Access, Public

From:

Kevin Craver- Crystal Lake < kcraver @shawmedia.com>

Sent

Friday, March 13, 2015 3: 02 PM

To:

Access, Public

Subject

Fwd: OMA Request for Review

Attachments:

D12 agenda.pdf; Coach memo.pdf

Importance:

High

I-

13 March 2015

TO: Sarah Pratt, Public Access Counselor, Illinois Attorney General' s

Office

FROM: Kevin P. Craver, Senior Reporter, Northwest Herald

RE: Request for review
Dear Ms. Pratt:

1iThis is a request for review of a public body' s interpretation of

the agenda requirements under the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS
120/ 2).

On March 10, 2015, the Johnsburg School District 12 Board voted after
a closed- session discussion to hire a new high school football coach.

While the vote took place in open session, we are unsure whether the
agenda item gives an adequate description of the vote under a newer
provision of the Act.

A copy of the agenda is attached to this email, as is a March 6 memo

describing the process and the potential hire's qualifications and salary.
The board entered closed session for " appointment, employment,
dismissal
under

of an employee or officer,"

and voted to approve the hiring

the subsequent item, " Act on items

necessary." There is no indication anywhere on the

hiring was going to be made.

appropriate and
agenda

that

from Closed Session as

However, a provision of the Act that took effect in 2013, 5 ILCS

120/ 2 102( c), is meant to ensure that the public has some idea of what
public bodies intend to act upon at meetings:

c) Any agenda required under this Section shall set forth the
general subject matter of any resolution or ordinance that will be

the subject of final action at the meeting [emphasis mine]."

I argue that a catch-all agenda item that tells taxpayers that some sort of
action will be taken after a closed session does not meet this new
requirement. Even though the board states the exemption under which it
is entering closed session, the public still has no idea what the potential
action,
if any could entail, especially given that the vast majority of a
school district' s budget is related to personnel issues.

Lawmakers who created this provision did so in response to meeting

agendas that were so vague that citizens could not reasonably deduce
what

business was to be discussed. (A news story regarding the

motivations behind the provision's passage can be found at

http:// shawurl. com/ gho.)

I believe a ruling by the Public Access Counselor's Office is needed to

set some sort of standard for what merits an adequate description of an
agenda item for action.
Regards,

KPC ( submitted electronically)

Athletic Department Memo

To:

Dr. Johnson, Kim Giovanni and the Johnsburg School Board

From: Thomas Ross, Athletic Director

Cc:

Kevin Shelton and Deb Fischer

Topic: Recommendation for Physical Education Teacher/ Head Football Coach

Date:

March 6, 2015

After an extensive application, screening and interview process ( which is outlined below):
January 9, 2015 Head Football Coach vacancy is posted. Applications will be accepted from
January 9 February 1, 2015

Week of January 12, 2015

Define and Recruit members for each committee of the hiring process
o Committees required for the hiring process
Screening Committee
Interview Committee
Presentation Committee

Screening Committee members of this committee will review the resumes of

each candidate and will score each candidate based on established criteria.
Committee members can review resumes at their convenience but must review all

resumes by February 6, 2015.

Interview Committee members of this committee will be responsible for

interviewing all the candidates determined by the screening process. Committee

o

members must be available for interviews after school during the week of
February 16, 2015
Presentation Committee members must be available all day on Saturday,

February 28, 2015 to listen to presentations from the four finalists and complete a
candidate presentation feedback form.

Week of January 19, 2015

Screening Committee Members begin to review resumes

Week of February 2, 2015
Last week for Screening Committee Members to review resumes
Week of February 9, 2015

Candidates are contacted for interviews as determined by selection from the screening
committee.

Week of February 16, 2015

Interview Committee conducts interviews and determines four finalists for the head

football coaching position.

Four finalists are contacted and provided with criteria for presentations

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Presentation Committee Members attend presentations from the four finalists.
Presentation Committee Members complete candidate presentation feedback form.
Week of March 2, 2015

Johnsburg High School administration and Dr. Johnson meet to discuss the finalist for the
physical education teacher/ head football coach position.

Finalist is offered the position pending Board approval.

March 10, 2015

Board of Education votes on the approval of positions for the finalist.

Johnsburg High School would like to recommend the following individual as a physical
education teacher and head football coach:
Dan DeBoeuf

Physical Education Teacher Year 3 BA + 8

Head Football Coach

Step

I Year I

40, 992
6, 645

Dan graduated from Lemont High School in Lemont, Illinois and then attended Carthage College
in Kenosha, Wisconsin where he majored in physical education and minored in health. While at

Carthage he was a member of the football team. He obtained his drivers education endorsement
from Greenville College and his LBSI endorsement from the University of Phoenix. Dan is
currently a physical education teacher and assistant football coach/ strength and conditioning
coach in the Round Lake School District. Dan has two years experience teaching physical
education/health education and one- year experience teaching drivers' education. Dan has
experience as an assistant football coach, head junior high wrestling coach and assistant track
coach.

I know that Dan will be a valuable asset to the Johnsburg High School teaching and coaching
staff. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you have.
Sincerely,

Thomas Ross

Athletic

Director

March 10, 2015

7: 00 PM - Johnsburg Junior High School North Learning Center

JOHNSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 12

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING AGENDA

it I

SCH(% 11. DISTRICT 12

JOHNSBURG
INSPIRING OUR STUDFRTS

1.

Call to Order

2.

Roll Call

3.

Topics for Consideration to Add to Agenda

4.

Approval of Agenda

5.

Consent Approval for Minutes of:

February 24, 2015 Board of Education Meeting

February 24, 2015 Board of Education Closed Session Meeting
6.

Commendations and Recognitions

Mareike Western McHenry County Spelling Bee Champion

Kevin Duffy, Dalton Lindsey, Shane Turner District Equipment Assistance
JHS Wrestlers Riley Buchanan, Branden Peshek and Eric Wagner State Wrestling Tournament
JHS Field of Excellence Award

Mareike Western and Gabriella McKenna- Junior High School Solo/ Ensemble Contest

Junior High Play Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

7.

Agenda Time for Citizens to Speak

8.

Act on Bills

9.

Reports from Advisory Committees, SEDOM, PTO, Foundation, Tech Campus

10.

Informational Items

11.

A.

District Facilities Discussion

B.

Planning for the 2015- 16 School Year

C.

High School Donation

D.

Freedom of Information Act Request

E.

Diesel Fuel Supplier

Other Business

JABA Expo, Craft Fair and JHS Bowl 0' Arts March 14th

School Board Election Tuesday, April 7th

Finance Committee Meeting April 7th
Personnel Committee Meeting April 14th
Next Regular Board Meeting April 14th
Staff Recognition DinnerSaturday, April 18th
12.

Act to go into Closed Session regarding appointment, employment, dismissal of an employee or officer

13.

Act to come out of Closed Session

14.

Act on items from Closed Session as appropriate and necessary

15.

Adjournment