BOE Monthly Meeting Summary

The Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 Board of Education met on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at the Kilton Fine Arts Center for its monthly board meeting.

These are not the official meeting minutes and do not include every detail from the meeting; instead, they are a summary to assist the Purple Panther community. Once the board approves them, the official minutes can be found on the LCUSD #12 Board of Education Minutes page on the website.

Dear Litchfield Purple Panther Community,

Winter invites reflection. It slows us down just enough to notice the steady work happening all around us — the kind of work that shapes confidence, builds character, and quietly prepares students for what comes next.

That work is on full display in this inaugural issue of The Purple Panther.

Within these pages, you’ll step into classrooms where curiosity is encouraged and expectations are clear; into science labs where students are challenged to think deeply, take risks, and discover what they are capable of; into art rooms where creativity becomes a source of confidence rather than comparison; and into band and choir rooms where students learn what it means to belong to something larger than themselves.

You’ll also meet educators whose influence extends well beyond content; teachers, coaches, and mentors who understand that growth happens when students feel both supported and pushed. Whether through music, science, athletics, leadership opportunities, or simply showing up day after day for kids who need a steady presence, these stories reflect a district committed to developing the whole child.

What connects all of them is intention. Students are not just participating; they are finding their footing. They are learning how to persist, how to collaborate, how to recover from mistakes, and how to take pride in their progress. In our schools, confidence is not reserved for a select few. It is cultivated across grade levels, disciplines, and experiences.

The Purple Panther exists because our schools have remarkable stories unfolding every day. This magazine is not about spotlighting a single achievement or moment, but about offering a fuller picture of the learning, care, and commitment that define our district every day. I hope you’ll agree we have a story here at Litchfield that is so very worthy of sharing.

As superintendent, I am extraordinarily proud of the people and programs that make Litchfield schools what they are. This first issue is an invitation to our community to see the work, to recognize its impact, and to take pride in the story we are telling together.

CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO READ OUR STORIES!

Litchfield High School:

The high school girls basketball season came to a close last night as they were defeated by #1 seed Father McGivney in overtime in the regional semi finals. They finished the season with an overall record of 16-16 and 5-4 in the SCC. This is the most overall and conference wins since 2016-17. They also finished the season winning 8 of their last 10 games. We are tremendously proud of their effort.

Congratulations to seniors Vinny Moore and Braxton Kieffer and to junior Rilynn Younker for advancing to the IHSA wrestling state finals. Boys will compete on 2/19, 20 and 21, while girls will compete on 2/27 and 28.

Tonight, 2/17, boys basketball will host Carlinville for senior night. They will travel to Gillespie on 2/19 to finish out their regular season. They will then host East Alton-Wood River on 2/23 in the quarterfinals of their 2A regional. If they win, they will travel to Roxana on 2/25 to take on Alton Marquette at 7:30.

Litchfield Middle School:

LMS Wrestling is entering their final regular season week

We have 1 dual remaining against Trimpe middle school

Regionals will take place on 2/28 @ Jerseyville

We have recently attend the Jacksonville JV invite and the Glenwood middle school invites.

• All 8 JV wrestlers placed at Jacksonville
• Dalton Ellinger taking 1st place and Hudson Hogue 2nd.
• Glenwood we travelled 9 wrestlers and placed 4
• Jayse Ellinger and Owen Pryor took home 1st place
• Grayson Short 2nd and Ryder Beeler 4th

Volleyball

6th- This group of 15 girls has shown tremendous growth since our first practice. They are setting up the ball, getting quality swings, and developing a strong understanding of the game’s fundamentals. They compete hard every match and learn from their mistakes. With this mindset, they will continue to grow each year.

7th- We are seeing growth and improvement from all 14 players. They have really improved in an area they really struggled with last year which is rotations and positions. They are getting 3 touches on the play and playing a faster paced game. Although it doesn’t show it in the win column, all girls have grown individually and have focused on repetition and being constant with the basics. Their overall knowledge of volleyball has increased so much. I am excited to see the growth in them for years to come.

8th- Although the 8th grade team may not always see it reflected in the win column, they have competed hard in nearly every game, consistently making matches competitive and battling back from large deficits. They have shown tremendous growth from 7th to 8th grade and have continued to improve throughout the season.

LECC: It has felt like a quick turnaround since the last board meeting. With a couple of days off and many meetings and assessments taking place, the month flew by.

• Playground & Expectations After being stuck indoors for weeks due to snow and cold, students were thrilled to return to the playground. Staff used this transition to work hard on reestablishing appropriate behavior expectations for outdoor play.

• Targeted Attendance Program A new reward initiative is underway for select Kindergarten and 1st-grade students to improve attendance. By rewarding the "littles," the school hopes to motivate the "bigs" (parents/guardians) to ensure consistent school attendance.

• Valentine’s Day Celebrations Students celebrated by exchanging cards, which allowed them to practice writing at home and name/face recognition in class. It was nice that this took place on the short day for the week and students went directly home after their celebrations and lunch.

• Pre-K Buddy Day Families visited LECC for Valentine-themed activities, allowing all Pre-K students to participate on a day when afternoon sessions are typically canceled. The event used an appointment-based system to minimize neighborhood traffic and parking issues.

• Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Teachers are partnering with the Illinois K.I.D.S. program to revisit "academic play" and play-based instruction. While this will be a state requirement by the 27-28 school year, many staff members are already familiar with this initiative that we started pre-pandemic. They are using their Early Childhood expertise to tweak the work they had already started and are implementing as I write this.

• Kindergarten Registration LECC will host registration on Tuesday, April 14th, from 4:00–7:00 PM. This session is specifically designed to reach families whose children are not currently enrolled in our Pre-K. We will publish dates via social media and share with child care programs in the area to help recruit and ensure parents have a chance to pre-register and help our planning for next school year.

LES: The last month has been eventful at Litchfield Elementary School.

LMS:

• Students completed their Winter iReady Diagnostic in January. Our focus this year is on growth, and many of our students demonstrated tremendous progress. The data from these diagnostics helps teachers develop targeted plans to ensure all students continue moving forward.
• Mr. Carty and district administrators spent a full day analyzing the results and identifying trends. That information was then shared with teachers, who began developing action plans to help students achieve even greater success.
• Students have also been working hard on their iReady lessons. This quarter, we are challenging students not just to pass their lessons, but to score 80% or higher. For every lesson above 80%, students earn a Jolly Rancher and an entry into our March “Tat a Teacher” drawing. At the current pace, we may single-handedly deplete the national Jolly Rancher supply — our students are doing that well!
• As illness impacts attendance, we continue to emphasize the importance of being at school. Students were reminded that two absences per month can lead to chronic absenteeism. Some students have even been paired with attendance buddies to encourage and support one another — especially on those mornings when getting to school feels a little harder.

We are proud of the effort our students are showing both academically and in their commitment to being present and engaged each day.

LHS:

• Incoming Freshmen Registration: We had a great turnout at our incoming freshmen meeting, with parents and students in attendance to learn about high school expectations and opportunities.

• Pathway Selections: All upcoming juniors and seniors have selected their pathway courses, officially beginning the registration process for next year.

• Class Registration Meetings: Sophomores through juniors are meeting this week with counselors to select courses, with completed forms due February 23.

• Freshmen SEL Assembly: The freshman class participated in the two-day Ending the Silence social-emotional learning program, focused on mental health awareness and support.

• Therapy Dog Visit: Sophomore students had another positive visit with our therapy dog, continuing to support student wellness.

• Blood Drive Success: Some statistics include - 37 donors registered, 34 units of blood collected, 8 first-time donors, and 98 lives potentially impacted by donations

• ACT Preparation: Students completed their 3rd practice ACT on Friday, and we look forward to reviewing results to guide final preparations for our April 10 test date.

THANK YOU TO OUR CUSTODIAL/GROUNDS CREW AND OUR BUS DRIVERS

Dr. McClain thanked the custodial and grounds team, along with Bob Witter, for the tremendous work they do during snow events. This year in particular, they prepared the district’s buildings and grounds with significant snow accumulation and in extremely cold temperatures. The early mornings, long hours, and attention to detail in those conditions do not go unnoticed. Because of their efforts, district facilities are safe, accessible, and ready when school is able to be in session.

She also extends her appreciation to the district’s bus drivers. Navigating winter road conditions is no small task, and they consistently prioritize student safety while transporting children to and from school. We are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated professionals behind the wheel.

Finally, Dr. McClain thanked parents and families for their patience and understanding when weather-related decisions must be made. These decisions are never simple and are never taken lightly. Student safety remains the top priority, and every effort is made to make the best decision possible for students, staff, and families.

New District Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581114507291

If you have not, please like our new page. Our old group has been archived.

MAKE IT PROGRAM

Dr. McClain shared an update regarding the Child Care Assistance Program, which helps cover tuition costs for approximately half of the students enrolled in the program. Recently, there was a federal announcement proposing a temporary freeze of certain social service funds, including funding sources that support Illinois’ child care assistance programs.

At this time, a federal court has issued a temporary restraining order, and funding is continuing as normal while the matter is reviewed. Mrs. Walker has shared with families that there is no immediate impact to services.

If a freeze were ultimately implemented, it could significantly affect families and the program, as 19 of the 38 enrolled students currently receive at least partial assistance through CCCC. Mrs. Walker, MAKE IT Director, has already begun exploring alternative scholarship and funding options to ensure continuity of services should any changes occur.

The theme for the summer program is "Diggin' It". They will be studying paleontology, dinosaurs, history, fossils, the beaches and sand, gardening, and other things that the kids will "DIG".

If you are interested in enrolling your student in MAKE-IT, please contact Kelley Walker at kwalker@litchfieldpanthers.org.

Strategic Planning Update

Since our last Board meeting, we have held two additional Strategic Planning sessions, and I am very encouraged by the engagement and direction of the work.

At our second meeting, the committee focused heavily on developing our Portrait of a Graduate. Participants reviewed survey data, discussed potential attributes, and ultimately voted on the core competencies we believe a Litchfield graduate should demonstrate. The top areas that rose to the surface included empathy, communication, critical thinking, adaptability, resilience, and self-management. The group also worked through refining definitions and even discussed combining terms to ensure clarity and focus.

At our third meeting, we revisited and voted again on both the Portrait of a Graduate terms and potential district taglines such as “Deeply Rooted. Future Ready.” We also spent significant time reviewing district data, including enrollment trends, student achievement, financial outlook, facilities, transportation, and mandated categorical funding pressures. From there, stakeholders worked in small groups to identify strengths, areas of growth, and future goal areas across five major categories: Teaching and Learning; Facilities and Learning Environment; Climate and Culture; Governance, Finance and Operations; and Family and Community Connections.

The conversations have been thoughtful, honest, and grounded in both pride for where we are and clarity about where we need to grow. We are building a plan that will serve as a roadmap for the next four to five years, and I appreciate the continued support of all our stakeholders as this work moves forward.

Dates of Strategic Planning & Portrait of a Graduate Committee

• Meeting 4: February 25, 2026 (5-8 pm)--WILL BE HELD AT THE SCI CENTER

• Meeting 5: March 11, 2026 (5-8 pm)--WILL BE HELD AT THE SCI CENTER

• Meeting 6: April 15, 2026 (5-8 pm)

The purpose of this group is to shape the district’s direction for the next five years and review the essential skills every LHS graduate should possess. Together, we will:

• Develop mission and vision statements.

• Establish core values.

• Identify district goals and priorities.

• Review and analyze current district data to guide our work.
  
  

Our collective efforts will result in clear Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals that will serve as the foundation for Litchfield CUSD #12’s future planning.

You can join in one or more sessions by contacting Kris Adamson at (217-324-2157) or via email at kadamson@litchfieldpanthers.org.

SCI CENTER UPDATE:

Dr. McClain provided an update regarding ongoing discussions about the renewal of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the South Central Illinois (SCI) Career Center.

As part of this routine renewal process, the SCI Governing Board is reviewing the long-term funding structure of the Center to ensure it remains sustainable and equitable for all participating districts. These conversations are a normal part of the Center’s continued growth and development. As discussions move forward, the focus is on exploring options that promote fairness, sustainability, and continued regional collaboration.

SCI remains a strong regional asset. The district consistently maximizes available state and federal Career and Technical Education funding and has successfully secured significant grant dollars to support programming, equipment, and expansion. These efforts have allowed SCI to expand pathways and serve students from nine districts across the region.

As the host district, Litchfield owns and currently operates the facility and serves as the administrative agent. This structure was part of the original launch of the Center. Now that SCI is well established and enrollment has grown, the Governing Board is thoughtfully evaluating whether the current funding model continues to best support long-term stability and shared responsibility among participating districts.

These discussions are proactive in nature and centered on long-term planning, not in response to any immediate concern. The priority remains clear: maintaining high-quality career and technical education opportunities for students throughout the region.

Litchfield CUSD #12 is proud to host the SCI Career Center and remains committed to working collaboratively with partner districts to ensure the Center continues to thrive for years to come.

Bills- Bills payable for February 2026 total $854,854.95.

From the Education fund: $282,251.28; of this total $21,253.44 is payable for SCI.

From Operations & Maintenance: $98,865.18.

From Debt service: $405,772.19.

From Transportation: $25,095.95.

From Tort: $18,865.35.

From Health-Life-Safety: $24,005.00.

Treasurer’s Report

Ending balance in all funds at January 31, 2026 is $19,317,282.

Balance in operating funds is $16,080,601.

Balance in Capital Projects is $1,130,831.

Regional Office of Education #3 Agreements
Dr. McClain recommended approval of the annual intergovernmental agreements with the Regional Office of Education #3 for the Safe Schools Program and the Alternative High School. These agreements ensure that the district can continue providing appropriate alternative placements and supports for students when needed, while remaining fully aligned with state requirements.

South Central Illinois Regional Workforce Training and Innovation Center (SCI) Approvals:
Calendar:

The Board was also asked to approve the 2026–2027 class calendar for the South Central Illinois Regional Workforce Training and Innovation Center. Approval at this time allows participating districts to coordinate schedules, align programming with workforce and industry expectations, and begin student recruitment and planning for the upcoming year. The SCI Governing Board has already approved the calendar. Dr. McClain expressed appreciation to Mrs. Ellis for her leadership and attention to detail in preparing both this item and the following one.

Student Handbook:

In addition, Dr. McClain recommended approval of the 2026–2027 SCI Student Handbook. The handbook is reviewed annually to ensure expectations, procedures, and safety protocols remain clear and aligned with current policies and state requirements. The SCI Governing Board has also approved this document.

Redesigned Educator Evaluation System
Dr. McClain presented a redesigned Educator Evaluation System developed collaboratively by LEA members and the district’s administrative team. The updates reflect recent changes in state law, including the removal of student growth as a required component of evaluations, adjustments related to tenure law, and provisions affecting evaluations of retired teachers in their final three years.

The revised system streamlines the evaluation process by narrowing the focus from 22 components to 13, allowing for more meaningful professional conversations and stronger alignment between evaluations and professional development. There are no changes to the language within the evaluation tool itself.

Additionally, the evaluation timeline has been adjusted from an August–March cycle to a March–March cycle. This shift provides greater flexibility, allows evaluations to begin earlier in the spring for those who choose, and distributes the process more evenly across a full 12-month period. Dr. McClain thanked the team members who contributed to the review process and emphasized that the district’s goal remains professional growth, continuous improvement, and full compliance with state requirements.

Hires:

1. Kenneth Billings as a substitute bus driver for the district effective immediately.
2. Leah Maddox-Taylor as a substitute bus driver for the district effective immediately.
3. Charles Shepherd as a substitute custodian for the district effective February 17,2026.
4. Kalli Avera as a Behavioral Technician/Paraprofessional for the District effective immediately.
5. Abbegale Kuehn as the Student Services Coordinator effective immediately.
6. Jolene Jones as the Student Services Coordinator beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
7. Kaleb Nix as the World Language Teacher-Spanish for LHS/LMS effective the 26-27 school year.
8. Robyn Engstrom as the Assistant Boys Middle School Track Coach effective immediately

Volunteers:

1. Candice Mazza as a Volunteer Coach to the Middle School Track Program beginning the 2025-2026 school year.
2. Vince Fanelli as a Volunteer Coach to the Middle School Track Program beginning the 2025-2026 school year.
3. Tate Dobrinich as a Volunteer Coach to the Baseball Team beginning the 2025-2026 school year.

Transfers:

1. Jessica Ball from Elementary PE and Middle School Health to Middle School PE and Health beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
2. Joy Adam from Social Studies to Social Studies and 6th grade Language Arts beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
3. Shea Murray from 5th Grade Elementary Teacher to 6th Grade Middle School Math Teacher beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
4. Kim Carlile from Middle School/ High School Dean of Students and Middle School Reading/Exploratory teacher to Dean of Students for the Middle School and Elementary School beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
5. Patricia Fenton from Middle School PE to Physical Education at Litchfield Elementary School beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
6. Kayla Pennock from 2nd Grade Elementary Teacher to 4th Grade Elementary Teacher beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
7. Greg Urbanc from 3rd Grade Elementary Teacher to 5th Grade Elementary teacher beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
8. Jennifer Fleming from 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher to 7th Grade Social Studies and Language Arts beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
9. Jennifer Ruschhaupt from 6th Grade Reading to 5th Grade Elementary teacher beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
10. Michelle Streibig from Social Studies to 8th grade Social Studies and Language Arts beginning the 2026-2027 school year.

Resignations:

1. Janice Fleming, 5th Grade Elementary teacher, at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

2. Vince Fanelli, Assistant Boys Middle School Track Coach, effective immediately.

3. Lucas Martinez, Spanish teacher effective immediately.

Retirements:

1. Jan Jenkins, Elementary Secretary, as of June 4, 2026.
2. Joel Jubelt, Custodian, as of September 1, 2026.
3. Mark Viehweg, Bus Driver, at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

Non Renewal:

1. One non-renewal was approved by the Board.

Reduction in Force:

1. One Reduction in Force was approved by the Board.

1. Two FMLA requests were approved by the Board.