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 in the office of the Board of Education on Monday, May 16,
2022. Board members present were Mrs. Mandy Rieman, Mr. Bill Meinhart, Mr. Jason Kuhl, Mr. Jerry L.
Jed Earnest, Mrs. Mandi Utley, Mr. Brady Shull, and Mrs. Holly Farley arrived 7:13pm. Members absent:
None.
All votes are considered unanimous unless otherwise noted.
Mandy Rieman called the meeting to order.
Agenda was approved as presented
Mandy asked for Recognition of Guests and Public Comments. Jeffrey Finley, Amy Harris, and Sandy
Webb were all present, thanking Mr. Johnson and the school board for all of the work they have done.
There were no FOIA requests.
Jerry L Jed Earnest asked to move E2 in the Consent Agenda Section V to closed session.
Approval of the consent agenda with above change.
Bills and Payroll,
Presentment of monthly financial reports,
Destruction of closed session recording for April 29, 2019
Grace Hartrich as a Volunteer with the NCHS Girls Basketball
$5000 Donation from Bayer via Fred Huddlestun for NCHS FFA
Donation from Rick Lindemann from TPS Enterprise, designed, printed and donated the prom tickets for
the Class of 2023
Declare Special Education items and Newton Elementary 2 nd grade desks and chairs as Surplus
First Reading of PRESS POLICY Updates & 5 – year Review.
Christina Watts with Little Eagles Learning Center, LLC had a presentation seeking a possible community
partnership with the school district.
Approval of the tentative certified and classified assignments for the 2022-2023 school year. These will
be posted in the schools on May 18, 2022.
Approval of fees for lunch, registration and athletics for the 2022-2023 school year. Breakfast and Lunch
prices remain the same due to Paid Lunch Equity Exemption Form. All other fees stay the same.
Approval of the changes to the NCHS/JCJH/NE/SME student handbooks.Approval of the Elevator Bid packages #1 and #2 for Newton Community High School Elevator Addition
Project, and assignment of trade contracts to Holland Construction Services, Inc. Litteken Construction
Company, LLC in the amount of $893,700 for bid package #1, and to KONE Inc. the amount of $128,500
for bid package #2 and assign these contracts to Holland Construction Services, Inc., as construction
manager.
Approval of Holland Construction Services Inc.’s Guaranteed maximum Price Amendment for Newton
Community High School Elevator Addition Project, in the amount of $1,352,700.
Approval of Task Order 18 for Farnsworth, bleacher inspections at NE and NCHS.
Approval of Task Order 19 for Farnsworth, roof preparation proposal.
Approval of Classified Staff Salary Schedule which is a step system and will be set for the next four years.
Approval for the Transportation Secretary contract to be moved from 11 months to a 12 month position.
Ayes: Shull, Kuhl, Earnest, Rieman, Farley, Meinhart. Abstained: Mandi Utley. Motion carried 6 to 1.
Approval to renew Navigate Suite 360 Software Agreement, this is our safety software which we have
used for several years.
Approval of Visitor Football Field/Track Bleacher Bid.
Approval of the Consolidated District Plan-needed for all grant applications for FY23’.
Approval to accept letter of intent to enter the three year early retirement incentive plan with the
irrevocable intent to retire at the end of the 2024-2025 school year for Diane Howard, and Linda Tharp.
Under the Superintendent’s report:
Dr. Melissa Semple gave a presentation on the CSCI survey.
Mrs. Probst talked about the Senior Exit Survey.
Mr. Johnson said THANK YOU to all board members, staff and volunteers for being such an amazing part
of our children’s lives this school year – we appreciate all of you!
Mandy Rieman talked briefly about the IASB future meetings, they will be doing a Fall virtual meeting
along with 2 other divisions, and in the Spring a 1 day meeting with 12 other divisions.
Summer office hours 7:00-5:00pm (Monday-Thursday) in all building offices beginning May 26, 2022 and
run through the summer until school resumes in August
Thursday, May 19 will be the last day of school for teachers with a teacher institute. The administrators
and board members will serve lunch to all staff at NCHS cafeteria from 11:30am to 1pm. We will also
honor our retirees and celebrate success of the FY22’ school year.
The board went into executive session at 8:28pm for 5 ILCS 120/2 ( c ) ( 1 ) – To consider information
Regarding Appointment, Employment or Dismissal of Individual Employees.
Approval to return to open session 9:26pm
Approval of volunteer Peyton Doughty for Summer Internship during football.
Approval of the Resignation of Megan McClard NCHS History Teacher at the end of the 2021-2022
school year.
Approval of the Resignation of Monica Heuerman Newton Elementary 1 st grade teacher at the end of the
2021-2022 school year.
Approval of the Resignation of Heather Carey as Bus Chaperone/Newton Elementary dishwasher at the
end of the 2021-2022 school year.
Approval of the Resignation of Rachel Frohning as paraprofessional effective immediately.
Approval of the Resignation of Brock Tarr as the NCHS FCA sponsor at the end of the 2021-2022 school
year.
Approval of the Resignation of Megan Marks as NCHS Assistant Volleyball Coach at the end of the 2021-
2022 school year.
Approval of the transfer of Maria Zumbahlen from Newton Elementary 6 th grade teacher, to Newton
Elementary Librarian to start the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval of the transfer of Alexandria Boggs from Newton Elementary 4 th grade teacher, to Newton
Elementary 6 th grade teacher beginning the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval to transfer Cynthia Griffith from full-time substitute teacher at Newton Elementary, to 4 th
grade teacher at Newton Elementary beginning the 2022-2023 school year. Ayes: Meinhart, Utley, Shull,
Earnest, Rieman, Farley. Abstained: Kuhl. Motion carries 6 to 1
Approval to hire Dan Blankenship as NCHS Business/JCJH Teacher beginning the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval to hire Kelsie Songer as a Paraprofessional beginning the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval to advertise for the following positions:
NCHS History Teacher to start the 2022-2023 school year
NCHS Assistant Volleyball Coach to start as soon as hired
JCJH Softball Assistant to start the 2022-2023 school year
NCHS FCA Sponsor the start the 2022-2023 school year
Newton Elementary Teacher to start the 2022-2023 school year
Newton Elementary Full Time Substitute Teacher to start the 2022-2023 school year
Two (2) Paraprofessionals to start the 2022-2023 school year
NCHS School Counselor to start the 2022-2023 school year
Meeting adjourned at 9:35pm. Next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 20, 2022 at 6:30pm
at the Board Office.
