“High Seas Expedition”
August 2-6, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
family dinner served each evening at 5:15 p.m.
follow VBS link on www. chathampresbyterian.org to pre-register
1835 E. Walnut St.
Chatham, IL
483-4204

A Community Celebration …  Friday, June 11, 4pm-9pm at Sangamon Prairie Reception Center …  8855 State Route 4, Chatham!

Featuring live music, games & prizes, a bounce house obstacle course, face painting & more!

Celebrate Chatham: The First Town in Illinois to Experience Open Range’s High Speed Internet using 4G Technology!

All FREE Family Fun!   Enter to win an iPod Touch & other prize!

This event is sponsored by Open Range, an established American company committed to bringing the latest 4G Wireless High Speed Internet and Digital Phone Services to you and 545 towns and cities nationwide. We have the strength and stability to offer instant, do-it-yourself activation, local customer service, no contracts and no start up fees. To experience new technology and perfect simplicity, visit http://www.openrange.net/packages.html t or call us at 1.877.739.0890.

Note: this was posted by the Chatham library.

My boys are in the bathtub and I’m sitting on the kiddo’s potty!!

Accurate data reflecting changes in your community are crucial in apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and deciding how more than $400 billion per year is allocated for projects like new hospitals and schools.

That’s more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period for things like new roads and schools, and services like job training centers.

The Springfield Area Highland Games offers ancient athletic events, highland dance competitions, bagpipe band competitions, clans, and public participation events like the Ladies Haggis Hurl, Bonniest Knees, Tug of War, and the Kids Kettle Toss. The Highland games will have traditional food, entertainment, extensive children’s area, Celtic musicians, storytelling and dancing. We are proud to provide a fun family oriented atmosphere providing Celtic cultural events in forms that everyone can enjoy.

Gates will open at 8:00am rain or shine with parking located at Chatham Community Park, Chatham, IL. Prices are $10.00 for Adults, $5.00 for seniors and students 13-18 and Kids under 13 are free.

What: Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Western Oaks Baptist Church
When: Saturday, April 3rd at 10am

*We have indoor plans ready in case of rain, so come no matter what. We have three different areas for all children aged newborn thru 5th grade. Hope all of you can come!

chathamChat@gmail.com

Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 13, 15, 20, and 22, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Introduction to the Internet is a series of four classes that will cover searches, email, and exploring the incredible resources of the internet.  This class will be taught by Anne Godman.

Participants must attend the first session, and should plan to attend all four sessions.  Participants should have an email address before the first class.  If you do not have an email address and would like assistance in setting one up, please feel free to drop by the Library’s Computer Lab any time prior to the first session.

Registration is required.  Call the Library (483-2713) or drop by to sign up.

Census Bureau Director Robert Groves explains how people can view 2010 Census mail participation rates of their communities and compare them with the rates of other areas around the country.

Plan on joining them!!

To view the Census 2010 Questionnaire, visit: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/index.php

Census Jobs: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/

Census Website (Printable flyers, brochures, press releases, logos, etc): http://2010census.gov

Village of Chatham by Clicking here. You may also download a desktop application to

run on your computer to receive the same messages by following this link.

The Village is looking for residents to show their support by telling us what they think about letting Google build an open fiber network here in Chatham. We need support from the community to please let us know what you think!

View the Google fiber page and nominate us.

Tell the Village directly what your thoughts are.

View the facebook support page.

In his “Good News” report, Superintendent Gillum noted the following:

·          The GenH Coalition referenced the Ball-Chatham School District in a press conference held on November 16^th.  Specific reference and gratitude was given to Principal Sepich.

·         Members of the 20/20 Planning Commission, Nate Benanti, Sandy Lex, and Dave Murphy, who were unable to attend the Celebration of Excellence dinner, were recognized and presented their Vision plaques.

·         In recognition of National School Board Member Appreciation Week, the principals acknowledged board members’ service with a gift of a book, “How Full is Your Bucket?”

·         It was noted that 98% of the district’s property tax revenue has been receipted.

·         Soil samples of the land in which the new elementary school will be built have come back and are clear of any herbicides and pesticides, and has been deemed a “healthy” site.

A training workshop in Interested-Based Bargaining has been established for January 29-30 at the IEA building in Springfield.

Dr. Brent McArdle, Interim CSBO, reported on his proposed 2009 tax levy that will be brought to the December BOE meeting for approval. Stating that school tax revenues in the district should grow in the next year, he warned that they will not be at the pace of previous years’. Therefore administration is recommending a 2009 tax levy of $25.7 million, or about a 4.9% increase over what was collected this year. Also noted was that the single biggest source of new tax revenue for the current year would be from Gander Mountain.

Mrs. Carrie VanAlstine, Asst. Superintendent, shared information regarding the district’s 2009 State Assessment results, and, specifically, how each Ball-Chatham school is measuring up at the proposed level set in the federal “No Child Left Behind” initiative.  She said that, as a whole, all schools met “Adequate Yearly Progress,” with the exception of two subgroups: special education students at the middle school, in reading; and African-American students, district-wide, in math and reading.

The Board accepted and approved the annual audit from Pehlman and Dold, P.C., and asked that the Business Office Manager continue to make improvements in controls over disbursements in the student activity funds.

The Board also adopted a resolution authorizing issuance of individual procurement cards, (for district business use) which look and operate similar to credit cards but do not carry a revolving line of credit and usage. Also, authorization parameters can be reviewed, revised and managed via the internet by district administration at any time, and limits can be put on the dollar amount and number of transactions per card.

A change in the emergency call-out vendor (from School Reach to School Messenger) was approved because School Messenger interfaces directly with the district’s “Skyward” system, provides more user options and costs the same as School Reach.

Two field trips for GHS students were approved: one for the Student Television Network Convention in Anaheim, California; and the other for the Speech Team competition in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Mrs. Michelle Bulinski, Director of Human Resources, reported that the Health Insurance Committee is recommending the Ball-Chatham Employees’ Health Insurance Plan continue with Blue Cross/Blue Shield; and the employees’ Dental/Life Insurance Plans switch to Lincoln Financial. The Board approved this recommendation.

Finally, the Board heard from district directors regarding changes and new recommended policies in the areas of operational services (safety), technology/instruction, procurement cards, personnel, and business services.

October 13 at 6:00 p.m. – Introduction to Genealogy. Join us for learning the basics of traditional genealogical research, including the use of state, census, and cemetery records. A session on internet and computer-based research is being planned for early in 2010. Call the library (483-2713) to register.

October 14 at 2:00 p.m. – Midday Movie – Shadow of a Doubt. Join us for a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s class, Shadow of a Doubt, starring Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright. Could the all-American family possibly include the “Merry Widow Murderer”? Admission and snacks are free!