Can Steeleville schools bring back a band?

Steeleville is now in its fifth academic year without a school band and the District 138 Board of Education discussed that topic during its monthly meeting on Monday.

Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland said a letter to the editor had appeared in a local newspaper about the music program and how the district no longer had it.

"Cindy Sickmeyer contacted me and she wanted to address the board and when people ask to address the board, I try to make sure everybody has all the background info and nobody is scrambling," Mulholland said. "I met with Cindy last week and she talked about how much she missed the band and we talked about how we came to eliminate that program."

Mulholland said she updated the school board members on how declines in state funding and participation numbers led to the eventual elimination of the band.

"The last year we had band, I think we only had six people in band," she said.

Mulholland said one of the board members mentioned reinstating some electives if state funding levels increased.

"Everything that we had is still here," Mulholland said. "There had been some suggestion of selling the instruments, but we kept everything."

Mulholland also noted the cost of instruction and the time commitment of restarting the program.

"It's a time commitment on the students as well because they have to practice outside of class," she said.

No action was taken by the board, which will be looking into the issue in the future.

In other news, the board appointed Lisa Ernsting to replace board member Shelley Dintelman, who moved to a different district. Ernsting will serve the remaining 18 months of Dintelman's term.

The board also set the truth in taxation hearing for its next meeting, which is scheduled for December 18 at 7 p.m.

Lastly, the board approved replacing some HVAC rooftop units at Steeleville Elementary School.

"Our newest addition is 17 years old and when we did fall maintenance, we discovered a crack in one of the heat exchanges, which could possibly result in carbon monoxide poisoning," Mulholland said, noting that all classrooms are equipped with carbon monoxide detectors and none had expressed an issue.

The board approved replacing the units for $68,121, plus $32,327 for installation by Williams Heating and Air Conditioning of Steeleville. The cost is being paid for through the county's 1 percent sales tax.

Mulholland noted the units were installed on Monday and were expected to be hooked up on Tuesday.

ROUNDUP

Mulholland said the window replacement project should be completed during Christmas break.

"We're getting down to getting the painting done on the inside," she said. "By the time we start in January, that project should be completed. Very worth it, though."

The board approved maternity leave for Jennifer Armstrong.

The board heard a curriculum update from teachers Sarah McKinnies (agriculture education), Michelle Hamilton (junior high P.E. and guidance), Valerie Ruebusch (high school English) and Michelle Mohr (high school English).

Mulholland noted the deadline for school districts to verify their enrollments during the previous three years was Tuesday. It was required as part of the state's new general state aid funding formula.

"It was quite a process to go back three years and try to match up," she said. "It was definitely a time-consuming process."