Southern Illinois News

Anna Community Consolidated School District 37 Board of Education met July. 17.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Board President Josh Gooden called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Roll Call

                           Present          Absent         Arr. Late

Josh Gooden  ____X_____ __________ __________

Jim Hammer   ____X_____ __________ __________

Cheryl Ligon   ____X_____ __________ __________

Collin Crane   __________ ____X_____ __________

Lottie Smith    ____X_____ __________ __________

Brent Sims     ____X_____ __________ __________

Alison Smith  ____X_____ __________ __________

Angela Clay, Carla Whitaker, Ginger Staples

A motion was made by Lottie Smith and seconded by Jim Hammer to approve the agenda for the meeting. Voice vote. Motion carried.

A motion was made by Brent Sims and seconded by Josh Gooden to approve the consent agenda of the following items: Minutes of the June 17, 2025 Regular Meeting, Financial Reports: Activity Fund, Revolving Fund, Treasurer’s Report, Cafeteria Report, Insurance Report, Approve Bills and Payroll. Roll call vote. Josh Gooden, yea; Jim Hammer, yea; Cheryl Ligon, yea; Lottie Smith, yea; Brent Sims, yea; Alison Smith, yea. Motion carried.

Ginger Staples reported on behalf of the AEEA. Summer School went well with good engagement with the students. They celebrated the last day with pizza, ice cream, and a bounce house. Back to School Bash planning has begun with churches being contacted for school supply donations.

Mr. Boren is in discussions to possibly use Bus #1 as a trade-in for a 65-passenger bus with air conditioning and a handicap lift.

Superintendent Boren reported that there had been one FOIA request; a general ledger request that Erica was able to fulfill. We still have an opening for custodial staff for the 2:00-11:30pm shift. Title I funds have been allocated for Lincoln aids, the nurse, teacher supplies, computers, and tutoring. Title IV will include $20,000 for the SRO program, the PreK grant has been submitted, and we are still waiting to hear about the Rural and Low-Income grant. We’ve taken possession of the property at 205 Warren by Lincoln. 3D Auctions will be taking care of the contents of the home and Plott Construction will then demolish the property. A portable shed from the property will be moved and utilized for softball storage. Mr. Boren has discussed the possibility with a neighbor for purchasing the property from the district. Work continues on the bus parking area. The hallways at Davie are almost complete. Repair of the sidewalk is planned as soon as possible. The window film is being repaired and replaced.

Angela Clay reported that Summer School had an average attendance of fifty students each day. SLT team members will complete curriculum mapping by the end of summer. New staff orientation is scheduled for August 6th. Mr. Boren will be preparing lunch that day. Back-to-School events are planned as the following: 8/12/25 – Davie – 3rd grade at 5:30pm and 4th grade at 6:00pm; 8/13/25 – Jr. High 5:30- 6:30pm; 8/14/25 – Lincoln 5:00-7:00pm. Hot dogs will be served to Lincoln and Davie. In-person registration is scheduled for July 31st and August 1st 7:00am-2:00pm at Davie. Staff will return on Wednesday, August 13th and Thursday, August 14th. Students will return on Friday, August 15th.

A motion was made by Cheryl Ligon and seconded by Jim Hammer to enter Executive Session for the purpose of the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees 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 body to determine its validity. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1), collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2), security procedures, school building safety and security, and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(8) Voice vote. Motion carried.

Board entered Executive Session at 5:47 p.m.

Board returned to Regular Session at 6:04 p.m.

A motion was made by Alison Smith and seconded by Josh Gooden to approve the Executive Session minutes from the June 17, 2025 meeting. Voice vote. Motion carried.

A motion was made by Jim Hammer and seconded by Brent Sims to adjourn at 6:05 p.m. with the next Regular Meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. Voice vote. Motion carried.

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2796/Anna_CCSD/5983280/July_17__2025_minutes.pdf