Scales Mound Community Unit School District 211 Board of Education met Nov. 18.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
The regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Scales Mound Community Unit School District #211 was held in the library on Monday, November 18, 2019.
Vice President Stoewer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Recording Secretary Foley called roll with the following members answering: Staci Duerr present, Ron Babcock present, Laura Duerr present, Katie Meusel present, and Jim Stoewer present. Absent from the meeting was Paul Homb, and Jeff Bader.
Administration present: Dr. Caron – Superintendent and Dr. Wiederholt – Principal.
Others present: Angie Winter, Brandon Behlke, Trevor Allen, Keaton Pickel, Trent Allen, Collin Malin, Mason Bilderback, Logan Pehl, Calvin Frank, Thomas Lange, Melanie Knuth, Madelyn Pingel, Georgia Vandigo, Madelyn Greenwald, Emily Hurlburt, Mackenzy Bader, Taylor Korte, CJ Wolfenden, Ayla Jones, Ari Nottrott, Ethan Soppe, and Haleigh Tanner.
Jim asked for approval of the agenda as presented. Ron stated that he had report from IASB Governing Report, and would like to amend the agenda to include the report.
A voice vote to adopt the agenda with the addition report for the IASB Governing Report as presented was taken. All present voted aye. Motion carried.
Consent agenda:
Ron moved Laura seconded to approve the open and closed session minutes from the regular meeting of October 21, 2019, the special meeting on November 6, 2019, approve bills and payroll in the amount of $441,837.64, and the additional amount of $803,575.08, Treasurer’s Report and other financial reports, destruction of closed session audio recording for April 2018, and the field trips for music department and the trap shoot club as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried.
Presentation: 2019 School Report Card and State Designation
Dr. Caron presented information and walked the board through the school report card that was recently released from the State. He stated that the District is Tier 4 with a financial capacity of 151.6%. The enrollment is 258 of which 93% is white, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% Hispanic 6.2% multi race. The District has 17% students with disabilities; the average class size is 13.3 student the State average is 21.9. The District growth in ELA for grades 3-8 was 56.3% versus the State 38%, and in Math, for grades 3-8 was 56.5% versus the state 32%.
Principal’s Report
Dr. Wiederholt summarized the Veterans Day Program on November 8th. He wanted to thank Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Wilhelm, Mrs. Meyer, and Mrs. Wentz for all the efforts. He reported that the Junior High Volleyball Team won the sportsmanship award for the season. He also thanked Mrs. Wilhelm and Mrs. Pickel for the play production that was held on October 26 and 27.
He informed the Board about activities that took place during the SIP Day on November 8th, in which TC Networks talked about Ransomware, Dr. Wiederholt gave a update on the Project 2021 to the staff, and Mr. Hoftender presented the information from the recent life safety visit.
Superintendent’s report
Dr. Caron provided information from two recent Regional Superintendent meetings in which they talked about the pending legislation on paraprofessional license testing and the construction grant. They also were informed that the Illinois Virtual Schools will be offering more programs. Superintendents were told that more information will follow on guidance for the new reformed curriculum. The cooperative planning between Western Illinois and HCC to offer PK-5 teacher courses at HCC was discussed.
Correspondence –Thank you was received from the Mona Bodell Family –(Susan Anderson’s mother) for flowers recently sent.
PTO
Dr. Caron stated that the PTO looking forward to their new area in the Project 2021.
CTE & ERVDS
Dr. Caron provided information from the most recent CTE Board of Control meeting on November 4, 2019, and the Eagle Ridge Vocational Delivery System on November 12, 2019. In which the accepted the audit for both areas. During the CTE meeting the Board awarded the contract for snow removal and during the finance meeting the Board discussed ways to increase enrollment. The Board also voted not to annex into the Village of Elizabeth because they could not see any benefit in doing so.
NWSE report
Dr. Caron provided information from the most recent NWSE Board meeting on November 12, 2019, in which they approve the Dakota hearing/deaf services.
Communications Committee Report
Dr. Caron shared notes from the District Communications Committee meeting on November 12, 2019. The committee is looking into condense the tools the District uses to communicating to families. The committee felt that since the classroom webpages have not been updated in several years that need to be discontinued. A question was asked about the student management software. Dr. Caron stated that he is still watching this. He stated that next committee meeting would be on December 16th at 5 pm.
Curriculum Committee
Dr. Wiederholt provided the information regarding the District Curriculum Committee notes on implementation of e-Learning Days, which can be used in place of emergency days. These would make days called off for inclement weather or other reasons count as regular attendance days. He also stated that Ron and Paul served on this committee. The committee felt that e-Learning days are not the same educational experience that is received in the classroom, but if the Board wants to utilize these days the committee felt that no more than two days be used. The Board asked some of the students how they felt the students comment was that some of the high school students already use virtual school as means for some of the classes they are taking. Mrs. Winter stated that she felt using the days during the winter was better instead of in the spring.
Facilities Committee Report
Dr. Caron reported that the committee met and discussed the master facility plan and worked on updating the plan. They decided that some of items had been completed and removed them from the plan. They are updating the Plan and associated costs of the items that need to completed.
Transportation Committee Report
The committee met and their recommendation is to trade one bus from a 71 to a small bus for next year. The committee is looking into leasing versus buying, the board members will be talking with some of the bus companies at the Triple I conference this upcoming weekend.
Finance Committee Report
The committee met and reviewed the information on the levy. The committee recommendation was to file a levy with a 4.9% increase. The committee was also going to review the information that PMA was preparing however, that information was not ready at the time of the meeting.
IASB Report
Ron reported that Dr. Caron and himself attended at meeting in which the Fulton and Belvidere schools presented information on the post-secondary and workforce readiness act.
Discussion of the tentative 2019 Tax Levy
Dr. Caron shared information from our Finance Committee meeting with the entire Board as a preview to the Board Meeting in December. Based the recent numbers from the courthouse the consensus of the Board at this time was to go with a 4.9% increase and that there was no need to hold a public hearing.
He reported information that PMA is still working on the information for the Project 2021, and they will be presenting at the December Board Meeting.
Course Description Guide
Dr. Wiederholt presented the updated H.S. Course Description Guide for the 2020-21 school year. Jim commented that he liked that the District is adapting the curriculum to the students needs.
Staci moved Ron seconded to approve the 2020-21 Curriculum Guide as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried.
e-Learning Days
Staci moved Katie seconded to approve of Public Hearing for Consideration of using e- Learning Days in Lieu of Emergency Days as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried.
Items for December meeting –
1. Approval of the annual tax levy
2. Approval of eLearning Days
3. Life Safety visit
4. Project 2021 site plan and financing.
Jim declared the meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.
These minutes are subject to approval at the next regular Board meeting.
http://www.scalesmound.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_783366/File/November%20Minutes%202019.pdf
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