The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

West Central #235

Board Meeting

August, 15, 2007 Board Minutes:

West Central School Board President Lonnie Brent called the regular August meeting to order at 7 p.m. last Wednesday evening, in the north campus library. All board members were present.

After President Brent led the audience and the board in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "Good News" items were noted as follows:

•  the board recognized 13 West Central High School students from the 2006-07 school year for their perfect 4.0 GPA that was earned for the entire school year. President Brent presented a plaque in recognition of the "Board Academic Excellence All Stars" to the following students: Erin Bavery, Shelby Crawford, Luci Lox, Justin Allaman, Elizabeth Bundy, Ashley Coffey, Julianna Gilam, Miriam Rutzen, Bradley Buss, Miranda Clark, Alyssa Griepentrog, Chianne Hartman and Jessica Saldeen.
•  The board acknowledged a gift of $75,000 to the Union Education Foundation from the estate of Max Knable.

Mr. Knable was a life long resident of Henderson County who valued education and wanted to do all that he could to ensure that students in the county had every opportunity to further their education as much as possible.

Mr. Knable left a sizable portion of his estate to the former Union Education Foundation with the request that the funds from his donation be used for college scholarships, elementary incentive programs and other programs deemed worthy by the Foundation's board.

The following items were also shared by board members and administrators as celebrations of success:

• Mr. Clifton informed the board that a First Responders course was going to begin in September and be held at the Biggsville campus. He also encouraged administrators and staff to consider taking this course as Henderson County is in extreme need of First Responders and EMTs.
• Paul Anderson thanked all of the secretaries and staff volunteers for their hard work during registration.
• Mr. Anderson also thanked all of the maintenance and custodial staff for their hard work and extra time spent on getting the building ready before staff arrived. The building and grounds look great.
• President Brent reported that the south campus building looks great and many improvements were done over the summer.
• Principal Buss thanked the board and Deb Anderson for providing, preparing and serving lunch at today's inservice meeting.

The board approved the agenda with the following additions:

Discussion items E: High School Marquee project; F: volunteer background checks; and G: Junior/Senior prom date and location

Under recognition of audience request for presentation, the board heard a brief presentation on the fifth quarter program conducted at the Biggsville Presbyterian Church by Rev. Richard Johnson.

Rev. Johnson informed the board that this program was entirely voluntary and that there was no discussion of religion during the time that students have access to the church which is immediately after each home football game.

The board thanked Rev. Johnson for his church's support of our students.

• The board heard a brief report from Incoming Freshman Academy team leader, Nathan Kotleba, as well as two former middle students who attended the academy.

The board approved the consent agenda as presented. which included:

•  Minutes of the July 17, 2007 regular meeting;
•  Resolution of support for the Henderson County Rural Water Coalition.
•  Approval of all bills as presented with the addition of a bill for diesel fuel from Riverland FS in the amount of $19,215. The board also approved the activity accounts and the treasurer's report as presented.
•  The board heard a brief presentation on the FY08 district budget from Superintendent Grimm. Following a brief question and answer session, the board approved the tentative budget as presented. The board also approved a motion to place the tentative budget on display for 30 days and established Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. in the elementary cafeteria as the time, date and place for the required budget hearing.

*Please take note in the change in the date of the September board meeting from Wednesday, September 19th to Thursday, September 20th.

• The board gave Superintendent Grimm and President Brent permission to initiate contact with local area banks to seek information concerning short term borrowing options that may be available to the district.

It was pointed out by the Superintendent that this request is only for permission to solicit information that no short term borrowing options would be finalized without explicit approval from the board.

•  The board approved a request to increase support staff substitute pay from $7.00 per hour to $7.50 per hour. This request was made in order to have the district comply with the new federal and state minimum wage laws.
• The board approved an increase in the hourly rate for the after school care provider. The new per hour pay rate will be $8.25.
•  The board approved an agreement with Crop Production Services of Stronghurst for the use of their Stronghurst facility to store buses that will be serving the south campus.
•  The board heard reports from the three building principals, the curriculum director, district technology director and the district athletic director.
•  The board heard an update on the status of the summer work and the life safety projects that are currently underway from district architect, Bill Phillips.
•  Mrs. Serven shared a lengthy report on the activities that have been taking place since August 1st relative to the opening of school.
•  The board spent a considerable amount of time reviewing and discussing the 2006-07 ISAT and PSAE scores for District #235. At the center of the board's discussion was the high school PSAE scores.
• The board has asked Mr. Grimm and Mrs. Serven for some additional information that will be shared with them at the September board meeting.
•  The board briefly discussed again, the district's participation statement. As a result of this conversation and several others, it was the consensus of the board to leave the district's participation statement in it's current form and make no changes at this time.

There were no items identified under future agenda items.

The board did not enter closed session.

•  The board approved a resolution releasing certain closed session minutes and took the following action regarding personnel recommendations:
• Accepted the resignation of Julia Stodgill as a district bus driver;
• Accepted the resignation of Lance Steele as a district bus driver;
• Accepted the resignation of Stacey Boettcher as a WCECC associate;
• Approved the transfer of Bonnie Henry from her elementary associate position to an associate position at the Early Childhood Center;
• Employed Jill Britt for a part time middle school art teacher position at an annual salary of $15,500;
• Employed April Hill and Amy Wolf as Title I associates;
• Employed Jaime Shultz as WCECC secretary/cook;
• Employed Chris Nelson and David Blake as district bus drivers at a rate of $50 per day for their regular routes;
• Employed Lorena Baker and Stacey Boettcher as long term certified substitutes for maternity leaves;
• Employed Mike Swisher as WCMS 7th grade girls basketball coach;
• Employed Silas Pogue as WCMS assistant baseball coach;
• Approved Jack Kline as a volunteer assistant for the WCHS golf program;

The board was reminded that the September board meeting will now be held on Thursday, September 20, 2007. The meeting will take place in the elementary gymnasium, not the cafeteria at 7 p.m.

Also on Thursday, September 20, 2007, the board will conduct a required budget hearing for the FY08 budget at 6:30 p.m.

Following the budget hearing, all teachers new to the district will need to be present at that meeting so that they can be introduced to the board.

The other significant item that will take place at the September 20, 2007 meeting will be the recognition of our students who met or exceeded standards on the 2006 administration of the ISAT and PSAE tests.

There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:45 p.m.