Vandalia Board of Education Holds Meeting

By Editor | April 24, 2024

DEBORAH SIMCOX
Correspondent
WARNING! ALERT! With tornado warnings being broadcast via cell phones and sirens going off, the Thursday, April 18 Vandalia Community District #203 School Board meeting interrupted its Executive Session to relocate to the High School basement, followed by the Staff/Facility and members of the media, who had been waiting for the Executive Session to end and the regular session to reconvene. Other ongoing activities at both the High School including the track meet and Elementary School’s musical were interrupted by the weather alerts.
Prior to the alert, Superintendent Jennifer Garrison reported her attendance, with Board Member Reid Torbeck, OKAW Director Nick Casey, and four Okaw students at the Innovations Conference in Peoria. This conference, which included CEOs, engineers and other professionals, was presented to demonstrate the “pathways and opportunities” offered by OKAW and Career and Technical Educations. The four students who received Scholarship funds were Hunter Clark – Greenville, Emma Chambers – South Central, Katie Eckhardt – Vandalia, and Kendal Merkley – Brownstown.
Garrison also related that the City of Vandalia, Fayette County Board, and Vandalia CUSD #203 are formalizing the OKAW Steering Committee Memorandum of Understanding. This would involve the creation of a separate center which would be larger and more multi-faceted than the current facilities to “fill the void” at OKAW, providing more options for technology and industry in providing a workforce. The OKAW Area Vocational Center’s fiscal agent is CUSD #203.
In the High School reports, Principal Randy Protz expressed his appreciation of one of his teachers, Rachael Willenborg, who is including a section on “Textiles” as part of her class. Protz enthused that, when he was passing her class, “Seeing girls ironing makes me smile.”
Other Vandalia Community High School news included:
•Regional Envirothon Competition held at Ballard Nature Center on April 9. The Senior Team, who received a First Overall and will go on to represent Land Use Council10 in the May State Envirothon Competition, include Conner McCall, Carson Lotz, Conner Thierry, Kaylee Rosenkoetter, and Kanon Wollerman. Receiving a First Place in both the Aquatics and 5th Category of renewable Energy were the Junior Team of Carlie Graumenz, Jay Keck, Sophia McNealy, Jayden Rosetto, and Brad Simmons. Alternates were Isaac Forbes and Ayden Pryor.
•On Wednesday, May 1 at 9 a.m., Awards Day will be held in the High School Gym.
•Academic Signing Day, which include scholarship announcements and where students are continuing their education, will be held Thursday, May 2 at 8 a.m. in the High School Cafeteria.
•On Monday, May 13 the last Progress Report will go out.
•On Monday, May 20, Freshman Orientation will be held at 6 p.m. in the High School Gym.
Vandalia Junior High Guidance Department events will include Fourth Grade Orientation with each third-grade class attending the Junior High for a tour, which will occur in May with Orientation for parents in August. May 3 will be 8th grade job shadowing, and VAF scholarship application process will be finalized April 22.
In Sports, home track meets will be April 16 & April 18.
Further events & Activities include:
•Retirement Dinner – FCA April 22.
•ISA deadline – April 30.
•Tech Committee meeting – May 2 @ 3:45 p.m.
•VIP Store/SAP all day – May 10.
•Spring Band Concert May 13 @ 7 p.m. at High School.
•Tour of High School & lunch for 8th Graders – May 14 @ 11:45 a.m.
•5th Grade to Altitude – May 17.
•VIP Concessions – May 20.
•Teacher Institute – May 23.
In Vandalia Elementary School news a) the 3rd Graders have completed their IAR (IL Assessment of Readiness), b) Kindergarten & 1st Grade had their Open Houses & Musicals which were dinosaur themed, c) Head Start Students will be visiting Kindergarten classes to experience what coming to VES will be like next year, and d) Students have experienced Field Trips this month including Ballard Nature Center, YMCA, and Pumpkin Patch and will be experiencing future field trips to the Magic House and the Zoo.
In addition to the Innovations Conference, OKAW Area Vocational Center news included senior final exams to be held May 1, only a few small items are needed to complete the Building Trades House, and 8th Grade YouTube will be April 18.
The Special Education Report included:
•Continuing monthly book study of “Effects of Poverty” by Ruby Payne, Ph.D.
•Greenville University Adapted Olympics have invited 22 athletes grades 4 – 12 to attend.
•DLM Assessment for Special Needs Students for TLC classrooms was completed for 13 students with an alternative assessment for the 1% of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
•Knights of Columbus donation will be for purchasing kitchen equipment for TLC classrooms and materials and supplies in Special Education rooms.
•Projections in terms of numbers for future needs in Special Needs classrooms were given to the Building Administrators.
•Collaboration with Curriculum Staff in terms of paraprofessional trainings, 2024/2025 Teacher Book study, and yearly Crisis Prevention Intervention training set.
After the regular Board Meeting reconvened, the following Action items were approved:
•OKAW MOU Steering Committee.
•Consulting Service Agreement between VCUSD and T. Thoman Development, LLC.
•Vandalia Kitchen Equipment Replacement Project bid by Ford Hotel Supply for $130,830.
•District Resignations: Susan Feldhake (VJHS Teacher Aide), Amanda Moloney (VJHS & VCHS Band Teacher), and Colin Ledbetter (HS Soccer Coach).
• District FMLA: Kayla Hazzard (VCHS TCL Aide) and Ronnie Ladon (VJHS Teacher Aide).
•District Employment: Kendall Rooney (VES Teacher Aide), Mikayla Ruot (VJHS & VCHS Band Teacher).
•Jennifer Garrison (5 year contract from July 1, 2024-June 30 2029).
•Greta Kruegar (5 year contract from July 1, 2024-June 30, 2029.
•District Coaches/Volunteer Coaches: Christian DiBerardino (HS Boys’ Golf Coach and Joe Vanzo (HS Boys’ Basketball Head Coach.
The next regular meeting of the Vandalia Community Unit District #203 Board of Education is Thursday, May 16, 2024 @ 6 p.m. in the Administration Board Room. The Public is welcome to attend.