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

Antifa the focus at Rubio-hosted international summit

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted what he described as the growing threat of left-wing terrorism Thursday at a ministerial he convened at the State...

Illinois Quick Hits: Unemployment holds at 5.1% in Illinois

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Illinois Department of Employment Security says...

Thune handed $47B national security bill with poison pill

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square A $47.3 billion government funding bill has cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and arrives at the Senate facing a hostile reception from Democrats. The...

Ammons pleads not guilty, wants to delay House investigation

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) — Illinois State Rep. Carrol Ammons, federally indicted on multiple charges of wire fraud, pleaded not guilty in...

Minnesota extends Medicaid provider pause as fraud concerns reach U.S. Senate

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Minnesota is extending its pause on enrolling new providers in 12 high-risk Medicaid services as the state continues efforts to crack down on fraud in...

Sonderling defends grant shift, vows fraud crackdown to senators

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Keith Sonderling, President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, vowed Thursday to stamp out workforce fraud, more efficiently spend education...

Advocate calls for stronger IDOC oversight after payroll fraud guilty plea

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Calls for stronger oversight of the Illinois Department of Corrections are growing after a former department...

Illinois Quick Hits: FAFSA applications rise with increase in state taxpayer funding

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – According to the National College Attainment Network’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid Tracker for the Class...

Casey Seeks $250,000 State Grant to Demolish Old VFW Building

Casey City Council Meeting | July 6, 2026 Article Summary: The Casey City Council unanimously approved a resolution of support for a state community revitalization grant application to demolish the...

Appeals court: Chicago’s ‘climate disinformation’ case belongs in Cook County

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court says a lawsuit brought by the city of Chicago, seeking to extract a potentially massive...

WATCH: Polish leader discusses Ukraine, Russia at Reagan Library

By Dave MasonThe Center Square As a child going to bed, Radoslaw Sikorski heard the sound of a free press through the thin wall of his family’s home in Soviet-ruled...

Firefighters from 30 states battle wildfires in Colorado

By Joelle WebbThe Center Square Seven fires have burned through over 200,000 acres of Colorado’s expansive terrain, with over 1,800 personnel being deployed from more than 30 states to fight...

Democrats wary over DNI nominee’s stances on election security

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square A swift confirmation of Jay Clayton as the next director of National Intelligence appears less likely after multiple Democrats left his Wednesday confirmation hearing dissatisfied...

GOP, Dems compete in Arizona congressional races

By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square Arizona Republicans and Democrats in the 7th and 8th congressional districts are battling it out to see who will advance to the general election. Primaries...

Abbott directs state investigation into ICE Houston shooting

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday said the Texas Rangers are investigating the fatal shooting of a Mexican national in Houston last week by a U.S....

« Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
…
233
Next »