Carbondale Reporter

Galena Unit School District #120 Board of Education met Aug. 4.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

Livestream recording may be found on the August 4, 2020 meeting agenda page via BoardDocs.

1. Welcome

1.1 Call to Order – The Board of Education of Galena Unit School District #120 held their Business Meeting in the Galena Middle School Commons on August 4, 2020. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.

1.2 Roll Call – Roll call was taken, and a quorum was established. The following members were present: Member Einsweiler, Member Frank, Member Hyland, President Long, Member McIntyre, Member Rosenthal, and Member Stodden.

1.3 Approval of Agenda – Member Rosenthal moved, and Member Einsweiler seconded the motion to approve the Agenda, as presented. Voice vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

2. Executive Session

2.1 Executive Session For. Board members indicated there was no need for Executive Session.

3. Reconvene to Open Session

3.1 Motion to Reconvene to Open Session – There was no Executive Session.

4. Public Comments

4.1 Public Comments – none.

5. Old Business

5.1 Consideration and Possible Approval of Second and Final Reading of PRESS Policies – Superintendent Vincent stated the March and June 2020 PRESS policies were presented and reviewed at the July 7th Business meeting for a first reading and are now presented to the Board for a second and final reading. Most of the revisions are minimal, however, there were three policies that had substantial changes: 1) Policy 2:220 - Open Meetings Act language was updated in response to virtual board meeting procedures due to COVID; 2) Policy 7:190 - Updated due to a new law on time-out and restraint; 3) Policy 7:345 - New policy in response to law protecting data privacy of students. He recommended the Board approve the policies shown below, as presented. To this end the following motion was made:

To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member Einsweiler seconded the motion to approve the March and June 2020 Press Policy Revisions, as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

5.2 Consideration and Possible Approval of Amendment the District's 403B Plan – This was brought to the Board at their July meeting for a first reading. To recap, the District would like to offer employees the option to participate in a Roth 403B, which is comparable to a 401K plan in the private sector. This amended plan would allow another possibility for investment post tax vs. the 403B pre-tax. It would not change the current 403B; it just offers employees another

option. Also, as stated at the July meeting, the amendment eliminates loans from the 403B plan and hardship withdrawals. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member Hyland seconded the motion to approve the District’s Amended 403B Plan, as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye, except for Member McIntyre who voted abstained. Motion carried 6-0-1.

6. Business

6.1 Update on Return to Learn Plan – Superintendent Vincent stated ongoing meetings have been happening to tweak the plan and briefly summarized the changes, as follows:

 In order for the teachers to meet individually with the remote learners, they plan to release the students at 2:15 from the Middle and High Schools and 2:30 from the Primary School. Busses will pick up at the Middle and High School and then go to the Primary School. At the end of the day the paraprofessionals will assist in supervising the kids between the time school lets out at 2:30 p.m. up to the normal time that school let out, which will fill the gap in their contractual day. This would not take the place of the ARC After-School program. It would just offer supervision until parents can pick up their kids.

● They’ve tested all the outside areas for connectivity and there are several areas that have sufficient internet connection. They will be focusing on these spaces for outside classes.

● The Remote Learning Plan is ready in the event they have to move to that at any time for the whole district. They went through and tweaked the plan from last spring. The major difference in what it looked like last spring and what it would look like now is that there will now be live learning for approximately two and one-half (2.5) hours per day. It’s strongly recommended that after live academic instruction they work in groups virtually, or work on homework assignments. Academic time for a full-time student must add up to five hours.

● The breakdown of the survey results as of August 3rd regarding in-person instruction, remote, and hybrid are as follows:

● The planning for the Teacher Inservice days is almost finalized. The three days will be largely devoted to equipping staff with remote learning strategies with an eye on what does this look like when COVID is gone.

● As far as sports, IHSA as pushed fall sports to early spring. They believe the Middle School season will match the IHSA recommendations as well. Discussions will continue as to what this will do to the golf numbers, as they expect those numbers to increase substantially, and may have to look at adding an assistant coach.

6.2 Consideration and Possible Approval to Purchase Technology Software and Staff Laptops – Superintendent Vincent recommended the Board approve the purchase of the following items:

 PfSense firewall - $1020

 Filter - $5481

 Google Enterprise subscription - $3864

 Screen Castify district license - $2250

 Staff laptops - $24,832

He stated all of these are purchases that are built in the annual budget and compares apples to apples with what we spent last year, but with the changeover from QNS to TC Networks it requires different software. For the staff laptops, that cost is also budgeted for as they are being replaced in a three-year rotation. The $24,832 is for high school staff computers. Last year laptops were purchased for the Primary School staff. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member Einsweiler seconded the motion to approve the purchase of technology software and staff laptops, as follows:

 PfSense firewall - $1020

 Filter - $5481

 Google Enterprise subscription - $3864

 Screen Castify district license - $2250

 Staff laptops - $24,832

Roll call vote, all present voted aye, except for Member McIntyre who abstained. Motion carried 6-0-1.

6.3 Acceptance of Resignation: Steve Holland, Grades 5-12 Instrumental Music (Band) Teacher and MS Football/Basketball Coach, effective July 23, 2020 – Steve Holland submitted his resignation as Grades 5-12 Instrumental Music (Band) Teacher, effective July 23, 2020. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member McIntyre seconded the motion to accept the resignation of Steve Holland, Grades 5-12 Instrumental Music (Band) Teacher, effective July 23, 2020. Voice vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

6.4 Acceptance of Resignation: Nicole Ford, School Nurse, effective immediately –Nicole Ford submitted her resignation as School Nurse, effective immediately. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member McIntyre seconded the motion to accept the resignation of Nicole Ford, School Nurse, effective immediately. Voice vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

6.5 Consideration and Possible Approval of Amended Retirement Agreement for Beth Murphy – Superintendent Vincent stated in the previously approved retirement agreement for principal Beth Murphy, the Board had approved a four-year agreement in which she would receive 4% raises over the last four years of her employment, ending June 30, 2023. The amended retirement agreement would enable Mrs. Murphy to retire on June 30, 2022 and includes a lump sum of five (5) additional sick days (effective immediately) and an additional 20 vacation days over the next two years. In addition, the amended agreement includes two (2) years of 6% pay raises during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school year vs. three (3) years of 4% pay raises. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member McIntyre seconded the motion to approve the Amended Retirement Agreement for Beth Murphy, as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

6.6 Consideration and Possible Approval of Fall/Winter Coaches for the 2020-2021 School Year –

Mr. Noble, Mr. Soat, Mrs. Murphy, and Superintendent Vincent recommended the Board approve the fall/winter coaches for the 2020-2021 school year, as presented.

Questions were raised by Board members with respect to volunteer coaches, and whether expectations should be as high for the volunteer coaches as they are for the paid coaches. The superintendent will get together with the policy committee and look at this further and bring back information to the Board. To this end the following motion was made:

Member McIntyre moved and Member Einsweiler seconded the motion to approve the fall/winter coaches for the 2020-2021 school year, as presented. Roll call vote, all present voted aye, except for Member Frank who abstained. Motion carried 6-0-1.

6.7 Consideration and Possible Approval to Hire Mike Vaschur as a full-time Grades 5-12 Instrumental Music (Band) Teacher for the 2020-2021 School Year – Mr. Soat, Mrs. Murphy and Superintendent Vincent recommended the Board approve Mike Vaschur as a full-time Grades 5-12 Instrumental Music (Band) Teacher for the 2020-2021 school year. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member McIntyre seconded the motion to approve Mike Vaschur as a full-time Grades 5-12 Instrumental Music (Band) Teacher for the 2020-2021 school year. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

6.8 Consideration and Possible Approval to Hire Kerry Bussan as a full-time Bus Driver for the 2020-2021 School Year – Dennis Wills, Transportation Director, recommends the Board hire Kerry Bussan as a full-time bus driver for the 2020- 2021 school year. Mr. Bussan is an experienced bus driver, and he has passed all requirements needed. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member Einsweiler seconded the motion to approve Kerry Bussan as a full-time Bus Driver for the 2020-2021 school year. Roll call vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

6.9 Consideration and Possible Approval of an Amendment to the Route Wage for Bus Drivers for the 2020-2021 School Year – At the July 21st meeting the Board approved an increase in the route time compensation for bus drivers, however, there was an error in calculation on the white bus route. Initially the 2019-20 rate was shown incorrectly, at $35.54, which then calculated the 2020-21 rate incorrectly. It should have shown the 2019-20 rate as $37.26, and calculated the 2020-21 rate as $37.63, which is still a 1% increase. Superintendent Vincent requested the Board approve the amended bus driver route rate for the 2020-2021 school year, as presented. To this end the following motion was made:

Member Rosenthal moved and Member Einsweiler seconded the motion to approve the amendment to the Bus Driver route rate for the 2020-2021 school year as set for in the matrix presented.

7. Adjournment

7.1 Adjourn Meeting - Member Rosenthal moved and Member McIntyre seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:49 p.m. Voice vote, all present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/1GwlhHjBUAJ6EkaqRm1Mxm5bm-0uya-yX/preview?rm=minimal