North Clay School Board Hears Update On Construction Project

Louisville, IL-(Effingham Radio)- The North Clay School Board met last week and heard updates on the construction at the school.

Superintendent Keith Price provided a list of items that have progressed in the construction project since the December board meeting. Those items included: Painting (inside) of the new gym, continued mechanical/electrical/plumbing installation throughout the addition, demolition of the south stairs at the high school, the painting of the 2nd floor existing high school hallway, greeting up to open new stairs for use (around the end of the month of January), fiber cement panels installed on the exterior, completed TPO roofing installation. 

• A motion was made to appoint Jason Griffy as secretary. Approved 5-0 
• Consider Adoption of Agenda Approved 5-0
• Consider Approval Consent Agenda of Regular Board Meeting Approved 5-0 a. Approval of Minutes; b. Treasurer’s Report; c. Approval of Bills, Personal and Sick Leave; d. Approval of Field Trips 
• Recognition of Guests, Public Comments, and Positive News 

During public comments, citizen Athena VanDyke spoke about her desire for the district to continue to pursue and offer a music co-op opportunity with the Flora school district. Then, Principal Borries, Principal Newby and Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Rich Grubaugh presented positive news for the Elementary, Junior High School and High School: 

North Clay Elementary/Junior High School Positive News 

• January Jr. Deputies: 2nd Graders – Isaac Cammon & Sullivan Price, 3rd Graders – Silver Kessler, Andrew McGuire, & John Lucas Zink, 4th Graders – Jackie Westendorf & Eli Bible. 
• January 3rd – SIP Day – Active Intruder Drill district wide, held in the Elementary/Jr. High Building. Afternoon district provided dinner then CPR training was conducted for all district employees.
• Tremendous Support Staff and Certified Staff to get our kids back into school and up and running.
• January 21st – Tutoring will resume. 
• January 22nd – 6 -8th grade Spelling Bee 
• January 31st – County Spelling Bee 
• Pre-K program earned Gold Circle Designation from ExceleRate Illinois 

North Clay High School Positive News 

• Students were welcomed back on Monday, January 13th with a full gym assembly and received their schedules for the Spring. 
• Tutoring will start again the week of January 20th 
• Morgan Cox along with volunteer Loren Hollway is working with students and have created an FCA for the high school students. 
• Students will attend Brain Games on January 24th with Mr. Barnard. 
• On January 31st, accounting students will be attending the SIU Accounting Day with Mrs. Cox.
• The FFA students will be attending Ground Zero on January 31st. 
• Construction Project Updates
• The old restrooms downstairs have both been converted. The plumbing is out, drywall is up, and the walls are painted. We are waiting for the ceiling to go in and the rest of the electrical to be completed in these rooms.
• The old restrooms upstairs have both been converted as well. The boys restrooms upstairs will now encompass a single use faculty restroom as well as a teacher workroom.
• The upstairs hallway has been painted and the glass block wall on the northside in the hallway has been drywalled and painted.
• The highschool building and the tower were fully connected over the break.
• The new restrooms in the tower are moving along very nicely and should be opened by the end of January.
• All the glass in the corridor is in and the drywall is up.
• The gym will have the scoreboards installed on Thursday.

Extra-Curricular Activities Positive News 

• 8th Grade Night, Santa’s Smiles (1/13) 
• Karly Brummer of Altamont (14) battling leukemia. HS Girls BKB wearing black bows in hair tonight, HS Boys BKB live auction halftime of game Friday at Altamont 
• IBCA Recognition for HS Boys BKB 1000th Win (1/25) 
• HS Baseball Game at Busch Stadium (6/11) 

Presentation of the FY24 Audit Superintend Price explained that the district auditor is not yet finished with the audit and will be ready to present at the February board meeting.

A motion was made to table this item. Approved 5-0 to table

• Consider to go out for fuel bids Approved 5-0
• Consider to out for bus bids Approved 5-0
• Consider to approve second reading of board policy updates Approved 5-0
• Update on Construction Project (agenda item moved by previous motion to after closed session)
• Consider to approve marketing and advertising contract Approved 5-0 to accept a marketing and advertising bid from the Clay County State Bank. 

Closed session for the purpose of: 

1. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, security, or dismissal of specific employees of the district 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) 
2. Collective negotiating matter between the public body and its employees or other representatives 5 ILCS 12/2(c)(2) 
3. Student disciplinary cases 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(9) 

Approved 5-0 at 6:40PM 

The Board of Education met in closed session from 6:40PM to 7:05PM 

Open The Board of Education entered into open session at 7:05PM Approved 5-0 

Upon returning from closed session, the following motions were made: 

1. Hire Steve Stortzum as part time bus driver Approved 5-0
2. Provide administration permission to hire non-certified staff, as needed. Approved 5-0

Committee Reports / Superintendent Report Superintendent Keith Price shared an update with the board regarding the collapse (due to weight of snow) of the pre-k playground canopy. This occurred during the weekend while no students or staff were present. Replacement and repairs are getting scheduled. 

The many staff members who helped make the successful return to school after the snow days were thanked. This included our custodial and maintenance staff who helped clear sidewalks and parking lots and our bus drivers and transportation department for their navigation of the roads during that time.