Open Meeting Minutes

February 6, 2022 Special Meeting Minutes

January 19, 2022 Minutes

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes –November 20th, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on November 20th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Hansen-present; Pinkerton-present; Ruddy-present; Schumm- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Kassie DuMais-ELA teacher

  4. Public Comment: none

  5. Communications-   None

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 10/16/2019 made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda with changes given at the meeting was made by Schumm, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report-None Superintendent absent.  

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 10/31/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet.

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Groves, seconded by Fortner Roll call:  Fortner-yes; Groves–yes; Hansen-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes Motion carried.

  11. Old Board Business

    1. Handbook-Still waiting to have meeting  

    2. Vacant lot purchase on 7th street-Offered her $2500, she counter offered $4000. Need to look into cost of taxes, tree removal and gravel.

  12. New Board Business

    1. Tax Levy 2019- tabled

    2. State Report Card-IL Empower, School Improvement/Growth, funding – one of the lowest performances in the state. Needs added to December agenda to be discussed with Superintendent.

    3. Roof Proposal\Band Room-funding-Base Bid $38,244, current state money $20,000. Will contact Wallace family.

    4. Cornell Co-Ed Volleyball-Use of Gym-Sounds good.

    5. Lunch provided by Board of Education-last day before break-Board agrees.

    6. Athletic Director-closed

    7. December Calendar

  13. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:47p.m. And returned from @ 7:43p.m. 

  2. Action as a result of Closed Session-None

  3. Approval Items-

    1. Approve E-Learning days for 3 year term (Distant learning Days) - was made by Schumm, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried

    2. Approve Tax levy 2019- Tabled

    3. Approve Cornell Co-Ed volleyball-use of gym- was made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried

    4. Approve Athletic Director Resignation- was made by Ruddy, seconded by Schumm. Roll call:  Fortner-yes; Groves–yes; Hansen-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes Motion carried.

  4. Upcoming Items-

    1. Abatement Resolution of Alternate bond-needs done by March 2020

    2. Superintendent evaluation from Board of Education and teachers.

    3. Transportation

      .

  5. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input –none

  6. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Schumm, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:49p.m.

Open Session Minutes - October 16, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes –October 16th, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on October 16th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Hansen-absent; Pinkerton-present; Ruddy-present; Schumm- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: none

  4. Public Comment: none

  5. Communications-   2019 Resolutions report handed out to the board

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 09/18/2019 made by Schumm, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda with changes given at the meeting was made by Ruddy, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report- $30,000 improvement grant: $20,000 to IPads, $5,000 budget for reading workshop and $5,000 to training. Fire drill went well, Officer Graegert will be coming to go over active shooter alerts. Bill Hoselton, from Henson Robinson, is going to look at the roof. Going to use the $20,000 grant from the state. Boiler is working great.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 09/30/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet.

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Groves, seconded by Schumm Roll call:  Fortner-yes; Groves–yes; Hansen-absent; Pinkerton-yes; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes Motion carried.

  11. Old Board Business

    1. Handbook-Geoff is still working on it and then will get committee and teacher together.

    2. Fall festival-went outstanding

  12. New Board Business

    1. Tax Levy Seminar in Peoria on October 17th-Geoff will be attending, this is a great resource

    2. Parent Teacher Conferences November 5th and 7th, 3-7pm, No school on November 8th

    3. E-learning for Snow days-We will be moving forward

    4. November Calendar

     

  13. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:51p.m. And returned from @ 6:59p.m. 

  2. Action as a result of Closed Session-None

  3. Approval Items-

  4. Upcoming Items-

    1. Tax Levy-Must be completed on or before last Tuesday in December

    2. Abatement Resolution of Alternate bond-needs done by March 2020

       

  5. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input –Coach contacted Judy Farris and she told the board to make a bid for the land across from the school

  6. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:03p.m.

Open Session Minutes - September 18, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes –September 18th, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on September 18th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Hansen-present; Pinkerton-present; Ruddy-present; Schumm- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Lori Pope of Mack & Associates, Shannon Hart and Sarah Garretson

  4. Public Comment: Lori Pope of Mack & Associates went over the June 30th 2019

  5. Communications-   Thank you letter from the Cornell Days Committee

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 08/21/2019 made by Schumm, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda with changes given at the meeting was made by Ruddy, seconded by Schumm.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report- iPads are getting set up. Teacher evaluations have started. New staff is doing great.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 08/31/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet.

    1. Went over in the budget meeting  

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Groves, seconded by Fortner Roll call:  Fortner-yes; Groves–yes; Hansen-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes Motion carried. 

  11. Old Board Business

    1. Wendy Cooper Retirement gift-Geoff hasn’t gotten gift yet but will get it done this week.

  12. New Board Business

    1. Audit Report –Mack and Associates - Approval of Audit- Audit went will, Thank you Lori

    2. Title I Audit - Robert will be getting back to Geoff with some information about being a full Title I school.

    3. Basketball and Volleyball Coaches - Closed

    4. Handbook Committee - Schedule Meeting - Geoff is going to set up a meeting for the committee. Will also discuss handbook with JR high teachers.

    5. Reimburse Mrs. Janssen for graduate work and textbook purchases-We will reimburse Mrs. Janssen

    6. October Calendar

       

  13. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:02p.m. And returned from @ 7:50p.m. 

 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session-None

  2. Approval Items

  1. Approve FY 2019-2020 Budget Motion made by Groves, Seconded by Ruddy. Fortner - yes; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Approve 2019 Audit, Motion made by Hansen, seconded by Van Weelden.   Fortner - yes; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Approve reimbursement of Mrs. Janssen for graduate work and textbook purchases for $124.98, made by Ruddy, seconded by Hansen.   Fortner - yes; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Approve Basketball Coaches for 2019-2020 School, made by Van Weelden, seconded by Schumm.   Fortner - yes; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Approve Volleyball Coaches for 2019-2020 school year, Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Schumm.   Fortner - yes; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

     

  6. Upcoming Items-

     

  7. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input –None

  8. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:59p.m.

Open Session Minutes - August 21, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes –August 21st, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on August 21st, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Van Weelden at 6:33 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves–present; Hansen-present; Pinkerton-absent; Ruddy-present; Schumm- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: None

  4. Public Comment: None

  5. Communications-   No Communications.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 07/24/2019 made by Ruddy, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda with changes given at the meeting was made by Ruddy, seconded by Schumm.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report- Great start to the school year. All of the new teachers and staff are doing amazing. Reviewed a grant for $20,000 will be getting quotes for the roof. Reviewed reap grant $10,000 will be getting quotes for outside doors. $10,000 for 30 iPads with cases.  Hoping to get more iPads and text books. Audit report will hopefully be at September meeting.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 07/31/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet.

    1. Rough budget was giving to Board to review for the next meeting.

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Groves, seconded by Hansen Roll call:  Fortner-absent; Groves–yes; Hansen-yes; Pinkerton-absent; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes Motion carried. 

  11. Old Board Business:  None

  12. New Board Business

    1. Registration numbers-104 for 2019, little less than the 120 we have in 2018

    2. PE Teacher Seth Ward-great start

    3. Special Education Teachers, Karen Austin, Melissa Haller-Melissa is doing great and Karen will start after Labor Day.

    4. Lead Teacher 2019-2020-Closed

    5. Athletic Director 2019-2020-Closed

    6. Extra-Curricular Positions 2019-2020-closed

    7. Discuss Teaching Credits hours, out of state-We will count all Credit hours from any state

    8. FY1920 Tentative Budget and September hearing-

    9. Wendy Cooper Retirement-We will be presenting her with some gift cards

    10. September Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:54p.m. And returned from @ 7:03p.m. 

 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session-Approve to Hire Patti Gourley as Part time Cook, Motion made by Schumm, seconded by Hansen.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Approval Items

  1. Set Budget Hearing for Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 6:15pm Motion made by Schumm, Seconded by Groves. Voice vote with all members approving. 

  2. Approve employment of Lead Teacher Kassandra Dumais for 2019-2020, Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Schumm.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Approve PE Teacher Seth Ward for 2019-2020, made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Approve Special Education Teachers Karen Austin and Melissa Haller for 2019-2020, made by Ruddy, seconded by Van Weelden.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Approve Athletic Director John Roemer for 2019-2020, Motion made by Groves, seconded by Hansen.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Approve Employment of Extra Curricular Positions for 2019-2020 as presented on Sheet provided my Schoonover, Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items-

  1. Adoption on FY20 Budget-September 18th at 6:15pm

 

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input –Audit at the September 18th meeting and also discuss changing to electronic copies of the board packets.

  2. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:12p.m.

Open Session Minutes - July 24, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes –July 24th, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on July 24th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves–present; Hansen-present; Pinkerton-present; Ruddy-present; Schumm- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: None

  4. Public Comment: None

  5. Communications-   No Communications.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 06/24/2019 with changes from email made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda was made by Pinkerton, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report- None all on Agenda and closed

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 06/30/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet.

    1. Packet included fund balance report for April, May and June.

    2. Superintendent Schoonover is working on the budget should be available by the end of July.

    3. Going to talk to Lori Pope of Mack & Associates regarding the accounting entries that need to be made for the repurchase of the municipal bond and discussion about future investments options for public schools.

    4. Shannon said the Bond was a $30,000 difference. Shannon and Superintendent Schoonover will be talking with King Financial Group and Lori Pope of Mack & Associates.

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fortner-absent; Groves–yes; Hansen-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes Motion carried. 

  11. Old Board Business:  

  1. Summer Work Update-Dan is doing a great Job. Gym floor is finished and looks great. Outside basketball hoop is fixed and the old equipment has been removed. Possibly going to look into extending the parking over by the baseball field.  Schoonover is going to talk to Judy the owner of the property across the street about adding more parking or a bus garage.

  2. Non-Certified Staff Compensation/Salaries for 2019-2020-discuss in close session

  3. Superintendent Compensation-discuss in close session

  4. LCSSU New Facility in Flanagan-Invoiced received from LCSSU for out portion of the Flanagan building Purchase and Remodeling. This will be a one-time payment instead of monthly payments. Schoonover will be going over with Josh from LCSSU. The invoice was for $23,601.00.

 

 

  1. New Board Business

    1. 2019-2020 Registration-Turned out good and was very successful.

    2. Teacher Training and First Day of School, August 15th and August 16th –Everyone is ready to go.

    3. Teacher Resignations: Physical Education-Discussed in Closed session

    4. Junior High Math Position-Approved

    5. 2019-2020 Tentative Budget-Schoonover will have ready next week July 30-Aug. 3rd.

    6. School Improvement Grant-Purchase of IPad-Received a $20,000 improvement grant. Will be purchasing $10,000 in IPads and $10,000 in level reading books. Mary Janssen is helping with these purchases.

    7. Board/Staff Breakfast -730 August 15th –School Board will be suppling breakfast.

    8. August Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:52p.m. And returned from @ 7:28p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items

  1. Approve Teacher Registration from Physical Education/Health/Lynette Cavinder, Motion made by Van Weelden, Seconded by Ruddy. Voice vote with all members approving. 

  2. Approve Hiring of Junior High Math Teacher 2019-2020, Motion made by Schumm, seconded by Groves.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Approve Non-Certified staff compensation/salaries for 2019-2020, made by Van Weelden, seconded by Hansen.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Approve Superintendent Compensation, made by Schumm, seconded by Groves.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Approve Purchase of IPADS, Motion made by Schumm, seconded by Hansen.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Approve Expenditure for Purchase and Remodeling of new LCSSU building in Flanagan for the amount of $23,601, Motion made by Groves, seconded by Schumm.   Fortner - absent; Groves - yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy - yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items-

    1. 2019-2020 Tentative Budget-Schoonover will have available week of  July 30th

 

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input –None

  2. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:35p.m.

Special Meeting Minutes - June 19, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Special Meeting Minutes – June 19th, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its Special Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on June 19th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:15p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner– Present; Groves- present; Hansen-present; Pinkerton-present; Ruddy-present; Schumm-present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. Budget Presentation: Superintendent Schoonover gave us an updated copy of the budget. He also explained to us why the budget was amended.

  4. Public Comment: - there was none.

  5. Motion to adjourn made by Ruddy, seconded by Fornter.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Closed session adjourned at 6:27 p.m.

Special Meeting Minutes - May 15, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Special Meeting Minutes – May 15th          , 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its Special Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on May 15th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner– absent; Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. Business:

    1. Approve April 2, 2019 Election Results; Hansen, Schumm, and Van Weelden.  Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  4. Reorganization of the Cornell Board of Education:

    1. Appoint President Pro-Tem for Reorganization: Motion to approve was made by Groves & seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

    2. Appoint Secretary Pro-Tem for Reorganization: Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    3. Adjournment (Sine Die) Old board is done Pinkerton thanks Pfaff and Rogers for all her service.  Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    4. Call To Order By President Pro-Tem.  All present.

    5. Seat New Board of Education Members.  New members Hansen, Schumm, and Van Weelden to stand and take oath.

    6. Administer the Oath of Office

    7. Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves-present, Hansen-present, Pinkerton-present, Ruddy-present, Schumm-present, Van Weelden-present.

    8. Election of Permanent Officers (Positions Held Until April 2021)

  1. President – Nomination was made for Todd Pinkerton.  Motion was made by Groves and seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Vice President- Nomination was made for Will Van Weelden.  Motion was made by Groves and seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Secretary – Nomination was made for Trisha Ruddy.  Motion was made by Pinkerton and seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  4. Treasurer- Nomination was made for Marilea Groves.  Motion was made by Ruddy and seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote will all members approving.  Motion carried.

 

                       i.       Committee Assignments:  

Finance: Pinkerton, Van Weelden & Groves

Building & Grounds: Pinkerton, Hansen & Fortner

Curriculum: Groves, Hansen & Schumm

Transportation: Ruddy, Pinkerton & Fortner

Athletics: Van Weelden, Ruddy & Schumm

                                               

  1. Business:

    1. Approve 2019-2020 Board Meeting Dates, Times and Locations.  A list of the dates was provided and a motion to approve them was made by Hansen and seconded by Schumm.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    2. Approve Designation of Depositories for Financial Funds.  First Financial in Pontiac and State Bank of Graymont.  Motion made by Groves and second by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    3. Approve Committee Assignments.  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    4. Adopt Board of Education policies of Former boar  Motion was made by Groves and seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carrie

  2. Public Comment: - there was none.

  3. Board Member Comment:  President Pinkerton welcomed the new incoming board members and discussed the job duties and the training that needs to be taken. 

  4. Motion to adjourn made by Ruddy, seconded by Hansen.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Closed session adjourned at 6:29 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - May 15, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – MAY 15TH, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on May 15th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves–present; Hansen-present; Pinkerton-present; Ruddy-present; Schumm- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Dan Leonard and Brenda Underwood.

  4. Public Comment: Dan and Brenda presented information on AWANAS. They are asking if they can use the school again for the AWANA’s program for 2019-2020 school year.

  5. Communications-   No Communications.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 04/17/2019 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda was made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report- None-Superintendent Schoonover wasn’t present.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 04/30/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Groves had a few question about the moving of the money market account. Will follow up with Schoonover.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fortner- absent; Groves–yes; Hansen-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Ruddy-yes; Schumm- yes; Van Weelden-yes  Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:  

  1. Awana Program at Cornell Grade School 2019-2020-everything went well and heard amazing things about the program

  2. Mower purchase vs. Mowing contract-wanting to purchase a mower instead of hiring the work out. KSR gave us some good prices.

  3. Cornell Gym Floor refinishing-Half cost funded by PTC. - PTC agreed to pay for half of the 2 coat price.

 

 

  1. New Board Business

    1. Amended Budget-tabled

    2. Waiver of School Code(Article 105ILCSS/10-20, 12A)Approve Students of Employees to attend Cornell Grade School –We are all good with doing this again

    3.  IESA Application for Cooperative Team Sponsorship with Flanagan and Graymont

    4. 8th grade Graduation- this is May 23rd at 7pm

    5. June 2019 Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:55p.m. And returned from @ 7:03p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items

  1. Approve Waiver of School Code (Article 105ILCSS\10-20, 12A) Approve Students of Employees to attend Cornell Grade school.   Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.   Fortner - absent; Groves – yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy- yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  2. Approve purchase of Mower of Geoff, Dan and Van Weelden choice - Motion made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pinkerton.   Fortner - absent; Groves – yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy- yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  3. Approve Cornell Gym Floor refinishing-half the cost funded by PTC 2 coats - Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.   Fortner - absent; Groves – yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy- yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  4. Approve IESA Application for Cooperative Team Sponsorship with Flanagan and Graymont. - Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Hansen.   Fortner - absent; Groves – yes; Hansen – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Ruddy- yes; Schumm – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  5. Approve Summer School Motion made by Schumm, seconded by Groves. Voice vote with all members approving. 

  6. Approve AWANA program at Cornell Grade School for 2019-2020 Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Hansen. Voice vote with all members approving.

  1. Upcoming Items-

    1. Amended Budget-Shannon and Superintendent Schoonover are working on getting it complete

    2. Milk and Bread bids-Getting quotes

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - April 17, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – APRIL 17TH, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on April 17th, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves–present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: No Guests or Visitors

  4. Public Comment: No Public Comment

  5. Communications-   No Communications.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 03/20/2018 made by Roger, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve Agenda was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report- Superintendent Schoonover reported that he will talk with Todd Reed about resealing the gyms floors. Also that in the future meetings we need to look into Holiday pay for some of the non-salary employees. We will set up a financing meeting to go over the option for the non-salary employees.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 03/31/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $954,795.58

  2. We are at 71% expenditures. 

  3. We are at 89% revenue. 

  4. Will be amending the budget due to a student with needs that will require special expenses.

  5. Bond money has been moved over to Kings Financial.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fortner- absent; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:  

  1. LAR Testing Completion Update-Wrapping up and should have returned info in 2 weeks

  2. SDS payroll/accounting program purchase-A quote of $12,500, which is startup and training for Shannon.

  3. 2019-2020 School Calendar-Looks good and Teachers have approved

  4. Mower purchase vs. Mowing contract- Superintendent Schoonover will start looking into getting prices to purchases a mower.

 

  1. New Board Business

    1. Non-Certified Staff Retention Recommendations for Employment- closed session

    2. Resignation of LBS1 teacher-closed session

    3. Registration fees 2019-2020-may need to look at raising price in the future

    4. Lunch/Breakfast fees 2019-2020-may need to look at raising price in the future. K-2 will no longer have snack milk.

  1. IESA registration fee 2019-2020-IESA fee is $735, look at adjustment if we don’t have girls 7/8th grade basketball players or boys 8th grade players. Superintendent Schoonover will follow up with students and coaches.

  1. CO-OP paper order 2019-2020-tabled

    1. Special Board Meeting April 24th –Special Board meeting will be May 15th, 2019 at 6pm before our regular May meeting.

    2. May 2019 Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 © (1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:05 p.m. and returned from @ 7:22 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items

  1. Approve 2019-2020 School Calendar -Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.

  2. Approve Registration Fee for 2019-2020 School year   Motion made by Groves, seconded by Rogers.   Fortner - absent; Groves – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  3. Approve Milk, Breakfast and lunch price for 2019-2020 School Year Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.   Fortner - absent; Groves – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  4. Approve Co-Op order for 2019-2020 –Tabled

  5. Approve IESA Registration Fee for 2019-2020 with adjustment if needed. Motion made by Van Weelden, seconded by Rogers.   Fortner – absent; Groves – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  6. Approve Special Board Meeting-May 15th, 2019 at 6:00pm. - Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.

  7. Approval, with regret, of resignation of LBS1 teacher, Bobbi Ransom at the end of 2018-2019 school year- Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving

  8. Approval for Non-Certified Staff Employment for 2019 – 2020 of the following staff made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves- Roll call:  Fortner- absent; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried.

i. Shannon Hart -District Bookkeeper

ii. Sarah Garretson-Administrative Assistant

iii. Christina Bowman-Teacher Assistant

iv. Wendy Cooper-Cook

v. Tiofi Carlson-Cook

vi. Kin Griswold-Cook

vii. Dan Lenoard-Cusodian

viii. John Kiesla-Custodian

ix. Sue Decker-librarian

x. Gail Janseen-Morning Aide

f. Approve SDS payroll/accounting program purchase for $12,500. Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.   Fortner – absent; Groves – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes. Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items-

    1. Amended Budget-Shannon and Superintendent Schoonover are working on getting it complete

    2. Milk and Bread bids-Getting quotes

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Superintendent Schoonover thanked Board Members Sara Rogers and Amanda Pfaff for their services as board members.

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - March 20, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – March 20, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on March 20, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Kendall King, from King Financial Consulting Group, Amy Peterson and Leslie Coughlin. 

  4. Communications- Kendall King passed out information and spoke to the Board about the refinance of Alternative Revenue Bonds that was discussed with the finance committee.  A letter was given to the board from the attending teachers regarding the Lead Teacher.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 02/20/2019 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve Agenda was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Superintendent Report- Superintendent Schoonover reported that he was very proud of the 8th Grade Volleyball team becoming the Vermillion County Champions.  IAR testing has started and will continue after the spring break.  All seems to be going well.  Popcorn Day and 2 p.m. dismissal is on Friday, the 22nd which is the beginning of Spring Break.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 02/28/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $932,154.06

  2. We are at 65% expenditures. 

  3. Will be amending the budget due to a student with needs that will require special expenses.

  4. Board Member Pfaff found an invoice for Hubert that didn’t match the totals and had sales tax, will approve with correction. 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions with correction to Hubert invoice was made by Grove, seconded by Fortner.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business: 

  1. 2019-2020 School Calendar.  Try to stay as close to FCHS as possible

  1. New Board Business

    1. Refinance of Alternative Revenue Bond – Kendall King spoke earlier in the meeting

    2. Teacher Retention Recommendations for Employment -

    3. SDS Payroll/Accounting program purchase – A quote was given of $12,500 for this specialized program- tabled

    4. Finance Committee Report- discussed during King presentation

    5. Snack/Milk Fees - Superintendent Schoonover is recommending dropping snack milk due to losing money.  Stay with snacks that are brought in by families.

    6. Music Teacher resignation – closed session

    7. Custodial Resignation – closed session

    8. Custodial Hire – closed session

    9. Summer Volleyball Camp- Flyer passed out for dates and cost

    10. April Calendar

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Fortner, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:06 p.m. and returned from @ 7:13 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval for Educational Employment for 2019 – 2020 of the following staff made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried.

  1. Bobbi Ransom (Resource/Special Education) - Year 3

  2. John Roemer (Art) – Part Time

  3. Lynette Cavinder (Physical Education) Tenured

  4. Jenni Giertz (Kindergarten) - Year 5 – Tenured

  5. Alyssa Muscato (First Grade) – Year 2

  6. Amy Petersen (Second Grade) – Tenured

  7. Ashley Follmer (Third Grade) – Year 6 – Tenured

  8. Abby Holcomb (Fourth Grade) – Year 7 – Tenured

  9. Mary Janssen (Firth Grade) – Year 5 – Tenured

  10. Kassandra DuMais (Jr. High English) – Year 1

  11. Leslie Coughlin (Science/Social Science) – Year 5 – Tenured

  12. Ginny Jones (Mathematics) – Year 4

  13. Brooke Kurkowski (Resource/Special Education) – Year 2

 

  1. Approval to refinance the Alternative Revenue Bond.  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

    1. Approval of the 2019-2020 School Year Calendar - Tabled

    2. Approval of SDS payroll/accounting program purchase – Tabled

    3. Approval, with regret, of resignation of Music Teacher, Amanda Hall end of 2018-2019 school year – Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried.

    4. Approval, with regret, of resignation of custodian, Taryn Fortner effective February 28th, 2019 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried.

    5. Approval of the hiring of Dan Leonard as custodian, effective March 4th, 2019.  Motion made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried.

    6. Approval of 2019 Summer Volleyball Camp.  Motion made by Fortner, seconded by Groves.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried.

  2. Upcoming Items-

    1. Registration Fees, Lunch/Breakfast Fees

    2. Milk Bids

  3. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  4. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Fortner, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:19 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - February 20, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – February 20, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on February 20, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Kendal King, from King Financial Consulting Group, Ashley Follmer, Amy Peterson, Sarah Garretson, Shannon Hart & Taryn Fortner.  Taryn asked to speak with the board during closed session.  Kendal King handed out a packet and presented to the Board different options for our bonds. 

  4. Communications- none

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 1/16/2018 made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve Agenda with changes adding the graduation date onto the agenda, was made by Groves, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Superintendent Report- Superintendent Schoonover reported that he was very proud of the 8th Grade Volleyball night.  It was a fun night and there was a good feeling of community spirit.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 01/31/19: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,023,713.77

  2. We are at 55% expenditures. 

  3. Still watching the operational fund closely. 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fortner.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; VanWeelden-yes. Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business: 

  1. Parent Teacher Conferences went well.  There was a very good turnout.

  1. New Board Business

    1. Junior High Language Arts Teacher candidate.  Discuss during closed

    2. Statement of Economic Interests forms were passed out to all Board members

    3. Physical Therapy Services 2019-2020 – charging $45 per 15 minute session

    4. 2019 8th Grade Graduation date to be set – Thursday May 23rd was suggested

    5. 2019-2020 School Calendar – Tabled.

    6. March Calendar – Several items needed attention including track meets.  A new copy will be emailed to the Board

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:12 p.m. and returned from @ 8:46 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- Superintendent Schoonover to speak to Board President regarding contract decision.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval of Kassandra DuMais as Junior High Language Arts Teacher Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

    2. Approval of Results Physical Therapy Services, Dawn Mueller, Physical Therapist of 2019-2020 school year.  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

    3. Approval of 8th Grade Graduation date – tabled

    4. Approval of the 2019-2020 School Year Calendar - tabled 

  3. Upcoming Items-

    1.  Approval for Educational Employment for 2019-2020

    2. Finance Committee to meet

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - January 16, 2019

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – January 16, 2019

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on January 16, 2019.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Van Weelden at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Pfaff-late; Pinkerton-absent; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Ashley Follmer, Abby Holcomb and Shannon Hart.  They asked to speak with the board during closed session. 

  4. Communications- none

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 12/19/2018 made by Groves, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve Agenda with changes of correcting the date on #8, the Fund Balance to December 31, 2018 was made by Ruddy, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Superintendent Report- Superintendent Schoonover reported that we’ve started the 2nd semester and it’s off to a good start.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 12/31/18: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,089,195.22

  2. We are at 76% revenues. 

  3. A lot of work on the boiler system has been done recently. 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Fortner, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-absent; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:  

  1. The Security Cameras are installed and working well.

  2. Smartboards have been installed.  There are a few licensing issues to follow-up on.  Training to come very soon. 

  3. Boiler-Metcalf/Martin- Water treatment.  Due to the sludge build-up, the system needs to be flushed regularly.  An automatic flushing system was installed.

  4. Second Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies; 2:80,2:120,3:40,4:15,4:45,4:130,4:170,5:30,5:60,5:100,5:220,6:20,6:60,7:70,7:100,7:190,7:250,7:260,7:270,7:290,7:305.

  1. New Board Business

    1. Laptop Computers – State Farm.  – Superintendent Schoonover contacted State Farm regarding the grant for 25 more laptops. 

    2. 2019-2020 School Calendar – A committee is being put together to work on the calendar in hopes to be on next month’s agenda

    3. Barickman State Grant for roof – Superintendent Schoonover filled out a Grant for a possibility of a $20,000 grant money, which is intended for the roof. 

    4. Vermillion Conference Tourney – Everything seems to have went well other than the parking situation. 

    5. Special Education Teacher – closed session

    6. Superintendent Contract – closed session

    7. February Calendar – Parent Teacher Conferences set for Feb 5th & 7th.  There may be a possible conflict with a sporting event.

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:55 p.m. and returned from @ 8:12 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- Superintendent Schoonover to speak to employee

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval of Board Policy Updates as presented.  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.

    2. Approval of Employment of Special Education Teacher, Brooke Kurkowski, for remainder of 2018-2019 school year.  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-absent; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

  3. Upcoming Items-

    1.  PTC

    2. Calendar

    3. Computers

    4. Grants

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Rogers, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - December 19, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – December 19, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on December 19, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves–present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Roberta Maubach and Ashley Follmer.  Mrs. Maubach asked if the board would consider letting the Classic Clover 4H Club hold their annual spaghetti dinner at the school as long as all the logistics work out.  The board had no problem with the request.

  4. Communications- none

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 11/14/2018 made by Groves, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve Agenda with changes of adding the Cornell Classic Clover request made by Ruddy, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Superintendent Report- none- absent

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 11/30/18: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,152,562.57

  2. Pfaff reported that nothing stood out to her and everything seemed standard

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes, Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes. Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:  

  1. The Security Cameras are installed. 

  2. Smartboards have arrived.  Are to be installed over the Christmas break.

  3. Boiler-Metcalf/Martin- Water treatment.  There was no update since Superintendent Schoonover was absent.  There was a recent check sent to them. 

  4. Second Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies; 2:70, 2:70-E, 2:120-E1, 2:120-E2, 2:240-E1, 2:240-E2, 6:100, 7:10-E, 7:270, 8:90, 8:110, 2:220-E3, 6:80, 6:180, 6:210, 8:70, 2:260, 4:15, 4:110, 4:150, 4:170, 5:20, 5:90, 5:100, 5:200, 5:220, 5:240, 5:290, 6:50, 6:60, 6:150, 6:340, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 7:70, 7:180, 7:190, 7:250, 7:260, 7:275, 7:305, 7:340, 2:105, 2:170, 2:260, 4:20, 4:40, 4:80, 4:140, 5:20, 5:200, 6:10, 6:30, 6:60, 6:120, 6:190, 6:230, 6:240, 6:250, 7:50, 8:25. 5:20-E, 3:40-E, 6:135 

  1. New Board Business

    1. First Reading Board Policy:  PRESS Recommendation Policies; 2:80,2:120,3:40,4:15,4:45,4:130,4:170,5:30,5:60,5:100,5:220,6:20,6:60,7:70,7:100,7:190,7:250,7:260,7:270,7:290,7:305.

    2. Cornell Classic Clovers request the use of the facility on Sunday, February 17th, 2019, 8 a.m  - 3 p.m.  The board had no problem letting the 4H club use the facility.  Roberta Maubach would get back with the school after their next meeting to let us know for sure or not.

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:43 p.m. and returned from @ 7:20 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval of Board Policy Updates as presented.  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.

  3. Upcoming Items-

    1.  Superintendent Schoonover’s contract needs to be put on the agend

    2. Secretary and Treasurer need to be selected.

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:26 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - November 14, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – November 14, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on November 14, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves – absent (late); Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Ginny Jones

  4. Communications- Thanksgiving cards to each of the Board members from Green & Assoc.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 10/17/2018 made by Fortner, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from 10/24/2018 made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve the agenda with no changes was made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Superintendent Report

    1. Received $750 Grant money to be used for the Library. 

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 10/31/18: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,275,602.66

  2. We are currently at 70% of revenues – looking very healthy right now

  3. A separate check was cut for $520.15 for our accounting program annual contract.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions was made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner.  Roll call:  Fortner- present; Groves – absent (late); Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present. Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Parent Teacher conferences went well.  There were a few that went longer, but that just means they are getting feedback.

  2. The Security Cameras are being installed. There are some up and running.  The office needs a screen to monitor. 

  3. There was another leak in the 4th grade room that was addressed.  Metcalf/Martin will be coming on Friday to work on the pump and replace it on Wednesday.  A proposal for water treatment and run sludge out of the boiler was brought up.  Discussion also took place about using a timer to flush with chemical treatment. 

  4. A quote from Pontiac Granite for the Wallace McIntyre tablet was presented to the boar 

  1. New Board Business

    1. Tax Levy 2018.  The EAV went down, Superintendent Schoonover will be checking into why.  We are tax capped and want to stay below 5%.

    2. Smartboard – purchase & installation.  We still have REAP Grant money to use after installing the security camera and the staff would like Smartboards.  Discussion took place and staff member Ginny Jones had some input to help the board make a decision.  The school would like 7 boards total at approximately $3800 each.  PTC is willing to help with the purchases.  It is beneficial for everyone to have the boards at the same time and be learning how to use the boards all together.  Funding for smartboards not covered by REAP Grant or PTC group will come from district technology budget.

    3. Abatement bond needs approved

    4. First Reading Board Policy:  CGS is behind on these and will be done by December or get fine  The second reading is to be done in December.   PRESS Recommendation Policies; 2:70, 2:70-E, 2:120-E1, 2:120-E2, 2:240-E1, 2:240-E2, 6:100, 7:10-E, 7:270, 8:90, 8:110, 2:220-E3, 6:80, 6:180, 6:210, 8:70, 2:260, 4:15, 4:110, 4:150, 4:170, 5:20, 5:90, 5:100, 5:200, 5:220, 5:240, 5:290, 6:50, 6:60, 6:150, 6:340, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 7:70, 7:180, 7:190, 7:250, 7:260, 7:275, 7:305, 7:340, 2:105, 2:170, 2:260, 4:20, 4:40, 4:80, 4:140, 5:20, 5:200, 6:10, 6:30, 6:60, 6:120, 6:190, 6:230, 6:240, 6:250, 7:50, 8:25. 5:20-E, 3:40-E, 6:135 

    5.  Christmas Breakfast from the Board for staff members is set for Friday, December 21st at 7 a.m.  Trisha Ruddy has menu.

    6. December Calendar.  Winter Program is the 13th.  Officially moving the Board meeting to the 19th from the 18th due to a basketball game.     

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Fortner, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:14 p.m. and returned from @ 8:04 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session-

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval of Tax Levy 2018.  Motion Made by Fortner, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Approval of the purchase and installation of 6 Smartboards for classrooms.  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

    3. Approval of Abate $41,844 of the 2018 Alternative Revenue Bond.  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

    4. Approval of The Wallace McIntyre Headstone.  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried

    5. Approval of the employment of Superintendent of Schools. Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – no; Pfaff-no; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- no; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Upcoming Items-

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - October 24, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 24, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on October 24, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 5:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves – present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: none

  4. Communications- To Board President, intention of retirement letter.

  5. Motion to approve the agenda with no changes was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  6. Superintendent Report

    1. Filled out paperwork regarding retired teachers working 120 plus and reposted openings in two papers.

    2. Deposit was made into the money market.

  7. Old Board Business:

  1. Boiler Update- Tim Durre getting the boiler ready.   They are doing pipe cleaning, there is sludge buildup.  They would like to do a “pipe crawl” to check for any further leaks and any condensation.

  2. Tricom Security Camera Proposal- The Board discussed the options and would like to move forward on this and also add a door camera. 

  3. Tax Levy Seminar - Superintendent Schoonover went to seminar.  Appears there will be a tax cap.

  4. Co-Ed Open Gym Volleyball – Will be on Saturdays, will not conflict with AWANA, but a time adjustment may need to be made due to basketball practice. The Board feels it’s good for the community.  They will need to abide by all the rules set in place for using the facility.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Fortner, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 5:51 p.m. and returned from @ 6:18 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- Superintendent Schoonover to talk with teacher regarding disagreement.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval of Materials and Installation of Camera Security System.  Motion Made by Rogers, seconded by Groves.  Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Approval of Co-Ed Open Gym Volleyball.  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves. Roll call:  Fortner- yes; Groves – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers-yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  4. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 6:21 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - October 17, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 17, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on October 17, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves – present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Nick Pick from Tricom Services and Brenda Underwood.  Opportunity was given for public comment.  Nick from Tricom gave a short presentation on the security cameras along with some quotes.

  4. Communications- none

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from September 19, 2018 was made by Groves, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve the agenda with no changes was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.- none (absent)

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of September 30, 2018: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

    1. Pfaff reported that the large check discussed last month had not yet been deposited.

  9. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Van Weelden, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call: Fortner – yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy-yes, Van Weelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  10. Old Board Business:

  1. Fall Festival Update – it was thought that it wasn’t as well attended, but may have raised as much as last year. 

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Boiler – Metcalf/Martin – no info

    2. Wallace McIntyre headstone – quotes are ranging from $800 - $1100.  The family has suggested some words they would like to see on the stone. 

    3. Tricom security camera proposal.  (see guest and visitors)

    4. Tax Levy Seminar on October 18th in East Peoria – board hopes Geoff can attend this

    5. Parent Teacher Conferences- October 30th and November 1st. 3p-7p.  No school on Nov. 2nd

    6. Co-Ed Open Gym Volleyball- No info, board wanted to make sure there was no conflict with the AWANA group that meets here on Sundays

    7. November Calendar- Speech Contest Nov 10th

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:04 p.m. and returned from @ 7:48 p.m. 

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items: None

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. Tax Levy – Must be completed by last Tuesday of December

    2. Abatement Resolution for Alternate Bond

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - September 19, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – September 19, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 09/19/18.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Ashley Follmer, Leslie Coughlin, Abby Holcomb, Amy Petersen, Mary Jansen, Lynette Cavinder.

  4. Communications - The teachers were given 5 minutes each to speak.  Ashley Follmer addressed the board about the decision regarding the Lead Teacher position.  A list was handed out to the board for their recommendation and asked the board to reconsider. 

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 08/15/2018 was made by Fortner, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve the agenda was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report:

    1. A couple more students have registered bringing the total to 116

    2. Superintendent Schoonover has been making observations of building, teachers and learners.

    3. Good report for retired teachers and the teacher shortage. 

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of August 31, 2018: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,121,074.21

  2. REAP Grant = $39,000

  3. All Title I money came in

  4. Watching upgrades to the building closely.

  5. Spoke with Jason Barickman regarding possibility of Capital money

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions was made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll Call:, Fortner –yes, Groves- yes , Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden –yes, Motion carried

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Roof Update/Possible Funding from State of Illinois – called roofing company about some more leaks.  They sent someone right away to fix four areas. 

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Contractual agreement between Mack and Associates, P.C and Cornell CCSD 426.  1, 2 or 3 year contract was discussed. 

    2. Transfer of Funds to Money Market was discussed. 

    3. REAP Grant of $39,000- possible items needed was discussed

    4. Digital Camera Security System – Tabled  

    5. PTC Athletic Fee proposal – PTC proposed charging a fee to those who are not helping with concession stand. 

    6. Assistant Cook – discuss during closed

    7. Basketball and volleyball Coaches – discuss during closed

    8. Compensation for Cooks – discuss during closed

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.    The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Ruddy seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:01 p.m. and returned from @ 7:38 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- The Board gave Superintendent Schoonover permission to talk to the teachers team regarding Lead Teacher.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve the FY 2018-2019 Budget was made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve the Transfer of Funds to Money Market of $125,557.01 was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fortner.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve resignation of Cook, Mandy Gray was made by Rogers, seconded by Pfaff. Motion carried. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve Volleyball Coaches, Sarah Rients & Brittany Lyons, for 2018/19 was made by Pfaff and seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carrie

  5. Motion to Approve Basketball Coaches, Dan Leonard, Joe Ruddy & Korie Lyons, for 2018/19 was made by Van Weelden and seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve Part Time Cook, Tiofi Carlson was made by Groves and seconded by Rogers.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  7. Motion to Approve Compensation for Cooks was made by Ruddy and seconded by Fortner.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  8. Motion to Approve Contractual agreement between Mack and Associates, P.C. and Cornell CCSD 426 for three years was made by Pfaff and seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. October Calendar has Parent Teacher Conferences coming up

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Bus Stop Signs issues – signs not being put out properly

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - August 15, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – August 15, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 08/15/18.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Shannon Hart, Lauri Pope, CPA with Mack & Associates and Jenni Gertz.

  4. Public Comments – none.

  5. Communications- none.

  6. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 07/25/2018 was made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve the agenda was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fortner. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  8. Superintendent Report:

    1. Back to School Night had a good turnout and a success

    2. Thank  you to the Board for Breakfast

    3. Good Teachers Institute today. 

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of July 31, 2018: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $644,953.44

  2. Lauri from Mack & Associates presented the board with their report, no deficiencies were found and nothing stands out.  Board President Pinkerton found a typo and Lauri will be redoing that particular section and sending them out with the correction.

  3. Board member Pfaff asked about payments on health insurance on staff that have left CGS.  They were paid through July according to Superintendent Schoonover and Shannon Hart.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call:, Fortner –yes, Groves- yes , Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden –yes, Motion carried

  2. Old Board Business:  None

  3. New Board Business:

    1. Audit Report – went well see Financial Report.  Big thanks to Shannon for her help. 

    2. Back to School Night went well.  There was a good turnout.  There were some kids participating in sports that could not make it.

    3. 115 students registered for the 2018/19 school year

    4. Junior High Language Arts Grade Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Teacher Assistant recommendations- closed session.

    5. Lead Teacher 2018/19 recommendations- closed session

    6. Athletic Director 2018/19 recommendations- closed session

    7. FY18/19 Tentative Budget and September Hearing

    8. September Calendar

  4. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.    The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:11 p.m. and returned from @ 8:51 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Set Budget Hearing for Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 6:15 p.m. was made by Fortner, seconded by Groves. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve the employment of Lead Teacher was made Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Fortner- no, Groves – no, Pfaff –no, Pinkerton- no, Rogers – no, Ruddy – no, Van Weelden- no.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve 2018 Audit was mad by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve the employment of Special Education Teacher, Deborah Fredricksen, for 2018/19 was made by Pfaff and seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carrie

  5. Motion to Aprrove the employment of Junior High Language Arts Teacher, Brenda Underwood, for 2018/19 was made by Ruddy and seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Aprrove the employment of Teaching Assistant, Kassandra DuMais, for 2018/19 was made by Pfaff and seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

  7. Motion to Aprrove the employment of Athletic Director, John Roemer, for 2018/19 was made by Van Weelden and seconded by Fortner.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden- yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Adoption on FY18/19 Budget

    2. Building and Grounds committee to set meeting

    3. Lead Teacher job description to be written up

    4. Money Market account info

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – none  

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Fortner, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - July 25, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – July 25, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on July 25, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Board President Todd Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- absent; Pfaff-absent; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-absent, Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: none.

  4. Time was given to our guests for Public Comment.  No comments at this time. 

  5. Communications: there was none. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular Session and Closed Meeting Minutes from 06/20/18 was made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda was made by Rogers, seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report:

    1. Superintendent Schoonover visited Metcalf Martin regarding the possibility of them giving some staff boiler training.  He hopes to go over the proper maintenance procedure with staff.

  9. Financial Report:  Fund Balance Report as of 06/30/2018 is $741,946.13 cash in bank.  Superintendent Schoonover states that the audit went well and a presentation from the auditors is scheduled. 

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- absent; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-absent; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

  11. Old Board Business:

    1. Superintendent Schoonover brought the board up to date on all the work that has been done over the summer including ceiling tiles, painting, supplies being inventoried and the floors being done in August.

    2. The 2018-2019 Student Handbook has been updated.  Not much updating needed to take place this year other than dates.

    3. The Title One District Plan also just needed updated on the dates.

  12. New Board Business:

    1. The audit went well, no findings. 

    2. 2018-2019 Registration is set for August 1st and 2nd with approximately 115 kids.

    3. 2018-2019 Tentative Budget was discussed.  Not many changes.  Look over for September approval.

    4. 1st Grade Teacher, Junior High Language Arts Teacher, Art Teacher – for closed session.

    5. Board/Staff Breakfast – 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 15th – bring the same thing as previously brought.

    6. August Calendar – add registration

  13. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:56 p.m. and returned from @ 7:19 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to approve Tentative Budget for 2018/19, was made by Groves, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner-absent; Pfaff- absent; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-absent; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve to Title One District Plan 2018/19 was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: : Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- absent; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-absent; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve the 2018/19 Student Handbook was made by Rogers, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    4. Motion to approve the hiring of Alyssa Muscato as 1st Grade Teacher was made by Groves, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- absent; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-absent; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carrie

    5. Motion to approve Candidate as Junior High Language Arts Teacher for 2018/19 was tabled.

    6. Motion to approve John Roemer as Art Teacher for 2018/19, was made by Rogers, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- absent; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-absent; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Upcoming Items:  none

    1. Approval of 2018/19 Budget

  4. Open Matters of Discussion: 

    1. Skateboarders were spotted apparently on the roof, the police were contacted.  There was no action due to not knowing who it was.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned 7:24 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - June 20, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – June 20, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on June 20, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Board President Todd Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- absent; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present, Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Ashley Follmer.

  4. Time was given to our guests for Public Comment.  No comments at this time. 

  5. Communications: there were none. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular Session and Closed Meeting Minutes from 05/16/18 was made by Groves, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report:

    1. The building is getting ready over the summer for the 2018/19 school year.  Painting and other various items are taking place this summer.

    2. Ransom school donated literacy readers to Cornell.  Superintendent Schoonover will be sending out a proper thank you for their gift in kind.

    3. Superintendent Schoonover has been busy interviewing for the open positions.  More interviews are scheduled the rest of the week.

  9. Financial Report:  Fund Balance as of 05/31/2018 is $785,533.65 cash in bank.  The Amended Budget was discussed as well as the Limitations of Cost now being at 3%.  Some questions came up regarding the use of the credit card for extracurricular activities and small purchases.  Tracking of all purchases is very important for proper records keeping.  Superintendent Schoonover will remind all users to keep better track.  TRS loan has been paid off.  The audit is scheduled for July.

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

  11. Old Board Business:

    1. Superintendent Schoonover talked with Odell regarding Co-Op Cross Country.  They are willing to Co-Op with us.  The fee is $90 and transportation will not be provided.    

    2. The pay for the assistant Volleyball Assistant Coach for last year was brought up again.  It was felt that the board may have misunderstood or was misinformed of how many games were attended by the assistant coach.

  12. New Board Business:

    1. Resolution to transfer monies from Education Fund to Operation/Maintenance Fund. 

    2. Bus Transportation Intergovernmental Agreement with Flanagan District #74 and Cornell District #426 was discussed.  Due to the increase in gas prices, the cost for transportation has gone up 36%, which is an increase of $4,500.

    3. Abate working Cash Fund.

    4. Title One District Plan. - Tabled 

    5. Teachers Resignations: Art, 1st Grade, Junior High Language Arts to be discussed during closed session.

    6. 1st Grade Teaching Position. 

    7. Music Band Position. 

    8. 4th Grand Band scheduling options were discussed.

    9. Time Clock discussion to take place during closed session.

    10. Non- Certified Staff compensation/Salaries for 2018/19 to be discussed during closed session.

    11. Board of Education meeting dates set for 2018/19.

    12. July Calendar – July meeting bumped a week out.

  13. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:10 p.m. and returned from @ 8:15 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to approve Amended Budget for 2017/18, was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner-absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Resolution to transfer monies from Education Fund to Operation/Maintenance Fund, in the amount of $20,000 was made by Pfaff, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll call: : Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve Teacher Resignation for Art, Junior High Language Arts, 1st Grade was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    4. Motion to approve Non-Certified Staff compensation/Salaries for 2018/19 was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carrie

    5. Motion to approve Abatement of Working Cash Fund was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    6. Motion to approve Bus Transportation Intergovernmental Agreement/Flanagan District #74 and Cornell District #426, was made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    7. Motion to approve Title One District Plan FY19 was TABLED.

    8. Motion to approve hiring Amanda Hall as the music teacher was made by Ruddy, seconded by Grove.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    9. Motion to approve the hiring of 1st Grade Teacher was TABLED.

    10. Motion to approve the Board of Education Meeting Dates for 2018/19 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    11. Motion to approve to pay back pay to the Volleyball Assistant Coach was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- absent; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    12. Motion to approve the purchase of a Time Clock was TABLED.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:  none

    1. 2018/19 Budget

    2. Student Handbook

  2. Open Matters of Discussion: 

    1. Contract for Auditor is up.

    2. Superintendent Schoonover is waiting for the audit to see where we stand on extra cash in savings account.  

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned 8:24 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - May 16, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – May 16, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on May 16, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Board President Todd Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present, Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Jenny Giertz and Samantha Woods.

  4. Time was given to our guests for Public Comment.  No comments at this time. 

  5. Communications were brought up during this time.  A thank you note was given to Todd Pinkerton for his work on the bench installation in the front of the school. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular Session and Closed Meeting Minutes from 04/18/18 was made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda was made by Rogers, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  8. Superintendent Report:

    1. 16 students graduating tomorrow, May 17th at 7 p.m.

    2. Superintendent Schoonover stated that there were 18 potential Kindergarten students for next year. 

    3. Superintendent Schoonover also mentioned that a current student has improved tremendously over the school year.

    4. The Crisis Drill with Officer Donovan went very well.  Staff and students did an excellent job.  An evacuation drill was done at this time, this also went well.  ALICE training to come later.      

    5. May 29th is Field Day from 9-2 with grilling out for the staff and the 30th is the last day of school.  Class picnics will be this day.

    6. Superintendent Schoonover was approached be a student regarding cross-country.  Superintendent Schoonover will check with another school to see if that is even an option.

  9. Financial Report:  Fund Balance as of 04/30/2018 is $858,8365 cash in bank.  We are at 94% revenue, 77% expenditures.  Roof money moved into account and the auditors brought to the attention that the administrative costs cannot go above 5% we are now at 6% according to their numbers.

  10. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions made by Van Weelden, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

  11. Old Board Business:

    1. Lunch/Breakfast/Milk fees for 2018/2019 is being recommended to stay the same.   

    2. AWANA Program at the Cornell Grade School is considered a great asset to the community.  The group will need to abide by the contract and show proof of insurance.

  12. New Board Business:

    1. 8th Grade Graduation 7 p.m.  Thursday, May 17th. 

    2. Teacher Contract – Ratified by teachers.  Sheet was passed around for all board members to see. 

    3. Medical Insurance Plan Options sheets were given to the board for comparison.  It was recommended to go with the BCE option at this time.

    4. Summer School Proposal for Mrs. Ransom to teach the summer school this year, starting June 4th – 25th for three hours, 8 am – 11am.  There was mention of a conflict with Community VBS, and it was stated that if a child prefers to attend the VBS, there will be no problems with that. 

    5. Superintendent Schoonover suggested that Athletic Director Position continue to be filled by the current Athletic Director. 

    6. Superintendent Schoonover suggested paying the Assistant Track Coach Stipend to the Head Track Coach, as she coached all season by hersel

    7. A letter from Results Physical Therapy and Fitness was given to the board in regard to providing PT services.  They charge $40 per 15 min as well as time spent in IEP meetings. 

    8. Prevailing Wage Resolution no longer has to go into the newspaper.  It can be posted on the website only now.

    9. June Calendar.

  13. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:18 p.m. and returned from @ 7:36 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to approve Mile, Breakfast and Lunch Prices for 2018-2019 School Year was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Teacher Contract for the 2018-2019, 2019-2020 School Year was made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call: : Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve Medical Insurance Plan was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- sustain.  Motion carried.

    4. Motion to approve Summer School was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: : Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carrie

    5. Motion to approve Athletic Director for 2018-2019 was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    6. Motion to approve Track Coach Stipends for 2017-2018 was made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    7. Motion to approve the Results Physical Therapy, Dawn Muller, Physical Therapist for 2018-2019 school year was made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner. Roll call: Groves – yes; Fornter- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    8. Motion to approve the Prevailing Wage Resolution was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.   Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    9. Motion to approve the AWANA Program allowing them to use the Cornell Grade School upon signing contract and showing proof of insurance was made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

 

  1. Upcoming Items:  none

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – none

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Ruddy, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned 7:45 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - April 18, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – April 18, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on April 18, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Board President Todd Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present, Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Abby Holcomb, Dan Leonard & Brenda Underwood.

  4. Time was given to our guests for Public Comment.  Dan Leonard and Brenda Underwood presented to the Board information on AWANA.  The Cornell Community is looking for a place to hold AWANA and has asked the board to consider letting them meet at the school.  The Board will give this request during closed session. 

  5. No communications were brought up during this time.

  6. Motion to approve Closed Session and Regular Meeting Minutes from 3/21/18 with changes to the date was made by Ruddy & seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve Closed Session and Regular Meeting Minutes from 3/28/18 was made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  8. Motion to approve the Agenda was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  9. Superintendent Report

    1. Dates of May 1st or May 7th were suggested by Superintendent Schoonover for the Negotiations team to meet.

    2. Superintendent Schoonover went to training for digital threat and reported that it was very good and informative.  It went over how to determine if you have an actual threat by using digital software.  Superintendent Schoonover intends to give a presentation in the future.

    3. Livingston County Sherriff Dept. will be going over a crisis plan. This will include Lock Down and Evacuation procedures.

    4. Superintendent Schoonover informed the Board that we continue to have water issues.  The drain in the Library, the 5th grade ceiling and the 3rd grade floor.  Any issues tied to the roof need to be addressed and fixed by the roofing company.     

  10. Financial Report:  Fund Balance as of 03/31/2018 is $1,173,539.04.  We are at 90%, 71% expenditures.  Things are looking well. 

  11. Motion to approve the Bills and Requisitions

  12. Old Board Business:

    1. PARCC Testing Completion- This may be the last year for this testing since the contract has ended.  They are looking for something with more immediate feedback.   

    2. Boys Intramural Volleyball – Will do a trial to see how well it takes off, possibly include it with P.E. Programming. 

  13. New Board Business:

    1. Non-Certified Staff Retention Recommendations for Employment

    2. Registration Fees for 2018-2019.  Sheet was attached for the State Recommendations- it was recommended that we stay the same as last year.

    3. Lunch/Breakfast Fees for 2018-2019.  More information is needed to make a decision at this time, tabled.

    4. Cooperative Paper Purchasing Project Co-op Paper Order – 62 cases will be ordered

    5. May Calendar

  14. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:25 p.m. and returned from @ 8:06 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to approve the Registration Fee of $70 per child for 2018-2019 School Year was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call: Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Milk, Breakfast and Lunch Prices for the 2018-2019 School Year – Tabled

    3. Motion to approve ordering 62 cases of paper from the Co-Op Paper Project was made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fortner.  Roll call: : Groves – yes; Fortner- yes; Pfaff- yes; Pinkerton-yes; Rogers- yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden- yes.  Motion carried.

    4. Motion to Approve Non-Certified Staff Employment for 2018-2019 of:

      1. Shannon Hart – District Bookkeeper by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      2. Sarah Garretson- Administrative Assistant – by Groves, seconded by Pfaff. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      3. Christina Bowman- Teachers Assistant – by Van Weelden, seconded by Ruddy. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      4. Wendy Cooper - Cook – by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      5. Amanda Gray - Cook- by Pfaff, seconded by Groves. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      6. Kim Griswold- Cook – by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      7. Taryn Fortner –Custodian- by Ruddy, seconded by Groves. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – abstain; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      8. John Kisela- Custodian – by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      9. Sue Decker- Librarian – by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      10. Gail Janssen- Morning Aide– by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Milk and Bread Bids

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – AWANA to be put on next month’s agenda.  Boys VB without financial support. 

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned 8:17 p.m.

Special Meeting Open Session Minutes - March 28, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Special Meeting Minutes – March 28, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on March 28, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Board President Todd Pinkerton at 5:15 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present, VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: none

  4. Communications- none.

  5. Motion to approve agenda was made by Pfaff & seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  6. Superintendent Report

    1. Twenty five more laptops have been received and are working well and ready to go.  Superintendent Schoonover will be getting quotes for Non-Profit Bulk Licensing for Microsoft 16 to be installed.

    2. PARCC is done for the 6th, 7th & 8th grades

    3. We have been nominated for the Monsanto Grant again this year; Ashley Follmer will be helping Superintendent Schoonover apply for this.

    4. Superintendent Schoonover and Taryn will be getting in touch with the boiler people to get some specific operating procedures and education on the system.   

  7. Old Board Business: Tabled

    1. Mowing-Bids/Lawnmower discussion – Two bids came in, One from Armored Lawn Care at $170 per mow, and the other was from Dehm at $180 per mow and Leonard came in with Certificate of Insurance and lowest bid. 

    2. Teacher Retention Recommendations for Employment – Discuss during closed

    3. Summer Volleyball Camp – June 11-15.  Flyer had a misprint. 

  8. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 5:25 p.m. and returned from @ 6:05 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve the Educational Employment for 2018-2019 of:

      1. Christina Bowman (Teacher’s Aide) year 8 –by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      2. Bobbie Ransom (Resource/Special Education) – Year 2 – by Ruddy, seconded by Rogers. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      3. Kim McHenry (Art) – Year 7 – by Groves, seconded by Fortner. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      4. Lynette Cavinder (Physical Education) Tenured – by Fortner, seconded by Groves. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      5. Jenni Giertz (Kindergarten) – Year 4- by Pinkerton, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      6. Samantha Woods (First Grade) - Year 6 – by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      7. Amy Peterson – (2nd Grade) – Tenured – by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      8. Ashley Follmer ( 3rd Grade) – Year 5 – by Rogers, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      9. Abby Holcomb (4th Grade) – Year 6 – by Groves, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      10. Mary Jansen (5th Grade) – Year 4 – by Ruddy, seconded by Pfaff. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      11. Tiffany Dukes (Jr. High English/Title I) – Year 4 – by VanWeelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      12. Leslie Coughlin (Science/Social Science) – Year 4 – by Pfaff, seconded by Groves. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      13. Ginny Jones (Mathematics) – Year 3 – by Groves, seconded by Ruddy. Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

      14. Laura Spraggon (Resource/Special Education) – Year 5 – by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Groves -no; Fortner – no; Pfaff – no; Pinkerton – no; Rogers – no; Ruddy – no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Dick Leonard to mow the lawn for a one year term at the rate of $150 per mow made by Rogers, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fortner – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve the June 11-15th Volleyball Camp made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving. 

 

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – none

  2. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Fortner, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned 6:14 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - March 21, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – March 21, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on February 21, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Board President Todd Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- absent; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present, Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Tiffany Dukes, Jake Hutton, Caige Garzanelli, Abud Abusharekh, Ginny Jones and Amy Petersen.  Opportunity was given for public comment.  The student visitors gave a presentation regarding starting a boys’ volleyball team.  The Board appreciated their time and effort.  Discussion will take place at a later time regarding the subject.

  4. Communications- Letter of resignation.  Details to be discussed in Closed Session.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 02/21/2018 made by Ruddy, seconded by Pinkerton, voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve agenda was made by Groves & seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report – none.  Superintendent was not present at this meeting.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 02/28/2018: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet.  No further discussion was made regarding finances. 

  9. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Groves– yes, Fortner – absent, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy- yes, Van Weelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  10. Old Board Business: Tabled

    1. Mowing-Bids/Lawnmower discussion - tabled

  11. New Board Business:

    1. Teacher Retention Recommendations for Employment.  Tabled until Wednesday 28th

    2. Summer Volleyball Camp – June 11-15 - Tabled

    3. April Calendar.

  12. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:46 p.m. and returned from @ 7:38 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Approval for Educational Employment for 2017-2018 – Tabled

    2. Approval of purchase of lawnmower or lawn mowing bid – Tabled

    3. Approval of Volleyball Camp - Tabled

    4. Motion to approve, with regret, Letter of Resignation for assistant track coach made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Groves – yes, Fortner – absent, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carrie

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. Registration Fees

    2. Lunch/Breakfast Fees

    3. Milk Bids

    4. Contract Negotiations

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – none

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - February 21, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – February 21, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on February 21, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by Will VanWeelden at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-late; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present, VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Seth Brown.  Opportunity was given for public comment but none was heard. 

  4. Communications- none.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 01/17/2018 made by Groves, seconded by Fortner with the following corrections:  

    1. The wrong Board Member name was listed & and one left off

Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  1. Changes to the agenda to talk about a mower option was made.  Motion to approve made by Ruddy & seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  2. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover talked about the moisture issue in the art room.  There was concern about the air quality.  EML Lab did an air quality test and there was no significant issues to be concerned about.

  2.  Superintendent Schoonover said another roof leak has come up and the roofing company has been notified and will be coming back to look at it.

  3. Superintendent Schoonover recently attended a Superintendent meeting where they discussed Crisis Plans and implementing drills specifically regarding active shooters.

  4. At this same meeting, the topic of cost shift/pension shift came up.  It is Superintendent Schoonover and others strong opinion that this should not happen.  He will stay on top of this subject.

  5. Cornell Mayor, Steve Rapp, asked if the township could use the bus during the July 13 & 14th Garden Walk.  The members of the board thought there might be some liability issues.  Superintendent Schoonover will look further into this. 

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of 01/31/2018: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $ 980,161.19

  2. Lunch bills have decreased since a call went out by approx. $1000. 

  3. We are at 81% revenues received for this school year and 55% expenditures. 

  4. A deposit was made into the roof account

  5. Watching fund 20 closely, currently over $700 on repairs and maintenanc 

  6. Some bills not included with statement for Ricketts. 

  7. A question regarding mileage and jury duty came up.  It was decided that we are not required to pay additional mileage if they receive full payment for their time off.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions with the exception of the mileage was made by Pinkerton, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll Call: Groves– yes, Fortner – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy- yes, VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Parent Teacher conferences went well.  Superintendent Schoonover sat in on several.  We had nearly 100% participation.

  2. Someone local approached Superintendent Schoonover regarding doing our mowing.  Some questions came up about liability and then posting of the jo 

  1. New Board Business:

    1. The Facility Team met and a list of items that need to be address was passed around to the board members.  The team will stay on top of these items as needed.

    2. Statement of Economic Interest

    3. Lunch accounts have seen a decline since sending out the call. 

    4. Cornell Public School Calendar for 2018-19 was presented to the board for approval.

    5. A letter of resignation from a teacher was presented to the board.

    6. March Calendar.

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:04 p.m. and returned from @ 7:51 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to approve 2018-2019 Calendar was made by VanWeelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve, with regret, Employee Letter of Resignation made by Rogers, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call: Groves – yes, Fortner – yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. PARCC testing set for March 5 – April 20th. 

    2. Contract Negotiations – Finance and Negotiation Team to meet soon.

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Rogers questioned if there were still flu outbreaks, Superintendent Schoonover said no.  Pinkerton mentioned that we need to be more aware of behavioral issues in the wake of another school shooting.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - January 17, 2018

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – January 17, 2018

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on January 17, 2018.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Groves – present; Fortner- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-absent; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Tiffany Dukes & Mary Janssen.  Opportunity was given for public comment but none was heard. 

  4. Communications- none.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from December 19, 2017 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Ruddy with the following corrections:  

    1. The wrong date was on the closed session minutes

    2. The wrong Board Member name was listed

Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  1. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve made by Pfaff & seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  2. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover discussed why he chose to close school.  Bus temperatures and slick conditions.  Safety is always first.

  2.  Superintendent Schoonover said 2nd semester had a good first day.

  3.  Superintendent Schoonover discussed the leak in one of the motors of the boiler.  The science room also had a leak.  Temperatures did drop, but it was not too bad, and it was fixed quickly.  Motor will need to be replaced.  Quote came in at $1200. 

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of December 31, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $ 1,011,445.46

  2. Lunch bills were questioned.

  3. We are at 77% for this school year.

  4. Lawn service bill was questione

  5. Roof fund getting charged a fe  This is being checked into. 

  6. Some credit card receipts are missing, or haven’t been turned in properly to be reconciled with the statement.  Superintendent Schoonover will discuss this with staf 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Groves– yes, Fortner – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- absent, Van Weelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendations Policies; 2:260, 4:15,4:110,4:150,5:20,5:90,5:100,5:200,4:170,5:220,5:240,5:290,6:50,6:60,6:150,6:340,7:10,7:15,7:20,7:70,7:180,7:190,7:250,7:260,7:275,7:305,7:340.

  2. Roof Update:  There was one leak, which has been fixed.  No new issues with the new roof.  A card with photo was sent to family of Wallace.   

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Cornell Public School Calendar for 2018-19 Committee.  Talked about changing days of the calendar for 2018-2019 school year.  Will bring the new calendar to teachers and then bring for board approval next meeting.

    2. Parent Teacher Conferences are set February 13th & 15th from 3p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

    3. PARCC Testing Window.  Dates will be set up.

    4. IMRF part-time sick days.  By law IMRF for part-time gets 10 sick days.  Full-time receive 12 days.  Superintendent Schoonover is asking that we give them all the 12 days.

    5. Contract Negotiations - Finance and Negotiations Team to meet in April or May.

    6. February Calendar.

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:04 p.m. and returned from @ 7:51 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve IMRF part time sick days to 600 hours – 10 days per law made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Groves – yes, Fortner – yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- absent, Ruddy- yes, Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Board Policy Updates and presented with changes made by Groves and seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Groves – yes, Fortner – yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- absent, Ruddy – yes, Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. Contract Negotiations – Finance and Negotiation Team. 

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Bids for mowers for next month.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - December 19, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – December 19, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on December 19, 2017.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- absent; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy – absent; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Mark Wayman.   Opportunity was given for public comment.  Mr. Wayman had a concern about a street light that was flickering at the front of the school.  Board member Pinkerton said that we would check into it. 

  4. Communications- The Student Council made Christmas cookies with a card attached.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from November 15, 2017 was made by Groves, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report. None.  Superintendent Schoonover was absent.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of November 30, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,074,668.34

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Groves – yes, Fortner – absent, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy - absent VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Title One Plan

  2. Roof Repair update.  As far as the board knows, we believe that the roof repair was successful.   

  3. Board Christmas Breakfast will be held at 6:30 a.m. in the morning for all school staff.

  4. Mower Research.  There were no reports on mowers at this time.

  1. New Board Business:

    1. First Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendations Policies; 2:260, 4:15, 4:110, 4:150, 4:170, 5:20, 5:100, 5:200, 5:240, 5:290, 6:50, 6:60, 6:150, 6:340, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 7:70, 7:180, 7:190, 7:250, 7:260, 7:275, 7:305, 7:340.

    2. IMRF part time sick days – Tabled

    3. January Calendar.  Some changes to the basketball schedule were brought up.

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:41 p.m. and returned from @ 6:50 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve Title One Plan made by Groves and seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving. 

    2. Motion to approve IMRF part time sick days was TABLED.

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. PARCC testing. 

  4. Open Matters of Discussion

    1. dress code for staff was brought up.  Pinkerton will talk to Superintendent Schoonover regarding addressing the situation and enforcing the dress code policy.

    2. Gym looks nice.

    3. Evaluations for Superintendent Schoonover will be going out and due back by Jan. 8th.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Rogers seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 6.54 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - November 15, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – November 15, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on November 15, 2017.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; Van Weelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Laura Spraggon.  Opportunity was given for public comment but none was heard. 

  4. Communications- none.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from October 18, 2017 was made by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Ruddy & seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover took a moment to wish the Board a Happy Thanksgiving.

  2. Superintendent Schoonover pointed out the check cut for Henson Robinson Co for the roof replacement and that there shouldn’t be any additional charges moving forward.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of November 30, 2016: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $1,202,343.14

  2. Reminder that there were a few bigger bills this month with the roof and transportation.

  3. Our revenues received are at 74%.

  4. Still receiving monies from the state.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fortner – absent, Groves- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Superintendent  Schoonover  reported that the roof is doing well since they came back and worked on it after a small leak.  They also did some work on the skylight while they were up there at no charge.

  2. Superintendent  Schoonover reported that Parent/Teacher conferences went well overall.  An extended time may be needed for the Jr. High students.

  3. Superintendent Schoonover asked to table the Title One plan due to corrections needed.

  4. Conversation about the Co-Ed volleyball program took place.  Some questions were brought up about proof of insurance.      

  1. New Board Business:

    1. We’re currently needing to get several things done with the boiler.  The age of the boiler has made it necessary to put money into it.  A smoke alarm went off due to a steam pipe bursting.  The problem was located and cost and labor was involved.  It is now fixed. 

    2. Superintendent Schoonover attended a Tax Levy seminar where experts walk you through and answer any questions.  There are also worksheets and formulas that help calculate the Tax Levy 2017 cap.  A copy of the worksheet was attached. 

    3. Superintendent Schoonover wants to be proactive on the abatement bond check deadlines. 

    4. Van Weelden checked on mower costs at Kelly Sauder Rupiper.  Purchasing a mower outright should lessen the cost of mowing over a 5 year span.  Another quote was needed before a decision will be made.

    5. The Board will be making breakfast for the staff on Wednesday December 20th.  Everyone was assigned something to bring.

    6. December Calendar: The Board will meet on the 19th, not the 20th.

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Rogers, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:20 p.m. and returned from @ 7:30 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session – none.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve Tax Levy FY17 made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll Call:, Fortner – yes, Groves- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy-yes, Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Abate $43,562 of the 2017 Alternative Revenue Bond made by Pfaff and seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll Call:, Fortner – yes, Groves-yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy-yes, Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve Assistant Volleyball Coach for 2017-18 School Year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Rogers.  Roll Call: Fortner-yes, Groves- yes, Pfaff-yes, Pinkerton-yes, Rogers-yes, Ruddy-yes, Van Weelden-yes.  Motion carried.

    4. Approve Title One Plan – table

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. Thanksgiving break.

    2. Tax Levy to County Clerk   

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – none.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

 

Open Session Minutes - October 18, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 18, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on October 18, 2017.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Groves – present; Fortner- absent; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy- present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Bobbi Ransom.  Opportunity was given for public comment. 

  4. Communications- Copies of the Daily Leader featuring articles about Coach and the roof were passed around. 

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from September 20, 2017 was made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover reported that the Fall Festival raised $2600.00. There was a good turn out and that the Pie in the Face was a big hit!   

  2. Superintendent Schoonover reported that he spent time with Pontiac learning about their STEM and 1 on 1 programs.  

  3. Parent Teacher conferences are scheduled for the 24th and 26th from 3 – 7 p.m. 

  4. An issue with the basketball hoop being slanted was brought up.

  5. Superintendent Schoonover mentioned the two articles that were in the Pontiac Daily Leader and talked to the reporter about future mention of Cornell when the need arises.  

  6. Superintendent Schoonover will be scheduling the boiler training for himself and Taryn.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of September 30, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  826,477.00

  2. We are at 40% revenue

  3. A need to discuss the alternative fund bond was brought up.

  4. Attending a seminar in East Peoria regarding tax levy – we are tax cappe 

  5. EAV went up, CPI went up, doing well.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Groves – yes, Fortner – absent, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy-yes, VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Roof Completion- there are a couple leaks with the new roof.  The roofing company will assess and Superintendent Schoonover will follow up as needed. 

  2. Fall Festival Update – as reported, $2600.00 was raised and it was well attended. 

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Coach Van Weelden gym dedication will be Saturday, October 21, at 2 p.m. open to the public. 

    2. Tax Levy-Seminar on October 19th in East Peoria.

    3. 1 on 1 Technology will be moving forward.  Hoping to receive 25 more computers from State Farm in January. 

    4. Title One District Plan – tabled so board can read over it.   

    5. Parent Teacher Conferences- October 24th & 26th

    6. Co-Ed Open Gym Volleyball- Board agreed that they would have to follow terms of policy to use the gym. 

    7. November Calendar

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:09 p.m. and returned from @ 7:19 p.m. 

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Approve Co-Ed Open Gym Volleyball made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves. Roll Call; Groves- yes, Fortner – absent, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy-yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried. 

  2. Motion to Approve Title One District Plan - Tabled

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Tax Levy – Must be completed by second Tuesday of December

    2. Abatement Resolution for Alternate Bond

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Time to order tree in Wallace’s name.

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:24 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - September 20, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – September 20, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 08/20/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; VanWeelden-absent.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Leslie Coughlin.

  4. Communications- Board was asked to sign a thank you card for a donation towards the roof project.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 07/26/2017 was made by Groves, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve the agenda was made by Ruddy, seconded by Pfaff. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report: 

a. Superintendent Schoonover reported that the roof projected is on target.

b. The hot water heater went out due to a leak.  It is a 500 gallon heater.  Ricketts installed a new one. 

c. Last week a fund drive for hurricane victims raised $1400!

d. One month into the school year and things are going well.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of August 31, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $885,740.01

  2. See special Budget meeting notes for further information.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisition was made by Groves, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll Call:, Fortner –absent, Groves- yes , Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; VanWeelden –absent, Motion carried

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Roof work has begun.

  2. Tuck Point work is finished and the job was well done by Abraham.

  3. Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:20-E3, 2:260, 6:80, 6:180, 6:210, 7:275, 8:70

11.  New Board Business:

            a. Testing Information – This will be the last year for PARCC.  It was mentioned that the teachers              like benchmarking better.

            b. October Calendar

    12.      Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

                a. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment,                 compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 6:48 p.m. and returned from @ 7:21 p.m. 

13.    Action as a result of Closed Session- Pay increase after probation period for new hire kitchen staff was made by Groves and seconded by Rogers.  Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves – yes, Pfaff –Absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden-absent.

14.      Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve FY 17/18 Budget was made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers. Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- absent

  2. Motion to approve Board Policy Updates presented was made by Ruddy and seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.

  3. Motion to Approve Head Coach for Volleyball as Sarah Reints was made by Ruddy and seconded by Groves. Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- absent

  4. Motion to Approve Head Coach for Basketball as VanWeelden for 8th grade was made Pinkerton, seconded by Rogers.  Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- absent.

  5. Motion to Approve Head Coach for Basketball as Jones for 7th grade was made Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- absent.

  6. Motion to approve a Part Time Cook for 2017-18 School Year was made by Pfaff and seconded by Pinkerton.  .  Roll Call: Fortner- absent, Groves – yes, Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- absent.

15.      Upcoming Items:

            a. Tax Levy info in Peoria

b. Fall Fest

16.      Open Matters of Discussion – Roof

17.      Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - August 16, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – August 16, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 08/26/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Shannon Hart & Lauri Pope, CPA with Mack & Associates

  4. Communications- none.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 07/26/2017 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. Motion to approve the agenda was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of July 31, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $475,688.87

  2. Lauri from Mack & Associates presented the board with their report, no deficiencies were found and nothing stands out. 

  3. Watching janitorial supplies, inventory was taken, only order as needed

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding Arthur & Gallagher bill was made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call:, Fortner –yes, Groves- yes , Pfaff –yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; VanWeelden –yes, Motion carried

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Roof work will begin at the end of September /early October.  Should take a week to 10 days total and a call to the attorney regarding working while school is in session will be made.

  2. Tricom Services has finished the access points and it’s working well.

10.  New Board Business:

  1. Audit Report – went well, see Financial Report

    1. 112 students registered for the 2017/18 school year

    2. Tuck Point Work by Abraham Masonry – they gave us a proposal of $1550.00

    3. Lead Teacher 2017/18 recommendation- closed session

    4. FY17/18 Tentative Budget and September Hearing – Amanda Pfaff, Shannon and Geoff went over together

    5. First Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies; 2:20-E3, 2:260, 6:80,6:180, 6:210, 7:275,8:70.

    6. September Calendar

 

11.      Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.    The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:30 p.m. and returned from @ 7:55 p.m. 

12.      Action as a result of Closed Session- none

13.      Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve FY 17/18 Tentative Budget was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes

  2. Motion to Approve to Set Budget Hearing for Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 6:15 p.m. was made by Fortner, seconded by Groves. Voice vote with all members approving.

  3. Motion to Approve employment of Lead Teacher was made VanWeelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –Absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  4. Motion to Approve Tuck Point Work Proposed by Abraham Masonry was made by Ruddy, seconded by Fortner. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –Absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes. 

  5. Motion to Approve 2017 Audit was made by Pfaff and seconded by Fortner.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –Absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

 

14.      Upcoming Items:

a. Adoption on FY17/18 Budget

15.      Open Matters of Discussion – We were all happy to hear that Nick Fortner’s daughter is doing well and making progress.  She should be able to return to classes in 6 weeks time.  

16.      Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Fortner, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - July 26, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – July 26, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 07/26/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- absent; Groves- present; Pfaff-absent; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: none

  4. Opportunity was given for public comment - none.

  5. Communications- none.

  6. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 06/21/2017 was made by Groves, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve the agenda was made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves. Motion carried.

  8. Superintendent Report. –

    1. Superintendent  Schoonover reported that the gym floors will be done this coming Saturday July, 29th.

    2. Taryn Fortner and John have been working hard getting the school prepared.  The garden and playground area look real good. 

    3. Superintendent  Schoonover, Taryn and Shannon are going to State Farm warehouse on Thursday to look for donations of tables and chairs.

    4. Registration went well, 112 kids registere 

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of May 31, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $556,454.63

  2. Audit went well.  Auditors will report to us next month.

  3. Watching building fund, not alarmed.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Rogers, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll Call:, Fortner –absent, Groves- yes , Pfaff – absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; VanWeelden –yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Summer Work/Gym Floor Refinish.   The floor work will start on Saturday and the cost will be picked up by the PTC.

  2. 4 bids came in for the roof. 

  3. Summer School Dates will be August 7-10 with the hours of 8 am- 10 am at $25 hr.

  4. We will move forward on the wireless internet access points and use REAP monies if ERATE doesn’t cover it. 

  5. 2017-2018 Student Handbook was discussed and a conversation came up regarding “cold shoulder” tops. 

12.  New Board Business:

 

  1. Audit

    1. 2017-2018 Registration

    2. 2017-2018 Tentative Budget Changes – General State Aid- Illinois Budget - Tabled

    3. Special Education Teacher- Make official

    4. Board/Staff Breakfast set for Wednesday, August 16th at 7:30 – Trisha to send out the list of who’s bringing what.

    5. August Calendar

 

13.      Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.    The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Ruddy, seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:08 p.m. and returned from @ 7:31 p.m. 

14.      Action as a result of Closed Session- none

15.      Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve Roof Bid and New Roof Installation was made by Groves, seconded by Rogers. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes

  2. Motion to Approve Access Points Installation from Tricom Services was made by Rogers, seconded by Groves. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes

  3. Motion to Approve Summer School Compensation for Staff was made VanWeelden, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –Absent, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

d.    Motion to Approve 2017/2018 tentative Budget- TABLED

e.    Motion to Approve Student Handbook was made by Ruddy, seconed by Fortner.  Voice vote                             with all members approving.

f.    Motion Bobbi Ransom as Special Education Teacher for 2017-2018 School Year was made by    Pinkerton, seconded by Groves. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff –Absent, Pinkerton-   yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

 

16.      Upcoming Items:

            a. 2017-2018 Tentative Budge Approval

17.      Open Matters of Discussion – Skating on new floor was discussed  

18.      Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Rogers, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - June 21, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – June 21, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 06/21/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present; Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Seth Brown

  4. Opportunity was given for public comment - none.

  5. Communications- none.

  6. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 05/17/2017 was made by Pinkerton, seconded by Ruddy.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve the Special Board Meeting Minutes from 05/17/17 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton. Motion carried.

  8. No changes to the agenda were made and a motion to approve was made by Groves & seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried

  9. Superintendent Report. –

    1. Superintendent Schoonover informed the board what a mess the state is in regarding no budget.  He has put together a budget for the school year based on no funding from the state.

    2. Taryn Fortner has been filling in as a temp custodian for the summer.  She is working well with the other custodian and they are ahead of schedule. 

    3. The new copier from Watts has arrived and working well.

    4. Someone has accepted the open position for the LBS1 job. 

  10. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of May 31, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $598,013.25

  2. A deposit was made of $70,000

  3. We are due $240,000 from the state. 

  4. There was a question regarding over-billing for speech and language - Superintendent Schoonover will check into that.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves.  Roll Call: Fortner – yes, Groves- yes , Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; VanWeelden –yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Superintendent Schoonover will approach the PTC regarding picking up the cost for the whole amount of the gym floor refinishing.  Hoping to get it done by the last week of July, first week of August. 

  2. The ad for roof bids went into the paper and ran for 10 days; there were no bids that came in.  He did receive a call from someone in Georgia with a lot of questions, but no bid followed.  Pinkerton asked Superintendent Schoonover to contact TomKat for an official bid. 

  3. The position was just filled for the LBS1 today, not ready to discuss pay for summer school tonight.

  4. We are expecting approximately $7000 for ERATE to help cover the cost of the wireless access points, we also have REAP funds that can be used if neede 

  5. Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; New Board Business: 2:20,4:90,5:30,7:20,7:180,2:70,2:70-E,2:120-E2,2:240-E1,2:40-E2,6:100,7:10-E,7:270,8:90,8:110.

13.          New Board Business:

  1. Teacher Contract Negotiations Ratified, all went well.

    1. 2017-2018 Tentative Budget was discussed and already worked on with intern.

    2. Discussed Abate Working Cash Fund

    3. Discussed Access Points and wireless internet

    4. A recommendation for custodian will be discussed in closed session

    5. Non-Certified staff compensation/salaries for 2017-2018 will be discussed in closed session

    6. Minor changes will take place in the student handbook this year, mostly wordin Superintendent Schoonover will get the board copies of the handbook

    7. July Calendar

 

14.      Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.    The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:18 p.m. and returned from @ 8:13 p.m. 

15.      Action as a result of Closed Session- none

16.      Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve Teacher Contract for 2017-2018 school year made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  2. Motion to Approve Psychologist Contract was made by Pfaff seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  3. Motion to Approve Pathologist Contract was made Groves and seconded by Fortner.  Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  4. Motion to Approve the employment of Taryn Fortner was made by VanWeelden, seconded by Groves. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

 

  1. Motion to Approve Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies 2:20,4:90,5:30,7:20,7:180,2:70,2:70-E,2:120-E2,2:240-E1,2:40-E2,6:100,7:10-E,7:270,8:90,8:110; made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers. Voice vote with all members approving.

  2.  Motion to approve Non-Certified Staff Compensation/Salaries for 2017-2018 was made by Ruddy, seconded by Fortner. . Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  3. Motion to approve the refinishing of the gym floor was made by VanWeelden and seconded by Pinkerton. . Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  4. Motion to approve the Student Handbook – tabled

  5. Motion to approve Abolishment of Working Cash Fund was made by Pfaff and seconded by Groves. . Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

17.      Upcoming Items:

            a. 2017-2018 Tentative Budge

18.      Open Matters of Discussion – new members and Board Training

19.      Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - May 17, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – May 17, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 05/17/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fortner- present (late); Groves- present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; Ruddy-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Leslie Caughlin, Elisa Palmer (Intern). 

  4. Opportunity was given for public comment - none.

  5. Communications- none.

  6. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 04/19/2017 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. Motion to approve the Special Board Meeting Minutes from 04/30/17 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton. Motion carried.

  8. No changes to the agenda were made and a motion to approve was made by Pfaff & seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried

  9. Superintendent Report. –

    1. Superintendent Schoonover reached out to the owner of the property across the street.  At this time, she is not intending to give the land away, but may be willing to sell it by June.

    2. May 18th is graduation.  Practice and a luncheon took place today.

    3. A Special Education position is still open with only a couple hits since posting. Superintendent Schoonover will contact ISU to see if they may have any leads. 

    4. We don’t currently have anyone to fill the summer school position, when we get the Special Education position filled we will consider doing an “Early Start” prior to school starting for those in nee

    5. Superintendent Schoonover wanted to congratulate J.D. Ruddy for making it to State in track.  His mother thanked Superintendent Schoonover for the send off. 

  10. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of April 30, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $715,115.94

  2. We are due $230,000 from the state. 

  3. They still haven’t balanced the budget.  Contact your state representative about balancing the budget.

  4. There was a question regarding a check made out to State Bank of Graymont for $2047.00

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fortner – yes, Groves- yes , Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Ruddy – yes; VanWeelden –yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Non-Certified Staff Retention Recommendation for Employment.

  2. Gym Floor Refinish-Update:  An estimate of $3000.00 for 3 coats of sealer, no paint, came from Forney & Reed from Flanagan.  They have done the Flanagan gym floor.

  3. The Roof Bid will go out in publication starting June 3rd for open bids.

  4. Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:100, 3:70, 4:15, 4:130-E,  5:120, 5:230,5:285,5:300,6:70,7:100

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Teacher Contract Negotiations- Finance and Negotiation Team- Tentative Contract with CEA-Monday May 22nd at 6:00 p.m. A union representative will be here.

    2. An Audit Engagement Letter will be signed and go to the banks for permission for an audit.

    3. Physical Therapy Contract stayed the same rate as last year $40 per 15 min.

    4. Graduation – Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 7 p.m.

    5. Field Day – Tuesday, May 23rd with a cook out.

    6. End of Year Assembly- Wednesday, May 24th

    7. Wireless Internet will need 6 access points in the building at least.  ERate  or REEP money will help pay for this.

    8. IESA fees 2017-2018 come to $735.00

    9. Copy Machine Contract with Watts will increase $6 per month with 2 new machines.

    10. Summer School Dates/Pay for Teacher – move to June meeting

    11. A copy of the Prevailing Wage Resolution was sent around.

    12. Athletic Director Position 2017-2018 was posted internally

    13. First Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:20,4:90,5:30,7:20,7:180,2:70,2:70-E,2:120-E2,2:240-E1,2:40-E2,6:100,7:10-E,7:270,8:90,8:110.

    14. Milk and Bread Bids were sent off

    15. June Calendar

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:13 p.m. and returned from @ 7:45 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve Tiffany Dukes as Athletic Director 2017-18 made by VanWeelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.

  2. Motion to Approve Results Physical Therapy Contract made by Pfaff, seconded by Groves. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  3. Motion to Approve Prevailing Wage Resolution made by Pinkerton, seconded by Rogers. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

 

  1. Motion to Approve Copy Machine Contract with Watts made by Ruddy, seconded by Fortner. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  2. Motion to Approve IESA Fees 2017-18 made by VanWeelden, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll Call: Fortner- yes, Groves – yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers – yes, Ruddy – yes, VanWeelden- yes.

  3. Motion to Approve Audit Engagement Letter made by Pinkerton, seconded by Groves. Voice vote with all members approving.

  4. Motion to Approve Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:100, 3:70, 4:15, 4:130-E,  5:120, 5:230,5:285,5:300,6:70,7:100 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner. Voice vote with all members approvin

  5.  Motion to approve Non-Certified Staff Employment for 2017-2018 for

  1. Shannon Hart – District Bookkeeper–by VanWeelden, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call:  Groves -yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Sara Garretson- Administrative Assistant-  by Pfaff, seconded by Groves.  Roll call:  Groves – yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Christina Bowman –Teachers Assistant by VanWeelden, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call:  Groves-yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Wendy Cooper – Cook by Rogers seconded by Goves.  Roll call:  Groves-yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carrie

  5. Amanda Gray- Cook–by Fornter, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Groves-yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Connie Walker – Cook by Ruddy, seconded by Fornter.  Roll call:  Groves- yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy-yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  7. Jude Morrisey - Custodian by Groves, seconded by Fortner.  Roll call:  Groves – no; Fornter – obstain;–  Pfaff – no; Pinkerton – no; Rogers – no; Ruddy- no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion carried.

  8. John Kisela – Custodian by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Groves – yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  9. Sue Decker- Librarian by VanWeelden, seconded by Ruddy.  Roll call:  Groves – yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  10. Gail Janssen- Morning Aide by Groves, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Groves – yes; Fornter – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Ruddy- yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Summer

    2. Intern helping with cleaning up the budget

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – new members and Board Training

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Ruddy, seconded by Groves.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - April 19, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – April 19, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 04/19/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- present; Kindermann-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present;  Rogers-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Trisha Ruddy, Marilea Groves, Ashley Follmer, Tiffany Dukes and Larry Tombaugh. 

  4. Opportunity was given for public comment.   The board heard Mr. Tombaugh’s presentation for a TomKat Roof at this time.  It was very informative and he gave each member a packet of information.  Among some of the high points, Duro-Last Rubber is non-flammable, has welded seams and it will take less than a week to complete.  It comes with a 15 year 100% guarantee. 

Ashley Follmer also addressed the board with a request to extend her maternity leave until after Christmas.  Jane Roeschley will be her sub until her return.

  1. Communications- Thank you note from Coach VanWeelden.

  2. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 03/15/2017 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  3. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  4. Superintendent Report. –

    1. Kindergarten Roundup was a big success.  There are 14 incoming kindergarteners.

    2. We are a month away from graduation. 

    3. Negotiations are coming up, possibly the 2nd week of May.

    4. There are some concerns with the doors.  Superintendent Schoonover met with a locksmith who gave a rough estimate of $3300 for the Front, South, Kitchen and Teachers Lounge doors to be redone. 

  5. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of March 31, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $787,112.17

  2. We’re at 96% of total revenue for this school year.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden –yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. PARCC Testing completed.  The kids did good and the computer stations went well.

  2. Roof Update, Mr. Tombaugh spoke during public comment on the TomKat roof.  Ultimate Roofing was discussed, they are a foam roofing material, not rubber.  The high points would be a 10 year warranty and roughly under $50,000.  We will post a bidding process in the paper according to protocol.

 

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Non-Certified Staff Retention Recommendations for Employment

    2. Registration Fees – no changes

    3. Lunch/Breakfast Fees- no changes

    4. First Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:100, 3:70, 4:15, 4:130-E, 5:120, 5:230, 5:285, 5:300, 6:70, 7:100

    5. Mowing Bid from Dehms Lawncare and Landscaping- stays the same as last year $130 per mow.

    6. Cooperative Paper Purchasing Project Co-Op Paper Order – running low on paper, needed to place an order.  Ordered 40 cases

    7. Summer Volleyball Camp- Current coach, Sarah Reints, wants to hold a summer volleyball camp here July 24th – 28th.  There would be three age groups, three different times and three different costs.

    8. Gym Floor Refinishing Update – it was done 17 years ago, got an estimate of $12,175 and the Cougar would cost extra.  It would take 4 hours and days to cure.  Discussion took place regarding the cost.

    9. A special Board Meeting will take place on April 27th at 6:30 to appoint the new Board Members.

    10. May Calendar

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:45 p.m. and returned from @ 8:44 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- Add “I” to approval items

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to approve, with regret, resignation of teacher Amanda Coonan effective end of school year, May 24th made by Kinderman, seconded by Pfaff – voice vote wilt all members approving

  2. Motion to approve Summer Volleyball Camp from July 24th – 28th made by Pfaff and seconded by Fortner, voice vote with all members approving.

  3. Motion to approve Registration Fees for 2017-2018 school year to stay the same made by Pfaff, seconded by Kinderman, voice vote with all members approving.

  4. Motion to approve Milk, Breakfast and Lunch prices stay the same for school year 2017-2018 made by Rogers, seconded by Van Weelden, voice vote with all members approving.

  5. Motion to approve the mowing bid by Dehm’s Lawncare and Landscaping made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fortner.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Co-Op Paper Order was made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff, voice vote with all members approving.

  7. Approval for roof work was tabled.

  8. Approval of Non-Certified Staff Employment for 2017-2018 was tabled.

  9. Motion to approve extended maternity leave for Ashley Follmer was made by Rogers, seconded by Kinderman, voice vote with all member approving.

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Milk & Bread bids

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – none

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - March 15, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – March 15, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 03/15/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- present; Kindermann-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting: Trisha Ruddy, Amy Petersen, Shannon Hart, Marilea Groves and Samantha Foley. 

  4. Opportunity was given for public comment.   There was none.

  5. Communications- Dehm’s Landscaping sent in a quote which will go on next month’s agenda.

  6. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from 02/22/2017 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  7. No changes to the agenda. Motion to approve was made by Pinkerton & seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Superintendent Report. –

    1. Golliday Plumbing came in to look at the intake tank and will get back to us with a quote. 

    2. In regards to the VanWeelden gym naming, the Class of 69’-70’ will be donating a plaque and will ask to have Diaz draw up a quote for painting floor art if we decide to have the court stripped down completely and refinished this summer. 

    3. Still haven’t heard anything regarding the Pharis property.  No communication has taken place.

    4. Everything is going well, with the warmer weather there is excitement in the air.  Lots of events are in place including PBIS bowling, assembly, pies in the face and Spring Break just around the corner.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of February 28, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $855,741.89

  2. We’re at 60% for this school year.

  3. Superintendent Schoonover is watching the operations and maintenance budget closely.

  4. Superintendent Schoonover mentioned the Facility team met and there are several things that will be needing attention in the future.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden –yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. PARCC Testing update, Junior High will take their tests starting March 27th with K-5 following.  They just need a tech piece and they are ready to go.

  2. Roof Update, The Facility Team is moving forward on sections.  Contact information was given to Superintendent Schoonover.  They were contacted and are planning on coming out to the school as soon as the weather gets better. 

  3. February 28th, Millikin School of Education Visit Summary- Superintendent Schoonover interviewed 4 candidates. Superintendent Schoonover was very impressed and although we currently don’t have any openings, it is a great networking opportunity.  Superintendent Schoonover also made connections with the School of Music. 

  4. 2017-18 School Calendar – Spring break will coincide with FCHS.  Start date will be 2 days different than FCHS. We will also be taking the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off.

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Teacher Retention recommendations for Employment

    2. Finance and Negotiation Team Committee Report – Transfer funds to Investment Fund alternative Revenue Bond Information.  Recommendation to shift money to and investment fund.

    3. April Calendar – Booster dinner will be April 9th

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:13 p.m. and returned from @ 7:57 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session- none

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to approve Educational Employment for 2017-2018 for

i.Christina Bowman (Teachers’ Aide) –tabled until April for non-teacher staff

ii.Amanda Coonan (Resource/Special Education) – Tenured by Kinderman, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

iii.Kim McHenry (Art) – Year 6 by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

iv.Lynette Cavinder (Physical Education) – Tenured by VanWeelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

v.Jenni Giertz (Kindergarten) – Year 3 by Pfaff, seconded by Kinderman.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

vi.Samantha Foley (First Grade) – Year 5 by VanWeelden, seconded by Kinderman.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

vii.Amy Petersen – (2nd Grade) – Tenured by Rogers, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

viii.Ashley Follmer ( 3rd Grade) – Year 4 by VanWeelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

ix.Abby Holcomb ( 4th Grade) – Year 5 by Fortner, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

x.Mary Jenseen ( 5th Grade) – Year 3 by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

xi.Tiffany Dukes (Jr. High English/ Title I) – Year 3 by Pinkerton, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

xii.Leslie Coughlin ( Science/ Computers) – Year 3 by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

xiii.Ginny Jones ( Mathematics) – Year 2 by VanWeelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

xiv.Laura Spraggon (Resource/ Special Education) – Year 4 by Pfaff, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

xv.Seth Brown (Music/Band) – Year 2 by Kindermann, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

b.    Motion to approve adjustment to staff members TRS and paycheck by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

a.Motion to approve money transfer of $70,000 to Investment fund by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fornter – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

b.Motion to approve 2017- 2018 School Calendar by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Registration Fees

    2. Milk & Bread bids

    3. Lunch/Breakfast Fees

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – none

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - February 22, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – February 22, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on 2/22/17.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- absent; Kindermann-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; VanWeelden-absent.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Trisha Ruddy, Ginny Jones & Dave Melvin.  Opportunity was given for public comment.   Mr. Melvin inquired about the property across the street in regards to the repaving on the streets this upcoming summer.  The school has not heard of any decisions made on that property.

  4. Communications- The 8th grade students received a NAEP certificate of participation and received credit for community service for participation as well.  Superintendent Schoonover thanked the board for all they did during his grandfathers passing.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from January 18, 2017 was made by Pinkerton, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda. Motion to approve was made by Kindermann & seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report. - none

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of January 30, 2017: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $930,773.82

  2. We’re at 52% for this school year.

  3. Superintendent Schoonover is almost certain there will be a property tax freeze.

  4. Superintendent Schoonover mentioned we will be seeing a larger bill from Tricom for setting up all of the laptops we just received.

  5. A meeting  of the Financial Committee is to be scheduled regarding moving some of the surplus

  6. Discussion over mileage and turning in mileage on a monthly basis took place

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – absent, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden –absent, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. The Facility Team met to discuss the Intake Tank and Roof.  Superintendent Schoonover talked to the insurance company about the deductable on intake tank.  Hold for approval after we get more estimates.  Superintendent Schoonover talked with Superintendent Farris on some suggestions and a foam roof was discussed, also working in sections.

  2. The Reader’s Workshop visit to Glenn Elementary School is still getting organized.

  3. E-Rate update on February 27th.  Superintendent Schoonover will fill out the application and the 2nd training is in April. 

  4. Contract Negotiations are set for Late April/early May for the teachers

  5. 2017/18 School Calendar – Spring break needs to coincide with FCHS.  Start date will be 2 days different than FCHS.

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Amendments to the FY17 School Calendar – 2 snow days used.  Last day on May 24th with Report cards distributed on the 25th.

    2. PARCC Testing Dates set for March 2th – April 14th

    3. February 28th Superintendent Schoonover is set to go to Millikin University for School of Education Interviews

    4. Waste Removal Contract from Republic Services is set for $155 per month.  The rate is to stay the same. 

    5. March calendar

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:33 p.m. and returned from @ 8:19 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session

    1. Add approval F to approval items.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve Amendments to FY17 School Calendar made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – absent, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – absent.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Republic Services Waste Removal at cost of $155 made by Pfaff and seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – absent, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – absent.  Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve purchase of Boiler Water Intake Tank – TABLED

    4. Motion to approve Superintendent Schoonover’s trip to Millikin (School of Education) to interview teaching candidates on February 28th made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.    Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – absent, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – absent.  Motion carried.

    5. Motion to approve Superintendent Schoonover’s 2017-2019 contract made by Pfaff, seconded by Kinderman.   Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – absent, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

    6. Motion to approve the dedication of the Cornell Grade School gymnasium court in honor of Will VanWeelden was made by Pfaff and seconded by Pinkerton.  All in favor, motion carried. 

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. PARCC Testing

    2. Contract Negotiations

    3. Teacher Retention Recommendations for Employment

  4. Open Matters of Discussion –

    1. Lunch balance letters went out

    2. ISU internship at CGS with Superintendent Schoonover 

    3. Inquiries over 8th graders taking freshmen math course

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - January 18, 2017

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – January 18, 2017

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on January 18, 2017.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- present; Kindermann-absent; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present; Rogers-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Mrs. Janssen.  Opportunity was given for public comment, but none was heard. 

  4. Communications- Christina Bowman sent a Thank You to the board for the breakfast.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from December 21, 2016 was made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda. Motion to approve was made by Pfaff & seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover talked about the new law regarding lead testing of the water.  This is to be done annually and cost was a concern. 

  2. Superintendent Schoonover would like the facility team to meet regarding the roof.  Suggests working sections at a time due to cost.

  3.  Superintendent Schoonover reached out to the Wallace family regarding the tree in Williams name and brought them up to date about the roof.

  4. A trip to State Farm for 25 laptops and some furniture is in the near future for Superintendent Schoonover.

  5. Superintendent Schoonover gave an update on the family that suffered a fire.   

  6. Superintendent Schoonover went over the disciplinary sheet for this month.  A discussion on disrespect will take place in closed session

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of November 30, 2016: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $890,522.06

  2. We are currently at 55% of budget.  Seems to be right on target.

  3. A receipt for an item was missing from one of the bills, Superintendent Schoonover will check into that.

  4. An additional bill for volleyball uniforms came in. PTC will be contacted to see if they will help cover that bill.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- absent, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Roof Fund is at $61,000.  Again, Superintendent Schoonover will visit with the Wallace family to bring them up to date and meet with the facility team.

 

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Cornell Public School Calendar for 2017-2018 – Draft was passed out and the recommendations from the staff were heard

    2. Intake Tank for Boiler- The board went to go look at the actual boiler to get a better understanding of what we’re talking about.  Discussion took place on how to move forward.  Superintendent Schoonover passed out a quote he had received.

    3. Reader’s Workshop Visit for 3-5th Grade Teachers in February- A scheduled trip for the teachers will be made and a follow up by that leader to come to Cornell were discussed.  There will need to be substitutes on that day, but the workshop is free for us.

    4. Contract Negotiations – Finance and Negotiation Team - This team agreed to meet soon.

    5. February  Calendar:

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

    1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Fortner.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:29 p.m. and returned from @ 7:37 p.m. 

  3. Action as a result of Closed Session- There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  4. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve the purchase of a new Intake Tank for boiler was tabled.

  5. Upcoming Items:

    1. PARCC  Testing – March and April are when the PARCC testing are scheduled to be done.

  6. Open Matters of Discussion –

    1. Pfaff brought up the selling for food items prior to the half hour window that the regulations require.  Superintendent Schoonover will discuss this matter with the groups involved.

  7. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - December 21, 2016

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – December 21, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on December 21, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- present; Kindermann-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present;  Rogers-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Trisha Ruddy & Amanda Coonan.  Opportunity was given for public comment but none was heard. 

  4. Communications- The Student Council sent the board a Christmas card.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from November 16, 2016 was made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Kindermann & seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover talked about the fire that a family had suffered and that the school and community has come forward to help out with needed supplies.  The Student Council took the 7th grader shopping as well.

  2.  Superintendent Schoonover mentioned the passing of Wallace McIntyre, a generous donor and former Cornell student.  His family sent Superintendent Schoonover an email expressing how much he enjoyed talking of Cornell and how important education was to him.  A memorial in his name was discussed by the board.

  3.  Superintendent Schoonover talked about the intake tank on the boiler which seems to have a slow leak.  It will be addressed over the holiday break while everyone is away and hoping it can be welded in place of being replaced.

  4. The roof fund is at $61,385

  5. Superintendent Schoonover thanked the board for the breakfast that they treated all the staff to this morning.

  6. Superintendent Schoonover went over the disciplinary sheet for this month.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of November 30, 2016: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  $951,853.74

  2. Bond payment statement went to wrong address.  Superintendent Schoonover went to Graymont State Bank and talked to them regarding the error.

  3. We’re at 48% for this school year.

  4. Bond is showing negative balance at this time. Incoming CSFT Revenues will correct this in the coming months.

  5. Superintendent Schoonover talked about the grants for E-RATE; the intense work that needs to go into it, but it’s well worth it.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Superintendent  Schoonover  would like to get the Tax Levy for FY 17 approved tonight and deliver it tomorrow.

  2. Superintendent  Schoonover  would like to abate for full amount of $45,287 for the FY16 bonds and approved tonight as well.

  3. Superintendent Schoonover passed around an email from Chris at Twin City Energy regarding the renewal contract.  He explained why we should go with the ENERGY ONLY at .03576 and lock it in as soon as possible.

  4. Superintendent Schoonover talked to the auditor regarding the question the board had about the increase in Capital Outlay and it was explained that the increase to $5000 from $500 is actually a better thing to do and easier to inventory those types of items. 

  5. Second Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:10,2:125,2:125-E1,2:125-E2,2:125-E3,2:200,2:220,2:220-E1,2:220-E2,2:220-E4,2:220-E5,2:220-E6,2:220-E7,2:220-E8,4:60,4:110,4:175,5:100,5:125,5:185,5:190,5:250,5:260,5:280,5:330,6:15,6:50,6:60,6:145,6:6:160,6:170,6:340,7:50,7:60,7:70,7:250,7:260,7:305,7:310,8:30

  6. Superintendent Schoonover attended the E-Rate workshop on December 14th and it was excellent.  The next one is in February.  This grant is income based.  He met some contacts and was hoping to visit some to see how they use it.

  7. Publish Roof Fund.

  1. New Board Business:

    1. January Calendar:

  2. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:10 p.m. and returned from @ 7:23 p.m. 

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session:

    1. Motion for a 2-year contract for Superintendent Schoonover  made by VanWeelden, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Approval Items:

    1. Motion to Approve Tax Levy FY17 made by Kinderman, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve Abate $45,287 of the 2016 Alternative Revenue Bond made by Pfaff and seconded by Kinderman.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. Cornell Public School Calendar Approval was tabled until Flanagan-Cornell approves theirs. 

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Kindermann metioned that the parking situation was an issue.  Superintendent Schoonover was going to check into some options and also options about a bus barn, which moving the buses will free up some parking space.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - November 16, 2016

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – November 16, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on November 16, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- present; Kindermann-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present;  Rogers-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Trisha Ruddy & Laura Spraggon.  Opportunity was given for public comment but none was heard. 

  4. Communications- All board members received a Thanksgiving card from Green Associates.  A card along with snacks and drinks were provided by the Kindness Committee.

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from October 19, 2016 was made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Kindermann & seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover talked about the Kindness committee.  A student council ran program to promote kindness.

  2. Superintendent Schoonover said that Veterans Day Program was successful.   The kids sang and they served approximately 50 meals.  His 99 year old grandfather was there and enjoyed his time spent at Cornell Grade School.

  3. The Speech Contest was also a success.  He was grateful for all the work that went into it.   All the kids did a great job and represented the school very well.  Superintendent Schoonover mentioned that it was well organized and he was very proud of everyone involved.

  4. Superintendent Schoonover presented Deficit Annual Financial Report (AFR) summary information.  Said he watching the Operation & Maintenance closely. 

  5. Superintendent Schoonover talked about basketball season and said things were off to a good start.

  6. Superintendent Schoonover went over the disciplinary sheet for this month.  There are still issues coming from students’ failure to bring materials. There were also a couple other issues that will be discussed during closed session.

  7. The Leave/Replace substitute for 4th grade has come in for some training and let Superintendent Schoonover know that she was very impressed with Cornell Grade School and is looking forward to working there.

 

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of October 31, 2016: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  1,056,290.52

  2. Watching the Supplies-Maintenance closely

  3. Office fundraiser was a popcorn fundraiser, not Yankee Candle.  That’s just what the name was entered originally.

  4. Galliday was in to fix hot water issue, but that may not have fixed the problem. 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. A rough estimate for services on the roof – without visiting the premises it could range anywhere from $12,000 - $15,000.  Certain procedures need to be followed, fees are based according to what actually needs to be done.  A photo of the top of the school was handed out to the board.  All fees are based on square footage.  Discussion took place.

  2. Superintendent Schoonover received this information from both Green Assoc. and Upchurch.

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Tax Levy FY17:

    2. First Reading Board Policy: Press Recommendation Policies; 2:10,2:125,2:125-E1,2:125-E2,2:125-E3,2:200,2:220,2:220-E1,2:220-E2,2:220-E4,2:220-E5,2:220-E6,2:220-E7,2:220E8,4:60,4:110,4:175,5:100,5:125,5:185,5:190,5:250,5:260,5:280,5:330,6:15,6:50,6:60,6:145,6:6:160,6:170,6:340,7:50,7:60,7:70,7:250,7:260,7:305,7:310,8:30:

Pfaff asked who follows up on these.Superintendent Schoonover is to follow up to make sure we are in accordance. 

  1. Abatement of FY16 Bonds:  $450,000 Bond – make sure we ABATE with county the whole amount by February, but vote on in December.

  2. Energy/Electric Renewal/Contract Update- Engie Energy:  Superintendent Schoonover contacted Twin City Energy who suggests we do the Energy Supply Only vs. the All In Commodity Rate.  Superintendent Schoonover was to follow up to find out the difference.  There was a significant difference between the two.

  3. E-Rate Workshop/Gant: Discussed telecommunication services up to 90% off.  Federal Funding is out there to help with access points and such.  Superintendent Schoonover will be going to training in December to learn more about this.

  4. Resolution to increase Capital Outlay and increase Fixed Asset Threshold  was discussed.

  5. Board Christmas Breakfast for the staff:  Wednesday, December 21, 2016 @ 7:15 a.m. 

  6. December Calendar:

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:49 p.m. and returned from @ 8:49 p.m. 

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items: TABLED

  3. Upcoming Items:

    1. Approve Tax Levy FY17

    2. Approve to Abate $45,287 of the 2016 Alternative Revenue Bond

    3. Increase fixed Asset threshold

  4. Open Matters of Discussion – Kindermann commented on the great job the school did as a whole for the Speech Contest.

  5. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:51 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - October 19, 2016

Cornell Grade School District #426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 19, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held it monthly Board meeting at the Cornell Grade School on October 19, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – present; Fortner- present; Kindermann-present; Pfaff-present; Pinkerton-present;  Rogers-present; VanWeelden-present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guest and visitors to the meeting: Trisha Ruddy, Abby Holcomb & Samantha Foley.  Opportunity was given for public comment.  Abby Holcomb expressed her and Mrs. Follmer’s gratitude to the board for attending the Reading Conference.  Samantha Foley announced that Cornell Grade School will be hosting the Speech Contest on November 5th and are looking for volunteers to help out that day.

  4. Communications- none

  5. Motion to approve the Regular & Closed Minutes from September 21, 2016 was made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. 

  6. No changes to the agenda Motion to approve was made by Kindermann & seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendent Report.

  1. Superintendent Schoonover showed the board a spread sheet on disciplinary issues.  The report shows that a large majority of the issues come from students’ failure to bring materials to class.  This report covers all classes from the beginning of the year. 

  2. Superintendent Schoonover discussed the Tax Levy Seminar in Peoria.  Attentive levy discussion to take place @ next meeting.  EVA is down and could result in less tax dollars to school- approximately 2% decrease. 

  3. A server transfer took place which will free up more space and provide more speed that was needed.  Access points were changed, so wifi signals should be better. 

  4. A money market for the Roof Fund was set up with a new total of $62,128.24.  This needs to stay in for 90 days @.5% growth.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of September 30, 2016: Financial reports were provided to the board in the board packet. 

  1. Cash in Bank =  820,905.58

  2. Will add roof fund money market acct to Fund 20 account

  3. Watch election, State government closely to see if we will get all of our payments.

  4. Energy bill up $700.  Air conditioner ran more and sump pumps running continuously for some time could be reason why.  Superintendent Schoonover will check to see if rates increase substantially. 

  5. Page 30 was paid for out of LD Classroom supplies, was coded wrong on credit card bill

  6. Superintendent Schoonover still working on getting fund balance numbers from Lauri Pope

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff – yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes, Motion carried. 

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Roof Fund, Bid updates, Money Market – Superintendent Schoonover reported that he received an example of advertisement from PTHS on getting bids for the roof fund.  It was suggested that we contact Farnsworth Group regarding an architect. 

  2. Fall Festival Update – PBIS committee did a great job again.  Best year yet at raising funds, approximately $3100.00 was raised. 

  3. AG Building Update - This has been completed and Superintendent Schoonover is doing a walk thru tomorrow.  Thanks to Rick Bennett for help with getting stuff out. 

  4. Assistant Volleyball Coach – to be discussed in closed session

  5. Volleyball Uniforms – the new uniforms are in and all were impressed

  1. New Board Business:

    1. Alternative Revenue Bond-History, Definition, CSFT vs. Levy  $450,000 G.O. Bonds(Alternative Revenue Source), Series 2011, of Community Consolidated School District Number 426, Livingston County, Illinois DATED: May 1, 2011. At the time of this bond issue by the District filed a levy for this issue with the County Clerk. Currently a 2016 levy of $45,287.50 is on file with the County Clerk for collection in 2017. For an Alternative Bond such as this, the levy needs to be abated in its entirety prior to the County Clerks Deadline.

    2. Tax Levy-Seminar on October 18th – talked about in Superintendent Report.

    3. Parent Teacher Conferences- October 27th & 28th

    4. Insurance Plans, Comparisons- Staying with same one.  Superintendent Schoonover will talk to insurance representative; will also request the rep to come to future board meeting. 

  2. Transition of Board Secretary – Sara Rogers

  3. November Calendar – As presented

  4. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

a.The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 ©(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:37 p.m. and returned from @ 7:54 p.m. 

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to approve Brittany Helander as the 2016-17 Assistant Volleyball Coach made by VanWeelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll Call: Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kinderman- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried. 

  2. Motion to Approve Health Insurance Plan made by Fortner, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll Call; Fitzsimmons – yes, Fortner – yes, Kindermann- yes, Pfaff- yes, Pinkerton- yes, Rogers- yes, VanWeelden- yes.  Motion Carried. 

  3. Motion to Approve Sara Rogers as the District Board Secretary made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

    1. Tax Levy – Must be completed by second Tuesday of December

    2. Resolution to increase Capital Outlay

    3. Increase fixed Asset threshold

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – none.

  3. Adjournment; Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.

 

Open Session Minutes - September 21, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Budget Hearing – September 21, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 21, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:15 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Fortner - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. Budget Presentation:

  • 80% of Expense is for school personnel.

  • All of the CFST revenue and expense accounts have been broken out into 3 accounts.

  • Expense account 20.2542.110.1 was changed from $4,000 to $10,000.

  • Expense account 10.4120.310.5 for the Sp Ed- Physiologist is now contracted through Flanagan.

  • Revenue account 30.7230.121 was changed from $45,000 to $0.00 and expense account 60.1290 was changed from $45,000 to $0.00

  1. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Jennifer Giertz. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - August 17, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – August 17, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on August 17, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Van Weelden at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Fortner - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present at 7:38pm; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting: Lauri Pope, Shannon Hart, and Ashley Follmer. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard. 

  4. Communications – Card from William McIntyre, son of Wallace McIntyre was presented.  When the card was received there was a substantial donation of $40,000 to our Roof Fund from Wallace. 

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from July 20, 2016 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of July 31, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet along   and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on hand is $374,014.97

  2. Note: On the treasures report, the first column should read Beginning Fund Balance July 1, 2016 and not July 1, 2015.

  3. The Gray’s Garage bill is not very detailed. This bill regards to the work that was done on the activity bus.  The work was then outsourced by Gray’s Garage to Lynn’s Chevrolet. At this time, the tornado had caused minor damaged.  The damage was fixed by Lynn’s.  Mr. Schoonover is requesting an itemized bill from Gray’s Garage. 

  4. There is one more Gavin Landscaping bill for August from the last few times they moved.   

  5. BDI Plumbing bill was for the toilet in the girl’s bathroom.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Fortner - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Opening School Information-110 students have been registered for the 2016-2017 school year.  This increased by 10 students from last year.  Student Council has been putting on the PBIS Cougar Camp. This is going very well and giving students an opportunity at leadership development.  The 2:00 PM dismissal time this week has really helped the teachers get together and get meetings scheduled.

  2. Roof fund-Total fundraising to date is $57,350.  Thanks to the efforts of Board member Will Van Weelden for taking the time and process to send out 1000 letters to alumni.  Past and current community members are truly coming together in efforts to help fund a new roof.  It was discussed to open a Money Market account to deposit all fund.

  1. New Board Business

    1. Audit Report-FY16 Audit – Lauri Pope, of Mack & Associates who conducted our FY15 audit, was present and provided a short presentation of their findings.  She went thru the Audit Financial Report which was provided to the Board at tonight’s meeting. Each individual fund balance was separated out showing their respective increase/decrease; a report was included breaking down where our money was received between Federal and State sources.  In addition, a document was provided stating that there are risks with our lack of segregation of duties/internal control as a result of our minimal staff on hand. There were also a few other minor risks but those have already been addressed and fixed by administration and office staff.

    2. Registration Numbers-Discussed in 9a.

    3. Lead Teacher-Will be discussed in closed sessions.

    4. FY17 Updated Tentative Budget and September Hearing-There has been very few updates to the tentative budget since the last meeting. Hearing will be set for September 21, 2016 at 6:15 PM.

    5. Testing Information- PARCC-The High School PARCC test is no longer mandatory in schools.  There has been some speculation that the Elementary and Junior High Schools will follow suit.  Mr. Schoonover is watching this closely.  The 2015-2016 test scores are coming in.  A presentation to the board will follow when all scores are in and final.

    6. First Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies;  2:70, 2:70E, 2:120-E1, 2:120-E2, 2:240-E1, 2:240-E2, 6:100., 7:10, 7:10E, 7:270, 8:90, 8:110.

    7. August Calendar- This should have stated September calendar that is as presented.   

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:57 p.m. and returned from @ 8:40 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve FY17 Tentative Budget made by __________, seconded by __________.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fortner – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried. TABLED

  2. Motion to Approve to set Budget Hearing for Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 6:15 PM made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Lynette Cavinder as the 2016-2017 Lead teacher made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Fortner – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Adoption on FY17 Budget –

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None. 

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - July 20, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – July 20, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on July 20, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Nick Fortner-Appointed Board Member

  3. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - absent; Fortner - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  4. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting: Shannon Hart The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed.  Shannon Hart would like us to revisit the way Non Certified Salaries are weighted. Since there are not evaluations, how are we determining the amount of raises for each non certified employee? She suggested reviews and evaluations done to ensure that employees are getting the appropriate raise. 

  5. Communications – None. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from June 22, made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Superintendent Report

  • Go Fund Me fundraiser is doing very well.  Member Van Weelden has done several things to send out letters to Alumni.  Our fundraising total is up to $5800 with all donations.

  • Activity bus window was broken when the tornado went through Pontiac in June.  It was being serviced at Gray’s Garage but they had to send it to Lynn Chevrolet for additional work.  Gray’s did not notify the school that it was being sent to Lynn.

  • There are nine boys playing baseball this year.  Mr. Schoonover would like the board to consider using the activity bus to get the boys to practice since practice is from 8am-10am. 

  • We are being penalized 2757.95 from TRS for 2015-2016. This was from a teacher that retired and the salary over the last 4 years increased by 6%. 

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of June 30, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  • Mr. Schoonover asked the auditor about the Go Fund Me account to confirm we are doing it accurately.  She said to add the account into the Building and Grounds account.

  • Audit went well and Lori will be attending the next meeting to go over with the Board.

  • Fund Balances look good.  Building and Grounds will need to be watched.

  • Mr. Schoonover asked auditor about the levy for the capital improvements.  He’s going to get better clarifications.

  • General State Aid was passed and we should expect to see $206,000

  • Budget is in the black for the 2015-2016 school year.

  • Reap grant- They have a past administrator on the account therefore it needs to be reactivated.  Superintendent is working on getting this switched.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - absent; Fortner - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Nutrition Program Review- Kitchen audit has a few action plans that need to be addressed in the next few months.  Verification needs to be done every year by the Superintendent.  The Wellness Policy needs to be updated.  Also, the food safety plan needs some attention.

  2. Summer work update - Things are going well.  A Building and Grounds Committee meeting will meet to go over the projects.    

  3. Gym Floor Update- The gym floor looks great and the process went smoothly.

 

  1. Monsanto Grant Update-Unfortunately, we did not receive this $10,000 grant. 

  1. New Board Business

    1. Auditor Visit-July 19th

    2. Registration Information (7/21 4-7pm; 7/22 9-12pm)

    3. New Physical Therapist contract

    4. D and B Landscaping Lawn Care

    5. Studies Weekly-Teacher Resource/Curriculum for students

    6. Tentative Budget Draft

    7. Breakfast for the Teachers-August 15th@ 7:30am

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann_, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:07 p.m. and returned from @ 9:18 p.m.

  1. Action as a result of Closed Session.

  1. Motion to Approve 15F on Approval items made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve Physical Therapist Dawn Mill Contract for 2016-2017 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Fortner – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Studies Weekly made by Kindermann, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Fortner – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve to resignation of Head Volleyball Coach made by Kindermann, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve resignation of Assistant Volleyball Coach made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve D and B Landscaping Mowing Contract effective August 21, 2016 and discontinue Gavin Landscaping effective August 20, 2016 made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Fortner – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve Superintendent/Principal 1.5% salary increase for 2016-2017 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Fortner – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Approval of Tentative FY 17  Budget for Adoption in September

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Lead teacher position for the next year needs to be looked into.  Welcome Nick Fortner to the school board.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:24 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - June 22, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Budget Hearing – June 22, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on June 22, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:18p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Kindermann - absent; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - absent; Van Weelden - present.

  3. Amended Budget Presentation: Changes made to the levy totals to match the actual levied total. The salaries for Superintendent and Administrator accounts were swapped out.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 6:24 p.m.

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – June 22, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on June 22, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Kindermann - absent; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Trisha Ruddy

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed and Trisha Ruddy wanted to ask if we as a board can discuss the transportation for boy’s school baseball because we have several boys going out for it this year.

  5. Communications – Thank you letter from Debbie Nussbaum for the retirement gift. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from May 18, 2016 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons .Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of May 31, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on hand is $535,530.13.

  2. As of June 1st, we are at 88% expenditures.

  3. REAP revenue still expected to come in approximately $16,980.  We also still have Title I money coming in.

  4. Mr. Schoonover gave a report on meeting with the Governor Rauner.  Pretty grim reports, both sides using budget as a tool to get what they want.  Good possibility that K-12 budget will not be passed before school starts. He will propose a budget for both scenarios: one with the state budget, one without a budget.

  5. Operation Fund (20 Account) we are over and need to watch closely.

  6. District will end the 2015-2016 year in the Black.

  7. Dawn Hoerner found an old check from 2006 that was never deposited. Auditor advised re-issuing a new check. 

  8. Dairy Queen Payment was for teacher appreciation.

  9. Fuel receipts for activity bus were discussed.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Kindermann - absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Superintendent Report

  1. Thanks to everyone who helped during the end of the year and field day.

  2. Graduation went well.

  3. Proud of the teachers for finishing strong with students.

  4. Go Fund Me account is at $1575. The website has a glitch and people haven’t been able to donate.  Mr. Schoonover working on getting that addressed.  He has to create a new fund to make sure it stays set aside

  1. Old Board Business:

  1. Tri-Com Bill- March 10th Invoices:   These were not actually approved last month after have Nick come in and explain them.

  2. Building and Grounds Committee-Projects for summer: Ag Building needs to be cleaned out.  Set committee meeting to discuss gym bleachers painted and finished already.

 

  1. Sealing Gym Floor:  Set for July 7th and 8th

12.    New Board Business

a.       Prevailing Wage Resolution

b.       Abate working cash fund:

c.       Assistant Track Coach Pay:

d.       Non-Certified Staff Compensation/Salaries for 2016-2017

e.       2016 – 2017 School Board Dates: Staying the same, 3rd Wednesday at 6:30pm.

f.        July Calendar:

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:03 p.m. and returned from @ 7:52 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve 2015-2016 Amended Budget made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Prevailing Wage Resolution as presented made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Resolution to Abate the Working Cash Fund as of June 30, 2016 and transfer all the funds to the Education Fund made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve 2016-2017 Cornell Board Meeting dates made by Pinkerton, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve Tri-Com Bill for March 10th Invoices made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve Sealing of Gym floor made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to Approve hiring of Seth Brown for the 2016-2017 Music teacher made by Rogers, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  8. Motion to Approve hiring of Virginia Jones for 2016-2017 Jr. High Math teacher made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  9. Motion to Approve 2015-2016 Assistant Track Stipend to Christina Bowman made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  10. Motion to Approve 2016-2017 Non Certified staff salaries as presented made by Rogers, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  11.  Motion to Approve Nick Fortner for the vacant board member seat made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. 2016-2017 Tentative Budget – Will have in July.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None. 

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - May 18, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – May 18, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on May 18, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - absent; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Trisha Ruddy and Nick Pick with Tri-Com

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed. Nick Pick with Tri-Com had presented all of the bills that were for the new bell and phone system.  He thoroughly went through all of the invoices and described in detail what they were for.  When he gave the original quote, he was not aware that the system was currently not working. He was under the impression that most of the wiring was good and that the reason for the $3400 over the quote was to replace most of the wiring.

  5. Communications –Thank you letters from several teachers that were in appreciation of the meal that was provided during Teacher Appreciate Week. Letter of Resignation from Ginny Jones, resigning from the Board of Education effective immediately.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from April 20, 2016 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes.  Adding 12G. Nominate Treasurer, 15I. Approve Letter of Resignation of Ginny Jones from BOE, and 15J. Approve Treasurer. Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of April 30, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on hand is $574,866.57.

  2. The amended budget was discussed in detail.  Board Member Pfaff had stated that 28 lines items have been adjusted.  These lines were not all stated on the explanation sheet from Superintendent Schoonover.  It was also stated that the revenue levy amounts are inaccurate.  We are not receiving any more money for the levies but the amounts do not reflect that.  It was discussed and the board had agreed that they would like Mr. Schoonover to revert back to the original numbers and make adjustments for the accounts that have to be changed leaving the other accounts as is.

  3. Mr. Schoonover is checking into what the Replacement Tax is.

  4. We are 77% through the year and are at 74% expenditures.

  5. All 8th grade lunch bills have been paid.  It was discussed about revamping the notification of lunch bills

 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions including the State Bank of Graymont Bond interest payment for $9200.00 made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - absent; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Superintendent Report

  1. Attended the LCSSU meeting and they had went over the proposed budget.

  2. Attended the ROE meeting

  3. Mack & Associates 3-year contract was missed in October.  Mr. Schoonover had signed it and returned to them in order to get us renewed for next year.  Mr. Schoonover was aware that he did this without board approval. 

  4. During the March meeting, it was voted 6-1 not to renew a Resource teacher.  Per state law, the teacher should have received a certified letter within 45 days of end of school term.  The teacher was informed verbally but was not sent a certified letter.  Per Statue, she will be employed by Cornell Grade School for the 2016-2017 school year.

  1. Old Board Business:

  1. Tentative Amended Budget:   Discussed during finance report.

  2. Graduation - Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 7:00 PM- Be here at 6:30 PM.

  3. Field Day – May23rd

  4. End of Year Assembly - May 24th      

e.       Hand Rails-Gymnasium: Thank you to Todd Pinkerton, Matt Pfaff, and Amanda Pfaff for installing those. 

f.        Teacher Contract Negotiations-Finance and Negotiation Team-Tentative Contract with CEA: This committee met and reached an agreement.

g.       Building and Grounds Committee - Projects for Summer

h.       Employee Letter of Resignation: Music and Band teacher, Krista Chmiel resigned.

i.         Debbie Nussbaum Retirement Open House (May 23 from 4-7 pm) Luncheon (May 25th at 11:30 am at Pour Richards in Odell).

 

12.   New Board Business

a.       Move June 15th board meeting to June 22nd – This will also be the budget hearing.

b.       IESA Fees 2016-2017:$735 for all sports. 

c.       Summer School Dates/Pay for Ms. Coonan-: June 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30 from 8:00 am -10:00am.

d.       Gym Floor Seal - Estimate: $1300 from Quality Floor Care. 

e.       Non-Certified Staff Retention Recommendations for Employment: Discussed in closed sessions.

f.        June Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:57 p.m. and returned from @ 9:41 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve Contract with CEA for 2016-2017 made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve 2016 Summer School dates and pay for Ms. Coonan made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Tentative Amended Budget made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – no; Jones – absent; Kindermann – no; Pfaff – no; Pinkerton – no; Rogers – no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve moving June 15th board meeting to June 22nd made by Rogers, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve sealing of gym floor pending reference check made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve IESA Fees for 2016-2017 made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to Approve Krista Chmiel’s letter of resignation with regret made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  8. 1. Motion to Approve Shannon Hart for District Bookkeeper FY17 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

2. Motion to Approve Sarah Garretson for Part-time Secretary FY17 made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

3. Motion to Approve Christina Bowman for teacher assistant FY17 made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

4. Motion to Approve Wendy Cooper for Kitchen staff FY17 made by Rogers, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

5. Motion to Approve Mandy Gray for Part-time Kitchen Staff FY17 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

6. Motion to Approve Connie Walker for Kitchen Staff FY17 made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

7. Motion to Approve Judy Morrissey for Custodian FY17 made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – no; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – no.  Motion carried.

8. Motion to Approve John Kisela for Custodian FY17 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

9. Motion to Approve Sue Decker for Librarian FY17 made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

10. Motion to Approve Gail Janssen for Part-time morning aide FY17 made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to Approve Ginny Jones letter of resignation from the BOE made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Amanda Pfaff as Treasurer for the BOE made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Amended Budget Hearing June  

  2. Prevailing Wage Resolution

  3. 2016-2017 Tentative Budget

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Geoff Schoonover will check into how to fill the vacancy board seat.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:58 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - April 20,2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – April 20, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on April 20, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:31 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones – present at 6:40 p.m.; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  None

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – Student Council sent a thank you note and picture in appreciation of approval for attending the State Convention in Springfield

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from March 16, 2016 made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes to 11.  Adding 11F-Kitchen Audit made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of March 31, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:           

  1. Cash on hand is $633,256.57.

  2. There were several additional bills for Tri-Com. Many of these invoices were for unexpected additional fees/materials/labor for the bell system. It was decided that we would want a full explanation of these charges before we pay them.

  3. Ricketts Refrigeration is a new vendor that worked out very well.                                                                                

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding six invoices for Tri-Com totaling $2,633.58 made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Kindergarten Roundup-9 Kindergartners

  2. Amended Budget

  3. Statement of Economic Interest

  4. Graduation-Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 7:00PM

  5. Second Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies

  6. Hand Rails-Gymnasium

  7. PARCC Testing Completion

  8. Contract Negotiations-Finance and Negotiation Team-Collective Bargaining Dates

  9. Building and Grounds Committee-Facility Use Guidelines

 

11.   New Board Business

a.       School registration fees- Recommended by Mr. Schoonover to leave fees as they are.

b.       Milk, Breakfast and lunch prices-Recommended by Mr. Schoonover to leave breakfast and lunch prices as they are.

c.       Teacher Retention Recommendations for Employment-Lynette Cavinder-Physical Education

d.       Debbie Nussbaum Retirement Open house (May 23 4-7pm) Luncheon (May 25-11:30 Pour Richards in Odell)-The Board is welcomed at both the Open House and Luncheon.

e.       May Calendar: As presented.

  1. Kitchen Audit- The state auditors notes indicated several areas that require immediate changes.  Additional discussion about the changes will be necessary pending office state report.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:19 p.m. and returned from @ 9:52 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Lynette Cavinder made by Jones, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Board Policy Updates as presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Registration fees for 2016-2017 school year made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Milk, Breakfast, and lunch prices for 2016-2017 school year made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve Facility Use Guidelines Policy update made by Van Weelden, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Amended Budget

  2. Milk and Bread Bids

  3. Non Certified Staff-Recommendations for Approval

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Ms. Coonan and Mr. Schoonover discussed summer school.  There will be 6 students attending summer school. The dates are still being worked out. The Building and Grounds committee will be doing a walk through the school in the next few weeks to look at any projects that need to be done over the summer

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:57 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - March 16, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – March 16, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on March 16, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Trisha Ruddy and Shannon Hart.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard

  5. Communications – Thank you letter from the family of Mrs. Hart for the flowers. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from February 17, 2016 made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes from February 31, 2016 to February 29, 2016. Also, 14a. xi. From Year 2 to Year 3, made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of February 29, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on hand is $677,283.28.

  2. K-12 grade funds will be coming in this year although the state budget has not been approved yet. Funds for school year 2016-2017, may not be available from the state, since they still don’t have a budget. 

  3. 59% expenditures as of March 7th.

  4. The amended budget is still being worked on.

  5. Continuing to watch the Operation fund closely.

  6. The Tri-Com bill for the new bell system was over quote approximately $1,000, since some new wiring had to be purchased and installed.

 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Amended Budget

  2. Amended School Calendar

  3. Hand Rails-Gymnasium:  These have been ordered.  PTC has approved to split the cost with the school for these.

  4. PARCC Testing Update: The testing has gone well and they have not had any problems.     

e.    $10, 0000 Monsanto Grant: This grant application has been completed.  The intentions are to get it submitted in the next couple days. Several area farmers have recommended our school

f.        February 23rd, Millikin Bootcamp Summary: Received a contact from Millikin Education Program.  Mr. Schoonover can receive resumes from them when needed.

g.       Intercom Bell System Update: They are continuing to work our minor glitches with Tri-Com. Everything seems to be working well for the most part

h.       Crisis Plan Committee/Walkie Talkies: Walmart has 12 walkie talkies for $169.00.  These will work for our needs. 

11.   New Board Business

a.       Kindergarten Roundup will be Tuesday, April 5, 2016 from 5pm-6pm for 2016-2017 Kindergarteners.

b.       Website Training and Updates: Shannon Hart has been working to get our website up to date with information.  Some board members have recognized the change that is more user friendly.

c.       Teacher Retention Recommendations for Employment: Discussed in closed sessions.

d.       Contract Negotiations-Finance and Negotiation Team: Teacher representatives are getting their things together and meeting.  Finance Committee will meet next month. 

e.       Press 1st Reading: Will scan and mail out the new policies to save paper since they are lengthy.

f.        Reimbursement Classwork by Teachers: Ms. Coonan

g.       April Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:25 p.m. and returned from @ 8:00 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

 

  1. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Christina Bowman made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Amanda Coonan made by Pfaff, seconded Fitzsimmons: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Kenney – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Kim McHenry made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff; Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Jenni Giertz made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff:  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Samantha Foley made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Amy Petersen made by Rogers, seconded by Pinkerton: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for   Ashley Follmer made by Van Weelden, seconded by Rogers:  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Abby Holcomb made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Mary Janseen made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons:   Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes;   Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Tiffany Dukes made by   Kindermann seconded by Fitzsimmons: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Leslie Coughlin made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Laura Spraggon made by   Kindermann seconded by Pfaff:Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – no; Kindermann –no; Pfaff – no;  Pinkerton – no; Rogers – no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion carried

 

Motion for Educational Employment for 2016-17 for Krista Chmiel made by Kindermann seconded by Pfaff: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

  1. Motion to Approve Amendments to the FY17 School Calendar with 2:00pm dismissal August 16-19th made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve purchase of walkie talkies by Kindermann, seconded by Jones. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve to reimbursement of classwork by teacher - Ms.Coonan made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Amended Budget

  2. Milk and Bread Bids

  3. Registration Fees

  4. Lunch Fees

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None. 

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:14 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - February 17, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – February 17, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on February 17, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones – present (at 7:44 pm); Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  None

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – None

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from January 20, 2016 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden, Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of January 31, 2016:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on Hand balance is $712,506.53.

  2. 51% Budget has been used so far.

  3. The first semester LCSSU bills are for 7 students.

  4. TriCom bill was for the labor on the Firewall from last month.

  5. Background screening is for a substitution cook.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Hand Rails-Gymnasium- Have not heard back from PTC to see if they could assist in funding some of this improvement. It was decided we only need 12 instead of 16.

  2. Intercom Bell System Update-Working very hard to get this installed quickly.  Some of the wiring is very old and has to be replaced.  This will be additional cost when the final bill comes in.  Testing will be done the next few days to see if things are working properly.  Hoping the entire system will be up and running next week. 

  3. Contract Negotiations-Finance and Negotiation Team- Teachers are preparing and getting a team together. 

11.   New Board Business

a.       Readers’ Workshop Visit to Glenn Elementary School –Three teachers attended this development opportunity.  Three more will be going in March.  Superintendent Geoff Schoonover is hoping to have some teachers put together a presentation to the board to show what they’ve learned at this workshop.  They have come back with new ideas and are excited to implement some changes in the classroom.

b.       School Report Card-Presentation in Computer Lab-Quick overview of the online program that illustrates Cornell Grade School report card.

c.       Amended School Calendar FY17-Received an additional change to the Flanagan-Cornell #74 school calendar.  There were also some suggestions from the teachers.

d.       PARCC Testing and Dates-March 7-18th – Preparing and getting ready to take these test next month.

e.       Crisis Team Committee- Working together to put together a plan.  Communication is an issue.  Committee is working on trying to find reliable communication tools to use throughout the school since cells phones are not reliable.

f.        Teacher Evaluations-There are two teacher evaluations left to finish.

g.       February 23, Millikin Boot camp-Geoff Schoonover would like to attend this Alumni workshop.

h.       First Read Board Policy-Press Recommendation Polies; 2:20, 4:60, 4:90,5:30, 5:260, 7:20, 7:180, 7:240-As presented.

i.         Field Trips-Request for the 6th-8th grade to attend a field trip at Tri-Valley on May 13th.  This is a Civil War reenactment.

j.         March Calendar-

k.       Employee Letter of Resignation-Debbie Nussbaum has submitted her letter of resignation after the 2015-2016 school year.  She is retiring from teaching.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:27 p.m. and returned from @ 9:00 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve Amendments to FY17 School Calendar as presented made by __________, seconded by __________.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.TABLED

 

  1. Motion to Approve 6th-8th grade field trip to Tri-Valley to see the Civil War reenactment upon full funding from alternate sources made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

  1. Motion to Approve, with regret, the Employee Letter of Resignation from Debbie Nussbaum effective after the 2015-2016 school year made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to Approve to PTC/District purchase and installation of Hand Rails in Gymnasium made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to Approve reimbursement for classwork by teacher made by __________, seconded by __________.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.TABLED

 

  1. Motion to Approve Geoff Schoonover’s attendance at Millikin Bootcamp made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

 

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Amended Budget – Will need to be done by the June with a hearing done before hand.

  2. Teacher Retention Recommendations-Geoff Schoonover will bring his recommendations to the March meeting.  The board will then vote.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Need to get Superintendent Evaluations ready to be submitted to the board and teachers. Kindermann will provide this information in the near future.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:08 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - January 20, 2016

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – January 20, 2016

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on January 20, 2016.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 7:15 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting: Richard Cooper.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed:  Richard Cooper, Cornell School Bus driver has requested that we look into getting a bus barn for the buses.  During winter, it becomes extremely difficult to get the snow and ice off the buses and adds extra time to the day.  

  5. Communications – None

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from December 16, 2015 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of December 31, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on Hand is $819,396.37.  This amount does not reflect the transfer of $45,670.25 to our money market, as that was done on 1/20/2016.

  2. The staff billing is more than normal because some stipends have been paid out.

  3. Tri-Com bill is for security system and filter placed on all computers.   This is a new issue and has nothing to do with the other updates and fixes made recently.

  4. Daily Leader bill was for the Tax Levy to be published.

  5. Getz charge was for inspecting fire extinguishers.  Last month they were out for annual inspection of building.  It was suggested that maybe they can do both in one trip and perhaps this may save some money.

  6. Chuck Harder was out to fix the kitchen water heater.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Freezer and Cooler in kitchen: Popejoy came out to reseal the freezer and cooler.  Also, a new drain catcher was installed.  Zach was the technician and they were very happy with his knowledge and explanation that was given

  2. Bell System Update and Quotes: Received two quotes for new bell and intercom system.  First quote was from Tricom for $14,934.35 which included 6 new phones along with the system. Second was Bennett Electronics for $13,730.00 which included 2 new phones.  Mr. Schoonover recommends Tri-Com. He suggest that we use REAP Grant money to pay for this essential security function. He has spoken with someone from the REAP team who does believe this would be acceptable for the grant.

  3. Public School Calendar:  As presented

11.   New Board Business

a.       School report card: Presentation at the next board meeting.

b.       Fire Wall and Filter: Tri-Com has put in a new security and filter system for Cornell’s fire wall.

c.       Hand Rails-Gym-Two quotes were received by Amanda Pfaff for hand rails in the gymnasium. E.T. Paddock Enterprises, Inc. quote for 16 hand rails is $2960.00. Buckeye Bleacher Repair, Inc. handrail are $2560.00 for 16 rails.

d.       Contract Negotiations Finance and Negotiation team will be meeting soon to talk about the process.

e.       Monsanto Grant: $10,000 Grant for Math and Science through farmer nominations.  Working on the details.

f.        February Calendar

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:45 p.m. and returned from @ 9.04 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve FY17 School Calendar as presented made by Jones, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve the purchase, installation, and training of bell and intercom system from Tricom for $14,934.35 made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve purchase and installation of Hand rails in Gym made by __________, seconded by __________.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons; Jones; Kindermann; Pfaff; Pinkerton; Rogers; Van Weelden.  Motion TABLED

  4. Motion to Approve purchase of Meraki Firewall/Filter via Tri-Com for $4,600.00 made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Amended Budget –Will need to have hearing before March meeting.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – The bus barn was discussed briefly.  Geoff will contact Flanagan to see what their opinion is since they own the buses, hire and pay the bus drivers, and maintain the buses.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - December 16, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – December 16, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on December 16, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. There were no guest or visitors for the meeting.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard:  Jack Bristow of LLAC had called and spoke with Shannon regarding our Student of the Month publication in the Pontiac Daily Leader. Jack feels we have a great program and are doing a great job. Student Council would like to go Springfield for state convention in April.

  5. Communications – Letter from Debbie Nussbaum requesting some time off in February.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from November 18, 2015 made by Jones, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of November 30, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet.

  9. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  10. Old Board Business:

  1. Second Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies;  2:150, 2:200, 2:220-E2, 4:170, 5:90, 5:100, 6:15, 6:50, 6:160, 6:315, 6:320, 7:50, 7:100, 7:130, 7:140, 7:290, 7:300, 7:305, 7:340, 8:30:   

  2. FY17 Tax Levy Information is ready to be submitted after approval.  This will be taken to the County Clerk office.

  3. Moving monies to Money Market from District Account

  4. Amended Budget:      

                                                                           i.      Limitation of Administrative Cost

                                                                         ii.      Title One Adjustment-$30,000 revenue

                                                                        iii.      REAP(Rural Education Achievement Program)-revenue  $16,968.00

                                                                       iv.      Adjust repair/maintenance grounds fund 20.2543.323

e.       Board Christmas Breakfast

11.   New Board Business

a.       FY17 Bond Abatement: $35,000 was paid and next June $46,000 will be due.

b.       Freezer and Cooler in Kitchen is having issues again.  Popejoy is coming back out to take a look at this.

c.       Bell System: We currently have no bell system that is functioning correctly. Geoff will call and get some quotes from a few businesses.

d.       Public School Calendar for the 2016-2017 is being worked on. Geoff is working closely with Superintendent Jerry Farris, so hopefully we will be on the same schedule as FC74.

e.       Administrative Assistants Recognition: It was discussed that Geoff was going to invite the Administrative Assistants to lunch at Bernardi’s. When a date has been set, he will let the board know in case anyone is able to join that day.

f.        January Calendar is attached.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:37 p.m. and returned from @ 8:22 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve FY17 Tax Levy made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Board Policy Updates as presented made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve the transfer of $45,670.25 from Cash on Hand to Money Market Account made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve to Abate $46,000 of FY17 Alternative Revenue Bonds made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve Board Public School Calendar made by __________, seconded by __________.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried. TABLED

  6. Motion to Approve Administrative Assistant Gifts made by __________, seconded by __________.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried. TABLED

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Amended Budget

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Long time teacher and Assistant Principal for Flanagan-Cornell #74, Mrs. Beverly Hart is ill. Please be thinking of her.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:30p.m.

Open Session Minutes - November 18, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – November 18, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on November 18, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:31 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden – present (at 6:34pm).

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – Card from the Gurdak Family.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from October 21, 2015 made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes of 11.A to FY17 Tax Levy Information and 15A to FY17 Tax Levy Final Approval made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of October 31, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Bill for Music Shoppe was for the purchase of a powered mixer for the gym.  This is a sound system in the gymnasium.  The old system was not working well and with repair cost, it would be financially better to purchase new one.  REAP money was used to pay for this.

  2. TriCom expenses are getting to be quite an expense.  They’ve done a tremendous job getting us up and running with technology.  This account will be monitored closely.

  3. Textbook account is running slightly over budget.  Superintendent does not believe we will need to order any more textbooks this year. 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Moving monies to Money Market account:  Superintendent spoke with Randy Merker regarding moving money to our savings.  He recommended that we move money if interest rates are up.  If our school is in a financial position to do so, our board would like to move some monies over in the next few months. 

  1. New Board Business:

  1. FY16 Tax Levy Information: The 2017 Proposed Tax levy was reviewed.  An estimated $953,334 will be submitted for tax levy.  Truth in Taxation would be at 4.95% capped.

  2. Amended Budget-

  1. Limitation of Administrative Cost: State mandated regulation states that the Superintendent salary cannot be more than 7% of budget.  When the budget was approved the salaries for Superintendent and Principal were switched.   The salary does not change however the amounts for these accounts will be switched on the amended budget.

  2. Title One Adjustment-$30,000 Revenue: Received an additional check from the Federal Government for Title One.

  3. REAP (Rural Education Achievement Program: Will adjust this to have an additional $16,000 revenue.

  4. Adjust Repair/Maintenance Grounds fund 20.2543.323- We’ve had several additional maintenance and repairs.  For example, mowing was needed several more times than normal.

  1. First Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies; 2:150, 2:200, 2:220-E2, 4:170, 5:90, 5:100, 6:15, 6:50, 6:160, 6:315, 6:320, 7:50, 7:100,7:130, 7:140,7:290, 7:300, 7:305, 7:340,8:30 :

  2. Scootpad Contract- Geoff Schoonover attended a presentation of the new and improved Scootpad program.  He is very impressed with the tools this program has to offer.  The contract would give 110 student licenses and would cost $650 for a one year contract or $1200 for a two year. His recommendation is a one year contract.

  3. Veterans’ Day Assembly: Went very well, but have received feedback that community members like the assembly and traditional lunch at the school.  Geoff was unaware of this tradition. A School Improvement early dismissal day had been scheduled last year by the prior administrator.  He recommends keeping tradition for future years and having the afternoon lunch.

  4. Vision 20/20-Unified front to support Public Education.  The board requested more time to review the information that was emailed to us regarding this.

  5. Board Christmas Breakfast/Lunch – On December 18th breakfast will be provided for the Cornell Grade School staff.

  6. December Calendar

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:03 p.m. and returned from @ 8:49 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve Scootpad License for a 1 year contract made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Head Custodian Job Description/Expectations as presented made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. FY16 Tax Levy Final Approval – Will need to be approved in December.

  2. Abate the FY16 Bonds-­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Will need to be approved in December.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Suggestion of adding hand rails in the gym was made by Pfaff.  The board agreed that we would like to look into those.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - October 21, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 21, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on October 21, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; VanWeelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Trisha Ruddy and Nete Traugott-Olsen.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard. 

  5. Communications – None. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from September 23, made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Jones, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of September 30, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. The maintenance account will need to be watch closely this year. Approved budget amount this year is $7000 compared to $13,000 in prior year.

  2. Popejoy bill was for a toilet and labor.

  3. Watts Copy system is a monthly contract fee and if we go over certain amount then we get charged for additional usage.

  4. Lynn Chevrolet bill was for the inspection on the activity bus.  This failed inspection and a part had to be put on to meet code.

  5. Yankee Candle activity account paid for some Social Studies text books for 5th grade and for upfront costs for 8th grade trip to ISU plays.

  1. Superintendent Report:

  1. Music Instruments-PTC paid $1000 for repair. Total bill was for $1300

  2. Technology-Smart Board bid from Tri-Com came in at $6000 for one board in the junior high.  Will continue to look at other companies for bids.

  3. RTI-Response to Intervention has been in the initial stages assessing all students. 

  4. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place October 29th and 30th.

  5. Crisis Plan Update- Has met with Joe Ruddy and talked about Fire and Substance plan.  Discussed was where children would need to be outside and how far away from the building.  All plans have been gone over with staff.  Next step is to go over a lockdown plan. 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Fall Fest-October 19:  Was a great success.  Profit around $2000 this year.

  2. Book Fair-October 19-23

  3. Second Reading Board Policy  

  1. New Board Business:

  1. November Calendar: Attached in packet.  Sports will be in full swing.

  2. Parent Teachers Conferences

  3. Athletic Committee: Meeting next month to go over the schedule

  4. Tax Levy Update: Geoff will be going to a meeting next week with Randy Merker.  This has to be approved in December.  More information to come.

  5. Athletic Coaches-Boys Basketball Assistant Coaches: Dan Leonard and Chad Jones

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:50 p.m. and returned from @ 8:14 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve Dan Leonard as Assistant Basketball Coach for the 2015-2016 school year made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

Motion to Approve Chad Jones as Volunteer Assistant Basketball Coach for the 2015-2016 school year made by VanWeelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; VanWeelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to Approve Board Policy Updates as presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve the change in Certified Music teacher from .50 to .60 full time employment for 2015-2016 salary made by Pinkerton, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – no; Jones – no; Kindermann – no; Pfaff –no; Pinkerton –no; Rogers-no; VanWeelden-no. Motion failed.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Tax Levy- Must be completed by second Tuesday of December 

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Superintendent had received a phone call from Lily Beth Gumra, ISBE informing us that the Title I Federal revenue has increased.   Also discussed the website being updated with minutes. 

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - September 23, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Budget Hearing – September 23, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 23, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:16 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. Budget Presentation:  Geoff Schoonover spoke a few words about the budget.  He was pleased that our budget is a balanced budget. He will continue to monitor the Operation and Maintenance Fund. The General State Aid went up 3% going from 89% to 92%.   

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard:  Trisha Ruddy asked why the track salary is $1,000 less than basketball.  Geoff had explained that the track season is shorter and that it is negotiated during contract time.

  5. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – September 23, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 23, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; VanWeelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart, Trisha Ruddy, and Lori Pope. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard

  4. Communications – Ray Zimmerman from Flanagan, IL passed away.  He was a long time board member for the FCHS. We would like to send flowers to send our condolences.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from August 19, 2015 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Superintendents Report

  1. Music Instruments- An estimate of repair for Cornell Grade School owned instruments was presented to the board.  Geoff had indicated that fund raising money and PTC would also be an option to fund this request.

  2. Phones-Heart Technology pricing-Phone systems are really old. They do not have Caller ID or Voicemail.  Geoff is getting bids for an upgrade.

  3. Technology- Working with teachers to look at technology products to use Reap money to fund.

  4. Gas Leak- Geoff is putting together a crisis team.  He is also meeting with teachers to brain storm and get ideas to improve situations that have occurred.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of August 31, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Discussed that expense are up a little but because of the start of the year expenses are generally more at the being for startup cost.

  2. The new laminator purchase was a little higher than thought.  The one they wanted to buy was on back order.  They needed a working laminator and went ahead and purchased.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Open House Update:   Pleased with turn out. It was an excellent evening

  2. FY15 Budget

  3. Testing Information PARCC

  1. New Board Business:

  1. FY15 Audit Presentation: Mack & Associate’s accountant, Lori Pope, was present to give annual presentation. She stated the Cornell Grade School is doing very well.  They had no major issues or concerns. Lori went over the packet in a high level format.  She was very pleased with our year and felt really good about what we are doing with our school financially.

  2. First Reading Board Policy: PRESS Recommendation Policies;  2:160, 2:160E, 2:260, 4:50, 5:50, 5:170, 5:270, 5:290, 6:140, 7:10, 7:40, 7:260, 7:310, 7:325, 8:10, 8:

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by VanWeelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:04p.m. and returned from @ 8:23 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve FY16 Budget as presented the made by Pfaff, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve FY15 Audit made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve the Volleyball Coach Resignation made by __________, seconded by __________.  Voice vote with all members approving. This was already in her resignation letter.

  4. Motion to Approve Volleyball coach, Lynette Cavindear for 2015-16 School year made by Jones, seconded by VanWeelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve Assistant Volleyball coach, Mary Janssen for 2015-16 school year made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve Basketball coach, Will VanWeelden for 2015-2016 School year made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – abstain.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to Reimburse Ashely Follmer, 3rd Grade Teacher $500 for approved course work credit from Concordia University made by Kindermann, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Fall Fest will be held October 19 at 5:00pm.

  2. Ag Expo–1st thru 5th grade will be going to the 4H Park to take part in this great learning opportunity

  3. Friday, October 2nd -  Homecoming Parade in Flanagan.  Students 6th-8th will attend.

  4. Global Connect- Working through some issues, but will get those fixed as soon as possible.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – VanWeelden brought up the idea of asking some Business’s in community to meet with the school board to brain storm on ideas for our community and school to be on the same page.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m.

 

Open Session Minutes - August 19, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – August 19, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on August 19, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:30 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard. 

  4. Communications – None. 

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from July 22, 2015 made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes to 13. H-Approval of Board Policies-

made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.

Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of July 31, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet along with the 2015-2015 Proposed Budget provided and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Discussion of the purchase of textbooks.

  2. Shannon will be doing a journal entry for the prior year transportation credit.

  3. Many questions were asked regarding the proposed budget including the account for CSFT Contracted Services. Question was raised if we should be using this account.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Opening School Information:   Looks to be a great start so far.  Teachers appreciated the breakfast

  2. Laminator has been purchased and the teachers are using.

  3. Auditor Visit-Moved to September 23rd Meeting  

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Move September 16th Board of Education Meeting to September 23rd

  2. Registration Numbers-99 students for the start of the year.

  3. August calendar change– Open house Monday August 31, 2015 at 6:00pm to 7:30 pm

  4. FY16 Updated Tentative Budget and September hearing –

  5. Testing Information-PARCC – There will only be one window of testing for the 2015 – 2016 school year.

  6. Junior High Science Position

  7. Application for the Recognition of Schools-  

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:57 p.m. and returned from @ 8:33 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve FY16 Tentative Budget made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve to change September Board of Education Meeting to Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 6:30 PM made by Pinkerton, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Budget hearing for Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 6:15 pm. made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve the resignation of Junior high Science teacher, Caitlyn Schreiter made by Pfaff, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve to hire Leslie Coughlin as Junior High Science Teacher for the 2015-16 school year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve Application for the Recognition of Schools made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to Approve reimbursement of $500 to Ashley Follmer, 3rd Grade Teacher, for Approved Course work credit from Concordia University. TABLED

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Adoption of FY16 Budget

  2. FY15 Audit Information on Sept 23   

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:49p.m.

Open Session Minutes - July 22, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – July 22, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on July 22, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Van Weelden at 6:33 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart, Mary Stoiber, Jenni Giertz, and Tiffany Dukes. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed:  Each new staff member present spoke a few words to introduce themselves to the board. Shannon Hart feels like our current insurance is a hassle when trying to speak with someone regarding issues.

  4. Communications – None. 

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from June 17, 2015 made by Pfaff, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Special Session Minutes from June 29, 2015 made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes adding 16c. Approval of County Sales Facility Tax Resolution made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Superintendent Report-

  • New Staff Transition

  • Update on Summer Cleaning

  • Insurance Coverage

  • Update on Garden Clean up

  • K-12 Education Budget-State of Illinois-92% Pro-Ration up 3% from 89% last fiscal year

  • Kitchen Freezer malfunctioned due to a bad switch.  Several thousands of dollars’ worth of food was spoiled. The backup light was still lit up, and did not indicate to anyone that the freezer was down.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of June  30, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. We came in 6.04% under budget. 

  2. Auditor was in and everything looked well. 

  3. Tentative Budget will be ready in a couple of weeks.

  4. Geoff attended a Finance meeting today in Peoria that had a wealth of information.

  1. Motion to approve Tentative Budget for FY16 -TABLED

  2. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Jones, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton - absent; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Old Board Business:

  1. Summer work update   

  2. Maintenance Grant

  3. Second Reading Board Policy  

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Opening School Information -August 18, 2015 will be the first day of school for students. Teachers will report August 17,2015

  2. Discussion on Laminator- The current laminator broke. Requesting to purchase another.

  3. Discussion on Refinishing Gym Floor – It is too late to do this year.  We will get something on the schedule soon for next summer. CMI was very busy and could not get us on this schedule this year.

  4. CSFT Distribution Agreement

  5. Auditor Visit – Went well. We should have a good report this year.

  6. Registration Information (7/23 – 7/24) –

  7. Tentative Budget – Will have soon for our first review. He will email us that information when it comes available.

  8. Breakfast for The Teachers- August 17th @ 7:30 AM

 

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden . Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:48 p.m. and returned from @ 9:09 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  1. Motion to Approve Wendy Cooper Non Certified Salary increase of 1.69% for FY16 made by Pfaff, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

2. Motion to Approve Sarah Garretson Non Certified Salary increase of 1.69% for FY16 made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

3. Motion to Approve Shannon Hart Non Certified Salary increase of 1.69% for FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

4. Motion to Approve Jude Morrisey Non Certified Salary hourly adjustment made for FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

5. Motion to Approve John Non Certified Salary increase of 1.69% for FY16 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

6. Motion to Approve Connie Walker Non Certified Salary increase of 1.69% for FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

7. Motion to Approve Christina Bowman Non Certified Salary increase of 1.69% for FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to Approve Deb Nussbaum from fulltime to half/part time made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden  .  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – absent; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried

  2. Motion to Approve County Sales Facility Tax Resolution made by Kindermann, seconded Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Approval on Tentative FY15 Budget for Adoption in September –

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - June 17, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – June 17, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on June 17, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Pinkerton at 6:31 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton - present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - absent.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed and Shannon Hart commented on how the PTC has approved for the gym floor to be buffed.  CMI will be coming in to do this work.  She also stated that she did not send out the School Kit packets this year since there will be several new teachers, she would not have the new hired teacher supply list.

  4. Communications – Resignation letter from Jamie Wykes

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from May 20, 2015

made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  2. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of May 31, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. There was some confusion over the Treasurer’s Report Cash on Hand not matching the summary reports.  Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $112,000 ahead of this time last year.

  2. Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 92% thru the year and have received 99% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 86% of budgeted expenses.

  3. Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $26,000.

  4. Activity Fund Monthly Report –It was discovered there was a typing error.  The comment about the 8th Grade expenses should have been a total $132.86, not $1322.86.

  1. Motion to approve the Bill made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann - yes; Pfaff - yes ; Pinkerton - no; Rogers - yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  3. New Board Business:

  1. Review Closed Session Minutes

  2. Verbatim Closed Session Minutes  

  3. Student of the Month – Was Marley Highland and Wyatt Kuhlmann

  4. First Reading Board Policy

  5. Non Certified Employment for 2015

  6. Staff Resignations- Jamie Wykes and Christy Ahrends as Teachers.  Ashley Follmer from assistant volleyball coach.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Jones, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:47 p.m. and returned from @ 8:42 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve Closed meeting minutes for the past six months to remain closed made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve that all Verbatim Closed meeting minutes prior to Decemeber 2013 are destroyed                           made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

  3. 1. Motion to Approve Wendy Cooper for Kitchen staff FY16 made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

2. Motion to Approve Sarah Garretson for Part-time Secretary FY16 made by Jones, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

3. Motion to Approve Mandy Gray for Part-time Kitchen Staff FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Pfaff.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

4. Motion to Approve Cindy Hart for Part-time Kitchen Staff  FY16. No motion.

5. Motion to Approve Shannon Hart for Bookkeeper FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

6. Motion to Approve Gail Janssen for Part-time morning aide FY16 made by Pfaff, seconded by Rogers.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

7. Motion to Approve John Kisela for Custodian FY16 made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

8. Motion to Approve Judy Morrissey for Custodian FY16 made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

9. Motion to Approve Connie Walker for Kitchen Staff FY16 made by Pfaff, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  1. 1. Motion to approve teacher resignation letter with regret from Christy Ahrends made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones. Roll Call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

2. Motion to approve teacher resignation letter with regret from Jamie Wykes made by Pfaff, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Roll Call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

3. Motion to approve teacher resignation letter as assistant volleyball coach from Ashley Follmer  made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll Call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes;  Kindermann – yes; Pfaff-yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Building and Grounds Meeting discussed Plumbers and a few things that need to be done around the school. Tom Bennet, Illinois State Representive spoke and gave us an update about what is going on in Springfield.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - May 20, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – May 20, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on May 20, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Van Weelden at 6:31 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Geoff Schoonover, Sam Foley, Carol Gurgone, DJ Cook, and Mary Beth Lundy. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard. 

  4. Communications – None.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from April 15, 2015 made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Special Session Minutes from April 30, 2015 with made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Rogers.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of April 30, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet provided at the meeting and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

  1. Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $83,000 ahead of this time last year.

  2. Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 83% thru the year and have received 96% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 78% of budgeted expenses.

  3. Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $24,000.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kindermann - present; Pfaff - present; Pinkerton – present; Rogers - present; Van Weelden - present.

   Motion carried.

  1. Old Board Business:

  1. Athletic Committee Meeting:   We will continue to Co-op girl’s softball and boy’s baseball.  PTC will help pay for some of the expenses.

  2. Milk Bids for 2015-2016 Prairie Farms submitted a bid

  3. Graduation-May 28, 2015  

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Students of the month were Trace Garzanelli and James Trainor.

  2. Athletic Banquet was held.  Students were a huge help with setting up tables and chairs

  3. School Registration and School Kids will go home with the students.  They are close to being completed by Shannon.

  4. MAP Testing results were not as expected this quarter since the PARCC testing occurred prior to MAP Testing. Students’ scores went down and they believe this is from all the testing done this month.

  5. Prevailing Wage Resolution will need to be approved tonight.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Jones, seconded by Pfaff.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:13 p.m. and returned from @ 8:21 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve to Accept Milk Bid from Prairie Farms for the 2015-2015 school year made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pfaff – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Rogers – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve Prevailing Wage Resolution made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Transfer of Funds

  2. Abolish Working Cash

  3. End Second Maintenance Grant

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - April 15, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – April 15, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on April 15, 2015.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 6:59 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Geoff Schoonover, Amanda Pfaff, Trisha Ruddy, and Sara Rogers. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard

  4. Communications – None. 

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from March 18, 2015 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of March  31, 2015:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:     

  1. Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $24,000 ahead of this time last year.

  2. Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 75% thru the year and have received 91% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 74% of budgeted expenses.

  3. Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $22,000.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding  the Mid-American bill for $1189.23,

made by Kindermann, seconded by Kenney.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Old Board Business:

  1. Athletics: Will Van Weelden has looked into the prices of having our own Baseball team.  The cost to start the program up would be approximately $2,000.

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Mowing Bids Two bids were submitted.

  2. Summer school Dates/Costs will be in June for 16 days at 2 hours per day.

  3. Free/Reduced Lunch Programs – We receive $3.04 per lunch for Free/Reduced Program.  NBy Federal school requirements, we are expected to increase our rate by $0.10/ year until we match the federal rates.  We will be increasing the cost to $2.70/lunch next year.

  4. School Registration Fees –Suggest to keep the registration fees at $70 per student

  5. Graduation is scheduled for  Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 7:00 PM

  6. PARCC Testing has been completed for the Performance Based Assessment section of the PARCC testing.  The End of the Year section will begin on April 27, 2015.

  7. MAP Testing’s final section will begin May 12, 2015.

  8. Milk Bids

  9. Student of the month was Maddison Howell and Carleigh Pfaff

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:21 p.m. and returned from @ 8:32 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  2. Approval Items:

  1.  Motion to Approve mowing bids for Gavin’s Lawncare and Landscaping for a 3yr contract at $130 per occurrence made by Van Weelden seconded by Fitzsimmons  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve summer school dates/pay for Miss Coonan  for $25 per hour at 2 hours a day for 16 days in June made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Superintendent to Accept Milk & Bread bids  made by Kindermann, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve Raising price for a school lunch from $2.60 to $2.70 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve to hold a special meeting for Monday April 27, 2015 at 5:00 PM made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve to hold a special meeting for Monday April 27, 2015 at 4:45 PM made by Pinkerton, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. – None at this time.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Rob Snyder asked if we as a board would mind if he gave his daughter her diploma in May.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Open Session Minutes - March 18, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – March 18, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on March 18, 2015.The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 6:59 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Sara Rogers, Trisha Ruddy, Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb, Amanda Coonan, Amy Petersen, Ashley Follmer, and Amanda Pfaff. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  4. Communications – Mrs. Sullivan’s proposed bill for the items that were thrown away accidently by staff this fall.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from February 18, 2015

    made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Special Session Minutes from February 25,26, and March 5, 2015 with changes added March 11, 2015 Special Meeting minutes as amended made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Pinkerton seconded by Kenney Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of February 28, 2015:Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

  9. Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $39,000 ahead of this time last year.

  10. Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 67% thru the year and have received 89% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 67% of budgeted expenses.

  11. Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $19,000.

  12. Bills-Gem’s Carpet Cleaning was for cleaning the computer lab chairs. Ladeairous Physical bill is lower since fewer students being seen.

  13. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  14. Old Board Business:

  15. Athletic Committee Meeting:Will Van Weelden is going to look into the cost to start our own baseball team.Community members feel we will have enough participation over the next several years. We could continue the softball co-op program with Flanagan-Cornell #74.

  16. New Board Business:

  17. Mowing Bids

  18. PARCC Testing is going very well.

  19. Educational Staff will be discussed in closed sessions.

  20. Students of the Month were Brianna Stipp and Hannah Jones.

  21. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  22. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).

  23. Security procedures and response to an actual, threatened or reasonably potential danger to the safety of staff, students, the public and school property. Motion made by Kindermann seconded by Kenney Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 7:10 p.m. and returned from @ 7:35 p.m.

  24. Action as a result of Closed Session. Motion to approve suspension of Robert Mixen from all school events for one year starting March 18, 2015 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  25. Approval Items:

  26. Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Christina Bowman made by Van Weelden seconded by Jones: Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Amanda Coonan made by Kenney seconded Van Weelden: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Kim McHenry made by Kindermann seconded by Kenney:  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Jamie Wykes made by Kenney seconded by Pinkerton:  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Chirsty Ahrends made by Kindermann seconded by Kenney: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Samantha Foley made by Van Weelden seconded by Pinkerton: Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Abby Holcomb made by Van Weelden seconded by Jones:Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for   Ashley Follmer made by Kindermann seconded by Pinkerton:  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for     Caitlyn Wood made by Van Weelden seconded by Kenney:   Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

    Motion to for Educational Employment for 2015-16 for Laura Spraggon  made by   Kindermann seconded by Fitzsimmons:Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried

  27. Motion to Approve to Accept Mowing Bids by Kindermann seconded by Kenney.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  28. Motion to Approve to hire Geoff Schoonover as Superintendent/Principal of Cornell CCSD#426 commencing July 1, 2015 and to enter into a two (2) year contract for his services with compensation for the 2015-2016 to be a total package of approximately $105,000 and the subsequent school year to be negotiated between the Board of Education and Mr. Schoonover made by Kenney seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried

  29. Upcoming Items:

  30. Milk and Bread Bids – Milk bid will be coming from Prairie Farms and may need to raise milk prices for the K, 1st, and 2nd snack milk.Right now it is $50 a year per student.

  31. Registration Fees

  32. Lunch/Breakfast Fees will be going up $0.10 per year in by Federal Law in order to get the Free and Reduced Program.

  33. Field Trips:

  34. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Van Weelden congratulated the 2014-2015 Volleyball team for an outstanding year.He also thanked Mr. Bean for being in attendance at all the games and all the work put into it.

Open Session Minutes - February 18, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – February 18, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on February 18, 2015.The meeting was called to order by Vice President Kenney at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder – present (at 7:40 PM); Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Jamie Wykes, Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb, Amy Petersen, Lynette Cavinder, Trisha Ruddy, Sam Foley, Brian Woods, Shannon Hart, and Amanda Pfaff.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed.Lynette Cavinder wanted to thank the board for allowing the Student Council kids to attend an overnight State Convention.She was concerned that they were not able to find a male chaperone to attend with them.The board felt it was not needed since several signed contracts were in place to prevent any misconduct by students.If a student were to misbehave a phone call home to a parent would be made and they would have to come get the student.Jamie Wykes wanted to show a united front to support a new Superintendent.She was concerned with the Interim possibilities and how it would work having an administrator in the building only a few days a week.She stated that they really need someone who is familiar with PARCC testing and Common Core. Shannon Hart expressed her concern about learning all the little things that occur that we may not be thinking about in the office.Amy Petersen felt like Mr. Bean has been a huge help in her classroom in so many ways.

  5. Communications – Athletic Surveys that were submitted by parents.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from January 21, 2015 made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve Special Session Minutes from January 27, 2015 and February 9, 2015 made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.

  8. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of January 31, 2015:Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

  10. Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $53,000 ahead of this time last year.

  11. Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 58% thru the year and have received 87% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 59% of budgeted expenses.

  12. Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $16,000. Total outstanding cafeteria balances are currently at approximately $2400.

  13. Bills –CenterPoint Energy bill has double this month.Mr. Bean spoke with Chris Landstrum and they believe this bill will go down.The IASA payment is a reissue from a payment that was made last September but was lost in the mail. MidAmerican Energy bill will not go down until the new rate becomes effective in May.Music Instructor salary was paid because Gardner did not tell Shannon to stop paying.They will take off the total paid.

  14. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - absent; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  15. Old Board Business:

  16. Athletics Surveys were sent home to all parents and only 4 were received back.Mr. Bean will set up a meeting to see if there is more interest The board will need to make a decision by May

  17. Teacher Evaluation will be done by the next board meeting

  18. New Board Business:

  19. MAP Testing is going well and will be completed by Friday.

  20. Economic Interest Forms have not been received from the County yet.

  21. Student of the Month – Was Alexandra Hansen and Dallas Kmetz

  22. Employee Resignation –Tiffany Sullivan submitted a letter of resignation effective 2015-2016 school year to be able to stay home with her son and travel with her husband.

  23. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  24. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Jones.Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 7:19 p.m. and returned from @ 7:21p.m.

  25. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Jones.Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 7:30 p.m. and returned from @ 9:12 p.m.

  26. There was no action as a result of Closed Session

  27. Approval Items:

  28. Motion to approve teacher resignation letter with regret from Tiffany Sullivan made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  29. Upcoming Items:

  30. Teacher Retention Recommendations

  31. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None

Open Session Minutes - January 21, 2015

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – January 21, 2015

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on January 21, 2015.The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:19 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Cindy Hart and Amanda Pfaff.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – None

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from December 17, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve Special and Closed Minutes from January 7, 2015 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  8. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of December 31, 2014:Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

  10. Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $45,000 ahead of this time last year.

  11. Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 50% thru the year and have received 76% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 52% of budgeted expenses.

  12. Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $15,000. Total outstanding cafeteria balances are currently at approximately $2400.

  13. Bills –Ladeairous Physical starting to dismiss students therefore we should see a reduction in our regular bills; TriCom came in and redid all of the passwords and checked permissions on the computers.

  14. A new Activity Account report is included in the board packet. It was noted that the miscellaneous account for ($702.61) was for the annual AR trip and a check from PTC has been received to cover these expenses.

  15. Bank statements are included for our checking, reserve, and maintenance grant showing accrued interest and December 31st balances.

  16. Budget is included in packet. Kitchen food and supplies accounts are doing great as we are half way thru the year.

  17. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  18. Old Board Business:

  19. Athletics – A potential cost breakdown was provided my Mr. Bean for the next year athletics. This cost analysis includes the Co-op program.There was a 25% increase from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015 and a projected increase was in the analysis.Before a decision was made on any athletic programs Mr. Bean will reach out to the PTC to see if they would want to help with any cost.Mr. Bean is sending a survey home to parents to determine how much interest there really will be. The cost to pay the Co-op fee through the IESA is $200 for 3 sports. At this point there is not a Scholastic Bowl coach and only 5 students participating.This could prove to be difficult as it takes 5 students to be on the panel during meets.

  20. Second Reading Board Policies – No changes since the last meeting.

  21. New Board Business:

  22. Review July 2014 – December 2014 closed session minutes – Advise that all closed session minutes remain closed.

  23. Verbatim records prior to June 2013 – Advise that these are destroyed.

  24. Student of the month – The December SOM were Breanne Swanberg and Mariah Fletcher.

  25. February Calendar – Included in the board packet.

  26. Employee Resignation – A letter of resignation was presented to the board from Mr. Bean effective at the end of his contract on June 30, 2015.

  27. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  28. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney.Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 7:46 p.m. and returned from @ 8:24 p.m.

  29. Action as a Result of Closed Session:

  30. < >

    Approval Items:

  31. Motion to Approve Amended Board Policies as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Jones.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried

  32. Motion to keep closed all Closed Session Minutes from July 2014 – December 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  33. Motion to approve that all Verbatim Closed Session Meeting minutes prior to June 2013 to be destroyed made by Pinkerton, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  34. Motion to Approve Superintendent’s Letter of Resignation made by Kindermann, seconded by Kenney.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – no; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – no.Motion carried.

  35. Upcoming Items:

  36. IESA Membership

  37. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None.

  38. < >

Open Meeting Minutes - December 17, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – December 17, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on December 17, 2014.The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Trisha Ruddy and Amanda Pfaff.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – A few letters were received from staff as well as a petition signed by teachers to be discussed in Closed Session.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from November 19, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes (previously updated to include 14g. Motion to Approve Superintendent Contract for the 2015-16 School Year as well as tonight’s addition of 14h. Motion to Approve Jenny Kindermann as Board Secretary Commencing with the January 2015 Board Meeting) made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of November 30, 2014:Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

    -Cash on Hand is reporting that we are approximately $56,000 ahead of this time last year.  In addition, the negative balance in the Bond and Interest Fund will be offset with a transfer of CFST monies that is currently in the Building Fund;

    -Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 42% thru the year and have received 75% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 45% of budgeted expenses;

    -Cafeteria Financial Report is reporting a negative YTD balance of nearly $13,000.  Insurance is double for the month since we were billed for both our expiring Humana and new BC/BS coverages.  Total outstanding cafeteria balances are currently at approximately $1900.  It was again re-iterated that the students of any families with past due balances will not be allowed to walk at graduation and their transcript will not be available for transfer to their next institution.  A positive note is that our National School Lunch and Breakfast revenues are higher at this time due to the increase of families on the Free and Reduced Program;

    -Bills – Bennett Electronic is the corrected bill from the installment of security cameras and monitor in which half is being paid by grant dollars; FC74 includes a monthly transportation bill as well as co-op fees that were due even though the Board voted not to participate in the co-op, however we will still have a little savings in transportation since the District is not be responsible for transporting those students who chose to participate; Performance Food was to replace some food following the freezer kicking out; Getz consisted of the annual fire inspection; Neutron was for 8 automatic aerosol dispensers in the bathrooms; Pontiac District 429 are standard hearing and vision screenings for our students; SchoolPad was a learning tool for CCLS that goes along with MAP testing which included 3 training sessions – being covered thru Title II Grant dollars - will annually cost $3-400 annually which is based on the number of kids and this should replace  Renaissance Learning; Serv-U was to purchase the milk cooler that we previously received a grant for; TriCom made many service calls but we are in good shape in terms of our computer system now;

    -Budget – Included in the board packet and the $4150 laptop purchase in the prior month should be applied to REAP Grant;

    -A new Activity Account report is included in the board packet.  Mr. Bean will report to the Board as to what $1206.98 expense consisted of in the Miscellaneous Account;

    -Bank statements are included for our checking, reserve, and maintenance grant showing accrued interest and November 30th balances;

    -Credit Card – Cherry Red Roasters was food for the P/T Conferences;

    -BCBS – Bill is included in the board packet for our new health insurance coverage commencing in December and shows the breakdown of the expense per employee which is now based on the age rather than everyone being charged at the same individual or family rates. 

  9. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  10. Old Board Business:

  11. Tax Debt Extension Base Resolution – Further discussion was held regarding this topic.It was confirmed that if $200,000 was placed on the ballot, we could levy annually up to this amount but not to exceed an aggregate of the PTELL amount of approximately $941,000.It was discussed that the community voted to approve an influx of $500,000 in tax funds several years back which was the original amount placed in reserve, and that was expected to be the final straw in terms of financing to keep the grade school open.Upon further discussion, the Board decided to postpone this topic to a later election after more information is available and there is more opportunity to educate the community.

  12. Board Christmas Breakfast – The Board will be providing the Staff breakfast on December 19th at 6:45 a.m. followed by a gift exchange.It was decided amongst the Board who will be bringing what although most board members will not be able to attend because of work.

  13. FY16 Tax Levy Information – Included in the board packet is the proposed levy with no changes from last month’s meeting.All paperwork is ready to be signed by the Board President and Secretary so Mr. Bean can turn into the County as required.There is an action item on tonight’s agenda to approve as presented.

  14. Employee Non-Resident Tuition Waiver – Our waiver has passed and is good through 2018-19 for students of full time employees wishing to attend Cornell, although they will still be responsible for ordinary school and cafeteria fees.

  15. Intergovernmental Agreement with Gardner South Wilmington – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  16. New Board Business:

  17. FY16 Bond Payment – This is an annual decision of the Board whether to abate any, a portion, or all of the payment of our Alternative Revenue Bond for the upcoming FY.Following recent discussions, we will need to abate the entire amount and use our CSFT monies to pay for, of which there is an action item on tonight’s agenda.

  18. Teacher Request for Class Reimbursement – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  19. First Reading Board Policies – There have been many recommended updates to our BPM and included in the board packet is a summary as well as details of each.Mr. Bean briefly went thru although there is nothing of great influence to our District.

  20. Public School Calendar – The proposed Pubic School Calendar for the 2015-16 school year is included in the board packet.It has been discussed with the staff as well as Jerry Farris, thus is in alignment with District FC74.There is an action item on tonight’s agenda and if approved, Mr. Bean will turn into the State as required.

  21. Athletics for 2015-16 – Our co-op agreement with FC74 is ending for baseball, softball, and girls’ basketball.At this time, we tentatively have the following interest in each of those sports for the next school year:softball - 6 girls consisting 2 each in 5th, 6th, and 8th grades; baseball – 9 boys consisting of 1 in 5th, 6 in 6th, and 2 in 7th; girls’ basketball – 2 with 1 in each 5th and 8th although Mr. Bean believes the 8th grader is not sincere in their desire to play, and as previously discussed, girls can choose to play with the boys if they desire to do so.Boys’ basketball is making a strong recovery and will have 16 players but only 6th and 7th grade schedules.Volleyball will only have 12-14 players (including next year’s 5th graders) and will be playing 7th and 8th grade schedules.We will continue to see volleyball struggle for numbers since there are very few girls in the lower grades for the next 3 years.It was discussed to possibly look into co-oping volleyball but there are a lot of students from the other schools participating so playing time for our children may be limited.

  22. Student of the Month – The November SOM were Braden Tangman and Amira Dana.

  23. January Calendar – Included in the board packet.

  24. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  25. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 8:07 p.m. and returned from @ 9:38 p.m.

  26. Action as a Result of Closed Session:

  27. Motion to Approve Superintendent to hire part time Janitor made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  28. Approval Items:

  29. Motion to Approve Resolution providing for and requiring the submission of the proposition of establishing the District’s debt service extension base to the voters of Community Consolidated School District Number 426, Livingston County, Illinois at the consolidated election to be held on the 7th day of April, 2015 – Tabled.

  30. Motion to Approve FY16 Tax Levy made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  31. Motion to Approve to Abate $43,944 of the FY16 Alternative Revenue Bonds made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  32. Motion to Approve Public School Calendar made by Snyder, seconded by Kindermann.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  33. Motion to Approve Teacher Request for Course Payment per union contract made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kenney.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  34. Motion to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with Gardner-South Wilmington for the 2014-15 School Year made by Jones, seconded by Pinkerton.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – no; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  35. Motion to Approve Superintendent Contract for the 2015-16 School Year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – no; Kindermann – no; Pinkerton – no; Snyder – no; Van Weelden – yes.Motion failed.

  36. Motion to Approve Jenny Kindermann as Board Secretary commencing with the January 2015 Board Meeting made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  37. Upcoming Items:

  38. Review Closed Session Minutes.

  39. Verbatim Closed Session Minutes.

  40. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None.

Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:44 p.m


Open Session Minutes - November 19, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – November 19, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on November 19, 2014.The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:10 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Kevin Heid of Chapman & Cutler, LLP.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – A letter was received from Debbie Garzanelli showing her appreciation in follow up to recent events.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from October 22, 2014 with changing of the date to read October 15, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve Special Session Minutes from October 28, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  8. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  9. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of October 31, 2014:Financial reports were provided in the board packet along with a revised bill listing being made available at the meeting, and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

    -Cash on hand reports that we are approximately $53,000 ahead of this time last year, due in large part to the CFST we have received to this point which is even higher than expected.  Another positive note is that our IMRF percentage is being reduced for the next calendar year;

    -Three bills have been sent to the PTC for certain athletic costs including some transportation;

    -Budget Revenues Expenditures Report is showing that we are 33% thru the year and have exhausted 33% of budgeted expenses thus right in line, while having received 73% of budgeted revenues.  Since there is not enough budgeted in the Bond & Interest Fund to cover the bond payment, we will transfer into this fund CFST monies from the Capital Projects fund to satisfy, of which a budget amendment is not necessary.  The budgeted expenses against the CFST does include amounts adequate to cover ½ of the bond payment for FY15;

    -Cafeteria Financial Report is showing us in the red by $11,563.73 because of higher expenses (including refrigerator/freezer issues, etc.) than the year prior and all logged hours for our staff has been caught up thru payroll.  The family going thru collections is likely to begin making payments next week as they are now on Free & Reduced thus do not need to pay for their current meals being provided, but it was reiterated that the students will not be allowed to graduate until the balance is paid in full;

    -Bills:  The revised bill listing includes additional bills; Computer Bank were refurbished laptops (to be covered thru REAP) provided to the staff while their old machines will be utilized by students; Daily Leader was the full size publication of our ASA; FC74 included 2 months transportation; Performance Foodservice includes a credit for overpayment and it was asked to verify that the kitchen staff verifies the orders received and signs off on; IASB is our annual fee to keep our BPM updated; Ledarious is releasing one student so our bill in future months should be less; Liv Co Grade School Association is the fee for our teams to play in county tournaments;

    -Bank statements are included for our checking, activity, money market, and maintenance grant accounts showing accrued interest along with October 31 balances;

    -Humana November invoice is included and it was noted that we will also be paying our first premium for converting to BC/BS in November as well but there will be no overlap in coverage, just a timing issue in terms of billing;

  10. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  11. Old Board Business:

  12. Roofing Project – Four bids are included in the board packet or provided tonight including the following:GRP (Performance Based Contractor) in the amount of $320,931 including maintaining part of our insulation and reshaping the roof to allow for better drainage; Ameresco (Performance Based Contractor) in the amount of $416,895 with an option for additional roof drains for an extra $7373 for basically the same specifics as GRP; Plattville Coatings in the amount of $126,025 which includes spraying on polyurethane foam but does not included fixing any drainage issues; TomKat Roofing in the amount of $184,259 which includes installing a Duro Last Roof.The biggest issue with the roof is being able to fund the project with many unknowns at this time (What will SB16 cost the District if and when passed?Will the income tax rate be rolled back thus reducing funding for education?Grant $ are not available now of which we may learn more about this spring.)Currently, the roof is not leaking since Union Roofing conducted a few repairs; as such there will be no further development on this project at this time.

  13. Tax Debt Extension Base Resolution – Kevin Heid of Chapman & Cutler, LLP conducted his presentation for placing a vote on the April ballot regarding this issue.Back in 1994 when the District went under tax caps in Livingston County, the District had the option of creating a tax debt extension basis in the amount of $941,968.However, this was not done nor has it been voted upon since.If we decide to place on the ballot and it passes, our District will then have the option to issue non-referendum bonds as long as the annual payments for these do not exceed the non-referendum $ amount we chose to place on the ballot.Non referendum bonds include HLS, working cash, or funding bonds.We also learned that it is not recommended to levy for any current bond payments, thus we were advised to abate the entire amount of any future bond payments and use our CFST to cover.If we receive a tax debt extension base, we could go back to levying for our bond payment beginning with the 2015 levy.Several pages of information were included in the packet thus the Board decided to hold of voting on tonight until they had further time to review.It was noted that we must have the information to Chapman by January 5, 2015 if we decide to proceed.

  14. Mack & Associates Contract – Included in the board packet is a contractual agreement proposed by Mack & Associates to lock their services in for the next three years at set prices.The first year went very smoothly with them thus dollars well spent.The Board agreed to sign the agreement for one year at the price provided which will be approved at tonight’s meeting.

  15. New Board Business:

  16. FY16 Tax Levy Information – Included in the board packet is the annual Financial/Levy Report.The projected assessed valuation is $19,548,381 which would be an increase of $255,597 over the year prior.Bases on this, the estimated tax rate is 4.76502% for a total levy amount of $931,484; however, we are more likely to receive $907,943 based on a rate of 4.645%.Either way, we are within 5% so a Truth in Taxation notice and hearing were not required.Some specifics of the levy are as follows:IMRF was reduced since we have caught that fund up a little, transportation was increased significantly because there is great uncertainty in state funding but any extra can be transferred to a different fund if the state funding surprises us, small amount is now in working cash since that can be transferred to a needy fund come year end, lease fund now includes an amount to cover our copier expense, and bonds are at zero for reasons earlier discussed.The Board will need to approve the final levy as well as vote on abating the bond at the upcoming December meeting in order to file all the necessary documents with the county.

  17. Intergovernmental Agreement with Gardner South Wilmington – Gardner did not like the agreement we signed and presented to them a few months prior thus included in the board packet is a counter proposal in which Mr. Leone would be their full time employee so they could offer him benefits.This is a one year agreement in which Cornell would be reimbursing Gardner $19,000 annually.There were some concerns with language and the fact that Mr. Leone has already been compensated by our District directly and such was not addressed in the agreement.Overall, it was agreed that everything is going smoothly as is and this agreement is not necessary anyway.

  18. IESA Scholar Attitude Athlete Nominations – This award is given each year to 16 IESA athletes state wide.A packet was provided to 8 students giving them the opportunity to submit to the IESA.

  19. Veterans’ Day Assembly – We served 65 community members for Veterans’ Day receiving many positive comments on the meal.Furthermore, the students did an excellent job singing and with their presentations.

  20. Parent/Teacher Conferences – Went well with over 90% parent attendance rate.

  21. Board Christmas Gift – The Board will provide the staff a breakfast on December 19th as they were very appreciative of it last year.We will decide at the upcoming meeting what each board member is expected to provide.

  22. December Calendar - Included in the board packet with one particular item of note is that the Christmas concert will be held on Friday, December 12th this year which was only 1 of 2 dates available with Mr. Leone.

  23. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  24. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 8:30 p.m. and returned from @ 9:19 p.m.

  25. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  26. Approval Items:

  27. Motion to Approve Resolution providing for and requiring the submission of the proposition of establishing the District’s debt service extension base to the voters of Community Consolidated School District Number 426, Livingston County, Illinois at the consolidated election to be held on the 7th day of April, 2015 – Tabled.

  28. Motion to Approve to accept Roof Repair Bid – Tabled.

  29. Motion to Approve Special Meeting Date to hear proposals from performance based contractors – Tabled.

  30. Motion to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with Gardner South Wilmington for the 2014-15 School Year made by Pinkerton, but no second so motion died.

  31. Motion to Approve Mack & Associates Contract for one year to conduct the FY15 Audit in the amount of $6180 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  32. Motion to Approve Board Christmas Gift – No action necessary.

  33. Upcoming Items:

  34. FY16 Tax Levy Final Approval – The Board will vote on at the December meeting so necessary documentation can be turned into the County.

  35. Abate the FY16 Bonds – The Board will take action at the upcoming meeting to abate the entire amount of our next FY bond payment.

  36. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Coach informed the Board that there should be 12 students that are either 5th or 6th graders interested in basketball next year while very few possibly zero of this year’s 7th graders.Thus it is likely that we will have 6th and 7th grade teams but not an 8th.The Coop for next season was also discussed in that the Board would like to know of what interest is expected so we can move forward on deciding for next year.In addition, we do not have enough interest for scholastic bowl this season thus the meet we were scheduled to host this school year is in the process of being relocated to another district.

Open Session Minutes - October 15, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 15, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on October 15, 2014.The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:10 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - absent; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Tiffany Sullivan, Ryan Garzanelli, Debbie Garzanelli, and Trace Garzanelli.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Communications – None.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from September 24, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.Voice vote with all present members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all present members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  9. The Board of Education will go into Closed Session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1).Motion made by Jones, seconded by Kenney.Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session at 7:12 p.m. and returned from at 9:52 p.m.

  10. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  11. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of September 30, 2014:Financial reports were provided in the board packet along with auditing and insurance proposals being made available at the meeting.In particular, the following was clarified and/or discussed:

    -Cash on hand reports we are approximately $110,000 ahead of this time last year;

    -Budget Revenues Expenditures Report shows that we are 25% thru the year with 22% of budgeted revenues received while exhausting 26% of budgeted expenses.  Tort is at 89% since we have already paid our annual liability/WC insurance premiums;

    -Cafeteria Financial Report is showing us in the red by nearly $9000.  We are well behind from this time last year so close monitoring will be needed to limit our spending.  A few items of note are that our student revenue is down but we have 14 more students on Free and Reduced thus much of our funding for this has not yet arrived, as well as the fact that much of our September receipts were deposited the first of October so those are not reflected in this month’s report.  A listing of outstanding balances was passed around and the family going thru collections should begin making payments soon;

    -Utility Usage Comparison is reporting that even though our electric usage is down our bill is up as a result of increased tariffs.  Additional water was used to help control a maggot issue behind the building;

    -Bills – Bennett was the annual security monitoring system and the bill that was held out last month was in fact overcharged but the replacement invoice has not yet arrived; Performance Foodservice was a large food order; LCSSU was ½ payment of our utilization of a social worker; Mack & Associates was for their entire audit and the firm also provided a Contractual Agreement at set prices of $6180, $6365, and $6555 for each of the next three years if the Board wishes to lock their services in for this three year period; PTC Boosters was for 1 out of 3 grants being reimbursed to them (prior month’s check was voided);

    -September bank statements of our checking, reserves, and maintenance grant are included showing interest earned along with ending balances.  Even though we have paid for our blinds, our grant money is still at full amount since we are only required to transfer the funds prior to the grant’s expiration date;

    -We have received our $5000 IEMA grant for installation of the window blinds;

    -Humana is included in which one employee is double billed since they were left off the prior month’s invoice.  A document was provided at tonight’s meeting highlighting 5 proposals from Donna Van Weelden to renew our expiring health insurance policy.  A brief discussion incurred but the finance committee will meet to discuss further.

    -Credit Card charges included various student books received from Amazon;

  12. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - absent; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  13. Old Board Business:

  14. Fall Fest – Was held on October 7th and we didn’t make quite the money we did the year prior but overall did well.

  15. Book Fair – Was held on October 6th thru 10th and overall we ended up financially similar to that of the year prior.

  16. Second Reading Board Policies – These were provided in the prior month’s board packet and it was addressed that all contractors will be fingerprinted as asserted in the policies, and there is an action item on the agenda to approve the policies as presented.

  17. Roof Project Update – A pre-bid meeting was held on October 7th and project information will be available on a state bidding web-site for a month.Following this, the Board may select a company to carry out the work which does not need to commence immediately as we can wait until we are in a better financial situation to proceed.Mr. Bean has information on bonding should we decide to go ahead with this project; because at this time, the District is not able to afford alternative revenue bonds.

  18. Athletic Committee – Mr. Bean contacted Don Decker, Tom Kelly, and Mike Russow upon the advice of Coach to be a part of the committee which hopes to meet in November.Dan Burkett was an additional name brought forth at the meeting.

  19. New Board Business:

  20. November Calendar – Included in the board packet and one addition is the Veteran’s Day Dinner on the 11th beginning at 11:00 a.m.

  21. Athletic Coaches – Regarding boys basketball, Dan Leonard and Ryan Gourley have applied for the head coaching position while Will Van Weelden has applied as their assistant.We currently have only 6 boys interested in 8th grade while at the same time it is likely that all of those will not be available to play the entire schedule this year due to ineligibility, illnesses, etc.We will wait till the 20th for a final count but if we have only that amount we may not have an 8th grade team this season.Furthermore, our scholastic bowl numbers are low as well so the meet we are scheduled to host this school year may be relocated to a different district.

  22. Tax Debt Extension Base Discussion – A document is provided in the board packet as a an explanation as to a means of being able to borrow against the equity in the school since our only current source of additional funds is our savings.Further information will follow as Cutler and Chapman will present to the Board a referendum which we can place on the upcoming ballot if we choose to do so.If we proceed further, the community must be educated prior to the April vote.

  23. Approval Items:

  24. Motion to Approve Basketball Coaches as presented (Coach Van Weelden for 5th/6th and Dan Leonard for 7th/8th) made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  25. Motion to Approve Board Policy Updates as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all present members approving.Motion carried.

  26. Upcoming Items:

  27. Tax Levy – Mr. Bean will be presenting to the Board a proposed levy prior to the upcoming board meeting as well as the annual financial report of the District.As is the case every year, final levy numbers will not be available till after the first of the year.

  28. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None.

  29. Motion to adjourn made at 9:52

Open Session Minutes - September 24, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Annual Budget Hearing Minutes – September 24, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its annual Budget Hearing at the Grade School on September 24, 2014.  The hearing was called to order by President Snyder at 6:45 p.m.

  2. Roll Call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – present; Kenney – present; Kindermann – present; Pinkerton – absent; Snyder – present; Van Weelden – present.

  3. Budget Presentation – The final version of the FY15 Budget was provided as a Budget Revenues Expenditures Report following some last minute revisions.  We are showing a deficit of ($8161) which includes paying back our MOE Grant received a few years back so actual current year operations are expected to end up in the black.  The Board will be voting on this report as provided during board meeting; and if approved, it will be filed with the State, County, and ROE.

  4. Public Comments – None was heard.

  5. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Hearing adjourned at 6:53 p.m.

 

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – September 24, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 24, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll Call:  Fitzsimmons – absent but arrived shortly after; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart, Brianna Swanberg, Hannah Smith, and Lauri Pope.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed and Brianna Swanberg and Hannah Smith asked the Board’s approval for the Student Council to attend an upcoming convention in Springfield during the month of April.  They would be leaving after school on a Friday for the convention which would begin the next morning and then returning on Saturday evening.  Approximately 10 students, a mixture of boys and girls, would be going with Lynette Cavinder and Amanda Coonan being the chaperones.  All expenses would be covered by the Student Council including gas for the activity bus. 

  5. Communications – A letter was received from Debbie Nussbaum which will be discussed in Closed Session.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from August 20, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with the following changes (Approval Item G will not be voted on this evening and the addition of Approval Item K – Approve the Student Council’s Request for an Overnight Trip to Springfield) made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

*11a of New Board Business - FY14 Audit was conducted at this time.

  1. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of August 31, 2014:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

-Our cash reserves are approximately $100,000 ahead of this time last year;

-We have not received our $5000 IEMA Grant yet but all paperwork has been sent in regarding;

-Cafeteria Financial Report is already in the red as expected.  The family going thru collections should begin making payments next month;

-We do not have a scholastic bowl coach at this time but have 12 students interested and we are scheduled to be host this school year.  Mr. Bean will look into rescheduling;

-Bills – Bennett is for the remainder of the security system installed but this bill will be held out for approval since it is over their original quote thus will be looked into; Blackboard is the new call system which begins October 1; Commercial Electronic was for repairs to our phone system; Continental Research was chemical to help prevent rusting in our steam piping to extend its life; Ledeairous Physical is for 5 students with one of those being about done with this program; MediaCom will be charged higher each month as included due to increased service; Mentoring Minds was for teachers needing support with CCLS and Standard Based Report Cards which we are in the process of transitioning to with expenses being applied towards textbooks; Mid-IL and Pontiac Electric were electrical repairs in the gym; PTC Boosters was to reimburse them for a grant which we deposited by mistake; TriCom were computer repairs which we can expect to see often; this month’s listing included various bills for teacher supplies being applied to their $225 allowances;

-Credit card included a Wal-Mart charged for the monitor as part of our updated security system;

-Humana was lower this month due to the former teachers off and the new teachers not yet on our health insurance policy.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding Bennett Electronic made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. CHS Homecoming – Held on September 13, 2014 and was very well attended.

  2. Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame – It was asked of the Board to provide to Mr. Bean the names of 6 to 8 candidates from the community who may be interested in serving on this committee and he will reach out to them.

  3. Employee Rules of Conduct – Provided in the board packet is the Employee Rules of Conduct provided to the Board at the previous meeting as well as to the staff since that time.  No comments or feedback was heard thus there is an approval item on tonight’s agenda so these can be used when hiring new employees in the future.

  4. Open House Update – In spite of the poor weather, the Open House was well attended by parents and students with only an average of 2 students per class not attending.

  5. FY15 Budget – Discussed earlier at the hearing with an approval item on the Agenda.

  1. New Board Business:

  1. FY14 Audit – Lauri Pope, of Mack & Associates who conducted our FY14 audit, was present and provided a short presentation of their findings.  She proceeded thru the Audit Financial Report which was provided to the Board at tonight’s meeting pointing out the following:  our overall total fund balances increased $106,313 while at the same time our financial score rose from 2.65 to the current level of 3.8; each individual fund balance was separated out showing their respective increase/decrease; a report was included breaking down where our money was received between Federal and State sources; and the District’s deposit balances over $250,000 are collateralized with securities held by the pledging financial institution.  In addition, a document was provided stating  that there are risks with our lack of segregation of duties/internal control as a result of our minimal staff on hand.

  2. October Calendar – Included in the board packet and in particular the Fall Fest will be held on October 7th.

  3. First Reading Board Policies – Included in the board packet with the following items of note:  2:20 states that the Board is not responsible for criminal activities of its staff acting beyond the scope of their responsibilities; 4:60 fingerprinting is now required of contractors as well as staff but Mr. Bean will look into whether we must actually adhere to;4:90 states that any activity account not active for a period of 12 months may be closed into another activity account or authorized fund; 7:20 revised bullying policy is in order to align with state law;

  4. Seniority List – An updated list which has been signed off on by all teachers is included in the board packet.  This is an annual process with an approval item on tonight’s agenda.

  5. MAP Testing Information – MAP Testing was recently completed.  The students seemed to take them very serious this year school and we are beginning to see a curve in performance with no outliers.

  6. Standard Based Report Cards – The staff is working towards transitioning to SBRC and a letter regarding was recently sent out to all parents of students in K-4 informing them of this.  In follow up, there is a meeting on Monday to answer any questions or concerns from parents.  The hopes of this transition are that we will better be able to tell how the student is performing and specific areas of concern.

  7. Athletic Coaches – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  8. Music Inter Governmental Agreement – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  9. Teacher Leave Request – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  10. Roofing Project Update – Provided at tonight’s meeting was a binder issued by Ameresco outlining their steps in replacing the school’s roof and HVAC system.  Initial estimates for the roof are in the range $600,000 which includes replacing down to the deck along with a 20 year warranty.  However, this was based on no core samples being taken so if the samples were to come back better than expected, their bid would be less.  In regards to heating and A/C, their initial estimates were in the range of $1,000,000 with a 10 year warranty.  Furthermore, initial estimates of $350,000 were provided by a different company named GRP who did in fact pull core samples and determined that the building’s insulation is in good condition; meanwhile they estimated approximately $850,000 for the heating and A/C.  If the Board would eventually decide to proceed, we have a few different options in terms of financing including extending our bond or possibly debt certificates.  We will likely know the availability of any future maintenance grants come March with the prospect of another $255,000 in grant money available to be used for these purposes.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:20 p.m. and returned from @ 9:10 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to Approve FY15 Budget as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to Approve FY15 Seniority List as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to Approve Employees Rules of Conduct as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to Approve the Volleyball Coach Resignation of Tiffany Sullivan made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to Approve Caitlyn Wood as Head Volleyball Coach for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to Approve Ashley Follmer as Assistant Volleyball Coach for the 2014-15 School Year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  7. No motion.

  8. Motion to Approve both Employee Leave Requests as Presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  9. Motion to Approve Music Inter Governmental Agreement made by Jones, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  10. Motion to Approve FY14 Audit as presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  11. Motion to Approve the Student Council Overnight Trip to Springfield as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with 4 members approving and 3 not approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:  None were discussed.

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input:  None.

  3. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

 

Open Session Minutes - August 20, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – August 20, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on August 20, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Kenney at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - absent; Van Weelden - absent.

  3. No guests and visitors were present at the meeting thus no Public Comment was heard.

  4. Communications – None.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from July 23, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda with the addition of 13g – Approve Board Policies as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all present members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report & Fund Balances as of July 31, 2014:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

-As of July 31 we have $132,106 in our checking thus we are in a much better cash position than prior years with no need to dig into our reserves.  In addition, we just received our first county tax levy payment amounting to approximately 40% of the total as well as 2 GSA payments, both to be reported in the August financials;

-Included in the board packet is the Fund Balance Report, Cash Reports, July 31 bank statements showing balances along with accrued interest, July payroll reports, and July Humana statement;

-In regards to our Tort Fund, we paid for our new liability/workmen’s comp insurance coverage for the entire year in July thus the reason for that fund already at 89% of budgeted expenditures;

-We ended up with more families qualifying for Free & Reduced (currently 54%) than budgeted thus our cafeteria funding should be higher than anticipated.  If we would have achieved 60% Free & Reduced, our District would have been bumped to 100% thus all children would have received free breakfasts and lunches;

-We had 109 students register for this school year which is up from 107 at this time last year;

-Credit Card – U-Haul charge was to bring back what we received in State Farm donations; USPS was to mail board packets; Walmart was wall paper spray for stripping; Donnels were storage tubes to protect the various District maps discovered in storage; second Walmart was for a cashbox; Buildasign were for the new signs posted throughout the building; Menards was for building supplies and grass seed.

-Bills – Aaron’s Piano Service was for tunings of both pianos; Bennett was for the security cameras with ½ being applied to the State Maintenance Grant; Chemical Maintenance was for bathroom and janitor supplies to get the year started; Wendy Cooper attended a food show in Morris to seek new ideas; Decker Equipment was master padlocks for the locker rooms; IASA is Mr. Bean’s annual membership to this Superintendent’s association; LCSSU is the prior school year’s fees to be applied to FY15 budget; MediaCom is much higher than prior months due to one-time charges to increase internet speed; TriCom are computer repairs and they reported that our laptops are functioning very slowly thus Mr. Bean will be seeking bids from ComputerBanc to quote building us new equipment; VANSCO are additional janitorial supplies which should get us thru most of the school year.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - absent; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Final Reading School Board Policies – Provided in the board packet is the final reading of revised policies that were included in prior board packets.  It was reported that we do in fact perform all the drills, etc. that are addressed in the policies.  With no issues brought forth, there is an action item on the agenda to approve as presented and our manual will then be updated accordingly.

  2. Athletic Committee – The members met and came up with a process for electing individuals to our newly formed Athletic Hall of Fame.  Voting will consist of 3 board members along with 4 community members.

  3. Employee Rules of Conduct Information – A copy of was provided at the July meeting and again included in this board packet.  It was copied from a version provided by Woodland and the Board did not see any issues or revisions thus Mr. Bean will discuss with the teachers and staff.

  1. New Board Business:

  1. IEMA Grant Information – Mr. Bean has submitted the bill from our blinds being installed to the IEMA and is waiting for a payment from them in the amount of $5000 to fulfill the grant.

  2. August Calendar of Monday, August 25, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. – CGS Annual Open House is scheduled for this date beginning at 6:00 p.m. and going until 7:30 p.m.

  3. CHS Homecoming on September 13, 2014 – Will be held on the former High School grounds on this date and Mr. Bean will be speaking.  Mr. Bean did inform Jo Morrison not to attach any decorations to the windows of the ag building and there has been no further discussion with her.

  4. FY15 Updated Tentative Budget and September Hearing – Included in the board packet is the most recent version of the FY15 tentative budget which will be voted on tonight and if approved, made available for public review.  The revenue numbers are based on the most recent data available regarding State funding and the County tax levy.  The bottom line reports that we can expect to be in the red by $15,917.  However, included in the budget is paying back $42,523 of the MOE Grant received a few years back along with $15,000 of expenses we will have in order to take advantage of the Maintenance Grant received last year.  Taking these into account, our actual current FY projection is to be in the black by $41,606.  Some items of note are as follows:  music teacher salary is included in with regular teachers, we are hoping to catch up on all bills for LCSSU thus enough is budgeted for the 13-14 bills approved tonight as well as upcoming 14-15 bills, and the levy dollars have been tweaked for increased funding in the IMRF and Social Security funds with the hopes of returning these fund balances back into the black by the end of FY15.  One item of concern was that only $3500 was budgeted for telephone/ internet and the bill approved tonight was in the amount of $424 so Mr. Bean will look into.  Overall, we can be happy to expect a better than balanced budget for the current FY.

  5. Testing Information of ISAT/PARCC – All standardized testing for last year and this year is essentially meaningless. The ISAT is now defunct; and although we met 50% in both math and reading, it means nothing to the state.  Likewise, PARCC, which will be the standardized test that all 3-8 graders will take this year, also means little since they are establishing their testing baselines this year.  In the future, they will only look at the schools scoring in the bottom 10%.  PARCC does not count towards college whereas the ACT test does.  Our MAP testing, on the other hand, is more beneficial for our students and teachers than the state exam since we are able to focus on the kids on an individual basis with the most opportunity to advance their abilities. 

  6. Music Teacher Position – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  7. Part-time Cook Position – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  8. Application for the Recognition of Schools – There is an action item on tonight’s agenda to approve as we have done so in years’ past.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters - The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)) with motion being made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:03 p.m. and returned from @ 8:20 p.m

  2. Approval Items:

  3. Motion to approve the FY15 Tentative Budget made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – absent; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve to change the September Board of Education Meeting to Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to set Budget Hearing for Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 6:45 p.m. made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve to hire Michael Leone as our Part-time Music Teacher for the 2014-15 school year made by Kindermann, seconded by Kenney.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – absent; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve to hire Cynthia Hart as our Part-time Cook for the 2014-15 school year made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – absent; Van Weelden – absent.  Motion carried.

  8. Motion to approve the Application for the Recognition of Schools made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  9. Motion to approve the Board Policies as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  10. Upcoming Items:

  1. Adoption of FY15 Tentative Budget – The tentative FY15 budget approved tonight will be made available for public review, we will have our budget hearing prior to next month’s meeting to accept any public feedback, and then the Board will vote on adopting the FY15  budget at the actual meeting.

  2. FY14 Audit Information on September 24 – Auditor will be present at our September meeting to present her findings and answer any questions.  Mr. Bean will forward her report to the Board as soon as it becomes available to allow members time to review beforehand.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – All teachers enjoyed the breakfast provided this morning and enjoyed each other’s company, as everyone chose to all sit together at the same table which is very encouraging.  There has been great cooperation amongst our teachers and staff thus far.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

July 23, 2014

August 21, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – July 23, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on July 23, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - absent; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. There were no guests and visitors present thus no Public Comment was heard.

  4. Communications:  Jo Morrison of the CHS Homecoming Committee submitted a proposal to decorate the ag shop for the homecoming festivities to be held on September 13th.  It was stated to her not to touch the windows because we will then have asbestos issues but perhaps they could attach decorations above the windows.  Mr. Bean will be in contact with her and keep the Board updated.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from June 25, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all present members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of June 30, 2014:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

-Budget Revenues Expenditures Report – Having completed FY14, we have received 103% of projected revenues while exhausting only 94% of budgeted expenses.  Prior to our audit, we are showing a net gain of $112,656 of revenues over expenses.  The State paid above and beyond what we were expecting to receive and tight control and limitations on District spending contributed to this report the Board, Mr. Bean, and staff can all be proud of.

-The Cash on Hand Report shows that we are in a $40,000 stronger cash position as compared to this time last year.

-Activity Fund Monthly Report – The Yankee Candle Fundraiser was to purchases a new white board and it was noted that the ending balance on line 5 should read $724.38.

-Cafeteria Financial Report shows a FY14 operating loss of $15,963.39 which is a $6305 improvement over last year.  Again, tight control on spending was a contributing factor to this good report but primarily due to increases in state funding for National School Lunch/Breakfast as a result of more children along with a special grant the District received of $0.10 per student.  It was reported that the family which currently owes $2000 in lunch balance that is going thru collections now qualifies for free and reduced thus should help them being able to work the outstanding balance down thru payments over the next year or two.  The auditor is reviewing the past several years of reports to determine the cause of substantial prior cafeteria losses to prevent us from experiencing again in the future.

-Bills – Belnick, covered thru CFST monies, is for new desks for grades 2 thru 5 since we were running low due to more students and desks in need of repair; Christy Ahrends was refunding her registration fees since her children will not be beginning in Cornell till at least January because of her concerns that legislation may not pass waiving her out of district fees; Performance Foodservice – It was noted that this may be a repeat from last month as it shows it as a May bill and for the same exact amount as the month prior thus this bill will be excluded from approval until further research is done; Kinder and Moore is for a dumpster to take away garbage from the ag shop building; NWEA is for MAP testing; Pfaff is for service and inspection of the activity bus; PSIC is the new liability/WC insurance carrier which was budgeted for in FY14 but will be reflected in FY15 since they run a July billing cycle; Renaissance is an annual RTI expense; Scholar Buys is virus protection; School Specialty will go towards that particular teacher’s budgeted $225 teacher supplies; Shred X was to shred files older than 7 years except for personnel, board minutes, etc. which must be retained; SOCS is our annual web-site fee.

-Credit Card – PTC is not meeting till August thus the extra fees have not been approved to be paid by them yet, nor has the trophies from prior meetings.

-Bank statements are included showing accrued interest and June 30th balances.  The checking is showing in excess of $245,000 which is a vast improvement over this time last year.

  1. Motion to approve the Tentative Budget for FY14 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kenney.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - absent; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding Performance Foodservice made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - absent; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Old Board Business:

  1. Summer Work Update – Mr. Bean took the Board on a walk thru of the building showing the following work that has been completed or in the process of: the moldy, old refrigerator racks have been removed and replaced with new; new kitchen stove igniters have been installed; kitchen office floor has been stripped and sealed along with the walls painted to match the remainder of the building; Jude is in the process of replacing light switches to more energy efficient models; Shannon has cleared the records in the storage area and organized - all documents which could be disposed of were removed and properly shredded; additional signs have been posted throughout the building; the outer and inner offices have been painted to match the rest of the building; new cameras have been installed and Mr. Bean demonstrated the new security system and monitor; all rooms have been cleaned; the blinds project will be completed by August 15th; and grass seed has been planted where the new tile was installed around the building.

  2. Security Cameras – Addressed in Summer Work Update.

  3. IEMA Grant (Blinds) – Once the blind project is completed, Mr. Bean will upload a copy of the invoice to IEMA and we will receive our $5000 grant.  Again, this project is expected to be completed by August 15th with no void to our current window warranty program.

  4. Transportation Contract Extension – Included in the board packet is an updated version of the transportation contract with Flanagan with the only revisions being extending the effective date until June 30, 2017 and adding “when needed” following athletic events in paragraph 2.  We will be locking in the maximum price for transportation at the contracted price of $81,000 for each of the next 3 school years.  Jerry Farris informed Mr. Bean that FC74 BOE will be approving the contract as presented at their next board meeting.

  5. Athletic Hall of Fame – The athletic committee was unable to meet so no further development on this matter at this time.

  6. Second Reading Board Policy – Mr. Bean discussed the changes with the policy committee and the only revisions are to that of language with nothing actually affecting our District.  The policy was available in the prior month’s packet and Mr. Bean will forward a copy to anyone wishing to see again since approval of such will occur at the upcoming August meeting.

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Opening School Information – Teacher institute is August 20th while the first day of school for students is August 21st till 3:00 p.m. 

  2. Summer Faculty Letter – Included in the board packet is a copy of the letter Mr. Bean sent to all members of the faculty and staff.  Mr. Bean has been receiving positive feedback from the staff and hearing further recommendations for their institute day.  In addition, PBIS has already met to begin preparations for the upcoming school year.

  3. Auditor Visit – Mack and Associates were at the school on Tuesday, July 22nd to audit our finances for the State in order to create our Annual Financial Report (AFR).  She hopes to be present at the August meeting but no later than September to make her presentation to the Board regarding her findings allowing ample time for October Board approval of the audit.  In order to take care of the negative balance in the Bond Fund, she believes money can be transferred from the 60 Fund but she will verify.  If nothing else, we can levy for a higher amount in order to achieve a balance of zero in the Bond Fund.

  4. Registration Information – Registration for school will be August 7th and 8th from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. respectively.  We did have some parents register early but still need to pay their fees for the year.

  5. Tentative Budget – A very initial budget was included in the board packet with a more accurate one to be provided mid-August after information is received from the State regarding funding.  We need to approve a budget this month in order to approve bills.  We can expect a balanced budget.  One item of note is that Mr. Bean does not expect any funding for special education transportation since we did not have any to report the prior school year thus the reason for the transfer in of $8000 to the Transportation Fund.  However, if we do not need to transfer this money it is not necessary to file an amended budget because that is only required when 10% more than originally budgeted is expected to be spent overall by the District.

  6. Breakfast for Teachers – Traditionally held on teacher institute day which this year is August 20th.  It does not appear that any board members will be able to be present but will be providing necessary food.  Mr. Bean will speak with Shannon regarding preparing egg casseroles.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1) with motion being made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:04 p.m. and returned from @ 8:30 p.m.

  1. Action as a Result of Closed Session:

  1. Motion to accept the resignation letter of Diantha Harper made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve to not pay Mr. Bean for his services as Athletic Director for school years 2013-14 and 2014-15 which will offset and correct prior payroll overpayments. Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – absent; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to approve transportation contract as presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.     Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – absent; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve to set meeting date to discuss setting Board goals – No motion as this will occur at a regularly scheduled meeting. 

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Approval on Tentative FY14 Budget for Adoption in September – Will occur in August and we need 30 days after for public review thus the September meeting will need to be moved back a week.

  2. Mr. Bean provided the Board with an Employee Rules of Conduct outlining behavior expected of staff.  He would like each Board member to review and offer suggestions so it can be approved at the August meeting.

  3. Mr. Bean will provide registration counts and ISAT results once both become available.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – It was brought to the attention of the Board that perhaps Dan Rapp could be of assistance for technology issues which Mr. Bean will look into.  In addition, the junior high girls’ restroom has issues flushing so Mr. Bean will have Jude investigate.

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

June 25, 2014

July 24, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – June 25, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on June 25, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:04 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - absent; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - absent; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. There was no guests and visitors present thus there was no Public Comment heard.

  4. Communications:  Mr. Bean displayed some archives discovered by Shannon while she was going thru old records including blueprints of the original high school building.  In addition, a board member made mention of a comment he had heard from a new teacher regarding how much she enjoyed working at Cornell Grade School.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from May 21, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Special Session Minutes from May 28, 2014 and June 11, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with the addition of approving the Special Minutes from May 28, 2014 in Agenda Item 6 made by Snyder, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all present members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of May 31 2014:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

-Fund Balance Report – The large negative balance in the Bond Fund, which was the result of choosing to abate ½ of the bond a few years back, will be brought before the new auditor as to how to handle.  In addition, the inter-loan from the Social Security Fund to the IMRF Fund will be balanced by the auditor as well.

-The Budget Revenues Expenditures Report shows that we are 92% thru the fiscal year and we have received 99% of budgeted revenues while only exhausting 84% of budgeted expenditures.  At this time, outstanding bills, etc. should allow us to remain within budgeted figures come FY end.  In addition, our liability/workers comp insurance bills will not be arriving till July thus they will be included in FY15 budget rather than FY14 as expected.

-Cafeteria Financial Report shows that our cafeteria is $16,029.71 in the red but an  improvement of $1756 as compared to last year.  Outstanding lunch bills are $1458 which is primarily due to one family  currently going thru the collection process.

-Cash on Hand reports that we are in an approximate $30,000 favorable cash position as compared to this same time last year.

-As a clarification to last month’s discussion, the Utility Usage Comparison reports the bills in the month paid rather than the month of service thus the April figures as shown under CenterPoint are actually March gas usage.

-Bank statements are included showing accrued interest and balances as of May 31, 2014.  As previously discussed, the majority of MOE Grant will be returned the first part of July.

-Credit Card Bill – Paypal and Amazon are purchases towards Common Core material, Menards is paint since Jude was in Bloomington anyway, and Uptown Grill is lunch for the science fair participants.

-Bills – FC74 includes the final music and transportation bills for the year and transportation is ending up approximately $5000 less than the contracted annual fee; Performance Foodservice is the old Fox River Foods and is the final food bill for the year; Gavin’s Lawncare includes 4 mowing services and our yard situation was briefly discussed regarding some recent complaints; Hagaman bills are Matt and his father Ron which consisted of computer service after school was out; Hulse Excavating is installation of the new tile running the drain water away from the north side of the gym in which there have been no issues since the work was completed; Joan’s Trophy will be submitted to boosters; Judy Morrisey included a couple of trips to Bloomington and gas in the U-Haul; PSIC is the District’s new liability insurance carrier and for the short time period which would not have been covered since Country’s coverage ended on June 15; ROE is for a large order of copy paper and Mr. Bean hopes that we have enough white paper to get thru the next school year.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - absent; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - absent; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Window Shades (IEMA/Matching Grant) – Included in the Board packet is the bid in the amount of  $9950 from Sun-Guard for the window shades and installation.  The shades will be attached in the vertical framework thus Ken Linder from East Moline Glass Company informed Mr. Bean that our warranty will not be void thus will continue until October 31, 2014.  As earlier discussed, this bill will be paid in full thru matching grants from ISBE and IEMA, essentially not costing our District anything.  The project can not begin until after July 1, 2014 because of the IEMA grant.  The quote received back in January 2013 from another company was for $9000 but did not include installation, so Sun-Guard’s quote is a fair price.

  2. Security Cameras (Matching Grant) – Also included in the Board Packet is a quote from Bennett Electronics for adding two cameras to the building security system to cover the building’s west entrance walkway and the foyer outside the office doors.  These areas are not visible thru our current camera system and the recordings can be viewed live as well as reviewed for 36 hours following the time of any incidents.  The proposals include an additional monitor in the superintendent’s office to see all of the cameras; however, Mr. Bean found a cheaper monitor elsewhere thus if approved Bennett would only be installing the monitor and not providing so the bill will be less than the quoted total amount of $3090.  This bill will also covered by the ISBE grant and we will match the work from our building fund.  Upon approval of Bennett’s proposal, we can still expect to be able to cover the costs of classroom door locks, tuckpointing, and expansion tank thru the ISBE grant as it was written for if the Board chooses to approve those projects down the road as well.

  3. Telephone/Building Notification System – Bennett Electronics submitted a bid of $30,192.29 which included new phones and voicemails for everyone as well as running all new cable lines as they feel our entire system is in need of replacement.  Meanwhile, Low Voltage Solutions submitted a bid of $14,900 for the same work.  This will be tabled due to the high costs in the hopes that a new grant will become available to cover this work in the future.

  4. Roof/HLS Bonds – We will need to look at extending our HLS bonds and repair the building roof  which is the last big project on our 10 year HLS study.  Mr. Bean will be speaking with Steifel-Nicholas and First-Midstate on refinancing our HLS Bonds and extending them out 5 years to cover this project.  Mr. Bean is also discussing our bonds with these companies to see if we can lower interest rates on the bonds and thus the payments over the next 15 years, as we are paying very high interest rates and fees.  In addition, Mr. Bean is talking with Amaresco and GRP (whom he has experience with) which are both performance contractors to get ballpark prices for fixing the roof.    The advantage with these types of companies is that they take care of the project in its entirety thus we will not need the services of Green and Associates.  Mr. Bean hopes to bring all these people and figures to the August or September meeting to present to the Board.

  5. Board Secretary Discussion for FY15 – Tabled for a future meeting.

  6. Transportation Contract – Flanagan’s revised contract was presented at an earlier meeting with the only revision being extending the contract thru June 30, 2017 and adding “when needed” following athletic events in the second paragraph.  The Board should consider approving the contract so we have our price locked in for the next three years. 

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Transfer of Funds (Action) – In September, the Board approved a budget to allow for the transfer of $16,929 from the Ed Fund into the Building Fund to help offset the costs of the Building Funds which are limited by the amount of money we can levy.  Our goal is that over time we can restore money to create and manage a balanced Building Fund budget.  There is an action item on tonight’s agenda to approve this transfer.

  2. Abolish Working Cash Fund – Much like the transfer of Education Funds, we need to abolish the Working Cash fund and transfer that money into the Building Fund for the same reasons above.  There is a resolution included to be signed by the Board President and Secretary and it was addressed to revise the amount to reflect exactly what is in the Working Cash Fund.  There is an action item on tonight’s agenda to approve this abolishment as well as to re-establish a Working Cash Fund for FY15.

  3. Review Closed Session Minutes – This is done every six months and as in the past, it is recommended that the Closed Session minutes remain closed since they discuss individuals as well as private information regarding those individuals. 

  4. Verbatim Closed Session Minutes – Every six months the Board can vote to destroy all verbatim records which are more than 18 months old.  This has not been done at Cornell in a very long time thus are taking up much needed storage space.  We will continue to have all Open and Closed Session Minutes on file as only the tapes will be destroyed if approval is granted this evening.

  5. Extra-Curricular Assignments – All coaching positions with the exception of 6th grade basketball have been filled for next year as well as all school committees with the exception of technology.

  6. Athletic Hall of Fame Discussion – Many schools have an athletic Hall of Fame.  Mr. Bean will be meeting with the Athletic Committee to discuss, and Cornell High School as well as the grade school would be included.

  7. Students of the Month for May were Carter Gran and Jordan Snyder.

  8. Request for Full Time Employee Students to Attend School Next Year - Mrs. Ahrends has written a request for students to attend Cornell Grade School for the 2014-15 School Year as provided in the board packet.  We are having this approved to establish a board policy for induction for full time employees’ out of district children to attend Cornell.

  9. First Reading Board Policy – Mr. Bean will be setting a date for the Policy Committee to meet to review the first reading of board policies which are included in the board packet.

  10. Non-Certified Salaries – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  11. Superintendent Contract – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).

  2. “collective negotiation matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedule for one or more classes of employees (5ILCS 120/2 (c )(2).

made by Pinkerton, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:15 p.m. and returned from @ 9:43p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to approve attendance of employee children as presented made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve the transfer of $16,929 from the Education Fund to the Building Fund as per the FY14 Budget in September made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to approve Resolution to Abolish Working Cash Fund as of June 30, 2014 and transfer all the funds to the Operations and Building Fund made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve Resolution to Establish Working Cash Fund as of July 1, 2014 made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to approve Closed Meeting Minutes for the past six months to remain closed made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve that all Verbatim Closed Meeting minutes prior to December 2012 are to be destroyed made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve installing shades as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  8. Motion to approve installing camera system as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – no.  Motion carried.

  9. Motion to approve installing phone system as presented – Tabled.

  10. Motion to approve non-certified salaries as presented with the exception of the Head Maintenance Supervisor whose salary will be froze made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – absent; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – absent; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  11. Motion to approve Superintendent contract and salary - Tabled.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Board Goals for FY14 – Each Board member should bring to the next meeting what particular goals he/she wishes for Cornell Grade School to accomplish over the next year, all will be discussed, and a list will be compiled.  Such examples include technology, curriculum, and finances.

  2. Superintendent Goals – Same as just addressed regarding Mr. Bean.

  3. Preliminary FY15 Budget – Property tax information along with special ed and transportation funding will not be available till August, but Mr. Bean and Shannon have been working on a preliminary meeting for next month’s meeting in order for the Board to approve bills.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – It was inquired as to any future developments on funding for next year and the latest proposal continues to be SB10 in which we would lose approximately $16,000 in funding.  We won’t have any definite answers till January but our funding is likely to be similar to that of this year.  Mr. Bean and Shannon have been going thru files and the fire resistant file cabinets will need to be moved into the storage room above the gym sometime in July thus additional help will be needed.  Mr. Bean also informed the Board that he will be in Florida for the week immediately after the July meeting. 

  2. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

May 2014

June 26, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Public Hearing Minutes – May 21, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held a Public Hearing regarding the Board’s consideration to waive out of district costs applicable to children of District’s employees’ wishing to attend Cornell.The hearing was called to order by President Snyder at 6:45 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons – present; Jones – present; Kenney – present; Kindermann – present; Pinkerton – present; Snyder – present; Van Weelden – present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the Hearing:Samantha Foley and Abby Morstatter.

  4. The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but none was heard.

  5. Adjournment:Motion to adjourn made Kenney, seconded by Jones.Voice vote with all members approving.Hearing adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

 

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – May 21, 2014

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on May 21, 2014.The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:Samantha Foley and Abby Morstatter.The Opportunity for Public Comment was allowed and Samantha Foley wished to thank the Board and Mr. Bean for the opportunity to teach at Cornell and that she is enjoying her experience here very much.

  4. Communications – The Board received a letter of resignation from Debbie Roeshley, a thank you note from Ashley Costello for recently being hired to teach at Cornell, as well as a newspaper article regarding Dairy Council.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from April 16, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda with the following additional Approval Items (g – Approve to accept with deep appreciation for her many years of service to Cornell Grade School the retirement letter from Debbie Roeschley; h – Approve to set special meeting date of May 28th for Collective Bargaining at 6:00 p.m.; i – Approve to set special meeting date of June 11, 2014 at 5:00 p.m.) made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report:Financial Reports and Fund Balances as of April 30, 2014 were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

-Budget Revenues Expenditures Report shows that we are 83% thru the school year and the District has received 95% of budgeted revenues while exhausting only 75% of budgeted expenses.The District has received the second CFST payment in the amount of $3,028.19;

-Cash on Hand reports that we are currently in a $22,000 favorable cash position as compared to this time last year upon comparison of the sums of our checking and reserve accounts;

-Cafeteria Financial Report reports a YTD Balance as of April 30 of (14,481.52) but an improvement over last year’s balance at this time of ($15,852,15).We have experienced a setback the past few months since no commodities have been available.We currently have $2840 in outstanding cafeteria balances with one family’s balance being handled thru the court system by our collection agency.In addition, parents have been informed that any past due balances not paid for 8th graders will prevent them from walking at graduation;

-Utility Usage Comparison shows that our natural gas costs continue to be high;

-Bills: DakTech was a new computer for our bookkeeper replacing her old machine which operated very slow; Performance Foodservice is actually Fox River Foods; IASB and IESA are annual dues which the District pays every year to remain members of each; Joan’s Trophy & Plaque Co. is for athletic awards which it will be looked into if boosters will cover; Jude Morrisey’s mileage reimbursement includes October of last year thru April of this year; Permabound are for library books in addition to those charged on the credit card which are in part covered thru grant monies but if not will be within budgeted figures; TriCom is for computer repairs as a result of a power outage on a Sunday evening which created issues with our system;

-Bank statements showing accrued interest and ending balances as of April 30, 2014 are included for our checking, grants, and reserve accounts.Our maintenance grant is expired thus the District will be returning $42,523.32 of this balance but we are allowed to retain in excess of $5000.The New Maintenance Grant in the amount of $15,771.86 matching funds can be used for the thermal expansion tank, security cameras, door locks so teachers are able to lock from inside their room in the case of a lockdown, window blinds, and tuckpointing.Our CFST monies can be used towards the expansion tank and security cameras in order to meet the matching requirements.In addition, it was learned that the District also recently received a $5000 security grant for the same 5 items thus we can use these funds to meet the matching requirements as well.Our hope is that we are able to fully utilize this grant money but any projects will be approved by the Board;

-Humana Insurance bill is included and any teachers not returning for the next school year will lose coverage on July 30 while our new hires will begin coverage effective September 1;

-Credit Card – The ThinkPad Edge E531 is a new laptop for a teacher while the Amazon charges are for library books which was earlier addressed.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  1. Student Handbook Committee Meeting – Included in the board packet is a summary of the changes to our handbook for the upcoming school year.The grading system, upon discussion with our teachers, was revised slightly to match Flanagan’s.One correction is that to achieve High Honor Roll a student must be without any grade being lower than a B rather than C as it reads.There is an approval item on tonight’s agenda to approve these changes.

  2. Milk Bids for 2014-15 – Provided at tonight’s meeting was a bid from Prairie Farms with their milk increasing ½ cent, with this being the only bid received.

  3. GSA FY15 Update – The latest is that there are two bills that have passed their respective chambers which are as follows:HB620 would maintain the once temporary 5% income tax rate which would increase our funding from the current level of 88.8% up to 90%.Meanwhile, SB16 would cost our District nearly $17,000 due to decreased funding from the State.Mr. Bean will continue to update the Board with further developments.

  4. Graduation is Thursday, May 22, 2014 with board members needing to be here by 6:45.

  1. New Board Business:

  1. Students of the Month were Hanna Swanberg and Liberty Vollmer;

  2. Athletic Banquet was held recently and went well.

  3. Negotiations – There is an approval item to set the meeting for collective bargaining on May 28th at 6:00 p.m. with Coach, Robb, Tim, and Mr. Bean meeting prior at 5:00 to prepare.

  4. School Liability Insurance – There is an approval item for Mr. Bean to accept quotes which should be received by June 1, with both our current carrier Country Companies and Prairie State expected to submit bids.Approval of which to accept will be on or before the upcoming June Board meeting.

  5. Security Grant – Recently received in the amount of $5000 which was previously discussed.

  6. School Registration and School Kits – Registration is going on now and the school kits are being offered in the hopes that they are able save parents money on their children’s school supplies.

  7. MAP Testing Results – Overall, Cornell shown growth from fall to spring and as our teachers and students further adapt to this new type of testing, we should be seeing even better results.

  8. Transportation Contract – Our current contract runs thru FY15; however, Flanagan provided an updated contract if we wish to renew earlier with the only changes being “when needed” now following “athletic events” in the second paragraph and the effective date has been extended to June 30, 2017.Further discussion and possible action will be held at future meetings.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  1. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).

  2. “Collective negotiation matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedule for one or more classes of employees.”(5 ILCS 120/2 (C)(2).

made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.Voice vote with all members approving.Entered Closed Session @ 7:52 p.m. and returned from @ 8:47 p.m.

  1. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  2. Approval Items:

  1. Motion to approve to accept Milk Bid from Prairie Farms as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve to hire Kaitlyn Wood as our Science/Computer Science Teacher for 2014-15 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  3. Motion to approve to hire Diantha Harper as our part-time Music/Band Teacher for 2014-15 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve Waiver of Section 5/10-20, 12a of the Illinois School Code to allow non-resident children of full-time Cornell CCSD 426 employees to attend school for less than the 110% per capita tuition charge made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder.Roll call:Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – no; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.Motion carried.

  5. Motion to approve 2014-15 Student Handbook as presented with change in High Honor Roll prerequisites as noted made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Superintendent to accept School Insurance Bids made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  7. Motion to accept with deep appreciation for her many years of service to Cornell Grade School the retirement letter from Debbie Roeschley made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  8. Motion to set special meeting date of May 28th for Collective Bargaining at 6:00 p.m. made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  9. Motion to set special meeting date of June 11, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.Voice vote with all members approving.Motion carried.

  1. Upcoming Items:

  1. Committee Meetings – Finance/Negotiations – Set meeting in approval items;

  2. Superintendent Contract – Mr. Bean presented to the Board 3 months ago which will be discussed further following settlement of teachers’ contract;

  3. Transfer of Funds – Will take action at next meeting;

  4. Abolish Working Cash – Will take action at next meeting with money likely going to Building Fund;

  5. End of First Maintenance Grant – Discussed earlier.

  1. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None.

  2. Adjournment:Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.Voice vote with all members approving.Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.


Open Session Minutes

April 16, 2014

May 22, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – April 16, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on April 16, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Tiffany Sullivan, Deanna Rousonelos, Matthew Hagaman, Tom Gourley, Nicole Gourley, Trisha Ruddy, Cheryl Ruddy, Daphne Fletcher, and Carrie Defenbaugh.  The opportunity for Public Comment was allowed but the visitors either chose to wait for discussion with Agenda Item 9A or speak in Closed Session.

  4. Communications – None. 

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from March 19, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda with the following changes (additional Approval Items: 13m. Approve to increase Regular Breakfast Price from $1.75 to $1.85; 13n. Approve to increase Reduced Breakfast Price from $0.30 to $0.40; 13o. Approve to accept Letter of Resignation from Tamira Masching) made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report:  Financial reports and Fund Balances as of March 31, 2014 were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

-Budget Revenues Expenditures Report shows that we are 75% thru the school year and the District has received 92% of budgeted revenues while exhausting only 68% of budgeted expenses.  The O&M revenues are approximately $20,000 under budget but a transfer from the Ed Fund will occur at the end of the year to make up this difference.  The District is expecting another $11,000 from the State of Illinois, and in April, as expected, we received our first CFST payment in the amount of $3,338.34;

-Cash on Hand reports that we are currently in a $50,000 favorable cash position as compared to this time last year;

-Bank statements showing accrued interest and ending balances as of March 31, 2014 are included for our checking, grants, and reserve accounts.  The bank’s checking balance is higher than the sum of our fund balances due to approximately $24,000 in checks that were not cleared as of March 31;

-Utility Usage Comparison shows that our natural gas costs continue to be high;

-Cafeteria Financial Report reports a YTD Balance as of March 31 of (12,866.96) but an improvement over last year’s balance at this time of ($15,852,15).  The district is owed approximately $2200 in outstanding balances as of today’s date.  In terms of operating the cafeteria, Mr. Bean made note that the only way we can break even is to raise the lunch price to $5.13 which is not feasible;

-Bills: Bills related to track will be within the $2500 being provided by PTC since travel will not be near $1000 as budgeted; BDI was to fix our drainage tile issues; Permabound library expenses will be covered thru grants; Reliable One will not be paid as these items were expected to be at no charge; Domain Registry is a 5 year subscription; Vista Learning is an expense of Mr. Bean’s as an evaluation instrument; Total bills are approximately $24,000 for the month which is $13,000 less than March of last year.

-Credit Card – The I-Pad charges from Apple will be used with teacher evaluations; Mr. Bean will report back to the Board as to whether PBIS has refunded the District for Casey’s pizza charged in March;

-Custom Budget Worksheet Report is included breaking down each account.  One item of note is that the TRS Superintendent account is over budget but the reason being the TRS applicable towards Principle is being applied to this account as it will be seen that the TRS Principle account is under budget.   

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding Reliable One, Inc. made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  3. 2014-2015 Athletics Update – Our co-op contract does not run out until the end of next year, thus we are still able to have students play in Flanagan but parents would need to provide their own transportation to the games and practices.  The only costs towards parents will be the transportation as actual co-op fees have already been covered by the District.  Mr. Bean spoke with Brian Yoder and Jerry Farris and they would like to continue having our students as a part of their athletic programs.  There was some questions from parents regarding transportation of their children which is at the discretion of the parents.  In addition, there was discussion regarding being able to get the Cornell students to Flanagan in time for the beginning of practice, which the parents have the right to sign their children out of school earlier in certain circumstances.  In terms of regulations, for all regular season contests and tournaments, students shall be limited to a maximum of 8 quarters per day.  Students are limited to a maximum of 132 quarters a season, exclusive of the state tournament series.  The individual quarter limitation for tournament play and regular season contests per day is now the same.  The season ending date for both boys and girls basketball was changed and will be in place for the 2014-15 season of which the girls’ seasons must end by December 23rd and the boys’ by the Saturday of Week 36.  Schools may not organize their teams beyond these ending dates so coaches were asked to check their schedules for the upcoming season to make sure that there are no scheduled games or practices beyond these dates.

  4. Employees’ Children Enrollment – Mr. Bean finished all of the paperwork required to allow employees’ students to attend Cornell and there is an action item for the Board to approve a public hearing date for 6:45 p.m. on May 21st.  Then at the board meeting to follow, the Board will vote on approving the motion to waive the out of district costs for our employees’ students.  The fee to be waived would be approximately $12,000 (110% of costs) per student but overall our District will be coming out ahead due to the benefits of increased average attendance.

  5. Crisis Go – This is a very nice app for our school but not financially prudent at this time.

  6. School/Community Notification System – Mr. Bean has not received a response from this company after calling several times, thus he advised that we continue with our current school notification system for the time being.  

  7. Mowing Bids – Larry Jones provided a letter stating that he will not be submitting a bid for mowing this year.  However, we recently received two bids with the first being from Gavin’s Lawncare & Landscaping in the amount of $130.00 per mowing with additional costs of any tree trimming, along with a certificate providing proof of insurance.  The other bid was from Pam Van Weelden in the amount of $150.00 per mowing.  It was re-iterated that Mr. Bean will contact the service provider voted on this evening when the lawn needs mowed so it is not mowed more than necessary.

  8. Student Handbook Committee – Mr. Bean is presenting the student handbook for the Board to examine so a vote to accept can be conducted at the next meeting.  The only changes consist of if the registration fee is not paid for a student then that particular student will not be able to participate in any extra-curricular activities while the second is a slight modification to the grading scale.

  9. 0.  New Board Business:

  10. Election of Treasurer – The board must nominate and elect a treasurer by School Board Policy every year and Tim Kenney was the nominee.

  11. Set Dates and Times for Regular Meetings – Mr. Bean provided an attachment of proposed meeting dates and times since the Board needs to set and approve each April.  The meetings will continue to be at 7:00 p.m. each third Wednesday of the month with the only exception to this being June in which several members and Mr. Bean being out of town and July which we typically move back a week since the Four H Fair falls on the third Wednesday.

  12. Committee Assignments – A sheet was passed around listing committees and each’s members but there will be no changes at this time.

  13. Science Fair State Qualifiers – Raeanne Masching and Liberty Vollmer qualified for the State Science Fair which will be in Dekalb on May 3rd.

  14. Students of the Month for March were Logan Ruddy and Dylan Swanberg.

  15. Second Reading School Policy Manual Updates – As mentioned at the prior meeting, there are no big issues in the updated policies adopted as presented by IASB thus there is an action item to approve at tonight’s meeting.

  16. Summer School Dates and Cost – We have Extended School Year (ESY) for four students.  Miss Coonan works 16 days/3 hours per day/$25 per hour or $1200 which would be the same as it was for the last 3 years.  We may have a student attending from Flanagan which our District will be reimbursed for.  It was stated that summer school ends in June thus Miss Coonan will be paid for these services with the first July payroll.

  17. Free/Reduced Lunch Program – The National Free and Reduced Lunch Program requires that we continue to increase our price by a dime a year until we meet the amount we are receiving from the program/lunch.  Current program rates are $0.28/$1.59/$1.89 for paid/reduced/free breakfast and $0.34/$2.59/$2.99 for lunch reimbursement.  We charge $1.75/$0.30/$0.00 for breakfast and $2.50/$0.40/$0.00 for lunches.  We need to increase the breakfast rates to $1.85/$0.40/0.00 which action items were earlier added to the Agenda regarding while at the same time increase our lunch rates to $2.60/$0.50/$0.00 for next year in which there are action items listed on the Agenda.  Meanwhile the milk price can be maintained at $0.30 for one more year.

  18. School Registration Fees – Our current rate is $60 per student and $7 for the handbook.  There are parents who have been opting out of paying for the handbook.  As a result, Mr. Bean is asking the Board to approve the registration fee at $70 to which will include the handbook in the price.

  19. IDPH Dental Grant – Mr. Bean completed the yearly Dental Grant which gives free dental services to our students in September.

  20. Graduation is May 22, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.  Board members attending should be at the school by 6:30.

  21. MAP Testing – May 6 thru 15 which will be our third session of testing and will be an initial trial of the student growth accounting for 30% of teacher evaluations. 

  22. Milk/Bread Bids – There is an action item for Mr. Bean to accept milk/bread bids for next year.

  23. GSA FY15 – The State of Illinois would like to cut another $1 billion from the education budget for next year.  There are four scenarios being discussed as to what level the GSA would be funded for FY15 being 91%, 79% 68%, or a plan which would take $300/student or approximately a proration of 84% for our District.  If lawmakers are unable to decide on a plan, funding would default to current levels.  We are anticipating a tax levy increase of approximately $20,000 which would help offset a drop in state funding levels.  Further details are provided in the board packet and Mr. Bean will keep the Board informed as new information becomes available.

  24. 1.  Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  25. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)). 

  26. “Collective negotiation matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedule for one or more classes of employees.”  (5 ILCS 120/2 (C)(2).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:59 p.m. and returned from @ 8:40 p.m.

  27. 2.  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  28. 3.  Approval Items:

  29. Motion to approve to Accept Mowing Bid as presented by Gavin’s Lawncare and Landscaping in the amount of $130 per mowing made by Snyder, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  30. Motion to approve to Summer School Dates/Pay for Miss Coonan as earlier presented made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  31. Motion to approve for Superintendent to accept Milk and Bread Bids made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  32. Motion to approve Raising Price for a School Lunch from $2.50 to $2.60 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  33. Motion to approve Raising Reduced Lunch Price from $0.40 to $0.50 made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  34. Motion to approve Board of Education Meeting Dates and Times as presented made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  35. Motion to approve Registration Fees for 2014-15 at $70 per student made by Van Weelden, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – no; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – no; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  36. Motion to approve School Board Policies as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  37. Motion to approve Tim Kenney as Treasurer for the 2014-15 school year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  38. Motion to approve to hire Ashley Costello as Elementary Education Teacher for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  39. No action taken

  40. Motion to approve to hold a Public Hearing at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 made by

Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to approve to increase Regular Breakfast Price from $1.75 to $1.85 made by Snyder, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve to increase Reduced Breakfast Price from $0.30 to $0.40 made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to accept Letter of Resignation from Tamira Masching made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. 4.  Upcoming Items:

  5. Negotiation Dates – Mr. Bean has contacted Mrs. Peterson for possible negotiation dates.

  6. End of Year Activities – Mr. Bean will be presenting these to the Board for consideration at the upcoming meeting and graduation was already discussed.

  7. Committee Meetings Finance/Negotiations – Mr. Bean will be in touch with these committee members after he hears back from Mrs. Peterson.

  8. Public Hearing on Waiver – Discussed earlier and approved.

  9. 5.  Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Barney Hulse has not been in contact with Mr. Bean regarding the water issue on the north side of the gym but it is not yet creating any problems.

  10. 6.  Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:54 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

March 19, 2014

April 17, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – March 19, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on March 19, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Amy Peterson and Matthew Hagaman.  An opportunity was provided for Public Comment but none was heard.

  4. Communications – None.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from February 19, 2014 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report:  Financial Reports as well as Fund Balances as of February 28, 2014 were provided in the board packet along with a new bill listing being provided at the meeting, and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

-The Fund Balance Report shows a difference of $14.92 between Cash in Bank and Operating Bank Acct End of Month due to insurance withholding during payroll.  An explanation was provided on the report by Shannon which will be resolved by the end of March;

-Budgeted Revenues Expenditures Report is reporting that we have received 88% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 60% of budgeted expenditures with 67% of the school year complete;

-We are approximately $30,000 in a more favorable cash position as compared to this time last year;

-Bank statements are provided for our checking account, two grant accounts, and reserves reporting interest earned and end of month balances;

-The Utility Usage Comparison reports that our utility costs continue high as a result of our harsh winter, with natural gas expected to be even higher in March.  Not only is our unit usage up but the actual gas rates are higher than last year as well.  Mr. Bean has been controlling the boiler with our milder weather recently. ;

-Activity Fund Monthly Report is included with line 27 “Miscellaneous” accounting for the emergency conference finals Cornell hosted.  Mr. Bean reported that PBIS is up to date in terms of reimbursing the District for all monies owed;

-Cafeteria Financial Report does not include $1313.20 in Milk/Juice Revenue thus bottom line YTD Balance as of 2/28/14 should read (10,523.45) with last year’s balance at this time last year being ($17,387.77).  The District is owed approximately $2800 in cafeteria fees with one account currently in collection and two recently receiving a letter asking for payment or they will be turned over to collection as well.  Since our last meeting, the District has 6 new students who are all on the Free and Reduced Program so their balances will not be an issue;

-Bills:  Ace Hardware – Hardware to repair our front door; Central Restaurant – Replace the rinse sprayer which has been creating issues over the past couple of years; IDEAL – Bleacher inspection that was actually included with prior month’s services but we did not receive the bill till February; Livingston Co Special Services – Final bill for this school year;

-Credit Card – Cherry Red is food for teacher dinner; Therapy Shoppe is wobble seats for RTI students;

-Payrolls and Humana bill included with no issues;

-Custom Budget Worksheet Report – It was noted that the Electricity account on page 37 includes the natural gas bill from the prior month thus $2705.10 of the YTD amount for this account should actually be reported in the Natural Gas account just above.  A journal entry has been posted since this report was printed making this correction.  The final payment of the tax levy was received from the county thus all levy revenue accounts are near or at budget, but it was inquired as to the status of the Lease Levy account on page 32 which Mr. Bean will look into and report back to the Board.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. Old Board Business:

  3. Music Teacher – Since we have discontinued Flanagan providing our music instructors, there is an action item on the Agenda to approve the hiring of a part-time music teacher the 2014-15 School Year.  It was decided to post the position as 0.5 rather than 0.4 so that this new hire is able to cover additional duties during the school day.  Mr. Bean presented a daily schedule for the next school year that he had been working on with the teachers.  Some items of note is that grades 3 thru 5 will be blended in math with teachers working together to address the wide variance in students’ skills.  At the junior high level, grades 6 and 7 will be combined as well in a few different studies since their numbers are so low and much of the curriculum is similar.  As previously discussed, art will be combined into one day to provide the District further financial savings; while lunch periods will be tightened and spread over 3 sessions.  Further discussion to be held in Closed Session. 

  4. Teacher Evaluations/Retention – All the teacher evaluations have been completed and the District needs to give notice to teachers who will/will not be retained for next year, thus there is an action item on the Agenda for each non-tenured teacher to approve their educational employment for the 2014-15 school year.  Further discussion to be held in Closed Session.

  5. Track/Field & PTC – The District has received a $2500 check from PTC for track this year.

  6. 2014-15 Athletics – Discussion to be held in Closed Session.

  7. Crisis Go – This is a program which would allow teachers, staff, and board members to have a quick alert to an emergency at the school.  The administrator issues the alert from his smart phone which immediately goes out to all phone numbers on his list, and those receiving can then have access to a variety of information including updated school rosters, communication capabilities, and the ability to follow an emergency checklist from their smart phones.  Another feature is that it provides an appropriate media response based on the particular situation at hand.  Initial cost is $3000 and annual costs of $1000 thereafter.  Discussion was held with some issues being a poor signal in the building and the high costs associated with it, although it is possible to apply grant money towards.  Mr. Bean will continue to look into and perhaps conduct a free trial if available.

  8. BuyBoard – After contacting Buy Board and obtaining information, Mr. Bean determined that it does not propose a huge cost savings for our District at this time.  However, it costs us nothing to belong to the coop so he will continue to check their prices.

  9. 0.  New Board Business:

  10. Building/Grounds/Transportation Committee Report – The Committee met in February and prioritized work to be done given our grant money and potential security grant money with no planned work at this time for the summer.  The committee will meet again to schedule projects as our end of the year financial situation becomes more clear. 

  11. Student Handbook Committee – There is a change in the grading scale and two small changes to the handbook to match our Board Policy Manual about e-cigarettes and medical marijuana.  However, no further developments yet at this time so this topic will become old business at next month’s meeting.

  12. Science Fair –Mr. Hagaman provided the Board a brief summary of the results of the science fair and in particular that 4 of our students will be going to the regional fair with their projects.

  13. Students of the Month for February were Skyler Cooper and Kaitlyn Freet.

  14. IPA Luncheon – This annual event recognizes the top eighth grade students at Cornell based on service to community, self-improvement, contribution to the school, dedication to the school staff, and fellow students, as well as any other reason a teacher feels a student deserves this honor.  This year’s recipients are Dylan Swanberg and Liberty Vollmer.  They will be attending a luncheon at the Elks Lodge on April 3, 2014 and will be recognized by the IPA.

  15. ISAT – The ISATs were completed on March 6th.  All 3rd thru 8th grade students attended school during March 4th thru 6th thus no make-up exams are necessary. 

  16. First Reading School Policy Manual Updates – The new policies were received last week and are in the board packet for review.  The update only includes general information that has no bearing on our District thus it will not be necessary for the policy committee to meet, but the changes will need to be approved at the upcoming meeting so the Board should review.

  17. Employees’ Children Enrollment – Mr. Bean had a couple of employees ask if they could enroll their children at Cornell, potentially 2 to 4 new students.  This is a Board decision to approve having the children at school and waiving the out-of-district fee.  The District’s benefit is an increase in enrollment and lunch fees.  If approved, these students become Cornell students thus all discipline and eligibility issues are the same as for our current students.  Further discussion to be held in Closed Session. 

  18. Mowing Bids – The BGT committee decided that it is not financially feasible for the District to purchase a mower at this time as compared to hiring someone to cut the grass, thus there is an action item on tonight’s Agenda to accept mowing bids.

  19. School/Community Notification System – Notify Now – Cornell is looking to use it as a community notification system.  Global Connect is being bought by Black Board and will no longer be a server.  Both services are $1/primary number.

  20. 1.  Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  21. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:12 p.m. and returned from @ 8:51 p.m.

  22. 2.  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  23. 3.  Approval Items:

  24. Approval of Educational Employment for the 2014-15 School Year:

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Tiffany Sullivan (Kindergarten) of Year 4 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Jones.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Christina Bowman (Teacher’s Aide) of Year 3 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Amanda Coonan (Resource/Special Education) of Year 3 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kindermann, seconded by Kenney.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Matthew Hagaman (Science/Computers/ Technology) of Year 3 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Jones, seconded by Kenney.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – no; Kenney - no; Kindermann – no; Pinkerton – no; Snyder – no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion failed.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Kim McHenry (Art) of Year 3 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Deanna Rousonelos (Third Grade) of Year 3 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – no; Kenney - no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion failed.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Jamie Wykes (Fifth Grade) of Year 3 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Christy Ahrends (Jr. High English/Title I) of Year 2 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Van Weelden, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Samantha Foley (First Grade) of Year 2 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

-Motion to approve the Educational Employment of Abby Morstatter (Fourth Grade) of Year 2 for the 2014-15 School Year made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – no; Jones – yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to approve to Accept Mowing Bids made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to hire part-time Music Teacher for 2014-15 School Year @ 0.5 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to approve changes to the 2014-15 School Schedule made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve to continue Athletic Co-op with Flanagan made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – no; Jones – no; Kenney – no; Kindermann – no; Pinkerton – no; Snyder – no; Van Weelden – no.  Motion failed.

  5. 4.  Upcoming Items:

  6. Negotiation Dates – Mr. Bean will be speaking with Mrs. Peterson to set up possible dates.

  7. Milk and Bread Bids – Mr. Bean will be seeking and present to the Board, although our choices may be limited.

  8. Registration Fees – Further discussion to be held regarding increasing our registration fees.

  9. Lunch/Breakfast Fees – Further discussion to be held regarding increasing our cafeteria fees which we need to keep in line with the Free and Reduced Program.

  10. Field Trips – Mr. Bean will be bringing to the Board any requests for field trips which will only be covered thru funds raised they are able to raise or grant money available.

  11. Committee Meetings – Mr. Bean will be discussing possible dates with committee members.

  12. 5.  Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None.

  13. 6.  Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

February 19, 2014

March 20, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – February 19, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on February 19, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by Vice President Kenney at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - absent; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - absent; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Deborah Nussbaum, Matthew Hagaman, and Christy Ahrends. 

  4. Public Comment:  None.

  5. Communications – A thank you note from Mrs. Roeschley was received in which she expressed her appreciation for the breakfast provided by the Board and Mr. Bean.

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from January 15, 2014 made by Kindermann, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with the addition of Approval Item 14e. Approve Amanda Coonan as Assistant Track Coach for the upcoming season made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all present members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report – Fund Balances as of January 31, 2014:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

- Budget Revenues Expenditures Report shows that we have received 83% of budgeted revenues while exhausting only 52% of budgeted expenditures with 58% of the year complete;

-Cash on Hand reports that we are approximately $40,000 ahead of this time last year in terms of cash reserves on hand.  We have experienced a great deal of savings this school year over last due to not having to send 3 special ed students elsewhere, one less teacher on staff, and tighter controls on ordinary expenditures.  An example of this in the board packet is that the total of the bills to be voted for approval at tonight’s meeting is $33,000 whereas they were $77,000 in this same month one year ago;

-Mr. Bean reported that we received a bill from FC74 just this week in the amount of $16,000 covering two months of transportation services.  Typical two months would be $18,000, but Jerry Farris is predicting that our transportation costs should be near $70,000 for the year rather than the contract price of $81,000.  Thus we are in line last year;

-Kitchen – Revenues are much greater than prior years as the school lunch and breakfast program are doing well as reported on page 6.  The Cafeteria Financial Report is showing a loss of $7600 but an improvement over the loss of $13,802 at this time last year.  Current outstanding balances amount to $2100 with only 4 families accounting for 45% of the total amount;

-Utility Usage Comparison tells us that our natural gas costs are higher than last year but within reason considering the brutal winter.  Mr. Bean reported that an organization came to school just today and provided ideas on how to save money on electric costs.  In addition, at no cost they left automatic sensor light controls which Jude will be installing;

-Bills:

-Bradfield is for 4 ELMO’s which are projectors able to display text books on the board.  Part    of this money will come from the technology fund from Lunch for a Cause with the remainder from the District’s budget;

-Jim Carter is for snow removal since he was told by a school employee to continue plowing this year.  However, the Village will continue to provide snow removal at no charge thus Jim’s services will no longer be required;

-Collection Professionals is our charge for collection on past due cafeteria balances.  They charge 30% of what the District claims;

-General Technology – Purchase of dry erase markers which tend to dry out as well as other supplies from a warehouse in Bloomington at approximately 70% of cost;

-Mathew Hagamann is reimbursement for science books that will be covered thru a grant;

-IDEAL is in order to keep our asbestos books up to date as required by the IL Department of Health.  This is separate from the 3 year inspection they conducted in July;

-Ladeairous Physical – For 5 students and he likely made more visits last month due to weather conditions.  However, his number of total visits is mandated by the State;

-Livingston County Special Services Unit – This is a semester bill (prior payment in August) to work with the children upstairs;

              -Pontiac District #429 – Annual charge for hearing/vision screening as required to our students;

-ROE – Annual charges for services to our one visually impaired student.  This student’s vision is improving thus services may not be needed next year;

-STI – Annual payroll license fee for our software which is separate from the STI bill in September which was the annual accounting license fee.

-Bank statements are included showing earned interest of our checking account, money market, new maintenance grant, and MOE grant;

-Activity Fund Monthly Report is included along with its bank statement.  Shannon is working on reducing the number of accounts with explanations at the bottom.  Mr. Bean will report back to the Board as to what the $570.92 expense is for on line 18;

-Credit Card – Gift cards are PBIS funds for student of the month recipients.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - absent; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - absent; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

10.  Old Board Business:

  1. MAP Testing Update – It was reported that MAP testing of our students is complete.  The information indicates that as a District we need to work on students improving on reading for information in various forms of text.  In addition, our students struggle with Algebraic Operations and Function - in other words, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, and solving word problems.  Our understanding language usage, nouns, pronouns, adjectives etc. is strong as well as that of science.  Diane Wolf from the ROE was here on Friday, February 14th to work with our teachers on English Language Arts.  The teachers were given information from Mrs. Wykes and Mrs. Nussbaum from their meetings last year at the ROE on Common Core Standards and what each grade should be focusing on accomplishing during a school year.  Everyday Math is a resource, but should not be guiding the curriculum.  The students are able to provide correct answers but not able to explain why they arrived at those correct answers.  Mr. Bean claimed that  60-80% of students are making progress towards retaining their goals.  MAP tests will occur again in May and Mr. Bean and the teacher will be setting the goals for those tests.

  2. Teacher Evaluations – Teacher evaluations are ongoing with all non-tenured teachers to be completed by March 1st.   

  3. Music Contract – Mr. Bean spoke with Jerry Farris and FC District 74’s offer to provide music services next year is @ $22,000 which is the same as this year as well as to keep the same time frames.  We have the option of providing our own music program in the range of $15-17,000.  Further discussion to be held in Closed Session. 

11.  New Board Business:

  1. IESA Membership – Annually we need to approve our membership into the IESA, at no cost, which permits us to participate in the state championship series.  There is an approval item on the Agenda.  

  2. Athletics Update – Boys’ Basketball ended their seasons with losses in the regionals.  Coaches Will Van Weelden, Dan Rapp, and Korie Lyons were recognized for their time and commitment provided this season thanking them for helping our students.  In regards to Volleyball, 8th grade won the regular season conference while the 7th grade finished second.  7th grade is playing Flanagan tonight for the Conference Tournament Championship and the 8th grade’s game will be Thursday.  Both teams are coming off a very trying 10 day period where the 7th and 8th grade had 19 games because of the snow and making up conference games.  During this time the 8th grade won the Grand Ridge Tournament and qualified for the finals in the County Tournament.  Track has two teachers interested in coaching with Christina Bowman applying as the head and Amanda Coonan as her assistant.  The track schedule is in the process of being created.  No monies have been received from PTC but it was reported that enough funds have been raised and payment is expected by the end of next week.

  3. Projected Athletic Costs for FY15 – Provided in the board packet was an informational sheet on student interest in playing sports next year, as well as our estimated costs for each sport.  Baseball, Softball, and Girls’ Basketball are in coop with Flanagan, thus our only expense associated with these is our share of transportation.  It may be such to have only 6th and 8th grade teams for boys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball, since our 7th grade numbers are so low.  Included in the estimated expenses are costs of 7th grade basketball regional and 7th grade volleyball going to state, thus potential savings exists here.  The Board will review and further discussion will be held as to which sports to retain.

  4. Economic Interest Forms – This is the annual form in which Board members must declare what, if any, economic interest you have with the district.  All Board members in attendance completed and provided to Mr. Bean who will take care of sending into the County Clerk.

  5. IL State Security Grant – Mr. Bean has applied for this $5000 non-matching grant which can be used to install cameras, blinds, phone systems, etc. which makes our building a safer place for students and staff.

  6. IASA Meeting Update – Items f. thru j. on the Agenda were learned of at this meeting.  The main emphasis was that the Senate has proposed a new bill on how to fund schools which does not have the support or involvement of the House, thus no legs since Madigan is not in favor.  Springfield is also looking at a different method of distributing their General State Aid (re-slicing the pie) and there is an idea on introducing a one-cent tax on services to raise money for education.  The new Pension Plan Law’s constitutionality has been challenged by several unions and organizations.  We will not find out the result of these suits until January 2015.  There is a stay/injunction in the court to prevent the Pension Plan (SB1) from going into effect on June 1st.  However, if the law is implemented on June 1st and the later found unconstitutional in January, we will have a financial mess state wide. 

  7. PARCC Information – This is a test which will replace ISAT next year.  Currently, no one is sharing with the school districts on how the test will be scored, what it looks like, or if the districts will be able to do it on-line without the entire system crashing.  Nevertheless, the MAP testing will continue which prepares the students for the PARCC/ISAT.

  8. National Buy Board – A free on-line purchasing cooperative designed to save school districts money since the coop (combinations of many districts on a state level) will be able to leverage better pricing from vendors on necessary supplies.  Mr. Bean is seeking approval of in order to do further research regarding, in the hopes of utilizing this as a financial savings tool down the road.

  9. Crisis Go (Emergency Crisis Plan) – An on-line app that would provide critical information such as checklists of specific actions, evacuation maps, and contact information to school administrators and staff at the time of an emergency.  It is believed to also work like Global Connect with the possibility of replacing our current call system.  This app costs $1 per student, and Mr. Bean has a meeting on Friday regarding this new feature thus more information to come. 

  10. ISEBC (Health Insurance) – This is an introduction from the State so Regional schools (Counties of Livingston, Dewitt, McLean, and Woodford) can combine their employees and receive cheaper insurance quotes thru a large consortium.  Such is only in the informational stages and would be the first step to eventually having a state-wide insurance plan for educators.

  11. Students of the Month – Nick Eggerstaffer and Blake Ruddy are this month’s recipients.

  12. 2.  Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  13. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:05 p.m. and returned from @ 8:43 p.m.

12.  There was no action as a result of Closed Session. 

13.  Approval Items:

  1. Motion to approve Membership in the IESA made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.    Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve Christina Bowman as Head Track Coach for the upcoming season made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – absent; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to approve Buy Board Resolution made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve Music Contract for 2014-15 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kenney – no; Kindermann – no; Pinkerton – no; Snyder – absent; Van Weelden – no.  Motion failed.

  5. Motion to approve Amanda Coonan as Assistant Track Coach for the upcoming season made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons – yes; Jones – absent; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – absent; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

14.  Upcoming Items:

  1. Teacher Retention Recommendations – Having teacher evaluations completed by March 1st, Mr. Bean will be providing his recommendations and the Board and will be voting on such at the upcoming meeting.

  2. Building/Grounds/Transportation Committee Meeting – It was decided to have a committee meeting this coming Monday, February 24th at 4:30 p.m.

15.  Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input:

  1. Mr. Bean reported that we have received 2 new students with the possibility of 3 more beginning on Monday.  We have 101 students currently in the building.

    1. Mr. Bean reported the likelihood of a Kindergarten student and the possibility of an 8th grader not being promoted.  Meanwhile, a 7th grader is riding the line.  All parents of these children have been made aware of their children’s current status.

    2. Mr. Bean will be submitting a new calendar to the ROE since our last day of school will now be June 2nd.

16.  Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

January 15, 2014

February 20, 2014

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – January 15, 2014

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on January 15, 2014.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Mathew Hagaman. 

  4. Public Comment:  None.

  5. Communications – A note was received from First Financial commending the District on recognizing students of the month.

  6. Motion to approve Closed Session and Regular Meeting Minutes from December 18, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet along with a revised version of the bills listing being provided at the meeting, and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed: 

-The cash on hand as of December 31, 2013 was $510,106.  It is best to compare the current year to that of 2010 since we are operating on funds equivalent to that of the 2008/9 school year.  In addition, both 2011 and 2012 are distorted since they incorrectly include the bond money which was adjusted out between the months of July and August of 2012, thus we did not actually spend the $500,000 difference.

-The budget summary reports we have received 78% of budgeted revenues while exhausting 47% of budgeted expenditures, although the bond expense was not included in the expense tally.  The Tort expenditures only report us expending 6% of what is budgeted; however, these bills will not be received till June and thus will reflect on this report at that time.

-The Cafeteria Financial Report shows a YTD loss of ($6,062), which is in comparison to a loss of ($14,785) at this time last year.  December is typically a poorer month financially.  Outstanding cafeteria balances amount to $2300 and of the three letters sent out before the end of the year, two families failed to make a payment thus were turned over to collection while the other made a partial payment;

-Utility Usage Comparison reports that our electrical usage (the red $283.10 should actually be black) is higher over prior year while our gas and water usage is down.  However, we recently were locked in for a favorable electric rate for future months and years;

-Bank statements are included for the District’s checking and money market accounts along with the new maintenance and MOE grants, reporting prior end of month balances and interest earned.  The new maintenance grant can be applied towards the costs of security upgrades including new cameras but not the repair or replacement of old ones;

-In regards to the Activity Fund Monthly Report, Mr. Bean and Shannon will be working on combining accounts in order to reduce the number of which is possible after all.  The prices of pop and water were raised in the teacher’s lounge but the new prices are still below that of Casey’s. 

-Bills:

   -CenterPoint Energy (formerly Nicor) is up due to the cold weather but actually lower than prior year;

   -Grand Ridge Boosters Club, fees for VB tournament, is the only new bill in the updated bills listing

              provided at tonight’s meeting;

   -Pontiac Electric Supply is for ballasts and bulbs to repair fluorescent lights that had went out;

   -Watts is lower than prior months and the copier was reset on the 31st thus it will be easier to keep track

              of who is making and how many copies are being made by each staff member;

   -Woodland actually charged us for part of the officiating crew and their one worker as a result of the

co-op basketball game they hosted.  The charge was based on the # of players for each district.

-Credit Card:

   -PBIS will reimburse the District for the charges they are responsible for on the credit card.

   -The points that were earned from credit card usage were applied towards the purchase of a camera.

-In January we received payment from Flanagan for half the costs of Mid-Illinois Electric’s bill for installing the bus pole and outlets;

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. 0.   Old Board Business:

  3. Accounting Firms/Auditors – Mr. Bean is recommending that we approve Mack & Associates from Morris to conduct the District’s 2014 audit.  Despite the fact they are a little more expensive, they come highly recommended with estimated fees in the range of $5000 to $6000.  The Board has been discussing candidates over the past several months to replace Rick Phillips and they seem to be the best option.

  4. Music/Band Contract – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  5. Second Reading Board Policies – Mr. Bean is seeking approval of the revised Board Policies as presented in the board packet.  These are identical to and include any revisions that the Board discussed at the prior meeting.

  6. Public School Calendar – The calendar as provided in this month’s board packet is the same as that provided in the prior month which Mr. Bean is seeking approval of.  It was presented to teachers and staff, discussed, and approved by them.  It will be sent to Flanagan upon approval so they can schedule according to ours.

  7. 1.   New Board Business:

  8. Students of the month for December were McKenzie Hutton and Tyler Pfaff.  Assemblies will now be held on the last day of the month as recommended by parents so more can attend.

  9. Review July 2013 thru December 2013 Closed Session Minutes – Mr. Bean is recommending that we keep the Closed Session minutes closed as we have in the past with the main reason being that each mentions certain individuals by name.  The minutes to be voted on were provided in the Board packets and no questions or concerns were brought forth.

  10. Teacher Evaluations – Will be completed by March 1st in order for the Board to receive recommendations and thus discuss as to whom to retain or release for the next school year.

  11. Winter Bench Marking/MAP (Measurements for Academic Success) Testing – This is part of what replaced the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.  The test results will provide teachers/administrators information on how much academic growth each student has made since the start of the school year.  It also provides guidance for teachers and can be used in the parent/teacher conferences in February.

The whole format is new to students and results are based on percentiles.

  1. Volleyball/Track Update – Volleyball has started, basketball is winding down, and track is in the works.  Mr. Bean asked the teachers if anyone would be interested in coaching track and he did receive interest from one person in the building.  We have home basketball and volleyball games starting January 21st thru January 30th with only January 22nd and 26th off.

  2. 2.   Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  3. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:48 p.m. and returned from @ 8:43 p.m.

  4. 3.   Action as a result of Closed Session – Following discussion of the Music/Band Contract there was a motion to Approve Music Teacher(s) Contract between Flanagan-Cornell Unit District 74 and Cornell District #426 for FY 2013-2014 in the amount of $22,000 made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Jones.  Roll Call:  Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Fitzsimmons – yes; Pinkerton – yes; Snyder – yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  5. 4.   Approval Items:

  6. Motion to approve Mack & Associates as Accounting Firm for 2014 Audit made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call: Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Fitzsimmons - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve School Board Policies as presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  8. Motion to approve Public School Calendar as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  9. Motion to approve payment of Phillips & Associates bill for 2013 Audit in the amount of $3,449.44 made by Snyder, seconded by Jones.  Roll call: Jones – yes; Kenney – no; Kindermann – yes; Fitzsimmons - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - no.  Motion carried.

  10. Motion to approve to keep closed all Closed Session Minutes from July 2013 thru December 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  11. 5.   Upcoming Items:

  12. Teachers Handbook Committee Meeting – Upcoming.

  13. Economic Interest Forms – Forms will be provided at next month’s meeting which will need completed by all Board members and turned into the County.

  14. Teacher Retention Recommendations in March – Following teacher evaluations, Mr. Bean will be presenting his recommendations to the Board for consideration and approval.

  15. 6.   Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Mr. Bean made mention of the following:

    1. On January 1st the electric cord that was plugged into a bus was cut and stolen.  Camera footage shows the event which was presented to the Livingston County Police Department.  Mr. Bean continues to investigate.

    2. A panel was blown off over the gym during the high winds and Mr. Bean notified our insurance carrier; however, the cost to replace is less than our deductible of $500 so this will be an out of pocket expenditure.

    3. Mr. Bean read an e-mail from Mathew Hagaman reporting various grants which he either had received or was in the process of applying for.  The Board commended Mr. Hagaman on his efforts.  In addition, Mr. Bean received a $700 travel grant from Target which will be used to transport students to Springfield to visit museums.

  16. 7.   Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

November 20, 2013

December 19, 2013

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – November 20, 2013

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on November 20, 2013.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Sarah Garretson, Tiffany Sullivan, Amanda Coonan, Deanna Rousonelos, Matthew Hagaman, Steven Vollmer, Joe Ruddy, Trisha Ruddy Cheryl Ruddy, Carrie Defenbaugh, and Nicole Gourley.

  4. Public Comment – None.

  5. Communications – None. 

  6. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from October 16, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with the addition of Approval Item 14c-Approve Hire of Substitute Custodian made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

-FRIS Inquiry report does not report all the funding received YTD from the State but the budget reports these revenues correctly;

-Beginning fund balances on the Fund Balance Report have not been updated to audited figures as Rick Phillips has yet to fully complete his audit and provide the final list of adjusting journal entries;

-Ending bank balance in our checking account on the Fund Balance Report is approximately $4000 less than the bank statement due to outstanding checks that have yet cleared;

-It was inquired as to the remaining payments that we expect to receive from the County from the tax levy since we are reporting actual revenues that are approximately $50,000 below budgeted.  Mr. Bean will look into and report back to the Board;

-Mr. Bean is coming up with some possible District needs that we can apply the remaining matching funds of approximately $48,000 of our MOE Grant towards, since the deadline is this coming spring;

-It was learned that our New Maintenance Grant is a matching grant as well;

-On the Activity Fund Monthly Report is a negative balance of $1215 in A/R Fieldtrips.  The tickets have been purchased for this function and the student council will be raising funds to cover the costs;

-Cafeteria Financial Report continues to report in the black which was not the case in years past, due to  increased Free & Reduced funding and better control of our expenditures;

-The District is owed $2130 in outstanding cafeteria balances with $1400 of that amount the responsibility of only 8 families;

-Bills:

-BDI was a service call to check on our boiler and hot water heater.  Both are now operating but BDI reported that our condensate piping is deteriorating;

-Bennett Electronics was to replace an outdoor camera on the SE corner of the building;

-CenterPoint is for 2 months of service in order to avoid being assessed a late charge and actual bill is for $598.97 rather than the amount provided;

-School Lunch Solutions is a new vendor offering food commodities, which should turn out to be a very good deal for our District;

-Flanagan-Cornell Unit #74 included the travel to games for our coop sports program, first bill for their transporation services which is less than contracted since there is no special ed route, and the 1st quarter bill for our music teachers;

-IASB was the annual update to our BPM;

-Ideal was for our Asbestos Management Plan;

-Mid-IL Electric was to run power to the bus parking area so they could be plugged during the winter, ½ of which will be reimbursed by Flanagan;

-Mid-American Energy is nearly twice as high as last month so Mr. Bean will look into;

-School Mate are planners for our students.  Mr. Bean will look into since the planners were distributed at the beginning of the school year;

-STI is our accounting software and this particular bill is for a course that Shannon attended;

-Watts is high once again, with our base being only $550 per month.  Mr. Bean will continue to monitor for any excessive use of the copy machines. 

-The Flanagan bill was further inquired about and the $8000 is the first of four bills we are to receive for our music department yet we are only budgeted for $22,000.  Mr. Bean was just made aware of this increase and it was discussed that our District could hire a music instructor cheaper than what we now are expecting to be billed from Flanagan for the school year.  As a result, the Board agreed not to approve the Flanagan-Cornell Unit #74 bill until further information was available.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding Flanagan-Cornell Unit #74, Mid-American Energy, and Richard Phillips made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

Old Board Business:

  1. AFR – Budget Reduction Plan – Included is the Budget Reduction Plan for the next three years which is required to be submitted as a result of our District’s FY13 audit.  Mr. Bean did his best to estimate future revenues and expenses for the 3 operating fund balances over these next 3 years.

  2. PTC Track Fund Raiser – A run was held in November and was very well attended, functioned smoothly, and raised approximately ½ of the funds needed to operate track for the upcoming season.

  3. 1.  New Board Business:

  4. FY15 Tax Levy Information – Provided at tonight’s meeting was the annual Tax Levy Report.  Some highlights included the following:  projected GSA funding is 85% or $166,634; projected tax rate is approximately $4.582 (not including the bond rate) even though we are asking for the max increase of 5% over the prior year; with this rate we expect to receive $887,131 based on a 2013 estimated EAV that increased nearly $70,000 over the prior year to $19,362,771; the District can share funding among the 10, 20, and 40 funds but this could be changed by the State at any time.  The Board will need to approve the FY15 tax levy at the upcoming December Board meeting.

  5. School Report Card – This is a new form from what the Board has seen in the past with results provided as compared to the IL average among other districts.  This report is a bad harbor as a result of the State raising the bar so high that they are setting schools up for failure.  As a result, results are very difficult to compare year to year.  The State is also doing all they can to take the power away from local boards with the ultimate goal of consolidation, in which they would monitor their own pension plan.

  6. Accounting Firms – The following are accounting firms Mr. Bean has contacted as possible candidates to replace Rick Phillips following his completion of our FY13 audit and in parenthesis are a local district they currently perform services for:

-Hopkins & Associates from Peru (Woodland) state that they will do the audit in July or August

with their presentation to the Board in August or September.  The estimated cost of their

services is $4000.  This firm currently works for 12 school districts of similar size in our area.

It was questioned as to whether they were performing services a few years back while

Woodland experienced all their financial issues which Mr. Bean will look into;

-Floyd and Associates from Clinton (Prairie Central) state that they would not present to the Board until October and cost $3000 to $3500, thus not a likely option for Cornell as they would present as late as our current auditor;

-Mack & Associates from Morris (Odell) state that they will present to the Board in August or September and that all journal entry adjustments would be completed prior to their presentation.  They would cost between $5000 and $6000 but Odell states that they paid $7000 for their services last year.  It was questioned as to Odell’s higher fees which all depends on the size of the district and how many journal entries are required.

-Goring & Associates from Peoria (Pontiac 496) state that they would cost approximately $6000 and would not present until October or November which is not acceptable.

-Rick Phillips costs us between $3500 and $4000 a year although we have not received his final bill yet.

-Neither the firms of Roenfeldt & Lockas nor Wypfli responded to Mr. Bean.

-It was asked of Mr. Bean to explore further options in order to have more auditors to choose from thus he will contact the ROE.

  1. Halloween Parties – We had a pumpkin coloring contest and it went very well and overall it was a good day. 

  2. Veterans’ Day Assembly & Dinner – Very well attended with attendance numbers higher than last year, choir was awesome, and overall we will report a profit on the event.

  3. Parent/Teacher Conferences – The teachers reported that every parent came to their room with the average of one parent per room not attending conferences.  It was well organized by Shannon and Sara in the office.  The teachers were well prepared and did a very good job representing CGS.

  4. Board Christmas Gift – To be discussed in Closed Session.

  5. Athletics – Boys’ Basketball has started their season and Volleyball begins on Monday, December 2, 2013 rather than November 23.

  6. Abatement of Half of the FY15 Bond – At the December Board meeting, we will discuss this matter further, Board approval will be needed, and the required paperwork will be completed.  We will likely abate ½ of the bond since we in part sold our CFST to the community with this as a RE tax savings to them.

  7. Building & Grounds Update:

-Refrigerator – The kitchen has been experiencing problems with condensation in the refrigerator as the result of no timer to automatically shut the machine off on a frequent basis.  The kitchen staff have been doing it manually and a timer will be installed at a cost of $100.

-Barney Hulse – He did come out and assess the moisture situation on the NW corner of the gym and JULIE has been out as well to mark the utilities; however, further wet conditions may prevent Barney from completing the project before next spring.

-Condensate Pump and Hot Water Heater – Discussed with the BDI bill in the Financial Report.

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  2. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kindermann, seconded by Jones.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:26 p.m. and returned from @ 10:00 p.m.

  3. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  4. Approval Items:

  5. Motion to approve the Budget Reduction Plan as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call: Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Fitzsimmons - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve School Report Card made by Jones, seconded by Kinderman.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the hiring of Dan Rapp as Substitute Custodian at Minimum Wage made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll call:  Jones – yes; Kenney – yes; Kindermann – yes; Fitzsimmons - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  8. Upcoming Items:

  9. FY15 Tax Levy Final Approval – Discussed in New Board Business.

  10. Abate $23,025 of the FY15 Bond – Discussed in New Board Business.

  11. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – It was confirmed that there will be discussion and an action item on the agenda of the December Board meeting whether to approve track for the upcoming season.

  12. Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

October 2013

November 21, 2013

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – October 16, 2013

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on October 16, 2013.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:03 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart, Matthew Hagaman, Cheryl Ruddy, Tarisha Ruddy, and Rick Phillips.

  4. Since the District’s auditor, Rick Phillips, was in attendance at this time, he was given the floor to present his Annual Financial Report (originally on the Agenda as 11a) which consisted of the following:

-Due to such a small staff, our District has always had internal control issues with a lack segregation of duties. In addition, he must prepare the financial statements since the District is not able to do so and then turn around and audit his own work.  Nevertheless, he sees no reason for the Board to be concerned in regards to any misuse of District funds;

-He provided a binder containing the AFR and Independent Auditor’s Report along with a one page Summary of Financial Statements as of June 30, 2013, reminding us that financials are not in accordance with GAAP.  From these reports he highlighted the following:  Education Fund experienced a deficit in FY13 of ($225,109); Operations and Maintenance would have experienced a deficit as well if not for a transfer in amongst funds; Bond & Interest will always report a negative amount unless funds are transferred in or the bond payment is covered from different funds; Budget did not show a revenue for Bond & Interest but that was immediately disagreed with; Both Fund Balance to Revenue Ratio and Days Cash on Hand are approximately ½ as to where they were last year; The District dropped from a designation of “Review” at 3.45 down to “Warning” at 2.65; Average daily attendance is up to over 102 students thus our estimated operating expense per pupil is down despite higher expenses over last year; Estimated Per Capita Tuition Charge is $11,669.06 which is what a student would expect to pay to attend Cornell if actually residing in a different district. 

-It was clarified with the auditor that the reason the year ended so poorly was that there was $155,000 in FY12 expenses which had to be reported in FY13, ½ of our prior year’s bond was abated, and parts of three FY14 payrolls were processed in FY13 to correct prior TRS errors.  The auditor was questioned as to whether he was aware of any of these or if he investigates for revenues/expenses immediately before/after FY end, but his answer was no;

-The auditor was inquired as to what was entailed of a Deficit Reduction Plan as his audit stated such was required but he did not know;

-It was questioned of the whereabouts of the 11 (Lease Levy) Fund which he believes was transferred into the 10 (Ed) Fund;

-It was inquired as to what accounts the journal entries revising the fund balances were applied against and his answer was cash.  He was unable to expound whether the District was going to thus have future issues with bank reconciliations when asked so he will need to report back. 

-There was misunderstanding as he thought all journal entries had already been entered into our accounting program but that was not possible since he had not yet provided the necessary information to Shannon.

  1. Public Comments (originally on the Agenda as 4) – None.

  2. Communications (originally on the Agenda as 5) – None.

  3. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes (11a was conducted as 4; 4 was conducted as 5; 5 was conducted as 6; 10f-Track Costs move to 8; 9 will now be Closed Session; 6-Approval of Minutes move to 10; 8-Financial Report move to 11; 9-Approval of Bills and Requisitions move to 12; 10-Old Board Business move to 13 with the exception of 10f; 11-New Board Business move to 14 with the exception of 11a; 12-Closed Session move to 15; 13-Action as a Result of Closed Session move to 16; 14-Approval Items move to 17; 15-Upcoming Items move to 18; 16-Open Matters of Discussion move to 19; 17-Adjournment move to 20) made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all members approving. Motion carried.

  4. Track Costs – Mr. Bean presented the following costs associated with track for the upcoming season:  coaches - $1500; travel - $1000 to $1250 if transportation is provided by Flanagan otherwise $500 to $1000 if we were able to always utilize our activity bus; no athletic fees since they are already paid thru a flat fee along with other sports; thus total track costs for the season would be $2000 to $2750 depending upon transportation.  PTC is trying to raise $2500 (in part thru a run scheduled for November 9) in order to save track.  It was confirmed that any coaches must be certified and any non-certified volunteers would be unable to cover for them.  The Board made it clear to guests and visitors that we will wait to see if PTC raises enough to cover (or perhaps nearly) the cost of track and then decide whether to retain or eliminate track for the upcoming season.  If track is retained for the upcoming season, we have ample time following next month’s board meeting to obtain coaches.

  5. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  6. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 8:00 p.m. and returned from @ 8:30 p.m.

  7. 0.  Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from September 18, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  8. 1.  Financial Report:  Financial reports were provided in the board packet and in particular the following was clarified and/or discussed:

-Provided at tonight’s meeting is an updated summary of actual revenues received and YTD expenditures as compared to budget for each fund account thru September 30.  Mr. Bean will provide an updated version to the Board on a monthly basis in the future as well;

-On the Fund Balance Report, the 11 (Lease Levy) Fund continues to be reported separately but is to be moved into the 10 (Education) fund per Rick Phillips;

-Beginning fund balances on the fund report have not been adjusted to audited figures until the audit is approved by the Board and completed;

-We have two years from the date of receipt to use up our new maintenance grant;

-We have the option to cover bond payments thru the Capital Projects Fund, an idea that will be considered in future;

-The CFST was sold to the community in part by stressing that the District will save tax payers future real estate taxes thru abating ½ of our outstanding bond, a policy the Board should adhere to;

-Mr. Bean is going to work on getting fund balances to zero thru future budget and levy adjustments;

-Cafeteria Financial Report remains in the black which is an encouraging sign, due in part to increased revenues in the free and reduced program;

-We currently have $1995 in outstanding cafeteria balances primarily due to only a handful of families;

-Mid American Energy is up over both prior month and year, a result of our air conditioner’s having higher demand because of the hot September days;

-Activity Report – The large expense item for 8th grade is candy bars they are in the process of selling, and we may need to consider raising the pop price in the teacher’s lounge;

-FRIS Inquiry – If there is a date under Voucher Date but not under Processed By Comptroller, that signifies that the payment has been vouchered by the State but a check has yet to be sent.

-Budget – Inquired as to Lease Levy on page 1 being zero.  Payment must have been applied to wrong account so Mr. Bean will look into.  It was also inquired as to why Breakfast Duty was already over budget that Mr. Bean will look into as well.  The $10,203 expense item in Payments to Other Government is the balance of unused funds returned from the EEG.

-The Fed is providing carryover funds to continue funding it’s education programs in spite of the Government shutdown;

-Bills – Bennett Electronic is the annual monitoring fee now that our fire alarm system is up and running; Center Point Energy is now billing for Nicor; Chemical Maintenance consists of soaps and disinfectants; Continental Research Corp is the chemical for steam piping, which saves us in the long run by preserving our condensate piping system; Green & Associates – should be the final bill for any current projects; Matthew Hagaman’s course was for a health endorsement, which should be beneficial to our District; Mid Illinois Electric was to replace the exterior kitchen light; VANSCO is for trash liners and other sanitation supplies for the entire year; Watts was addressed as it continues to be high.

-Humana – The enclosed October statement does not include all the credits we are due but it was reported that the November statement just received includes all pending credits.

-Credit card – The charge from PAC Plumbing is for flush valve retro fit kits that were at a special price.  These should save on our water bill as they will control water usage;

-Payroll includes a correction for IMRF;

-It was discovered that the fuel price for our transportation provided by Flanagan will not be higher than prior year as was anticipated.

  1. 2.  Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – No.  Motion carried.

  2. 3.  Old Board Business:

  3. School Board Policies – Enclosed in the board packet is the second reading of which we can take action on at the next board meeting to update our board policies as presented.  It was clarified that the PERA training is only required of those members on the committee, not all board members.

  4. Fire Alarm Update – Our fire alarm system is up and running and connected to LivCom.  We were sent an initial bill of $240 from Bennett for installation but later credited.

  5. Building/Grounds – On September 28th, Kenney, Pinkerton, and Mr. Bean put new dirt around the building, graded it away, and sewed grass seed.  The following Monday, Jude went to place a new tile from the drain pipe in the northeast corner behind the school, where the gym meets the first grade room, and the ground was soaked.  There is an old ground tile which runs under the gym, and a sump pump was placed on the south side a few years back.  Barney Hulse will be here early next week to investigate.

  6. Seniority List – Mr. Bean checked the seniority list and we can only include graduate hours above and beyond to be added to the seniority list.  It was reported that all teachers have had ample time to review and no further corrections were recommended by them.  An action item is on the Agenda for approval of the seniority list as provided in the board packet.

  7. State Pension Reform Update – An IASA Capital Watch update is included in the board packet for information purposes only; however, some information included is already out of date.

  8. Track Costs – Discussed in Agenda item 8 as noted above.

  9. 4.  New Board Business:

  10. AFR Presentation – Conducted in Agenda item 4 as noted above.

  11. Fall Fest – The Fall Fest was a great success and very well attended, netting $1567.92.

  12. Grandparents Day – Grandparents Day was very well attended as well, making $222.02 on lunches.

  13. Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance – Donna Van Weelden stopped in at a Finance Committee meeting earlier in the month and reported that Humana is anticipating our insurance rates at the time of our next renewal in July 2014 to increase 12 to 24%.  To help offset this increase, Humana is offering an opportunity to renew our coverage effective December 1 at rates that increase approximately 3.5% with coverage thru the end of November 2014; however, we must decide by October 31 therefore it should be voted on at tonight’s meeting.  A cost analysis was provided in the board packet.  Our budget reflects actual costs rather than what is in the contract thus if we decide to lock in these December rates, our FY14 budget would be affected by over $1500 in additional expenses.  Mr. Bean believes there would be funds on hand next year to cover these additional costs without having to dig into reserves.  It was also reported that if we lock in these new rates December 1, our District would save approximately $3600 thru the end of November 2014 if our rates did in fact increase 18% next July.  The Board discussed that our union contract offers coverage for more than we are paying now, but less than what our new rates would be December 1.  However, if we were to open contract negotiations to cover these additional costs, we would be opening the contract to all other matters as well.  Another area of concern would be family coverage since two employees have their family coverage deducted from their gross pay, thus they would be paying higher premiums out of pocket as well.  Lengthy discussion was held regarding this decision.  It was agreed upon that if we voted to lock in the new rates December 1, the District would cover the higher premiums rather than negotiating them with the union.

  14. 5.  Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  15. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all  members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 9:43 p.m. and returned from @ 10:21 p.m.

  16. 6.  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  17. 7.  Approval Items:

  18. Motion to approve the Annual Financial Report as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Jones.  Roll call: Jones – yes; Kenney – no; Kindermann – no; Fitzsimmons - no; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  19. Motion to approve FY14 Seniority List as Presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.   Voice vote with all members approving.  Motion carried.

  20. Motion to approve Changes in Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance by Locking in New Rates Effective December 1, 2013 as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Jones – yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Fitzsimmons – yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - abstain.  Motion carried.

  21. 8.  Upcoming Items:

  22. FY15 Tax Levy – Mr. Bean will be working on the upcoming tax levy and will schedule a Finance Committee meeting to discuss.  It was reported that GSA is expected to prorate from 87.8% down to 80% for the upcoming year.  It was confirmed that no Truth in Taxation will be necessary since the District’s proposed tax rate increase will be under 5%.

  23. 9.  Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – None.

  24. 0.  Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all  members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m.

Open Session Minutes

September 18, 2013

October 17, 2013

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – September 18, 2013

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 18, 2013.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:00 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - absent; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Matthew Hagaman, Cheryl Ruddy, and John Trainer.  At this time, the floor was opened for public comment and the Board heard the following concerns from parents in attendance:

Science Class

-Many issues with science class and upset with teacher’s communication in response to their concerns;

-TeacherEase is not being maintained with two web-sites actually being utilized, TeacherEase and ConnectData, which is creating confusion amongst parents and students;

-Grades are updated weekly but they do not represent current assignments, as teacher claims there are too many to have graded by week’s end; perhaps a sign of too many projects being assigned;

-Results of grading system is very erratic – student will receive an F on Friday thus ineligible, but will then be issued a B the following Tuesday;

-Parent has requested study guides in advance to no avail as teacher believes that providing such would be detrimental to the learning environment.  Parent disagrees as they feel having this material in advance would be beneficial since their child does not respond well in class settings, realizing that their child is not perfect even likely disruptive in class;

-Parent does not have issues with any other teachers and has actually seen improvements in child’s grades in other classes since those teachers are more willing to work with parents;

-Parent has only been in contact with the science teacher via e-mail since not comfortable discussing the situation directly;

-May consider home schooling their child or sending them elsewhere.

RTI

-Parent also has issues with RTI as they learned only recently that their child has been discussed in RTI since before Labor Day.  Also just informed of an RTI meeting this coming Monday @ 2:15 which may not be enough notice for them to take off work.

  1. Communications - None.

  2. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from August 14, 2013 made by Kenny, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to approve the Agenda with changes (move Closed Session for Personnel Matters from 11 up to 7; move Action as a Result of Closed Session from 12 up to 8; all Agenda subjects beginning with Financial Report and prior to Closed Session will move down two numbers; 13c. will not be approved tonight; add 13d. Approve Resolution Reference County Occupational Sales Tax Revenue) made by Kindermann, seconded by Van Weelden. Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  5. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, empoyment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 7:51 p.m. and returned from @ 9:26 p.m.

  6. There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  7. Financial Report:  The following was clarified and/or discussed:

-The amounts under the column Current (Proposed) on the budget provided in the board packet are the prior year’s numbers.  Once the FY14 budget numbers are rolled in, a new copy will be provided;

-The Fund Balance Report now includes an account for the new maintenance grant recently received in the amount of $15,750.00 plus interest.  Under Money Mkt Transfers In(Out), the $33,427.87 is the difference between the remaining EEG transferred into the District’s checking account and this new maintenance grant being accounted for in its own money market account.

-The District continues to have $1600 in outstanding cafeteria balances in which Mr. Bean will be sending out letters reminding parents of such.  Included in this mailing will also be reminders for parents to provide any required missing medical exams since paperwork is due October 15;

-In the receipt listing, Prior Year Levy-Tort is a portion of the most recent tax levy, thus already included in the FY14 budget;

-Payroll includes adjustments to wages in order to correct software issues in computing TRS, catch-up of non-certified salaries, and for a reduction in a teacher’s graduate credit hours;

-Teacher supplies are being monitored to limit to $225 per teacher per our contract.  However, in certain unusual circumstances this threshold has been exceeded; i.e. extensive P.E. equipment was damaged and had to be replaced.  McGraw-Hill Publishing are textbooks rather than supplies.  In addition, art supplies purchased are actually applicable to all teachers and not the art teacher alone;

-Mrs. Decker’s refunds are the result of 4 years of TRS adjustments;

-Getz is for the building’s annual fire inspection, in which fire extinguishers are certified as well;

-STI is the annual license of our accounting software program;

-Tucker Refrigeration work on the walk-in cooler was not covered by warranty, as Mr. Bean had already looked into;

-The BDI bill that was not approved at the last meeting will be paid.  We had not received an actual quote beforehand and the BDI crew experienced issues lining up the connections and setting the temperature while replacing the dishwasher booster.  The Maintenance Supervisor was at the building at the time and verified the hours worked, as well as the fact that BDI reduced their hourly rate from $75 to $68 to partially offset the additional time required to complete the project;

-Humana – We will be receiving a credit on the October bill for former teachers who we continue to be  charged for, Ms. Morstatter is not included on the bill but her coverage has been confirmed, and we are being charged for August coverage for the other new hires which is being looked into.

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - absent; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. 1.  Old Board Business:

  3. Energy Efficiency Grant – The EEG has been closed with the remaining balance of $49,177.87 moved into our Capital Projects Fund.  The CMI bill of $36,154 was paid leaving $13,023.87.  ISBE is requesting we return $10,203.18 (non-used matching funds); while at the same time the District may retain $2,820.60 in our Capital Projects Fund.  Details from ISBE are included in the board packet as the amount to be returned will be in a check made payable to Capital Development Board.

  4. Fire Alarm Update – MediaCom came to the building on August 29th.  The original plan was to run the dedicated phone line for our fire alarm system from the office to the art room; however, it was decided that it would be easier to drill a hole and run a line from the external junction directly into the art room.  This line was installed earlier today and will be connected tomorrow by MediaCom.  Bennett will connect the alarm to LivCom and expects to test it tomorrow as well.  Mr. Bean has been in contact with Green & Associates regarding coverage of Bennett’s services since the work was an HLS item, but they have been hesitant in returning calls.

  5. Doors Unlimited – The exterior doors in the gym and north hallway have been installed and finish work complete.  The bill, in the correct revised amount of $10,747 which matches the quoted price, is included in the board packet and will be voted on for approval at tonight’s meeting.

  6. CHS Homecoming – Mr. Bean had the grade school open on September 14, 2013 for CHS Homecoming and Cornell Days.  We received some visitors wishing to see the building.

  7. 2.  New Board Business:

  8. Policy/Handbook Committee – The committee met on August 26th and discussed the Board Policy Manual Updates.

  9. First Reading Board Policies – Included in the board packet are the updated policies which Mr. Bean is asking the Board to review since we will discuss and approve at an upcoming meeting.  The Policy Committee has looked at them and at this time are recommending no changes with the exception of updating 5:20.

  10. Building/Grounds & Transportation Committee – The committee met on August 26th and approved the CMI bill.  They were also informed that Flanagan had informed Mr. Bean that the cost for bus fuel has went up $0.40 per gallon over last year’s price which will cost our District an additional $2100 based on last year’s numbers, but we no longer have the special ed route so we could be looking at spending about the same amount as last year.  We will not receive our first bill until the end of September.  However, it was learned that consortium fuel may not have increased this much so Mr. Bean will continue to investigate.

  11. IDEAL 3-year Asbestos Inspection – Although the grade school did very well on the review, the Ag Shop windows are in need of caulking.  IDEAL sent a contract for $85/hour since the work must be performed by licensed asbestos personnel.  The scope of this work needs to be completed in the next year.  Mr. Bean spoke with IDEAL and they estimate the cost for the work would be $1000-$2000.  We will be able to apply these costs against our grant.  Most importantly, upon completion of this work, the grade school’s facilities should be asbestos free.

  12. Field Trip Requests – Mr. Hagaman has requested two field trips which are included in the board packet.  Upon direction of the Board, Mr. Bean will inform Mr. Hagaman that due to financial constraints, no field trips will be approved at this time unless alternative funds are used to cover all costs associated with the trip.

  13. Seniority List – Mr. Bean informed the Board that he needs to speak with a teacher regarding the seniority list so it will not be approved at tonight’s meeting.

  14. MAP Testing Information – The District has started the Measurements for Academic Progress testing.  The information will be used to create plans for each individual student (a very unique aspect of MAP), as well as look for strengths and weaknesses in each class’ academic performance.  Teachers will then use the Common Core Standards to create lessons to meet these academic deficits.

  15. Honda STEM Grant Information – Honda is offering a $75,000 grant to improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in school.  The Technology Committee, in conjunction with the rest of the teachers, are applying for this grant, which does not require matching funds to be exhausted.

  16. Open House Update – The open house was held on August 26, 2013 and was very well attended despite the hot weather.  It has been discussed on changing the time to 6:30 till 7:30 for next year.

  17. Junior High Fall Ball Dance – The dance was a very enjoyable time attended by both Cornell children as well as children from other districts, all who have already been invited back for the following year.  A word of note regarding the calendar is that the Fall Fest has been moved from September 30th to October 3rd.

  18. Athletic Director Update – We have added 2 volleyball games to start the season and will be hosting the 7th grade boys’ regional.  We have applied for the volleyball regionals as well.  Mrs. Ahrends has applied to be our Speech Team Coach while Miss Foley has volunteered to help her, as we had no one else interested in this position.  Thank you goes out to Mr. Bean and Coach for stepping up and covering the athletics department following the departure of our former AD.

  19. Student Discipline Update – Discussed in Closed Session.

  20. Pension Update – At the IASA Corn Belt Regional Superintendent Meeting the leadership stated that there will probably not be a pension plan in place until the next lame duck session.  Governor Quinn has made legislators mad and they are not willing to work with him on getting this problem solved.  Madigan has stated that this is Quinn’s bill and if he wants to get it passed, then he needs to work on getting it passed.  Two possible future scenarios are allowing PTELL school districts to tax outside of their 5% for any amount the district may need to contribute and there is a plan for averaging an educator’s pension from the first day they work until the last day.  Approval Items:

  21. Motion to approve FY14 Budget made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call: Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - absent; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  22. Motion to approve to pay Doors Unlimited bill in the amount of $10,747 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - absent; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  23. Motion to approve FY14 Seniority List as presented – Tabled.

  24. Motion to approve Resolution Reference County Occupational Sales Tax Revenue made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Motion carried. 

Upcoming Items:

  1. FY13 Audit Information – Rick Phillips has completed the District’s audit and will be presenting his findings to the Board.

  2. Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input:

-The District will begin either providing the newsletter electronically for free or if a household wishes to continue receiving paper copies, they will be charged an annual subscription fee of $5.  Mr. Bean will be providing that information to the community shortly. 

-Parents are being charged for afternoon milk/juice in grades K-2 since they are not covered under the free and reduced program. 

-Mr. Bean will be sending out a notice via TeacherEase welcoming community members to the October

      Board meeting in which we will be discussing the 2014 Track Season since the Board will consider eliminating it at the November meeting as a cost savings measure.

-The Board discussed the process regarding other cost saving measures.

 Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all present members approving.  Meeting adjourned at 10:02 p.m..

 

Open Session Minutes

August 14, 2013

September 19, 2013

Cornell Grade School District 426

Board of Education Monthly Minutes – August 14, 2013

 

  1. The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on August 14, 2013.  The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:03 p.m.

  2. Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - present; Jones - present; Kenney - present; Kindermann - present; Pinkerton - present; Snyder - present; Van Weelden - present.

  3. The Board welcomed the following guests and visitors to the meeting:  Shannon Hart, Tiffany Sullivan, Matthew Hagaman, Steven Vollmer, David Melvin, Cheryl Ruddy, Debbie Garzanelli, Daphne Fletcher, Carrie Defenbaugh, and Bryan & Jaymi Grabow.

  4. There were no communications.

  5. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Minutes from July 24, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden.  Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried.

  6. Motion to approve Special Meeting Regular and Closed Minutes from July 30, 2013 with change (Action Item 6a revised so that it reads “Motion to approve paying for the Superintendent’s increased individual insurance coverage….” rather than family insurance) made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  7. Motion to approve the Agenda with the following changes in New Board Business (move 2014 Track Season from 11g to 11a; move Fire Alarm from 11h to 11b; all other subjects will move down two letters; add item 11j. Busing Graymont Students) made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried.

  8. Financial Report:  The following was clarified and/or discussed:

  -Mrs. Decker’s pay was for summer library hours;

  -Humana - Mrs. Cavinder was on individual insurance coverage beginning in July but on the July

Humana bill her coverage was charged at the family rate.  The enclosed August bill includes a credit for this prior over billing.

  -It was reported that we received approximately ½ of our levy payment from Livingston County in

            August, thus not reflected in this month’s board packet but funds have been deposited;

  -TRS refund from FY13 in receipt listing was the result of 4 years of corrections made to Mrs.

            Decker’s contributions;

  -BDI Plumbing bill included charges of $791.83 for dishwasher booster installation but it was reported

            at a prior B&G/T committee that BDI expected labor for this project to consist of 2-3 hours @

            $75 per hour.  BDI bill will not be approved this month, and Mr. Bean will look into;

              -CC (Country Companies) Services is bond coverage for the Treasurer;

  -Derby Tech Computers was for the District’s internet filter;

  -Ideal Environmental Engineering was the 3 year asbestos inspection as required to be reported to the

            IL Dept. of Health;

  -JA Sexauer was for supplies and accessories in order to complete the bathroom project, with most

            expenses not covered under the EEG;

  -Ladeairous Physical was for 5 summer school students;

  -Liv Co Spec Serv Unit was 2012-13 fees to be accounted for in FY14 budget.  As a result, 2013-14

            fees will not be in FY14 budget but pushed into FY15’s budget;

  -Various classroom supplies are going against teachers’ annual maximums per their contract;

  -Renaissance Learning Systems is annual fee for Title I testing;

  -The district currently has approximately $1500 in outstanding lunch balances due at this time that will

            continue to be pursued.  However, it will also continue to be District policy to feed all students;

  1. Motion to approve the Bills & Requisitions excluding BDI Plumbing made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden – yes.  Motion carried.

  2. 0.  Old Board Business:

  3. Summer Work Update:

Bathroom project is near completion but waiting for a few items in order for Green & Associates to complete punch list (issues with floor, block, and necessary paperwork).  Green and Associates will be returning to do final inspection soon because paperwork must be turned in by the end of August in order for this project to be covered under the EEG.  As a result, the Board is being requested to approve the CMI bill but it was agreed that payment will be issued only upon final approval of Green & Associates as well as the Finance and B&G/Transportation committees.  The bill is for $36,154 which was less than the initial quote of $37,000 since the resinous base was not installed. 

Doors are not completed thus the bill for Doors Unlimited will not be approved at tonight’s meeting.  Mr. Bean was asked to look into why the action item was for $11,069 since the quotes totaled only $10,747.

Dishwasher booster has been installed by BDI but bill will not be approved tonight until further investigation as noted in the financial report.

Power/posts will be installed by Robbie Ruff before the beginning of school. 

Grounds– Mr. Bean thanked Pinkerton and Kenney for spreading dirt and sewing the grass at the entrance of the school prior to registration.  The remainder of the grounds will be landscaped in order to enhance the appearance of the school as time allows.

Playground equipment (additional) has been professionally installed, but children will not be allowed to play on until pea gravel is placed around and underneath.

Fire alarm system was discussed in detail following incident at the school on August 6th in which a community member noticed that the emergency lights were flashing.  LivCom was not automatically notified but the CVFD responded and nothing was found.  The fire department was provided with a key to the front door for any future responses.  Mr. Bean discussed our fire alarm system with Getz Fire Equipment, Bennett Electronics, and MediaCom as to why LivCom was not automatically notified.  It was learned that Bennett Electronics installed the necessary communication board but it was not hooked up, nor does the school have a designated line to call LivCom.  In order to complete this process, Bennett will have a 1 time charge of $300 for installation and testing as well as a $336 annual monitoring fee, and MediaCom can install a designated phone line which will cost $360 annually.  It was discussed that this system should have been working when Bennett originally installed as part of our HLS as well as the fact that Green and Associates should have inspected upon their final walk thru at that time.  Mr. Bean will speak to both parties and get to the bottom of the situation.  However, it was decided to proceed with getting the system working properly as well as looking into being able to apply expenses towards our EEG since it was originally an HLS item.

  1. CMI/Green & Associates – Addressed in 10a and further addressed that we have had several issues with projects overseen by Green & Associates.

  2. Building Committee – Addressed in 10a.

  3. Athletics – To be addressed in 11a.

  4. 1.  New Board Business:

  5. 2014 Track Season – There was a lengthy discussion regarding the 2014 track season involving the Board, Mr. Bean, and community members.  Audience members were made aware that the Board must begin reducing expenses, and eliminating track was an option thus placed on the agenda.   Some of the reasons why track was being considered were that we had not yet found a head nor assistant coach, track was not a coop sport, Cornell does not host home meets, etc.  Most guests and visitors present voiced concerns regarding eliminating track.  Discussion also revolved around seeking volunteers to coach, run track meets, drive the bus, etc.; develop a pay to play policy; or to seek further help from PTC.  It was voiced by one audience member that they would prefer to have transportation cut rather than an actual sport, and leave it the responsibility of the parents to work together to get kids to the events. 

  6. Fire Alarm System – Addressed in 10a;

  7. Opening School Information - A letter was sent out to faculty and staff with a copy included in the board packet.  Teacher institute is August 15th and the Board will be providing breakfast.  Diane Wolf, Assistant Superintendent from the Regional Office of Education, will be speaking on professional development.  Students’ first day of school will be Friday, August 16th.

  8. ROE Occupancy Permit – Mark Jontry, Regional Office Superintendent, examined our building and gave approval to open school.  A copy of the application for occupancy was provided at tonight’s meeting.

  9. August Calendar – The open house will be on Monday, August 26, 2013 @ 6:30 p.m.  August and September calendars are included in the board packet.

  10. CHS Homecoming – CHS will be having their annual homecoming on September 14, 2013 in conjunction with Cornell Day.  The grade school will be open to visitors.

  11. Mission and Vision Statement – Mr. Bean did not receive any feedback except for a few grammar errors addressed at the meeting.

  12. FY14 Tentative Budget and September Hearing – Included in the board packet was the tentative budget with an updated version of the summary page provided at tonight’s meeting.  The Board will need to approve the FY14 Tentative Budget tonight in order for it to be made available to the public for 30 days.  The Board will also need to approve to have the budget hearing prior to the September board meeting to accept public input, followed by adoption of the FY14 budget during the actual meeting.  Some notes and clarifications on the tentative budget are as follows:

-Rick Phillips has not completed the audit thus the beginning fund balances may change;

-Both the replacement tax and GSA are higher than anticipated;

-Medicaid Matching Fund now reported $3639 since money just received, as a result revenue

      subtotal for Ed Fund should read $992,210 while overall total revenues should read $1,312,984;

-CFST begins January 1 thus first and only payment for FY14 budget to be received in April;

-Salaries are expected to be down since three FY14 payrolls were partially processed in June 2013

thus reflected on FY13 financials rather than FY14 budget.  In addition, the new teachers recently hired will be on a lower pay school compared to those teachers they are replacing;

-Medical insurance is down due to less teachers on our Humana policy;

-Savings in stipend pay since no allowance for AD or Math Coach;

-Salaries LCSSU Speech is actual FY13 expense being approved in tonight’s bills.  Meanwhile,

      the FY14 expense for this service will be pushed into the FY15 budget;

-Reduced amounts proposed in administration’s purchased services in order to save the District

money includes no one attending school board convention, Mr. Bean will not be in 3 professional memberships nor will he attend any workshops he does not consider necessary;

-Hoping for additional savings in Special Ed;

-Proposed capital project expenses include the doors and bathroom project, while the EEG matching

      funds that we will need to return if not used will be accounted for at fiscal year-end;

-Proposed insurance expenses in the TORT fund are based on actual FY13 expenses.  The reason

for such a deduction is that FY13 line items included expenses applicable to FY12.

  1. Application for Recognition of Schools – This is an annual requirement by the State of Illinois stating that we are in compliance with the school code, a copy of which is in the board packet.

  2. Busing Graymont Students – It was brought to the board’s attention that Pastor Larry picks up Graymont students and buses them to baseball/softball practice in Flanagan at no charge.  Mr. Bean will look into and report back to the Board.

  3. 2.  Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters:

  4. The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)).  Motion made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all approving.  Entered Closed Session @ 9:31 p.m. and returned from @ 9:49 p.m.

  5. 3.  There was no action as a result of Closed Session.

  6. 4.  Approval Items:

  7. Motion to approve FY14 Tentative Budget made by Kenney, seconded by Kinderman.  Roll call:

Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  1. Motion to set Budget Hearing for Wednesday, September 18, 2013 at 6:45 p.m. made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve ROE Occupancy Permit made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried.

  3. Motion to approve to adopt Mission and Vision Statement with changes made by Jones, seconded by Kindermann.  Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve to move money from the EEG to pay the CMI bill made by Snyder, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Roll call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  5. Motion to approve to pay CMI bill for $36,154 but check only to be sent upon final approval of Green & Associates as well both the Finance and B&G/Transportation Committees made by Kindermann, seconded by Snyder.  Roll call: Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - no; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  6. Approve to pay Doors Unlimited Bill for $11,069 – No motion.

  7. Approve to eliminate track for the 2014 season – No motion.

  8. Motion to approve to upgrade fire alarm system to communicate with LivCom made by Pinkerton, seconded by Van Weelden.  Roll Call:  Fitzsimmons - yes; Jones - yes; Kenney - yes; Kindermann - yes; Pinkerton - yes; Snyder - yes; Van Weelden - yes.  Motion carried.

  9. Motion to approve Application for Recognition of Schools made by Pinkerton, seconded by Snyder.  Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried. 

  10. 5.  Upcoming Items:

  11. Adoption of FY14 Budget – Discussed as will occur at upcoming September board meeting.

  12. FY13 Audit Information – Rick Phillips will be presenting his findings to the Board upon completion of the audit.

  13. 6.  Open Matters of Discussion – Board Input – Inquired as to whether we were to be reimbursed by Flanagan for ½ the cost of installation of bus outlets which we are but have not yet received.

  14. 7.  Adjournment:  Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons.  Voice vote with all approving.  Motion carried.

Open Session Minutes

July 2013

August 16, 2013

Cornell Grade School Open Session Minutes - July 24, 2013

 

1.  The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthy Board meeting at the Grade School on July 24, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:01 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Fitzsimmons, present; Jones, present; Kenney, present; Kindermann, present, Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, Van Weelden, present.

  2. The Board welcomed Mr. Hagaman to the meeting.

  3. There were no communications.

  4. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes from June 19, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

  5. Motion to approve Special Session meeting minutes, with changes, from July 2, 2013 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kindermann. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

  6. Motion to approve Agenda with addition of item 15d Schedule Special Session Meeting for New Hire approval made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

  7. Financial Report: Tim Kenney and Todd Bean met with Randy Merker to go through the school’s financials and to hear any suggestions he had to offer. Upcoming summer bills were discussed. There was a question on the utilities comparison as to whether the increase in electricity was due to the air conditioners that were installed last year or from the busses being plugged in. The checking account balance was discussed along with August’s bills. Mr. Bean would like to move the funds in the Energy Efficiency Grant in to the 60 fund to pay for the CMI bill coming in August. In August we are expecting to receive $185,045. There was a question on what CSC is on the August bills. The board was informed it is our Lexia program and is a 3-year payment/agreement.  SOCS (school website) was discussed. If we are going to pay for it yearly, the teachers and staff need to keep it updated with appropriate content. The non-certified staff’s pension, IMRF, was discussed as well.

 

 

  1. Motion to approve the Tentative Budget for FY14 made by Snyder, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, abstain; Kindermann, no; Pinkerton, no; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve bills & requisitions made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

  3. 0.        Old Board Business:

 

a) Heard an update on summer work. The dishwasher booster was installed by BDI. The bathroom construction has been completed. There is to be a walk-thru with Green & Associates. The piping in the floor is complete. The doors are to be installed the week of August 5th. Robbie Ruff is to install the power/posts for the busses before school starts. A building and grounds committee meeting needs to be scheduled before Monday, August 29th.

 

b) Heard an update on Board Member training. Members are to be

    completing their online training. Training completion certificates

    need to be turned in to Mr. Bean by the end of the month.

 

c) The PTC equipment is to be professionally installed the last week of        

    July/first week of August. We will need some pea gravel to go

    Around the new and existing equipment. In addition, we need to

    remove the old monkey bars and slide.

  

    12.  New Board Business

 

  1. Heard an update on the opening of school. The first day, August 16th, will be Cougar Camp. Students will be learning the seven habits of Leadership. The Board of Education will be serving the teachers breakfast on Thursday, August 15th.

  2. Mr. Bean has sent out a letter to all faculty and staff with information for the new school year.

  3. The auditor, Rick Phillips, will be at the school Thursday, July 25th to audit our finances for the state. This audit will create our Annual Financial Report.

  4. Registration for school will be August 1st from 12-7pm and August 2nd from 8-12. We did have some parents register early, but still need t pay their fees for the year.

  5. The Handbook/Policy Committee met and created an initial Mission and Vision statement for Cornell Grade School. The committee is looking for input from the board before moving to the teachers. The next step would be to set goals in areas like (Curriculum, Technology, Building Maintenance, etc.) to obtain our Mission and Vision Statements.

  6. Non-certified staff salaries will be discussed in closed session.

 

13.   Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters

        a)  The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the

                     “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline,                                                         performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade                School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1).)

 

        Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote                      with all approving.

 

        Time: 8:34 p.m.

 

        Returned from Closed Session at 9:40 p.m.

 

14. There were no action items as a result of closed session.   

 

15.  Action items as a result of open session:

 

  1. Motion to approve Non-Certified Salaries for FY14 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, no; Jones, yes; Kenney, no; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve Superintendent Salary for FY14 removed.

  3. Motion to approve Letter of Resignation from Karen Jones made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

  4. Motion to approve Letter of Resignation from Samantha Preisch-Tyler made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

16. Upcoming Items:

a)  Approval on Tentative FY14 Budget for Adoption in September

  1.   Board Goals for FY14

 

17. Open matters of discussion. Nothing was discussed.

 

16. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by

      Van Weelden. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

      Meeting adjourned at 9:49 p.m.

 

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

June 2013

July 25, 2013

 

1.  The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on June 19, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:06 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Fitzsimmons, present; Jones, present; Kenney, present; Kindermann, present, Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, Van Weelden, present.

 

  1. There were no guests or visitors present.

 

  1. Communications. Mr. Bean discussed Teacher Appreciation week and passed around several thank you notes from the teachers and staff.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes with changes from April 17, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve agenda made by Kenney and seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial Report: Mr. Bean went over the Cash Flow for the month of May and the fund balances as of May 31, 2013. Cafeteria totals were also discussed, along with the school’s utility usage compared with years/months past. There are two more checks due to arrive from ISBE that were cut in early June. There was a question on the bank statement for the checking account regarding seven checks that were not listed on the Board Report. These seven checks were payroll checks, and therefore do not show on the said report. Balances were reviewed for the State Bank of Graymont accounts. The Board Report was reviewed as well.

 

  1. Reviewed Bills and Requisitions. Motion to approve bills & requisitions less $100.00 to Monroe ROE and $3187.00 to NWEA made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Old Board Business:

 

a) Heard update on Summer Work. Currently waiting on flooring

    samples for the bathroom work. There has been a fan rattling in the

    kitchen freezer. Rick Tucker has been to fix it once and is to return

    to check on it again. There was a discussion on the flooding in the   

    locker rooms whenever it rains. Some Board Members were

    wondering if there is anything that can be done. It appears that

    there is not. When the street floods, there is no where for the water

    to go.

 

b) Heard an update on Board Member training. Members are to be

    completing their online training. Training completion certificates

    need to be turned in to Mr. Bean.

  

    10.  New Board Business

 

  1. Every June a school board is permitted to transfer funds between the Education (10), Building (20), and Transportation Accounts (40) to balance them out. This was approved to do back in September.

  2. Every year a resolution needs to pass to abolish the working cash fund to transfer the money into another fund. This money will be used to balance the Operation and Maintenance Fund. In addition, a new working cash fund will need to be established for FY14.

  3. The negotiations committee did a great job with Teacher Negotiations and the Union. The teachers will receive a $250 increase on their base salaries, plus their steps and lanes. There was also discussion on language used on evaluations as it relates to (PERA) Performance Evaluation Reform Act, formal input on the school calendar, and teacher insurance.

  4. ISAT scores were released and discussed.

  5. There was discussion on Closed Board Minutes and whether or not they are to remain closed. This process is done every six months.

  6. Every year a school board must approve prevailing wage. This will be sent to the ROE and published in the Pantagraph.

  7. Mr. Bean has spoken with Nicole Gourley with the PTC and she is hoping to get the remainder of the playground equipment by June 24th. A photo of the new equipment was passed around.

  8. Mr. Bean has been working on creating job descriptions for both the Athletic Director and Technology Director positions. There is a proposal for the Lead Teacher position and for school committees. This will be discussed in Closed Session.

  9. A meeting was scheduled for the Building and Grounds/Transportation Committee for next week.

  10. The May Students of the Month were Mason Walsberg and Tim Brown.

 

11.   Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters

        a)  The Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the

                     “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline,                                                         performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade                School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1).)

 

        b) “collective negotiation matters   between the public body and its                 employees or their      representatives, or deliberations concerning                salary schedule for       one or more classes of employees.” (5 ILCS                120/2 (C) (2)

 

        Motion made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote                      with all approving.

 

        Time: 8:05 p.m.

 

        Returned from Closed Session at 9:10 p.m.

 

12. Action items as a result of closed session:

 

    a) Motion to approve Debbie Nussbaum for the Lead Teacher Position             made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by VanWeelden. Voice vote with               all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve giving Mr. Bean permission to pay Tiffany    

  2.     Sullivan her Head Volleyball Coach stipend on July 1, 2013 made by

        Kenney, seconded by Jones. Roll call vote:  Fitzsimmons, yes;

        Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder,

        yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.

     

    13.  Action items as a result of open session:

     

    1. Motion to Approve the transfer of $20,000 from the Education fund    

        to the Building fund as per the FY13 Budget in September made by

        Kenney, seconded by Kindermann. Roll call vote:  Fitzsimmons,

        yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes;

        Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.   

    1. Motion to approve Resolution to Abolish Working Cash Fund as of June 30, 2013 and transfer all funds to the Operations and Building Fund made by Kenney, seconded by Jones. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.

    2. Motion to approve the Resolution to Establish Working Cash Fund as of July 1, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Kindermann. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.

    3. Motion to approve the Prevailing Wage Resolution for FY14 made by Kindermann, seconded by Fitzsimmons. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.

    4. Motion to approve the Closed Meeting Minutes to remain closed made by Kenney, seconded by VanWeelden. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

    5. Motion to approve Technology Director Job Description made by Snyder, seconded by Kindermann. Voice vote with all approving.

    6. Motion to approve Mr. Hagaman as Technology Director made by Snyder, seconded by Jones. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes, Jones, yes; Kenney, no, Kindermann, no; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, no. 4 Yeas, 3 Nays. Motion carried.

    7. Motion to approve the Athletic Director Job Description made by Jones, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

    8. Motion to approve Contract with CEA for 2013-14 School Year made by Kenney, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes. Motion carried.

     

    14. Upcoming Items:

  3.   Superintendent’s Contract

  4.   Board Goals for FY14

  5. c)  Mission and Vision Statement Discussion

  6.   Preliminary FY14 Budget

  7.   Non-Certified Staff salary changes.

 

15. Open matters of discussion. Nothing was discussed.

 

16. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by

      Kindermann. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

      Meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

 

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

___________________

Open Meeting Minutes

May 2013

June 20, 2013

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – MAY 2013

 

1.  The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on May 15, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Snyder at 7:02 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Fitzsimmons, present; Jones, present; Kenney, present; Kindermann, present, Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, Van Weelden, present.

 

  1. Welcomed guests and visitors. Mariah Egerstaffer, Ivy Motl, and Seth Melvin came to represent the Eighth grade class. They requested permission to have a 8th Grade Lock-in Friday, May 17th from 5 – 11pm. They presented the board members with a letter of request, a letter of recommendation from Mrs. Nussbaum, and a sample permission slip. After a short discussion, their request was approved by voice vote, all approving.

 

  1. Communications. Mr. Bean discussed Teacher Appreciation week and passed around several thank you notes from the teachers and staff.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes with changes from April 17, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve agenda made by Kenney and seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial Report: Reviewed fund balances as of April 30, 2013. Discussed implementing a new Treasurer’s Report, as the current one is hard to read and somewhat inaccurate. It was brought to the boards attention that the books are still off after meeting with Rick Phillips, the auditor. Mr. Bean and Shannon are still working to correct the problem and hope to have it reconciled by the summer. There was also discussion about looking into the use of a different accounting program and starting the books over. There was a question about Activity account #13 Donated $$. This account is being used by Shannon to write checks for the class fieldtrips. Cash has to be deposited from several classes, students, and teachers. She has to have an account to write checks out of for the various fieldtrip destinations. There was also a question on the YTD totals for the Cafeteria report. Shannon did not enter the new numbers for the month. A new total was figured during the meeting. There was a long discussion about school lunches – the type and amount of food offered. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can be changed due to federal requirements. There was a question about the Substitute account on the Budget Planner. There was an increase in expenses due to Miss Jones subbing for Mrs. Cavinder’s maternity leave. Miss Jones was getting long-term sub pay.

 

  1. Reviewed Bills and Requisitions. Motion to approve bills & requisitions as stated made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Old Board Business:

 

a) Heard update on Green & Associates and summer work to be                                                                                              performed by CMI. The decision was made to go with Sloan flush value model, as we currently use this brand and have spare parts. CMI believes that they will have their work completed before the July Board Meeting.

 

b) Heard an update on Milk and Bread bids. Prairie Farms was the only milk bid, with an increase of $0.01 for white milk and $0.005 for chocolate milk. There were not any bids for bread, so we will continue to use Fox River Foods.

  

        c) Reminded that 8th Grade Graduation is Thursday, May 23rd at

        7 pm. The board needs to arrive at 6:30.

 

        d) Heard an update on Summer School. There will be five

        students at Cornell Grade School this summer. Four from CGS

        and one from F-C, which we will be charging a tuition of $240.

 

  10.  New Board Business

 

  1. Heard an update from the Building & Grounds Committee.

They have been discussing the new School Maintenance Grant.

We will be asking for funding to complete the HLS project Item

40 on adding an expansion tank to Closed Water System. Some other options would be new security cameras, upgrading classroom doors, adding window blinds, or upgrading our steps to make them wheelchair accessible. The committee rejected adding the wheelchair ramp and would like to add the roof project if possible. The board has requested that Green & Associates types a letter stating that our piping is ok and does not need to be repaired.

 

Doors Unlimited will be starting their project in the beginning of June and will be replacing just the doors and jams. TriMark Marlinn will be delivering the booster and Kupferschmid’s will be installing it over the summer, as their schedule allows.  

 

        Robby Ruff gave us a quote of $2315 to run a pipe and wire out

        to the street for the buses to use next winter. Flanagan has

        agreed to split the bill. Robby would attach the power supply to

        four foot tall 6 x 6.

 

        CenterPoint Energy will begin supplying our natural gas

        Beginning July 1. Nicor Enerchange does not like to work with

        our type of account and is going to raise our rates July 1.

        Centerpoint will be charging us our current rate. We can also

        work with them on setting a market price.

 

        A committee member was contacted by Ron Helander. He would

        like to volunteer his time and money to get the Grade School

        ball diamond cleaned up and made usable. This was approved by

        the board.

       

        Ellie Fitzsimmons suggested the use of cones in front of the

        building during sporting events. She would like an area marked

        out for ambulance access in the event of an accident.

 

  1. Heard an update on Policy/Handbook Committee. The Crisis

Management Plan updated. It is a living document that will need to be updated every year. The Student Handbook was also discussed and teachers were asked to give their input. It now aligns with our school board policy manual. The committee also discussed the updated board policies sent by ISBE and has recommendations for approval. It was again confirmed that we pay $1400/yr for quarterly updates for the board policy manual.

 

 

 

c) Finance/Negotiations Committee – discussed in Closed        Session.

 

d) Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week – The Student Council   provided lunch Mon, Wed, and Fri. The office provided breakfast on Tues, and Thurs along with some small gifts. The Beta Club provided treats and a raffle.

 

e)     Change July Board of Education Meeting – The July 17th meeting falls in the middle of the Livingston County Fair. It has been a point of practice for the board to change the date to the Wednesday following the fair. Approval is needed.

 

f) School Maintenance Project Grant – The new project grant will only allow you to ask for items which involve HLS, Handicap Accessability, or Security Measures. In addition to the security and HLS measures discussed in the B&GT committee meeting, the condensate plumbing has been added. Approval is needed for the proposal.

 

g)     April Students of the Month – The April students of the Month were Seth Melvin and Emily Helander.

 

h) Technology Committee – Mr. Hagaman has the new server up and running. We are running Microsoft Office throughout the school. We have had virus issues with a couple of teachers’ laptops. The plan over the summer is to reimage their laptops and to install new anti-virus and software.

 

11.   Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters a. The 

        Board of Education will go into closed session to discuss the

        “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline,                                                    performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade        School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1).) b. “collective negotiation matters       between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedule for         one or more classes of employees.” (5 ILCS 120/2 (C) (2) made        by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving.      8:46 p.m.

 

        Returned from Closed Session at 10:14 p.m.

 

  1. 2.    Action items as a result of closed session:

 

    a) Motion to approve internally posting the lead teacher position         made by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Kindermann. Voice vote with        all approving. Motion carried.

 

b) Motion to approve the posting of head and assistant track positions made by Jones, seconded by Kindermann. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

c) Motion to approve paying the Board Secretary a $1200 stipend per year made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

 

13.  Action items as a result of open session:

 

        a) Motion to reschedule the July 17th, 2013 Regular Board

        Meeting to Wednesday, July 24th at 7:00pm at Cornell Grade

        School made by Van Weelden, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote

        with all approving. Motion carried.

       

        b) Motion to approve School Maintenance Grant as presented

        with the language of tuck pointing added made by Kenney,

        seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes;

        Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder,

        yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

       

c) Motion to approve the Updated Board Policies as presented                   

made by Snyder, seconded by Kindermann. Voice vote with all   

approving. Motion carried.

 

  d) Motion to approve the 2013-14 Student Handbook as

  presented made by Kindermann, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice

  vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  e) Motion to approve the 2013-14 Crisis Management Plan as

  presented made by Snyder, seconded by Kindermann. Voice

  vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  f) Motion to approve the Milk/Bread bids as presented made by

  Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes;       Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes;

  Snyder, yes; Van Weelden,  yes. Motion carried.

 

  g) Motion to approve School Maintenance Grant as presented

  was postponed.

 

  h) Motion to approve Special Meeting Date on Thursday, May 30,

  2013 at 5pm made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote

  with all approving.

 

14. Upcoming Items:

a.) Abolish Working Cash at June Meeting

b.) Negotiations – Committee Meeting Dates (already discussed)

c.) Building & Grounds/Transportation Committee Meeting

d.) Finance Committee Meeting – continue to fix accounting errors

 

15. Open matters of discussion. Nothing was discussed.

 

        a.) The opportunity was given for public comment. Mr. Hagaman suggested that Board meetings be moved upstairs to the old

        location, as he may need to access the computer lab or restroom during closed session. It was decided that meetings will remain in the cafeteria for convenience. 

 

21. Motion to adjourn made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton.  

      Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

April 2013

May 16, 2013

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – APRIL 2013

 

1.  The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on April 17, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes from March 20, 2013 made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

  1. Election and Canvas results for the Livingston County One Cent Sales Tax reviewed. The CFST passed. Livingston County was the only county in the state to pass the CSFT. We should start receiving the money from this tax in April 2014.

 

  1. Motion to accept election results for the Board of Education, held on April 9, 2013 made by Vollmer, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, no; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Thank you to outgoing Board Members – Tom Burkitt, Debbie Garzanelli, and David Vollmer. Mr. Vollmer was presented with an award for his years of dedication and commitment to the Cornell Grade School Board of Education. The award was presented by Todd Bean, Superintendent.

 

  1. The Oath of Office was administered to all Board Members, new and retained.

 

  1. The Board selected a President Pro Tem, Todd Bean; and a Secretary Pro Tem, Shannon Hart.

 

  1. Motion to Adjourn Sine Dine made by Vollmer and seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

 

 

  1. The meeting of the new school board was called to order by President Pro Tem, Todd Bean at 7:07pm.

 

  1. Roll call: Jones, present; Kenney, present; Kindermann, present; Fitzsimmons, present; Pinkerton, present; Snyder, present; Van Weelden, present.

 

  1. There was a discussion of Board openings and an opportunity for Board Members to express their interest in an opening for another member or for themselves. There was also discussion on splitting the position of President/Treasurer. It was decided that Vice President and Treasurer could be combined.

 

  1. Motion to elect Robb Snyder as President made by Kenney. No other elections were made. Robb Snyder elected as President by acclamation.

 

  1. Motion to elect Tim Kenney as Vice President made by Ellie Fitzsimmons. No other elections were made. Tim Kenney elected as Vice President by acclamation.

 

  1. Motion to elect Shannon Hart as Secretary made by Jenny Kindermann. No other elections were made. Shannon Hart elected as Secretary by acclamation.

 

  1. Motion to elect Tim Kenney as Treasurer made by Todd Pinkerton. No other elections were made. Tim Kenney elected Treasurer by acclamation.

 

  1. Dates and times set for Regular Board Meeting. The Board will meet on every 3rd Wednesday of the month. An exception may be made if the meeting coincides with the Livingston County 4H Fair.

 

  1. Committee Assignments were made. There was a discussion on combining Finance and Buildings & Grounds. This was tabled. The decision was also made to have three person committees. Assignments were made as follows: Finance/Teacher Negotiations: Snyder, Kenney, and Van Weelden. Building & Grounds/Transportation: Kenney, Pinkerton, and Fitzsimmons. Curriculum: Jones, Fitzsimmons, and Snyder. Policy/Handbook: Jones, Kindermann, and Snyder. Athletics/Extra Curricular: Kindermann, Van Weelden, and Pinkerton.

 

  1. Welcomed guests/visitors: Tiffany Sullivan and Matthew Hagaman. Mrs. Sullivan thanked Mr. Bean for showing great improvement in attitude and interest in both the students and school matters. She cited an example in where Mr. Bean assisted her in disciplining a student. She has noticed a wonderful attitude change in Mr. Bean and said that other teachers have noticed and commented as well.

 

   10. There were no communications.

 

   11. Motion to approved agenda made by Kenney and seconded by

        Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

   12. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of March 31, 2013.                   Discussed the transfer of money from the Graymont Money

        Market to cover expenses for the remainder of the year.

       $155,000 was transferred into the Education Fund’s

        Cash in Bank account. There was also discussion on the First

        Financial Bank account and our bookkeeping records. Since the

        fall of 2012 our bookkeeping records have been off by

        approximately $18,000. This problem arose after several journal

        entries were made to adjust several of the school accounts.

        These entries were made at the recommendation of the school’s

        Auditor, Rick Phillips.  Discussed month end totals, the activity

        account and cafeteria account. The cafeteria brought in a

        significant amount of money last month and is sitting similar to

        last year at this time. Letters were sent out to the eighth grade

        class regarding past due lunches needing to be paid in order to

        graduate.

 

        The voucher list was discussed and it was pointed out

        that some money should still be trickling in. The checks have

        been cut by the comptroller, but have yet to be processed. It

        was noted that the payroll registers were accompanied with an

        itemized description as to why there were discrepancies from

        past payrolls. There were some issues with overcharging for

        insurance deductions. The Humana bill has also increased due to

the addition of Mrs. Shannon Hart and Mrs. Lynette Cavinder’s children. Mrs. Kelly Carter was terminated from coverage and a credit was received for the cancellation of Mrs. Tiffany Sullivan’s husband.

 

The credit card was also discussed. Two charges previously reported as fraudulent turned out to be legitimate. They will be re-processed and will show on the next statement.

 

13.    Reviewed Bills and Requisitions. Motion to approve bills &

requisitions as stated made by Van Weelden, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Fitzsimmons, yes; Jones, yes; Kenney, no; Kindermann, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. 4.    Old Board Business:

 

a) Heard update on Green & Associates – requests for proposals submitted on March 29th. Proposals were sent to BDI, CMI, and JB Contracting. The proposals were received on April 12th. It was recommended that CMI be chosen for the summer project.

 

b) Election and Canvas results for the Livingston County One Cent Sales Tax reviewed. The CFST passed. Livingston County was the only county in the state to pass the CSFT. We should start receiving the money from this tax in April 2014.

 

        c) Two mowing bids were received for the summer. It is

        recommended that we accept the bid from Larry Jones.

 

  15.  New Board Business

       

        a) Heard update on Building & Grounds Committee. We are

        looking to replace exterior east doors in the gym and the north

        hallway. The expense would be split between the MOE grant and

        Capital Project fund.

 

        After talking with the kitchen staff, it was recommended that we

        replace only the booster part of the dishwasher now and replace

        the unit at a later date.

 

        Discussed the need for blinds to be installed throughout the

        building. This could be done in stages in order to offset the cost.

        We will need to purchase blinds for the south end of the building

        before the start of next school year.

 

        The Dairy Council is providing $2000 toward the purchase of

        anything that promotes dairy in our district. After discussion with

        the kitchen staff, it was decided the money could be used toward

        a new dairy case and the remainder amount could be used to

        offer free yogurt to the students at breakfast.

 

        We are looking to put pea gravel around the entire playground

        equipment and replace the bricks in the front of the building.

 

        b) Heard update on Student Handbook Committee. The

        handbook has been completed for next year. The teachers

        have been able to review an electronic copy.

 

c) Learned of Summer School Dates: June 3, 4, 10-14, 17-21, and 24-27.  We will potentially have three students. They will meet from 9-12am with Miss Coonan. These are the same hours and number of days as last year.

 

d) An IASB Starting Right meeting date needs to be selected and approved. Potential dates of May 11th, May 18th, and June 8th were discussed.

 

e) A meeting date needs to be chosen for IASB Board Required

Training. Thursday May 9th at the Bloomington ROE from 5-9pm

is recommended. There is also new board member training in

Normal on May 31st and June 1st.

 

f) The government Free/Reduced Lunch Program is requesting

that schools raise their lunch prices the federal limit of $.10/lunch for the 2013-14 school year. This would increase our

lunches to $2.50/student. Approval is needed for this increase.

 

g) Heard an update on Board Policy. Press Plus updates have been received. The committee will need to meet and decide on which policies to adopt or amend.

 

h) Heard an update on IDPH Dental Sealant Grant. The grant has

been applied for with Miles of Smiles. They will be coming to the school in September.

 

i) 8th Grade Graduation will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 7:00pm.

 

j) Revisited the topic of NWEA – MAP testing. NWEA provides schools with MAP testing. It would be given to the students three times a year and would replace Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which is given once a year. The initial start-up cost would be $3187.50 and then would cost approximately $1700 annually.

 

k) Approval is needed to request bread and milk bids for next school year.

 

l) Updated April and May calendars were distributed.

         

16. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board      

      of Education will go into closed session to discuss the

      “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance

      or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School

      (5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1).) made by Van Weelden, seconded by

      Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. 9:49 p.m.

 

        Returned from Closed Session at 11:12 p.m.

 

17. Action items as a result of closed session:

 

         No action was taken.

 

18. Action items as a result of open session:

       

a.) Motion to hire Larry Jones for the summer mowing job made by Snyder, seconded by Kindermann. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes.  Motion carried.

 

b.) Motion to approve summer school dates and pay for Miss Coonan as presented made by Kenney, seconded by Van Weelden. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes.  Motion carried.

 

c.) Motion to Superintendent to accept bids for Milk & Bread made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving.

 

d.) Motion to approve lunch price increase to $2.50 made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes.  Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to approve piping proposal from CMI (Base + Alternative #1) for summer work made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, yes.  Motion carried.

 

f.) Motion to approve door replacement project with Doors Unlimited made by Pinkerton, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, no.  Motion carried.

 

g.) Motion to approve dishwasher booster made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Jones, yes; Kenney, yes; Kindermann, yes; Fitzsimmons, yes; Pinkerton, yes; Snyder, yes; Van Weelden, no.  Motion carried.

 

h.) Motion to approve a date for the IASB Starting Right Meeting put on hold.

 

I.) Motion to set dates and locations for regular meetings as presented. Voice vote with all approving.

 

19. Upcoming Items:

a.) Negotiation dates (End of May)

b.) Committee meetings (Make contact & set dates)

c.) End of year activities

d.) End of year field trips

 

20. Open matters of discussion. Nothing was discussed.

 

        a.) The opportunity was given for public comment. There was none.

 

21. Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Jones.  

      Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 11:22 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

March 2013

April 18, 2013

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – MARCH 2013

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on March 20, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, present; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed guests / visitors: 7th grade volleyball team, coaches and parents. Curt and Christina Bowman, Miss. Priesch, Shannon Hart, Mrs. Sullivan, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Peterson, Miss Coonan, Mr. Hagaman, Alicia Vollmer, Shannon Hart, Ginny Jones, Elle Fitzsimmons.

 

  1. Pause for applause: Acknowledgement to 7th grade volleyball team, coaches and parents for their great work on getting to state! Acknowledgment to Science Fair Students whom earned awards.

 

5.  There were no communications.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes from February 20, 2013 made by Kenney, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

  1. Motion to amend agenda to add letter 11. k., Public Comment and 16. a., Public Comment, made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

9. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of February 28,

2013. Compared cash on hand now versus two years ago  - we are down about half. Discussed again that we would need to transfer from Money Market reserve to cover expenses for remainder of year. The anticipated total transfer is $155,000.00.

 

Discussed the activity fund accounts and their uses. Discussed past due lunch accounts.

 

  1. 0.Reviewed Bills and Requisitions.

* Discussed the water bill – thus far there has been no explanation as to why the bill is increased. This will continue to be researched.

 

Motion to approve bills & Requisitions as stated made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, no, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Old Board Business:

  2.  

    1. Heard update on Green & Associates – proposals on the summer projects will be forthcoming.

    2. Heard update on One Cent County Facilities Tax. Canvassing of the community took place, thanks to all those who volunteered their time.

     

  3. New Board Business :

a.)  Heard recap on Financial Committee meeting. Discussed summer programs and when work had to be complete to qualify for grant.  

 

b.) Heard update on Student Handbook Committee – the staff has been meeting to align the handbook with the board policy manual.

 

c.) Heard update on science fair. 4 students won awards, congrats on the great work!

 

d.) Heard update on current students of the month.

 

e.) Heard update on IASB Spring dinner which was attended by

    Mr. Bean, Will VanWeelden, Ginny Jones and Elle

    Fitzsimmons.

 

       f.) Heard update on IPA Luncheon which was attended by Mariah

   Egerstaffer and Ivy Motl.  

 

       g.) Heard update on ISAT testing – results will be available in

           June.

 

h.) Heard update on changes made in PBIS criteria.  

I.) Learned of Library Grant awarded in the amount of $735.50, this is considerably higher than years past. Congratulations to Mrs. Decker on her hard work on this grant.

 

J.) Discussed the need for obtaining mowing bids for the upcoming season.

 

K.) Opened floor for public comment. Heard question from Mrs. Sullivan regarding which was more economical on trips, a regular bus vs. activity bus. It was agreed that activity bus was the most economical.

 

Mrs. Jones expressed concern over Mr. Beans lack of professionalism. Felt that her previous complaints were not taken seriously or followed through upon. Stated she has seen no improvement on concerns she has spoken to Mr. Bean and board members about. Also informed the board of students inappropriately dressing during spirit week and is concerned with the perception of our school.

 

Mrs. Sullivan also expressed concern over Mr. Beans lack of professionalism and gave examples of unprofessionalism that should not need to be pointed out to a leader in administration. Mrs. Sullivan also praised the good reputation that Cornell Grade School has and does not want to see that lost.

 

Mrs. Bowman had questions as to if positions were riffed and how soon they would be notified of needing to be rehired.

 

12. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board

of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Kenney, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving.  8:30 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:30 p.m.

 

13.) Action items as a result of closed session:

           There was no motion for Resolution for Reduction in Force

 

a.) Motion to amend agenda to add a staff member to those listed on 14 b: Amanda Coonan, year 2, made by
Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

b.) Motion to employ Tiffany Sullivan whom will advance to year 3 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

c.) Motion to employ Samantha Preisch whom will advance to year 2 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Garzanelli, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to employ Deanna Hester whom will advance to year 2 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Snyder, seconded by Vollmer. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to employ Jaime Wykes whom will advance to year 2 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

f.) Motion to employ Matthew Hagaman whom will advance to year 2 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Snyder, seconded by Burkitt. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, no; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, no; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

g.) Motion to employ Kim McHenry whom will advance to year 2 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

h.) Motion to employ Amanda Coonan whom will advance to year 2 for the 2013-2014 school year made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

I.) Motion to employ Tamira Masching as part time cook made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

14.) Action items as a result of open session:

a) Motion to approve accepting mowing bids made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, absent, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

16. Upcoming Items:

a.) Proposal for Summer Work

b.) Negotiation dates

c.) Milk and Bread bids

d.) End of year field trips

e.) Committee meetings

f.) Seating of new board; starting right session

 

16.)  Open matters of discussion included what work would be done in the building over spring break (genera cleaning) and there was a request for board packets to be delivered to board members earlier to ensure time to review.

 

        a.) The opportunity was given for public comment. There was none.

 

17.) Motion to adjourn made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney.  

      Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

________________________

Open Session Minutes

February 2013

March 21, 2013

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – FEBRUARY 2013

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on February 20, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, present; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present{arrived at 7:05}, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman, Cheryl Louden, Alicia Vollmer, Wendy Cooper, Connie Walker, Jude Morrissey, Ellie Fitzsimmons, Jennifer Kindermann and The Cornell Education Association {Deb Roeschly speaker for all those in attendance.}

 

Question from Matthew Hagaman regarding new school board members having copies of Board packet and there not being one available to public.

 

Heard from Deb Roeschly on behalf of Cornell Education Association stating they would like there to more involvement between the Association and the Board of Education. Discussion as to how this could be achieved took place. Board invited any member of staff to attend the scheduled committee meetings and discussion on setting specific meetings when needed took place.

 

  1. Communications: Thank you cards.

 

5. Motion to approve Special and Closed Session minutes of

January 24, 2013 made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Special and Closed minutes from January 30, 2013 made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes from January 16, 2013 made by Vollmer, seconded by VanWeelden. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried

 

  1. Motion to approve Agenda made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

9. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of January 31,

2013. Reviewed new spreadsheet that shows all the categories of items paid in previous month so that we can balance to ‘monthly expenses‘ total on Treasurer report. Discussed no longer needing balance sheet and other lengthy reports so long as this spreadsheet balances.

 

Discussion on state payments and that we will have to borrow from our money market reserve in order to meet bills this year. The total amount we will have to borrow will be approximately $155,685 – this would be until new tax funds were received at which time we will repay ourselves.  The first withdrawal will likely need to be in the coming months in order to meet bills.

 

Discussion on the lunch report and that kitchen staff is included in expenses and that it would likely never show profit. Approximately $3,000 is what is past due – discussion on letters going out to these parents took place.

 

  1. 0.Reviewed Bills and Requisitions.

*Questions regarding the many FICA refunds shown on bills this month. Learned that this was caused by miscalculation of FICA percentage which was pointed out by a staff member. Much discussion took place as to there needing to be more questions by Superintendent so that mistakes are not in board packets and that mistakes shouldn’t be found by board members or staff members.

 

Motion to approve bills & Requisitions as stated made by Burkitt, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, no; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, no. Motion carried.

 

  1. Old Board Business:

  2.  

    1. Heard update on Green & Associates finding no asbestos in the boys or girls bathrooms. Learned that IDEAL will not need to come out to inspect which will bring a significant savings.

    2. Heard update on One Cent County Facilities Tax. Troy Hart has attended organizational meeting and will canvas the community as the election approaches.

    3. Reviewed Seniority List which has now been out for staff review. There have been changes since the last meeting when it was presented to us.

     

  3. New Board Business :

a.)  Heard recap of Finance Committee Meeting which took place on January 24th – much of the details were already discussed earlier in meeting.

 

b.) Heard update on Student Handbook Committee – anticipated next meeting in March.

 

c.) Reviewed Economic Interest Forms that need to be completed by board members and returned to County Clerk.

 

d.) Announced student of the month selections, Jackson Gamblin and Ivy Motl.

 

e.) Discussed the ISBE 5Esssential survey and how parents were encouraged to respond. Results should arrive approximately in June.

 

f.) Discussed preschool screenings which took place February 15th – 7 children were screened.  

 

g.) Discussed the new ISAT cut off scores. With the new cut off points it will be very unlikely that we will make AYP this year.

 

h.) Discussed school improvement day and learned that staff wanted Microsoft Word back as it had been removed from server to try a different program. This will be an expense that can be paid for by REAP Grant. At the time of the meeting it was not known if Tri-Com would be needed to assist. Also learned that the Tech Plan will need to be updated next year.

 

I.)Heard update on PBIS – changes in the rewards at assemblies were made. There will now be a drawing for a bigger reward at the monthly and quarterly assemblies. Also learned that we have had the largest number of students not attending the celebrations due to the change in homework policy.

 

J.) Discussed the great season of our 7th grade girls Volleyball. Congratulations on finishing 1st place in Sectionals.

 

12. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board

of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving.  8:06 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:28 p.m.

 

14.) Action items as a result of closed session:

a.) Motion to approve posting position for part time cook made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

b.) Motion to hire Steve Rapp as Head Track Coach, pending his acceptance, made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

c.) Motion to hire Caitlyn Jones as Assistant Track Coach, pending her acceptance, made by VanWeelden, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to accept, with regret, the resignation of Alicia Vollmer as kitchen supervisor made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, abstain. Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to accept resignation of Tiffany Sullivan as Extra Curricular (Track) Coach, made by Kenney, seconded by Burkitt. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

15.) Action items as a result of open session:

a) Motion to approve Seniority List as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

16. Upcoming Items:

a.) Building and Grounds committee meeting.

b.) Handbook committee meeting.

c.) Teacher Retention Recommendation

 

16.)  Open matters of discussion included asking if anyone was attending the local IASB meeting. Will and Mr. Bean agreed to go and invite would be extended to the upcoming board member candidates.

 

17.) Motion to adjourn made by Snyder, seconded by Burkitt.  

      Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 9:41 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

January Board Minutes

February 21, 2013

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – JANUARY 2013

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on January 16, 2013. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, present; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman.

 

  1. Communications: Thank you cards from teachers.

 

  1. Motion to approve Special and Closed Session minutes of December 12, 2012 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve Regular and Closed minutes from December 19, 2012 made by Kenney, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

  3. Motion to Amend Agenda to add the following :

14 e) Approve maternity leave for Mrs. Cavinder

14 g) Approve leave request of Mrs. Sullivan

14 h) Accept, with regret, resignation of Kelly Carter as bookkeeper

14 i) Accept, with regret, resignation of Cheryl Loudon as part time secretary

Made by Garzanelli, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Amended Agenda made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

8. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of December 31,

2012. There were questions on the total monthly expenses and how the totals flow from report to report. Clarification on this issue to come in days following the meeting. Question as to why there was no deposit into lunch account for the month of December. This to be followed up upon in days following meeting.

 

  1. Reviewed Bills and Requisitions.

*Noted that Flanagan-Cornell Unit #74 is timely with their billings this year as this months bills include first semester, Nov & Dec billing, Music/Band and 2nd Quarter Special Ed Aides.

*Grainger bill was for boiler repair

 

Motion to approve bills & Requisitions as stated made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Old Board Business:

  2.  

    1. Heard update from Building & Grounds committee meeting and Green Associate projects. Proposals for the sanitary piping project are still being accepted by Green & Associates. Discussed leak in pipe which runs under first grade room floor – this will need to be fixed this summer at a cost of approximately $1,500. IDEAL was out and confirmed that the restrooms are asbestos free.

    2. Heard update on One Cent County Tax Facilities and possible candidate to represent our district. Mr. Bean and candidate will attend meeting regarding this issue on February 6th.

    3. Heard update from Policy/Handbook Committee and reviewed proposed amendments to the policy.

    4. Heard update on Teacher Evaluation Instrument and discussed that it would be tested next year so that changes can be identified prior to its implementation in 2016.

    5. Reviewed 2013/2014 school calendar and that Option A was preferred by staff and recommended by Mr. Bean.

     

  3. New Board Business :

a.)  Heard whom student of the month was awarded to.

 

b.) Heard recap on how Vermillion Valley Conference went being held at our district. Many thanks to all those involved with this successful tournament.

c.) Reviewed closed session minutes to determine which to open and which to remain closed.    

 

d.) Reviewed Seniority List but learned that staff had not yet approved. Due to this we cannot make this an action item this month. This should be action item next month after staff approval.

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board

of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving.  7:50 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 10:00 p.m.

 

**THERE WERE NO ACTION ACTION ITEMS AS A RESULT

     OF CLOSED SESSION*

 

14.) Action items as a result of open session:

a.) Motion to approve School Calendar, Option A, as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

b.) Motion to approve opening the closed session minutes from July 2012 – November 2012 with the exception of 9-19-12 which are to remain closed made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

c.) Motion to approve the update to Board Policies as presented made by Garzanelli, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, abstain. Motion carried.

 

d) Motion to Table 2012-2013 Seniority List made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving. Motion Carried.

 

e.) Motion to approve maternity leave for Mrs. Cavinder starting

February 19th made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

  1. Motion to approve hiring Jeremy Foreman as long term P.E. Substitute made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, no, Garzanelli, no, Kenney, abstain, Pinkerton, no, Snyder, yes, VanWeelden, yes, Vollmer, no. Motion fails.

  2. Motion to approve leave request from Mrs. Sullivan made by

Garzanelli, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes;       Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to accept, with regret, resignation of Kelly Carter as bookkeeper made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes;       Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to accept, with regret, resignation of Cheryl Loudon as part time secretary made by Burkitt, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes;       Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

j) Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board

of Education will go into closed session to discuss the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving.  10:25 p.m.

 

Returned from closed session at 10:30 p.m.

 

Action made as a result of Closed Session :

 

a) Motion to Table the hiring of Long Term Substitute for P.E. position made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

15. Upcoming Items:

a.) Finance Committee Meeting scheduled for January 23rd @ 5pm.

b.) Handbook Committee meeting scheduled for February 7th @ 5pm.

 

16.)  Open matters of discussion included President Vollmer directing Mr. Bean to send a thank you letter to Livingston County Sheriff regarding their increased patrols at the school.

 

17.) Motion to adjourn made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney.  

      Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

November 2012

December 20, 2012

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – NOVEMBER 2012

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on November 14, 2012. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, present; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman, Cheryl Loudon and Kelly Carter.

 

  1. Communications: Thank you card from Karen Jones for allowing her attendance at the IL Principal Association Conference. Thanksgiving card from Green & Associates.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Session minutes of October 17, 2012 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Agenda with the following additions :

*Add 13. ‘E’ : Approve bond payment of $33,006.25

        *Add 13. ‘F’ : Approve amendment to Board Policy 4:60 to state      

          Supplies, Materials or work involving an expenditure in access

          of $50,000 must comply with State law bidding procedure, 105

          ILCS 5/10-20.21, unless specifically exempted.

*Add 13. ‘G’ : Approve Green & Associates to take proposals for

  up to $50,000 for HLS pumping repairs

made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all      

approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of October 30, 2012. Question on the YTD interest on our investments as to what point it would be pulled out and applied to something. Mr. Beans recommendation is to leave it accruing in the account as it will increase the base amount at which interest is accruing.

 

Question as to what the additional $250 charge on the bond payment is. Mr. Bean to update the Board in coming days on this.

 

Question as to if our accounts are FDIC insured for the full investment amount and what the maximum amount is that they can insure. Mr. Bean to update the Board in coming days on this.

 

Question regarding the interest which has accrued on the grant monies. We will continue to let this accrue and transfer once all the monies have been spent.

 

Upon reviewal of the new financial documents given to board – we have also requested a copy of the bank statement from our main account at First Financial Bank to be included in board packets from now on.

 

Question as to why we do not see bills from BDI and Union Roofing on this months bills. Mr. Bean to update us in coming days on this.

 

  1. Reviewed Bills and Requisitions. Motion to approve bills & Requisitions as stated made by Snyder, seconded by Garzanelli. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

  1. Old Board Business:

 

  1. Update on punch list on window project. It is anticipated that the final items will be completed and the final payment on this project will be approved next month.

 

Learned that Henneman Engineering completed an inspection of the steam piping. It was found that our piping is not leaking and is expected to have at least 10 years of life remaining. They did emphasize that the treatment we do annually to treat the water going through the pipes is well worth the expense and will add to the life of the piping. 

 

Learned that we do have some sanitary leaks in the boys locker room that will have to be addressed. This includes an emergency issue regarding the urinal in the boys locker room and leak in wall. Working with Brice Alt from Green & Associates on how to proceed with this work.

 

Heard update on items discussed during Building & Grounds meetings.

Discussion took place on the grants we currently have and how to submit the proper documentation to meet reporting requirements within the timeframe of the grants. Mr. Bean to clarify the procedures and let the board know in coming days. Board also directed Mr. Bean to go ahead and start updating the online grant systems as to what has been spent so far.

 

  1. Heard updates on financial committee meetings. Heard update on what we may receive in General State Aid next year as rumors of state funding cuts and pension changes circulate.

  2. Learned of upcoming Compliance Visit by the ROE which is scheduled for December 20th. Learned of procedure if there is something the ROE requests as a result of their audit. Also discussed updating our Board Policy Manual and approved going through ISBE program to update our out of date areas. This will be an expense of $1,400.00

  3. Reviewed job descriptions and how they would be utilized in annual evaluations for non-certified staff.

  4. Heard update on Veteran’s Day Assembly. Compliments received on student behavior. Learned we need to promote differently next year to get the word out more and discussion on the sound system took place as it was difficult to hear in some places in the gym during the program.

  5. Heard update on Halloween Parties/Parade. These events will take place on Halloween Day next year.

  6. Heard update on Parent/Teacher Conferences which were well attended.

 

10. New Board Business :

      a.)  Discussed setting Board Goal Setting Meeting for November 

            28th at 5:00 p.m.

 

       b.) Reviewed 2012 Tentative tax Levy –Projected 2012

            Levy amount is $918,964.00. Report on file in the office  

            should public like to review.

 

       c.) Reviewed the Illinois School Report Card

 

       d.) Discussed the Christmas Gift to staff

11. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving.  8:40 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:06

 

12.) There was no Action taken after Closed Session

 

13.) Action items as a result of open session:

a.) Motion to approve Approve the Illinois School Report Card made by Garzanelli, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

b.) Motion to approve Non-Certified Job Descriptions as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

c.) Motion to set Board Goal Setting Meeting Date as November 28th at 5:00 p.m. made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to approve Christmas gift of $50.00 to each staff member made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, no; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, abstain; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to approve Bond Payment of $33,006.25 made by Garzanelli, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion Carried.

 

f.) Motion to approve amendment to Board Policy 4.60 to state: Supplies, materials or work involving an expenditure in access of $50,000 must comply with State Law Bidding Procedure, 105 ILCS 5/10-20.21, unless specifically exempted, made by Snyder,  seconded by Vollmer. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

g.) Motion to approve Green & Associates to take proposals for up to $50,000 for HlS pumping repairs made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

14. Upcoming Action Items: Final 2012 Tax Levy

 

15.)  Open matters of discussion which included: School Calendar for next year. When things would need to be filed to abate bond payment.

 

18.) Motion to adjourn made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton.         Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

October 2012

October 21, 2012

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – OCTOBER 2012

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on October 17, 2012. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, present; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton<arrived late at 7:26 p.m.>, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman and Rick Phillips.

 

  1. Communications: Copy of the Conference Preview for the IASB Joint Conference.

                                                                               

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed Session minutes of October 3, 2012 made by VanWeelden, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Budget Hearing, Regular Meeting and Closed session minutes of September 19, 2012 made by Kenney, seconded by Burkitt. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Agenda made by Garzanelli, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of September 30, 2012. Questions as to where $100,000 of our $400,000 is shown on the Treasurer’s Report. The answer to follow in week after meeting up consulting with bookkeeper. Audit report also to follow later in meeting.

 

  1. Reviewed Bills and Requisitions.

 

Motion to amend agenda to add number 9A, Motion to approve Treasurer’s report, made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

        Motion to approve bills & Requisitions as stated made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, abstain; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

9a) Motion to Approve Treasurers Report made by Snyder, seconded by Garzanelli. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, no; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, no. Motion carried.

 

  1. Audit presentation from Rick Phillips :

Presented with and reviewed Annual Financial Report and Independent Auditors Report dated June 30, 2012. Total profile score was 3.45.

        Reviewed accounting methods and learned of changes we can

        make to provide more detailed information at meetings.

 

11.  Old Board Business

 

a.)    Heard update on Green & Associates, window punch list, building & ground committee and transportation committee.

 

b.)    Heard recap on IASB Fall Dinner which was attended by Mr. Bean and Will VanWeelden.

 

         c.)    Recapped results of Fall Fest and Book Fair.

 

         d.)   Heard about the CHS Alumni Ceremony which took place

                on September 22, 2012.  

 

         e.)  Heard about Grandparents day which took place October 3,

               2012.

 

         f.)  Discussed the County Facility Tax which was presented to us

               in September meeting.

 

12. NEW BOARD BUSINESS

 

a.)    Reviewed application for Recognition of Schools.

 

b.)    Reviewed field trip requests from the following teachers : Mrs. Decker, Springfield trip on May 20, 2013; Mr. Cavinder, Bowling trip to Pontiac on December 14, 2012; Mr. Hagaman trip to water treatment facilities in Pontiac.

 

 c.)   Reviewed fall enrollment as of September 30th.  

 

  d.)  Reviewed agenda from Financial Committee meeting and reviewed tentative 2012 levy.

 

  e.)  Reviewed results of survey staff listing what is positive at Cornell Grade School and what can be improved.

 

  f.)  The board was given non-certified staff job descriptions. These will be reviewed and discussed in coming months.

 

  g.) Learned that we were honored as an Emerging Level Recipient for our School Wide PBIS program. Great thanks and congratulations to everyone making this possible. 

 

  h.) Reviewed discipline data from SWIS. Referrals are down from this time last year.

 

   i.) Learned of upcoming compliance visits scheduled by the

        ROE. One to take place October 29th and another on

       November 9th.

 

j.)  Learned of Veterans Day Assembly and community dinner to

      take place November 9, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

 

 

   k.) Learned of Halloween parade to take place October 25th at 1:00 p.m.

 

   l.)  Heard update on crisis plan committee which met and will be meeting again soon.

 

   m.) Heard update on Teacher Evaluation Tool Committee.

 

   n.) Heard technology committee update. Working on the Technology Improvement Plan which is to be completed after the template is received. Learned of update to our operating system on student computers. Also learned of fundraiser in planning stages, funds to be used to purchase promethium boards.

 

   o.) Discussed the opportunity to work with Dean Langdon on a Board Goal Setting meeting.

   

  1. 3.)        Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by VanWeelden, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving.  9:20 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:35

 

14.) There was no Action taken after Closed Session

 

15.) Action items as a result of open session:

a.) Motion to approve Approve Application for Recognition of Schools made by Garzanelli, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

b.) Motion to approve Auditor’s Annual Financial Report made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

c.) Motion to approve 3 Field trips as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Burkitt. Roll call vote: Burkitt, yes; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to approve Resolution directing the Regional Superintendent to certify to the county clerk the question of imposing school facility sales taxes in the County at the April 9, 2013 General Election, made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Roll call vote: Burkitt, no; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

  1. 6.)            Discussed upcoming action items such as 2012 tax levy and

Illinois School Report Card.

 

17.)   Open matters of discussion which included: Questions about holiday music program; reminder to think about holiday appreciation; questions as to if music room could be moved to accommodate student in wheelchair; Learned of donation of 3 basketballs from community member and 1 basketball purchased by PTC; Discussion as to how to promote community dinner to fundraise for Promethium Boards.

 

18.) Motion to adjourn made by Snyder, seconded by Garzanelli.         Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 9:43 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

September 19, 2012

September 24, 2012

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 2012

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 19, 2012. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman. There were no communications.

 

  1. Communications: Learned that Green & Associates, George Regal and Bryce Alt, donated $100 toward purchase of books for library.

                                                                               

  1. Motion to approve Special Session and Closed Session minutes of September 5, 2012 made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed session minutes of August 15, 2012 made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Agenda with the following changes:

*Revise #5 to read: Approval of Special Session and Closed Session meeting minutes of September 5, 2012.

*Revise #6 to change the date of July 25th to August 15, 2012

*Add Action Item #14 e. – Approve Field Trip as Presented

made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of August 31, 2012. Audit was received from Rick Phillips. He will be attending the October meeting to submit his findings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  Reviewed Bills and Requisitions. Discussed supply purchases and  

    at  what point some purchases should be approved in advance.  

 

Motion to approve Bills & Requisitions made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

    10.  Old Board Business

 

a.)    IASB Information – Learned that after the election all board members will be required to complete the OMA on-line training.  Also reminded of the ‘Starting Right’ meeting on October 3rd.

 

b.)    Heard update on the Green & Associates payments, waivers received, etc. Reviewed updated HLS list and 2nd change of work order

        Also reviewed the bills due from Mid-Illinois Electric.

 

c.)   Heard update on results of Ag Shop sale, $160 was earned 

       from sale and the metal from building is being removed and

               profits are being split with the individual removing the    

               items.

 

11. NEW BOARD BUSINESS

 

a.)    Heard update on the Teacher Evaluation Committee. The new evaluation tool is due July 1, 2016.

 

b.)    Heard update on the K-5 Leadership Committee Meeting & Curriculum Committee Meeting.

 

 c.)   Learned that Fall Fest would be October 1st from 5:30 – 7:30.

 

  d.)  Reviewed letter sent to parents for the ITBS testing on September 18, 19 & 20.  

 

  e.)   Reviewed agenda for Handbook committee meeting.

 

  f.)  Reviewed flyer for IASB Dinner on October 4th. Mr. Bean and Will VanWeelden will attend.

 

  g.)  Reviewed agenda from Athletic / Co-Curricular meeting.

 

  h.) Reviewed agenda from Finance Committee.

 

   i.) Reviewed comparison chart on various bids for copy

        machines. This was prepared and presented by Matthew   

        Hagaman.

 

   j.)  Item to be discussed in closed session*

 

 

   k.) Discussed the process for those wanting to run for School Board position. Packets are ready and will be available on September 25th.

 

   l.) Learned that we met AYP in both reading and math.          Congratulations to the staff for their efforts.

 

   m.) Learned of request and approval for a 6-8 Grade ‘Winter

          Ball’ to take place December 7th.

 

   n.)   Item to be discussed in closed session

 

   o.) Reviewed request from Superintendent to attend the IASA Conference October 18th & 19th.

   

   p.) Reviewed Field Trip request from Mr. Hagaman to visit Valley View Industries to conclude his Rock, mineral and mining unit.

 

  1. 2.Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving.  8:35 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:10

 

13.) There was no Action taken after Closed Session, this     

        includes no motion for basketball coach position.

 

14.) Action items as a result of open session:

a.) Motion to approve FY13 Budget made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

b.) Motion to approve payment of Mid-Illinois Electrical as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Vollmer. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

c.) Motion to approve Superintendent to attend IASA Convention in Springfield on October 18th & 19th made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to accept copier bi from Watts/Sharp, Bid option #2, 60 months @ $669.17, made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to approve Field Trip Request as stated by Mr. Hagaman, to take place September 24th or 25th, made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

15.) Open matters of discussion: Reviewed articles in paper regarding

       playground equipment and kindergarten open house. Heard  

       update on how the CHS Alumni gathering went.

 

16.)  Upcoming action items: FY12 Audit

 

17.) Motion to adjourn made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton.         Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

September 19, 2012

September 24, 2012

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 2012

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on September 19, 2012. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman. There were no communications.

 

  1. Communications: Learned that Green & Associates, George Regal and Bryce Alt, donated $100 toward purchase of books for library.

                                                                               

  1. Motion to approve Special Session and Closed Session minutes of September 5, 2012 made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed session minutes of August 15, 2012 made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Agenda with the following changes:

*Revise #5 to read: Approval of Special Session and Closed Session meeting minutes of September 5, 2012.

*Revise #6 to change the date of July 25th to August 15, 2012

*Add Action Item #14 e. – Approve Field Trip as Presented

made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of August 31, 2012. Audit was received from Rick Phillips. He will be attending the October meeting to submit his findings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  Reviewed Bills and Requisitions. Discussed supply purchases and  

    at  what point some purchases should be approved in advance.  

 

Motion to approve Bills & Requisitions made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

    10.  Old Board Business

 

a.)    IASB Information – Learned that after the election all board members will be required to complete the OMA on-line training.  Also reminded of the ‘Starting Right’ meeting on October 3rd.

 

b.)    Heard update on the Green & Associates payments, waivers received, etc. Reviewed updated HLS list and 2nd change of work order

        Also reviewed the bills due from Mid-Illinois Electric.

 

c.)   Heard update on results of Ag Shop sale, $160 was earned 

       from sale and the metal from building is being removed and

               profits are being split with the individual removing the    

               items.

 

11. NEW BOARD BUSINESS

 

a.)    Heard update on the Teacher Evaluation Committee. The new evaluation tool is due July 1, 2016.

 

b.)    Heard update on the K-5 Leadership Committee Meeting & Curriculum Committee Meeting.

 

 c.)   Learned that Fall Fest would be October 1st from 5:30 – 7:30.

 

  d.)  Reviewed letter sent to parents for the ITBS testing on September 18, 19 & 20.  

 

  e.)   Reviewed agenda for Handbook committee meeting.

 

  f.)  Reviewed flyer for IASB Dinner on October 4th. Mr. Bean and Will VanWeelden will attend.

 

  g.)  Reviewed agenda from Athletic / Co-Curricular meeting.

 

  h.) Reviewed agenda from Finance Committee.

 

   i.) Reviewed comparison chart on various bids for copy

        machines. This was prepared and presented by Matthew   

        Hagaman.

 

   j.)  Item to be discussed in closed session*

 

 

   k.) Discussed the process for those wanting to run for School Board position. Packets are ready and will be available on September 25th.

 

   l.) Learned that we met AYP in both reading and math.          Congratulations to the staff for their efforts.

 

   m.) Learned of request and approval for a 6-8 Grade ‘Winter

          Ball’ to take place December 7th.

 

   n.)   Item to be discussed in closed session

 

   o.) Reviewed request from Superintendent to attend the IASA Conference October 18th & 19th.

   

   p.) Reviewed Field Trip request from Mr. Hagaman to visit Valley View Industries to conclude his Rock, mineral and mining unit.

 

  1. 2.Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving.  8:35 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:10

 

13.) There was no Action taken after Closed Session, this     

        includes no motion for basketball coach position.

 

14.) Action items as a result of open session:

a.) Motion to approve FY13 Budget made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

b.) Motion to approve payment of Mid-Illinois Electrical as presented made by Snyder, seconded by Vollmer. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

c.) Motion to approve Superintendent to attend IASA Convention in Springfield on October 18th & 19th made by Kenney, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to accept copier bi from Watts/Sharp, Bid option #2, 60 months @ $669.17, made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to approve Field Trip Request as stated by Mr. Hagaman, to take place September 24th or 25th, made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

15.) Open matters of discussion: Reviewed articles in paper regarding

       playground equipment and kindergarten open house. Heard  

       update on how the CHS Alumni gathering went.

 

16.)  Upcoming action items: FY12 Audit

 

17.) Motion to adjourn made by Snyder, seconded by Pinkerton.         Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

August 2012

September 17, 2012

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – AUGUST 2012

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on August 15, 2012. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, present, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitors, Matthew Hagaman and members of the PTC, Nicole Gourley and Nete Pinkerton. There were no communications.

                                                                               

  1. Motion to approve Regular and Closed meeting minutes of July 25, 2012 made by Pinkerton, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

6. Motion to approve Agenda made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of July 31, 2012.

It is noted that the balance shown on the investment portion was reduced by $44,558.41. This withdrawal took place in order to pay the bills due in month of July because the tax monies were not received until August 10th. These funds will be replaced now that the tax monies have been received. The board requested that in the future should funds need to be withdrawn from investments that board approval be obtained prior to making that transfer.

 

There was a question as to the interest on our investments and where that has gone or if it is still there in the account. The previous history was that the interest was put on lunch account prior to closing out the end of year. Request was made that the interest be shown as a line item on the financial report shown on agenda in the future.

 

Bills reviewed – some of the discussion included:

*This is final payment to Dwight Common School

*Several bills were for Fiscal year 2011-2012 as we had not received the bills prior to June 30, 2012. These include, Flanagan-Cornell Unit 74 and Livingston County Special Services Unit (this bill was for the full 2011-2012 year, discussion took place as to why they did not bill us per semester rather than all at the end – we will try to get this changed for the future).

*Large bills relating to the window project which will be paid in part from the Energy Grant received. These include, Commercial Electronic System, Green Associates, Ideal Environmental Engineering and the Luse Companies.

*MacMillan/McGraw-Hill was for new Jr. High Math books which were approved in previous meeting. This should be final textbook purchase for this year.

 

  1. Motion to approve Bills & Requisitions, with the stipulation that

Superintendent double check and make sure that no 1st semester bills were previous paid to Livingston County Special Services Unit prior to their billing us at the end of year, made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

    9.         Old Board Business

 

a.)    Heard presentation from Building & Grounds Committee and PTC regarding the playground. Playground, chin up bars and climber are complete and landscaping pending completion. Funding broke down as : $10,000 from PTC, $3,000 from District #426 and $11,200 from businesses and community members. A list of those who helped build was given to Superintendent. A great thanks by the Board and Superintendent was given to the PTC. We are all proud of this great addition to our school!

 

b.)    Walkthrough of building – saw new windows, window panels, tuck pointing, painting/block, new doors in classrooms, new window in gym office, gym floor. Air conditioners to be put in when windows are 100% complete. Reviewed Green & Associates bill and discussed the need for obtaining lien waivers for all subcontractors as well as the main contractor on the window project. The window bills are paid by the district to Green & Associates and Green & Associates pays the contractor.

 

c.)   Heard update on Symantec Backup. The discs were located         and the system functioning well now.

d.)    Reviewed bid from Bennett Electronic to upgrade the power supply on our video surveillance system. It is only drawing 9v and needs to draw 12v. Discussion took place as to why this problem was occurring and if a new power supply would truly solve the problem or if this would continue to occur in the future.

 

10.    New Board Business

 

   a.)         Reviewed Opening Day Agenda

 

   b.) Reviewed the ROE Occupancy permit received. Walk through with Mark Jontry took place on August 14th to determine if all HLS items were complete prior to the start of school.

 

   c.) Reviewed Enrollment information. Total enrollment including preschool was 112 with 97 students being in our building.

 

    d.) Reviewed information regarding IDPH , Miles of Smiles Grant. The district is not charged for this service where mobile dentists come to check student’s teeth. Though some students may not qualify for it to be free – they are given sign up information at registration.

 

     e.) Reviewed agenda’s for new teacher boot camp

 

     f.) Reviewed FY13 updated tentative budget. Some of this years changes include:

        * No ARRA funds this year

        *Reduction of special education expenses due to now having in house teacher

        *Discussion took place regarding the way non-certified staff salary was shown and if we had enough budgeted for LCSSU speech as we can see what was paid out for this past year on bills.

 

     g.) Learned of Open House planned for August 27th from    

         6:30-7:30

 

     h.) Heard update on Superintendent meeting attended in July. Learned that IASB has set a new law stating that schools can no longer use activity buses for curricular activities. They may be used for sporting events but not curricular events. This to be discussed further in the coming weeks/months.

 

      I.) Discussed copier bids are up in November and that new  

                   bids will have to be obtained.

 

             j.)  Discussed what upcoming committee meetings would                      take place.

 

     k.)  Heard update regarding the CHS Homecoming.

 

     l.) Discussed placement of air conditioners on the South end of the building and the cost to put them in bottom and purchase 2 windows to go in old location.

 

     m.) There were no other items

 

  1. 1.Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving.  9:20 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 9:54 P.M.

 

  1.     Action taken after Closed Session:

 

  1. Motion to approve non-certified salary increase by 1% made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, abstain. Motion carried.

  2. Motion to approve stipend of $250 per year to the head cook to also cover as the morning bus monitor made by Snyder, seconded by VanWeelden. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

  3. Motion to notify Principal of 2012-2013 Evaluation made by Garzanelli, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

13.) Action items as a result of open session:

a.) Motion to approve FY13 Tentative Budget made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

b.) Motion to set budget hearing for September 19, 2012 at 6:45 made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

c.) Motion to approve ROE Occupancy Permit made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

d.) Motion to approve payment of Green & Associates bill for $65,548.79 made by Vollmer, seconded by Snyder. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

e.) Motion to approve payment to Green & Associates, upon authorization of Bryce Alt and contingent upon received lien waiver from all subcontractors, for the amount of $170,016.21 made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

f.) Motion to approve bid from Bennett Electronics for new power supply purchase made by Snyder, seconded by Vollmer. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

g.) Motion to give Superintendent Permission to accept bids for copiers made by Pinkerton, seconded by VanWeelden. . Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

h.) Motion to transfer $45,000 from Education Fund to our Money Market account made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. . Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

i.) Motion to approve purchase of four windows at cost of $460 total for the South end of the building made by Snyder, seconded by Kenney. . Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, yes; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

16.) Discussed upcoming action items: Adoption of FY13 budget, FY12

       Audit information, scheduling of committee meetings.

 

17.)  Other matters of discussion included an update on the basketball

        coach situation. This continues to be an ongoing search.

 

18.) Motion to adjourn made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli.         Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 10:04 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________  

Open Session Minutes

July 2012

August 16, 2012

 

DISTRICT #426

MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES – JULY 2012

1.   The Board of Education of Cornell Community Grade School District #426 held its monthly Board meeting at the Grade School on July 25, 2012. The meeting was called to order by President Vollmer at 7:00 p.m.

 

  1. Roll call: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, present; Kenney, present; Pinkerton, present, Snyder, absent, VanWeelden, present, Vollmer, present.

 

  1. Welcomed visitor, Karen Jones. There were no communications.

                                                                               

  1. Motion to approve Regular meeting minutes of June 20, 2012 made by Kenney, seconded by Pinkerton. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Agenda with the following changes :

Add Approval of Special Meeting minutes of July 5, 2012

Amend Item #7 to say “Approval of Tentative Budget FY2013”

Add Letter K under Board Business “IESA”

made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Motion to approve Special meeting minutes of July 5, 2012 made by VanWeelden, seconded by Kenney. Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

 

  1. Financial report: Reviewed fund balances as of June 30, 2012. Reviewed bank statements and bills and requisitions to be paid. There was a question as to where the interest from our account was and what would be done with that. Answer to follow at next months board meeting.

 

  1. Motion to go into Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Vollmer, seconded by Garzanelli. Voice vote with all approving.  7:12 p.m

 

Returned from Closed Session at 7:40 P.M. There was no action made after closed session.

 

 

  1. Reviewed tentative Budget for FY2013. Discussion on several items took place. Budget will be reviewed again next month and then published prior to becoming final.

 

Motion to approve Tentative Budget for FY2013 made by Vollmer, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, absent; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

  1. Motion to approve Bills & Requisitions made by Garzanelli, seconded by Pinkerton. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, absent; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

12.        Board Business

a.)    Update on summer work. Locker Rooms have been updated / painted, gym floor refinished, window project on target for completion on August 16th. Fire exit doors scheduled to be completed between August 7-10th. Air conditioners to be scheduled soon with completion of windows.

 

b.)   Reviewed FY2012 end of year budget summary. Total revenues were $1,727,048 and total expenses were $1,792,819 resulting ending the year over budget by $65,811.

 

c.)     Reviewed opening school information.

 

d.)    Learned that Title I and II grants have been applied for. Also learned we were approved for $1,000 grant from Walmart.

 

e.)    A summary of ISAT scores was reviewed but the individual category / grades were not yet available.

 

f.)     Reviewed recent informational items. These items include :

        i.      Letter sent to faculty

        ii.     Learned auditor will be here July 31

iii.     Registration information. Registration to take place     August 8th

iv.     Reviewed thank you letter to State Farm and discussed items received and when we could go again.

  1. Reviewed School Board Convention info.

  2. i.              Discussed the repair of Ag shop roof and when it should be completed

  3. ii.            Reviewed ISAT report

  4. iii.         Discussed cameras that needed repair and have been fixed by Bennett

  5. x.              Discussed backup and antivirus programs on computers

  6. Discussed the pros and cons between Nicor Rate 74 and the Pulse line from Frontier

  7. i.              Discussed first bill from summer work project

  8. ii.            Heard about the TAP program which was attended by Susan Decker & Karen Jones. Karen gave presentation on details.

  9. iii.         Reviewed August calendar

  10. ) Reviewed items in Ag shop and discussed having garage sale for items that we have no use for.

  11. ) Reviewed antivirus software bids.

  12. )   Discussed the need for someone to man the bus radio in the mornings from 6:30 – 7:00.Discussed stipends and possible solutions for this. It was asked if this fee was part of our contract with Flanagan as this is something that was discussed with them initially. This is to be discussed further in future meeting.

  13. )   There were no Other Items

  14. ) Discussed change in IESA rule regarding sports players being eligible for both school teams and traveling teams and how this may affect us in the future.

 

13. Motion to reconvene Closed Session for Personnel Matters (The Board of Education will go into closed session to discus the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of Cornell Grade School (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1).) made by Garzanelli, seconded by Vollmer. Voice vote with all approving.  10:12 p.m

 

14.  Returned from Closed Session at 10:24 p.m. No action taken as a result of closed session.

 

15.) Action items:

  1. )             Motion to approve Antivirus software bid with Scholarbuys made by by Garzanelli, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, absent; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried

 

b.)    Motion to approve selling approved items from the Ag shop for donations made by VanWeelden, seconded by Kenney. Roll call vote: Burkitt, absent; Garzanelli, yes; Kenney, yes; Pinkerton, yes, Snyder, absent; VanWeelden, yes; Vollmer, yes. Motion carried.

 

16.) Discussed upcoming action items: approving stipend for morning bus duties and approving tentative FY13 Budget for Adoption in Septmeber.

 

17.)  There are no other matters of discussion.

 

18.) Motion to adjourn made by VanWeelden, seconded by Vollmer.         Voice vote with all approving. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

President:

 

_________________________

 

Secretary:

_________________________