At Monday's monthly meeting of the Macomb Community Unit School District (MCUSD) No. 185, the Board of Education unanimously approved life safety enhancements for two buildings, and heard reports on new programs that are improving morale and student behaviors.
The Board approved fire and life safety improvement repairs for the following: replacement of a second story storm shelter window at Edison ($14,400), and the replacement of SEMCO units (HVAC-related units) at Macomb High ($18,000).
The Board also approved the district's Certified Annual Financial Report, and authorized the administration to begin preparing the district's budget for Fiscal Year 2027.
Recognitions & Discussion Items Students of the Month Three Macomb High School students were recognized as the MidAmerica National Bank Senior of the month Cora Waters-Trojniar, daughter of Erin Fischer, Ian Fischer and Elton Trojniar, was the November recipient.
Waters-Trojniar is involved in many school activities, including concert band, marching band, pep band, jazz band, math team, Scholastic Bowl, Science Olympiad, ping pong club, soccer, cross country, Interact Club and theater.
Scott Cousins was named the December recipient.
His school activities include Science Olympiad, Math Olympiad, concert band, marching band, jazz band and pep band. The January recipient is Sophie Wilson, daughter of Beate and Ryan Wilson. Wilson's school activities include basketball, volleyball, golf, soccer, National Honor Society, Student Council and Macomb Youth Leadership Organization. She has been awarded High Honor Roll, been inducted into National Honor Society and was elected Vice President of the Class of 2026.
Transportation
Superintendent Mark Twomey shared that there are fewer behavioral issues on the buses, with some administrators riding the buses to assess behaviors and concerns. In addition, drivers are using more positive approaches with students, which is having a positive impact, he noted.
In response to the fatal bus accident in the Rushville School District that occurred March 11, 2024, Macomb School District officials spoke with Rushville administrators about their work to improve transportation safety. Twomey told the Board one of the takeaways from that discussion was the need for a transportation handbook for all bus drivers to sign off on.
District transportation staff have put together a handbook, which combined the new handbook in place at Rushville and criteria that Macomb staff determined to be necessary, that will be implemented upon the Board's approval.
'We want to implement this right away, and I'd like the Board to review this and adopt this at your meeting next month,' Twomey said.
Edison School's 'Stoneking on a Cart'
Edison Elementary Assistant Principal Nick Stoneking shared his new approach to supporting teachers and students in the Macomb elementary school.
After seeing a viral video about a school administrator's mobile office, Stoneking decided to give it a try at Edison, and with that 'Stoneking on a Cart' was born.
Stoneking adopted a rolling former audio-visual card as his mobile office last year, and he told the Board he spends about 80 percent of his day working in Edison's hallways so he's present to support teachers and students when issues and concerns arise.
'This was about increasing support for our teachers, along with visibility of administration,' he shared.
'I've spent a large portion of my career as an administrator, and I discovered the work I was doing was more reactionary than proactive. I needed to be more present.'
Through his rolling office, Stoneking said he's able to address student and staff concerns more promptly and efficiently, which has a positive impact on the school's climate and culture. And an added bonus is when a class meets behavioral expectations, they are given the privilege of decorating his cart and their decorations will reign for one week.
Stoneking and fifth grade teacher, Kaitlyn Bagley, have also created a new after school detention program that is centered on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and gives students a choice.
The pair told the Board the students get to choose one of two options: sit with Stoneking to discuss the reasons behind the detention and come up with an action plan to improve behaviors, or work with a teacher volunteer on an SEL activity/ lesson and action plan.
'This has created a lot of unintentional positive things,' Bagley told the Board during their presentation. 'This really helps us form better relationships with the students and have positive conversations. We know it won't work for every student, but we're optimistic and we're excited that we have another tool in our toolbox to help our students.'
Project Flight
When students with special needs graduate, they might not be eligible for adult services that provide training and employment opportunities. To solve this and to help MHS student, Jennifer Houch, special education coach/coordinator and the district's Assistant Superintendent Margie Rhoades have created the pilot program, Project Flight, which teaches independent living skills and job training to some of the high school's IEP students who are 18 years of age and older.
Project Flight began this month, and currently has two students involved who work at Western Illinois University's Horrabin Hall two days a week, including one day at the WIU Food Pantry.
'This is a structured, supportive approach focused on building essential skills,' Houch told the Board.
The Community New Brief is following this new initiative and will have an in-depth interview with Houch and Rhoades in the near future.
