Quincy Reporter

Quincy Public School District 172 Board of Education met Aug. 1.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Meeting Convened

The Board of Education of School District No. 172, Adams County, Illinois, met in special session on August 1, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. in the Board of Education Office, Room 214, 1416 Maine Street, Quincy, Illinois, in said school district.

Roll Call

The meeting was called to order by President Arns, who directed the secretary to call the roll. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Arns, Brock, Davis, Dodd, Petty, Sethaler and Whitfield (telephonically); and the following members were absent: None. Whereupon the President declared a quorum was present.

Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by President Arns.

Questions and Comments

President Arns opened the meeting to questions and comments to members of the Board, by members of the public.

Allison Huber (Parent)

A QHS alumnus and Quincy resident, Huber accused QPS staff of violating student privacy by posting photos of children online and failing to notify parents of physical restraints and investigations. She claimed the staff involved are unlicensed and discriminated against young students. She called for immediate staff accountability, licensure verification, and public apologies.

Sarah Goodapple (Parent of Denman Student)

Sarah expressed disappointment in QPS leadership’s response, arguing safety was not prioritized. She called for administrative leave for involved staff, transparency, hallway cameras, and a full investigation. She stressed the issue is systemic and impacts all students, not just her own.

Sharadan Parks (Parent of Denman Student)

This parent described a repeated pattern of behavior by staff that has gone unchecked for years. She claimed incidents were dismissed, emboldening further harm, and cited a recent protective order as evidence of ongoing danger. She demanded Kirby’s immediate removal.

Matthew Anderson (Parent of Denman Student)

A veteran and father of a Denman student, Anderson highlighted the physical and constitutional implications of taping a child’s mouth shut. He argued it contradicts First Amendment values and undermines lessons of respectful communication, urging the board to reconsider such practices.

Susan Trusley (Parent of Denman Student)

Trusley accused the district of violating state laws, educator ethics, and mandated reporting requirements. She cited corporal punishment, failure to report abuse, and conflicts of interest in the investigation. She demanded transparency, third-party review, and questioned what the district is hiding by refusing to act.

Brian Myers (Parent of Denman Student)

Myers criticized the administration for failing to accept responsibility, claiming parents’ concerns were dismissed as misinformation. He questioned how an investigation could be credible if the DCFS report wasn't reviewed. He called for higher accountability from leadership and pointed to social media comments from Kirby showing a concerning attitude toward discipline.

Kelly Carlstrom (Parent of Denman Student)

Carlstrom expressed frustration with QPS’s lack of transparency and justice. She demanded termination of staff, formal apologies, hallway cameras, and administrative accountability. She emphasized that protecting students should have come before protecting reputations.

Phillip Carlstrom (Parent of Denman Student)

Carlstrom condemned the district’s response as protective of staff over students. He stressed this was abuse, not a misunderstanding, and demanded the board prioritize child safety and take real action.

Brooke Wells (Parent of Denman Student)

Wells argued the administration failed to act transparently or responsibly. She presented a list of 10 detailed demands including staff termination, public apologies, mandated reporter training, policy updates, and the Superintendent’s resignation. She urged immediate systemic reform.

Jill McCue (Parent)

McCue emphasized Quincy’s sense of community and recounted her family's connection to Lincoln-Douglas. She asked the board to reconsider her daughter’s denied school transfer, citing concerns about Denman and her child’s mental health. She contrasted his case with a city official’s successful annexation request, calling for fairness.

Tiffany Brewer (QPS Teacher)

This teacher defended Kim Kirby and Jennifer Oitker, stating she’s never seen inappropriate behavior and has only had positive experiences. She accused critics of misconstruing facts and insisted the teachers would never intentionally harm children.

Joshua Ingraham (Former Teacher)

A QPS graduate and former teacher, Joshua acknowledged the seriousness of the situation but cautioned against hasty staff removal. He stressed the importance of balance, thoughtful leadership, and the need for community engagement rather than division, urging transparency and support for educators.

Laura Shaw (Parent)

Shaw emphasized that the parents speaking up are deeply involved in the school and not motivated by politics. She also raised ADA concerns from another parent, citing the inaccessibility of the junior high band room. She called for staff terminations and resolution of accessibility issues.

Katie Myers (Parent of Denman Student)

Myers, a PTO member and former teacher, shared that her son with sensory issues was spanked for years, including after trying to avoid it. She expressed betrayal after years of volunteering and called the situation unacceptable, emphasizing the need for accountability and protection for all students.

Jim Mentesti (Community Member)

A longtime community leader and education supporter, he commended those speaking up and stressed the importance of communication and accountability. He urged board members to reflect on who they represent and encouraged support for continued community engagement.

Danny Smith (Parent of Denman Student)

A Denman parent and coach, Smith said his children were not affected but sympathized with concerned parents. He emphasized that the real outrage stems from how the situation was handled, not necessarily the incidents themselves. He urged compassion and better responsiveness from the administration moving forward.

Karen Agrimonte (QPS Teacher)

A veteran teacher, Agrimonte expressed dismay that the situation had diminished her pride in being a QPS educator. She urged the board to restore trust through transparency, admitting mistakes and moving forward with honesty to heal divisions among staff, parents, and leadership.

Crissie Duran (QPS PTA/PTO Member)

Duran stressed that repeated touching and restraint of students were inappropriate regardless of intent. She noted prior parent complaints dating back to November and highlighted that one teacher showed remorse while the other did not. She called for accountability and commended the board for listening.

Executive Session

At 9:15 a.m., it was moved by Member Arns and seconded by Member Brock that the Board suspend the rules and go into executive session to discuss: a) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the School District; j) attorney/client privilege or other matters appropriate for a closed meeting pursuant to the Open Meetings Act. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Arns, Brock, Davis, Dodd, Petty, Sethaler, and Whitfield; and the following members were absent: None. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.

Exit of Member Brock from Closed Session

Member Brock exited closed session at 11:03 a.m., which was duly noted by the board secretary. Resumption of Rules

It was moved by Member Davis and seconded by Member Sethaler to resume the conduct of the regular meeting under rules. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Arns, Davis, Dodd, Petty, and Whitfield; and the following members was absent: Member Brock. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.

Denman Action Plan

President Arns shared the Board’s action plan regarding Denman Elementary School and the district as a whole.

• Policy and Procedure Review – Investigative procedures and staff handbooks will be reviewed and updated, especially regarding social media expectations and complaint procedures, with a focus on timelines and follow-up with families.

• Security Assessment – A full review of district security will be conducted involving the tech, security, and maintenance departments to determine if additional safety measures are needed, not just at Denman, but potentially across other schools.

• Reinforcing District Values – Emphasis will be placed on restoring pride and integrity in the district with trust, relationships, communications, student climate, and staff well being.

Suspension with Pay for Kimberly Kirby and Jennifer Oitker

It was moved by Member Dodd and seconded by Member Davis to approve the Suspension with Pay for Kimberly Kirby and Jennifer Oitker, pursuant to Policy 5:240, pending the outcome of investigations by DCFS and ISBE. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Arns, Davis, Dodd, Petty, Sethaler, and Whitfield; and the following member was absent: Member Brock. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.

Suspension with Pay for Todd Pettit

It was moved by Member Sethaler and seconded by Member Davis to approve the Suspension with Pay for Todd Pettit pursuant to Policy 5:240, pending further action. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Arns, Davis, Dodd, Petty, Sethaler, and Whitfield; and the following member was absent: Member Brock. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.

PERSONNEL CODES $$ - New operating Fund Position (increase in FTE) B - Paid for by Booster Clubs C - Change in classification or position O - Other P - New Project Fund position PERSONNEL ADDENDUM PR - Replacement for Project Fund position R - Replacement for vacant Operating Fund Position QUINCY BOARD OF EDUCATION S - Summer SchoolAugust 1, 2025 CERTIFIEDDISCIPLINE 1 KIMBERLY KIRBY – PE TEACHER – DENMAN SUSPENSION WITH PAY – EFFECTIVE 8/11/2025 2 JENNIFER OITKER – PE TEACHER – DENMAN SUSPENSION WITH PAY – EFFECTIVE 8/11/2025 3 TODD PETTIT – SUPERINTENDENT SUSPENSION WITH PAY – EFFECTIVE 08/01/2025

Adjournment

At 11:20 a.m., it was moved by Member Davis and seconded by Member Arns that the special meeting adjourn. On the call of the roll, the following members were present and answered to their names: Members Arns, Davis, Dodd, Petty, Sethaler, and Whitfield; and the following member was absent: Member Brock. Whereupon the President declared the motion carried.

https://www.qps.org/wp-content/uploads/08.01.25-specialmtgmnt.pdf