Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

IESA Board Approves State Sites for 2021-22; Acts on Activity and Athletic Committee Recommendations; Approves Contract Extension with The CubbyHole

For the first time in nearly 18 months the IESA Board of Directors met in person as they held their quarterly summer meeting on Friday, June 18. The Board acted on the recommendations from the speech, track and field, and athletic director advisory committees; approved the state final sites for the 2021-22 school year; approved a five-year extension with The CubbyHole, Carlinville, Illinois to be the official merchandise vendor for IESA sectional and state final events and tied up other loose ends.

The lineup of state final sites is posted on the IESA Web Site www.iesa.org. To view the 2021-22 state sites and dates, click on State Hosts and Dates under Activities on the left hand side of the home page or you can click here.

The Board approved a five-extension of the contract with The CubbyHole to serve as the official merchandise vendor for all state final events and select sectional contests. They have served as the official merchandise vendor since 2003. "The CubbyHole continues to provide excellent service to the schools while expanding their online store," said Steve Endsley, IESA Executive Director. "For the past 18 years we have been fortunate to work with them and we look forward to our continued relationship."

In addition to the above changes, the Board also acted on recommendations from the speech, track and field, and the athletic directors advisory committees. Advisory committees are composed of coaches, administrators, and officials with expertise in the respective sport or activity. The advisory committee reviews the Terms and Conditions, administrative procedures and all other aspects of the sport/activity and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. Here are the highlights of action taken by the Board on IESA activity committee recommendations as well as other items upon which action was taken:

IESA Activity Committees

Speech:

The Board approved a recommendation to add additional contest areas for the 2021 season. This will reduce the number of schools assigned to each contest area allowing for contests to be held in accordance with CDC guidelines. Schools may host their own contest as was done this past school year. The annual speech workshop will not be held in 2021. The workshop will be held on a every other year basis starting in 2022. A similar format will be held for the Scholastic Bowl workshop. That workshop will next be held in 2023 and then on an every other year basis thereafter.

Athletic Directors:

The Board approved a recommendation to eliminate the double fees for late membership for the 2021-22 school year. They did NOT approve a recommendation to require schools to pay the cost of the officials at the regional and sectional level for basketball and volleyball and to eliminate assessments.

Track and Field:

The Board approved a recommendation to allow seed meetings to be held in-person and/or virtually. Attendance is still required from each school. They did NOT approve three recommendations---a recommendation to change field event marks to metric distances; a recommendation to require sectional hosts who use manual timing to run preliminary races in the hurdles and 100 while allowing those sectionals using FAT timing to run finals only. All sectionals, regardless of the timing method used at the sectional, will run all races as timed finals. There will be no prelims in the 100 or the hurdles at the sectional level; and a third recommendation not approved was to give schools that place 2nd or 3rd in team points at the sectional the opportunity to purchase a sectional plaque.

IESA Board of Director Committees

Staff Relations:

The Board set salaries for the 2021-22 school year for all non-administrative employees.

Other Business

Associate Executive Director Report -- The Board approved a recommendation that for the 2021-22 school year only two officials will be hired for basketball sectionals. Also approved was a recommendation that new appointees to advisory committees will serve four-year terms instead of three-year terms. Advisory committee meetings will be held in the office every other year and virtually the years they are not held in the office. Schools will NOT be required to “attend” a Division Meeting during the 2021-22 school year. It is the intent of the administrative staff to convey pertinent information to the membership via email, short videos, or webinars. Mrs. Schaefbauer presented the Board a plan to utilize “project managers” in certain sports to assist in the administration of the activities. She also informed the Board that the staff is doing some research on the feasibility of utilizing some digital ticketing for the 2021-22 school year.

Executive Director Report -- Mr. Endsley informed the Board of a meeting with the Peoria Area CVB to renew venue dates and Peoria Civic Center funding. The process to receive funding assistance when events are held at the civic center may change.

State Series Finances – The Board was presented with the rebate totals from the sale of merchandise at events held throughout the year.

Treasurer's Report – The Board received and accepted the treasurer's report ending May 31, 2021 and June 17, 2021.

Quiz Bowl Lockout System – The Board tabled a recommendation to approve a four-year contract with QuizBowl Systems, Inc. to serve as the official online system for the IESA state finals. A representative from QuizBowl Systems will demonstrate their online system to the IESA Board at a later date.

Staff Relations Committee – President Ingold appointed Antonio Johnson and Scott McAlister to the Staff Relations Committee.

Retiring Board Members – President Ingold recognized Mr. Chris Graham, Principal at St. Joseph Middle School and Division K representative and Mr. Jeff Owens, Principal at Marseilles Elementary School and Division E representative. Each is retiring at the end of the 2020-21 school year. Mr. Ingold thanked each for his service to the IESA Board of Directors and presented each with a plaque and a retiring board member gift.

Recognition of Steve Endsley – President Ingold recognized retiring Executive Director Steve Endsley. Mr. Endsley started his career with the IESA in September, 1988 and has served as the Executive Director since July, 1996. After Mr. Endsley made some closing remarks to the Board, Mr. Ingold presented Mr. Endsley with a gift from the board and a plaque. On July 1, Nicole Schaefbauer will become only the 6th full-time Executive Director of the IESA since 1929.

Division Reports

There were no division reports.