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Chester BOE hears Phase 3 presentation on CGS gym

Posted April 16, 2015 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler The Herald Tribune

CHESTER -- The Chester District 139 Board of Education met in regular session on Thursday, with two significant matters on its agenda - a presentation by Baysinger Architects Engineering Coordinator Earl Kleidon and a decision on the open position of Chester High School volleyball coach.

In open session, the board voted to move public comment to above the board presentation on the meeting's agenda.

Silva Volleyball Club (formerly Chester JuniorVolleyball) Director Chad Koenegstein - one of two applicants for the CHS volleyball position according to District Superintendent Chris Diddlebock - was the first to speak.

Koenegstein told the board that while he felt his interview process for the position was professional, he didn't feel all the information on his résumé was looked over.

He highlighted a conversation he had with CHS Principal Tim Keefe during which Koenegstein allegedly stated a possible interest in teaching in the future.

"Mr. Keefe was confused that my degree was in education," Koenegstein said, pointing out his résumé lists a degree in Elementary Education from Murray State University.

Keefe did not respond to Koenegstein's recollection of the conversation during open session.

Koenegstein also presented copies of his résumé to the board, along with apparent letters of recommendation. Fellow Silva VBC coach Renee Rheinecker, two parents and a player spoke up on Koenegstein's behalf.

"Every day I'm around him, I learn more about volleyball," Rheinecker said. "Even though I've been teaching seven years of volleyball, I want to come speak on his behalf as someone who has coached with him."

Former CHS volleyball coach Karen Bert, the other applicant for the position, was in attendance at the meeting, but did not speak. In December, the Chester BOE approved its Fall 2015 coaches with the exception of Bert.

The board did not receive a motion to retain Bert as head coach and as a result, the position came open. According to Diddlebock, Bert - who has the second-most career volleyball wins at CHS with 43, according to yellowjacketradio.com - reapplied for the position.

After roughly a half hour in executive session to discuss the matter, during which Koenegstein was briefly called into the room to speak to the board, the board returned to open session and unanimously approved Koenegstein as the program's 15th head coach.

"My opinion is that it was the right decision, and hopefully, an educated decision," Koenegstein said in a media interview after the meeting, when asked his opinion of the board's decision.

Later in the interview, Koenegstein spoke about his thought process heading into the meeting.

"I was confident that (the board) was going to make an educated decision," Koenegstein said. "And whatever that decision was, I would respect it."

When contacted by the Herald Tribune on Friday for comment, the Bert family released a statement:

"We weren't happy with the board's decision and the board never came out and said what the issue was. They never did give us a reason why they did not reappoint her."

When asked about the situation in a Friday phone interview, Diddlebock gave his response.

"The board made a decision based upon what they thought was best for the district and the kids in the program," he said.

After the volleyball matter was decided, it was Kleidon's turn in front of the board. Kleidon delivered a presentation on Phase 3 of the construction of the new Chester Grade School gymnasium.

Kleidon said plans are to replace the current chain-link fence with a more decorative one that will make the facility look "less institutionalized."

Plans also include relocating pole lights, removing four or five trees, adjusting parking areas, paving areas that were previously designated as rock in Phase 1 and other enhancements.

Kleidon said the gym's wiring systems are being configured to support a possible emergency generator in the future that could power the gym and the cafeteria as an "auxiliary point" for the community in case of a major incident.

"The emergency generator will come later, I'm trying to find a grant for that," Diddlebock said.

Kleidon said plans are to install conduits for internet cables to avoid excessive wiring.

Diddlebock said with all the enhancements, construction costs are $46,000 over the $5.8 million budget for the project.

"That's less than three-quarters of a percent with all the enhancements," he said.

Diddlebock later said the budget deficit would not affect the grant the district received through the Capital Development Board. The CDB is contributing $4.4 million of the cost of the project through former Gov. Pat Quinn's "Illinois Jobs Now!" program, with the rest coming from the school district.

Prior to the meeting, Chester Grade School Principal Tim Lochhead recognized Jamie Ennis as CGS's new special education aide. Ennis, who attended the meeting, helps in the school's Early Childhood class.

During his principal's report, Lochhead also wanted to make a public thank you to Marla Yankey for her help in choosing the colors for many of the common areas of the new gym, including the cafeteria and locker rooms.

"I have known her forever and she is known for her decorating abilities," said Lochhead, who added he is colorblind. "A lot of the the color combinations, the way it looks, are thanks to her."

Roundup

The Chester BOE approved IHSA membership for the 2015-16 school year.

The Chester BOE accepted a resolution to sell, not exceed, $2.7 million in alternate bonds of the district for the purposes of building and equipping additions to, improving the sites of and altering repairing and equipping the existing school buildings and facilities of the district.

The BOE held a separate public hearing before the meeting to discuss the board's intent to sell the bonds to finish the grade school roof repairs and science lab renovations at both the grade school and high school.

Diddlebock said the bonds are against the county's sales tax, not property tax and are only for major projects.

The BOE approved the first reading of the 2015-16 grade school handbook, as well as the first reading of the board policies as it pertains to board member communication, curriculum content, graduation requirements, high school credit for non-district experiences; course substitutions and re-entering students and administering medicines to students.

The BOE approved the employment contract of District Curriculum Director Shirley Stegmann. The BOE approved its intent to hire Stegmann at its March meeting.

Diddlebock also gave a report on additional cuts to general state aid that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is imposing for the 2014-15 school year.

Diddlebock said that the district will receive an additional $40,000 less in state aid, but that is less than the $140,000 that had been feared.

"What the state's modus operandi is in the past few years is 'Show them death and they'll take pain,'" Diddlebock said. "As of right now, I'm not seeing any better next (school) year."

In a document given to the media, new ISBE proration percentages, effective with the March quarterly payments, are as follows:

Special Education Personnel - 98 percent, from 100 percent

Special Education Private Facility - 94 percent, from 97 percent

Special Education Funding for Children Requiring Special Education Services - 98 percent, from 100 percent

Special Education Transportation - 95 percent, from 97 percent

Regular/Vocational Transportation - 71 percent, from 72 percent

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