June 10, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Live at SJO School Board

We are live tonight at SJO school board.

It is a full audience today at school board. On the agenda is the tax levy, the risk management plan, social science curriculum review and discussing the property tax relief grant.

It’s 6 p.m. and only four board members are here. Les Hoveln, Jim Rein, Susan Mclain and Mitch Schluter. But that’s a QUORUM!

Here we go.

Kathy McCormick and April Vogelsang are not in attendance. Kevin Taylor isn’t here because he is coaching a game.

Approved October meeting minutes.

Shawn Hallett is approved as a volunteer wrestling coach. He’s the SRO. #multitasking

They are approving the final tax levy.

Risk Management Plan: Annual plan. Approved.

Social Science Curriculum Review. Mr. Schacht and Mr. Beckett.
(I love these reviews.) Plus, it’s two of my favorite teachers here!

Mr. Kieffer is in a meeting for his Alaska trip. He will be here soon.

Schacht has been here his whole teaching career. He went to Cornell.

Kieffer went to the U of I. He is the “guide to the world.”

Fun fact. Beckett student taught for Schacht. He graduated from EIU.

Faculty strengths: Stability, flexibility, committeed to SJO, involvement, energy and deep voices. (This was legit in their presentation. I am not just adding commentary.)

I am so jealous SJO has a world history class. That was not offered at my high school and I desperately wanted to take it.

Schacht’s civics course had 13 students originally and now has 66. Required for seniors with a GPA over 3.25. (If I could take any class at SJO this would be it!)

SJO Grab and Go Thrift Shop- they are taking the home economic room and stocking it with breakfast food and canned goods, Spartan hoodies, jackets for students who need it. Lindsey Aden and others are spearheading it. Student led and student driven. #goSJO

They are proposing a constitutional applications and political science class that would be a second-semester elective, one section class taught by Schacht. It would benefit those wanting to take AP Civics test, We the People, those wanting to go into law.


Property tax relief grant: The state is offering the district again to apply. But the property taxes are so low they probably wouldn’t get it. “It doesn’t hurt to apply. If every district applied we will not get it.”

Principal Gary Page is going over the School Report Card.

You can find it here.

They received the exemplary designation this year. #inshorttheyrock

“We performed in the top 10 percent of the schools, state wide,” Page said.

Closed session time.

Still in closed.

Still in closed. (Not a typo. We are still in closed.)

Out of closed.

Good of the cause: SJO school board president Jim Rein is congradulating the SJO volleyball team that placed third at state in the Class 2A volleyball state tournament. They also congradulated the cross country teams who made it to state.

Adjourned.








in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Donation could change the face of sports and activities at SJO

February 16, 2021

February 16, 2021

An anonymous donor has made St. Joseph-Ogden High School an offer they couldn’t refuse. And because of it, SJO athletic...

‘It could allow us to avoid having our school year extended past Memorial Day’

February 3, 2022

February 3, 2022

St. Joseph-Ogden Superintendent Brian Brooks said that having an E-learning day yesterday and today made sense for the district. “We...

PVO 4th Quarter honor roll

July 8, 2023

July 8, 2023

This post is sponsored by Fisher Yard Barns. 7th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0) Tyler BonnyIsabella FrerichsCasen GoffGaby GomezKellyn IrwinRoyce LoschenLane...

PVO Junior High 8th grade honor roll

April 27, 2023

April 27, 2023

8th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0)Alec BowlinAnna HammondGarrett LoschenMason RammDennis RinebergJack WearEmerson WilliamsDalton York 8th Grade High Honors (3.4-3.69)Cylas HintonAvrianna LyttleKaden...

We the People holding one final fundraiser

April 2, 2019

April 2, 2019

There is one final chance to help the St. Joseph-Ogden We the People Civics Team fund their trip to Nationals...

St. Joseph Middle School 5th grade honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Sophia Albrecht Madison Beeler Abigail Bewley Kynleigh Blunier Connor Bowman Naomi Cavanaugh Konlee Christians Henry Cluver...

Ames and Aden advance to district competition

January 28, 2019

January 28, 2019

Most people dislike public speaking. Not St. Joseph FFA member Mallory Ames. Ames, along with Lindsey Aden and Abby Schlueter...

St. Joseph Middle School Announces 7th Grade Honor Roll

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

7TH GRADE HIGH HONORS Logan Allen Owen Baltzell Addisyn Barclay Samantha Beetz Kyler Brown Chloe Burkhalter Rachel Divan Joseph Frasca...

Prairieview-Ogden First Quarter Honor Roll

October 31, 2022

October 31, 2022

7th Grade Highest Honors: (3.7-4.0) Tyler Bonny Casen Goff Gaby Gomez Royce Loschen Lane McKinney Airin Rash Korinne Travis Evelyn Valentine...

‘I love everything about our new space’

February 15, 2023

February 15, 2023

The drama program at St. Joseph-Ogden High School has a new home. “It means a lot to this program and...

St. Joseph Middle School announces 8th grade honor rolls

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

8th GRADE HIGH HONORS McGwire Atwood Kaytlyn Baker Olivia Baltzell Tyler Burch Ariana Chambers Maddux Carter Aiden Cromwell Zachary Dahman...

PVO Jr High Seventh grade honor roll

April 27, 2023

April 27, 2023

7 th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0)Tyler BonnyIsabella FrerichsCasen GoffGaby GomezKellyn IrwinRoyce LoschenLane McKinneyConnor McMahonAtleigh MillerAirin RashKeegan RobertsKorinne TravisEvelyn ValentineLucas WatersAdyn...

Maxey to step aside, but ‘SJO is a better place’ because of former SRO’s role at school

August 15, 2019

August 15, 2019

Alicia Maxey, like many other high school students, didn’t exactly know what she wanted her future job to entail when...

More than a coach: SJO to honor Duval with field dedication ceremony Friday night

August 19, 2021

August 19, 2021

An educator. A coach. A friend. A husband. A father. A community icon. On Friday night the community and high...

‘There is no one more deserving of this honor’

June 26, 2020

June 26, 2020

Glenn Fisher loves St. Joseph-Ogden High School. For decades, Fisher’s main concern was that the facilities and sports fields at...

Comments
Leave a Reply