There should be no additions to the agenda from Board members per Board Agreements. 

Recommendation:  I recommend you approve the agenda as presented.

We will need a motion to approve these reports which are attached.  If you have specific questions relating to any of these items, please call me or email me and get clarifications before noon Monday.

Recommendation:  I recommend you approve these as presented.

Nobody has formally requested to address the Board. 
I did invite candidates running for the Board to the meeting.

I have attached some items that the General Assembly may be acting on in Spring Session for your information.  Again, until some or any of this is acted on, there is no reason to play the "What if" game. 

Mr. Brau's Report is attached.  In an efficiency of time, we will not verbally go over reports item by item, but just mention a couple as we all can read.

Mr. Buresh's and Mrs. Wolf's report is attached.    Mr. Buresh's and Mrs. Wolf's Report is attached.  In an efficiency of time, we will not verbally go over reports item by item, but just mention a couple as we all can read.

Mr. Huber's report is attached.  In an efficiency of time, we will not verbally go over reports item by item, but just mention a couple as we all can read.

A parent has requested a meeting with me to consider adding IHSA high school swimming.  That meeting is scheduled before the Board meeting.  I can not and will not consider this.  She will have to speak with the Board if she wants to pursue this further.

An AW Cooperative meeting with administration and 2 Board members from each school is tentatively  meeting on January 27, 2017 to formulate new AW Cooperative Agreements in all High School Cooperative Activities (football, boys and girls golf, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls track, baseball, and softball).  If anybody wants any considerations of changing any of these, please let us know at the Board meeting on January 18th.  Both Boards will vote on these new 2 year agreements in either February or March.  Current copies of the agreements are attached.  If you have a consideration for a potential change, please share that Wednesday evening at the Board meeting.

 

 I was asked to give an update on progress of the 10 year Life Safety Resurvey by a Board Member.  I decided to just put it in the Building Committee report so all can have it.  As you can see, we are continuing to make progress every year and yes it will get done, just like it always has.

A building committee meeting will be scheduled in February.  Al and Jerad, please look at your calendar for available dates.

 Ron Currier has completed his requirements to be a school bus driver.  He will drive his first trip as a substitute bus drive tonight.

 Fiscal Year 2017 financial information is attached for year to date (half way point).  The hand written percentages on the right hand column underneath the total revenues and total expenses is the percentage to date last year at this time.  Overall we have received 40.61% of our budgeted revenue compared to 53.73% in Fiscal Year 2017 and have spent 48.46% of our budgeted expenses compared to 63.75% during Fiscal Year 2016 at this time.  This is NOT comparing the same total items.  The $500,000 transfer from working Cash to Education is NOT included yet this year and was last year.  By including that one transaction it brings revenues to 50.82% received and expenses at 58.17%.

We have NOT received any funding from this Fiscal Year except for General State Aid.  We did finally receive Transportation and Special Education monies from last year recently.

Next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday February 2, 2017 from 8:30-9:30 AM.

We need to employ Gorenz and Associates as District Auditor for Fiscal Year 2017 at a cost of $7,950.  This is a $185 increase over last year. 
They are extremely good and thorough, and are one of the most respected auditing firms in the State of IL.


Recommendation:  I recommend that you approve employing Gorenz and Associates as District auditors.

In Fiscal Year 2016 we approved a $50,000 interfund loan to SS/IMRF from Working Cash.  We have collected all of the tax money from Henry and Bureau County for this year in December of 2016.  This needs to be paid back according to statute now.  When our auditor was here in August, he said it was fine to pay it back before the end of the fiscal year, but since it was brought to my attention, we can and will pay it now.

Recommendation:  I recommend that you approve paying back the $50,000 interfund loan from  the SS/IMRF to the Working Cash Fund.

As directed for an efficiency of time, I sent out input questions on these items.  It was agreed to have a 15 minute discussion of these at this meeting.  I only received written correspondence back from Jerad Heitzler, Al Landwehr, and a joint response from Cathy Foes and Nancy Goodman.  Rather than compile these I just scanned both of them and attached their responses.  I'm not sure what the limited responses mean; if it means not something we want to do, no opinion, or just didn't want to give input.  This is your 15 minute discussion, as was agreed to at the December Board meeting. 

Preliminary Staffing for 2017-2018:  Our current staff is outstanding!  Unless teachers are dismissed or leave on their own, I do not plan on cutting any currently employed staff.  If staff members leave, they may or may not be replaced dependent on multiple variables.  In my opinion, we have a minimum amount of staff that are stretched as thin as we can stretch them to offer the best education we can.  Any cuts, in my opinion, will lessen the education we currently offer students.  I will not be recommending one noncertified coach back for next year at this time. 

If the Board directs me to cut staff to come closer to balancing the budget, junior high extra-curriculars, vocational education, art education, guidance, physical education (if the state relaxes the 5 days of PE requirement, and classes of up to 30 with an aide in the K-8, making junior high self-contained, and cutting back on junior high language arts will have to be considered.  Just giving the reality of this, not my recommendation at all.  If the Board wants staff cuts, those final decisions will need to be made by the March meeting. 

Recommendation:  I have no recommendation at this time as this is your topic.  If wanted, I will give one and do have strong feelings, but this really is your matter.

*****Anytime school personnel or individual student issues are discussed, the discussion needs to take place in Closed Session, with action only coming in Open Session.

At this time we have no reason to go into Closed Session.  If we need to we will. 

Recommendation:  I recommend that you approve these as recommended.

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on February 15, 2017 at 5:00 PM.