Board of Education Monthly Meeting Summary: February 24

The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education met on Monday, February 24, 2025, in the Liberty Middle School Auditorium for its monthly board meeting.  

These are not the official meeting minutes and do not include every detail from the meeting but rather a summary to assist the District #7 community. The official minutes can be found on the District #7 Board of Education Board Docs once approved by the Board. 

From the Superintendent’s Report:  

• Throughout this month, District #7 schools have been celebrating Black History Month in their own unique way, from different book readings at morning meetings to student presentations and various artwork.  

• During the February Board of Education work session earlier this month, the Board heard a report on Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan and reviewed the possibility of issuing bonds for phase 2 projects of the April 2023 bond.  

• The next District #7 Discussion will be held on Friday, March 21 at 7 a.m. Since September, Dr. Shelton has held small discussion groups to gather feedback on District #7 initiatives. If interested in attending next month’s discussion, please contact Carey Francis at 618-656-1182 or cfrancis@ecusd7.org.  

• On Friday, Feb. 28, a survey will be sent out seeking additional input on the potential changes in transportation and school start times. This survey will ask specific questions to gauge opinions of these changes and their impacts. Information will be presented on March 10 during the work session. 

Potential Purchase of Property/Warehouse 
District #7 is looking to improve operational efficiency by securing adequate warehouse storage following the loss of its original space due to the Lincoln Middle School renovation. Since then, materials have been stored in various district buildings and temporary leased spaces, creating inefficiencies in food services, maintenance, and technology. To address this, the Board of Education approved a two-year lease for an 8,000-square-foot climate-controlled warehouse at 19 Kettle River Drive in Glen Carbon in December, but an additional 7,000 square feet is still needed. A long-term solution is being considered through the potential purchase of a 1.5-acre property off Highway 157, which would reduce leasing costs, centralize operations, and provide room for future expansion as the district grows. This move aligns with Goal 5 of the district’s strategic plan—Efficient and Effective Operations—ensuring better resource management and maximizing taxpayer dollars to benefit students and teachers. 

View the video outlining this.  

In action, the board approved:  

• The roofing repair/replacement bid for Hamel, Nelson, Columbus and Woodland Elementary Schools from Shay Roofing with a base bid amount of $1,990,794.00. This is related to the March 2024 hail event that impacted various District #7 buildings. These roof repairs/replacements are being paid from insurance proceeds.  

• The parking lot maintenance bid from Rooters American Maintenance, Inc. in the base bid amount of $370,770.00. The lowest responsive bid was within budget estimates and is scheduled to be paid from the District's Operations and Maintenance Fund as part of the committed fund balance established before the end of the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The proposed improvement consists of sealing parking lots at the Edwardsville High School Sports Complex, the Aquatic Center, Columbus Elementary School and Leclaire Elementary School and replacement of the circle drive at Liberty Middle School. 

• The purchase of furniture for the EHS Commons Expansion Project from School Specialty in an amount not to exceed $316,468.43. 

• A Memorandum of Understanding between District #7 and the Nature Preserve Foundation (Watershed Nature Center) to allow for the sharing of a district-employed certified teacher with the Watershed Nature Center for the 2024-2025 school year. 

• The 2025-2026 Joint Agreement Resolution for the Collinsville Area Vocational Center (CAVC), allowing District #7 students to continue attending CAVC in the 2025-26 school year.  

• The purchase of High School Health materials as recommended by the District #7 9-12 Health Curriculum Committee. 

• The purchase of German and Spanish materials as recommended by the District #7 9-12 German and Spanish World Languages Curriculum Committee. 

• A resolution providing for the issuance of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2025, in an amount not to exceed $10,670,000 for the District. These bonds will be used to pay for certain capital projects approved by referendum on April 4, 2023, including the construction of a new media center at Edwardsville High School. 

Next Meetings:  
Monday, March 10 – Board of Education work session (6 p.m. at Liberty Middle School) 
Monday, March 24– Board of Education monthly meeting (7 p.m. at Liberty Middle School)