Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

April 2010 Board Meeting Summary

Board Approves New Full-Time Staff Position; Acts on Committee Recommendations

Convening in the newly-renovated headquarters building for the first time since completion of the project, the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Board of Directors authorized the creation of a new full-time staff position, acted on the recommendations of four advisory committees as well as the general business of the Association during its regularly-scheduled spring meeting Friday (April 9).

The full-time position will be that of an Administrative Specialist. It will be an entry level administrative position. It will have activity administration responsibilities and other duties in the general operation of the Association. For additional information and application procedures, click here.

The headquarters renovation was authorized by the Board in April of 2009. The remodeling of the headquarters building began Sept. 21, 2009. The first phase of the project was construction of the new addition to the building and it was occupied the week of Dec. 16, 2009. The second phase involved a complete remodel of the old building and the staff occupied that revitalized space the first week of March, 2010. The size of the original IESA Office was 1,800 square feet and the new facility utilizes 3,500 square feet. Board members toured the building before the meeting got under way.

The Board took the following action regarding advisory committee recommendations:

Boys/Girls Basketball -- A motion that hosting preference for sectionals be given to volunteering facilities at the time of initial assignment with wood floors did not receive a second. A motion that during the on-line seeding process all of the seed results will be available to all participating schools did not receive a second. A motion that the warm-up period before the start of all regular season games be 15 minutes in length did not receive a second. A motion that three officials be hired to work the sectional games did not receive a second. The Board adopted these guidelines for special initiative/awareness nights (i.e. Breast Cancer) require: a) uniform color must be legal under NFHS rules. Pink uniforms would not be legal for a breast cancer awareness game; b) a permanently attached commemorative patch may be worn but must adhere to NFHS rules; c) headbands/wristbands color specific for the initiative/awareness event may be worn but must be uniform in color for all team members; d) other items that may be color specific for initiative/awareness are socks, shoelaces, shooting shirts and shoes. Next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be March 3, 2011.

Cheerleading -- The time limit for cheer performances will be changed from a 1-3 minute time limit to a 1:30-3 minute limit. The judging sheet for routine division performances will be changed by making communication worth 10 points instead of 15 by eliminating the 5 points for practicality of material, and making the fundamental skills section worth 50 points instead of 45 by making each of the items worth 10 points. Next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be March 15, 2011.

Boys Volleyball -- The state series begins in the 2012-13 school year. It will be conducted in one class and one grade level (a single team for each school entering the state series). The state series dates for school years 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 have been set and reflect the following in the Standardized Calendar: Entry Deadline (Monday Week 14). Practice/Tryouts May Begin (Monday Week 29). Matches May Begin (Monday Week 31). Final Entry Deadline (Wednesday Week 31). Regionals (Saturday, Monday-Thursday Week 36-37 or Week 37-38, depending upon Easter). Sectionals (Monday/Tuesday Week 38 or Week 39 depending upon Easter). State Final (Friday-Saturday Week 38 or 39 depending upon Easter). Season Must End (Wednesday Week 41). On dates when Good Friday and Easter hit on the state tournament, the state series will move one week later. See the IESA Website for the future dates. Next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be October 13, 2010.

Wrestling -- Approved a recommendation requiring regional and sectional hosts to use digital scales for weigh-ins. The Board tabled a motion that schools hosting the regionals and sectionals must have at least one (certified athletic) trainer on duty at the site. Next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be April 7, 2011.

Other Business Items

Scholar Attitude Award Update -- The Board heard a report about the selection of the 30 Scholar Attitude Award winners for 2010 and the plans for the upcoming luncheon scheduled for Tuesday, April 27, 2010, at the DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center, Bloomington. State Farm Insurance is the corporate sponsor for the award.

Streator St. Anthony Appeal -- The Board received the report from the Appeals Panel in which it concurred that students at the school were in violation of By-law 3.042 and consequently ineligible to continue to participate in volleyball for the remainder of the season.

State Series Awards -- The Board accepted the bid from A & M Products, Princeton, to supply state series trophies, plaques and ribbons for school years 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. The Board accepted the bid from Medalcraft, Green Bay, WI, to supply medals for school years 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013.

Season Ending Dates -- The Board approved extending the season ending date in four sports to the following in the Standardized Calendar: Girls Softball to Saturday of Week 16; Boys Baseball to Saturday of Week 17; Girls Basketball to Saturday of Week 36; Boys Basketball to Saturday of Week 45. Extending the season has the potential to create the opportunity for schools and conferences to schedule contests around the IESA state series. The limit on the number of contests a school may play remains the same as it has been and the dates of the state series contests remain the same. The change in the season allows a school or conference to play contests before and/or after the IESA state series and also participate in the IESA state series.

By-Law 2.110 Revision -- The Board approved a change in the Coaching Qualification By-law removing the provision that a school using an ineligible coach must forfeit any contest in which the coach participated.

State Series Sites -- The Board approved the majority of state final sites for the 2010-11 school year. One site remains to be determined in seventh grade girls basketball, two sites remain to be determined in seventh grade boys basketball and one site still needs to be determined in eighth grade boys basketball.

Board Elections -- The Board heard a progress report of the voting process now under way in the divisions B, D, F, H and J to determine its member to the IESA Board of Directors. The Board did approve a change as to when future elections are conducted. Currently, the election process begins in April and concludes in May with members seated at the conclusion of the June meeting. With the change, the election process will begin in November and conclude in December with members seated at the conclusion of the ensuing January meeting. Voting will be conducted online.

Cooperative Team Policy Revision -- The Board approved a motion giving the Executive Director the authority to dissolve a co-op earlier than two years if written requests to drop the co-op are submitted by the principals and boards of education of the schools in the co-op.

Physical Exam Form -- The Board heard a report of the implementation of a state statute passed by the Illinois Legislature that requires IESA to ask a question about family history of cancer on the Physical Exam Form. Both the IESA and IHSA use the same form and it has been revised to meet the requirements of the law. It can be downloaded from the IESA Website.

State Chess Admission -- The Board approved an admission fee of $5.00 per person per day for the two-day State Tournament.

Final Entry Deadline Changes -- The Board approved changes in the final entry deadline for boys basketball and track and field beginning with next (2010-11) school year. The boys basketball final entry deadline will be Friday Week 18. The track and field final entry deadline will be Friday Week 37.

Treasurer's Report: The Board received and accepted the treasurer's report for the fiscal period ending February 28, 2010.

Financial Reports: The Board accepted the financial reports for the state series in Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball and Cheerleading.

Board Meetings: There is one regular meeting remaining in the 2009-10 school year. It is scheduled June 18, 2010.

Advisory Committee Dates: The dates for the upcoming advisory committee meetings are April 12 for girls volleyball, June 1 for music, June 4 for scholastic bowl and June 9 for track and field.

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 April 9 meeting:

Division E: Mrs. Pozzi reported developments in the division regarding substantiated violations of By-law 3.042 in girls volleyball. The Board directed the IESA staff to continue to educate the membership regarding participation in non-school competition in the same sport by students from a member school during the IESA sport season in the respective sport.

Division G: Mr. Bunting led a discussion of math competition as a potential emerging state series activity.

Division J: Mrs. Isackson led an informal discussion and survey of the Board regarding upcoming, proposed and/or potential staff cuts and cuts in sports and activity programs in their schools as a result of funding shortfalls.