The Board of Education is elected by the community to govern the school district. The Board is comprised of seven members. In general, Board members are elected to 4-year terms of office. The Smithton Community Consolidated School District No. 130 is a member of the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB). The IASB outlines the following as duties of a school board:

• The Board clarifies the District's purpose

• The Board connects with the community

• The Board employs a superintendent

• The Board delegates authority

• The Board monitors performance

• The Board takes responsibility for itself

Regular meetings of the Board of Education are open to the public. They are typically held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Smithton Elementary School Library/Media Center, 316 South Hickory Street, Smithton, Illinois. 

Special meetings of the Board of Education are open to the public. These meetings may be called by the Board president with at least 48 hours of public notice before the meeting. Notices are placed outside the main entrance of the school building (316 South Hickory, Smithton, Illinois) and on the district's website.

A closed session may be called by agenda or at any time during a regular meeting. All decisions, however, are required to be made in open session. Closed sessions are allowed by state law in order to discuss: 

• Collective negotiating matters

• Litigation that is probable or imminent

• Litigation that is filed and pending

• Information regarding the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of an employee or officer

• Testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee or officer to determine its validity

• Purchase or lease of real property for the district's use; or the setting of a price for the sale or lease of real property owned by the district

• Matters of student discipline

• Deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees

Individuals wishing to address the Board of Education are invited to do so by the Board president following the pledge of allegiance, roll call and the reading of any written correspondence by the Board secretary. A presenter must provide his/her name and address and limit remarks to five (5) minutes. The Board president has the right to control the length of any presentation. One speaker per topic is allowed unless presenters have opposing views. Questions should be addressed to the Board as a whole rather than to individual Board members or administrative employees. 

The Board of Education is not a public forum. The Board is a deliberative body. The Board does not debate the subject of public comments during the meeting, but rather, may take the comments under review in making decisions and establishing policies. The Board follows a planned agenda at each meeting. Board members receive background information prior to each meeting to enable proper preparation for the topics to be discussed and voted on during meetings.

Foundational Principles of Effective Governance

Illinois Association of School Boards

National School Boards Association

Oath of Office for Illinois School Boards

Interested in becoming a school board member? Here is a link to the 2025 Candidate's Guide. See page 52 for nomination papers.

For further information, see the St. Clair County Clerk's Office website or email Mrs. Nicks at snicks@sccsd130.com.

Click on a board members name to send them an email!

Mr. Dale Barschak, Board President
Mr. Curt Whitworth, Vice President
Mr. Andrew Mueth, Treasurer
Mrs. Shanan Hesseldenz, Secretary
Mr. Neal Trentman, Board Member
Ms. Lori Taylor, Board Member
Mr. Erik Fisaga, Board Member

To contact the entire Board with any questions or concerns, please email board@sccsd130.com.

Recent legislation requires that veteran board members re-elected to the board as well as newly elected members must complete four (4) hours of mandatory training on specific legal topics within one year of taking the Oath of Office. Additionally, state law requires that all board members be trained on the new Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA), before taking action on certain kinds of teacher dismissal.

Board members are also required by law to complete training on the Open Meetings Act (OMA) within 90 days of taking the Oath.

Click here for more information related to the training requirement.

Record of Mandatory Board Training

Please use the Chain of Command document for appropriate communication protocols.