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Board approves consent agenda, personnel hires, contracts and renewals in August meeting — votes at a glance
Summary
Summary of votes from the Aug. 5 Decatur 61 Board meeting: consent agenda, personnel actions, leases, contracts, renewals and program payments were approved by the board, mostly by unanimous roll calls.
The Decatur Public School District 61 Board of Education on Aug. 5 approved a series of consent items, personnel actions, contracts and renewals. Most items were approved on unanimous roll calls (6–0, 1 absent). The following summarizes each formal action recorded in the meeting.
Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (including minutes, FOIA report, bills, financial reports for June 2025, treasurer’s report, release July checks early, annual agreement invoice between Decatur Public School District 61 and PowerSchool for the 2025–26 school year, approval authority for administration to accept electric rates and auction, district safety hazards annual report, school board policy updates from Press Issue 118, job descriptions updates, director of buildings and grounds update, school health services update): Approved (voice/roll call) — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent.
- Personnel action items (employment recommendations and related HR items listed in memo from Monica Wilkes): Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent.
- Employment of Ryan Aikman as assistant principal at Eisenhower High School, effective Aug. 6, 2025: Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent. Ryan Aikman addressed the board and thanked members and Eisenhower administrators present.
- Employment of Kayla McCreery as interim school health services administrator, effective Aug. 6, 2025: Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent. McCreery spoke and referenced her academic focus on health disparities.
- Three-year lease agreement between Decatur Public School District 61 and Regional Office of Education No. 39: Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent.
- Waste Management contract for 2025–26 and 2026–27: Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent.
- Contract agreement between Decatur Public School District 61 and the Macon County Mental Health Board for fiscal year 2026 (to fund three behavior interventionist positions): Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent. District staff said the agreement funds three behavior interventionists who work in MTSS and behavioral-intervention roles; counseling roles were described as distinct professions.
- CrowdStrike annual renewal (cybersecurity service): Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent.
- 7 Mindsets one-year renewal (social-emotional learning curriculum used K–12): Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent. District staff said 7 Mindsets is the district’s SEL playbook and is used across K–12; a presentation on the program is scheduled for Aug. 19.
- Payment to Northern Illinois University for professional development and programming to American Dreamer STEM Academy (2024–25 school year): Approved — 6 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent. The amount reported during discussion was $36,911; administration said the payment is grant-funded (Title I school-improvement funds) and tied to STEM curriculum preparation and use of STEM carts.
Procedural notes and follow up
- For items that require implementation (hires, contracts and renewals), administration will complete routine onboarding, contracting and purchasing steps and report progress in personnel and finance updates.
- Several items referenced grant funding; where the board asked, staff identified the Northern Illinois University payment as coming from Title I school-improvement funds and the Macon County Mental Health Board agreement as funding three interventionist positions.
Motions were typically presented by administration and approved by roll call; the meeting recorded board members’ votes by name for each roll-call item. The board’s next regular public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the Kyle Administration Building.
