Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
Fieldcrest Community Unit School District 6
Thursday, August 19,
2004
7:00 PM
The regular meeting of the
Fieldcrest CUSD #6 Board of Education was held at Fieldcrest East in Wenona on
August 19, 2004.- President, Jeff Pickard called the meeting to order at 7:03
PM.
Roll call was as follows:- Barth,
present; Kirkpatrick, present; Klieber, present; McNamara, present; Pickard,
present; Schmillen, present; Tiraboschi, present
Administrators present:- Dr Michael Stagliano, Superintendent;-
East Principal, John DiMascio; West Principal, Jim DeMay;- and High School
Principal, Steven Wallick
Press present:-- Wanda Micklos, Streator Times-Press;
Julia Voss, Woodford County Journal; Ron Bluemer, News------------------
Tribune
Guests Present:--
Interested citizens and employees
Delegates Arranged in Advance:- None
Public Comment: Scott Hillenberg voiced concern
about the possibility of South- closing (one of the options of the Grade Site
Configuration Study Committee). He also said -Minonk takes the blame for all of
the District-s population.-- He also feels that most students should not be
bused.- He also claimed that prior to the consolidation in 1992, M-D-R
buildings were in better shape than the school buildings in Toluca and Wenona.
--------------------------------- Board President, Jeff
Pickard voiced his disagreement with Scott Hillenberg-s claims that -Minonk
takes the blame for all of the District-s population.-- Jeff Pickard also said
that the tax burden is shared by ALL District residents not just Minonk.-
Furthermore, Jeff Pickard emphasized that people must understand that
Fieldcrest School District 6 is representative of ALL communities and not just
Minonk.- Last, President Pickard reminded all in attendance this evening that
at least 11 options for configurations were on the table at the beginning of
the Committee-s discussions and that no decision has been made on which one of
the three remaining grade site configuration options will be chosen.
Minutes-------------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick and second by Schmillen that the Regular Meeting Minutes of July
15, 2004 be approved as read.
----------------------------- Roll
Call.- All yes.- Motion passes.
Bills-------------------- Motion
by Schmillen second by Barth that the bills be approved as presented.
----------------------------- Roll
Call.- All yes.- Motion passes.----
Imprest Fund----- Motion
by McNamara and second by Kirkpatrick that the Imprest fund be restored to
$5000.
----------------------------- Roll
Call.- All yes.- Motion passes.
Principal-s Report
- John DiMascio
- Thanked
the City of Wenona for hiring students to help pay activity and athletic fees
- Sidewalk
replacement construction is on going at East
- Baseball
and softball has begun and the baseball field is complete
Superintendent-s Report - Dr. Stagliano
- Welcomed
the following new teachers to the District:- Mary Jane Rich, HS Spanish;
Jennifer Halko, East Science; Tamala Chickering, East Special Ed; Dean Giusti,
HS Biology; Vicky Pletsch, East Music; and Bryan Martyn, HS Chemistry
- August
25th is the opening day for students.- They will attend from
8:00-11:00.-- August 26th and 27th will be a 2:15 dismissal with
kindergarten dismissing at 11:00.
- Fieldcrest
has renewed an agreement with the American Red Cross to provide facilities in
case of natural or human-caused disasters
- Don
Nuttall has requested a Knight Fund grant in the amount of $400 to fund
a language arts project at Middle West.- Board approved the request for $400.
- A
new unfounded mandate now requires any employee or volunteers hired after
August 12th and who has contact with students be fingerprinted.- The cost is
$44.00 which is to be paid by the District.
- Evaluation
tools for certified and non-certified employees of the District must be
revised. Board volunteers are needed.- Two for certified and one for the
certified committee.
- Ms.
Sharon Kennedy, Illinois Association of School Boards, presented the District-s
Press Plus Program, which will be implemented whenever the Board adopts
new policies.- She also discussed the adoption process with the Board.
CAC Report------- Citizens-
Advisory Committee Chairperson, Garilyn Wells presented the CAC financial
report.- The August 19th balance is $106,734.- Fundraisers including
Drawdown and so on raised $18,377.03.- However, outstanding moneys total
$131,030.--- Superintendent, Stagliano will send letters of invitation for new
CAC members for the new fiscal year.- A list of 16 individuals was presented to
the Board and CAC to receive letters of nomination to serve on this committee.
Budget---------------- Superintendent,
Dr. Michael Stagliano presented the FY 2005 tentative budget.- He explained in
detail the significance of the positive beginning fund balance for July 1, 2004
as being primarily due to the borrowing of nearly $800,000 in the spring of
2004.- If Working Cash bonds had not been issued and if moneys from the Working
Cash levy had not been transferred to the Education Fund, the Education Fund-s
beginning balance for July 1, 2004 would be negative $543,000.- Stagliano also
suggested that the Board consider allocating $300,000 in General State Aid to
the Building Fund for FY 2005 to eliminate the proposed deficit in that fund.-
Also, he said that if the proposed $.55 Education referendum is successful more
GSA could be allocated to the Building Fund to assist this fund to remain in
the black.
Motion
by McNamara second by Kirkpatrick to approve the tentative FY 05 budget and set
the
----------------------------- Budget
Hearing date and time as September 21st at 5:30 PM at the District
office.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Bids--------------------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by Schmillen to award the fuel bid for gasoline and
diesel to Evergreen FS. -Gasoline and Diesel were Firm Bids.-
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Grade Site committee
chairperson, Patricia Schmillen, gave an update on the Grade Site Configuration
Committee meetings.- 169 comment sheets were returned.- Proposal #3, 93 votes;
#5, 40 votes; #6, 25 votes and other, 11 votes.
Ed Fund Ref.------ Prior
to the Resolution being read by Secretary, Kris Klieber, Superintendent,
Stagliano discussed the need and details of the November 2, 2004 Education Fund
referendum.- He emphasized the necessity of $.55 per $100 EAV and estimated
that a successful referendum would carry the District out for at least five
years into the future; possibly longer if land values increased and
expenditures are kept in line.- Without a successfully referendum additional
and more painful personnel and program cuts would have to be made.- However, if
successful, some programs would be able to be reinstated and activity and
athletic fees scaled back to more affordable levels.- The Fieldcrest Education
Association, The Citizens- Advisory Committee and the Grade Site Configuration
Study Committee as well as the Board of Education will support this referendum.
Secretary,
Kris Klieber read in its entirety the Resolution to Submit the Question of
An Increase in the Tax Rate for the Education Fund from the Current Maximum of
2.975 percent Upon the Property of the District as Equalized and Assessed, to
the Rate of 3.52 percent.
----------------------------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by McNamara to adopt the Resolution providing
for and requiring the submission of the proposition of increasing the existing
tax rate for educational purposes to the voters of Fieldcrest Community Unit
School District No. 6, Woodford, Marshall, Livingston and LaSalle Counties,
Illinois, at the General Election to be held on the 2nd day of
November, 2004.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Internet Policy--- Motion
by Schmillen second by Tiraboschi to adopt Staff Internet Policy
(Instruction) 6.102.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Executive------------ Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by Barth to enter into executive session at 9:40 PM to
Session--------------- discuss
personnel issues.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Open Session---- Motion
by McNamara second by Barth to return to open session at 10:20 PM from having
discussed personnel issues.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Stipends------------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by Schmillen to give a one-time extra duty stipend of
$3,000 for FY 2005 for shared supervision of Elementary South upon the
retirement of principal, Rebecca Oltman to the following principals:- Jim
DeMay, John DiMascio and Steven Wallick.- This is a cost savings to the
District of almost $70,000 and far more cost effective than hiring part-time
out of district retired principals.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Appoint-------------- Motion
by Barth second by Schmillen to appoint Hillary Rigsby as Student
Council sponsor at Fieldcrest East Middle School.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Resignation------- Motion by Tiraboschi second by Barth to
accept with regrets the resignation of Joy Hakes as bus
----------------------------- Driver.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
----------------------------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by McNamara to accept with regrets the resignation of Kurt
Barth as science teacher and head track coach at Fieldcrest East Middle
School
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Appoint-------------- Motion
by Tiraboschi second by Kirkpatrick to appoint Mike Breyne as 8th
grade girls- basketball coach at Fieldcrest East Middle School.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Resignation-------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by Barth to accept the resignation of Ken Baker as
assistant girls- basketball coach at Fieldcrest High School.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Appoint-------------- Motion
by Barth second by Tiraboschi to appoint Dean Giusti as High School
Biology teacher.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
----------------------------- Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by Schmillen to appoint Jennifer Halko as Middle
School East science teacher and track coach.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
----------------------------- Motion
by Schmillen second by Tiraboschi to appoint Tamala Chickering as
cheerleading coach at Fieldcrest East.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Motion
by Kirkpatrick second by Barth to appoint Ann Edens as assistant
softball coach at Fieldcrest East.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
----------------------------- Motion
by McNamara second by Barth to appoint Randy Ruestman as volunteer
football coach at Fieldcrest High School.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Amend Motion-- Motion by
Schmillen second by Tiraboschi to amend the September 19, 2002 minutes to
reflect hiring of Linda Bradbury as part-time special education aide at
Elementary South.- Her date of employment for this position began on September
3, 2002.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Handbook---------- Motion
by McNamara second by Barth to approve the District handbooks.
----------------------------- Roll
Call Vote.- All ayes.- Motion passes.
Adjourn-------------- Motion
by McNamara second by Schmillen to adjourn the regular meeting of August 19,
2004 at 10:25 PM.
Roll Call.- All yes.- Motion passes.
----------------------------- _________________________________-------------------- ______________________________
----------------------------- President------------------------------------------------------------------------
Secretary
