The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Joy Swearingen, Quill correspondent
Wyatt Green of Burnside was appointed to serve on the Illini West High School board at their meeting November 18. He was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Holly Wilde-Tillman resigned last month.
Green will serve until the next school board election. He is a farmer and cattle producer, who attended Carthage High School and Western Illinois University.
Students at Illini West will continue with remote learning classes through the end of the semester due to the increase in positive COVID tests in the area. In early November, the board changed to remote learning for all students from their hybrid, five days in-person, five days remote plan with A and B groups of students.
Superintendent Kim Schilson noted that the state's weekly positive test rate is at 12.5 percent. Hancock County is at 27.2 percent.
"Our hospitals are full, COVID is out of control. I don't think the holidays are going to help," she said.
"The main reason we need to be closed is we don't have enough staff to cover."
She said seven teachers, a bus driver and a janitor are currently in quarantine; 33 students are out on quarantine. This means they have a positive COVID test, or been in contact with a person with a positive test.
Principal Scott Schneider added that 53 percent of the staff have been quarantined at one time or another, and 25 percent of the students.
"The biggest consideration is that if there is an outbreak and we have people that need to be at the hospital, there may be no place to go," said Schilson.
Betsy Wujek noted that the peak in cases is forecast for the week after Christmas.
"I think it is in our best interest for our staff, our students and our families to remain in remote until at least the first part of January," Wujek said.
"If we can keep our staff healthy, then we can try to educate them as best we can, versus if we have to close because we don't have enough teachers. A little education is better than none at all," said Beth Pence.
The board considered remaining on remote learning until Jan. 17, giving a two-week buffer after the exposure of Christmas and New Years gatherings. They decided to set the date at Jan. 4, when classes are scheduled to resume, with time to change that date based on conditions at the December meeting.
Technology director Chris Greenhalge is looking into the option of subscribing to Google Voice so that teachers can use their personal phones through the school network to contact students without using their own phone number.
The board discussed school finances in preparation of setting the district levy at the December meeting. They approved a resolution that determines the amounts of money estimated to be needed to be raised through taxation.
Schilson said she anticipates receiving 10 to 20 percent less in evidence-based funding from the state in the coming year, due to COVID and failure of the state income tax amendment.
Schneider presented the annual School Report Card, but noted that it was incomplete due to lack of testing last spring and other normal data not being collected.
The board hired William Sloop and Michael Nichols as bus drivers.
WYATT GREEN
Wyatt Green, Burnside, appointed to the Illini West High School board, is being administered the oath of office by IWHS Vice Pres. Tracey Anders.