MINUTES SPECIAL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING PERU PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 124 April 29, 2009, 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER A Special Board of Education Meeting of Peru Public Schools District 124, LaSalle County, Illinois, was called to order in the Library at Washington School, 1325 Park Road, Peru, IL, by President Jyll Humpage, on Wednesday, April 29, at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Members Cynthia Gustat, Simon Kampwerth, Mark Lamboley, C. G. Pillai, Jim Renk, Vice President Bob Etheridge, and President Jyll Humpage. ABSENT: None. President Humpage led the Board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent Mark Cross, Secretary Julie Brown, Cliff Bender, Jake Been, Jeff Sheppard, Amy Sheppard, Lori Madden, Sara McDonald, Melissa Bosnich, Kim Borio, and Jeff Dankert. APPROVAL OF SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Pillai, to approve the Special Meeting Agenda of April 29, 2009. ROLL CALL: Kampwerth, Pillai, Gustat, Lamboley, Renk, Etheridge and Leonatti voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRESPONDENCE, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Secretary Brown read thank you notes from 2008-09 retirees Joan Siebert and Mary Lindenmeyer expressing their appreciation for gift certificates received honoring their retirement and years of service in Peru Public Schools; also from Julie Miller, Rose Riva, and Lynne Smigel for gift certificates received recognizing their years of service in the Peru Public Schools. Mr. Cross reported the steps the district is taking in light of the swine flue outbreak in Mexico City. All staff members have been contacted by e-mail and information has been posted on the district s website. As a proactive measure, the custodial staff has been instructed to sanitize door handles and all desk surfaces daily, and teachers will emphasize the importance of proper hand washing in the classroom. In the event of a confirmed case of swine flu in the district, the schools would close down if advised to do so by the Illinois Department of Public Health or the Center for Disease Control. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF CERTIFIED RESULTS OF THE APRIL 7, 2009 ELECTION Mr. Cross presented the certified results of the April 7, 2009 School Board Election in a letter received from LaSalle County Clerk JoAnn Carretto. Mrs. Carretto, who serves as the Canvassing Board for LaSalle County, certified the total votes for all candidates for members of the Board of Education and proclaimed that a total of 3,728 voters cast ballots in Peru District 124. MOTION: Motion by Vice President Etheridge, seconded by Member Lamboley, to adjourn sine die. ROLL CALL: Etheridge, Lamboley, Kampwerth, Pillai, Renk, Leonatti, and Gustat voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. Open Session Minutes April 29, 2009 Page 1
REORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION Appointment of the Superintendent as President Pro Tempore MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Pillai, to appoint Superintendent Mark Cross as President Pro Tempore of the Peru District 124 Board of Education. ROLL CALL: Kampwerth, Pillai, Gustat, Lamboley, Renk, Sheppard, and Leonatti voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. ROLL CALL Present: Members Cynthia Gustat, Simon Kampwerth, Mark Lamboley, Jyll Leonatti, C.G. Pillai, Jim Renk, and Jeff Sheppard. Oath of Office for Newly Elected or Re-Elected Board of Education Members Per the Illinois School Code, newly elected and re-elected school board members are required to sign the Oath of Office for Elected Board Members. The oath was read by new board member Jeff Sheppard, and re-elected board members Cynthia Gustat, Mark Lamboley, and C.G. Pillai. A signed copy of the oath will be kept on file in the administration office. Election of Board of Education President MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Gustat, to nominate Jyll Leonatti for MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Gustat to close the nominations for ROLL CALL: Kampwerth, Gustat, Lamboley, Pillai, Renk, and Sheppard voted Aye. Leonatti voted to Abstain. No Nays. The motion carried 6 Aye, 1 Abstain, 0 Nays. Election of Board of Education Vice President MOTION: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Lamboley, to nominate Jim Renk for Vice MOTION: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Lamboley, to close the nominations for Vice ROLL CALL: Pillai, Lamboley, Renk, Sheppard, Leonatti, Gustat, and Kampwerth voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. Appointment of Board of Education Secretary MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Pillai, to reappoint Julie Brown as Secretary of the Board of Education of Peru District 124. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Appointment of Board of Education Treasurer MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Gustat, to reappoint Eric Heagy as Treasurer of the Board of Education of Peru District 124. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Appointment of School District Attorneys MOTION: Moved by Member Lamboley, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to reappoint the firms of Zukowski and Associates of Peru, and Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, LTD of Chicago, to continue to provide legal service to Peru District 124. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Approval of Depositories for District Funds MOTION: Moved by Member Gustat, seconded by Vice President Renk, to approve the recommended list of financial institutions for district investments and deposits as presented. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Open Session Minutes April 29, 2009 Page 2
Reaffirmation of Existing Board of Education Contracts MOTION: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Lamboley, to reaffirm existing Board of Education Contracts. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Reaffirmation of Existing Board of Education Policy and Procedures MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Gustat, to reaffirm existing Board Policies and Procedures. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Establishment of Board of Education Committee Membership A motion was made by Member Pillai and seconded by Member Kampwerth to establish Board of Education committee membership. However, it was decided to table the motion and establishment of committee membership until the May 20, 2009 Board of Education meeting. President Leonatti asked board members to contact her with their preferences for serving in the current committees which include Building and Grounds, Finance, Technology, and Board Policy. She stated she would assign committee memberships before the next board meeting and include the assignments with the May board packet. Member Pillai distributed information for a proposal to establish an Excellence in Education Committee, which he first submitted in April 2007. Member Pillai stated that several boards have committees that focus on academic performance. He proposed that the committee be made up of board members, administrators, teachers, parents, and community members. Member Pillai stressed the importance of doing even more in the areas of academic achievement, even though our district is currently the best in the area. Member Pillai asked that the administration and members of the board look over the initial draft of his proposal for further discussion at a future board meeting. Mr. Cross stated that committees already exist in the district to promote improved student learning and academic excellence, but it is up to the Board to decide if they wish to participate in them. The district has implemented a testing system where student achievement is constantly monitored during the year to modify teaching to individual student s needs. Also, the district has recently implemented Curriculum Mapping, RtI, and Guided Reading to help improve student learning. Establishment of Regular Board of Education Meeting Dates Mr. Cross announced that FY2010 Board of Education Meetings will be held at Parkside School, in a room yet to be determined, beginning with the August meeting. Due to the upcoming renovation work at Washington School, the location of the July meeting has not yet been determined and will be announced. MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Lamboley, to establish the Board of Education meetings for 2009-2010 to be held at 6:00 p.m. on the following dates: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Wednesday, January 20, 2010 Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Wednesday, March 17, 2010 Wednesday, April 21, 2010 Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Open Session Minutes April 29, 2009 Page 3
Review and Discussion Regarding Construction Bids for the Summer 2009 Renovation of Northview and Washington Elementary Schools Mr. Cross reported the district received bids from D. J. Sickley Construction Co. of Peru and Vissering Construction Co. of Streator for the 2009 summer renovation work at Northview and Washington Schools. Architect Jake Been reported that the difference in the two bids was only $8400 and there were no alternate bids on the project. Because both bidders met responsibility criteria, it was recommended by district architects Healy, Bender & Associates to award the contract to D. J. Sickley Construction Co. in the amount of $533,590. Review and Discussion Regarding Base and Alternate Bids for the Purchase and Installation of Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment Jake Been reported that four vendors submitted bids for furniture, fixtures, and equipment for Parkside School. The low bidder was Frank Cooney Co., Inc. of Wood Dale with a base bid of $310,169.10 and an alternate bid of $43,182.30, for a total of $353,351.40. Mr. Been reported that the low bidder met all of the criteria required of them, and the total bid was well below the architect s budget of $525,000 for furniture, fixtures, and equipment. He recommended that both the base bid and alternate bid be awarded to Frank Cooney Co. Approval of Recommended Bid for the Summer 2009 Renovation of Northview and Washington Elementary Schools MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Pillai, to approve the low bid of $533,590 from D. J. Sickley Construction Co. for the summer 2009 renovation of Northview and Washington Elementary Schools. ROLL CALL: Renk, Pillai, Sheppard, Leonatti, Gustat, Kampwerth and Lamboley voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. Approval of Recommended Base and Alternate Bid for the Purchase and Installation of Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment MOTION: Moved by Member Gustat, seconded by Member Pillai, to approve the low base bid and the alternate bid totaling $353.351.40 from Frank Cooney Co., Inc. for the purchase and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment at Parkside School. ROLL CALL: Gustat, Pillai, Renk, Sheppard, Leonatti, Kampwerth, and Lamboley voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. Approval of Bid Documents for Parkside Fitness Equipment Mr. Cross said bid documents for fitness equipment at Parkside were not ready to be presented to the Board, so this item was tabled for future discussion and approval. Also, furniture for the patio space at Parkside will be presented at a future meeting. EXECUTIVE DISCUSSION MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Sheppard, to adjourn to Executive Session at 7:02 p.m. to discuss information regarding the appointment, employment, performance, or dismissal of employees or district legal counsel; and to discuss the potential purchase, sale, or lease of real estate, including the establishment of price for sale or lease of real estate. ROLL CALL: Renk, Sheppard, Leonatti, Gustat, Kampwerth, Lamboley, and Pillai voted Aye. No Nays. The motion carried 7-0. RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION MOTION: Moved by Member Lamboley, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to return to Regular Session at 7:55 p.m. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Open Session Minutes April 29, 2009 Page 4
ACTION ITEMS AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION Approval of Resignations MOTION: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Lamboley, to approve the resignation of Carolyn Bryant as 8 th Grade Volleyball Coach. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Employment of Recommended Personnel MOTION: Moved by Member Gustat, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to approve the employment of Michele Smudzinski as a fifth grade teacher at Parkside School for the 2009-2010 school term. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Sheppard, to adjourn at 7:56 p.m. Aye 7, Nay 0. The motion carried 7-0. Jyll Humpage, Board President Julie Brown, Board Secretary Open Session Minutes April 29, 2009 Page 5