Presentations concerning vocational training and a student organization focused on friendship dominated much of the Columbia School Board’s December meeting earlier this month, though the final tax levy for the year was among a handful of action items also receiving attention.

The vocational talk came in the wake of a decision last month to decide against continued participation with Career Center of Southern Illinois.

School districts in the area that have partnered with CCSI for various technical career or other programming were recently requested to offer input on continued participation as CCSI is in the process of developing a new facility on the grounds of Southwestern Illinois College’s Red Bud campus.

Columbia Assistant Superintendent of Schools Amanda Ganey led the discussion in November, noting the Freeburg and Dupo school districts had also opted out of an agreement with CCSI and suggesting that working with the Collinsville Area Vocational Center in particular might be a more fiscally responsible choice.

Representing CAVC, Joe McGinnis offered a brief presentation to the board before fielding questions about the school housed on the same campus as Collinsville High School.

McGinnis explained CAVC is one of 27 area career centers in the state, currently serving 12 school districts including East Alton, Mascoutah, Bethalto and Dupo.

The school’s 15 programs include auto body, building trades, cyber security, cosmetology and more.

McGinnis said the school is currently pursuing a $28 million expansion and renovation project, adding onto industrial programs such as HVAC, EMT and aviation mechanics.

The school currently has 575 seats that students vie for. The expansion would bring that number up to 900.

“With that, we’re trying to reach out and make sure that we’re offering the opportunities that we have at CAVC to all the neighboring districts,” McGinnis said.

Responding to the collection of questions from the board, he added CAVC has received around 800 student applications for the past two years, with their selection process centering primarily around student attendance records, as “showing up on time” is among the biggest concerns of employers in the area.

McGinnis shared further details on the school’s training for teachers, remarking on how individuals in the program are able to get student teaching experience.

Likewise, he discussed the cybersecurity programming and the certification students are able to receive.

Asked how CAVC participation would work with the vocational courses already present at Columbia High School, McGinnis said CAVC is meant to complement such programming, not stealing students but instead offering them further training particularly in their senior year.

He was also asked about the center’s job placement success.

“We like to tout that any student that walks through our doors, if they’re interested in a job, we will have them a job before they leave,” McGinnis said. “Already we had about 15 kids hired between auto mechanics and auto body in September, and that has just continued to go kinda crazy throughout all of our programs. One of our missions is, by the end of the year, if a student’s wanting to take that next step and have a career in one of our fields, we’re gonna line them up with a good opportunity.”

Following McGinnis’ presentation, Keith Brinkmann with Scheffel Boyle Auditing Firm offered a brief rundown of his recent findings with a generally positive overview.

Among the findings, Brinkmann said one person didn’t have their economic interest information on file, a previous ISBE change regarding activity fund inclusion in the budget caused some technical overspending and the allocation of federal funds could be made clearer.

The meeting began with the monthly building report, which this time centered around the student organization Best Buddies International.

District Director of Special Services Jeanne Goacher took a moment to speak about the special education program and the emphasis placed on inclusion and acceptance before handing things off to a small group of students from the club.

Among those students was Skylar Durbin, who offered an overview of Best Buddies and how the group is all about ensuring students with developmental disabilities are comfortable and accepted among their peers.

“Imagine living in a world where you regularly feel invisible, where you’re excluded from jobs and excluded from full participation,” Durbin said. “Sadly, for many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or IDDs, that’s not hypothetical; it’s reality. That’s why organizations like Best Buddies exists.”

Further discussion about the club included talk about activities and events, including regular meetings, a Friendsgiving, a trip to the zoo and participation in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk to connect with a number of other Best Buddies organizations in the area.

Among the action items for the board was approval of the 2025 tax levy.

It was noted during the approval of the tentative tax levy last month that the district was seeking a standard increase of 4.95 percent over last year, amounting to $16,776,947.

The board also approved the fiscal year 2025 audit, early graduates for the fall semester and a bid for a drivers’ education car.

A student trip to Europe next year was also approved. It was noted a staggered arrangement is planned, with German and Spanish students traveling in alternate years.

Though the approval of a bid for a hydraulic trailer was on the agenda, it was ultimately tabled as Columbia Superintendent of Schools Chris Grode and Board President Greg Meyer explained the trailer set to be purchased wasn’t ideal.

“The specs that we received were not exactly what we were looking for,” Meyer said. “We’re looking for an equipment trailer that’s gonna haul a skid steer which is a considerable weight and needs to be built correctly. We don’t want to cheap out and have to buy another trailer in a couple years. We want to buy something substantial.”

Grode said the aforementioned skid steer had been ordered and was set to be received in the near future.

Toward the end of the meeting, the board once again spoke about ongoing process with CHS renovations, particularly remarking on progress being made toward the new auditorium and how students should be able to begin rehearsals on the stage early in the spring semester with the space fully prepared soon after.

Board member Adam Hemken offered further thoughts on the renovations.

“There’s a lot of movement going on at the moment, finishing things, literally working over the top of each other the way construction in a big building works,” Hemken said. “The classrooms, they look amazing. It’s really impressive, and the classrooms are gonna be phenomenal for not only just looking nice but increasing our educational capabilities.”