June 16, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Live at SJO School Board, Feb. 24, 2025

Principal Gary Page saying some kids really like the online Spanish class. Some do not.  Page saying it obviously doesn’t compare to having a teacher in the classroom. “They seem to be settling in moving forward.” 

Discussing IMEC event and a hotel snafu. Superintendent Brian Brooks said they are working with the credit card coming to contest the charges for hotel rooms that were not up to standards.

Informational items and dates: Spring Break- March 17-21.

Facility items:
Justin Franzen is here. Discussing the scoreboard. The sponsors pay $10,000. They have eight. Now they want 12. Franzen saying they have four different renderings. All the renderings show that there will be a 15 foot by 24 foot LED scoreboard. “We can do a lot of great things for kids on there.”


Franzen asking if they want the sponsorship electronic or just stagnant like they are now. They are discussing the in and outs of the new scoreboard.

Discussing a softball concession stand and bathroom.

Brooks thinks they should go out to bid and see what they get. “If we are going to do this, it is probably not going to get cheaper. Maybe we will get a lot of interest.” Brooks saying the district isn’t in a time crunch to get this done.

TIF update: “My vibe is they fully plan to do this,” Brooks said.

Brooks saying they haven’t signed off on an agreement yet. “I think, it’s in our best interest, if we are happy with it to sign it.”

“It doesn’t mean we support it,” Brooks said. “It would just be protecting our district.”

Brooks saying the residential part of the TIF is what concerns him. (Basically, bringing in kids and having no money to educate them.)

Discussing time and length of TIF. Also discussing what it means financially for the district.

“It could go through and it would be fine,” Brooks said. “There are a lot of unknowns.”

New business:
Environmental Club Activity Account- the club wants an activity account. The school board said ok.

School calendar: All three districts have met. Agreed that this is the calendar they want. “It’s basically the calendar we are on this year.”

If they don’t take emergency days they will be out before Memorial Day.
Two weeks at Christmas.

Kitchen: asking board to consider this. Rhonda Lee is retiring at the end of the next year. She goes above and beyond, Brooks said. Brooks discussing hiring someone a year ahead or half a year ahead to learn from her.

Closed session.

Out of closed.

Talking about SJO FFA banquet, wrestling and post season, girls basketball post season and the dance team.

The football was the number one academic team in 3A apparently. #smarties.

Meeting is concluded.
















Banner
Related Posts

Parade to raise money for food pantry

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Boy Scout Troop 40 wants to celebrate America while helping the community. During the annual Fourth of July parade, Troop...

Get to know our little princess candidates: Keeley Mackenzie

August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

1. What is your favorite part of summer? Swimming! 2. What do you want to be when you grow up?...

Vendor Profile: J and J Plants

August 10, 2024

August 10, 2024

Tell me about your business. Jay and Jaylin, a father and son duo, are the prominent figures behind our family-run...

Get to know our Little Prince and Princess Candidates : Alayna Kelly-Mathey

August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

We asked our Little Prince and Princess candidates 5 questions. Here are their answers. What is your favorite part of...

Board approves concession stand project

August 25, 2025

August 25, 2025

St. Joseph-Ogden Softball  will be getting a concession stand, restrooms, and a concrete walkway that will connect to the north parking...

Talk of the Town with Mayor Ray Cunningham

August 25, 2019

August 25, 2019

Recently, Homer lost its grocery store and the Main Street Belly Deli. Mayor Ray Cunningham discusses how Homer is hoping...

Kern, Cafarelli, Carter and Atwood help SJO golf team have continued success

September 20, 2022

September 20, 2022

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School golf team has established a pretty common routine this season. Jacob Kern or Ashten Cafarelli...

10 things you don’t know about me… Angi Landis

June 27, 2022

June 27, 2022

1.  I’ve wanted to be a real estate agent since my girls were little.  They are 27 and 22 (will...

Senior spotlight Eric Poe

February 7, 2020

February 7, 2020

Every week we ask a St. Joseph-Ogden senior five questions. This week we talked to Eric Poe. Thank you to...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Feb. 25, 2025

February 25, 2025

February 25, 2025

Jim Page is here. He’s running for mayor. Peter Shaw is here. He is running for village board. They just...

Getting to know SJO Senior Marching Band Member Collin Livesay

October 21, 2022

October 21, 2022

My favorite thing about marching band is being given the opportunity to create new friendships with people who I share...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Sept. 9, 2025

September 9, 2025

September 9, 2025

I am here. So much interesting stuff is on the agenda for tonight. Jack Flash is here asking for the...

Smith’s last-second field goal lifts SJO football to upset playoff win

November 6, 2025

November 6, 2025

Before the St. Joseph-Ogden football team traveled to Benton for a Class 3A first-round playoffgame this past Saturday, Spartans coach...

Splash pad committee moving forward

April 4, 2022

April 4, 2022

The St. Joseph Community Survey found that the community wants a splash pad. 47 percent of respondents thought the splash...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

Jim Wagner is not here. Jeff Van Buskirk’s seat isn’t filled yet. They approved the minutes, bills, treasuer’s report. An...

Comments
Leave a Reply