The Carmi-White County School Board met for their December meeting on Monday, December 19. At the meeting, the 2016 tax levy was approved. The levy is against the 2016 assessment of $2,894,094. It’s based on a projected equalized assessed valuation of $142,989,768. The final projected tax rate of 4.004 is lower than the 4.2687 of last year, so a truth in taxation hearing was not required.
Dr. Amy Dixon gave a report on the PARCC, or Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, test results. It was the second year of the test, with many changes being made in the past year. All testing within the District went smoothly. All four schools, Jefferson, Washington, Junior High and Senior High Schools were above the state average in meeting or exceeding standards at most grade levels. All public schools in Illinois will be required to continue administering the PARCC test next spring in grades three through eight, but the high school PARCC test has been dropped. All high school juniors will now take the S.A.T. instead.
The Board entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian Health Department to employ a mental health professional to provide mental health services to the students and families of the District.
In the Superintendent’s report, Brad Lee said Lunsford Architects will be advertising for bids on some kitchen renovation work at the Brownsville School. They have received a national school lunch program equipment assistance grant for fifty thousand dollars. Forty-four thousand will be used at Brownsville and the other six thousand will be used at Lincoln. Brownsville will be getting a new six-burner range, a new dishwasher, a hot serving counter, a convection oven and two reach-in freezers. The work at Brownsville school will require some demolition of a partial wall in the cafeteria.
Lee also reminded everyone that school will be closed on Wednesday through Monday, January 2nd for Christmas vacation.
The District received $348,211 in state aid, but still is owed $225,000.
In other business, approved were two Board policies concerning Board member compensation and expenses and general personnel expenses.
A horizontal metal lathe and a vertical mill were declared surplus property. The District no longer has a need for this equipment and if possible, it will be sold by sealed bid.
Accepted were the resignations of John Deom as building custodian for the Junior/Senior High School effective December 9th and Terry Austin as high school golf coach effective immediately.
Also approved were donations of $300 to the Brownsville school and $6,000 to the District in support of its programs.
The Board went into closed session at 7:27 p.m. During the closed session, Tim Knight was re-employed as building custodian at the Junior/Senior High School for the present school year, and employed Amy Whitley as the Junior High boys assistant track coach. The Board also moved to increase the salaries of non-certified employees not in the bargaining unit.
