Jefferson BOE

The Jefferson C-123 Board of Education met during its regular meeting April 18 to raise salaries and conduct the following business:

Board members voted to raise the salary step increases by $15 and added $200 to the base salary which equaled close to an average of a two-percent raise for employees.

Charley Burch was awarded a $900 salary increase and Tim Jermain was awarded a $1,350 salary increase.

The non-certified staff salary schedule was approved.

Andy Schieber approached the school board with a list of pros and cons to having a full-day preschool program. He would like to see the program expand to a full day because he felt their were more benefits, that children would learn more and the school would receive more students. There was no action taken.

In construction updates:

The school board members decided on a white wall and blue ceiling beams in the new gymnasium.

Discussion was had about sidewalk placement and the flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic during games as well as school drop off, pick up and bus flow. One idea suggested was adding landscaped areas for the FFA chapter to maintain; another idea called for installing all concrete with handicap parking. Other discussion included adding visitor parking in the spots nearest the building.

The board approved of the eagle decal size which will be 21-feet by 21-feet, four times larger than the current eagle, and three-foot tall lettering for the gym floor. Members also looked through floor tile color samples for the entry, classrooms and office space, with members gravitating toward a gray and blue mix.

The board of education plaque on the building will name the current board members.

It was decided not to purchase a video board for the new space and to use the funds elsewhere.

The Jefferson Foundation has donated funds to purchase scoreboards for the gym. It was approved to purchase the boards from Nevco, Greenfield, IL, for just under $11,000.

Volleyball inserts were added for $1,900.

The roof on the gym is up and the masonry wall is in progress.

Laura Galbraith was voted as school board president, Jeff Farnan as vice-president, Emmy Brown as board secretary and Jane Walter as board treasurer for the upcoming year.

DARE graduation will be at 2 pm, May 4.

The next school board meeting will be at 5:30 pm, May 18.