CAT Tracks for February 21, 2003 REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING

Bad news - Good news ...

The Superintendent announced that the District's medicaid reimbursement was being reduced by 60-90% for next year. Last year, the District received $180,000 in reimbursement, so CSD #1 will be hit very hard.

The District has also received news that its 24th General State Aid payment will be reduced - only 83-85% of the usual amount...a $15-20,000 loss.

The final 2000 census figures are in and the news is bad. According to the count, the poverty grant for CSD #1 will be based on 395 students...DOWN by 194 students! At $250 per student...

The District was considering closing CJHS next year, moving the 6th Grade to Bennett and the 7th & 8th Grades to CHS. In order to accommodate the 7th & 8th Grades, the District asked the architect to provide an estimate for remodeling the shop area. And the number is...$532,000. The response: "Good idea, but we can't afford it."

And REMEMBER...All of these outside forces simply exacerbate the internal mismanagement of CSD #1...ESPECIALLY...as ISBE pointed out...when the District chose NOT to make up the 17 days missed during the strike in order to punish its certified personnel...a loss of revenue this year of close to $500,000...that's a half-million dollars!

STOP! Where is the "good news"?

According to media reports, the District was going to have to close its doors...as early as April. One of the local television stations reported that very story while the Board meeting was in progress. HOWEVER...Superintendent Isom told the Board that ISBE officials on Thursday afternoon had assured him that CSD #1 would continue to operate through the remainder of this school year.

(During the regular approval of "Payment of Bills", the Superintendent clearly indicated that a new era has arrived in CSD #1...that the new Financial Oversight Panel - FOP - would ALSO have to give its approval before the bills were actually paid.)

SNOW DAYS

The Superintendent notified the Board that the District had exceeded the number of emergency days built into the school calendar - 6 built in and 8 used...so far. He then asked whether the Board wanted him to request "Act of God" days from ISBE...which, if granted, means that the days do NOT have to be made up AND the District does NOT lose state aid...OR...whether the Board wanted to make up the days...probably adding them to the end of the calendar...an extra two days in June.

After some discussion amongst themselves, President Joe Griggs asked the Association if it had any suggestions. The Association pointed out that Cairo had been in session more than surrounding districts and had thereby shown its good faith attempt to have school...that ISBE would surely look favorably upon our request. The Association also pointed out that changing the calendar to make up days was problematic...interfering with Spring break plans or plans to go to school in the Summer. The Board then voted unanimously to have the Superintendent apply for Act of God days. Amen!

The Board then went into closed session...

After 95 minutes, the Board came out of executive session, hired a Language Arts (Reading) teacher for CHS, upheld the hearing officer's decision on a student-discipline case, and rehired Robert Isom as superintendent for the 2003-04 School Year.

The Board adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

The following agenda was distributed at the meeting...

16. Adjournment