Jasper Unit 1 Board Report

On By admin

Jasper County Community Unit #1, Board of Education Meeting

Report January 21, 2025

Superintendent’s Report:

  • The winter weather has moved on and the Jasper County Schools are back in session. 
  • Illinois Vision 2030
    • Ten years ago, education leaders from five statewide organizations came together through their professional organizations to advocate for initiatives that would advance K-12 public education, including evidence-based funding to ensure all schools have the resources needed for local educators to be able to provide a safe, rigorous and well-rounded learning environment. 
    • Vision 2020 also included enhancements to teacher recruitment policies, college and career readiness initiatives and the development of Illinois Balanced Accountability System, which establishes standards for K-12 student performance and school improvement in Illinois.
    • Now, we have come together again to set a vision for the next decade with a priority on future-focused learning—what our children need to know and be able to do so they can adapt and excel in a rapidly changing world. We are committed to policy, legislative and fiscal solutions that advance this goal and fulfill the promise of public education in Illinois.
    • We want to put systems and processes in place that support all school districts throughout the state in sharing what works for our kids and our communities, while also leveraging public resources and preserving local flexibility and leadership so that the best decisions are made closest to home.
    • Simply put, this includes: keeping students and schools safe, attracting and retaining high quality educators, enhancing post-secondary success and more effectively measuring what is working well in schools in a timely, usable manner.

Policies:

  1. Second Reading of PRESS Policy Updates- Unchanged: 
  • 2:140 Communication To and From the Board
  • 4:10 Fiscal and Business Management
  • 4:40 Incurring Debt
  • 4:160 Environmental Quality of Building and Grounds
  • 4:190 Targeted School Violence Prevention Program
  • 5:30 Hiring Process and Criteria
  • 5:35 Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act
  • 5:150 Personnel Record
  • 6:20 School Year Calendar and Day
  • 6:340 Student Testing and Assessment Program
  • 7:160 Student Appearance
  • 7:165 School Uniforms

Second Reading of  PRESS Policy Updates-Changed:

  • 2:105 Ethics and Gift Ban
  • 2:110 Qualifications, Term, and Duties of Board Officers
  • 2:120 Board Member Development
  • 2:200 Types of School Board Meetings
  • 2:220 School Board Meeting Procedure
  • 2:260 Uniform Grievance Procedure
  • 2:265 Title IX Grievance Procedure
  • 4:30 Revenues and Investments
  • 4:60 Purchases and Contracts
  • 4:150 Facility Management and Building
  • 4:170 Safety
  • 5:10 Equal Employment and Opportunity and Minority Recruitment
  • 5:20 Workplace Harassment
  • 5:90 Abused and Neglected Child Reporting
  • 5:100 Staff Development Program
  • 5:120 Employee Ethics; Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest 
  • 5:125 Personal Technology and Social Media and Conduct
  • 5:230 Maintaining Student Discipline
  • 6:60 Curriculum Content
  • 6:65 Student Social and Emotional Development
  • 6:135 Accelerated Placement Program
  • 6:270 Guidance and Counseling Program
  • 7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities
  • 7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited
  • 7:100 Health, Eye, and Dental Examinations, Immunizations, and Exclusion of Students
  • 7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment
  • 7:185 Teen Dating Violence Prohibited
  • 7:200 Suspension Procedures
  • 8:10 Connection with the Community

New Business

  • Approved Fuel Bids with Wabash Valley Service Company
  • Established Newton Community High School Graduation Date for May 17, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
  • Amended the 2024-2025 School Calendar
  • Approved Contract with the Newton Boys and Girls Park 
  • Approved an Appraisal LLC Proposal for Newton Power Station
  • Approved Resolution of Support for Illinois Vision 2030

Hires

  • Callie Probst NCHS Art Teacher 2025-2026
  • Ryan Meinhart NCHS English 2025-2026
  • Megan Hall Cook NCHS- 2024-2025
  • Brooklyn Herman JCJH Assistant Track Coach 2024-2025

Resignations:

  • Shanelle Julian as a District Paraprofessional as of January 12, 2025

Post

  • Approval to Post two (2) NES Elementary Teaching Positions and an NES Elementary Music Position for the 2025-2026 School Year