Board of Education Monthly Meeting Summary: May 28

The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education met on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, in the Liberty Middle School Auditorium for its monthly board meeting.  

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 District #7 Board of Education Board Docs once approved by the Board.  

Registration Reminder 
Registration for the 2024-25 school year remains open and can be done online. Registration should be completed no later than Friday, July 19, 2024, to ensure class schedules and transportation assignments are ready for the first day of school. 

To complete enrollment for returning students, parents/caregivers should log into their PowerSchool Parent Portal and then click ‘Registration’ from the navigation menu on the left-hand side. 

Any student new to the district for the 2024-25 school year should complete pre-registration first.  

Board Listening Session/ThoughtExchange Summary  Community members were invited to meet with Board of Education earlier this month to provide feedback on three topics surrounding the district. The District then followed up with a ThoughtExchange on those topics.  

A summary of the ThoughtExchange results is as follows:  

Question 1: What physical features do you believe create a secure and safe school environment?  

• There were 241 participants, who shared 250 thoughts, and tallied 9,793 ratings 

• A summary of thoughts included: A secure and safe school environment is achieved through a blend of physical features and policies, such as locked exterior doors without glass, restricted access, lockable classroom doors, fully fenced playgrounds, and well-maintained facilities. Additional measures include the use of security cameras, metal detectors, and security personnel. Strict rule enforcement, including zero tolerance for bullying, fighting, drug use, and vaping. Clear and consistent disciplinary procedures, mandatory use of IDs, and the presence of monitors are also important for ensuring safety. Other recommendations include obstacle-free layouts, updated facilities, and gender-inclusive forms. 

Question 2: How do we foster an equitable, safe, and inclusive school environment for all members of our school community? 

• There were 177 participants, who shared 159 thoughts, and tallied 6,401 ratings 

• A summary of thoughts included: Strategies include empowering teachers to engage in critical issues, training staff to use students' preferred names and pronouns, and increasing transparency with the district. Ensuring bathroom safety and encouraging students to report incidents are crucial. Respect for students, parents, and teachers, along with appropriate discipline measures. Providing educational opportunities for parents and the community, discontinuing gender-based student groupings, and creating an environment where students can freely share their beliefs, opinions, and values without judgment. 

Question 3: What do you want to see from District #7 for it to be a successful district in the next five years? 

• There were 247 participants, who shared 305 thoughts, and tallied 13,175 ratings.  

• A summary of thoughts included: Improving accountability and discipline, holding students accountable for their behavior, and increasing teacher morale and support. Focus areas include engaging students in meaningful learning, offering more vocational classes, limiting new initiatives, and improving leadership at all levels. Enhanced communication, transparency, and community involvement. The district should enforce a no cell phone policy, reduce class sizes, and ensure the safety of all students and staff. 

This information will be used by District #7 to develop action steps for the 2024-25 school year. These action steps will be shared prior to the new school year in August. More exchanges and survey will be used to gather feedback from District #7 stakeholders as we move forward. 

PowerPoint from presentation

In action, the board approved: 

• The bid from Republic Services, Inc. for trash removal and single-stream recycling services District-wide for the period from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. 

• The school bus diesel fuel bid from Energy Petroleum Company effective from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. 

• The bids for copier/duplicating paper and printer/fax cartridges, both for the 2024-25 school year.  

• to adopt resolutions to extend the term of Edwardsville CUSD #7’s participation and membership in the Mississippi Valley Property Casualty Intergovernmental Cooperative and the Mississippi Valley Employee Benefits Intergovernmental Cooperative through June 30, 2027. 

• Approve the Edwardsville High School Commons Expansion Contract Award for Bid Package #6 (Carpentry) to Holland General Contractors.  

• The Lincoln Middle School Bid Package #3 Contract Award for Work Package #14A (Elevators) to Schindler Elevator. 

• The purchase of Elementary (K-5) Math materials and supplies as recommended by the District #7 Elementary Math Curriculum Committee and the purchase of IXL personalized math tool for middle school. 

• The appointment of Cole Kringlen as Columbus Interim Principal, Brandi Alvarado as Nelson Elementary and Leclaire Elementary Administrative Intern, Jamie Anderson as Lincoln Middle School Assistant Principal, Holly Hampton as Midway Elementary and Hamel Elementary Administrative Intern, Leslie Simpson as Glen Carbon Elementary and Goshen Elementary Administrative Intern, and Cari Wencewicz as Worden Elementary and Columbus Elementary Assistant Principal.  

Installation of Student Representative to the Board of Education 

Senior Amulyla Girada and junior Josie Proctor were sworn in as the two new student representatives. Girada will serve a one-year term, while Proctor will serve a two-year term. The Board also recognized outgoing student representative Case Warner for his time and service during the 2023-24 school year.  

Next Meeting:  
Monday, June 24 – Board of Education Monthly Meeting (7 p.m. at Liberty Middle School)