Galesburg Reporter

Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board of Education met Dec. 10

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Call to Order: President Arvanitis called the meeting to order at 3:31 pm

Board of Education Members

Present - Mrs. Athena Arvanitis, President; Mrs. Elizabeth Hosler, Vice-President; Mrs. Courtenae Trautmann, Secretary; Mrs. Kelly Asseff; Mrs. Kara Caforio; and Dr. Kelly Henry

Absent – Mr. Jim Collins

President Arvanitis stated there are 6 board members present, 1 board members absent, a quorum is present.

Administration

Present - None

Absent Dr. Keisha Campbell, Superintendent; Mrs. Tonya Daniels, Chief of Staff & Communications; Mr. Rudy Gomez, Exec. Dir. Technology; Dr. Joe Schumacher, Asst. Superintendent of Human Resources; Mr. Chris Whelton, Asst. Superintendent of Finance & Operations; Ms. Kerry Leuschel, Asst. Superintendent of School Leadership; Mrs. Katie Lyons, Asst. Superintendent of Teaching & Learning; and Dr. Kevin Rubenstein, Asst. Superintendent of Student Services

Pledge of Allegiance: Board members led those present in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public Comments: There were no public comments at this meeting.

Upcoming Meetings

- December 16, 2024 Policy Committee Meeting, 5:30 p.m.–District 205 Center, Rooms 215 & 216

- December 17, 2024 Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 p.m.–District 205 Center, Rooms 215, 216, & 217

Closed Session

President Arvanitis asked for a motion to adjourn to closed session at 3:32 pm to discuss matters relating to The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. 5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (1)

Mrs. Trautmann moved and Mrs. Caforio seconded the motion. ROLL CALL VOTE: Mrs. Trautmann, Mrs. Caforio, Mrs. Asseff, Dr. Henry, Mrs. Hosler, and Mrs. Arvanitis voted aye. Motion carried.

Board Communication

The board returned from closed session, and Board President Athena Arvanitis issued a statement on behalf of the board regarding Todd Schmidt, who was hired by the previous administration in 2018. Following his arrest, Mr. Schmidt was immediately placed on leave, and an internal investigation was initiated, focusing on the use of district finances and resources within his department. Mr. Schmidt submitted his resignation on December 9, effective immediately and irrevocably. The board will review any potential legal action once the investigation is complete. President Arvanitis reaffirmed the board's commitment to maintaining the community's trust and assured that the investigation would proceed swiftly. She also discussed the next steps in the process, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. To hear President Arvanitis' full statement, please click on the video link on BoardDocs to watch the meeting.

Adjournment - End of Meeting: The meeting was adjourned at 5:52 pm.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/elmhurst/Board.nsf/Public