•November 13, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

With the public sale of Winifred Titus Sentel farmland promising a cash windfall for the city of Sullivan a variety of groups offered to help the city spend it.
During the special meeting held for the purpose of a study session regarding strategic planning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 5 the city council heard proposals from the public and learned that conditions at city hall and the Civic Center are priorities.
Following the public portion of the meeting, city administrator Dan Flannell reported the recently purchased Titus home is being evaluated for possible office space. He explained architects have warned the cost to convert the home into office space could be twice the cost to build new.
Treasurer Sarah Golden reported that conditions at city hall have not improved, and the recent addition of an IT person is crowding space to aggravate the situation. Read More

Oh Brother!

•November 13, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
That is the closing stanza of Robert Frost’s “Road Less Traveled” and one of my favorite poems.
After a journey my brother Jeff and I took in southern Illinois recently, Frost’s poem became my reality.
Frost’s choice of the road less traveled in his poem brings some speculation that the author may have some regrets about his choices in life.
Our choice began by taking a forest path less traveled during an October rain.
I was born in Saline county, the gateway to the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.
Growing up with 250,000 acres of national forest to play in got to me. Read More

•November 6, 2019•

Okaw Valley School District’s Agricultural complex received the Illinois Association School Board’s Award of Distinction for excellence in the design of educational environments.
On Friday, Nov. 22 at 2:15 p.m. BLDD Architects, Inc. of Decatur will prepare a display that will accompany a delegation from the school district to the IASB annual conference in Chicago.
Competing against every project in the state, with some costing as much as $30 million, Okaw Valley was one of 22 selected for display in the Educational Environments Exhibition at the Hyatt Regency. Read More

•October 30, 2019•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

The 2018-2019 Audit for the Sullivan School District was approved at the last board meeting. The total of all funds for the September 2019 Treasurer’s report were $12,275,866.86. The balance of the Education fund was $4,786,211.95. Transportation fund was recorded at $1,490,691.26 and the Operations and Maintenance was $1,628,165.36.
The board discussed and approved the school improvement plan.
A collection of data was shared among board members showing results of the MAP test (Measures of Academic Progress).
The MAP test is a scientifically based growth measurement system that “informs” the teaching and learning process.
The average total percent of students in grades Kindergarten through fourth grade who were at or above reading level was about 69% in the fall of 2018. In the spring of 2019, that percentage increased to 71.6. In Mathematics, students in grades Kindergarten through grades four were at 67.4 percent in the fall of 2018. In the spring of 2019, the level rose to 75.2 percent.
The goals that the Sullivan Elementary School has set include: Read More

•October 30, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

On October 24 the Okaw Valley School District entertained public comment on the Board’s intent to issue $750,000 Working Cash Fund Bonds.
Hollis Dick of Bethany was the only person to make public comment. Mr. Dick complained that the public wasn’t given enough time to respond to the notice. He asked who the board attorney was and if he had been consulted about giving proper notice.
The Board assured Mr. Dick that they had worked with their attorney and that all public notices had been handled properly. Read More