May 4, 2026/

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Casey-Westfield Board of Education for April 20, 2026

Spread the love

Casey-Westfield Board of Education Meeting | April 20, 2026

The Casey-Westfield Board of Education met for a regular session on Monday, April 20, 2026. The board accelerated major HVAC replacements at the high school to address failing boilers, navigated state transportation funding shortfalls, and approved nearly $100,000 in new Chromebooks and Promethean boards for Monroe Elementary. Following the regular business agenda, the board adjourned into a closed executive session at 7:27 p.m. to discuss specific employment and litigation matters under the Open Meetings Act before reconvening in open session at 8:10 p.m. to vote on personnel changes.

Personnel Changes Approved: Following executive session, the board voted unanimously to accept the immediate resignations of Color Guard Instructor Rebecca Geffs and HS/JH Volleyball Coach Jessica Daugherty. Daugherty also resigned as an HS Supervisory Aide, effective May 26. The board formally employed Cassie Brewer as a Title I Interventionist at Monroe, Laney Gowin as a Cross Categorical Special Education teacher, Julia Kerchief as an HS Spanish teacher, and Aaron Justice as the Head HS Boys Basketball coach for the 2026-2027 school year.

Board Policy Updates: The board unanimously approved the first reading of several upcoming board policy updates. The updates are being implemented as presented in the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) PRESS issue #121.

Upcoming Academic Events: Building principals announced several upcoming end-of-year dates for families. Monroe Elementary will host a 1st and 2nd Grade program featuring special music by the 4th grade on April 23 at 9:00 a.m. The Monroe 5th and 6th-grade awards program will be held on May 8 at 9:00 a.m. At the high school, Awards Night is scheduled for May 12, with Graduation slated for May 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Records Destruction: As part of the consent agenda, the board authorized the destruction of the verbatim audio records of closed board meetings that are 18 months and older, as permitted by Board Policy 220 and 220-E1. The board also approved the scheduled disposal of regular district records for Fiscal Year 2026.

Crete-Monee Students Don Hard Hats for VIP Construction Tour: During the Crete-Monee Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, board members praised Bear Construction for their community outreach at the district’s active building sites. According to Board Member William J. Sawallisch Jr., the construction company recently provided students with hard hats and safety vests, allowing them to take a guided walking tour of the ongoing facility upgrades. The students were given a behind-the-scenes explanation of how large-scale construction projects operate. District officials confirmed that despite the ongoing daytime work, the construction has caused no interruptions to daily school operations.

Casey-Westfield First Graders Receive Donated Books: During the Casey-Westfield Board of Education meeting on Monday, April 20, 2026, the Monroe Elementary building report highlighted a generous community donation. The local “Casey In Action” organization, alongside retired teachers Janet Squires and Dianna Hickox, visited the school to ensure every Kindergarten and First Grade student received a free book of their choosing to take home and keep.

‘Monroe Madness’ Sweeps Casey-Westfield Elementary: The Casey-Westfield Board of Education on Monday, April 20, 2026, learned about a highly engaging school-wide activity at Monroe Elementary dubbed “Monroe Madness.” Embracing the spirit of spring college basketball tournaments, students participated in a structured, bracket-style voting competition. Classrooms voted on various categories, including favorite foods, shoes, and school subjects. The advancing brackets and final results were prominently displayed on a school-wide bulletin board to foster a sense of community connection among the young students.

Latest News Stories

WATCH: Trump: Pritzker fears for his life as gov opposes Guard deployment; CTA DEI cuts

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop gets to the...

Op-Ed: Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week: Time to protect Illinois jobs, family businesses

By Bob GorayThe Center Square This week is Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week, a time dedicated to bringing attention to how Illinois’s unfair legal system drains the economy, hurts consumers and...

Bessent names new CEO for tax collection agency

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is serving as acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, created a new position to lead the day-to-day operations of...

Insurance giant called out for promoting DEI

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Consumers’ Research launched a seven-figure campaign against Chubb Insurance, stating in its Woke Alert that the company promotes DEI, gender ideology, and climate extremism. Executive...

Fiscal Fallout: Illinois diversity commission’s budget ballooning but results lag

By Jared Strong | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Despite federal pushback for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Illinois has spent millions of dollars in the...

Clark County to Participate in National Opioid Settlement

Article Summary: The Clark County Board has voted to join the National Opioids Settlement, a nationwide agreement resulting from litigation against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family for their role...

Everyday Economics: Government shutdown clouds economic picture

By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square (The Center Square ) – As Washington remains gridlocked, Americans face more than political theater – they're losing access to critical economic information. The government...

Illinois quick hits: Trump deploys Illinois Nartional Guard; Madigan to report to prison

By The Center SquareThe Center Square Trump deploys Illinois Nartional Guard President Donald Trump will federalize 300 Illinois National Guard troops, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement Saturday. 'Pritzker...

Trump deploys California National Guard to Portland

By Dan McCalebThe Center Square President Donald Trump on Sunday deployed California National Guard troops to Portland after a federal judge in Oregon on Saturday temporarily blocked the president from...

Peace on the line two years after Oct. 7 attacks

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Tuesday marks the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack; the impact of that day continues to be felt worldwide. Israel has...

U.S. Supreme Court looks to start consequential new term

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the first oral arguments of its new term on Monday, with several high-profile cases already on the docket. The...

U of I scrutinized over perceived preference for international students

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The University of Illinois faces scrutiny over its Spring 2026 Master’s in Accounting program, with the...

Lake Land College one of 10 national recipients of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Scaling Apprenticeship grant

Lake Land College was recently named one of 10 recipients of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Scaling Apprenticeship grant. With funding from Ascendum Education Group and in partnership...

Youngkin, Johnson call for AG candidate to withdraw after violent texts emerge

By Dan McCalebThe Center Square Gov. Glenn Youngkin and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson are calling on Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones to exit the race after it was...

ICE agents shoot armed woman in suburban Chicago during attack

By Dan McCaleb | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Border Patrol agents near Chicago shot an armed woman Saturday who was part of a group of...

« Previous
1
…
147
148
149
150
151
…
204
Next »