and I and maybe I have them backwards and maybe I'm reading them incorrectly, but it just seemed like there were some things that kind of kind of got taken out of context a little bit. So, can you have specifics? Well, I don't want to point fingers. I don't want to name names. I don't want to go into anything like that, but I know um just participating in a challenge to the outcome. There there seems to have been a challenge from the beginning to have somebody, you know, removed from the ballots. I don't know if that means somebody on the board. I almost want to talk to legal and just
030see if I'm reading these correctly. Um, but any citizen can challenge and it's not citizens can, but I didn't know because board members are still citizens. It states board members on the job. So, I didn't know if that was something because it also states that if you're if you're outside of the job and you're working as a board member, now if you're going in as a citizen, that's that's a totally different thing. So maybe that's where I'm that's not a concern, but you know, distributing uh mailings, literature signs, campaign material. It it seemed like there were a lot of uh board members just kind of passing out signs for other people and passing putting them in in and not letting letting them go for uh those who are actually um on the ballot, the candidates
031themselves. And those were the only two that were more concerning. and then participating in political meetings and rallies. And I don't know if that means during or the entire time, like after the meetings, after the vote, after the election evening. I'm not sure. But I just think there were some things that were kind of kind of gray areas that had just needed to be a little more determined to definite. So, okay. Um, yeah, we can we'll pull it out and we'll you can vote on that one separately with that being said. I just have a Can I have a comment on that? Yeah. Filling a village trustee for 12 years. Um, I know how this goes. A candidate is, you know, a board member is welcome to back any candidate that they feel is they
032would like to. That is nothing against that as far as ethics go. Correct. They can be at rallies. they can pass out literature if they're in favor of that candidate. There's nothing wrong with that. And I know with my years of experience as a as a village board member with challenges on petitions, then it is very very common for board members and elected officials to challenge someone's petition. So there's nothing wrong ethically that way. No, I agree. We can look into it, but I'm just saying that's um it's a common practice. If you uh want to support a candidate, you're definitely able to do that. That's true. All right. Are there any other All right. Can I get a motion to approve all of the organizational items excluding 14A15 also calling out the change right
033for the alternate removal of the alternate just for Jason effort for Jason Bloom under the complaint manager. Yeah, correct and striking the alternate for the due process hearings. Correct. But wasn't that added when we did the thing? So confirming Dan folks will be taken off as the alter. So with all changes. Yeah. With all changes. Motion. Second. Mrs. Carlson. Yes. Mrs. Me. Hi. Mr. Johnson. Why do I keep calling you Mr. Johnson? I'm sorry. Steve. That's Mr. Johnson. Larry was over in that. Steve. Mrs. Johnson. Hi. Mrs. McKenna. Hi. Mr. Sterling. Hi. Mr. Thompson. Hi. Mr. Mcnite. I All right. With that, can we get a motion and a second to approve 14A15 adopted policy 21105 ethics and gift ban resolution in compliance with state officials and ethics act 5CS 430-1-1 and added is PA
03493 615 and 93 617 can we is Is there a way that we can push this to get legal clarification on a couple items or no? I mean, we can it's it's our standard policy, but do you want that does come down from I I'm just trying to appease everybody and stuff cuz I some of this some of this stuff is vague, very vague. It's not It doesn't It's almost like it needs a little cliffnotee saying that this is what this means, right? Like so like we'll just move it like I'm just looking at like number one. No employee shall intentionally perform any political activity during a compensated time. Like what's a compensated time? Is that during a board regular board meeting? You're thinking that you're thinking that as a board meeting that would be
035a teacher during paid. See, I'm not that smart, but I cuz I'm like I'm not compensated, but I get Okay. Well, I know that I just want to throw in if you look at after number four on that same list, it says a board member may engage in any activity that is otherwise appropriate and is undertaken. So it sounds like anytime you're considered a board member, you are following the ethics which could be in a number of different situations and places and so I mean the enforcement mechanism no matter what we do is right like we can identify almost anything we review it and then it's not it's sent to the state's attorney right like I don't know I don't think I don't think vague is doing any disservice in this point just based on
036the enforcement mechanism. right? Like it allows us to review it ourselves, see if there's issues that are there and one way or the other. Like if we were the enforcement mechanism and it was vague and we could remove someone from the board, I'm right there with you, right? Like that's different. But the enforcement mechanism still is due process and escalation to someone that is, you know, framed as is is legal, which we are not. Right. Right. So for that, I'm okay with it. But if there's anything else that's called out or if I'm seemingly looking at that differently, let me know. No, I'm I I see it. And then the way it states is I mean, you're only a board member in so many it's it's up to interpretation when you're at a board meeting
037when you're doing an official act for the school and you're you're going there as I mean that's why sometimes you have to go if you're going to go see them and you're going like I'm meeting with you as a board member or as as a the parent of a child. So that so even in those instances is other I think we've learned too over time that you know like it's like shall and may when you look at policy and you've got like in number three and number four require is the key word that's listed there and so any of these activities are something that is being required of you to be a part of. So I think you can see where that clears that up. Well, the word intentionally, too. Like, did I intentionally break
038your rule? I didn't know the rule, so I didn't intentionally break it, but Okay. I I will motion to approve. Second, Mrs. Johnson, I. Mrs. McKenna, I. Mrs. Sterling, I Mr. Johnson, yes. Mr. Mcnite, I. Mrs. Carlson, abstain. Mrs. meets I. Okay. When you abstain on a vote like this, you do need to give a reason because I find it a little bit under confusing to to know exactly what I'm talking about. All right. I know it's not my place, but I would offer that because it came up, you know, obviously as policy chair like the clarification or if you need to talk to us like talk about interpretation and stuff like that, we can either do that or we can bring it to a discussion so we can clarify some of that stuff. I'll
039get I'll get uh to write up something that would be helpful. Not a problem. That's what we do. All right. I need a motion and a second to go into executive session to discuss negotiation 5 ILCS 120-2 C2. Motion second. Mrs. McKinley. I Mr. Sterling. Yes. I Mr. Thompson. I Mr. Mcnite. I Mrs. Carlson. Yes. Mrs. Meat. I. And Mrs. Johnson. Hi. This whole zigzag stuff isn't working for me. So, I know. All right. With that, um, we're going to have time to take some individual photos and then we'll go into close. All right. [Music]