Chester BOE restricting availability

<p class="p1">In a bit of a curious decision, Chester District 139 Board of Education President Mitch Hammel announced at the end of Tuesday's meeting that he and Interim Superintendent Rick Goodman would no longer answer questions after board meetings.

<p class="p1">"With some of the issues lately, it seems like every time we turn around, we have to call our lawyer," Hammel said. "That is costing us money. We don't want answers getting out in haste."

<p class="p1">Hammel said questions to the board and Goodman can be written down or emailed to Goodman at rickgoodman@chester139.com.

<p class="p1">The decision could be related to the Herald Tribune's Open Meetings Act (OMA) inquiry the newspaper submitted in February to the Public Access Division of the Illinois Attorney General's Office.

<p class="p1">The Herald Tribune is still awaiting a determination letter from the AG's office on its request, which alleges, in part, that the board violated OMA by holding discussions in closed (executive) session that should have been public in its January and February meetings.

<p class="p1">Tuesday's meeting had the agenda item of "To Discuss Litigation" listed under executive session.

<p class="p1">In a Wednesday response to an emailed question from the newspaper, Goodman confirmed that item was in regard to the Herald Tribune's request.

<p class="p1">"Per the district attorney, the Herald Tribune's OMA inquiry is the item that was discussed under the agenda item "To Discuss Litigation," Goodman wrote. "No comment on the district moving forward."

<p class="p1">In a separate agenda item, the board approved issuing certified teacher Adrienne Fernow a notice of remedial warning. Fernow is a special education teacher at Chester Grade School.

<p class="p1">No reasoning was given during the meeting as to why.

<p class="p1">In an emailed response to the newspaper regarding two questions seeking clarity on both what defines a remedial warning and, in general, what the circumstances would be for one to be issued, Goodman wrote only that it was a personnel matter.

<p class="p1">A notice of remedial warning is required by state law as part of due process for certified teachers alleged to have violated district or state education policy before the district takes any remedial or disciplinary action against the teacher.

<p class="p1">The rest of the agenda went fairly smoothly, with the board approving nearly two-dozen fall and winter sports coaches, 15 of them volunteers.

<p class="p1">Assistant coaches approved were Billy Belton (football), Dallas Redeker (football), Jacob Cowan (football), Paul Zemlyn (golf), Adam Gibbs (volleyball), Chris Toledo (JV boys basketball), Aaron Halstead (freshman boys basketball) and Luke Lochhead (JV girls basketball).

<p class="p1">Volunteers are: Trevor Kelkhoff (football), Mike Heffernan (football), Charles Colvis (football), Boyd Miles (football), Curt Eggemeyer (football), Paul Stallman (cross country), Mary Stallman (cross country), Brad Norman (golf), Jake Cowan (boys basketball), Ben Hunter (boys basketball), Rick Powley (girls basketball), Barb Misuraca (dance), Adrianne Brockmeyer (dance), James Brockmeyer (bass fishing) and Jeff Korando (bass fishing).

<p class="p1">During the Discussion Items portion of the agenda, Goodman talked about the district "going green" by requiring employees to sign up for direct deposit of their paychecks.

<p class="p1">Board packets will also now be sent electronically.

<p class="p1">Goodman noted that only 12 or 13 employees do not currently participate in direct deposit.

<p class="p1">"It won't save us a lot of money, but it will save us a little bit of money and some time in the office," Goodman said, adding that sending the packets electronically would "save some of the rush" in putting them together for the board members.

<p class="p1">CGS Principal Tim Lochhead reported on the results of the recent PARCC testing and how it was the first time using the computer-based version.

<p class="p1">Lochhead said the testing went well and he is looking to expand it to sixth grade next year.

<p class="p1">Roundup

<p class="p1">- The board approved a non-paid internship for Dustin Eastwood within the Technology Department for the fall semester.

<p class="p1">- The board set a hearing date of June 16 at 7 p.m. for the amended 2015-16 budget.

<p class="p1">- The board tabled an agenda item to abate from the district's Working Cash fund to the Education Fund.

<p class="p1">- The board approved a three-year proposal from Quality Network Solutions for technology support services for the district office.

<p class="p1">- The board approved, pending insurance, a request from SILVA volleyball for use of the CGS gym on Sundays from June 5 through July 24 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with two hours for sixth through eighth graders and two hours for high school players.

<p class="p1">SILVA coach Adam Gibbs spoke to the board during public comment and said the gym sessions are open to anyone interested in volleyball.

<p class="p1">- The board accepted the retirement requests of Paraprofessional Cherie Diercks and custodian Randy Evers. Diercks retirement is effective at the end of the current school year, while Evers' takes effect on Sept. 30.

<p class="p1">- The board approved the request of Erin Belton for maternity leave through FMLA from the beginning of the 2016-17 school year through October 3, 2016.

<p class="p1">- The board approved Hunter Howie as a summer custodian worker at $8.40 per hour for eight hours per day.

<p class="p1">- The board employed Mary Ann Heberlie as a custodian at $9.25 per hour for eight hours per day.

<p class="p1">- The board extended an administrative contract in the amount of $65,000 to CGS administrator/athletic director Dave Kaiser for the 2016-17 school year.