Murphysboro CUSD 186 reorganizes board, approves property transfer, discipline plan and personnel moves

The Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 board of education on April 15, 2025 canvassed the April 1 consolidated election results, reorganized board leadership and approved a package of routine business that included transferring district-owned property at 819 Walnut Street to Jackson County, adopting a discipline improvement plan required by state law, and confirming several resignations and new hires.

The newly elected and returning members were sworn in at the start of the meeting and the board approved the canvass of the April 1, 2025 consolidated election, which the board recording lists as 650 votes for Shannon Green, 626 for Troy Brown and 623 for Cheryl Bridal. The board then appointed Kevin Beavers president pro tem, Terry Hines secretary pro tem and reappointed Jan Bush as treasurer for two years; the board set officer terms at two years and kept its regular meeting date as the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.

The board approved transferring 819 Walnut Street to Jackson County. Board members said the district’s attorneys had inserted easement language to preserve existing fiber connectivity for the district and for St. Andrew’s even if the building is later demolished. The motion passed on a roll call vote with all members present recorded as voting yes.

Administrators presented and the board approved two intergovernmental agreements for the 2025–26 school year: one with Child and Family Connections and a second yearly agreement with Archway; both motions passed unanimously.

The board adopted a discipline improvement plan required under Illinois law and Public Act 98-1102 after administrators said the district ranks in the top 20% for exclusionary discipline and must set measurable targets to reduce suspensions and expulsions. "Out-of-school suspensions, expulsions — we're in the top 20% — so it has to do measurable targets to reduce," a district official said during the discussion. The motion to adopt the plan passed unanimously.

The board approved routine personnel actions: multiple resignations and retirements were accepted, including a retirement letter from a special education teacher at Murphysboro Middle School effective May 27, 2025; a resignation from a fifth-grade special education resource teacher who plans to relocate to Tucson; retirements and resignations from additional support and classroom staff; and a maternity leave notification for a teacher planning to begin leave in October 2025 and return January 5, 2026. The meeting packet presented those letters in writing and each was approved by motion and unanimous vote.

The board also approved a slate of new certified hires and an involuntary transfer (listed in the meeting materials), noncertified athletic appointments (cheer and dazzler coaches), summer-school staff and a summer-school stipend to be paid from a Title I school improvement grant for planning and work beyond the contractual day. All employment motions were approved by roll call with members present recorded as voting yes.

During public comment, teacher Brett Sutton recognized Jan Bush for receiving the Illinois ASBO Calvin Jackson Career Impact Award; Sutton said Jan Bush "will receive the Calvin Jackson Career Impact Award at the ISASBO annual conference April 30 through May 2" and that she will donate the $1,000 award check to the Murphysboro Education Foundation. The board recorded the recognition but took no formal action on the award.

The board entered closed session to discuss personnel and collective bargaining matters under the Illinois Open Meetings Act and later approved closed-session minutes from March 18, 2025 when it returned to open session. The meeting adjourned after the board approved the remaining items on the agenda.