Jasper County Community Unit #1, Board of Education Meeting
Report March 18, 2024
Recognition of Visitors:
- The Jasper County Board of Education and Peoples State Bank recognized the Newton Community High School Illinois State Scholars.
- Elley Bennett, Kye Bergbower, Aleah Higgs, Katie Shamhart, Luke Weber
- To be an Illinois State Scholar:
- Perform in the top one-half of your high school class at the end of the third semester prior to graduation*, and/or score at or above the 95th percentile on the ACT or SAT
- Graduate from high school during the academic year in which you were selected as a State Scholar
- Brett Lessley from Peoples State Bank awarded all scholars with a silver eagle coin.
Superintendent’s Report:
Legislation out of Springfield
- All evidence is pointing to the State of Illinois fully funding the Evidence Based Funding Formula (E.B.F).
- Although E.B.F is looked to be fully funded, the categorical funds for transportation and special education will most likely be prorated.
- This means that they will not be funded at 100%.
- This will impact the budget for next year as the District relies on funding for transportation due to the massive square miles of Jasper County.
- Currently, the General Assembly has filed:
- 9,476 pieces of legislation
- 5,668 House bills
- 3,808 Senate bills.
- Legislation that affects our education system totals to 1,120 bills.
New Business
- Approved Renewal for the IHSA and IESA
- Approved to Amend 2023-2024 School Calendar
- Approved 2024-2025 School Calendar
- First day of school for students will be on August 14, 2024.
- The five emergency days are from May 19 through May 23, 2025.
- If none of the emergency days are used, the last day of school for students will be on May 16, 2025.
- Approved a Contract with Kajeet
- This company provides wifi routers to every bus and activity bus that the district has.
- Students are able to access wifi from all of our transportation vehicles.
- The wifi routers also allow the transportation department to see all our bus locations in real time.
Action out of Executive Session
- Approved to keep closed session minutes closed from July 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021
Resignations/Retirement
- Approved the Retirement of Tonya Hall as a NES Teacher at the end of the 2026-2027 School Year.
- Approved the Retirement of Cindy Frohning as a NCHS Teacher at the end of
the 2025-2026 School Year.
Hires
- Approval Julia Whittler for the Strong Girls Program at NES
