Granite City Community Unit School District 9

The meeting addressed several administrative actions and capital improvements. Key actions included the rescinding and acceptance of various retirements and resignations across different positions, and the approval of requests for leaves of absence and extensions to leaves of absence. The Board also approved extracurricular assignments for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, and ratified numerous substitute appointments for the 2025-2026 school year. Employment was approved for one ESL/Bilingual Paraprofessional and the Executive Secretary to the Superintendent for the 2025-2026 school year, and one certified Special Education Teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Capital expenditures included the approval for installing a new baseball fence, ratification of a license agreement with Riverbend Head Start & Family Services, the purchase of a new Box Delivery Truck, and multiple contracted improvements for Niedringhaus School such as door/window replacement, HVAC upgrades, and asbestos abatement. Furthermore, the purchase and installation of new playground playsets for Maryville and Wilson Schools were approved. The Board also approved the Garden Club program overview and expansion request at Grigsby Elementary School. A significant portion of the meeting involved reviewing numerous Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests received between December 2025 and January 2026 concerning purchase orders, employee lists, contracts, and software providers. The Executive Session minutes from the previous meeting were also approved.

The agenda for the meeting included several recognitions, specifically for a student achieving high placement in Geography Bees and for cheerleading teams qualifying for state competitions. Teacher grants from 1st MidAmerica Credit Union were presented. Key discussions involved a teacher addressing the board regarding EF Educational Tours planned for 2028, a presentation on CTE Programs of Study, and administrative items concerning retirements, resignations, leaves of absence, and recommendations for extracurricular assignments for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. New business items included a resolution for an ordinance granting a permanent drainage easement and temporary construction easement to the City of Granite City, resolutions regarding property tax appeals, approval for Coolidge Junior High EF Educational Tours, proposals for Alt Ed and K-12 Summer School, approval for playground paving projects at Wilson and Maryville Schools, HVAC upgrades at Maryville School, the Frohardt Parking Lot Extension, the establishment of a GCHS Bridge Builders club, and discussions regarding student discipline. The board also reviewed Treasurer's Reports, the Bill List for January-February 2026, the Curriculum Committee Report from February 11, 2026, and acknowledged several donations. The session concluded with provisions for an Executive Session to discuss personnel matters, student discipline, real property, collective bargaining, and litigation.

The meeting agenda included the invocation by Pastor Karla Frost and established guidelines for Public Comment, including time limits and topics to be addressed privately. Key discussion items involved financial reports, including the Treasurer's Report for December 2025 and the FY 2025 Audit approval, along with the Bill List covering November 12 to December 4, 2025, and acceptance of donations. Human Resources agenda items covered rescinding retirements/resignations, accepting new retirements/resignations, and requests for leaves of absence, as well as various extracurricular recommendations and substitute employments for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. New Business items focused on facilities and contracts, such as approving a new baseball fence, ratifying a license agreement with Riverbend Head Start & Family Services for the Niedringhaus School property, purchasing a new box delivery truck, and approving door/window replacement, HVAC upgrades, and playground sets for Niedringhaus and Maryville Schools. Additionally, the board reviewed the asbestos floor abatement bid results for Niedringhaus School and considered the formal district-wide expansion request for the Garden Club program. The administrative report covered Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests received between December 2025 and January 2026. The agenda concluded with scheduling the February 24, 2026, meeting.

The meeting included discussions and actions on various personnel matters, including the rescinding and acceptance of retirements and resignations, requests for leaves of absence, and extracurricular resignations and volunteers. The board also approved certified and classified substitutes, and the employment of a café worker. Additionally, the board approved GCSD9 Board Protocols, renewed the GCSD9 E-Learning Plan, approved evening academy assignments, a 6th-hour assignment for the Spring Semester, a tax levy resolution for the 2025 taxes, a student worker pay adjustment, and a tech sub for student Chromebooks. The board also reviewed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and held an executive session, after which they upheld an out-of-school suspension for a high school student.

The meeting included discussions and actions on various topics, including approving bill lists, Phillips 66 Teacher Classroom Grants, retirements and resignations, requests for leaves of absence, extracurricular resignations and recommendations, extracurricular volunteers, certified and classified substitutes, employment of custodians and paraprofessionals, Diligent Board Governance Software, FY2025 Region I Audit, Title I Aide pay adjustment, FY26 School Maintenance Project Grant Program, Maryville Parking Lot Extension, GCSD9 Board Protocols, Gateway Commerce Center Enterprise Zone, property tax abatement within Southwestern Madison County Enterprise Zone, Granite City SABRE Committee school dances, SWIC Running Start Contract Renewal, Curriculum Committee Report, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests.