Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

January 2005 Board Meeting Summary

Board Acts On Advisory Committee Recommendations

The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Board of Directors acted on advisory committee recommendations in baseball, cross country, softball and speech, and tied up loose ends at its regular quarterly meeting Jan. 21.

Advisory committees are composed on one Board of Directors member and coaches, administrators and/or officials with expertise in the respective sport or activity. Each sport/activity has an advisory committee and it meets once a school year. The advisory committee reviews the Terms and Conditions, administrative procedures and all other aspects of the sport/activity and makes recommendation to the Board of Directors.

The Board took the following action regarding recommendations of these advisory committees:

Baseball - The Board approved a recommendation to include in the by-laws that the use of wooden bats that meet the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) playing rules is allowed, and authorized that the chart now on the IESA website showing examples of legal and illegal bats be included in Bylaw 4.0137. The Board also approved a change in the pitching limitation rule. A pitcher may not pitch in the second game when two games are scheduled on the same day if he has pitched in more than four innings in the first game. The change would allow for a pitcher to throw four innings in the first game of the doubleheader and be able to come back and pitch three innings in the second game. The Board approved the pairings for the state final tournaments.

Cross Country - The board approved a recommendation that the finish line at the state final meet will be at the mouth (front) of the chute. Previously, it was at the neck (rear) of the chute. The change is for the state final meet only and does not apply at the sectionals and/or during the regular season. Local managers of the sectionals and regular season meets shall determine the finish area for the meets they host.

Softball - The Board did not approve a recommendation to increase the number of players on the softball regional entry from 18 to 22. The Board approved the pairings for the state final tournaments.

Speech - The Board approved several interpretations regarding duets, and approved a increase in the number of props allowed in small group acting. The Board approved a recommendation that establishes a procedure for the judges at an event to review duties and responsibilities prior to the start of the event. The Board approved a recommendation requiring each contest host to submit the list of hired judges to the IESA Office prior to the start of the event, and the IESA Office will assign one of them to be the Judge Representative for the event to the IESA Office.

Other Business

New Board Member - The Board seated Peoria Roosevelt Magnet School Principal Taunya Jenkins as the member from Division E. (related story)

Scholar Attitude Date Change - The annual Scholar Attitude luncheon will be Thursday, May 5, 2005, at the Chateau in Bloomington beginning at 11:00 a.m. The date is a different one that what is printed in the Pocket Calendar.

State Final Vendor - The Board extended the contract with The Cubby Hole, Carlinville, through the 2005-06 school year. The Cubby Hole is the exclusive vendor for state final apparel.

Committee Meetings - The Board established dates and times for several upcoming committee meetings. The By-laws Committee will meet June 9 at 10:00 a.m. at the IESA Office. The Staff Relations Committee will meet April 10 at 10:00 a.m. at the IESA Office. The Finance Committee will meet June 9 at 1:00 p.m. at the IESA Office. Advisory Committee meetings, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the IESA Office unless otherwise noted, were also confirmed as follows: Basketball on March 3, Wrestling on March 24, Volleyball on April 7, Music on May 31, Scholastic Bowl on June 3, Track and Field on June 8.

Online Entries - The Board heard a report that member schools will submit their entries in the speech contest series and the track and field series online.

Co-op Team - The Board approved dissolving the cooperative agreement between Decatur Garfield Montessori Magnet School and Johns Hills Magnet School. Both schools will be large enough beginning next school year (2005-06) to conduct their own interscholastic programs.

Pocket Calendar - The Board heard a report that the information included in the two-year Pocket Calendar will be modified beginning with publication for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 edition. The first (current) year will list all the data for all activities, state series and important dates. The second year will not include all the data, just the majaor administrative dates.

Volleyball Scoring - The Board heard a report regarding the status of the scoring system being used in IESA girls volleyball. National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) volleyball rules provide that rally scoring be used. The IESA uses sideout scoring, which is an exception to the NFHS rules. Member schools will be surveyed regarding their preference in scoring systems during the regional tournaments at their respective site(s). Seventh Grade regionals are scheduled to be conducted March 1-3. Eighth grade regionals are scheduled to be conducted March 8-10.

Cheerleading Grant - The Board heard a report that IESA has received a financial grant from the Peoria Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau to help offset the rental of the Peoria Civic Center for the Cheerleading State Final.

Division Reports

At each meeting of the Board of Directors time is devoted for each board member to report on communication with and requests from the member schools in the member's division. In addition, board members also may make observations regarding the operation of the Association. Following is a report of those from the Jan. 21 meeting:

Division C - Mr. Spiezio shared with the Board correspondence he had received from Mr. Ron Shank, Assistant Principal at Herscher JHS. His district is changing boundary lines and as such will have a significantly lower enrollment in 2005-06 than he has in 2004-05. Since the figure that is used to determine Class A/AA in 2005-06 is based on the 30th day housing report for 2004-05, Herscher's actual enrollment in 2005-06 will be much less than the enrollment from the 2004-05 year. Mr. Shank would like for Herscher's 2005-06 enrollment number to be based on the 6th day attendance for the 2005-06 school year. President Spiezio asked for the By-Laws committee to discuss the issue and to present its finding by the June, 2005 meeting. Mr. Spiezio also shared with the Board a fundraising flyer.

Division J - Mr. Fitzanko reported he had received calls from two schools concerning travel problems that will occur because the baseball and softball seasons will begin at different times starting in 2005. No action was taken.