CAT Tracks for March 26, 2003 NO ACTION ON PERSONNEL

With the deadlines growing closer for making personnel decisions for the 2003-04 School Year...April 4th for tenured and April 14th for nontenured...the Board of Education met tonight for three hours, discussed finances, but adjourned without making staffing decisions.

Superintendent Isom informed the BOE that the District was going to have to reimburse ISBE $34,000...money that had been given to the District to conduct Modern Red training...training that did not occur due to "events" of last Spring - i.e. the strike. Blame was laid at the feet of "one specific" facilitator who kept changing the requirements for holding the training. Regardless of whose fault it was, ISBE informed the District last week that it would NOT get $90,000 "due" under the new performance agreement until it paid back the $34,000. Yet another loss of funds due to the Board's decision NOT to make up the 17 days missed due to the strike! That's got to raise the total to at least $500,000! No wonder we are in financial trouble!!!

James Davis appeared before the Board to present and alternative to closing Cairo Junior High School. It involved closing Bennett Elementary instead...moving 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grades to CJHS, keeping 7th Grade at CJHS, and moving the 8th Grade to CHS. He emphasized that his plan would keep the CJHS gymnasium open for use...avoiding conflicts between CJHS and CHS sports. Principal Pickett of Bennett Elementary expressed her concern that the decision on which building to close should NOT be determined by a gymnasium or basketball. (One footnote...Superintendent Isom indicated that the District's insurance carrier had changed its position...that it COULD insure the CJHS building next year if current repairs were completed. The Board of Education made its decision - last week - to close the CJHS building because the insurance carrier had said that it would not insure CJHS unless an additional $500,000 was spent on improvements.) The Board indicated that it was sticking with its previous decision, although it acknowledged the Superintendent's recommendation to "keep an open mind" in case someone "builds a better mousetrap".

Board Member Brenda Gooden DID stress that the District would have to close one building...it was just a matter of which one. The Superintendent agreed...that the District simply did not have enough money to repair and keep BOTH buildings open.

The Board went into closed session at 6:15 p.m. It exited closed session at 8 p.m.

The Board approved a settlement agreement in Case # Whatever. I'm guessing here, but it was probably in the case of CAESP's ULP against the District for not bargaining when it denied Julie Newell the opportunity to go to IMRF meetings and receive reimbursement...forcing her to use up her vacation days. (The reason I am guessing this...on our way out the door last Wednesday...to attend the ULP hearing in Springfield...IEA Attorney Wanda Van Pelt called to say that District Attorney Barney Mundorf had called to offer a settlement of the case so as NOT to have to go to court.)

The Board of Education also approved an "addendum" to the contract of Lonnie Henderson...this after Superintendent Isom had recommended last week that the Board offer a retirement package to Principal Henderson.

The Board of Education then established a date to meet with the community...evidently concerning the closing of Cairo Junior High School. That meeting has been scheduled for April 8th at 6 p.m. in the Bennett gymnasium.

The Board Policy Committee is going to have a meeting on Friday, March 28th, at 5 p.m.

The Board adjourned at 8:07 p.m.