Meeting Summary and Briefs: Litchfield CUSD #12 Board of Education for May 19, 2026

Litchfield CUSD #12 Board of Education Meeting | May 19, 2026

The Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 Board of Education held a full agenda on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, anchored by the unanimous adoption of a five-year strategic plan presented in part by district students (see “Litchfield Schools Adopt Five-Year Strategic Plan With Student Input”). The board also moved through a heavy slate of new-business items, including a six-year Envision Math curriculum renewal at roughly $210,000 (see “Litchfield Board OKs Envision Math Renewal at About $210,000”), an agreement hiring School Financial Services to support its business office during a transition (see “Litchfield District Hires Financial Services Firm During Business Office Transition”), and a Teamsters retirement notification incentive (see “Litchfield Board Approves Teamsters Retirement Notification Incentive”). The meeting opened with extensive recognition of 10 retirees, education foundation grant recipients, and FFA and music students, and concluded with the board entering closed session to discuss personnel matters. No public input was offered during the public comment portion.

District Honors 10 Retirees Spanning Decades of Service

The board opened its meeting by recognizing 10 district retirees whose combined service stretches across many decades. Honorees included Jo Brummet (24 years), Jill Huff (33 years), Jan Jenkins (28 years), Joel Jubelt (10 years), Karen Savage (15 years), Marvin Savage (18 years), Melani Treece (24 years), Mark Viehweg (28 years), Bob Witter (12 years) and Della Witter (22 years). According to packet materials, retirees ranged from longtime teachers and a 6th-grade math teacher to bus drivers, a custodian, a secretary and the district’s Business Manager. McClain noted that Bob Witter, the Director of Transportation and Buildings and Grounds, will remain with the district until August. Each retiree received a plaque, and a presentation celebrating the group was set to run in the community newsletter.

Foundation Awards Creativity Grants to 11 Staff Members

Eleven district teachers were recognized for receiving Creativity Grants from the Litchfield Student Education Foundation, with awards ranging from $200 to $400. According to packet materials, recipients included Joy Adam and Shannon Diveley, Chris Baugher, Tracy Favre, Jennifer Fleming, Kerri Frensko, Lindsey Gibbs, Jeremy Heigert, Heather Jackson, Amy Jones, Cassie McKorkle and Stephanie Norwood, representing the district’s elementary, middle and high schools. The images of recipients were posted to the district’s social media accounts. (Several names were rendered differently in the transcript; packet spellings are used here. See Editorial Flags.)

FFA Students Earn State Honors

The board recognized FFA members for state-level accomplishments. According to packet materials, Grason Thimsen and Kamden Marten earned the State FFA Degree, an honor received by approximately 2% of FFA members annually. Marten also won the Section 15 Turfgrass Management Proficiency Award, and Allison Belusko won the Section 15 Beef Placement Proficiency Award; Belusko is also part of the state FFA band. A team of Camie Stump, Brylan Marten, Allison Belusko, Tyler Belusko and Faith Ellinger placed sixth overall at the State Dairy Foods Career Development Event — the fourth consecutive year the district has placed sixth or higher — with Stump finishing seventh as an individual.

Eight Elementary, Eight Middle Students Selected for ILMEA Festival

The board recognized students selected for the Illinois Music Education Association Spring Festival held in Charleston at Eastern Illinois University. Eight elementary students attended sessions and performed: Reid Birkenkamp, Elysse Ellinger, Eliza Hale, Hudson Jackson, Kole Morgan, Ryann Powell, Sonya Wilson and Mack Younker. Eight middle school students participated in the elementary chorus: Daphne Dworsak, Travis Farris, Evelyn Fuhrman, Nora Hale, Brielle Harris-Detwiller, Reed Jones, Mahi Patel and Omarr Robinson.

Board Approves Consent Agenda, April Bills of About $260,000

The board approved its consent agenda, including the regular and closed session minutes from April 21, 2026, the bills for the district and the SCI Regional Workforce Training Center, and the treasurer’s report. According to packet materials, bills payable for April 2026 totaled $260,006.63, drawn across the Education, Operations and Maintenance, Transportation, Capital Projects and Tort funds, with $17,237.20 of the Education fund total payable for SCI. The treasurer’s report listed an ending balance in all funds on April 30, 2026, of $18,593,336, with $15,788,847 in operating funds and $1,460,764 in Capital Projects.

Board Adopts Policy Revisions on Second Reading

By voice vote, the board approved the second reading and adoption of revisions to board policy, administrative procedures and exhibits from the Illinois Association of School Boards’ PRESS Issue No. 121. McClain described them as additional policies discussed the previous month and recommended approval. The packet lists dozens of affected policy and procedure numbers across sections 2 through 8.

Board Approves Slate of Agreements and Renewals

In addition to the items covered in standalone stories, the board approved several routine agreements by roll-call vote. These included an intergovernmental agreement for the joint cooperation and operation of an Area Career Center, which McClain said carried no changes to its verbiage and is brought to the board annually; the annual membership in the Illinois Elementary Sports Association so middle school students can participate in sports; the proposed 2026–2027 Consolidated District Plan, an annual requirement McClain credited curriculum director Jennifer Thompson with preparing; a resolution appointing McClain as the district’s authorized agent on file for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund; a cooperative agreement with the Lily Pad Learning Center, which McClain said will serve more students next year; and a program agreement with Greenville University for student-teacher field experience and clinical practice.

Enrollment Holds Steady; District Reports Four FOIA Requests

McClain reported that district enrollment is steady from the prior month. Packet enrollment figures dated April 30, 2026, showed a districtwide total of 1,260, including 1,123 in the main grade-level counts plus 110 Pre-K students and additional special-placement students. McClain said the district received four Freedom of Information Act requests, all commercial requests from companies seeking purchase-order information to gauge whether the district could be a potential customer. McClain said the district fulfilled the requests.

Building Administrators Highlight Year-End Activities

Administrators from across the district delivered end-of-year reports highlighting student achievement and activities. Reports referenced kindergarten and Pre-K screening and celebrations, including a gathering at Walton Park; I-Ready diagnostic gains, with incentives that sent 239 middle school students out to lunch; an eighth-grade recognition described as “the next step” rather than graduation; and a high school year that included prom, a senior trip, scholarship awards night and graduation. The high school principal reported that seniors were awarded local scholarships, with the figure stated in the transcript as “$255,123.10,” and credited staff member Britney Ronco for coordinating both the scholarships and her first graduation. McClain said she would email staff to thank them for their patience through the business-office transitions. An administrator also reported the district’s Pre-K grant was approved with an increase for the coming year.

Board Enters Closed Session for Personnel

At the close of open business, the board moved to enter closed session at 6:51 p.m. to discuss the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees or legal counsel, citing 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1). No formal action can be taken in closed session; any action would occur after the board reconvened in open session. The source materials do not record what, if any, action followed.