Grundy Reporter

Gardner So. Wilmington Township High School District 73 Board of Education met Jan. 15.

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

PUBLIC COMMENT:

No public comment.

Mr. DeLong printed out and passed around an e-mail from Mr. Rick Gravatt, Grundy County Special Education Program Coordinator and Principal at Rivers Edge Academy, that had some very nice words complimenting our GSW High School students, faculty & staff.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR REPORT:

Athletic Director, Mr. John Engleman, discussed how Grace Christian Academy was accepted into the RVC and will join it next school year. There will now be a total of 8 teams in the River Valley Conference. He discussed how scheduling will work next year, with this new school added. Each school will play 7 Conference games, each school will play everyone in the Conference 1-time. Then the 8 schools will be divided into the top 4-teams and then the bottom 4-teams, depending on their record. The Championship will come from the top 4-team pool. Every school will get to play 10 Conference games. The committee all agreed on this new planning process for next year.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT:

Principal, Mr. John Engelman, informed the board about the Monday, January 6th School Improvement Day. He stated that it was a great day to get back to GSW after the Winter Break. They started with a light breakfast and social time, then followed by Curriculum work in departments or on their own. In the afternoon, everyone met in the library. There was a group activity. Then a book was handed out to everyone to read over the next month. There will be a Book Study with staff to discuss the book and start collaborations. Special Education teachers, Mrs. Erin Duffy and Mrs. Jennifer Arrambide presented SPED Laws & Regulations to the staff and English teacher, Mrs. Susan Heerdt also presented EBSCO to the staff.

BUILDING AND GROUNDS REPORT

• Winter break work:

o The library was painted

o Boiler issues – repaired steam leaks, cleaned-out traps

o Old lighting system in the gym was taken down from the drop ceiling

o Volleyball Banners were taken down

o Winter Sports Banners were put up and are now on display

o The building received a “deep cleaning”

• Update on potential gym project:

o The floor project is set for the last week of July

o Looking to receive quotes for painting in the gym area

: Mr. Josh DeLong discussed the following:

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT: Mr. DeLong presented on the following:

• Athletic Trainer discussion for next year – GSW is the only school in the RVC that does NOT have an Athletic Trainer. We really need to have one for all in-door sporting events, starting next school year. Mr. Engelman has called Riverside to see about getting one for GSW HS.

• Trap shooting donation – we received a $500 donation from Janet Brown and Marilyn Brown.

• Concession stand floor – Mr. Justin Kavanaugh put down a new Opoxy floor over Winter Break and Angie Grieff has also done a lot of work and updates in the concession stand & ticket booth area.

• Mobile Dentist – Coming to GSW HS on February 13.

• Hall of Fame – being held Friday, January 17 and new inductees are = John Hollmeyer and Nancy Riggi

• Registration procedures – going to move to “on-line” registration this Spring / Summer. There will be a $10 discount per student if they complete Early On-Line Registration, which runs March 9 thru May 1st, and pay their school fees. We will still have 2-days in July for parents to come into the school and complete the on-line registration, July 21 and July 28. Communications and more details will come out in February.

BOE MEMBERS REPORTS:

Mr. DeLong informed the board members that the Gardner American Legion donated a new flag to hang in the gym area.

Board members also discussed that we also need to hang / display a flag on the flagpole behind the school by the baseball field and also fix the flagpole in front of the school and hang a flag on it.

Painting the baseball dugouts was also discussed.

ACTION ITEMS:

• Approve Jill Vollmer as trap shooting coach

• Approve the Destruction of Closed Session Audio Recordings 18-months and older. Jan – June 2018

• Approve the Opening of Board of Education Closed Session Minutes from July 2019 – December 2019

• Approve the Resolution for the issues of Taxable General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2020

Resolution providing for the issue of Taxable General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2020, of the District, for the purpose of increasing the Working Cash Fund of the District, providing for the Levy of a direct annual tax sufficient to pay the principal and interest on said bonds, and authorizing the sale of said bonds to the purchaser thereof.

OTHER:

Board members discussed announcement of the Hall of Fame inductees prior to the ceremony on Friday night, January 17th. Hope to increase public attendance. Members asked to have the information put on the Gardner Cable Channel, Morris radio station / WCSJ, and on the school marquee.

http://www.gswhs73.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/53b4271773d6c/January%2015,%202020%20Board%20Briefs.pdf