Agenda for Board of Education Meeting

AGENDA FOR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT #154

HELD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AT 8:00 P.M.

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2007

A. Call to order

B. Introduction of Guests

C. Public Comments (3-5) minutes.

D. Consent Agenda

1. Read and approve the minutes of the regular and executive session of May 21st, 2007.

2. Read and approve the financial obligations of the District and the

Treasurers Report.

3. Recommend acceptance of the Kooi and Pingel Educational Loan Trust

Summary Report of May 30, 2007.

4. Recommend approval of the Quarterly Report of students no longer

enrolled.

5. Recommend approving Dr. Dan Bertrand as District Authorized Agent for TRS, IMRF, Bond and Investment Accounts, Building and Grounds, Bus Rentals, and all previously granted authority given the Superintendent according to District adopted Board of Education Policy and the School Code of Illinois for the fiscal year 2008.

6. Recommend approving the revised job descriptions as presented.

7. Recommend accepting the milk bid from Swiss Valley Farms for the 2007-2008 school year.

8. Recommend approval of the 2007 School Report Card Collection Form.

9. Recommend awarding a diploma to Jena Rebecca Erickson a member of the Class of 2006.

E. New Business

1. Recognition of outstanding achievements of Charlie Miller (Tennis - State

Qualifier), Kevin Sever (Track- Pole Vault Qualifier) and the 2007 Class

AA Sectional Champion Girls Softball Team and Coach Dwain Nance, Northwest Herald Softball Coach of the Year.

2. Recommend approval of the personnel report.

3. Recommend passing a Resolution of the Marengo Community High School District #154, McHenry County, Illinois asserting the Prevailing Wages of Laborers, Workmen, and Mechanics Employed on Public Works of District #154.

4. Recommend awarding the Kooi-Pingel Education Foundation Trusts

grants.

5. Recommend approving the executive session minutes for release.

6. Recommend authorizing Superintendent Bertrand to solicit bids for a mini-van for the Drivers Education Program.

7. Recommend authorizing Superintendent Bertrand to solicit bids for a tractor.

8. Recommend approving a low bid received by District #165 of $54,945 from Jensen's to install air conditioning in the west campus with

District #165 repaying District #154 over a five year period of time plus interest.

9. Recommend approving the creation of and posting of a Payroll

Administrator position.

10. Overview of proposed FY2008 budget.

F. Executive Session to possibly discuss personnel, student discipline, real estate,

negotiations or litigation.

G. Recommend possible action as a result of executive session.

H. Superintendent/Board Report

1. Zoning Hearing

2. Letter of Thanks from Kathy Glowacz

3. Letter of Thanks from the Marengo Police Department

4. Up-date on TIF district and Joint Review meeting on Tuesday, June 26th at 2 p.m.

5. Possible tax abatement agreements with potential new hotel.

6. Check the date for the annual Tri-conference in Chicago on November 16th to the 18th.

7. SSNS Articles

I. Adjournment

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: Agenda Item D: Explanation of Consent Agenda Items

2. Read and approve the financial obligations of the District and the

Treasurers Report.

#45- School Outfitters- New stage used for graduation- $5,344.79

#40- Safety Industries, Inc.- Additional drivers education instructor brake- $356.28

#57- Stanch Lighting and Energy- materials for the final phase of the lighting retrofit at the west campus- $22,718.

#122- B & K Power Equipment- Seedavator- seeder, aerator, roller to be used to improve field conditions- $9,700.

#130- Cardiac Care- one year maintenance/upgrade- for AED machines- $490.00

#143- CLM Group- Mealtime cafeteria software support for 2008- $824.00

#200- Marengo/Union Elementary- Equipment reimbursement- for special education student hearing device- $1,951.00

This is an annual activity that the Board takes to authorize the superintendent to function in these different capacities.

6. Recommend approving the revised job descriptions as presented.

The enclosed job descriptions are being presented for approval. They have been reviewed by the employee their supervisor and the administration. Most of the changes are brining things up to date with what employees are currently doing in their jobs or a result of the reorganization of offices or the addition of staff.

7. Recommend accepting the milk bid from Swiss Valley Farms for the 2007-2008 school year.

Three bids were received for providing milk for the district for the 2007- 2008 school year. The low bidder was Swiss Valley Farms who provided us milk this past year without any concerns or issues.

9. Recommend awarding a diploma to Jena Rebecca Erickson a member of the Class of 2006.

Motion: To approve the consent agenda as presented.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 1: Awarding of Outstanding Achievement Awards

In an effort to continue to recognize excellence of our students and staff, the following individuals will be recognized at the Board of Education meeting and presented with a framed plaque acknowledging their outstanding achievement.

Charlie Miller -Tennis - State Qualifier

Kevin Sever -Track- Pole Vault Qualifier

2007 Varsity Softball Team - Class AA Sectional Champions

Coach Dwain Nance- Northwest Herald Softball Coach of the Year

The students and their parents have been invited to attend the meeting. A picture will be taken of each to be published in the newspaper and posted on our website.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 2: Recommend approval of the personnel report.

Mr. Vance interviewed four candidates for the Special Education vacancy and has recommended Anya Ostapczuk to be hired for the position.

Motion: To hire Anya Ostapczuk as a Special Education teacher at MCHS for the 2007-2008 school year. Anya will be placed at Lane B, Step 1 on the salary schedule.

Ms. Chayer and I interviewed two of the four candidates for the Pre-School teacher/coordinator. We are recommending Susan Rowley for the position. Susan would work from 12-3 p.m. each day and receive $14/hour.

Motion: To hire Susan Rowley as a Pre-School teacher for the 2007-2008 school year.

Abbey Rubel has requested to return to her Assisted Study Hall Coordinator position after having previously resigned due to pregnancy. Unfortunately, she lost the baby and would like to return to her position. The administration strongly recommends Abbey be rehired for this position as she has done an outstanding job the past two years. She annually receives the salary for a first year teacher with a B.S. degree.

Motion: To hire Abbey Rubel as the Assisted Study Hall coordinator for the 2007-2008 school year.

Becky Weinhandl and Eric Vance have recommended Jeff Dobbertin to assume the vacant Head Baseball Coaching position for the 2007-2008 school year. Jeff was a member of the Winona State University baseball program for four years while attending college.

Motion: To hire Jeff Dobbertin as Head Baseball Coach for the 2007-2008 school year.

Motion: To accept the personnel report as presented.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 3: Recommend passing a Resolution of the Marengo Community High School District #154, McHenry County, Illinois asserting the Prevailing Wages of Laborers, Workmen, and Mechanics Employed on Public Works of District #154.

Annually all public entities are required by federal labor laws to pass a Resolution agreeing to pay prevailing wages for laborers, workmen and mechanics employed by the districts.

I have attached information from the Chicago Area Laborers and a copy of the McHenry County Prevailing wages for June 2007.

Motion: To approve the Prevailing Wage Resolution of the Marengo

Community High School District #154, McHenry County, Illinois asserting the Prevailing Wages of Laborers, Workmen, and Mechanics Employed on Public Works of District #154.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 4: Recommend approval of recommendations for student loans via the Kooi and Pingel Education Foundational Trust.

We had ten students who applied for the Kooi and Pingel Education Foundation Trust loans. Liz Henning and Linda Dujmovich assisted me in reviewing the applicants for the loans and are making the attached loan award recommendations.

Harris Bank is the administrator for both of the trusts and they tell us each year how many dollars in grants each trust can issue. For the past two years, I have had trouble getting the dollar amount from the bank. We received the final numbers from Harris Bank indicating we would have $150,835 to be distributed for the Kooi grant and $6,219 for the Pingel grants. The attached recommendations are based upon these amounts. In making the awards I am asking the Board to give me the authority to adjust the amounts for each award as needed to use all of the designated amount.

The Pingel trust loan is for MCHS graduates who desire to secure a higher education. Two students are to be selected by the Board of Education, or an appropriate committee selected by the Board to receive a $2,000 loan for each year they attend higher education. Notes are taken from the bank with repayment to start no later than 6 months after completing their education until all loans are repayed.

The Kooi trust loan is for MCHS graduates who desire to secure a higher education. One male and one female student shall be selected each year. The loans were originally fixed at $6,000 each per year and were renewable. Additionally, for every B+ grade the students received a credit of $500 towards the repayment of the loan. The selection is based on the students showing the strongest desire to continue their education; have exhibited above-average grades and study habits; need for the student financially; and the personality and honesty of the student. The principal or a committee, appointed by the principal, shall make the final determination of which students are eligible for the loans.

With the permission of the bank managing the trust, the district has awarded more scholarships than specified in the will due to the large amount of money the trust was earning. Each year Harris Bank determines how much money can be awarded to students. It is expected that the Kooi loan will be awarded to 4 students for $7,000 for each year of higher education and to 6 students for a one time amount of $9,000. It is anticipated the Pingel loan will be awarded to 2 students for $2,000 per year.

Motion: To approve the recommendations for student loans from the Kooi and Pingel Education Foundational Trust.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 5: Recommend approving the executive session minutes for release to the public.

The minutes of closed (executive session) meetings are confidential until the school

board, by majority vote, declares that the reasons for confidentiality are no longer

valid. School Boards are required to formally review their closed meeting minutes at

least semi-annually and declare which ones must remain confidential and which ones

must go into public record.

Past practice has been to have one of the Board members (Art Wisz) and the

superintendent review the past executive session minutes and to make a

recommendation in regard to which minutes should be released for public record. I

asked Art to review the minutes which he has. He and I are in agreement on the

recommended executive session minutes to release to the public.

Motion: To release the executive or closed meeting minutes as

recommended for public record.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 6: Recommend authorizing Superintendent Bertrand to solicit bids for purchasing a mini-van to be used for Drivers Education instruction.

We have been using one district suburban and the Pontiac G-6 which the district purchased last summer for Drivers Education- Behind the Wheel instruction (BTW). In February of this year, we began re-evaluating the transportation of special education students who attended out of district schools in which the district primarily used a taxi cab service to transport the students at an average cost of $200 per day with 80% percent reimbursed from the state.

We were informed by the Regional Office of Education (ROE) to be careful using taxi cabs and to be sure the drivers had criminal background checks and a CDL driver's license. The information was very difficult to get from the taxi cab services. Therefore, we began using the Suburban for transporting these students and used our bus drivers to drive them. Several times during the day we have both Suburban on the road transporting the special education students which leaves only one vehicle for BTW instruction.

Therefore, I am requesting authorization to solicit bids on a mini-van to be used for a second driver's education vehicle. I am proposing a min-van since it is a larger vehicle than a car and therefore more safe. It gets good gas mileage and if we put M driver's license plates on it we can use it for staff attending conferences, coaches to scout games and to transport small groups of students to school activities.

I anticipate soliciting bids for either a Chevy UpLander or a Dodge Caravan with minimal options. I anticipate the bid prices coming in around $20,000 which we could either pay for out of next years budget or over a period of time if there are favorable financing options available.

Motion: Authorize Superintendent Bertrand to solicit

bids on a mini-van to be used for Drivers Education instruction.

TO: Members of the Board of Education

FROM: Dan Bertrand

DATE: June 21, 2007

RE: E 7. Recommend authorizing Superintendent Bertrand to solicit

bids for a tractor.

Dave Engelbrecht has attended landscaping workshops and consulted area landscaping companies in regard to what steps need to be taken to improve our turf especially on the athletic game and practice fields. We have received quotes to have the work done by a landscaping company which proved to be very expensive. Dave has recommended purchasing a Seedavator which aerates, breaks up the surface, rolls and seeds the ground. We have purchased the Seedavator by using Operations and Maintenance equipment money from the 2006-2007 budget. We need a medium sized turf tractor to pull the Seedavator.