SENECA GRADE
SCHOOL
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
The
Board of Education met for their regular scheduled meeting at 7:00 p.m. on January
21, 2009 at the Seneca Grade School North Campus Board Room.
President
Blalock called for roll call.
Present: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock.
Absent: Roseland
Claggett
moved to accept the minutes of the December 17, 2008; seconded by Thompson.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Hearing of Citizens: No Comment
Hearing
of Teachers: Pat Johnson, preschool
teacher, gave highlights of the different winter projects the students are
finishing. Upcoming projects will focus
around stories from many of the classic fairy tales. Kendra Olson, kindergarten teacher, reviewed
the growth and increased skills students are developing using the new reading
series. Students are up to over 25 sight
words already at the end of the first semester.
Some improvements are also due to the large number of students attending
preschool.
Claggett
moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report as given and bring back from investments
the following to cover payroll and monthly bills: Education $517,458.62, Building $81,065.32,
Transportation $13,076.27, IMRF $16,139.82, Tort $930.06, Totaling $628,670.09;
seconded by Thompson.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Baker
moved to pay the following monthly bills:
Education $30,155.42, Building $27,210.17, Transportation $7,915.09,
Tort $930.06, Totaling $66,210.74; seconded by Bedeker.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Mr. Severson introduced the Cortney Helms, November
student of the month and Daniel Hamilton, December student of the month. Cortney is the daughter of Vanessa
Helms. Daniel is the son of Rich and
Julie Hamilton.
Vezzetti Capital Management gave a mid-year update
on investment strategies. Mr. Vezzetti
discussed the current recession and deflation to our economy. Current reinvestment rates have not been this
low. He looks for trend to continue.
Claggett moved to accept the Life Safety Amendment to
replace the windows at the North Campus; seconded by Barla.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Barla moved to accept the low bid to connect the South
Campus freezer and cooler to the backup generator from Aubrey Electric, at a
cost of $3,996.00; seconded by Baker.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Barla moved to accept the bid from SimplexGrinnell to
install additional fire detection and safety devices identified in the South
Campus Life Safety Survey at a cost of $6,720.00; seconded by Bedeker.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays:
None
Board at this time is not interested in any rental
facility agreements.
Principal McGhee reported the results of the second round
of RTI testing. Teams reviewed the
results and 19 students responded well to intervention and were dismissed from
the program. Principal McGhee was very
pleased with this and will continue to improve the process on monitoring
students in RTI. She will be purchasing
additional assessment material that will go along with the creative curriculum
that is in place at the preschool level.
She thanked CF Industries for approving $1,850.00 in classroom mini-grants. Moneys will be used on field trips and
activities that help students explore and develop hands-on activities related
to agriculture.
Principal
Severson also reviewed the results of the second round of RTI
testing. He was very pleased with the
results. He is looking for a 40%
dismissal rate hopefully by the end of the year. Reading teacher, Ms Bronson, Mrs. Warning and
Mrs. Shanks have all worked hard to implement a successful program including a
creative reading series. Principal
Severson announced the finalist for the “You Be the Chemist. Students competing in February will be 8th
graders Chad Davis, Jonah Lamboley and Nick Kirkton and for 7th
grade Evan Fleck and Daniel Niswonger. He also presented the board with last
years’ discipline report and compared numbers with these years’ trends. There has been very little change in number
of referrals written.
Barla moved to go into Executive Session at 8:22
p.m. for legal and personnel; seconded by Baker.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Thompson moved to return to Open Session at 9:00
p.m.; seconded by Baker.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
No action was taken.
Communications:
Pat Johnson thanked the board for the plant that was sent in memory of
her mother. Susan Warning thanked the
board for the Christmas party held at Starved Rock.
Old Business:
Board set Wednesday, February 4th at 6:30 p.m. at the North
Campus for a study session to review board goals and fund balances.
Barla moved to adjourned at 9:08 p.m.; seconded by Baker.
Yeas: Baker, Barla, Bedeker, Claggett, Thompson and
Blalock
Nays: None
Teacher
Present: Pat Johnson
Kendra Olson
Citizens: Rich, Julie and Daniel Hamilton
Vanessa and
Cortney Helms
Mike Vezzetti
George Mueller
_______________________________________ ______________________________
Approved Date Dianne Bushman, Board Secretary