Arthur School Board launches superintendent search, reviews new facility plans, and approves future calendars
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The Arthur Community Unit School District 305 Board of Education took major steps toward the district’s future during its Feb. 18 meeting, including approving the hiring of a search firm to begin the process of selecting the district’s next superintendent, reviewing schematic designs for a major building project, and approving school calendars for the next two years.
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
PROCESS BEGINS
The Board voted to hire the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Executive Search Service to assist in finding a successor to Superintendent Cheek who will retire at the end of the 2026-27 school year.
Retired superintendents Vic Zimmerman and Tim Buss presented the search process, outlining a timeline that would begin with posting the position in July and applications closing in late September. Screening interviews and board interviews would follow, with a final hire expected by late fall or early winter.
Zimmerman said the search firm will conduct surveys of staff, parents, community members, and possibly students to develop an ideal candidate profile, outlining qualities the community wants in its next district leader.
The consultants emphasized that school boards make the final hiring decision, while the search firm supports the process with candidate screening, stakeholder surveys, and interview coordination.
Zimmerman noted that the number of superintendent applicants has declined statewide due to ongoing shortages in educators and administrators, with many districts now seeing only 10 to 20 applicants.
The IASB team also described optional components of the search, including focus groups, mock interviews, and stakeholder interviews for finalist candidates involving staff, parents, and community members. The consultants said these steps can provide transparency and feedback while keeping the hiring decision with the board and added approximately 45% of school districts are now acquiring these extra services. The base cost of the search was quoted at $7,400.
Board members expressed support for the search process, noting the district’s successful experience using IASB in previous superintendent searches. The board unanimously approved moving forward with the executive search.
DONATIONS AND STUDENT
TRIP APPROVALS
The Board recognized five donations including contributions to fund “Corn Bowl” shirts for students from Jo Watkins, $150, Ponder Farms, $200, and two anonymous donors in the amounts of $250 and $500 and a donation of a Keurig coffee machine for the high school from Jenny and Brinley Moore.
Additionally, the Board approved two overnight student trips. Mr. Lee will be taking 10 student council members to the State Student Council Convention in Springfield on March 25 and 26. The second trip will be on April 29 when Mrs. Rafferty and Mrs. Singer from the English Language Arts department along with Mrs. Seegmiller will leave for Chicago to experience the Broadway production of The Great Gatsby with 79 students. This opportunity was made possible by a generous grant from The Providence Foundation and covers the expenses for two charter buses, theater tickets and lunch.
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT REACHES
SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE
Damien Schlitt from BLDD Architects provided a schematic design update for the district’s long-discussed high school renovation and addition project, marking a key milestone in the planning process.
Schlitt along with Carson Durham presented updated floor plans and conceptual renderings, highlighting a redesigned campus with a single secured front entrance, new classrooms, expanded science labs, agriculture and technology labs, and a central “core” area including a library and small-group spaces.
The design emphasizes enhanced security features, improved circulation, better traffic flow, and community access for after-hours events. The campus includes a central commons area, expanded classrooms, career-technical labs, and improved administrative and district office areas.
The project is transitioning from schematic design to design development, during which staff and users will review room layouts, equipment needs, and details before final construction documents are prepared and the project moves toward bidding and construction.
TWO-YEAR SCHOOL
CALENDARS APPROVED
The board approved school calendars for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years.
Superintendent Cheek said approving two calendars will help ease the transition for the new superintendent and provide families with advance planning. The proposed 2026–27 calendar includes a full week off for Thanksgiving due to available flexibility in attendance days, and the 2027–28 calendar pushes the start of school as late as possible to maximize instructional time.
It was noted that calendars can be amended, if necessary, due to snow days or other unforeseen circumstances.
The School Board continued its ongoing discussion about a potential high school name change during its recent meeting, debating whether and how to survey the community while also approving key financial and construction steps for the district’s new high school project.
NAME-CHANGE DEBATE
OVER SURVEYING PUBLIC
The School Board continued its ongoing discussion about a potential high school name change and whether to issue a community survey to gauge public opinion.
Several members stressed the importance of establishing participation benchmarks before taking action, noting that low response rates may not reflect community sentiment.
One Board member suggested using voter turnout data as a benchmark for meaningful participation. “If we’re going to do it, we’ve got to set something that’s sustainable,” Brock Casteel said, adding that a small number of responses would not be representative of the district’s constituents.
Others cautioned against setting strict metrics in advance, noting that surveys often receive limited participation. Board member Jenny Moore said it might be better to conduct the survey first and evaluate the response afterward.
Concerns were also raised that a survey could create expectations among the public that the board would act on the results. “People will think we’re going to act on it,” Brock Casteel said, adding that flexibility is important in Board decision-making.
Some Board members argued the community has already had opportunities to provide input through meetings, media coverage, and social media, while others countered that public comment periods do not provide a reliable cross-section of community opinion.
The Board discussed keeping the survey simple, potentially with a single yes-or-no question about exploring a name change, while clarifying that school colors, mascots and elementary school names would not be affected. Superintendent Cheek will draft a one question survey and share it with the board for review before distribution to the public.
ALTERNATE REVENUE BOND
RESOLUTION APPROVED
The Board held a public hearing and approved a resolution expressing its intent to sell up to $5.2 million in alternate revenue bonds to fund construction of a new high school, renovations to existing facilities and improvements to school sites. The bonds would be repaid using sales tax revenue.
Cheek told the board earlier estimates projected about $4 million in available funding, but updated projections indicate approximately $4.7 million, which would exceed the initial estimate though still below the $5.2 million ceiling. The board unanimously approved the resolution.
ASBESTOS REMOVAL BID AWARDED
In the first construction-related bid for the new high school project, the board approved a contract with DEM Services, Inc. from Addison for asbestos abatement at the existing high school. Seven companies attended the pre-bid meeting, and all submitted bids, creating a competitive process.
The base bid covers asbestos removal in portions of the north and south areas of the building, with alternate bids for the kitchen and high school office areas. The base bid came in at approximately $177,000, significantly below earlier estimates of $350,000.
Work is scheduled to begin shortly after the end of the school year, with initial phases starting in the weight room, music and chorus areas before moving to other sections of the building.
STAFFING AND FACILITY UPDATES
During Superintendent’s Cheek’s report, he shared updates on staffing and facility planning. The district is interviewing candidates for social studies and business teaching positions, with a strong applicant pool for social studies and fewer candidates for business.
Cheek announced a recommendation to hire a new district librarian, noting the candidate is expected to participate in tours of potential new media center facilities. Additionally, the district recently hired a full-time speech pathologist, marking the first time in several years the district has employed two in-house speech specialists.
He also reported ongoing discussions with the Lovington church regarding the potential use of its facilities. Talks have focused on reimbursement for utilities, and administrators’ plan to provide a recommendation and draft a formal use agreement.
Superintendent Cheek shared a personal update regarding the removal of the Knight head featured at the front of the school as part of the new construction project. He said he contacted Tim Pankey, who was involved in designing the original design in 1987 as his Eagle Scout project, to inform him of the plans.
“He was so grateful that we called and that we considered calling,” Cheek said, describing the conversation as positive and respectful. He added that the feature has been widely used for graduation photos and community events and that the district plans to recreate a similar community gathering space on the new campus.
PERSONNEL REPORT
Certified staff
• approved hiring Lyndsey Herring as the new District Librarian/Media Specialist beginning the 2026-2027 school year
• approved 3-year contract for Mrs. Marla Graham as the Principal of LGS Grade School
Non-certified staff
• accepted Sabrina Bettinger resignation as an aide at the high school
• accepted Tiffany Reedy resignation as the Secretary at LGS
Extracurricular staff
• accepted resignation from Misty Appleby for HS Cheerleading Coach
• approved Kristen Corum as a Volunteer Softball Coach
• approved Mackenzie Rocke as JH Assistant Girls Track Coach
• approved John Hershberger as the Bass Fishing Coach