By Keith Gillett Herald Publications

MASCOUTAH – At its June meeting, the Mascoutah District 19 Board of Education approved changes to the budget for fiscal year 2022 which it approved in September 2021, increasing the spending authority in two funds.

The budget approved in September allowed for $5.34 million to be spent in the District’s Fund 30 to pay for principal and interest on the debt.

In November, the District refinanced $5.88 million of the debt used to fund construction of Wingate Elementary. At the time of the budget approval in September, the cost of the refunding was unknown. Payment amount was just over $6 million, causing the spending in the account to go over the spending authority that was approved.

The FY22 Fund 30 in the amended budget was increased to $13.37 million to reflect the bond refinancing.

The budget also did not reflect the unanticipated purchase of three tracts of land that the District purchased in late October for just over $1 million.

The FY22 budget as amended is $66.19 million, with anticipated revenue at $66.4 million, with an anticipated surplus of just over $200,000.

In other business, the Board: • John Harris provided a report on the building committee’s June 20th meeting. Harris reported on a proposal by Cody Whitworth and Steve Bennett for a public-private partnership opportunity that could provide a joint-use indoor facility on District land to the east of the District’s administration building that is currently being farmed by the FFA.

• District Superintendent Dr. Craig Fiegel reported that the District conducted a request for proposals for school pictures and five companies responded. After a review by a committee, Jostens was recommended for a three-year contract to take school pictures and to offer yearbooks for elementary and middle school students.

• Dr. Fiegel also reported that the District will offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the upcoming school year. The EAP benefit will be available to all 600 District employees starting Aug. 1.

• The Board recognized Harvey Groennert for his 50 years of service to the District – six years as assistant transportation director, 42 years as a bus driver and two years as a bus aide.

• Approved property/casualty/liability insurance and workers compensation policies for a combined total of $572,084. The P/C/L policy is an annual renewal with Dimond Brothers Insurance, and the workers compensation is an annual renewal with Imming Insurance Agency.

• Approved online digital content contracts for $64,755. One is an annual renewal with Nearpod for $17,980, one is an annual renewal with Active Learn for $26,185, and another is an initial purchase with Horizon Learning for $20,590.

• Approved entering into a coaching and consulting agreement with Compass PD for the 2022-23 school year for $35,700.

• Approved $20,294 in fitness items for Mascoutah Middle School and Mascoutah High School. The MMS purchase is to update equipment for beginning weight fit program. The purchase for MHS includes the recommendation of moving the weight room to the field house to better utilize that space.

• Approved the purchase and installation of bathroom partitions in several bathrooms at Mascoutah Elementary, Scott Elementary and MMS that need replacing. The old metal partitions will be replaced with solid plastic partitions which will last longer. Total cost of the partitions from Belleville Supply Company is $44,173.80.

• Approved the purchase of Wyebot Networking Curve devices for $24,076. The devices will help diagnose wifi/networking issues and eliminate conflicting signals.

• Approved an annual resolution that serious safety hazards exist on several pedestrian routes to schools. The resolution allows the District to count the students that are picked up on these routes for transportation reimbursements due to the safety hazards that exist.

• Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Collinsville Area Vocational Center. The District sends approximately 25 high school students annually to attend programs in Collinsville every year.

• By voice vote, approved the action for Federal programming and a Title 1 waiver for Scott Elementary. The waiver allows SES to continue to be eligible for Title 1 funding.

• Approved on first reading and waved the actual reading updates on 20 policies that will be updated in the District’s policy manual.

• Approved the District’s career technical education (CTE) district voting representatives – Superintendent Dr. Craig Fiegel as primary and Amy Kelly Johnson as the alternate. Mascoutah School District is a member of the Southwest Illinois CTE system and provides a representative to serve on the board.

• Approved the proposed amended Memorandum of Understand for the Union, which is currently being reviewed by the District’s legal counsel for final approval. The content of the MOU was revealed at the May Board meeting. Approved the following certified personnel actions:

• Hired Hailey Dryden as fourth grade instructor at SES; Jessica Lievers as a math teacher at MMS; Meghan Tippy-King as an ELA teacher at MMS; Melissa Houk as a special education teacher at MES; Catherine Kruse as a 5th grade teacher at MES; Michael Block as a science teacher at MHS; Wesley Morgan as a social studies teacher at MHS; Erin Gerth as an art teacher at SES; and Kyle Muskopf as band director for MHS.

• Approved the transfers of Katie Elbe from PE teacher at MMS to PE teacher at MHS; Katie Wisnasky from RtI teacher at SES to Library instructional coach; Mary Ann Kolda from PE teacher at Wesclin to PE teacher at MMS; and Deborah Davinroy from Special Education teacher at MES to Special Education teacher at WES.

• Approved the retirement of Mary Webb, a third grade teacher at MES, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year, after 31 years of service. Approved the following classified personel actions:

• Hired Cole Williams as a temporary summer groundskeeper; Claire Mendez as a technology aide; Dan Walthes as a technology aide; Lori Miller as an instructional aide at MES; Jason Dressler as head custodian at MMS; and Gabrielle Khamone an an instructional aide.

• Accepted the resignations of Jessica Nauman as an individual care aide at WES; Jennifer Smith as an individual care aide at WES; Gail Slane as an individual aide at MHS; and Gary Korte as a bus driver.

• Accepted the following extra duty resignations: Anita Kearney as Purple Crush Sponsor at MHS and Jamie Grawitch as JV dance coach at MHS.

The next Board meeting is 7 p.m. July 19 at the District Administration Building.