Following is a summary of minutes of a regular meeting of the Board of Education of Jasper County Community Unit School District No. 1 held on Monday, December 15th, 2025 in the office of the Board of Education. Board members present were Mr. Brady Shull, Mr. David Blecha, Mrs. Jackie Schackmann, Mr. Evan Semple, Mrs. Nichole Mulvey and Mrs. Mandi Utley. Board members absent were Mrs. Mandy Rieman,
All votes are considered unanimous unless otherwise noted.
Brady Shull called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Approval to Adopt the Agenda.
Brady asked for Recognition of Guests and Public Comments. There were none.
The District received two FOIA Requests. FOIA request #1 is a yearly request from CT Mills wanting directory information on employees. FOIA request #2 is from Smart Procure requesting vendors and how much they are paid.
Approval of Consent Agenda as presented.
Regular Minutes from November 17, 2025,
Bills and Payroll,
Presentment of monthly financial reports,
Ross Wolf as a volunteer coach for NCHS Boys Baseball,
$250 from the Jasper County Health Department to Athletic Donations for Basketball Scoreboard Sponsor,
$700 from Wabash Valley to the Newton FFA Chapter,
$5,000 from the Apex Grant to the Boys Basketball Team,
$400 from Newton Athletic Boosters for the baseball bullpen,
$300 from the Bob Kerans Family to the Girls Basketball Tournament,
$500 from Cloyce and Barbara Johnson Family Endowment for science equipment,
$200 from St. Thomas to Athletic Donations for turf,
$250 from Shiloh Christian Church for lunch fees,
$500 from Newton Junior Women’s Club to the NCHS Musical,
Under the Superintendent’s Report, Mr. Sornberger presented the 2025 Energy Transition Grant to the Board of Education. The grant will be used to pay for the construction of a building addition at Newton Elementary. The grant will provide $1,329,890.94 of funding for the building addition. The Jasper County Board of Education attended the IASB Annual Conference. From the conference, the Board attended seminars on growing your own teachers, staffing shortages, student development for social emotional learning, school safety and financial presentations. Mandy Rieman attended the IASB Delegate Assembly.
First Reading of PRESS Policy Updates- Unchanged:
3:10 Goals and Objectives
3:50 Administrative Personnel Other Than the Superintendent
3:60 Administrative Responsibility of the Building Principal
4:110 Transportation
4:150 Facility Management and Building
4:160 Environmental Quality of Building and Grounds
4:170 Safety
5:20 Workplace Harassment
5:120 Employee Ethics; Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest
5:185 Family and Medical Leave
5:190 Teacher Qualifications
6:135 Accelerated Placement Program
6:140 Education of Homeless Children
6:210 Instructional Materials
6:235 Access to Electronic Networks
6:240 Field Trips
6:280 Grading and Promotion
7:130 Student Rights and Responsibilities
7:250 Student Support Students
8:100 Relations with Other Organizations and Agencies
First Reading of PRESS Policy Updates-Changed:
2:120 Board Member Development
2:150 Committees
2:270 Discrimination and Harassment on the Basis of Race, Color, and National Origin Prohibited
4:10 Fiscal and Business Management
4:30 Revenue and Investments
4:80 Accounting and Audits
4:140 Waiver of Student Fees
4:190 Targeted School Violence Prevention Program
5:10 Equal Employment and Opportunity and Minority Recruitment
5:90 Abused and Neglected Child Reporting
5:100 Staff Development Program
5:200 Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal
5:220 Substitute Teachers
5:280 Duties and Qualifications
5:300 Schedules and Employment Year
6:20 School Year Calendar and Day
6:40 Curriculum Development
6:60 Curriculum Content
6:130 Program for the Gifted
6:160 English Learners
6:220 Bring Your Own Technology Program; Responsible Use and Conduct
6:260 Complaints About Curriculum, Instructional Materials, and Programs
6:270 Guidance and Counseling Program
6:300 Graduation Requirements
6:310 High School Credit for Non-District Experiences; Course Substitutions; Re-Entering Students
6:315 High School Credit for Students in Grades 7 or 8
6:320 High School Credit for Proficiency
7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities
7:70 Attendance and Truancy
7:140 Search and Seizure
7:150 Agency and Law Enforcement Requests
7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment
7:190 Student Behavior
7:290 Suicide and Depression Awareness
7:310 Restrictions on Publications; Elementary Schools
7:315 Restrictions on Publications; High Schools
7:340 Student Records
8:30 Visitors and Conduct on School Property
Approval of the Tax Levy for 2025.
Approval of a Resolution abating a portion of the tax Heretofore levied for the year 2025 to pay debt service on General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2023, of the District.
Approval to enter executive session at 6:54 p.m. for 1.5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1) – To Consider Information Regarding Appointment, Employment, Compensation, Performance or Dismissal of Individual.
Approval to return to open session at 7:20 p.m.
Approval to hire Ms. Taylor Gray, Ms. Sidney Mayberry, Ms. Sidney Thoele, and Ms. Julia Whittler as NES Tutors.
Meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m. Next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at the Board of Education Office located at 1401 Clayton Avenue.
