The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Joy Swearingen, Correspondent
A special board meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, will reveal who may be chosen to do life safety renovation at Illini West High School.
The board will meet at 7 p.m. to review and approve or disapprove contractor bids for work on restrooms, exhaust systems in the home economics room and industrial arts workshop, and adding new stage curtains.
Additional work in the home economics room will be funded by a grant from Western Area Careers System (WACS).
The 2018-2019 School Improvement Plan was approved. The plan, created by a team of administrators and staff, directly relates to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the current education assessment and support initiative.
Principal Scott Schneider gave the board a brief review of the core academic indicators and school quality indicators that are used to assess the district. A more detailed breakdown will be presented in June.
Schneider said the SIP team will go to a conference this summer on how to track improvement in student success. Copies of the plan are available at Principal Scott Schneider's office.
Superintendent Kim Schilson noted she has been invited to take part in two different state meetings related to school issues, including school funding and the shortage of teachers.
She described a plan where districts can be declared as an emergency, allowing them to hire people with a degree in their subject area. They could complete their education requirements in evening classes, and the student teaching requirement might be waived for those with a satisfactory evaluation.
The board approved the calendar for the final weeks of the 2017-2018 school year, and approved the 2018-2019 school calendar.
Graduation is 2 p.m. Sunday, May 20. Student attendance will continue that week, May 21 to 25. Students will be off for Memorial Day on Monday, May 28, with the last student attendance day on Tuesday, May 29.
Classes will resume in the fall on Monday, Aug. 20. Teachers institute will be Thursday and Friday, Aug. 16 and 17.
The regular board meeting dates for the next school year were approved. The board will continue to meet on the third Wednesday at 7 p.m. with the exception of November, when the board meets on Tuesday, Nov. 20, instead of the night before Thanksgiving. Other changes may be made and announced during the year.
The board accepted the resignation of Jonah Coggeshall, science teacher.
Jennifer Brevick was hire as a custodian and bus driver. Colten Shipman was approved for an internship with IT.
The following were approved for the 2018-19 signing bonus: Justin Ellison, physical education teacher; Courtney Fristad, special education teacher; Dakota Flesner, physical education teacher; Jennifer Honnold, ag teacher; David Mueller, math teacher; Andrew Willis, math teacher.
An amended budget hearing was set for June 20, at 6:45 p.m. just before the regular board meeting in June.
Jaden Schreake was present at the meeting to earn a community merit badge for Boy Scouts.
The board approved several fund raising requests.