Morton School District's e-learning emergency school day plan that has been in place for three years but never used will be considered for a three-year renewal during the school board's Sept. 5 meeting.
"I hope we never use the plan," Superintendent Joe Sander said Tuesday at the board's August meeting.
"The plan will only be used as a last resort after our five emergency days in a school year have been used," Sander said. "We all know learning is best when it's in the classroom."
The plan is a recommendation of the Illinois State Board of Education.
Morton school board member Jerry Rudd said he preferred the district not have the plan. Sander said he understood Rudd's opposition, but the plan is simply a tool in the district's tool box in case of bad weather or other issues.
Among the plan's requirements are five hours of instruction/classwork (150 minutes for students in early childhood education through first grade), access for all students, and staff and students being notified prior to 7 a.m.
A public hearing on the renewal of the plan will be held during the Sept. 5 board meeting.
Property taxes to provide bulk of revenue
A tentative district budget for the 2025-26 school year was presented to the board by Lisa Kowalski, the district's chief financial officer. Among the key budget numbers:
Property taxes are projected to provide 72.4% of the district's revenue. Evidence-based funding from the state is projected at 5.2% and federal funding at 3.2%.
Salaries and benefits are projected to make up 55.4% of district expenses. For the education fund, the number is 81.9%. That's $26.1 million of the $39.2 million fund.
Board hires new baseball coach
Among the hirings and resignations approved Tuesday by the board:
• Ryan Lindley was hired as the Morton High School baseball coach. He replaces Jesse Crawford, who resigned in June after 12 years as coach. Crawford won 328 games and a Class 3A state championship in 2018. Lindley was the Morton sophomore baseball coach the past 12 seasons.
• Brandon Parrott resigned as the Morton Junior High seventh-grade baseball coach and was hired as the eighth-grade coach, replacing Crawford.
• Bob Becker was hired as a long-term substitute teacher at Lettie Brown Elementary School. Becker retired last year as the Morton High girls basketball coach. He won 629 games and four Class 3A state championships in 26 seasons.
• Hannah Rudolphi was hired as the district's director of business services.
• Joseph Zeller resigned as Morton High girls track and field coach.
• Zackary Finney was hired as the Morton High girls track and field coach.
• Jennifer Landrith resigned as the Morton High food service branch manager/head cook.
In other board action:
• The board discussed possible new ways to meet with teachers at each school, including individual board members scheduling school visits. Morning meetings with the entire board and teachers at each school this past school year did not prove to be fruitful.
• The board approved an overnight trip request for the Morton High girls tennis team to compete in Edwardsville on Sept. 5.
• The board approved an overnight trip request for the Morton High volleyball team to compete Sept. 26-27 at the University of Illinois in Champaign.
