Administration with District 202 is considering applying for a grant to hire a Social-Emotional Counselor.
During the Curriculum Committee report, Board Member Tammy Myers announced the intention of having the district apply for a grant through Knox County’s 708 Board of Mental Health.
Superintendent Steve Wilder said that the grant would supply a counselor on a short term basis and would be contingent on the grant being annually approved.
He added that the hope would be that the position would be long term, “The Mental Health 708 Board is a taxing entity. So it generates revenue every year. So we are hopeful that it is something that will be long term,” Wilder said.
“We’re going to have to wade in the water and see how it goes. If it’s approved it could provide a much needed staff member to assist all three buildings with some of the social-emotional issues that students have.”
Wilder also said that in the long-run, the district may have to partner with other educational entities, such as the Regional Office of Education.
He said that the proposal has to be completed by April first.
It was also business as usual for the Board of Education, as they passed a handful of items. First on the list was a fuel bid for the coming year.
Wilder told the board that the fuel bid was something that had been approved on a month-to-month basis in years past, but last year they moved to an annual approval.
The consensus was that the shift would save the district money – which he was confident was the case – and went over the details of the single bid from West Central FS.
The cost of diesel fuel would be $2.30, which Wilder said was up about $0.20 from last year.
Wilder added that a clause in the contract would allow the district to pay less than the approved cost, should market value of diesel fall below the $2.30 price.
If prices go higher then the approved price, they still only pay $2.30.
The board also approved district’s membership to the Illinois High School Association with no discussion.
