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, March 21,
2022 at 6:30pm. Board members present were Mrs. Mandy Rieman attended by Zoom, Mrs. Holly
Farley, Mr. Jerry L. Jed Earnest attended by Zoom, Mr. Jason Kuhl, Mr. Bill Meinhart, Mrs. Mandi Utley
and Mr. Brady Shull. Members absent: None.
All votes are considered unanimous unless otherwise noted.
Vice President Bill Meinhart called the meeting to order.
Agenda was approved with changes. Requests from a board member to move Item B “Approval to
rehire/and approve contracts for Administrators for the 2022-2023 school year” to closed session under
XIV. Executive Board Meeting 5 ILCA 120/2 ( c ) (1). Also to add the following to the agenda for
advertisement purposes, pending board action in VII. E. Newton Community High School Counselor to
start with the 2022-2023 school year. Finally, to add XV. Possible action on items discussed in closed
session then add XVI Adjournment.
There were 2 FOIA requests, 1 from Andy Pullen and 1 from Jerry L. Jed Earnest.
FOIA #1 – Andy Pullen requested all emails and text communications between School Board member Bill
Meinhart and all other School Board members and between School Board Member Bill Meinhart and
Superintendent Andy Johnson between the dates of November 10 and November 18, 2021.
FOIA #2 – Jerry L. Jed Earnest requested all check registers for all activity accounts for JCCUSD1 from the
dates of April 1, 2017 to July 1, 2021.
Approval of the Consent Agenda with changes, a Board Member asked to remove Item F, donations to
be voted on separately:
Regular and Closed Minutes from February 21, 2022,
Bills, Payroll and Monthly Financial Reports,
Destruction of closed session recording for January 20, 2020,
Technology items and surplus counseling department resource books from Newton Elementary.
Approval of donations:
$4000 to Academic Foundation from an Anonymous Donor
$2000 to NCHS Girls Track from an Anonymous Donor
$2000 to NCHS Girls Softball from an Anonymous Donor
$2000 to NCHS Scholastic Bowl from an Anonymous Donor
$2000 to NCHS Boys Track from an Anonymous Donor
$2000 to NCHS Baseball from an Anonymous Donor
$2000 to FBLA from an Anonymous Donor
$1000 to NCHS Girls Tennis from an Anonymous Donor
$1000 to NCHS Boys Tennis from an Anonymous Donor
$253 from the First National Bank of Olney that will be deposited into the general activity fund at NCHS
$302.32 for JCCU #1 Mentoring Program to be used for the mentoring program needs. A sincere thank
you to Flo’s Coffee Bar and Alissa Shull for the thoughtful and generous donation which was collected at
Flo’s in honor of Alissa’s Great Aunt who recently passed
$300 to the Strong Girls Program from Drees Plumbing, Inc. A sincere thank you for Drees Plumbing for
their generosity
$272.90 to the Sixth Grade Science Program, Sixth Grade Teacher Cheryl James applied for the Illinois
Agriculture in the Classroom Grant for a classroom aquaponics set. A sincere thank you to IAITC for this
grant
$500 to 3 rd place most entries, $1000 high yield – Steve Pitcher and $1000 – $100 per grower x 10
growers into FFA Activity Account for the NCGA Award totaling $2500.
Eleven Illinois State Scholars and their parents were present. Mrs. Probst introduced the students and
Mr. Brett Lessley from Peoples State Bank presented a silver eagle coin to each Scholar. Scholars are:
Rylea Borgic
Stephanie Brinson
Emily Carr
Dryden Einhorn
Emma Kidwell
Mabry Mitchell
Mason Mulvey
Kaitlyn Olmstead
Emily Probst
Morgan White
Lucy Yager
Approval to rehire/contracts with administrators for the 2022-2023 school year. Beth Probst-NCHS/JCJH
Principal, Ryan Klier-NCHS/JCJH Assistant Principal, Jessica Guzman-Newton Elementary Principal, Kyle
Klier-Newton Elementary Assistant Principal and Jennifer Bales-Special Education Coordinator/Ste.
Marie Principal.
Approval of amended FY22’ School Calendar showing the 5 snow days used, last day for students will be
Wednesday, May 18, 2022 and last day for teachers with a Teacher’s Institute will be Thursday, May 19,
2022.
Approval of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between JCCU #1 and JCEA effective August 22, 2022
through August 21, 2026. Pending tentatively agreeing on the extra duty schedule, we will finalize this
with the JCEA and bring it to vote at the April 18, 2022 board meeting.
Approval of bus bid and permission to get them ordered (this is replacement of the lst rotation of buses
purchased in FY18. (7) 71 passenger school buses and (1) 27 passenger with 3 wheelchair positions,
gasoline powered units. Bid was awarded to Central States Bus Sales, Inc.
Zoom presentation by Ryan Savage of Holland Construction on the status of the JCJH/NCHS elevator and
HVAC projects.
Approval to move the current Credit Recovery position at NCHS from Classified to Certified per Mrs.
Probst’s recommendation effective start of 2022-2023 school year.
Approval of the IHSA renewal for the 2022-2023 school term.
Approval of the dismissal of Kathleen Carey, Newton Community High School Counselor, second year
probationary teacher for reasons other than reduction in force effective May 18, 2022.
Approval of the resignation of Lyndsie Weiler effective March 2, 2022 as a JCJH/NCHS Teacher,
resignation of Amy Casey as a full-time substitute teacher at Newton Elementary effective at the
conclusion of the 2021-2022 school year and the resignation of Erica McNeely as NCHS Co-Student
Council Advisor at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 school year.
Approval to transfer Stephanie Klingler to the JCJH Science Teacher position from 6 th grade teacher,
Becky Oldham to 2 nd grade teacher from Kindergarten teacher, Kelsey Millsap to Kindergarten teacher
from part time Title Teacher at Newton Elementary and Jessie Smith to Newton Elementary Social
Worker from PASS teacher all effective start of the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval to hire Linda Tharp, Steffanie Stark, Cheryl James, Gayle Glumac, Abby Jansen, Lexie Boggs 1
time per week, Samantha Lidy to begin after tutoring and Morgan Lidy, as 2022 Newton Elementary
Strong Girls Program Title 1 grant funded, Toni Zumbahlen as Kindergarten to First Grade Summer
Bridge Teacher, Dawn Meinhart as Second to Third Grade Summer Bridge Teacher, Linda Tharp as Third
to Fourth Grade Summer School Teacher and Abby Jansen as Fifth to Sixth Grade Summer School
Teachers for the month of June 2022.
Approval to employ Kevin Colclasure, Jordan Colclasure and Paul Marchini for the 2022 Newton
Elementary Strong Boys Program Title 1 grant funded.
Approval to employ Laura Volk as Board of Education Executive Secretary to start as soon as possible.
Approval to employ Kara Deitz as JCJH School Secretary to start as soon as possible.
Approval to advertise for an Elementary Library Media Specialist, JCJH/NCHS Business Teacher, Certified
Credit Recovery Position at NCHS, Newton Elementary Teacher and NCHS Counselor all to start with the
2022-2023 school.
Mrs. Guzman gave a presentation on strategic objective #3 – Academic Achievement. This is showing the
fall to winter growth at Newton Elementary/JCJH/NCHS, Mrs. Guzman will do a final report to the board
at the conclusion of the school year.
The board went into executive session at 8:05pm for 5 ILCS 120/2 ( c ) ( 1 ) – To consider information
Regarding Appointment, Employment or Dismissal of Individual Employees and 5ILCS 120/2 ( c ) (2) –
Collective Negotiating Matters or Salary Schedule for One or More Classes of Employees.
Approval to return to open session at 8:47pm.
Meeting adjourned at 8:48pm. Next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 18, 2022 at 6:30pm
at the Board Office.
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