001[Music] Madam Secretary, will you call roll, please? Garrison here. Waller here. Henshaw here. Wesley here. Moore here. Bundan. Liar. Yes. Next thing on the agenda is the pledge of allegiance. And as president, I always get to pick someone to lead us in the pledge. She was first. Well, wait a minute. I was going to pick this guy over here I knew 49 years ago and only known him since coach ever since then. He doesn't look like he was my coach 49 years ago in flash from football. But you know what? Why don't we just have the kids all you stand up and you all of you can alleg us in the pledge of allegiance. How's that? One of you startled to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which
002it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Well, the next item on the agenda is why you're all here, the excellent education. And before uh we have an introduction, it's the long fellow. And uh I got a very nice sympathy card from the Longfellow grade or school after my father passed. So, thank you. I couldn't figure out how to write it to everybody. So, thank you very much. So, now who's going to do the introduction? I will do the honor of It will be my honor to introduce this group. Um so we have Longfellow here tonight. Um kindergarten, first and second grades. Um they have participated in ReadAcross America week which is a very big week um in all elementary and probably high schools and middle
003schools. Um but it's very exciting week for students where they celebrate Dr. Seuss. So they have a lot of very fun activities that they're going to share tonight. Before we get started, anybody out, we always do this when we have a crowd. Anybody wants to watch, you can come stand behind us and take pictures or come on in and get everywhere around so you can see. Don't be bashful. Come on in. We got plenty of room for everybody if they don't want to. If you want to come to see it, don't be bashful. Come on. [Laughter] Okay, that's all the takers, so the floor is all yours. All right. Well, hello everybody. My name is Morgan Brave. I'm one of the first grade teachers at Longfellow. Um, thank you guys for letting us come and
004talk to you about Read Across America Week. All the things we do to celebrate, why we celebrate, ways we can get kiddos excited about reading that transfers for on and on the rest of their life. So, thank you board for letting us be here. Thank you families for bringing your kids to help us share in the excitement that happens at Longfellow during Read Across America. So, Miss Canel is going to go ahead and take over talking about who Dr. Sus is, why we celebrate him, and then we'll get to include you on some of the celebrations we do at Longfellow. So, we're super excited. Absolutely. So, I have four of my first grade friends here today that are going to get up here and tell us a little bit about who Dr. Seuss was. We
005tie in a social studies unit about Dr. Seuss and who he was as a person. Um, kind of go along with the fun we do and just explain some of that. So, we're gonna start here with Miss Pac and she's gonna tell us who is Dr. Hey Miss Cadella, since this is on Facebook and everything, kind of put the mic down so they can you don't have to make them stand up right in front of the mic, but kind of so if anybody's watching them on Facebook, we can hear everybody. That's better. All right, go ahead. Who is Dr. [Laughter] He just wanted to sign sound fancy. That was it. Okay. All right. Sophie's gonna tell us what do I mean? That is a How many have you got to look at? You're right. Okay.
006So, we're working on it. Right on. All right. Mr. Owen is gonna tell us about Dr. Seuss's work. and hat. What if I don't like green eggs and ham? If I had them on a train and a plane and a Okay. Okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to steal your thunder. And lastly, we have Mr. Or Why do kids like Dr. The Lorax? Okay, that's a good one. Green eggs and ham. What else can you like? And then we just have some pictures showing the different things we did. So the first picture where we're all in red and hats, that's cat in the hat day. They wear red or they can wear a hat. The second day was fox and socks. So we made different uh headbands with foxes wearing socks and they got to decorate
007it and then they all got to wear crazy socks to school that day. And then on the next one we have Wacky Wednesday, which is always their fan favorite because they get to just dress absolutely wacky and crazy. Um and that's one of their favorite books because it's so crazy and wacky and Of course, we have green eggs and ham day where they get to try it and let us know if they like green eggs and ham or if they're not such a big fan. And then next up, we have second grade and they're going to kind of talk about what they did for their basketballer pilot. [Music] Hello everyone. Hello. We are Longfellow second grade. I'm Miss Sullivan and this is my partner in crime, Miss Hill. Um we they turn the hallway in
008our school and they become big kids going down the big kid hallway. So we do a few different stories than K2 and we focus a lot on social studies skills and the one that we like the best is oh the places you will go which is a story that tells all kinds of um about all kinds of obstacles you have when you are trying to achieve a goal and it's about making good choices and how to achieve your goals. Um the character in this story um focuses on a hot air balloon to help soar towards those goals instead of falling back into bad choices or falling back in decision making. So we pick a day and we dress up as our favorite career. Miss Hill and I are included because we told them that even
009though we're teachers, we still have things we're going to do. Right, Miss Hill? Absolutely. Uh one of my favorites has been retired. I've been Yes, we were retired. Great. We're going to let the kiddos tell you what they dressed up as this year and um we'll let them tell you a little snidbit about the book too so you can see why we like it. Okay. Do you want them on the mic or you think that you can hear them? Jerry, can you hear? Can you picking it up or microphone will be better? Okay. I know my big mouth I know if they might be bashful to setting the microphone just at least put it near them then that way they can speak. Awesome. All right. James, you want to read? When I grow up, I
010want to be a footballer because I like I have to work hard. When I grow up, I want to be beer because I like to play this. And this was Canon. And we have Caris. A principal. That's good job. We have Austin here. a professional soccer. Good job, young man. We have Isa. See that guy right there by the door, Dr. Parker? He's a veterinarian, so you can talk to all of him about being in the hallway about being a vet. Just pick his brain. And then I also have Cam. When I grow up, I want to be a professional baseball player because I want to play the Dodgers. Is that what you said? Oh my goodness. And you can see from our slideshow, we had a scientist, we had a firefighter, a race car
011driver, a paleontologist, a doctor, is that a construction worker on the bottom, another veterinarian, softball player, and then Mrs. Sullivan and I also dress up too every time. Um, I was a UPS driver um this past year. Mrs. Sullivan was a farmer. We've been um multiple different careers over the years. Um, So, we've included those pictures for you. And so, then we also have Lorax day. You can go ahead. Um, so we do Lorax day and we talk about saving the earth and taking care of the earth. Um, we talk about the tcula trees in the story. And of course, we have to have mustaches and we all have mustaches for that day. And so, that's a fun one that kids really enjoy. We can't forget to shave before we come to school. So then
012we also do fox and socks and we all wear crazy socks and then we do hats off to Horton here's a who of course we wear hats that day and create our own hats we create socks um tie in with homophones and we tie into everyone no matter how big or how small you can We have some really great things coming from Longfellow School. You may even see one of them. The elite in one of our schools, Linda, you just never know. Do you have any questions for our friends that do you like dressing up like this and coming to school for your is your favorite professional person? Okay, cool. You don't you What are you shaking your head no for? I think they have a few questions for you. Okay, go ahead. You want
013to ask your question? We usually don't let people the audience ask questions, but we'll make an exception for you kids. How's that? All right. Can you tell your question really loud? Does any of your kids play baseball? No. Yes. Down there they do. This one does several yeses. Yes. Um her uh All right. Oh, it's working. Isa, do you have a question? Do you want to ever switch careers? Me? I'm too old to switch at this age. No such thing. Anybody else ever want to switch their career? I did switch my career. So, I was a pharmacist and now I am not a pharmacist. I can sit here with Joe. For free. For free. Austin, do you have a question? How long have you been um doing the job? Which my real job or this
014job? This job. I think 14 years. And I've been a lawyer for 39. Have a question for anybody else? You want anybody? He's only 30. That means But my time sheet says I'm 107. [Laughter] Mr. Wesley, how long have you been doing your job? 16 years. I don't understand. Sorry. Let's go, Missesley. Do you have a question, Caris? No. How about you? No. J, you know, here it's sold in class. We just we don't. All right. Well, second grade, you can have a seat over here. And we're going to kindergarten. Thank you so much for having us. Oh my god. Hi, I'm Mrs. Hassacer and this is Mrs. Childers. We're kindergarten teachers at Longfellow and we're excited to tell you about what our classes learned about Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. Um, so
015Green Eggs and Ham teaches us about literacy development, identifying rhyming words. [Music] Watch boat go hand mouse house train. It also teaches us some life lessons like Riker. It teaches us to be brave. Be brave. In case it teaches us to try something new. And Josie, you won't know until you try it. You might like it. And it also has a social emotional growth component to it. Um, in Bailey, it teaches us learning about respecting other people. Mhm. And B, being nice and being curious. Yep. And then we also had a taste test. Um, B, what did we do during that taste test? Everybody tried it. And exactly what was it, Josie? It was just scramble eggs with food coloring. And Riker, what did we do? We made calendars. Who did and didn't like it?
016Um, so we learned Bailey that reading can be fun and silly and Riker that it's okay to try something new. That you might like it. you might like it. And then all of us together, everyone has different taste. So, I was a brave soul and I always have my kids be chefs for the day and we make the green eggs and ham in our classroom. So, we sit around the carpet and my friends are going to tell you how to make green eggs and ham at home. So, Devon, tell them step one. Step one, crack the eggs into the bowl. Step two, we pour the milk and put green food coloring in the eggs. Step three, you you whisk up it with eggs. Step four. Step four, you uh cook it in a skillet. Yes.
017So, the kindergarten students are going to come around and they're going to give you a cup of green eggs and ham and you are going to get to try them tonight. And then we'll make a quick graph of if you like yes or do not like the eggs. Do not put yes with eggs. How do you how do you run? Yes. So, please try at least one bite. You might like it. You know, you sure this is not Play-Doh? It looks like Play-Doh, man. It's even They're even It's even warm. Thank you, Jason. Oh, man. Okay, we're trying it. Thank you. Smells like eggs. Thank you. Tastes like egg. Thank you. It's good. M. Go wrong with eggs. Tastes like breakfast. Thank you. I do like green eggs and ham. Oh yeah. You need it?
018Thank you. Oh, you taking roll. Just taking roll. Oh yeah. I like Do we get seconds? Which one of these is your kids? This one and the principal. Oh, I figured Okay, I'll fix smells me. Smell it. You smell it. Boys, who do you think? Yes or no? Do they all like green eggs and ham? On behalf of the school board, we passed a resolution that we all like green eggs and ham. Who didn't? I loved it. I wanted suckles. Everybody. And then before we leave, we just wanted to give a special shout out. We had celebrity readers come to along fellow the week of Dr. Z week. So we had Mrs. Lindsay Watts come in and read Malia Howell, she's a reading specialist at Lincoln. Mrs. Trice, our school librarian. Mr. Jim Phillips, he
019dressed as the Cat in the Hat. And got to pass out some bookmarks to all the kids. He's a retired administrator. Miss Britney Chin, she's an administrative assistant in Long Fellow. And Mrs. Moore, she's a retired English teacher. Thank you to all those special people. Well, I have a question. When you got while the kids ate green eggs and ham, who won? Yes or no? Yes. Right on. [Music] Thank you for letting us come. and kind of present on what we do for Dr. Seuss week. We love doing it and we love being able to come and share it with you guys. So, thank you again for having us. Thank you very much for being here. [Applause] Come back when you can stay longer. Daddy's outside. He's out right there. I can see him right
020there. Good job. You're saved by the second greatest coach. I was afraid that you might not remember how to say it. Thank you. Oh, it's good. They were pretty good. They're good. I didn't have any lunch. I'm pretty hungry, so Thank you very much. Thank you all. Like the first time in ever I before I came because Clint [Music] These kids have got an idea. He wants to speak at graduation, but he's not on top of the class. That's pretty well. Is that our decision or Joe Wayne decision? Well, he just wants to tell everybody about it. He's met with me and he's met with me and Lindsay and we all told him that we thought that was a good spot for it. [Music] Okay, the next item on the agenda is the audience to
021visitors. Uh and we've been doing this forever and ever and we kind of changed it up at a suggestion from a few of the board members and I think it's a good suggestion that uh we've kind of changed the procedure in that uh when you come up there there's going to be a signup sheet to sign your name and your phone number and your issue and your concerns. Uh and then this is what we're going to read every time and uh ask you to state your name for the record. And please know that the board is actively listening. In followup followup regarding your questions or concerns due to confidentiality and the time the board will not respond to this meeting, but please be sure to leave your contact information on the sheet provided on the
022table. Someone will contact you as soon as possible during the regular business hours to address any concerns that you you may have here at the meeting. So with that, there's also some the other uh procedural rules are on the back of the agenda. Uh so I think everybody rest of it is change is staying the same except for we're just going to let you know that we can't and it's probably a good idea and I'm glad someone suggested it wasn't my suggestion that because through the years we've always said hey we can't respond and everybody's sitting there going they won't answer my question. So, this provides a way that you can provide the name and your issue and your phone number and someone either from the building or the administration will get back in touch
023with you to address your concerns. With that said, you're up. Hi, I'm Jenna Griffith. For those of you who don't know me, I'm the librarian at the high school and I don't have a question or concern. I'm inviting you. That's what I handed out to you as an invitation. Same thing. Yeah. So, I just wanted to highlight. So, we applied as the high school in the library in the library club and we were awarded uh I think it was in the minutes before $3,500 from McDonald's Corporation. And so, we use that money to hire an author and she's going to be here next Thursday. So, a week from this Thursday, she'll be at the high school. And Shannon and I were talking and she said, "Oh, the board would probably like to know about it."
024And so, you are all invited. Um her name is Sharon Cameron. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She's been all over the world. She writes predominantly historical fiction about World War II. She's going to be speaking to our students at Marian High School and anybody that would like to come, any community member, anybody that would like to come here in high schools, bringing some kids over. uh she's going to talk on Holocaust remembrance day and it is about predominantly about her book and how like she went so they hit a family kind of like Annne Frank we all remember that some of the kids at high school when I say they go who what but we all know we're at that certain age so um you know it's true story based on a true story she
025went over and visited the house where they hid and talked to the survivors families and things like that and so that's going to be part of her presentation So, some of our history classes are coming down, our English classes are coming down, and the kids at the high school, we challenge them to read at least a million words a year. And I have uh two kids, I should have made them come with me, who have over 10 million this year. They're like crazy readers and it's fantastic. But all those kids that participate in that um get a free, you know, golden ticket. And so, they get to come to the large group on there. And then, if you notice, there's more in there. There's a book signing she's going to sign books. we've been giving
026away as part of the grant. I've been giving away books like crazy for the last month. Everything she's written in kind of gift bags. The kids are all oh so excited when they come in in individual copies and they get to bring those and she's going to personalize them and send them home with their autographed copies of her books. Um we'll have them for sale that day, too. And then those small group people that have achieved their reading goals, they're going to have lunch and sit down with her and have more of a one-on-one kind of conversation. Uh not an auditorium. We're going kind of like a small thing. We're going to the audit or the um lecture hall and so she's going to talk with them and chat to them about what it takes
027to become a writer and how she got where she is because her early books weren't all successful. So, we have to keep charging on. And uh I just wanted you all to I know that last time we had a couple authors. I know that Mrs. Moss and uh Dr. Oats welcomed us with their they came over and listened. And so I just wanted to extend the invitation to you or anybody you know. Feel free to pass the word. I know it's gone out on social media from the high school. Um it's going out on social media from the Illinois Heartland Library system if anybody wants to bring their kids over to see it, too. So like I said, Heron's coming over, so it'll be exciting. She's been, like I said, New York Times bestseller. She's
028been on daytime TV. I mean, and I've heard her speak before. She does a really nice job. So, it should be a fantastic presentation. So, if you have time, 9:00 on the 24th, come on out to the high school. Couple questions for you, R. Absolutely. Uh I was going to ask and you said that on the little card you get the presentation's from 9 to 10:00 a.m. Yeah. Uh in the auditori I mean give or take, but I mean in the auditorium and that's open to the public. Yes, it will be if they would like to come open to the public. It'll probably be probably be 9 to 9:55 because that's second hour. Okay. And then it says it says from 8:30 to 8:55 sign in. Is that you have Well, no, you don't have
029to sign in. There's just, you know, I'm going to make sure if kids are signing in or they're getting her in or whatever. But the public doesn't have to be there to sign in. No, they don't have to sign in. And we've had other businesses like uh she's staying at uh Country Inn in Suites and that's been donated by them. Um so we have community buy in on it too which has been kind of neat. they've been when we've had authors before, you know, I just call them up and I said, "Hey, I got this author coming to town." And they're like, "Yep, what do you need?" So, it's nice that our community gets behind it. And and then she's going to have a book signing for books you can buy there or bring with
030you from 10 to 10:30. And I assume that'll be outside the auditorium probably right outside the auditorium. And then the 10:45 to 11:45 is a small group. And I assume that's to the your class. I guess it is. It's to those kids that have met their reading goals and things like that. I mean, if there was somebody special that wanted to come, we might be able to squeeze them in. But the lecture hall, I mean, we can, you ask me like how many people I think the auditorium seats like 550 somewhere in that ballpark. 500, we'll say somewhere in that ballpark. I mean, we fit all the teachers before school starts and we still have space left over. So, we should be a big enough space for that. But the lecture hall only seats like,
031I think, 70 people. So that'll be So if you want to come, the public's welcome from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. on April the 24th. Yes. And they're high school. Absolutely. And they're welcome to bring a book and she'll sign it or we will have some for sale. Also on the million word challenge, do you let them reread books? So the only requirement for that is that they have to have read the book from when school started until present and then they fill out a form. And you know, it's interesting and I'm not going to get into that, but you know, they have to summarize the book and prove to me they read it and number of pages and all of that. And I have had a couple kids when I've read through them. I'm like,
032"You didn't read it." I mean, they go, "How do you know?" I said, "I copied what you wrote and pasted it into Google and it came right up." You know, it's I mean, we didn't the turnup truck. We didn't fall off it. You know what I mean? And you know, as AI comes in, I can say, "I'm pretty sure that's pretty AI generated." Well, how do you know? because you don't talk like that. You don't write like that. That's just a dead giveaway, right? You know, they'll probably get better with that as time goes. But so you talk about that AI. Someone sent me an email the other day and said, "Hi, Joe." And I called the guy was a lawyer friend. I said, "What is this?" Hi Joe. And he started laughing. He says,
033"There's some kind of a AI improvement you can hit for emails." And it added hi Joe. And I said and he started laughing. So, I know what you mean when it says I'm sure that they'll be able to tell them if that once they figure out, you know, write it like a seventh grader, you know what I mean? And then and then it won't sound like it's some college professor that has his PhD in English who wrote it and you be harder to tell, but at this point they haven't figured that out. So, um, fun fact, Joe, Mrs. Griffith's first year at the high school was your first year? No, but it was close. And, uh, she's the one that helped, uh, we went to her with the idea to start the library. I am
034one of the charter members of the library. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Good. Yeah. We had library shirts made a little bit ago that said, you know, check us out or whatever. And it had a barcode on the front and somebody said, "Does it work?" And I said, "It does. It actually the barcode was the the date we started library." And it was down there. So, I thought we had a library club when I was in high school. And that's been Well, there was like an AV club like way back and then it sort of way back you mean in the 70s, you know. Yeah. Hey. Yeah. It was there. I uh we know that you know they and Lann Sims ran it because she was the head of the library. The first the first Mrs.
035Sims of library fame. That's right. Yeah. Before we had the second. So I won't take up any more of your time unless you have more questions. But yeah, absolutely. For those of us that don't have any of these books, if we come, is it cash only? Will you be able to take cards to buy a book? We would prefer cash, but that is an excellent question that we probably need to somehow figure out how we can take Venmo or something. Venmo it. I I do have a Venmo account, so we could probably work something out there or some sort of Jerry. Uh we'll but we we'll figure something out because that's the kids will have the same kind of questions. Uh in the past, our visiting authors have done it themselves. this will be the
036first time that we're kind of managing that part of it on a but I guess when you know you get to charge a lot of money you don't have to handle your own books my other authors Minnie McInness I mean literally she drove up and unloaded them out of the trunk of her car so this has been the first author that we've um had significant funds to be able to kind of get somebody a little more not that she wasn't fabulous she was great and the kids loved her uh and I do think the author visits really impact our kids And this is a fun fact and then I'll I'll I promise I'll leave. But one of my one of the kids who saw Mindy McInness last time she came in, she came into the
037other day and she goes, "I need to geek out to somebody and it's going to be you." And I said, "Okay." And she goes, "Have you seen Mindy's new book?" And I go, "Oh, I don't think it's like out out yet." She goes, "No, but the preview is out." And the main character's name is my name. It's my name. And I don't The student's name is Joby, which is kind of unique. Um, and she goes, "I told her that." and she wrote it on her arm when she was here and now her main character's name is Joby and I think it's me. She's so you know it it is an impact on the She was so they knew who I'm talking about. She was so excited. She's like, "Oh my gosh." And I was like,
038"Well, we'll have to see if we can't get you a signed copy or something from her in the mail." So anyway, any other questions? Keep up the good work. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Hey, open that door in case someone comes out. They usually shut them because when the kids are all out there, but I don't want someone to walk in and think they're not welcome. All right. My name is Elijah Henry. I am a senior at Marion High School and I'm here to propose an idea for you guys about this upcoming graduation and for many graduations coming forward. I would like to give a speech during our graduation. Now, I know for some people that is kind of crazy coming from somebody that isn't um class president or validictorian, but this new
039idea would open up something uh amazing for multiple students that are not class president or validictorian that want to be able to get their voice heard. This speech would be about legacy. This would be about the legacy that you currently have. If you think your legacy is a negative, how you can change that and the legacy you leave behind in high school that can follow you till the end of time. Um, I know with asking for that, I know it's something new, but I know it's a it would be a positive change. Um, this would be something that many people down the road that are younger, um, I know I'm an older brother, so I know I hear all the time, if if Elijah Elijah did it, then why can't I do it? So it's
040something that I can pass on to future seniors for graduation and it would be called the people's choice. So this would be uh speeches that students have wrote and could be approved by admin or even the school board and then the students which could be the seniors or it could be all high school students can vote on this speech and then it would be an opportunity for people that aren't class presidents or validictorians to get their point across that have a valuable message in what they believe in. And it would be again reviewed by admin board or school board and it would be something very monumental to be the first person to do that and for that to be passed on to many generations. That's all I got. Thank you. I think you spoke to
041Miss Moss and Mr. Mr. Gar. So they'll get back to you after it's been discussed further. How's that? Of course. Thank you. Thank you for coming in and sharing your thoughts though. Of course. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Did you just since we have a new rule, did you sign the form and Okay, you did. Hey, right [Laughter] on. Okay, thank you very much. Anyone else? Not hearing or seeing anyone else. We'll move right along. Anthony, you said you didn't have anything. Is that correct? Okay. Uh, Mr. Garrison, may we have a motion on the consent agreement? Consent agreement. Consent agenda. Mr. President, I make the recommendation that we approve the consent agenda as presented. the minutes from the March 18th, 2025 regular meeting and closed meeting bills, the March supple supplementary bills and
042the April bills for payment as presented. Donations let Mrs. read. Do I have a second? Second. Okay, I have a first and second. Miss, you want to read the donations for the month? Yes. So, we have um in memory of Mary Landis to Marian High School for the nursing program needs valued at $50. And uh we also have the Bob and Maxine Hancock family to unit 2 Foundation uh for the Wildcat Way fund. They have donated $20,000 um to invest some money into Wildcat Way to keep it going for several years in a row. And so, they donated that to the foundation. and they will be honored at the foundation banquet on April 24th. So, thank you to the Bob and Maxine Hancock family and all the also the Landis family. And just for the
043everybody hearing on Facebook land, what is the Wildcat Way fund? Wildcat Way is um purchasing items for students in that might be in need. Might be a pair of shoes. It might be a mattress. It might be a bed sheets. It could be a variety of things. So, okay, good. And just a shout out to Foundation dinner is when when we're going to honor them. Yes, I was going to save that for later, but the foundation twice. We'll do it twice. So, the foundation dinner is Thursday, April 24th and uh there's a social hour and silent auction at 6 pm and the dinner is at 6:45 p.m. And there are lots of uh scholarship recipients from the high school that will be there as well. And where is that? It is at the pavilion. Who
044runs that? The pavilion. Mr. in charge of the pavilion. That's a double-edged sword. Guy named Jeff. Double-edged sword. See, everybody knows it's you. And if everything goes well, you won't remember it. But if everything goes bad, now they know. So, but it goes bad, it's a guy named Jeff. That's right. I agree. But I've been there with you many years, and you always do a fine job. So, I have all the confidence in you. Uh, Mr. Wesley, you want moving right along to new business. You have some personnel recommendation motions. Mr. President, I'd like to make the recommendation to approve the following personnel items as presented. Employment certified Kelly Fear, first grade teacher, assigned a long fellow effective for the 2025 2026 school year. Deborah Ratliff, science teacher assigned to Maran High School, effective for
045the 2025 2026 school year. Cole Schnotle. Schnotagle, art teacher, assigned to Maran High School, effective for the 2025 2026 school year. Kaylee Grenell, RN, part-time intro to health careers teacher, school nurse, assigned to Maran High School, effective for the 2025 2026 school year. Holly Dunderdale, science department chair, assigned to Maran High School, effective for the 2025 2026 school year. Mary Junior High School summer school teachers Melissa Chance, Jason Giles, Michael Krauss, Tiffany Szer, Cody Mays, Adam Disney, and Elena Atkins. We have a second. I'll second. We have any discussion. Junior high is the only one we're doing summer school this year. Uh the high school will have it also, but comes a later time. Yeah. Great. Any other questions or concerns? Hearing none. Uh, Madam Secretary, recall Ro. Waller, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore,
046yes. Garrison, yes. Yes. Let's flip these two. You want to introduce the new faculties and then we'll Miss Watts, you've got the floor. All right. It is my pleasure to introduce Kelly Fear. So, Kelly is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Um, she has spent several years teaching second grade and is finishing up her second year teaching first grade at Parish School in Carbondale. She also has her master's degree in educational administration and leadership. Um, some reference followup um about Mrs. sphere um is that she makes great connections with kids. She communicates well um with families and with her colleagues. Um she works well with uh some challenging behaviors that come her way. Um she is collaborative and is a team player. So they are sad to lose her and we are happy to
047have her. So welcome to Mary and Kelly. Thank you. I'm happy to be here. I don't have much to say. I'm very excited. Now you got to run the gauntlet. Welcome to be a Wildcat. Thank you. Before we move on to the next thing, Mr. Garrison, I've been advised that we left out D on the consent agenda on the top of the second page. So if you want to make that, Mr. President, I make the recommendation that we approve participation in the 2025 2026 programs. I have a second. Second. Would you explain that? There was nothing listed, so that's why I skipped it. That is that's a list that was in your board packet of some of the programs that we participate in like federal um title one dollars and um what's the trade? Yeah.
048They like the Perkins grant. Thank you. It was escaping me. Any other questions? Madam Secretary, can you back up and call roll again? Yep. Uh Garrison, yes. Wallard, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Wire, yes. Now, the next thing on the agenda is uh we just had an election and uh we've had the pleasure of having Mr. Henshaw with us the last four years. uh the last two of which have been vice president and he got to conduct two meetings while I was gone uh in middle of a trial I think and uh so it we usually do the teachers in June but since this will be his last meeting come on up Mr. Shaw it says Markshaw four years of service married unit district number two that when you around the house and
049you need something [Music] [Laughter] I would say just tell her I told you to do it and she hit us both in the head with Okay, moving right along. Mr. Wesley, you want to continue on with the personnel? Mr. President, I'd like to make the recommendation to approve the following personnel items as presented. Reassignments. Christian Rollson, reassigned for Marian High School, part-time custodian to second shift custodian at Jefferson, effective April 21st, 2025. Sierra Murphy, RN, reassigned from Marian High School nurse to Lincoln school nurse, effective for the 2025 2026 school year. Judy Mills, RN, reassigned from Lincoln School nurse to district float nurse, effective for the 2025 2026 school year. Uh, resignations. Misty Bradley, head cook, assigned to Marian Junior High School, effective April 21st, 2025. Leave of absence. Alexandria Shadins, first grade teacher assigned
050to Lincoln Elementary. a maternity leave of absence beginning approximately May 12, 2025 through the end of the 2024 2025 school year using accumulated sick leave. Kimberly Frankle, fourth grade teacher assigned to Lincoln Elementary, a maternity leave of absence beginning approxim approximately May 12th, 2025 with a tenative return date of October 6, 2025 using accumulated sick leave retirements. James Russell, custodian assigned to Washington effective May 27th, 2025. I have a second. I'll second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Madam Secretary, will you call roll, please? Henshaw? Yes. Wesley? Yes. Moore? Yes. Garrison? Yes. Wallard? Yes. Wire? Yes. Next item on the agenda is the uh building trades home. And some of you might have remembered that we approved this sale once and it fell through. So, we now have a new buyer. So, uh, Cherry, may I have
051a motion on the building trades house? Mr. President, I make the recommendation to approve the building trades home sales contract as presented and authorize superintendent and CFO to represent unit 2 at the closing. Have a second. Second. And I'm I didn't know you had a cold. I'm glad I gave you a short one so you don't have to. Any other discussion? Hearing none. Madam Secretary, will you call roll, please? Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Garrison, yes. Waller, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wire, yes. Well, the next one is our yearly thing with the uh where we can deposit money and it's become a lot easier easier. One year we it used to be a totally confusing thing and one year we even had to go back the next meeting and and fix what we screwed up the meeting
052before. So with that ado, uh, Mr. Henshaw, you want to make a motion for us, please? Uh, I make the recommendation that we authorize the following banks as deposiitories for the 2025 2026 school year, People's National Bank, US Bank, Bantara Bank, Regions Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Farmers Bank, Bank of Heron, First Mid Illinois Bank and Trust, Southern Trust, Legions Bank, First Southern Illinois Bank, and Illinois Liquid Asset Fund. Have a second. Second. Just we do this every year, Miss Watson, but you want to tell us the purpose of this, please? So that we need to deposit money in any of these banks to do that. Okay. With that explanation, is there any other questions? Madam Secretary, you call roll, please. Moore, yes. Garrison, yes. Wallard, yes. Henshaw. Yes. Wesley, yes. I abstain. Miss Moore, will
053you do us a motion about the U South Seven Conference, please? Yes. Um, Mr. President, I make the recommendation to approve Highland to be part of the South Seven Conference beginning in the 2026 2027 school year. Have a second. Second. Okay. Uh the only discussion is that we've the old South Seven is not what it used to be and we're the bigger schools and there's always trying to be this realignment with playoffs and things of that nature and Koki is leaving the South Seven. Correct. Or no no um we're down to five teams in the South Seven. So this would make us an even six, right? and they've had some discussion and all the athletic directors uh have talked about it and uh it's the athletic director and the department that we allow Highland to
054uh they all we all invite invited right inviting them to come in and their board approved it at their last meeting so now we're all approving it at our upcoming meetings and we've had this discussion years and years and it's not necessarily the varsity sports to play on Friday and Saturday night, but the underclass sports through the week, that's the issue. And I always kid myself about how long ago it was in a high school when we'd have to go to Centria. We thought it was an all week trip. They didn't even feed us McDonald's on the way home. It was so far. And that's one of the closest trips now. So, with that ado, Madam Secretary, is there any other questions or comments? It's a great addition. Quality school. Great complexes. It's a great
055addition. Good. And it's not as far as Granite City. No, it's still far. Still far. Any other questions or comments? Okay. Madam Secretary, we call roll, please. Garrison, yes. Waller, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. Mr. Garrison, can you have a motion on the settlement approval? Mr. President, I make the recommendation recommendation that we approve the settlement agreement as presented. Have a second. Second. Any discussion or comments? Hearing none. Madam Secretary, your call roll, please. Waller, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Garrison, yes. Wire, yes. Mr. Wesley, will you make the next motion? Since Miss Lawler has a horse voice, Mr. President, I'd like to make the recommendation to approve the new copier lease proposal with Tri-State Business Equipment as presented. Have a second. I'll second. Any questions or comments? Hearing none.
056Madam Secretary, you call roll. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Garrison, yes. Waller, yes. Blar, yes. Jerome, anything to report? Nothing additional. A Aon. Miss Moss. Mrs. Moss, I should say. Um, the AI committee is meeting on April 30th to uh my birthday, by the way. Oh, on Mr. Mr. Bl's birthday to celebrate that you're not there to continue working on AI policy for teachers. And I want to just give a shout out to that group. Got a great group of people working together uh to to make that all happen. And then also just another quick reminder about the foundation banquet on uh Thursday, April 24th at the pavilion uh run by Jeff. social hour and silent auction at 6 and dinner at 6:45. And there's a great meal by Mary's. Uh that's who caters
057and we'll have great uh live auction as well. Grant recognition and scholarship presentations. So get your table. It's a good It's a good event. And so Miss Watson, anything Mrs. Watson, anything from you? I do. Sorry. Kindergarten registration. a bit in it. Well, um first of all, we have all of our building principles are at the um student recognition dinner tonight at SIU um representing all seven buildings and honoring um two students from each building. So, that's a a good evening for everyone. We also have Mr. Williamson that's being honored as the middle school principal of the year and Mrs. Oldm is being honored as the assistant principal of the year for the Shauny region. Um also, we had kindergarten registration. We are still taking kindergarteners and we will be until August. So if you
058haven't registered those yet, please do so as soon as possible. But we have kinder happening on April 29th and that will be at Lincoln Elementary School for all Marin 2 incoming kindergarten students and we would love to have all of them there and there is a sign up link um on our website and we also have it on Facebook as well. What is Kinderats again? Kinderats is where we have our incoming kindergarten students come in. and they get to go to different stations with all of our kindergarten teachers. Um, and then the parents get some information, expectations, things like that. And Mrs. Watts is also receiving an award tonight at the IPA dinner, but she did not mention that. So, she's here with us instead. Award. Well, don't don't leave us in suspense. What's the
059award? It is the Herman Grapes Award. Happy Herman. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And what does it signify other than you're the best? It's just kind of um for a lot of work with the IPA organization. So kind of Well, congratulations. A leader with an IPA. She's modesty is suits her well. Miss Watson, is that like come here Watson? You know, like the Alexander Granbell. Yeah. Um, okay. March 31st, uh, we ended with 35,598,25944. Um, we're 34 of the way through the school year, so that relates to 75%. Our total revenues are at 90.67%. Our expenses are at 6750%. Um, within those funds, education, which is one of our operating funds, is at 89.42% of budget for revenues. Uh, and M operation maintenance is at % of budget. Transportation is at 87.48% of budget. For expenses, the
060operating funds again, education is at 69.83% of budget. M operational maintenance 72.22% of budget and transportation is at 83.88%. Thank you. Question. Any questions or concerns? And our federal money reports all over with, right? Yes. Completely done. Yes, sir. Okay. We finished that. The next item on the agenda is closed session. I don't believe we have any reason to do that. Uh the next thing is miscellaneous and our discussions. And this is something I wanted to address to the people present and people on Facebook. Uh, you know, as a board member, you know, I bet you if we ask all different board members what's the direction or what's the purpose of the board, they might have different things, but one thing we all agree upon is that we're the stewards of the money from the
061taxpayers and we serve at a vote for the taxpayers and we're here to take care of their money. Okay? and uh we're in the process and there's some things that have been said on Facebook uh that are untrue and I want to address them as the board uh we're in the negotiation process with the teachers at this time and you know all the trouble we had last year not with the school but all the uh was in the papers quite a bit as the reassessment and all the property taxes on the east side of the county went up and this year the west side's supposed to go up uh and uh I think it's let's see here uh we get u the education fund gets 54% of its money from the property tax extensions uh
062so it's um basically the money that we operate on more than half of it comes from our property taxes and I come to the address that uh uh there was a post on Facebook uh from the MEA committee that talks about uh says after only a few meetings the board of education canceled the remaining meetings with the MA regarding negotiations and the association said they didn't know the details. Well, we had a couple of meetings uh that went very well. We talked about some language stuff in the meetings and we couldn't come to what was you know we had agreed on certain stuff didn't agree on something. Uh and then last Thursday and we did cancel the meetings for Saturday and Sunday. We finally received a proposal from the uh and I'm not saying the
063teachers but the negotiating committee uh and their first proposal is they're proposing a 20% increase for next year. That's what they've asking us to be stewards of the money to approve 20% for in one year plus 3% 3%. And uh couple things about that. It's about $3.5 million more than what we're spending this year, but it doesn't take into account the $350,000 that would cost us for TR for the retirement things. But this is the thing about it is because there's a provision in the TRS that if you pay more than 6% from one year to the next, you have penalties and miss uh we the penalties alone for the next four years if we would approve the 20% would be another $3.5 million. So between the 20% and the penalties, we're talking about over
064$7 million they proposed for next year. And I mentioned that and also they wanted a holiday bonus just for being present for $1,200. And I mentioned that because I think as a board we ought to be transparent. It's the taxpayers money. You fund the schools. And I addressed this because it says they the uh they didn't know why the meetings were cancelled. And we addressed that with them. And uh matter of fact, we came back with a response for them to their 20%. We didn't walk away from the table. We came back with a proposal that was basically for next year. Uh the first year was a 5.43% increase from this year. And actually there's a little discussion about that is there's a whole matrix with different B blocks in there about and the as
065I understand it I learned the last meeting the last the contracts the MEA negotiating committee takes whatever money they get and they put it in these different scatagram categories. So some person might get more or less but our proposal was a 4% increase for everybody in every category of the scatagram which comes out to be a 5.3% increase overall. Uh plus a 3% increase after the next three years after that. Okay. And uh we explained that because of their 20% demand, we made this offer and said when you want to come back to that first year being a 5%, we'll be happy to return to the tables. But uh just to be honest, as a steward of this, a steward of the money for the taxpayers of Williamson County, uh we did not feel that
066uh we should spend all day Saturday and Sunday talking about it until some until we have a good faith demand from the teachers union, I should say, the NEA, not the teachers. I want to make sure there's a difference. And uh that's negotiating committee that they came to us with those proposals. And I just want to make I'm always a believer that my according to my father I'd rather be shot in the chest and in the back. So I wanted to bring to everybody when someone saw something on Facebook that the board of education just arbitrarily cancel these negotiating committees. I wanted thought it would be a good explanation as to why they did not participate or we Mr. Wesley and I did not and administration were not here Saturday and Sunday. So, if anybody
067that hears this wants to believe that the 20% increase is reasonable, you you have all our emails and we'll certainly welcome your suggestions. With that being said, any other miscellaneous discussions or anything hearing? None. Mr. Garrison, you want to make my favorite motion? I would like to. Mr. President, I'd like to make the recommendation that we have a second. Second. Roll call, please. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Garrison, yes. Lawler, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wire, yes. We're adjourned until next month at uh May the 20th, but graduation is May the 15th. 15th. So, it's the the Thursday before our meeting. Uh once again, Mark, thank you for the last four years. It's been a pleasure. And uh we'll see you all at the uh graduation. And just for clarification after last year, Miss Moss, tell us what
068we have planned in the event of rain this year. Would you? So we have plan A, B, and C this year. Um we have plan A being at Mountain Dew Park um at 7 o'clock on May 15th. Um, in the event that rain is predicted, we do have a rain date for Friday, uh, same time, same place, Mountain Dew Park, 7 p.m. on that Friday, which would be the 16th. And then, um, if rain is predicted both days, we think that it might be a wash. Uh, then, no pun intended, no pun intended, uh, then we would be moving it to Wilson Gym and would just have to limit the number of tickets that each family gets. So, we already have those tickets. um being printed uh without a date so that we could use
069them in the future if we needed to. Um so that is plan A, B, and C. Okay. And we have a plan to get the tickets to the kids. Yes, of course. They're probably going to give them to in advance. Oh, they're going to give them to them in advance. Wait till the last Yeah, they'll get them before the seniors leave. Yeah, they'll get them in case we can tell them the day if it's going to happen. It's going to be a gym and they have the tickets to pass out so they don't have to come to school to get the tickets and then go. Right. So, yes. Okay. Thanks everybody. See you uh next week, but we need Becky or Miss Moss will send out a thing because of the uh we need to
070receat the board within 40 days of uh it doesn't become official till the 22nd. It's got to be within 40 days from the April the 1st. So, be thinking of that. Miss Moss May 12th has to be by May 12th. She'll send out a email try to calculate or coordinate a date special meeting for a special meeting. It'll be just to swear in the seat the new board and that'll be it. So, okay. Thanks everybody. Thank you.