Community supports IVHS music director before school board teacher
From our weekly issue dated March 10, 2010
More than 100 students, parents and other community members turned out for the two-hour long Monday, March 8 meeting of the Three Rivers School District Board of Education to show support for three teachers facing non-renewal of their contracts at Illinois Valley schools.
Their grass-root efforts were successful.
An executive (closed to the public) session of board members began at 5:30 p.m. with the published agenda items of “collective bargaining“ and “consider dismissal/discipline of employee.“ Members of the media are allowed to attend executive sessions, but cannot report what happens during them.
The board“s regular meeting at the district office in Murphy was to start at 7 p.m., but did not start until nearly 15 minutes later, as the board continued its executive session deliberations. By then, conference room seats were nearly filled, with other concerned citizens standing in the hallway.
Included on the meeting“s agenda was a resolution under the consent calendar that the board accept Superintendent Dan Huber-Kantola“s recommendation for the non-extension of three contracts. They were for Michael Duffy, Illinois Valley High School language arts and math teacher; Kaci Holland, Lorna Byrne Middle School health and physical education teacher; and Sean McKee, IVHS band and choral music teacher.
Board Chairman Jim Weaver stated that he had a stack of “well over a dozen“ comment cards, most from the Illinois Valley residents attending. He apologized for the fact that no more cards were available, and then opened the floor to comments.
IVHS teacher Gary Enoch stated that more people wanted to attend the meeting, but were “fearful“ and didn“t want to put a “target“ on themselves.
Enoch told the board and audience members that he once was a student at Lincoln Savage Middle School and was on the football team. That squad went from good to bad, Enoch said, all due to the efforts of one coach.
Teachers do better work when they are inspired than when they are intimidated, Enoch said.
Todd Kaberline, president of I.V. Booster Club, said that the community and teachers are in jeopardy by the contracts not being renewed. He added that the three teachers in question also perform coaching and extracurricular duties.
“We can“t afford to lose these teachers,“ Kaberline said forcefully.
IVHS senior Sarah Parker praised McKee. She said that he “connects with students on a very human level.“ Some students became teary-eyed when speaking on McKee“s behalf.
Jacqui Van Tassel, a parent, characterized McKee as “exceptional,“ adding that letting him go would be a “travesty.“
Selma resident Dan Warden, a Korean War veteran and member of Glenn Morrison American Legion Post, stressed the importance of extracurricular activities like band to give children in the Illinois Valley something to do after school. Warden said that whenever the district budget is cut, schools in outlying areas suffer the most.
Under McKee“s leadership, Warden said, the IVHS marching band has participated in events commemorating Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor Day.
IVHS student Daniel Vega presented the board a petition signed by 138 students in support of McKee. Vega said the signatures were gathered in only one hour.
“Not one person declined to sign this petition,“ Vega said. “We do not want this teacher to go.“
Weaver declared a break so people could leave. Many did, but around 30 elected to stay for the duration of the meeting.
The last item considered was the contract non-renewal list. It was separated from the consent calendar, and Weaver said that it had been “modified“ as a result of the executive session.
Board member Robert Litak, an Illinois Valley resident, moved to approve the modified non-renewal list. Fellow board member Dave Strahan seconded, and the motion passed 5-0.
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