[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6265733,"mediaKeyId","3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2","parentId",3088975,"title","Board reviews proposed pilot allowing some seniors to opt out of finals based on attendance and grades","audioSeconds",112,"startMs",7136000,"endMs",7248000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2&start=7136&end=7248","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2/thumbnail_7136000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6265733/Illinois/Board-reviews-proposed-pilot-allowing-some-seniors-to-opt-out-of-finals-based-on-attendance-and-grades","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265733-d70af704f6f8249be82e1f5dc3276189/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167391&Signature=B-iyQy-OfpqYsHmX5zYPK~lYuz1~Q9iMLSJNvICzxS5E-N6I-L6OxgD8OUX7Mr~xUM1KssV6DXd2MULyE7c25FD5Pg4mG-BOwxUP4kE7wSEGPXQHzJUEbMbkaOHfuXWgBreIUpG0tphDxRLlhr1e0WVuvLpBg8FRvEllMlcsLjkHRo7d4QC1haqRoZbaxpLZV04eS83S8BF5ykjB0yssNVcUfBSywFj8dSfgETKp1oKy3hQf7XQmx~fhoRnHODEIy9eFuk44BDdU54gfEsCq8CzRIan0s1VpTBzLcbFZt9i9ClWEyoeUF0PaOaAXuTYduue6Aq2NeD8BIqSZyGsG7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3","date","2025-04-23T04:43:02.767Z","article","Mahomet-Seymour administrators presented a proposed pilot to let qualifying seniors opt out of final exams if they meet attendance and grade criteria. The proposal, discussed April 22, was presented as a one-year pilot and would apply only to seniors.

Under the proposal discussed, seniors could opt out of a course final if they had four or fewer excused absences in that course and a final grade of at least 69.5 percent (a C-minus). Administrators said mandatory final exams would remain for AP and dual-credit courses because those assessments are linked to external credit and program requirements. The proposal also includes allowances for excused absences due to school-sponsored extracurricular activities and field trips.

Board members asked for clarifications. Several said they supported an approach to improve attendance but wanted the district to exclude official college visits from the absence totals (for example, allow a limited number of documented college visits that would not count against the opt-out threshold). Other members urged raising the minimum grade threshold and asked for data about current attendance patterns and how many seniors would have qualified had the pilot been in place this year.

Administrators said they will collect the requested data, consult department leaders and parent and student advisory groups and return with refined language and recommendations. They emphasized the pilot's goal: to increase attendance while preserving academic rigor and protecting students earning college credit.

Ending: The handbook revisions remain a first reading; administrators will solicit additional input and may bring revised language to the board for approval in a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mahomet-Seymour Board of Education March 24th 2025 at 7pm","oneSentenceSummary","Administrators presented a proposed one-year pilot that would allow Mahomet-Seymour seniors meeting attendance and minimum-grade thresholds to skip final exams. Board members asked for adjustments, including excluding official college visits and revisiting the grade threshold.","taxTitle","Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",38808,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6265738,"Board discusses IT support options: hourly consultant, two-day retainer or internal hire",2317,3765000,6082000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2&start=3765&end=6082","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2/thumbnail_3765000.jpg","/articles/6265738/Illinois/Board-discusses-IT-support-options-hourly-consultant-two-day-retainer-or-internal-hire","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265738-4bb724f27af4b912dffc863b5b31bafa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167391&Signature=EUrnaxETvpSkWszxCgv47p-vN5Rzyvrb3Sd9tG3vDpnZd0HmC8bfvBHjN1DqxOK3BZUW4oAxr~eSjkAqf9L0IiORPP6-FxmDSVxsOCpirqz21FTDvikOMLrTh1yLAbFNotGy~V-jW02fddyVkykYeT47We9taplENcpX6g4CNc2EYwN6dSVQ3Ez252UqOzc6eJmrySrnGIvKHC-SXVR87QmaOjQuJ274SHIwiGve2ubzmLKH4U8Ma8vdsSvf9cTfHsyJ9HIBRtyLnhIjCS1BdtCVmjUTg5IGcqh8ssLWsDTt4XMAROJVg8L4doepIIwXBdtsXy2lAT91hjbRW-aaqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District leaders and board members discussed technology support options for Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3 at the April 22 meeting, weighing short-term external help against building internal capacity as curriculum and infrastructure needs grow.

Dr. Lee summarized options staff had explored after earlier discussions: continuing hourly on-call help, contracting a consultant for part-time weekly retainer days (two days per week was suggested) or hiring additional full-time staff. The district has recently used hourly support from an external consultant, Jared, when complex network or bandwidth issues arose during testing events.

Kyle (technology staff) and board members described incidents where access points were overloaded during the ACT and where rapid, higher-level network troubleshooting was needed. Administration said a two-day-per-week retainer would cost about $70,000 per year (a reported figure presented at the meeting) and could be used both for operational problem solving and mentoring technical staff; hourly work is billed at roughly $97 per hour.

Board members expressed differing views: some favored locking a consultant in for scheduled days to mentor staff and provide scheduled professional development; others preferred tracking current hourly usage and assessing whether a full-time hire or phased staffing plan would be more cost-effective. Several members stressed the district's long-term growth in devices and cybersecurity needs may eventually require dedicated staff roles that separate infrastructure/network responsibilities from educational-technology responsibilities.

Administration agreed to collect more granular usage and ticketing data, document recent consultant engagements and return with cost comparisons and recommended next steps for the board to consider at a future meeting.

Ending: Staff will provide an itemized summary of recent consultant hours, types of tasks addressed, and proposed staffing models for board review and follow-up.","Board members and staff debated whether to continue hourly technical support, hire an external consultant two days per week, or develop internal capacity for networks and educational-technology needs. Administration will collect usage data to inform next steps.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6265742,"Mahomet-Seymour Board approves literacy program, hires staff and advances facility projects",11489,1750000,13239000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2&start=1750&end=13239","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2/thumbnail_1750000.jpg","/articles/6265742/Illinois/Mahomet-Seymour-Board-approves-literacy-program-hires-staff-and-advances-facility-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265742-355cab35cf48558502da5c53d7f9bea5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167391&Signature=Q44EeMgTO4ZWB8hTTdTR-6Do0WOpV0fF3TXErPmuzjDRUCDDBBZmxR96OW4eOsonFTNlHsfmk5ZOio1gyMdF-BTaPXho3suriM0EsxnEZtV1rZcLdG9p~Wpemzs7TjU88jOYXCQevQAKYqYOR6isfYAb3yJTdfRCPV3yNaf0xSsQ4PDux9cvUrScuH8FnhdMldP3SC6lhAVcdfClnAQT2mKJXcAZAhexZkvrpjlciO-NjnLgHZUVoZXXNZJFBzOkDKq1OmSQpaNTBva1E31SPQ0l~eweT0-5zMKD-BApf0swdCfitLZGQZMAd~CBySdbN08zYTqcxQ~w7cfLhE7S3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3 Board of Education on April 22 approved a package of curriculum, personnel and facilities actions and set other items for public display as the district advances its strategic-plan goals.

The board voted to adopt literacy materials for elementary grades: YouFly for kindergarten through grade 2 and Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) for kindergarten through grade 5, to begin in the 2025-26 school year. Superintendent Dr. Lee presented the recommendation and said staff collected teacher and parent feedback during review. The board approved the adoption by roll call.

The board approved two staff appointments that the superintendent recommended: a curriculum coordinator (recommended candidate introduced at the meeting) and a district nurse coordinator. The curriculum coordinator candidate was presented to the board and approved; the district nurse coordinator motion likewise passed.

Financial and facilities actions were a major portion of the meeting. The board approved putting the 2024-25 amended budget on public display for the required 30 days before a public hearing and final adoption later in the budget cycle. The amendment reflects the district's recent bond and fire-safety funding adjustments and other year-end updates.

The board approved several construction bids to be paid from health, life and safety bond funds: building controls at Lincoln Trail; a partial roof replacement at Mahomet-Seymour High School; new interior gym bleachers for the high school (Erwin Seating Company, plastic seats option); exterior bleachers for the junior-high soccer field (Petrie **** Company); and a phased fire-alarm system replacement at Lincoln Trail, the junior high and the high school (low bid from Bodine Electric). One submitted base bid for fixed visitor bleachers at the high school was rejected because the capacity in the bid would have reduced seating significantly; the board directed staff to rebid with corrected specifications.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included previously reviewed contracts, vehicles, equipment and memberships, and accepted donations totaling $4,000 to district activity funds as presented at the meeting.

A disciplinary action also appeared on the agenda: the board approved the superintendent's recommendation to expel a student (ID 280116) for a two-year period beginning Jan. 24, 2025, through Jan. 23, 2027. The board moved into closed session to discuss personnel and student-discipline matters and then returned to open session to vote.

Ending: Several items discussed or presented will return to the board in coming months for final approvals or public hearings, including amended-budget hearings, textbook displays and rebid specifications for fixed visitor bleachers.","At its April 22 meeting the Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3 Board of Education approved an elementary literacy curriculum adoption, multiple staff appointments, budget display items and several construction bids. The board also rejected one bleacher bid and approved interior bleachers for the high school.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6265746,"Mahomet-Seymour junior high students demonstrate Project Lead The Way STEAM projects",1560,154000,1714000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2&start=154&end=1714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3088975-664189ddd634bae6087f9e0b6fa324b2/thumbnail_154000.jpg","/articles/6265746/Illinois/Mahomet-Seymour-junior-high-students-demonstrate-Project-Lead-The-Way-STEAM-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265746-6ec9ff93f06eae5b516b29ec78fdb103/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167391&Signature=GhA9WNtmbjSn-lBMs4Rz~I78fXqz5eHXMhdkjsgmwU0~i932xLpZRZtyy5odztkigbaogWr3q~g7bAToyB~8aXNeuhrsV0Or3NAGUPdywZek2y5us5Rlt6PGmIfn3PRTJWCKtu3uiAklxvv2duuQjZ6OLmiAcory17AyI0-trWYLjCe3dC3JC4vmVuvzXFqLvVtkapMlrx0m49coMQTGOFaJ9ctSeGGjLLr2Pq6yPPRb5MoqAS696uD1Y~lstSZXYuj1t8IDyqgDDD8PX~TjYQsCakPPn-2phkyMJZx~YRhu9EIQdC48hoqePi2OYSiXczYHP3Dw5UT1ZkY~VsrMYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Simon Anderson, a STEAM teacher at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High School, introduced a student showcase of Project Lead The Way curriculum at the board's April 22 meeting, describing the district's middle-school computer science courses and the grant funding behind them.

\"Project Lead The Way is a STEM curriculum,\" Anderson said, explaining that the program offers grade-level sequences called Launch, Gateway and high-school pathways in computer science, biomedical and engineering fields. He said the district chose computer science courses for junior high using a state Computer Science Equity grant.

A sixth-grade student, Sebastian Munoz Najar, demonstrated a coded \"safe box\" that uses a micro:bit controller and copper tape as an input to detect opening, a keypad input to enter a passcode, and output LEDs and tones to indicate alarm or disarm states. Sebastian described the project's four requirements and showed a simulator of the block code used to run the micro:bit.

Eighth-grade students Victor and Grant presented an independent app project built in MIT App Inventor: a lane-based driving game with selectable skins, a survival timer and variable-speed obstacles. They described development steps, code procedures for resetting obstacles and hit-box issues they had to fix.

Anderson said the junior-high sequence feeds the high-school computer science and engineering options and that the district used VEX hardware for upcoming robotics units. He also noted hands-on mechanics and simple text-based coding elements planned for an eighth-grade course being phased in next year.

Board members and administrators complimented the students and staff for the classroom work and for aligning middle- and high-school pathways. Dr. Bagby and other administrators were acknowledged for supporting curriculum rollout.

The presentation emphasized collaborative problem-solving and engineering design process skills, and Anderson said course materials were funded in part by state grants and local professional development. He and the students took questions from the board about development time, practical applications and future curriculum sequencing.

Board members praised the demonstrations as evidence the junior-high work will feed into approved and proposed high-school offerings.

Ending: The board did not take an action on curriculum during the presentation; administrators said the junior-high work will support upcoming textbook and course approvals at the high school level.","Students at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High demonstrated STEAM projects using micro:bit controllers and MIT App Inventor during the April 22 Board of Education meeting. Teachers described course sequencing tied to state grant funding and future alignment with high school offerings.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board reviews proposed pilot allowing some seniors to opt out of finals based on attendance and grades

Board discusses IT support options: hourly consultant, two-day retainer or internal hire

Mahomet-Seymour Board approves literacy program, hires staff and advances facility projects

Mahomet-Seymour junior high students demonstrate Project Lead The Way STEAM projects