Kankakee Times

Cissna Park Community Unit School District 6 Board met Aug. 17.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

BOARD OF EDUCATION – AUGUST 17, 2020

CALL to ORDER and ROLL CALL

The Board of Education of Cissna Park Community Unit District #6 was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by President Bud Petry, with the following Board members and administrators present: Mrs. Kristina Phelan; Mr. Michael Kaeb; Mrs. Ashleigh Verkler; Mr. Jason Edelman; Mr. Brent Neukomm; Mr. Mark Wilkening; Mr. Bud Petry; Dr. Daniel S. Hylbert, superintendent; Mrs. Bethanie Marshall, grades K-5 principal; Mr. Mark Portwood, grades 6-12 principal; and Mrs. Barbara Rust, board secretary.

APPROVAL of AGENDA

Mr. Wilkening made the motion, seconded by Mr. Neukomm to APPROVE THE AGENDA, WITH THE ADDITION OF ITEM C. SURVEY OF BASKETBALL/TENNIS COURT UNDER COMMITTEE REPORTS, as presented. Discussion. Vote: Ayes, all. Motion carried.

APPROVAL of CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

Mr. Edelman made the motion, seconded by Mrs. Verkler to APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED: IV. Minutes; V.B. Payroll; and X.A. Approval of Bus Routes. Discussion. Vote: Mrs. Verkler, aye; Mr. Edelman, aye; Mr. Neukomm, aye; Mr. Wilkening, aye; Mr. Petry, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; and Mrs. Phelan, aye. Motion carried.

APPROVAL of MINUTES

Mr. Edelman made the motion, seconded by Mrs. Verkler to APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING AS PRESENTED. Discussion. Vote: Ayes, all. Motion carried.

FINANCIAL REPORTS and PAYMENT of BILLS / PAYROLL

Mrs. Phelan made the motion, seconded by Mr. Kaeb to APPROVE THE BILLS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST AS PRESENTED: Education Fund, $37,639.53; Operations and Maintenance Fund, $5,320.36; Transportation Fund, $110.76; and Tort Immunity, $953.50. Discussion. Vote: Mr. Edelman, aye; Mr. Neukomm, aye; Mr. Wilkening, aye; Mr. Petry, aye; Mrs. Phelan, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; and Mrs. Verkler, aye. Motion carried.

Mr. Edelman made the motion, seconded by Mrs. Verkler to APPROVE THE PAYROLL FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST IN THE AMOUNT OF $145,128.42. Discussion. Vote: Mr. Edelman, aye; Mr. Neukomm, aye; Mr. Wilkening, aye; Mr. Petry, aye; Mrs. Phelan, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; and Mrs. Verkler, aye. Motion carried.

HEARING of DELEGATIONS

Thomas Lynch addressed the board on a number of items related to the governor’s executive orders made in the spring. He asked the board to consider not following the executive orders.

COMMUNICATIONS

The following communications were received: FOIA Request from Steven Duplain and Response from Dr. Hylbert; FOIA Request from Robert Kramer and Response from Dr. Hylbert; and Communication from Robert Kramer

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Building Committee – Dr. Hylbert

Mr. Neukomm made the motion, seconded by Mr. Edelman to APPROVE ISBE FORM 36-10 APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMIT FOR COMPLETION OF THE AIR CONDITIONING PROJECT. Discussion. Vote: Mr. Edelman, aye; Mr. Neukomm, aye; Mr. Wilkening, aye; Mr. Petry, aye; Mrs. Phelan, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; and Mrs. Verkler, aye. Motion carried.

Mr. Neukomm made the motion, seconded by Mr. Wilkening to AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS TO SIGN CONTRACTS FROM ELECTRICAL AND/OR GENERAL CONTRACTORS RELATED TO THE INSTALLATION OF AIR CONDITIONING UNITS IN THE SCHOOL BASED UPON PROPOSALS SUBMITTED THROUGH THE OPEN BIDDING PROCESS NOT TO EXCEED A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF $51,000.00. BIDS WILL BE AWARDED TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ILLINOIS SCHOOL CODE. Discussion. Vote: Mr. Neukomm, aye; Mr. Wilkening, aye; Mr. Petry, aye; Mrs. Phelan, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; Mrs. Verkler, aye; and Mr. Edelman, aye. Motion carried.

Finance Committee – Dr. Hylbert

The Budget Hearing will be held at 6:45 p.m. prior to the regular September 21st board meeting. Also at the September school board meeting, a representative from the school’s audit firm, Russell Leigh & Associates, will be present to discuss the recent audit.

Basketball/Tennis Court Update

Mr. Petry informed the board that a survey will be available to the community on the Cissna Park Economic Board’s website. The survey pertains to revitalizing the basketball/tennis courts on the south side of the school property. The website location is www.cissnapark.com.

REPORT FROM PRINCIPALS

Mrs. Marshall and Mr. Portwood updated the board on a variety of back to school information. The first day of Teachers’ Institute went well with Pam Armstrong from Gibson Health speaking to the staff on COVID-19 related items. The Gibson Health facility will be where the Cissna Park staff will take a student showing signs of COVID, placing the student and siblings in an exam room until a parent can pick them up. Parents will be called prior to students going to the clinic. Also Mrs. Marshall thanked Mrs. Armstrong and her staff for coordinating efforts for masks to be made by community members.

Twenty-five to thirty Cissna Park students (10%) will be learning remotely. Mr. Portwood asked the board to consider employing a remote learning liaison to work with our K-12 teachers in coordinating remote learning for the approximately 30 students. Dr. Hylbert will post the position. The duration of this position will be directly tied to the remote learning option currently mandated by the ISBE. Requirements would be that the person would hold a professional educator’s license.

Also, board member, Kristina Phelan, asked the board if it would be a possibility to hire another custodian to help wipe down desks and classroom areas. She felt that with addition of remote learning and cleaning classrooms, teachers would be stressed. Dr. Hylbert will post the position.

Enrollment totals for the upcoming 2020-2021 school term: This year’s enrollment is presently at 270 students. The high school’s enrollment, including the C-I students, is 84. Kindergarten through 5th grade enrollment is 126 students, and the junior high enrollment is at 60 students.

Mr. Wilkening made the motion, seconded by Mr. Neukomm to APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ELEMENTARY AND JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HANDBOOKS REQUIRING STUDENTS TO WEAR A FACE MASK WHILE THEY ARE RIDING ON SCHOOL BUSES AND IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING EXCEPT WHEN THEY ARE EATING LUNCH IN THE CLASSROOM. STUDENTS WHO REFUSE TO WEAR A MASK WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING AND SENT HOME. FOR THAT SCHOOL DAY THEY WILL RECEIVE AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE. THIS POLICY WILL ONLY BE IN EFFECT WHILE THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (IDPH) REQUIRES THE WEARING OF FACE MASKS. Discussion. Vote: Mr. Wilkening, aye; Mr. Petry, No; Mrs. Phelan, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; Mrs. Verkler, aye; Mr. Edelman, No; and Mr. Neukomm, aye. Motion carried.

Mr. Wilkening made the motion, seconded by Mr. Edelman to AMEND THE SCHOOL REOPENING PLAN ALLOWING FOR THE OPTION OF REMOTE LEARNING NOW MANDATED BY THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. Discussion. Vote: Mr. Petry, aye; Mrs. Phelan, aye; Mr. Kaeb, aye; Mrs. Verkler, aye; Mr. Edelman, aye; Mr. Neukomm, aye; and Mr. Wilkening, aye. Motion carried.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Mr. Edelman made the motion, seconded by Mrs. Verkler to APPROVE THE REGULAR BUS ROUTES FOR THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL TERM AS FOLLOWS: THREE ROUTES TRANSPORTING STUDENTS BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL. Discussion. Vote: Ayes, all. Motion carried.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Neukomm made the motion, seconded by Mr. Wilkening to ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:06 P.M. Discussion. Vote: Ayes, all. Motion carried.

http://www.cissnaparkschools.org/board-minutes.html