SE Illinois News

Edwards County Community Unit School District #1 Board of Education met April 24.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Edwards County K-12 Band Room by President, Dale Woods. The following members were present: Lawrence Speir Jr., Mark McDaniel, Kayla Bell, Wayne Doelling, and Jayare Buerster. Also present was Superintendent, David Cowger; ECHS Principal, Dale Schmittler; AGS Elementary Principal/Special Education Coordinator, Carrie Wells; WSGS Principal, Mark Beckel; and Assistant Principal Joe Rivers. Board member Jo Rector entered the meeting at 7:02 p.m. and AGS Jr. High Principal/Building and Grounds Director, Kris Duncan entered the meeting at 8:30 p.m.

ELECT PRESIDENT

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jo Rector to elect Dale Woods as Board President for a 2 Year Term.

Speir, Rector, Doelling, Buerster, McDaniel and Bell voted yes. Woods abstained. Motion passes

ELECT VICE-PRESIDENT

Motion was made by Jo Rector and seconded by Wayne Doelling to elect Jayare Buerster as Board Vice-President for a 2 Year Term.

Speir, Rector, Doelling, McDaniel, Bell and Woods voted yes. Buerster abstained. Motion passes

ELECT SECRETARY

Motion was made by Jo Rector and seconded by Mark McDaniel to elect Lawrence Speir Jr. as Board Secretary for a 2 Year Term.

Rector, Doelling, Buerster, McDaniel, Bell and Woods voted yes. Speir abstained. Motion passes

APPOINT DISTRICT TREASURER

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jo Rector to appoint Sherry Giese as District Treasurer.

Bell, Speir, Rector, Doelling, Buerster, McDaniel and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

APPOINT WOVSED REPRESENTATIVE

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jo Rector to approve Dale Woods as the District WOVSED Representative for a 2 Year Term.

McDaniel, Bell, Speir, Rector, Doelling and Buerster voted yes. Woods abstained. Motion passes.

APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jayare Buerster to approve the following Consent Agenda items:

Board Meeting Dates (May 2025 – April 2027)

Existing Policies and Procedures

Illinois Association of School Board Code of Conduct

March Board Agenda

Motion to approve the minutes of the open and closed session of the March 17. 2025 Regular Board Meeting and the open and closed session of the March 27, 2025 Special Board Meeting.

Motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report

Motion to approve the April Bill List

Motion to destroy board meeting closed session audio recording older than 18 months per State code

FOIA Request

Doelling, Rector, Bell, Buerster, Speir, McDaniel and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

DISCUSSION REGARDING VOCATIONAL PROJECT

Discussion was held regarding the Vocational Project with possible action

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jayare Buerster to approve ADG to move forward with the design development phase.

ADG plans on presenting finalized documents at the May Board meeting. If approved, the project will be placed out for bid.

Buerster, McDaniel, Bell, Speir, Rector, Doelling and Woods voted yes. Motion passes.

UPDATE ON SOLAR ENERGY PROJEC

Update on Solar Energy Project with possible action

Andrew Weber was at the meeting just to update the board on the status of the project. Things are still moving forward with a possible start date of sometime in 2026.

MOVE FORWARD WITH SOLAR PROJECT

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jayare Buerster to move forward with the solar project.

Rector, McDaniel, Speir, Buerster, Doelling and Woods voted yes. Bell abstained. Motion passes

SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Kayla Bell to approve the Second Reading and Adoption of the Social Science Textbooks.

Books will be for elementary, junior high, and high school. The costs of the textbooks is $47,185.82.

McDaniel, Speir, Buerster, Bell, Rector, Doelling and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

APPROVE CONSOLIDATED DISTRICT PLAN

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Wayne Doelling to approve the 2025-2026 Consolidated District Plan.

This is an annual item and is a requirement for our grants through ISBE.

Buerster, Rector, McDaniel, Bell, Speir, Doelling and Woods voted yes. Motion passes.

ACCEPT BIDS

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jo Rector to accept the following bid:

Midwest Bus Sales for the purchase of one 71-72 passenger bus in the amount of $149,379.00

Doelling, Speir, Bell, Rector, McDaniel, Buerster, and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

APPROVE FIELD TRIPS OVER 150 MILES

Motion was made by Jo Rector and seconded by Kayla Bell to approve the following trips over 150 miles:

ECHS Special Education Department and ECHS National Honor Society to St. Louis, MO to attend a Cardinals Game on May 7, 2025.

Speir, Bell, Buerster, McDaniel, Rector, Doelling and Woods voted yes. Motion passe

APPROVE ATHLETIC CAMPS

Motion was made by Wayne Doelling and seconded by Kayla Bell to approve the following athletic camps:

ECHS Volleyball Youth Camp for Incoming 3rd-8th Grade Students, June 9-10, 2025

ECHS Basketball 2025 Boys and Girls Lions Basketball Camp for Incoming 1st-8th Grade Students, May 27-29, 2025

McDaniel, Rector, Doelling, Speir, Bell, Buerster and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

ACCEPT DONATIONS OVER $500.00

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jo Rector to accept the following donations over $500.00:

Braun Mobility donation of a 75 Ton Hydraulic CNC Press Break, Dayton Industrial Gear Drive Drill Press and a Miller Spot Welder. Approximate value of all items is $32,000.00

Anonymous donation in the amount of $16,572.00 for the Senior Class Photo Display. This will cover the Touch Screen TV and the 5 Year Software Subscription.

Speir, McDaniel, Bell, Rector, Doelling, Buerster and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

ADMINISTRATION REPORTS

The Administrators presented their reports on the following:

David Cowger – Superintendent

Graduation/Baccalaureate

WSGS – 5/17/25 @ 10:00 a.m.

AGS – 5/17/25 @ 12:00 p.m.

ECHS Baccalaureate – 5/17/25 @ 2:00 p.m

ECHS – 5/17/25 @ 4:00 p.m.

Cafeteria Report

Sales Tax Report

Summer School

Statement of Economic Interest

ENGIE Update

NSLP Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)

Vocational Project Bond and Financial Obligations

Dale Schmittler – ECHS Principal

Carrie Wells – AGS Elementary Principal/Special Education Coordinator

Kris Duncan – AGS Jr. High Principal/Building & Grounds Director

Mark Beckel – WSGS Principal

Joe Rivers – Edwards County K-12 Assistant Principal

INTO CLOSED SESSION

Motion was made by Wayne Doelling and seconded by Kayla Bell that a Closed Session be called at 8:47 p.m. to discuss the following:

Consider the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee to determine validity

Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representative, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees

Consider Student Discipline

Speir, Rector, Bell, McDaniel, Doelling, Buerster and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

OUT OF CLOSED SESSION

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jayare Buerster that the Board come out of Closed Session at 9:30 p.m.

Doelling, Bell, McDaniel, Speir, Rector, Buerster and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

RESIGNATIONS

Motion was made by Jo Rector and seconded by Jayare Buerster to accept the following resignations:

ECHS Science Club Sponsor – Lacey Arnold

ECHS Cheerleading Coach – Allison Stephens

WSGS Softball Coach – Tim Myers

Early Childhood Teacher – Riley Niehaus

Bell, Speir, Rector, Buerster, McDaniel, Doelling, and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

EMPLOYMENT

Motion was made by Wayne Doelling and seconded by Mark McDaniel to employ the following for the 2025-2026 school year:

ECHS Head Boys Basketball Coach – Kevin Schnicker

ECHS Assistant Boys Basketball Coach – Eric St. Ledger

ECHS Head Girls Basketball Coach – Johnathon Henton

ECHS Assistant Girls Basketball Co-Coaches (splitting the stipend) – Malia Schmittler and Kayley Kennard

Dinner Theater Sponsor – Will Swardstrom

ECHS Basketball and Football Cheer Coach – Kellie Shelton

ECHS Athletic Director – Nathaniel Schmittler

WSGS Student Council Sponsor – Andrea Deisher

WSGS Head Baseball Coach – Ian Bare

WSGS Assistant Baseball Coach – Conway Kelley

WSGS Head Softball Coach – Andrea Deisher

WSGS Assistant Softball Coach – Lexi Harper

Elementary Teacher – Lesa York, pending acquisition of credentials which are expected by August 1, 2025

Summer Custodial Maintenance Workers – Jax Duncan (K-12 inside maintenance), Nathaniel Schmittler (K-12 field/outside maintenance)

Rector, Bell, Speir, Doelling, McDaniel, Buerster and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

APPROVE VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACHES

Motion was made by Wayne Doelling and seconded by Mark McDaniel to approve the following Volunteer Assistant Coaches:

Jessica Melloy – ECHS Girls Basketball

Abby Ellis – ECH Girls Basketball

Russ Gerlach – ECHS Girls Basketball

Sam Greathouse = WSGS Baseball

Luke Shelby – WSGS Softball

Bell, McDaniel, Rector, Doelling, Buerster, Speir and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

ADJOURN MEETING

Motion was made by Mark McDaniel and seconded by Jayare Buerster that the meeting be adjourned at 9:37 p.m.

McDaniel, Buerster, Rector, Bell, Doelling, Speir and Woods voted yes. Motion passes

https://www.edwardscountyschools.org/cms/one.aspx?pageId=121415