Student honored, surplus sale approved

STUDENT RECOGNIZED. Lovington Grade School student Avery Smith was honored and presented with a certificate of appreciation as the school’s top fundraiser for the Kids Heart Challenge for the past two years at last weeks Arthur school board meeting. Avery is pictured with Amy Ensign from the American Heart Association.

The Arthur Board of Education moved through a wide-ranging agenda at its latest meeting on Wednesday April 15, recognizing student achievement, approving several operational items and hearing updates on the district’s ongoing high school construction and transition plans.
The meeting began with board action following closed session, where members voted to uphold Arthur Grade School Principal Andrew Peralta’s assigned suspension involving a student. The board directed the superintendent to provide written notice of the decision to the students’ family.

Recognition/Public Comment

Once back in open session, the board heard a special recognition presentation for Lovington Grade School student Avery Smith, who was honored by Amy Ensign from the American Heart Association for her fundraising efforts through the school’s Kids Heart Challenge. Ensign said

Smith has been the school’s top fundraiser for the past two years, raising $1,011.37 on her own for the organization.

In addition to recognizing Smith, the American Heart Association thanked the district for its continued participation in the program. Ensign stated the district’s three elementary schools raised more than $5,000 this year and have contributed a lifetime total of $186,938.00, presenting Superintendent Cheek with a certificate of appreciation.

Lovington Grade School Principal Marla Graham introduced Roger Walker and Brian Buxton, leaders from First Baptist Church in Lovington, with whom the district has been working with as it explores relocating its pre-kindergarten program. Superintendent Cheek thanked them and said freeing up space for preschool students will be increasingly important as the district manages building needs next year.

During public comment, ALAH Student Council President Brynlee Moore thanked the board for supporting the group’s recent trip to the Illinois Association of Student Councils State Convention in Springfield. Moore said it was the first time in more than a decade that the school had attended the convention, where students took part in leadership workshops, heard keynote speakers and connected with student leaders from across the state.

She added that the experience helped students build communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills while also giving them the opportunity to represent their school and gain new ideas to bring back to campus.

Donations

The board later approved donations totaling $2,498.60 with most designated to help offset the cost of the senior trip. Superintendent Cheek said seniors work to earn money toward the trip and rising travel costs have made outside support especially valuable. Donations included four anonymous gifts of $150, $350, $723.60, and $500 for the trip, $500 from Mr. and Mrs. Jay Jacobs for the senior trip, anonymous $200 donation to the drama department, and $75 from Marilyn Watkins for a pre-kindergarten field trip.

Audit Services Contract

Board members also approved a contract for audit services with Clifton Larson and Associates. Cheek said the district has been pleased with the firm’s professionalism and accessibility, especially after the district faced uncertainty with auditors several years ago.

Sale/Surplus Equipment Resolution

The board approved a resolution authorizing the sale or surplus of district equipment ahead of an auction tentatively planned for June 2 or 3. Cheek said the sale will likely include a wide range of items as the district clears out the building in preparation for the next phase of its facilities project.

Intergovernmental Agreement

Another approved item was an intergovernmental agreement with the Sullivan School District for school psychologist services. Cheek said the arrangement will allow the two districts to share a psychologist, with two days in ALAH, two days in Sullivan and one flexible day for paperwork or make-up needs. He said the cost will be nearly identical to what the district has been paying for contracted virtual services, but this plan will provide in-person support.

Facilities Update

Carson Durham from BLDD Architects and Britt Steffen from Core Construction told the board design work continues to progress, with recent meetings held with teachers, departments and students to refine building details. Those conversations included music, band, theater, athletics, science, library and agricultural program spaces.

Durham said one notable adjustment came in the ag department, where the plan was revised from two labs and one shared classroom to one lab and two classrooms without increasing the building size. The change was made after consultation with staff and was described as a more efficient use of space.

Steffen also reported the district has been working through infrastructure matters with the city, including water and sewer connections, while advancing construction documents. Several early bid packages are already out, including structural components, electrical switchgear, precast materials and site work.

Steffen said those early bids will help the district better understand pricing and lead times, particularly for precast wall materials, which are expected to be a major driver of the project schedule. He said no major red flags have emerged yet, but more will be known once bids are opened.

Superintendent Cheek said the district is also preparing to launch a separate website linked to the district’s main page to provide construction updates, answer frequently asked questions and document the transition process with photos and videos.

Superintendents report

Beyond the new building, Cheek updated the board on several operational matters. He said interviews were scheduled for an assistant director of maintenance position and called the level of interest in the opening encouraging.

Cheek also addressed heating and cooling control problems in the Lovington Grade School building, saying the district continues to deal with an outdated and overly complicated system that has caused recurring issues. He has a meeting scheduled this week with a company to explore options for simplifying and upgrading the controls, but warned the cost could be significant, likely in the range of $100,000 to $200,000.

At the same time, district leaders are preparing for what Cheek described as an intense and complicated move tied to the high school project. The district is working with movers and coordinating logistics to meet a firm deadline for vacating the building. He said the process will be stressful, but the staff is committed to making it happen.

Cheek also highlighted progress at the district’s shed facility in Lovington, which is being renovated for use next year as a weightlifting space and storage area. Improvements have included power washing, new overhead doors, an emergency exit and donated graphics and labor support from community partners. He called the transformation significant and said the upgraded building will be an important asset during the transition.

He closed his report by praising district staff for their flexibility, dedication and willingness to take on the added demands of the coming year, saying the work ahead will be challenging but worthwhile.

Personnel Report

New Hires:
•hired Stephanie Hale as webmaster for AGS
•hired Victoria Cisney as a paraprofessional at LGS
•hired James Dean as the Director of Maintenance for the District
•hired Zachary Butler as High School Business Teacher
•hired Drew Lawson as a volunteer Bass Fishing Coach at the High School

Resignations/Retirements
•accepted resignation from Brock Hayse as the Assistant Director of Maintenance
•accepted resignation from Mackenzi Rocke as JH Science Teacher
•accepted resignation from James Dean as the Custodian at AHGS
•accepted resignation from Jennifer Lukehart as a paraprofessional at LGS

Leave of Absence Requests
•approves Whitney Wynkoop request for leave of absence
•approved Jennifer Kinney request for leave of absence