Newly seated superintendent Dr. Nick Polyak’s first meeting of the Illinois Valley Central District 321 school board July 28 focused on back-to-school construction updates.
Polyak said restroom renovations are near completion at IVC High School, with new flooring and stalls being put in soon.
Similar work is taking place at Mossville School and South School, with new countertops and sinks being installed, along with tuckpointing and roof work.
Polyak said work at South is progressing very well, despite a rainy summer that has delayed walls on the new addition from coming up sooner.
The playground on South’s east side has a new green wrought iron fence around it and new mulch and pavement.
Renovations at South will also include new parking on Hickory and better traffic control through wider, safer spaces.
Polyak added all work at South is expected to be completed one year from now.
Two different projects are finishing up at Chillicothe Elementary Center.
Classroom work is on schedule — including renovation of the upper level’s science labs to get rid of encapsulated asbestos and new windows on the north side of the building — and will be turned back over to the district Saturday.
“That gives us a solid time frame for the teachers to set up for beginning of classes.
Administration is already back in their offices. We are responsible for the ceiling lights and electrical work now,” Polyak said.
The other project is the new vestibule, which has suffered from weather-related delays and will not be complete until the end of August.
Polyak said the fire department and Regional Office of Education would also be walking around the building to amend emergency exits, which have changed since the construction.
In other action and discussion, the board:
• heard a report from assistant superintendent Patrick Hatfield about the tentative 2009-10 budget.
Hatfield — whom Polyak created a seat for at the table for all future board meetings — said the district will have a surplus of $50,853.
Hatfield said a few of IVC’s non-mandated state categorical programs are facing significant funding shortfalls as a result of budget woes in Springfield.
For example, only $500 million has been appropriated for programs costing nearly $900 million to operate.
Programs which could be affected by these reductions include Early Childhood, Reading Improvement, Career Technical Education and the ADA Block Grant.
“The funding decline is expected to reduce our funding by nearly $100,000 for fiscal year 2010,” Hatfield said.
Polyak said some of the line items in this year’s state budget decreased up to 100 percent or were crossed out.
Polyak added he will meet with Hatfield and curriculum director Jennie Hawkey to discuss the impact the cuts will have on the district budget, including the Bright Futures program, which is being reduced by a third.
Bright Futures is a program for pre-school age children which involves playtime, reading, art, nutrition and field trips five days a week.
“As for Bright Futures, my recommendation is we continue the program this year but reevaluate for the next year based on funding. We have 80 families enrolled already,” Polyak said.
Board member Steve Nalley added Bright Futures funding has been in jeopardy before, but the district never abandoned the program.
• approved a resolution to accept the bid on an online bond sale to help with district cash influx.
Hatfield said the good news is the district increased its bond rating from an “A” to a “Double A Minus.”
The improved rating means the district will get a one-half of 1 percent reduction in its total interest paid, or $200,000 less.
Board member Mike Denzer said with the economic environment, it is rare for a bond rating to improve while most are being downgraded or on downgrade watch.
Polyak said the Illinois state superintendent’s office also recently gave IVC its financial profile rating.
The IVC rating was “recognition,” which is the highest possible rating a school district can receive.
• approved personnel contracts for: Nick Waechter, assistant high school football coach; Theresa Flannery, part-time district ESL teacher; Rose Bachman, part-time clerical for the district office and high school; Stephanie Bergen, part-time clerical for CEC; and Janette McClure and Chuck Vail as substitute bus drivers.
Also, Janean Hansel was hired as the district literacy coordinator, a new position Polyak said was made possible by recent federal stimulus funds.
The district literacy coordinator will work with curriculum, assessment and instruction for teachers and students in grades K-12 and implement and oversee literacy programs.
“We are taking advantage of a limited opportunity,” Polyak said.
• approved a contract with Little Tykes Learning Adventures to provide before-and-after-school care for kids at Mossville.
Polyak said students can arrive as early as 6:30 a.m. and stay as late as 5:45 p.m.
The program, which has been in place for several years, takes a maximum of 28 kids and usually has an average of 10 to 15 students.
• approved the high school choral trip.
The curriculum committee also met before the board meeting to address the process for teachers and staff when leading a school trip — such as formal application forms, choosing chaperones and number of kids.
• approved the re-establishment of the district’s working cash fund.
The fund was abolished at last month’s meeting to close the financial books for the school year.
Chillicothe, Ill. —
