Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
Feb 23, 2026
The lede
- Board to vote on district vision statement: “Community rooted. Every child included. Learning, innovating, and leading — thriving today and prepared for tomorrow.”
- Budget deficit update presented; district addressing anticipated shortfall for coming school years
- Facilities Master Plan advanced with funding discussion, polling questions for community input, and next steps presentation
- Matt Fry appointed as Principal at Everest High School for 2026-2027 school year
- Mathematics and World Language curriculum resource adoptions on consent agenda
Attendance & housekeeping
Members of record: Barbi Yunk, Jermaine Pigee, Scott Mueller, Holly Houk, Jorge Herrera, Jeff Diestelmeier, Brian Hoemke
Meeting called to order at 6:00 PM at 1201 5th Avenue, Belvidere, IL. Board entered closed executive session to discuss security procedures, personnel matters, collective bargaining, real property purchase/lease, and student discipline before reconvening in open session.
Decisions & votes
Vision Statement Adoption
Vote on proposed vision statement: “Community rooted. Every child included. Learning, innovating, and leading — thriving today and prepared for tomorrow.”
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Resolution Authorizing Engagement of Licensed Real Estate Broker
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Facility Master Plan Polling Questions
Approval of community survey questions regarding facilities.
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Mathematics Curriculum Resources Adoption and Extension
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
World Language Curriculum Resource Adoption
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
District Safety Plan Approval
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
BEST Memorandum of Agreement Approval
Approval of MOA with Belvidere Educational Support Team regarding educational leave.
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Appointment of Matt Fry as Everest High School Principal
Appointment for 2026-2027 school year.
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Additional Sick Leave Approvals
Two separate approvals for employees 022326-SS and 022326-CH.
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Consent Agenda
Approval of minutes from January 20 and February 5, 2026 meetings; personnel report; financial reports for January 2026; bills payable; case management/workload plan for special educators; school improvement grant funds; excess property disposal (CMS band textbooks, BHS psychology textbooks, BNHS athletics); overnight field trip requests; and donations.
Vote count and discussion details not available from agenda.
Discussion items (no vote)
Budget Update
Dr. Schug and Ms. Armstrong presented current budget status and projected budget deficit, outlining steps to address anticipated shortfall in upcoming school years.
Facilities Master Plan Funding
Funding update presented for the Facilities Master Plan.
Facility Master Plan Next Steps
Discussion of upcoming phases and implementation timeline for facilities planning.
Upcoming Contract Renewals & Reports
Review of annual contracts, with administration working to add contracts exceeding $25,000 to regular board review list.
Annual Demographic Study Update
Presentation of resident student forecast and demographic trends.
Public comment
Public comment period held with three-minute speaking limit per person.
Specific comments not available from agenda.
Notable moments
District Celebrations:
- STEM Century Book Release recognized
- School Superintendent Association (AASA) graduations acknowledged
- Perry Elementary School achieved HRS Level 3 Certification
- Board shout-outs and celebrations
Student Council Reports:
Reports presented by student councils from both Belvidere High School and Belvidere North High School.
Mid-Year Strategic Plan Summary:
Administration presented comprehensive mid-year update highlighting student achievements and staff efforts across five core goal areas, demonstrating district’s commitment to strategic plan implementation and transparency.