Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

September 2006 Board Meeting Summary

Scott Herrmann Joins Board; Division Meeting Format Set

BLOOMINGTON - The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Board of Directors seated Niles Gemini principal Scott Herrmann as the new member from Division A, and then finalized Board committee assignments and approved the format for the new division meetings, at its regular quarterly meeting Sept. 8 in the IESA Office.

Herrmann was appointed to the Board to complete the term in Division A. It is for one year. There are a total of 14 Board members elected from different geographic regions throughout the state. He will be a member of the Board By-Laws Committee and will be the Board member on the Wrestling Advisory Committee.

The Association launches a series of Division Meetings this school term. Article 1.041 of the IESA Constitution requires each member of the Board of Directors to call a meeting of the member schools in the member's respective division at least once annually. Board members will chair the meeting and each member school in attendance shall have one vote upon any matter brought before such meeting. Each member school principal or his/her designee is required to attend the meeting. Failure of a member school to attend an annual division meeting shall result in a penalty to the school. If a member school does not attend the required meeting for two consecutive years the school will be suspended from participation in the state series for one year. Feeder schools which do not enter any IESA sponsored activities are exempt from attending the required division meeting. Feeder schools that enter any IESA sponsored activity (i.e. art workshops, speech, music) are required to attend the division meeting.

There are 14 geographic divisions statewide, each represented by a member of the IESA Board of Directors. There will be a total of 18 meetings within the 14 geographic areas between Oct. 20 and Nov. 16. In addition, there will be a Division Meeting held in conjunction with the annual Illinois Principals Association (IPA) Fall Conference. It will begin at 2:55 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16 in the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield.

The final schedule of the meetings will be posted on the IESA Web Site at www.iesa.org pending confirmation of dates proposed and requested by Board members. It is expected the schedule will be completed and confirmed by Sept. 15.

This year's agenda includes sections regarding Strategic Planning; Constitution Changes; State Series Structure Changes being implemented in the 2006-07 school term; Financial Resources Changes; the new Character Campaign and Sportsmanship Mascot Logo Contest; Review of By-law 3.043 and the penalty; new online procedures being implemented regarding Regional Entry Forms and Tournament Brackets; Music By-law 4.1321 (cooperative organizations); responsibilities for state series hosts regarding required sale of IESA merchandise; and Activity Updates for each of them.

Advisory Committee Assignments: The Board also finalized its advisory committee liaison assignments, and approved dates for the annual advisory committee meetings. Assignments for 2006-07 (and the date of the meeting) will be: Baseball - Gary Lewis, Oct. 26; Basketball - Ron Ervin, March 1; Cheerleading - Dana Isackson, championships Dec. 16 and workshop April 27; Cross Country - Craig Carr, Nov. 2; Music - Taunya Jenkins, May 29; Scholastic Bowl - Jim Hochstatter, workshop Oct. 27 and meeting June 1; Softball - Tom Cox, Oct. 25; Speech - James Bunting, workshop was Sept. 8 and meeting Jan. 8; Sportsmanship - Gary Lewis, January 2006 (tentative); Track and Field - Tony Ingold, June 6; Volleyball - Dan Vaughan, April 2 and Wrestling - Scott Herrmann, March 22.

Board of Directors Meeting Dates: The Board set the dates for the other quarterly meetings for the 2006-07 school term. They will be Jan. 19, March 30 and June 8.

Board Committee Meeting Dates: The Board was informed that dates need to be finalized for its Board Committee meetings.

Scholar Attitude Luncheon: The Board set Friday, April 20 as the date for the ninth annual IESA Scholar Attitude Award Luncheon. It will be held at the Chateau Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington. Fourteen eighth graders - one from each Board of Directors divisions - will be selected in the Class of 2007.

Budget: The Board approved the budget for the 2006-07 school term. Anticipated receipts are budgeted at $1,117,335.00. Anticipated expenses are budgeted at $1,169,025.00. According to Executive Director Steve Endsley, the impact of the expanded classes in baseball, girls basketball, boys basketball and girls volleyball on receipts was budgeted conservatively. Likewise, the expansion of classes in those four state series will create increases in expenditures for trophies and medals, officials fees, and other state final site administrative costs. The principal of a member school may request that a copy of the budget be mailed to the school.

Audit: The Board approved the annual audit of the Association by Strigel Knobloch & Company, LLC of Bloomington, and approved the firm to perform the annual audit for the next three years. (2007, 2008 and 2009). The principal of a member school may request that a copy of the audit be mailed to the school.

Standardized Calendar: The Board approved the Standardized Calendar dates for the school terms of 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. The Board approves the Standardized Calendar dates annually.

Appeals Panel Report: The Board received the report from the Appeals Panel regarding baseball players from Danville North Ridge. North Ridge appealed the decision of the Executive Director not to allow members of its baseball team to play in a non-school tournament the week of August 26-Sept. 1 and also compete on the school baseball team. By-law 3.043 stipulates students shall not practice or participate in any non-school competition in the same sport either as an individual or on a team. The Appeals Panel upheld the decision of the Executive Director.

Strategic Planning: The Board heard an update of the progress being made in the Association's Strategic Planning process. The Communications Action Team, chaired by Associate Executive Director Nicole Schaefbauer, will meet Oct. 12. Assistant Executive Director Julie Cochran will chair three action teams. The Membership Action Team will meet Oct. 19. The Staff Relations Action Team will meet at a date to be determined but prior to the Jan. 19 Board meeting. The Facilities Action Team will be organized and will meet at a date to be determined.

Sectional Merchandise: The Board heard a report that two sectional track and field sites still have not finalized their financial obligations regarding the sale of IESA merchandise at the sectional meets hosted by the respective schools. The Board directed the IESA staff to contact the superintendents of the schools involved, complete the financial reconciliation, and report its outcome at the Jan. 19 meeting.

Special Projects: The Board received an update regarding the status of different sponsorships and projects. It was reported to the Board that the previous class state final tournament records in baseball, girls basketball, boys basketball and girls volleyball have been retired, and that new sets of records will be established in the respective classes in those four sports beginning with the respective upcoming state tournaments.

IPA Luncheon: The Board heard a report of plans for the annual luncheon hosted by IESA and IHSA at the Illinois Principals Association Fall Conference. The luncheon will be Tuesday, Oct. 17. Dan Hampton, former Chicago Bear defensive lineman and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, will be the guest speaker.

Wrestling Bracket Boards: The Board reviewed a proposal from All Star Publishing & Awards to produce the bracket boards to be used in the wrestling sectional meets and the state final tournament. All Star Publishing submitted a proposal for a 50% increase in the cost of the bracket boards given to the wrestling sectional champions. The Board directed the IESA staff to look into alternative sources and/or other companies who might produce such sectional bracket boards and report its findings at the Jan. 19 meeting.

Wrestling Rules Modifications: The Board voted to modify two National Federation wrestling Rules for the 2006-07 school term. NFHS has raised the largest weight class to 285 points. IESA will remain at 275 pounds. NFHS will use a new overtime procedure. IESA will use the same overtime procedure in effect last year.

Technology Update: The Board heard a report regarding changes to electronic forms from paper forms that have been implemented in the past and that will be new during the 2006-07 school term. The Board also approved a proposal from DMi Technology Group to replace the Association's computer network server and provide the software and support necessary to operate it.

Membership: The Board heard a status report regarding expansion in IESA membership.

Employee Handbook: The Board approved a proposal from Performance Growth Partners Inc., to write a custom Employee Handbook.

Projects Manager Job Description: The Board adopted a job description for the position of Projects Manager on the IESA staff. This position is non-administrative. The position is currently held by Jim Flynn. The Board approved the continued employment of Mr. Flynn.

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 September 8 meeting:

Division H - Board member Gary Lewis reported that a member school asked the Board consider scheduling the Girls Basketball regionals to avoid the Illinois Music Educators annual district music festival. No action was taken.

Division K - Board member Tom Cox reported comments from personnel at member schools in his division regarding the new classification system. Several comments were about the increased travel mileage at the opening levels of competition in the state series.

Division L - Board member Ron Ervin reported comments from personnel at member schools in his division regarding the new classification system. All the comments were about the reduction of days needed to complete the state finals from four days to two days. He said the comments were favorable regarding the reduction in the number of days needed to complete the state final tournament.