Steeleville BOE approves increase in sports activity fee
<span>After a lengthy discussion, the Steeleville District 138 Board of Education voted to approve raising the sports activity fee during its meeting on Monday.</span>
<span>The previous fee was $50 per student, per sport. The new rate is $60.</span>
<span>"A big portion of money goes into sports programs," said District Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland. "We took this last year to look at cutting transportation. We saved roughly $17,000, which was a great savings, but we're looking at the possibility of a debt reduction plan for next year."</span>
<span>Mulholland said with the prospect of a debt reduction plan, the board needed to examine ways of continuing to fund sports.</span>
<span>"The majority of the cost is for coaching salaries," she said.</span>
<span>The activity fee was one of a large number of action items the BOE discussed during a reportedly three-hour meeting, including approving a resolution authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds.</span>
<span>The bonds are not to exceed $2.9 million in total and Mulholland said they would be repaid with sales tax funds.</span>
<span>"The board will approve projects in the future," she said. "We just have to get the bonds sold so that we can proceed.</span>
<span>"What we're going to spend it on will be discussed at future meetings."</span>
<span>Mulholland said there are several projects on the table, including improvements to the baseball field and window replacement in both buildings. Both the high school and elementary school buildings have their original windows.</span>
<span>"Window replacement in both buildings is a big project we've talked about for years," she said. "Going with more energy-efficient windows has been something that's been discussed."</span>
<span>In other board action, the employment of the replacement for former Steeleville High School teacher/girls basketball coach Brad Copelin was approved. Copelin recently resigned to teach at his alma mater, O'Fallon Township High School.</span>
<span>John Antonacci, who taught mathematics and coached girls soccer at Hillsboro High School, will take on both of Copelin's former positions. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Eastern Illinois University, according to the Hillsboro District 3 website.</span>
<span>"It fortunately worked out that the best candidate for the math position was interested in coaching," Mulholland said. "I think it will be fine."</span>
<span>The board also approved the inclusion of physical education grades as part of a student's GPA.</span>
<span>"I checked with all schools in the (Cahokia) Conference and it's 50-50," Mulholland said. "That seemed to be a trend that some schools are moving toward and we decided to follow suit.</span>
<span>"For here, it was always a letter grade. That's part of why the board is comfortable with including that."</span>
<span>Mulholland said the evaluation of P.E. has changed over the past 15 to 20 years.</span>
<span>"It's not simply if you can run a mile in eight minutes, you get an 'A,'" she said. "It's a pencil and paper test and you look more at each individual improvement."</span>
Roundup
<span>The BOE accepted the resignation of Pre-Kindergarten/Special Education teacher Dani Hesker.</span>
<span>The BOE established imprest and petty cash funds and appointed Cindy Ramsey as the treasurer for the imprest fund, which covers incidental expenses.</span>
<span>The BOE approved the employment of Nealy Hicks as 1st grade teacher.</span>
<span>The BOE approved the retirement agreements for grade school secretary Deb Uchtman, high school secretary Judy Rodewald and business manager Cindy Ramsey. All three will receive a 6 percent salary increase each of the last three years before retirement.</span>
<span>The BOE appointed Scheffel Boyle as auditor for 2015-16.</span>
<span>The BOE approved dance coach Brianna Huseman</span>
<span>The BOE awarded cafeteria bids to Prairie Farms (milk and juice) and Bimbo Bakery (bread).</span>
<span>The BOE set breakfast and lunch prices for 2015-16, which will remain the same from the previous year. Breakfast is $1.80, K-4th grade lunch $2.30, 5th-8th grade lunch is $2.50, 9th-12th grade lunch is $2.75.</span>
<span>The BOE approved changes to the 2015-16 handbooks at the high school and elementary school. Mulholland said that is to update policy as well as institute changes relating to the PARCC test.</span>
<span>The first day of student attendance for the upcoming school year has been set at Aug. 19.</span>
<span>The next meeting of the District 138 BOE is Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.</span>