Board of Education July 2025 Meeting Summary

The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education met on Monday, July 28, 2025, in the Liberty Middle School Auditorium for its monthly session.    

These are not the official meeting minutes and do not include every detail from the meeting, but rather a summary to assist the District #7 community. The official minutes can be found on the Board of Education Dilligent website once approved by the Board. 

Superintendent's Report 

• Summer construction is wrapping up across the district, with several projects nearing completion. At Edwardsville High School, updates to the Commons area include fresh paint, new flooring, and updated furniture, which is scheduled to be delivered on August 11. At Lincoln Middle School, new wall graphics are being installed in the addition to honor the building’s history as the former high school. Secure entry upgrades took place at seven buildings, many of which are now in the final stages. Additionally, during the August work session meeting, an overview of the new drop-off and pick-up procedures at Woodland School will be presented. The drive has been lowered and repaved with new asphalt. 

• There are currently 6,539 students registered for the 2025-26 school year, compared to 6,492 last year at this time. If your student(s) have not yet been registered, please do so by visiting ecusd7.org. If you have questions or need assistance, please call 618-655-6058 or email registration@ecusd7.org. 

• Some other back-to-school dates include:  

  • August 8 – schedules for middle and high school students will be available  

  • August 12 – transportation information available in First View (tentatively) 

  • August 15 – elementary teacher assignments released  

• New educators will begin a week of orientation on August 4. District #7 will welcome 16 new educators this year.  

• Save the date for Sunday, Aug. 31 as Lincoln Middle School hosts a grand opening and celebration of its history. The community is invited from 2-4 p.m. to commemorate the building’s 100-year legacy and the official opening of the new addition and restored 1925 first floor. Following a brief ceremony at 2 p.m., tours will be given by former and current Lincoln students.  

Bond Update 
Phase 1 projects are nearing completion with the Hamel abatement and reconstruction of classrooms remaining, while three phase 2 projects, including playgrounds, the Columbus gym and the EHS media center are on the table. Dr. Shelton was seeking input from the board on how to move forward.  

Transportation Update 
As part of this year’s registration process, families are asked how often they plan to use district transportation. While the district continues to follow the same general structure each year, they are working toward a more efficient and improved transportation system. This fall, the goal is to take a preliminary look at what those changes could look like, with an update anticipated in October or November to determine if adjustments can be made. In the meantime, the district will continue regular bus audits where bus drivers note students who are riding their bus.  

Health Life Safety Amendment 
The Board discussed the submission of a Health Life Safety Amendment to the Regional Office of Education for asbestos abatement projects scheduled to take place through the summer of 2026 in the 1963 and 1970 additions at Lincoln Middle School in the amount of $810,350. This would allow the district to charge the cost of these projects to the Health Life Safety Fund, which currently has a fund balance of approximately $2.3 million.  

In action, the board approved:  

• The Concussion Oversight Team, as required by state law to establish protocols for return-to-play and return-to-learn for students who have suffered a concussion or head injury during interscholastic athletic activities. 

• A list of financial institutions as District #7 depositories for the 2025-26 school year.  

• The bid for printer/fax cartridges for the 2025-26 school year in the amount of $81,330.15.  

Next Meeting:  
Monday, Aug. 11: Board of Education Work Session (6 p.m. at Liberty Middle School) 
Monday, Aug. 25: Board of Education Monthly Meeting (7 p.m. at Liberty Middle School)