Meeting Summary and Briefs: Manhattan School District 114 for November 12, 2025

Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | November 12, 2025

The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education held a meeting marked by profound community grief, a parent’s emotional plea for school safety, and the celebration of outstanding student and school achievements. The board began by holding moments of silence for two junior high students, Danny Bayles and Chance Hunnicutt, and longtime former board member Scott Mancke. A memorial fund for the two boys was officially established. During public comment, a parent powerfully advocated for more transparent and accessible threat assessment policies after her young son was threatened at school. For more details on these stories, please see the full articles.

The board also reviewed the district’s 2025 tax levy proposal, which aims to keep the overall tax rate flat for residents through a future abatement, and celebrated exceptional news from the Illinois School Report Card, where three of the district’s schools were named “Exemplary,” placing them in the top 10% of schools statewide. The board also honored student-athletes and academic achievers. Action items included approving an energy-saving lighting project for Wilson Creek and formally accepting a donation for the boys’ basketball program.

News Briefs

ComEd Energy Saving Program Approved for Wilson Creek: The board approved participation in a ComEd program to install new LED lighting at Wilson Creek Elementary School. The project’s total cost is $70,000, but after a $48,000 rebate from ComEd, the district’s share is $22,000. The new lighting is projected to save the district $15,000 annually in energy costs and will be installed over winter break.

New Bus Tracking App Launching in January: District officials announced that a new bus tracking app called “My View” will be available for families starting in January 2026. The app will allow parents to subscribe to their child’s bus route and receive notifications when the bus enters a pre-determined radius around their home or bus stop, providing more accurate and proactive transportation information.

Pink Out Game Raises Over $1,500 for Cancer Support: The district’s athletic boosters and Blue Crew student group recently hosted a “Pink Out” basketball game that raised over $1,500 for Pink Heals of Joliet. The funds will directly support a local Manhattan family affected by breast cancer. The event featured both gyms decorated in pink and the debut of the “Demon Lounge” for student VIPs.

Board to Hold Special Meeting on Capital Projects: The Finance Committee will meet as a Committee of the Whole on Wednesday, November 19, at 6 p.m. to discuss a five-year projection of capital projects and expenditures. The special meeting will allow the full board to have a detailed discussion about future facility needs and financial planning ahead of key decisions at the December board meeting.

Policy Manual Undergoing Complete Overhaul: The district’s Policy Committee has begun a comprehensive overhaul of the board policy manual, a process expected to take four to six months. Working with the Illinois Association of School Boards, the committee is creating a new, streamlined manual from scratch to replace the current outdated and lengthy version, which is estimated to shrink from 1,500 pages to around 500.

Board Approves Personnel Changes, Including Principal’s Future Retirement: Following a closed session, the board approved several personnel items. Notably, it accepted the retirement of Ryan McWilliams, Principal of Manhattan Intermediate School and Director of Buildings and Grounds, with a projected retirement date at the end of the 2029-2030 school year. The board also accepted one resignation, approved two nurse transfers, and hired an assistant wrestling coach.