Southern Illinois News

Anna Jonesboro Community High School District 81 Board of Education met May 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School held its regular meeting on May 20, 2024. Upon roll call at 6:00 p.m. the following members were present: Mr. Vosburgh, Mr. Houseman, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Plott, Mr. Mix, and Mr. Mays.

On motion by Mr. Mix and seconded by Mrs. Johnson to approve the Agenda as written. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Houseman and seconded by Mr. Mix to approve the Consent Agenda which contained the following items: approval of board minutes on 4/15/2024; approval of closed session minutes; approval of payment for bills, resignation of Emily Richbourg and Nikki Barlow as Prom/Concessions Coordinators, and acceptance of financial reports. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

Recognition of visitors and correspondence: Matt Denny-Track Coach, Ryan Dodd-Dodd Architects and Kendall King-Kings Financial

Items of Interest from Student Council: Good evening AJ board members, administration and guests. My name is Drue Teske and I am the Homecoming Representative for student council. I am also joined by Adam Clark our newly elected treasurer. For teacher appreciation week we had a “sub sandwich bar” - letting them know there is no “sub”stitute for our teachers and staff. Four Senior Officers were presented with a personalized gift and a scholarship at awards night. Kisses were sold kiss for you, your friend, or kiss a senior goodbye. They were delivered by our Chocolate Squad (aka Officers) on the seniors' last day. We have elected our new officers for next school year and they are excited for the upcoming school year. We will be meeting this summer to prepare for Homecoming, Inventory Committee, and LEDSC Committee. We are also planning to host a blood drive this summer. Our student council members have worked extremely hard this year to help improve our school and the new officers and members are so excited for next year! Thank you!

Items of Interest from Teachers: The faculty/staff would like to thank the administration and the board for ending teacher appreciation week with a pizza luncheon. Your generosity is appreciated. The math department would like to thank the board and administration for allowing them to attend Six Flags again this year. We had to make some last minute adjustments to the date due to severe storms on the original date. However, they were still able to take the majority of the students (38 in total) on Saturday, May 11th. The weather was perfect and everyone had a great time. The National Honor Society held a sock drive in early May to collect socks for the WIBH Warm Soles, New Hope campaign. Earlier this semester NHS was able to donate just over $400 to the campaign thus purchasing 26 pairs of shoes for children in need. The socks that were donated will be given to those same children to compliment their new shoes. Thank you to the student body and Delta Theta Tau for their generous donations to the sock drive. Katelynne Heinrichs was elected to serve as the section 24 FFA reporter for the 2024-2025 school year. This will give her the opportunity to serve as a leader for the entire Section 24 FFA. Mrs. Moser, Mrs. Webb, and twenty-eight seniors attended the Senior Shindig on May 16th. The group went to the SIU Student Recreational Center and finished the afternoon at Pizza Villa. Mrs. Maze has finished her third semester of grad school. She is hopeful to be able to teach Adv. USH as a dual credit course by the 26-27 school year. Mrs. Maze’s Adv. USH course recently took the AP USH Test. They should receive their results in mid-July. Students seemed encouraged and felt they did well on the test. Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Shirley Harris spoke to Ms. Corbit’s Spanish II classes about their experience living in Argentina (1972-1978) during La Guerra Sucia (1975-1983). Mr. Dawley’s first engineering class had really good results. About 20% of the students tested at the practiced level and 80% of the students at the accomplished level. Mrs. Richbourg’s Advanced Bio 2 students went on a field trip to St Louis University for a cadaver demonstration and a heart dissection guided by a member of their faculty. Afterwards, they were able to take a tour of the campus. All of the students were very well behaved and represented AJ well. The class of 2024 held their baccalaureate ceremony on May 12th. Many students took part in the ceremony, and over 250 people were in attendance.

Curriculum Director Finders report was on course offerings and College and Career Pathway Endorsements.

Principal Detering spoke about failure reports, recap on all May events, and discipline.

Superintendent Wright reported on district vision meeting, 2024 Financial Profile Designation, Triple I Conference, and our final tax computation summary from the county clerk.

On motion by Mr. Houseman and seconded by Mr. Vosburgh to approve the Resolution providing for the issue of $1,065,000 General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2024, of Community High School District 81, Union and Alexander Counties, Illinois, for the purpose of increasing the Working Cash Fund of said School District and refunding certain outstanding bonds of the District providing for the levy of a direct annual tax sufficient to pay the principal and interest on said bonds, and authorizing the sale of said bonds to the purchaser thereof. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Vosburgh and seconded by Mr. Mix for the Board to enter into closed session at 7:16 p.m. for the following reasons (1) the purpose of appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employee of the public body or legal counsel for the public body,

including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public to determine its validity. 5ILCS 120/2(c)(1) The selection of a person to fill a public office, as defined by the Open Meetings Act, including a vacancy in a public office, when the public body is given power to appoint under law or ordinance, or the discipline, performance or removal of the occupant of a public office, when the public body is given power to remove the occupant under law or ordinance. 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(3). On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Vosburgh and seconded by Mr. Mix to return to regular session at 8:43. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mrs. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Mix to approve the 2023-2024 Final School Year Calendar. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Mix and seconded by Mr. Vosburgh to approve the Student Handbook changes for 2024-2025. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mrs. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Mays to approve the Consolidated District Plan. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Vosburgh and seconded by Mrs. Plott to approve the Board Policy Updates as presented. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Houseman and seconded by Mr. Mix to approve the Tentative FY2023-2024 Amended Budget as presented. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mrs. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Mays to approve the date of June 17, 2024 at 5:45 for the Public Hearing for Adoption of FY2023-2024 Amended Budget. All members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mrs. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Houseman to approve abatement contract bid from Midwest Service Group for the Science Lab renovations project. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mrs. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Houseman to approve general contract base bid, alternative bid #1 and alternative bid #2 from Evrard Company for the Science Lab renovation project. On roll call, 5 yeas (Vosburgh, Houseman, Johnson, Plott, Mix) 1 Nay (Mays). Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Vosburgh and seconded by Mr. Mix to approve the Resolution Authorizing Amendment of Tri-County Special Education Joint Agreement. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Vosburgh and seconded by Mr. Mix to approve the Fall/Winter Coaches as follows pending certification: Cross County: Matt Denny - Head Coach, Beth Miller – Assistant; Boys Soccer: Mark Boomer - Head Coach, Chelsea Reinier – Assistant; Volleyball: Whitney Harris - Head Coach, Danny McFarland - Assistant, Ashley Harvel – Volunteer; Football: Jamie Yates – Head Coach, Jaryd Clark – Assistant; Boys Basketball: Mike Chamness – Head Coach, Josh Staples -Assistant, Jordan Adams - Assistant, Mark Chamness - Volunteer, Blake Pena - Volunteer, Matt Crain – Volunteer; Girls Basketball: Rodney Seip – Head Coach, Ashton Stanley - Assistant, Scott Finders – Assistant; Bowling: Cary Quick – Head Coach, Micah Cross - Volunteer, Bre Stone – Volunteer; Wrestling: Chase Hargrave – Head Coach, Mika Sadler - Assistant, Andy Sadler - Volunteer, Oregon Dover - Volunteer, Mike Delashmutt - Volunteer, Eric Massey - Volunteer, Blaine Holshouser - Volunteer, Blake Mays - Volunteer, Catie Mays – Volunteer; Cheerleading: Hilary Meisenheimer – Head Coach, Kristen Chamness – Volunteer; Golf: Jim Woodward - Boys Head Coach, Bob Holderfield - Girls Head Coach, Brandon Bierstedt - Volunteer, Paula Bierstedt - Volunteer, Ayden Bailey - Volunteer. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Mix and seconded by Mr. Houseman to approve contract as presented employing Sean Severs as Technology Coordinator beginning on July 1, 2024. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mr. Vosbourg and seconded by Mrs. Plott to approve appointment of Sara Verble as District Treasurer. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

On motion by Mrs. Johnson and seconded by Mrs. Plott to adjourn the Regular Meeting at 9:47 p.m. On roll call, all members present voting yes. Motion carried.

https://aj81.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/May-2024-Minutes.pdf