VI. Approval of Agendas - Superintendent Bill Rogers asked that a "9. Accept Teacher Resignation" be added to Section XI of the Regular Meeting. Motion made, seconded, and passed.

• Regular Meeting
• Closed Meeting

VII. Approval of Treasurer's Report - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

VIII. Approval of Payment of Bills/Payroll - After a series of questions concerning certain items, a motion was made, seconded, and passed.

IX. Informational

1. Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering - Superintendent Rogers commented on the success of the CHS WYSE team at Carbondale and the advancement of Tanyana Ivy to state.
2. Restructuring Plan - Superintendent Rogers indicated that a Cairo Junior/Senior High School Restructuring Plan had to be submitted to ISBE by April 30th. The plan would have to be approved by the BOE prior to its submission, so it will be on the agenda for the Regular April Meeting. Mr. Rogers indicated that there weren't a lot of viable choices that would meet with ISBE approval. He had hoped that the hiring of a full-time Superintendent and a CJSHS Principal under a multi-year contract would suffice, but that ISBE had already indicated that those efforts would not be adequate. Other options - charter school, replacing staff, hiring a private management company - did not seem appropriate for Cairo. He indicated that Meridian was in the same position as Cairo and had hired a "turn-around specialist", but that the restructuring committee for Cairo was not inclined to go solely with an outside source, having tried twice with Comprehensive School Reform...to no avail. Therefore, the proposed restructuring plan for CJSHS would probably entail a "committee", with both inside and outside representation. It is hoped that this will generate a local "buy in" that seemed to be missing with previous attempts. Bottom line, the District must come up with a restructuring plan that ISBE will approve. The "good news" is that whatever plan is approved by ISBE will NOT be a financial burden upon the District...outside funds will pay the costs involved.
3. Health and Life Safety Surveys - District personnel are working with the District's architect to remedy deficiencies found, doing as much as they can themselves.
4. CCEC - Mr. Rogers indicated that it was his opinion that the District was not ready to close CCEC and move to another location for the coming school year; much planning and work remained to be done. Therefore, it would be his recommendation that the District keep the CCEC open for at least one more year. Hopefully, in the interim, additional tenants could be found.
5. Checks Deposited - District Account

   $182,590.45 - State Aid -1st Payment-Jan.
   66,720.00 - Title I Low Income
   2,236.63 - State Lunch
   32,350.00 - Spec. Ed. Personnel
   20,913.66 - Spec. Ed. Transportation
   40,532.00 - Title II Teacher Quality
   29.318.54 - Spec. Ed. Extraordinary
   37,134.45 - Regular Transportation
   538.06 - Student Lunches - ROE
   453.51 - Library Grant
   182,590.45 - State Aid - 2nd Payment- Jan.
   127.02 - Forest Reserve
   24,167.00 - Early Childhood Block Grant
   1,546.00 - Early Childhood Block Grant
   4,688.00 - TAP Grant Payment
   27.150.55 - Federal Lunch
   15,428.63 - Federal Breakfast
   965.67 - Overage on Loan Payoff
   182,590.45 - State Aid- 1st Payment- Feb.
   1,526.85 - State Lunch
   1,160.00 - Safe & Drug Free Schools
   19,938.00 - Title II Teacher Quality
   12,035.00 - TAP Grant Payment
   41,985.00 - Title I Low Income
   824.00 - Tech. Enhancing Ed.
   1,747.00 - Early Childhood Block Grant
   93,176.00 - Early Childhood Block Grant
   784.00 - Title I Low Income
   7,856.25 - Cairo Jr High Lease Payment- Shawnee College
   18,618.25 - Personal Property Replacement Tax
   1,530.63 - Alexander Co. Mobile Home Tax
   18,750.06 - Rent-Classrooms - JAMP
   50.00 - Rent - First Student Transit

X. Closed Session - The BOE voted to enter closed session at 6:40 p.m. The BOE voted to exit closed session at 8:53 p.m.

XI. Requiring Action/Decisions By Board of Education

1. Personnel employment, resignation, release, discipline, or compensation.
   a. Employ Superintendent - Skipped. Since Dr. Leotis Swopes has already been hired as Interim Superintendent, nothing further needs to be done at this time.
   b. Hire Non-Tenured Faculty as Per Attached List (All Schools) - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
   The non-tenured personnel are as follows:
   
   • Nancy Tammen, Jr/Sr Teacher
   • Sarah Garrett, Bennett 3rd Grade Teacher
   • Lori Opp, Emerson 1st Grade Teacher
   • Sheena Neely, Music Teacher
   • Holly Harper, H.S. Band
   • Zachary Schumacher, Social Studies
   • Keith Campbell, Bennett 4th Grade Teacher
   • Ryan O'Shea, Business
   • Felicia Kennedy, H.S. Guidance
   • Anita Clay, Social Studies
   • Jim Drew, Physical Education
   • Melissa Grosskreutz, Bennett 5th Grade Teacher
   • Cara Lacy, Emerson/Bennett Guidance
   • Melanie Pitts, Emerson Sp Ed
   • Jessica Foster, Bennett 6th Grade Teacher
2. Approve Request - Additional Days (5) Rose Mary Kloss - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
3. Approve Designation of Superintendent to Develop FY 09 Budget in Tentative Form - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
4. Adopt Insurance Renewal Certificate - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
5. Approve Title I Plan - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
6. Approve Jr/Sr High School Improvement Plan - Tabled.
7. Approve Hazardous Conditions in Regards to Student Transportation - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
8. Approve Amended 2007-2008 School Calendar - Motion made, seconded, and passed. (The "changes" were simply specifying which days were "interrupted days" and the use of the five scheduled "emergency days". The two "excess days" will be submitted to ISBE as "Act of God Days". The last scheduled day of the 2007-08 School Year is still June 3rd.)
9. Employ Holly Harper as co-sponsor of the Junior Class (tabled from previous meeting) - Motion made, seconded, and passed.
10. Accept the resignation of Deborah Hammel for the purposes of retirement - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

XII. Old Business

Prior to adjournment, Mr. Rogers took a moment to express his appreciation for being allowed to serve in the capacity of Interim Superintendent...how much he enjoyed doing so. He expressed his belief that he was leaving the District on a sound footing and anticipated a great future for the District. Indicating that he had received assistance from many, many people during his tenure in Cairo, Mr. Rogers singled out Brenda Jones for special recognition...that she had "kept him straight" on a lot of issues.

It was announced that there would be a Special BOE Meeting on March 25th at 5 p.m. for the purpose of discussing negotiations.

XIII. Adjourn - Motion made, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 9:10 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, PERFORMANCE OR DISMISSAL OF INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES WHICH MAY BE OF A TEMPORARY CONFIDENTIAL NATURE, STUDENT DISCIPLINE, PLACEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, DISCUSSION OF LITIGATION PROBABLE, IMMINENT, FILED OR PENDING AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OR RELATED ISSUES.

FOOTNOTE: Incidentally, this month's "contribution" to the "Barney Mundorf Memorial Fund (a.k.a. Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, et al) was $15,452.26, which more than DOUBLED last month's paltry $7,524.53. This two-month average, if projected over a 12-month period, would be a tidy sum of $137, 860.74. In simpler terms, that would be a $2,418 raise per teacher! Things that make you go HMMMMMMMM...