001Ready? We're on the air live. Monica, call roll, please. We'll bring this meeting to order. Garrison Lawler here. Henshaw here. Wesley here. Moore here. Bundire. Yes, we have a quorum. And uh Mr. Jared Garrison, he is the head of our sister city thing with the city of Marion. And I don't know if all of you seen the our sister city from Japan contingency is arriving today and he's spending the weekend with them. So he said he will not be here this evening. So long as Jared takes care of the sister city will excuse him. All right. Miss Benson, you want to lead us in the role or pledge of allegiance? I mean everyone will raise their right to the sky. Let's say the pledge. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America
002and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, moving right along. We got excellent education from the junior high tonight, as I understand it. Is that correct, Miss? We do. We do. The floor is all yours, buddy. Uh, I'd like to introduce one of my amazing science teachers, Mrs. Szer. She brings a lot of excitement and and energy to the classroom all the time and is always coming up with these creative ideas. Sometimes she tells me about them, sometimes she doesn't. U, but this is probably one of the coolest things uh that I've ever heard of. Uh, it's it's pretty amazing. I won't steal any of her thunder, but she is here to talk to you tonight about the moon tree that is at
003Mar. Hey Chuck, shut the door so they can see please. Anybody else going to give me some workers tonight? Anybody else? And then just then just sit down and be quiet. How's that? Microphone. That's so That way fake book land can hear. Okay, so um this is something really exciting that has actually been in the works for a while. I applied for this back in August of 2023. And so the first thing that um when I told Mr. Williamson that we're getting a moon tree was he asked me, "What is a moon tree?" And so um I'm going to give you a little bit of history background here. It starts with this guy Rosa Mitchell. He was originally a smoke jumper for the US Fire Department of the US Forestry Department. And so he was
004a firefighter that would literally jump out of airplanes to go fight um forest fires. So he enjoyed jumping out of airplanes so much he ended up joining the Air Force and then from the Air Force he then went on to join NASA. So his first mission was with the Apollo 14 mission and when he went up he decided because his heart is with the forestry department he was going to take some seeds up to space with him. So his um chief forest um the chief of the forest service Ed Cliff suggested why don't you take some seeds up to space expose them to radiation expose them to zero gravity bring them back to earth we can do experiments on them see what happens see how they grow so um that's what he did in his
005personal kit each um astronaut gets a little personal kit of things that they could take with him so he packed these 500 seeds five different species however when they returned the canister that he had them in had busted open so they were then technically contaminated and they couldn't be used for experiments. But he went ahead and gave them to the forest department anyway and they germinated them and grew them into seeds. From there, um they were transplanted to different schools and governments across the country. Um they did watch them grow and determined that there's really nothing different than a normal seed, a normal tree, but it was really cool because it was a seed that had went to the moon and back. So it it had a little bit of history with it. So, there's
006um a lack of scientific research since they didn't get to do any experiments with it. So, they kind of lost track of some of the seeds um where the trees ended up, how the trees are doing today. There's a list, if you Google the Apollo moon trees, there's a list of them. Some of them are alive, some of them are dead, and some of them it just says status unknown. So, um here's a couple examples of those Apollo moon trees. So, these were planted way back in the 70s. So, this one is at the Kennedy Space Center. It is a non-native sycamore because they wanted a a moon tree there for them to visit people to visit when they came to the space center. Um here is another sycamore at Mississippi State University. Um planted
007in 1975 and it is the parent tree to a second generation of trees called half moon trees. They are so excited about these trees that they will actually track the seeds and the trees that grow from these babies and they call them half moon trees. So here's another one. This one um was presented to a camp. So, they've got a little um planting ceremony with some kids from the camp as well with their nice little sign that this tree has traveled to the moon and back. Um this is a different type of tree. This one is a pine tree in Oregon. So, as I look through this list, I wanted to see what's the closest one to us. And there is only one tree that was documented from Illinois. This is the news article from
008that day. So, it was at the Illinois State Capital in Springfield. It is a sycamore tree. It was planted by the governor at the time, Daniel Walker, and the director of the Department of Conservation. But the status of this tree is unknown. Might be alive, might be dead, we don't know. Uh Mr. Reid, our eighth grade science teacher, is actually looking into it because he has a connection up there at the capital. So he's like, I didn't even know there was a moon tree there. We're going to look into it and see if it's alive. So there is only one from the Apollo mission that came to Illinois. So that brings us to the Aremis moon trees, this new generation. So, in honor of the 50-year anniversary of the Apollo mission, NASA wanted to do
009this again. And this time, they wanted to really make it a big educational endeavor, a conservation endeavor. So, they wanted to track the whole process from selecting the seeds to what the seeds did in space to the whole germination and growing process. So, they learned a lot from the Apollo mission. They packed their seeds differently. Um they they call this seed ravioli so that it would not uh bust open when it came back down. They had the four of the five original same species went back up again. Those are a sycamore, a lol a lullaby pine, a sweet gum, and a douglas fur. They did replace the redwood with the giant sequoia just because it had um more use. The seeds have trapped thousands of days in space. So these have ever traveled. So again,
010they wanted to really make this an educational effort. So they have developed this whole series called Moon Trees Live where they have put all of these YouTube videos together for teachers and schools all across the country to watch where students can actually the first series live one explains the history of the moon trees kind of what I'm explaining to you and it also se shows how they selected the seeds how they could tell if they were going to be viable and sent only the best ones up. Uh series two explores um their trip in space and how they got back down to Earth. And then the series three videos show um the whole germination series. It's with the forestry department measuring them as they grow and using that data for science. So I added this
011quote because I felt like it was a really good explanation of the whole purpose of this Artemis moonree mission. Together NASA and the Forest Service will deliver a piece of science history to communities across our nation. Through this partnership, future explorers, scientists, and environmentalists will have the opportunity to nurture and be inspire inspired by these Artemis artifacts in the communities where they live, work, and learn. So NASA then selected because of the 500 seeds that came back, not all of them germinated, not all of them grew. So they have a very select few amount of trees and so they wanted to decide who would be able to get these. Now, I'm a little bit of a science nerd and I actually follow NASA on Facebook. So, last August when I saw this call saying, "Hey,
012we're going to let some schools have some moon trees, I was super excited to get to apply." So, it was a very lengthy, detailed process, probably the most difficult thing that I've ever applied for as far as grants and programs and things go. You had to prove um that you could suitably care for the different trees, which means you had to write a tree care plan, which means you had to figure out what a treeare plan is and write one. And then you also had to show that you can maximize educational opportunities around the whole life of the tree because this tree is going to be there. It's going to be at Marian Junior High long after I'm gone. So I need to explain how that's going to impact the community. So they carefully reviewed
013over a thousand applications and they selected organizations from across the country to receive a moon tree. They have four rounds going out. There's spring of 24, fall of 24, spring of 25, and fall of 25. We were the first round selected for spring of 2024. Um, and the first batch of seedlings are shipping to 48 places in the 48 trees in the 48 contingent United States. So, they have not formally released the list of recipients, but 48 trees in 48 states. I assume one per state. So, I think we're the only ones in Illinois, which is really exciting. So, this is our NJ MJHS moon tree. Um, we got notified on April 26th. We got an email from NASA saying we were receiving a moon tree. I went and told Mr. Williamson. He's like, "It's
014Arbor Day. That's perfect. Let's tell everybody." And I was like, "Oh, we can't yet." Because in the email from NASA, it says not to make any public or private announcements um yet. So, we had to keep it quiet and it's been a really big secret, but we're really excited about it. So, um, we were selected and we got the email on April 26th. Then, Mr. Williamson had to actually sign a paper from NASA, sent it back to NASA. NASA said, "We're all cleared." Then they sent it to the forestry department, and then they mailed us our tree. They mailed us our tree the Monday after we got out of school. So, I was very anxious about that. But Mr. Williamson kept me updated. This is a picture of it in his office. This is when
015he took it out of the box to show me it was in fact alive. So, um I really want to thank um Mr. Dixon because this was really kind of thrown on him. Again, over a thousand applications. I had no idea that they were going to select us out of all of those options. So, I was really excited and he has done an amazing job um getting it planted and taking really good care of it. Miss Walker has even been watering it over this summer um really giving it a lot of good attention. So, our tree is an American sycamore. Um I was very worried we were going to get a sweet gum and you were really going to hate me. Um but it's a sycamore which is really awesome. Um, and let's see. It
016grew from they went to a variety of nurseries across the across the country. Ours was grown at Charles E. Beasley Nursery, which is in Nebraska. So, this is where it's at. So, you have probably driven by the junior high and didn't even realize you were looking at a tree that's been to the moon because right now it just again, we had to keep this under wraps. This was a secret. So, this is the sixth grade side. So, if you're driving down Main Street, you'll be able to see it. It has this lovely um fence protection. This tree came with a four-page manual on how to take care of it because again, NASA learned from the first round of trees that there are certain things we need to do to take care of them. So, the
017fencing is awesome. It's keeping it really good and safe. Here's some close-up pictures because I love this tree. I'm so excited. Very green, lots of good new growth. Looking good. So, um there are a couple other we I know of only two other Artemis moon trees. Again, they've not released the list of all of them. So this was the first one that they like to announce that the moon trees were going out. This was the um pine that was sent to North Carolina. It was um dedicated by Kristen who was the one of the astronauts. It was her home state. They actually released this publication before we knew we were getting ours. Here is the only other menry I know about so far which is at the US capital. And here's their nice little planting
018ceremony that they did with some astronauts and a couple people from the forestry department. So, we need to have a planting ceremony. We need to be excited about this. So, Miss Walker is on it. She is organizing something fantastic. Um, we are planning on Friday, September 20th, having a little tree dedication planting ceremony. It's a half day for our students. So, they'll get to go home at 11:30. Um, and then we are planning on doing something that afternoon, probably about 1:30, and it'll be in the the sixth grade yard where the little tree is. So, any questions? Did you follow all the guidelines? [Laughter] If it dies, do you have a camera on it so we can like have a live webcam or something? This is not a bad idea. I think they chose a
019very specific spot for it so that it was in the line of the cameras to keep a close eye on it. Okay. Which was very smart and I'm very thankful that he did that. So we But is that a live feed? Can we get on it the public and watch it? You know, like watch the Eagles and stuff. I mean, what the hell is, you know? Yeah. Very good. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you very much. Who delivered the truth? It better be UPS. I don't know. I don't know. It better be UPS or we're sending it back. We're going to dig it up and send it back if it came by FedEx, aren't we? Yeah, right. Okay. Thank you very much. You can open the doors in case we have some audience the visitors out
020there. Okay. The next item on the agenda is audience to visitors where anybody wants to give us a piece of their mind. Uh, seeing none. Going once, twice as they say in the song, three times a lover, right? Isn't that what they say in the song? Uh, not hearing anybody. So, we'll move on. Anthony, you don't have anything, do you? Okay, let's move on to the consent agenda. Or is it three times a lady or love? Three times a lady in it. Same thing, you know. Lady, lovely. Same thing, you know. So, okay. Uh, first of all, anybody want to remove anything from the consent agenda? If not, Mark, you want to give us a motion on the consent agenda, please? Uh, make a recommendation that we approve the consent agenda as presented. Minutes from
021the July 16th, 2004 regular meeting in close session preset as presented. Copies of the minutes are closing the packet. up uh bills, the July supplementary bills and August bills for payment as presented and donations. Mrs. Moss, uh we have BW Bruce to MHS girls golf team at $250. Bantera Bank to Longfellow School supplies and shoes at $200. Crab Orchard Library to Adams, dry erase markers, Krill Springs City Hall to Adams, school supplies, Krill Springs BFW to Adams, school supplies, Margarite Pulley to Adams, health supplies and gift certificate. Do we have a second? Second. They're fighting for him down there. Any further discussion hearing? None. Madam Secretary, will you call roll, please? Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. Waller, yes. in. Yes. Flyer. Yes. Okay. Uh lost my train of thought. A short train, but I lost
022it. Uh moving on to old business on the board uh policies that were presented last month. I have a motion, please. Shannon. Yep. Mr. Mr. President, I make the recommendation that we approve the following policies and vote um on policy. Do you want me to read the policy numbers? Yes. Or you can or as presented. All right. Well, they're not my good last two two-7. I'm going to do dash instead of semicolon. Is that okay? It's colon colon 2 col 70 2 col 125 2 col 16 4 col 15 4 col 70 4 col 80 5 col 130 51 180 5 col 2000 5 290 6 col 110 61 140 6 col 150 and 7 col 170 have a second second having a first and a Second. Any discussion? And these are available if they
023want to look at them on the website. Correct. Yes. If someone is interested to know what each one of those policies that we've adopted are. Madam Secretary, will you call roll, please? Moore. Yes. Bundren, yes. Lawler, yes. Inshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Yes. We're going to do something. I know you're all here anxious waiting. Some of you here for personnel, but we have to go into close session and I promise you it won't be very long. I promise you. Take my word for it. Never listen to when a lawyer makes a promise. But anyway, so and we'll be right back. So, someone can I have a motion to go into close session, please, for personnel. Item 11. I'll make the motion. Um, make a motion to enter close session for personnel. the purpose of the appointment,
024employment, compensation, discipline, performance, excuse me, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity and litigation and litigation. When an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal or when the public finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case the basis of the finding must be recorded and entered in the minutes of the closed session. Second. Second. Have a first and a second. Madam Secretary, we call roll, please. Yes. Lawler, yes. Hshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. We'll be right back. I hope no
025one time this, but you all did. Okay, my feeble mind. I got to figure out where we are again. Let's see here. Number nine, new business. Okay, we're back into open session. Thank you all for waiting and your patience. Uh Bryce, we're moving on to personnel recommendations, please. Mr. President, I'd like to make the recommendation we approve the following personnel recommendations as presented. employment certified. Sophia Boswell, third grade teacher, assigned to Washington Elementary, effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Kaylee Evans, third grade teacher assigned to Adams, effective for the 2024 2025 school year. You want to stop and introduce them? We can. Let's have a second. Second. Any discussion? Why we shouldn't hire? Oh, sorry. Madam Secretary, will you call a role, please? Lawler, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Bundren, yes. Yes.
026All right. Who's going to do the honors? I'm going to introduce Kaylee Evans. So, Kayleie, if you want to stand. Um, Kaylee was uh Mrs. Margaret Van Horn's uh teachers aid last year um with a pretty large second grade class. And so, she has been a great addition to the Adams family. Uh she's coaching volleyball. she's gotten right um involved in the community. Uh Mrs. Van Horn said that she's organized, has good classroom control, meets deadlines. Um and so we were lucky enough to um get Kaylee to teach third grade with us this year. Um so she is with Melissa Lundren teaching third grade. And so Kaylee has um a degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. And so welcome Kaylee at Kaylee Evans to Adam. Adam's family. You don't look like Adam's family. Welcome. Welcome.
027Thank you. Ashley or Miss Benson, I should say. Sorry. You're up. The floor is all yours. Um, I have the privilege to introduce to you Miss Sophia Boswell. Um she is originally from Indiana, graduated from Ball State there, transitioned to Northern Illinois where she's taught second and third grade. Um she moved to southern Illinois in February of last year and she started subbing at Washington and um we the minute she was there, we kept her until we we needed we needed to sub every day and she was our girl. So um I'm just I'm happy that she's here. Her references were all glowing. Um they they said wonderful things about her. she's just a sincere heart, a heart for children, um and that she's a true professional in all of the situations that they they
028were able to witness and be a part of with her. So, um we're happy to have her. Um she has been a wonderful addition already. Her teammates have taken her and embraced her. She was um two days, I think she had two days to prepare uh prepare her room and and get ready to go. and she has she's so calm and she her demeanor is wonderful and we're just so happy that she's a part of Washington Elementary School. [Applause] It doesn't matter what you do as long as you go through the whole gauntlet. Thank you. Welcome. School is my grade school. will make us proud. Thank you. Chuck, you're the floor is all yours. I have three new teachers that were uh uh hired in the summer and that were unable to make some of
029those earlier summer dates, but I've got three more that I would love to take an opportunity to introduce you to and get them to walk the gauntlet with you as well. So, in no particular order, uh, alphabetical, uh, JC Giles comes to us. Uh, she is a multi-grade English teacher. So, she is kind of like the, uh, utility player on that ELA department. She teaches a couple sixth grade classes, some seventh grade, and some eighth grade. Uh, that's a lot. Uh, so she's working with all three of our grade levels and all three of, uh, our levels of staff at each one of those. Uh, she comes from Benton Grade School. Uh, highly recommended by her previous administrators, an excellent communicator, great with students, and a team player. Speaking of team player, she's also a
030former basketball coach and coaching our girls seventh grade basketball team for this year. So, this is Miss JC Jos. [Applause] [Music] Oh, that's you. Okay. Welcome. Next, I have Miss Megan Sage. Megan comes to us as a seventh grade math teacher uh with a wild level of experience. Lots of different places. We were just talking about that while you guys were in the close session. Several different states. She's taught in uh Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. Make sure we don't say the wrong state there. Um but no, she comes from Carnival Junior High. Uh wonderful teacher. Uh I've had an opportunity to see her in the classroom already and and working with a partner teacher, Mrs. Crane, quite a bit. uh great with kids, very meticulous, so we are thrilled to have her as well.
031And this is Miss Megan Sage. Welcome. And rounding out the new members of the Marian Junior High School family, Miss Mandy Spanagel. Uh Mandy is an eighth grade English teacher as well. We've added a lot of new faces to our ELA department. Uh we are thrilled to have her. Um she most recently comes from spending a couple years with the regional office of education as a uh professional development coordinator. Also taught prior to that in the Eagle County School District in Colorado where she was an ELA teacher, an ESL coordinator, an MTSS director, and a number of other acronyms and hats that she wore. uh super excited to have her back in the classroom with us. Um her most recent uh assistant superintendent said that she was very innovative, makes great relationships with kids, uh
032which I saw personally today multiple times. In fact, the young lady walked by the two of us and said, "Oh, you look cute today." And I said, "Gee, thanks. Great." Um but uh the exact the exact I thought you might like that, Joe. Yeah, I did. like I'd say, but I think her uh previous assistant superintendent even said you would be foolish not to hire her. So, uh Mandy Spanle, [Applause] welcome. Thank you all and wish you all a good year. all the new hireies, new newbies, the newbies. So, uh, if you need any assistance, ask Miss [Laughter] Watts. So, thank you. Moving right along. You want to, uh, keep going, Bryce, please. All right, Mr. President. I'd like to make, excuse me, the recommendation to approve the following person personnel recommendations as presented. Coaching,
033Andrea Arnold, Marian High School volunteer assistant, girls tennis coach, effective for 2024. Yes, you can. Sorry. I'm keeping Jenna Herks, uh, Maran High School math team coach, effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Andrea Francis, Marian High School assistant band director, effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Bruce Meers, Marian High School volunteer girls tennis coach, effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Jacob Bryce, Marian High School head coach, esports, effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Paul Roth, Mar High School volunteer girls tennis volunteer girls tennis coach effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Non-certified Amy Bright Hall monitor assigned to Mar Junior High for the 2024 2025 school year. Rachel Cameron assigned Adam School effective August 8, 2024. Employment continue. Robin Cherum, custodian assigned to Maran High School effective August 13, 2024. Rebecca
034Derie Cook, assigned to Washington Elementary, effective August 19, 2024. Nikki Johnson, Hall Monitor, assigned to Mary Junior High, effective for 2024, 2025 school year. Emma Marlor Cook, assigned to Washington Elementary, effective August 8, 2024. Amber Newell Cook assigned to Mar Junior High effective August 19th, 2024. Marissa Summer, Cook assigned to Marian Junior High effective August 19th, 2024. Misty Tibberan Cook assigned to Maran Junior High effective August 2nd, 2024. Tiffany Walker Cook assigned to Lincoln Elementary August 8th, 2024. Shannon Wallace, Paul Moner, assigned to Mar High School effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Three assignments. Amy Wilson, third grade teacher assigned to Washington Elementary. Uh to elementary music teacher assigned to Lincoln Long Fellow and Jefferson schools effective for the 2024 2025 school year. Why don't we stop to give you a break? I have
035a second. Second. I just what a started all over again. We got a first and second. Any further discussion? Madam Secretary, we call roll, please. Yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. Lawler, yes. Flyer, yes. Have at it. Bryce, uh, President, I'd like to make the recommendation to approve the following personnel recommendations as presented. Uh, resignations. Jillian and Guano Cook assigned to Marian Junior High effective immediately. Beverly Belle, Cook, assigned to Washington Elementary, effective August 12, 2024. Jennifer Banks, new supervisor, assigned to Adam School, effective immediately. Robin Chair, Hall Monitor, assigned to Mar High School, effective June 18, 2024. Becky Quendon Cook, assigned to Mary Junior High, effective immediately. Crabtree, Cook, assigned to Mar Junior High, effective immediately. Briana Holland, head cook, assigned to Washington Elementary, effective immediately. Uh Kathy Lawson, Mar Junior High School girls
036assistant track coach, effective immediately. Lynn Love Adams, assistant volleyball coach, effective immediately. Taylor Nigro, elementary music teacher and Marian High School assistant band director, effective August 8, 2024. Joanne Olafont, uh secretary assigned to Maran Junior High, effective August 30th, 2024. Walter Steve, Marian Junior High School assistant track coach, effective immediately. Anthony Stevens, Marion High School Matt team coach, effective immediately. Joy Travelstead, Mary Junior High girls head track coach, effective immediately. We have a second. Second. Can we remove Anthony Stevens and not let him resign? Young blood. Why are you staring at me when you say it's time for young blood? I have no comment. [Laughter] Well, thank you for your service all these years. How's that? Uh we have a first and a second and I also know you know one other thing I've discussion
037is um you know through the years I've said well that person was my teacher and then there's people my class then people younger than me that resign. Lynn Love taught art when I was in seventh grade and taught math at the Maran Junior High when I was in seventh grade. That was a long time ago. So, she's been a contributing to this school district for a long, long time. So, with that said, Madam Secretary, will you call roll please? Wesley? Yes. Moore? Yes. Bund? Yes. Lawler? Yes. Hshaw? Yes. Do the two certified Bryce, please? Separate or together? The two certified? You can do them together. Okay. And then do the non-certified separate. All right. Mr. President, I'd like to make the following personnel recommendations as presented. Retirement certified. Mark Atkins, elementary teacher assigned to Adam
038School, intend to retire at the end of the 2027 2028 school year and implementing the terms of the most recent contract agreement with regards to TRS adjustments. Also, Kathy Lawson, sixth grade science teacher, signed a man junior high, intend to retire at the end of the 2027 2028 school year and implementing the terms of the most recent contract agreement with regards to TRS adjustment. Second. Second. Madam Secretary, call roll, please. Moore, yes. Bundren, yes. Lawler, yes. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. No. Uncertified. Mr. Bryce, last Mr. Mr. President, I'd like to make the recommendation to approve the following personnel as presented. Non-certified Monica Lynn administrative assistant and board secretary effective January 6, 202. Well, if we don't second this, we can't bring it to a vote, right? So, it looks like it's going to die because
039it's going to die on the floor because it doesn't have a second. I'm looking. No one's seconding it. Sorry, Monica. You can't leave. not taking my mint. So, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Someone can second it. We don't have to vote. We don't have to vote. You know, if we vote no after we second it, she can't go anyway. So, second. Seriously, we you've been here. You I started you started secretary, I guess, when I first No, the year before I got elected or no, when we got elected back in what 11? Damn. January of 11. So, because I remember when I started my first petition, you and who was the lady you replaced? Yeah, Sharon. We came in here and went through the That's when you had to bring them here instead of the courthouse.
040I do not miss that. Huh? I do not miss that. Well, uh I'm sure we'll have more to say in January, but I guess we can call Ronwall vote no. So, I'm not going to change my tune. Madam Secretary Bund I didn't say call yet. Go ahead. Go ahead. Bund unfortunately. Yes. Waller. Yes. Haw. Yes. Wesley. [Laughter] Yes. More. Sadly. Yes. No. Hell no. Okay, I guess it passed. So, okay. Seriously, thank you for all your help through the years. So, does that mean we have to give her a bell in January instead of May or June? Or she No, we'll make her come back. Let's make her come back. Next up on the item on the agenda is the um I guess the collective marking agreements with the U custodians, hall monitors, lunch supervisor,
041noon supervisor, crossing guards, right? Oh. Oh, I'm Duh. I was wondering about that. Need I need a motion on the resation agreement. I think I'd remember that one. Mr. Sherry or go ahead. I make the recommendation to approve the resation agreement as presented. I have a second. Second. Madam Secretary, we call Ro. Waller. Yes. Henshaw. Yes. Wesley. Yes. Moore. Yes. Bundren. Yes. Yes. Now Sherry, can we have a motion on the Collective bargaining agreement, please. Mr. President, I make a recommendation to approve the collective bargaining agreement between Marian CUSD number two, custodians, hall monitors, lunch supervisors, noon supervisors, crossing guards, and the laborers international union of North America, the Illinois Downstate Illinois Laborers District Council, and Laborers Local Union 773 as presented. Have a second. Second. Any discussion? Bryce, you were part of that, correct?
042I was. Thank you for your assistance. Did it work out, Kim? Everything. Uh, any other discussion? Seeing and hearing none, Madam Secretary, we call roll. Henshaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Bund, yes. Lawler, yes. Yes. Mark, we're back to inter fund loans, buddy. Inter fund loans. to make a recommendation that we authorize the treasur to make inter fund loans if necessary between existing funds as provided in the Illinois school code customary expenditures including but not limited to payroll utilities excuse me and other regular monthly expenditures for fiscal year second any discussion hearing none madam secretary will you call roll please yes more Yes. Thunder. Yes. Yes. Kenshaw. Yes. Yes. Do you want us to make the motion first, Kim, or are you going to present it to us since we saw it before? Oh, this
043is the tended one. Okay. And then next month we'll have the u Do we have to move? Sometimes we I didn't we moved it to a later date. Have to move it to a later date because there's not 30 days. I move it's the 24th. So next, just remember that fake book land. It's the 24th next month, okay? Because we have to have 30 days between today and the vote on the budget. Uh so this is the FY25 tenative budget. So as of June 30th, 2024, these are unudited cash on hand. Um, it's listed by each fund. Uh, education, operation, maintenance, debt services, transportation, IMRF, social security, capital projects, working cash, TOR, fire prevention and safety for a total of 26,68,989. These are unudited numbers. The auditors have been here, but it will probably be
044November or December before that audit is complete. So in the FY25 tentative budget uh my revenues local sources 40 million $10,245 is the local sources all property tax uh local sources are property tax corporate personal replacement tax. You got your food service. You got your tuition uh locks uh driver's ed. That's what comprises. The biggest part of it though is the property taxes. But you put include in the local sources any money we collect at the school. Yes, that is part of the local. Yes. Uh we also have uh state sources 13,764,997. Is that that is comprised of EBF the evidence-based funding which is over 12.8 million. And then there's a few little odds and end grants, but the majority of that is EBF. Uh 4,000 is the federal sources. Uh 5,35,757. Uh that is
045your federal lunch and breakfast, your esser money, your title money, uh idea grants basically is what that is for a total receipts of 58 million $810,999. Any questions on revenues? Of course that 5 million esser is esser is a big part of that and that will be but we haven't What's left is that what that is? Yes. Okay. Dispersements and expenditures. Again, tenative budget here. uh instructional which comprises of the teacher salaries, the school supplies um [Music] 25,398,71 support services 26,74,129. Um that is your custodial staff, your maintenance staff, your food service uh support food service and support staff. um a majority of the uh supplies and uh purchase services from ON&M comprise that number. We also have community service uh $276,276 that is uh title or salaries and title and benefits uh 4,000 payment
046to other units. This is Williamson County Special Education. 7,877,837. Debt services, that's our bond payments, 2,746,849 for total dispersements of 62,373,162. So, we're 4,000 over budget. Yeah, but the majority of that is construction, which a lot of that your projects carry over from year to year. So, you budget what you hope you're going to spend, but it may not not I said 4,000. I know what you meant. Uh, so that may not get paid out till the next year. So, you you got to budget for it and you may or may not spend. So, like the federal government, we just spend more than we take in, right? Yeah. Sometimes we do unfortunately but this is a balanced budget according to the state. So the four million over under overdraw in balance the state budget right
047on government. So the FY tentative budget uh cash on hand. So this is what I project the cash on hand to be. Um totals 23,16,826. Of course it's broke down by fund. Um the from IMRF, social security down. These are all less than what we started with. Uh we are spending down our IMRF and social security. We need to get that fund down a little bit. So we have less revenue going into that. We're spending that down. Capital projects again may or may not spend all the money on the construction. It may end up cover carrying over to like the next July. So if we spend it all, that's where we'll be. Um working cash, it's the same. It It's not reduced. I'm sorry. Tort, we're spending that down. We need to get that fund
048balance down too so we don't have as much revenue going in as we're spending out. Uh and fire prevention and safety. Again, we're spending that down. Doing some construction. We're finishing that up the uh doors over at Jefferson. That didn't get paid. That's what we did the amended budget in the spring for, but that all did not get paid out. It's carried over to this fiscal year. So, we'll be paying on that, too. Not a whole lot, but a little bit. So the total 23,106826. Any questions on that? So uh next board meeting which is uh September 24th, a week later than normal. We'll have a budget hearing at 5:45. This budget has to lay for 30 days. So it's here at the office. If anybody wants to look at it, it will be on
049our website. If anybody wants to look at it, any questions, give me a call. Not a problem. Any other questions? My only comment is I say it all the time. $58 million of revenue and no one will be here at 5:45 next month. That's where we're going. Well, they have confidence in us. Oh, okay. That's a nice way to look at it. Okay. But thank you, Kim. You're welcome. We need to adopt it as just a tenative budget. Correct. as presented and we'll have the public meeting next month, September 24th at 5:45 p.m. So, Shannon, may I have a motion, please? Yep. Mr. President, I make the recommendation that we adopt the tenative budget for the 2024 2025 school year as presented. Have a second. Second. Any further discussion? After Kim gave us an outstanding
050overlay of the budget, we don't assume there is none. Hearing or seeing none, Madam Secretary, we call roll, please. Mark, yes. Bund. Smaller. Yes. Henshaw. Yes. Wesley. Yes. Yes. Now you don't look like our normal food service presentation. You're much. So you want to introduce our new food service? She was here. Well, I was here last year. She wasn't. Yes, she was. Is it been It's been This is her second year. Well, I apologize. This is That's okay. And I always made u made him come and give that. He never liked I made him and he didn't like to stand up in public. Full-on panic attacks he would have. Yeah, that's right. All right. Well, I would like to um share the status of the food service program for the 2023 2024 school year. Um
051we do continue to make positive strides and improve annually and the district is very fortunate to have such a dedicated and hardworking food service staff. Uh we did end the year last year with a deficit of $530,23783. So while that's not ideal, um we do continue to improve and make strides. So, um, some things that contributed to that were, you know, minimum wage continues to go up every year, inflation, uh, rising food costs are part of that, freight, all that, you know, has a lot to do with why we were so far in the hole, I guess. Um, we've added some positions in a couple of the buildings to help improve the workload. Um, spread it out a little bit more so they're not so stressed out and just dog tired at the end of
052the day. Um, and we've had a considerable number of unpaid food balances um, throughout the district. Um, as of last Thursday, the total outstanding meal debt was $55,539.25. So, we're working on getting those paid. Um, that was from last year and and it just continues to roll over every year. Um once we got the new system in place last year, um we were able to start they're they're getting weekly text messages, emails. So hopefully that will be paid down quite a bit this year. So um also we've kind of put a stop to charging any extras um if they don't have money in their account. So some of the buildings were letting them get extra food and just charging it. And so anyway, we're we're trying to crack down on that as much as we
053can where we can. So, um, we did receive $13,00086 $13,86.50 through a new program last year called local foods for schools and we used that money to purchase locally grown and processed beef um in our schools. So, that was something new and we will get that again this year. Um, we received a $250 grant through the school run school lunch rocks program to add a drink station for the teachers in the Longfellow cafeteria and that was funded through SIH. Um, this year we've been tenative tenatively approved for a $10,000 grant that will go toward the purchase of a new tilt skillet for Longfellow School. Um, the one they have is quite old and not functional. Hasn't been for a long time. So, doesn't tilt anymore. The one they have doesn't tilt at all. Um, this
054one will it'll make their lives so much easier, more efficient. Um, so that's a purchase we're looking to make this year hopefully. Um, we're starting the 2024 25 school year basically fully staffed. um with a couple of substitutes, which substitutes are always hard to find, but hopefully we'll we'll get through this school year with as little issue as possible. With that, um before I get to your favorite part, I want to take this opportunity to thank the entire Maran um unit 2 food service staff. Um they're very hardworking and dedicated to taking care of the students in their respective buildings. The food service industry is often a thankless job, but I want to publicly say thank you to our staff. They continue to go above and beyond what is expected of them. No matter what
055I ask of them, what what we have to do, they just kind of roll the flow and they get it done. So, I want to tell them thank you. Um, I also want to thank the Mary Unit 2 school board and administration for continuing to support the food service program and staff. So, you ready for your favorite? Yes. How many? How many? So, last year in the 23 24 school year, we served 445,92 meals. Um, and that was up from the year before by 32,000, a little over 32,000. So, we had an increase in the number of meals we served. Um, and that re averages out roughly to around 13,091 meals per staff member. So that's that's a lot. That is a lot. So they work very hard and I just want to brag on
056them a little bit. So cool. That is all I have. And I'd say that's up because of some of the menu changes that you've made that the kids really like. Well, I hope so. I have made some changes. um hope to continue making changes and just just little things here and there but hopefully the number will continue to grow every year. So good. Now I did have a question about the report that you gave to us. The the deficit on that is that cumulative. So for last fiscal year it was up from the 400,000 to the 500,000. Okay. and the the worksheet that we do for free and reduced, where are we at on the poverty level for the school district? We are our percentages for free and reduce are over 60%. Um I haven't
057we haven't gotten into processing all of the forms yet this year and there's a lot of the beginning of the year stuff that has to happen. So um for the kids to even get charged for their meals, we've got to go through and make sure they're all entered in the correct building. So, we're still working on that. Um, but our the percentage does seem to go up every year, the the number of free and reduced kids. So, um, I continue to look into the the C program, which is the community community eligibility. Um, and based on our numbers from April last year or this past school year, which is what they go by when they decide, um, we do qualify for that program, but the reimbursement, um, I actually ran the spreadsheet earlier, and I
058can make you a copy if you'd like to see it. Um, that would be great. with C claiming um we would get back [Music] $166,960.15. Traditional claiming would provide us with $195,97.88. So, um while we could do that, the district would have to eat that difference. Um we would have to pay the difference in those that amount. Um, food quality. I I know a lot of districts around that have moved to that program. Um, the food quality has dropped drastically. The numbers that they're serving have gone down. They've had to cut staff. I mean, there's a lot of there are a lot of disadvantages to that program. Um, I will continue to look into it every year. And if it's ever something that, you know, I feel like will benefit the district, then I would
059absolutely go for that. Um, I do want to say that all the kids that are in need of the free and reduced meals are receiving that. So, um, that's probably the the biggest question I get monthly. Why are we not providing this? We are in the poverty level. And the my response was, were you at the budget meeting and did you see what kind of deficit we were running without it? And so, you know, you're saying over a half almost a half million dollar deficit with our current situation. And so, I just want to I'm glad that you took the time to explain that for those listening because Well, hopefully it made sense. It Yeah, it it it did because um even though you're eligible for a program like that, it doesn't make sense necessarily
060financially. It's not always the best option. It's not always the best option. I mean, we're this we'd have a tentative budget of almost $4 million in the red in the red and then to add that program for people who didn't necessarily qualify for those free and reduced lunches would add to that deficit. Is that that's how I would take that correct? Yes. So, um but it is also my understanding that those f those kiddos that um automatically qualify through the state that is automatically transmitted to you and those kiddos are up. It's uploaded that way. So, they're automatically getting those free and reduced lunches. Correct. They the lists are automatically uploaded to me. We have to get them entered in. Um most of the ones, you know, very rarely does a child receive free or
061reduced lunch the year before and then not the next year. So, it does carry over. There's a 30-day carryover period. Um and like I said, 99% of the time they're going to be free anyway. So, so yeah, the ones that need it are getting the services that they need. So, if a family thinks that they need free or reduced lunch or they meet that standard and they're not getting it, who should they talk to? Well, those forms go home with everyone. Well, they're supposed to um within a back with with every Yes, with every student. Um the school office, I mean, you can come in here. We have copies here. Um ultimately, they're all sent to me. Yeah. I just want to make sure that the people on Facebook are they know that we're doing
062our due diligence. If you don't qualify now and there's a change in your income throughout the year, um you can always apply again. But if you qualify at the beginning of the year and something changes in your situation improves, that is going to that is going to stay the whole year, right? So it won't it won't go up. You won't lose the benefits. You might the next year, but for this school year, you will not. So, no, thank you for explaining that because I think the community as a whole does not understand the inner workings of free school lunch. There's a lot there's no such thing. So, yes. Yes. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome, Rhonda. Thank you. And I apologize. And I remember I even remembered to bring my favorite part and I apologize. I'm
063embarrassed, which doesn't happen easily as you might imagine. Thank you. Jerome, you got anything for us? Nothing additional. Aon, all the buildings open, ready for business. And the new locker room looks very nice. The new locker room. Has anyone seen the new locker room? Looks very good. Very good. Very nice. You do a fine job, but I do not set still well, and this is the loudest. I need some help. I know. Seriously, Erin, the facilities look nice, the yards look nice, and thank you for Good job protecting the tree. Yes, I do appreciate the the changes that you did at the junior high, too. So, I have heard some positive things from those. And you widened the entrance and put a barrier between the kiddos, as you call them, Shannon, to the traffic, right?
064Yep. So, and he painted more lanes on the west lot, so there's more more people off of Main Street. Yep. But keep up the good work. Aa Ron, Miss Moss, um I was just going to give you an enrollment update since I know most of you are probably interested in that one. Sitting on edge of our seats. Yeah. So, we currently have a total of 3,691 students. Um that is really back up to where we were prior to CO. So they came back that it's it's bounced back. Uh prior to co February 2020 we had enrollment of 3,652 and again this right now we're sitting at 3,691 and we are still getting students. So really just people trickling in. Um yeah it usually doesn't really trickle off until after Labor Day. Yeah, I've heard that
065a number of students from outside the district is what some teachers were saying. I'm sorry. A number of students from just outside the district moving into the area. So, what you ask large classes, second grade, third grade? Uh, third grade's the biggest. Third grade is the kind of our problem area, if you will. Um, the bubble class, not the problem area. The Sure. Yes. The bubble class. I just Yes. So, when we look at third grade, we have to look pretty hard to make sure we're balancing um all the buildings. Third grade is is big. That's the year that most people sent their kid after COVID, so it's a big class. Any other questions? Um just making sure that uh Harland, who was here before school, got out about his recycling thing. Are they moving?
066We got an about that program. Any update on if they're moving forward with that over there? Um, I believe they are, but we can get a better update for you for September. Okay. Do you remember? Do you remember? He's looking at me like he doesn't know what he's talking No, I know what he was hearing because they were talking about because we got talking about how they used to have them and people throw their trash in them and they were going to get that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Miss Watts, do you have anything to add? Kim, the floor is all yours again. Okay. July 31st. in the fiscal year. I don't have any tenative plug in our operating funds in 14,599,9639 trans 594,76 It's a rainy day fund for this year when we're four million
067under budget or in the red. Could rain tomorrow. It's going to rain someday. That's why you have Wait, we only got two more months of that. What will we do? Celebrate. So we were awarded in July $593,640 school. by 9:30 655,75 we've got that accounted for right somewhere I remember when we started these SR one two and three I thought man September 2024 A long way off. Here we are. Here we are. Thank you, Kim. Anything other malic malicious miscellaneous discussion or things? Not hearing none. Remember fake book land. We're going to be a week later next month in September 24th. We have come on the air at 5:45 for our budget meeting and our regular meeting at 6:00 pm. There's a soap game tomorrow, I guess, or today's third Friday and it's a scrimmage
068game and they used to be the old soap games. This year the I the Illinois High School Association is allowing you to play other 10s and we're playing Carterville. That's right. But there's some limitations. someone like each I think Carrie Martin was telling the other day you got each side gets 14 possessions or things of that nature. So, uh come out and support them. School's a week into session. It looks like the teachers here present still have smiles on their faces that I think hopefully that's a good thing. So, I think everything's going well. On behalf of the board of education, I want to thank the administration and all the teachers and staff and everybody and the buildings and the maintenance and everybody and technology of course Jerome for having a good opening and getting
069this year off to a good start. So, thank you all. And with that said, who wants to make my favorite motion? Me, someone. President, he's looking at you. Motion to adjourn. Second. Second, Madam Secretary Waller, yes. Henchaw, yes. Wesley, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you all.