Complete information packet

 

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

  • School Finance – Frank Panzica reported – The committee discussed the operating funds tentative budget. The committee continued its expenditure review with four special education related services; while the district is looking at all areas, this is not an area where changes are anticipated.
  • Strategy – Mark Steen reported - For Instrumental Music, the District is recommending a different structure for sectionals next year that will include a “hard stop” for the number of times a student can miss any one class for sectionals. We are beginning the second phase of the instrumental music review and anticipate another survey to explore offering a different music experience with different instruments or other alternatives. There will be a comprehensive report on Kindergarten Enrichment tonight.
  • Committee of the Whole: Superintendent Search – Lisa Schneider-Fabes reported – Three search firms were interviewed and one was unanimously selected. We are working on contract negotiations now.
  • Community Review Committee – Jon Cesaretti reported- CRC is close to making recommendations on personalized learning. Next meeting is May 7th at 7:00 pm.
  • Educational Foundation – Frank Panzica reported The April 15th fundraiser, which was a showing of Princess Bride, was a success. Tracy Kearney reported on two Gripp Grants, each providing more than was requested with the Gripp Grant committee citing the well-written applications and alignment with the Foundation’s mission. Dr. Peter Ower, at WJHS, requested 4 Moticams (special cameras for microscopes), and received 24. Connie Clark applied for 6 Raspberry Pi Programming Boards to expand differentiating instruction in her computational thinking class at HMS and was granted 12.Next meeting is May 16th at 7:00 pm.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Tracy Kearney reported. Legislature is back in session, since April 9th. Many bills are in committee that relate to education, but none have passed.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Written Communication

Announcements from the Superintendent

Student Recognition - Student winners for DAR writing contest, Certamen State Champions, IESA State Wrestling Champion, and Mental Health America - North Shore Writing Contest were recognized.

Highcrest Assistant Principal - Susan Carlson has been selected as the new sixth grade assistant principal for the 2018-2019 school year replacing Chimille Dillard.  Susan has a bachelor’s from Carroll University, Ohio, a master’s from Northern Illinois University in Special Education, and is completing her master’s in Educational Leadership at Northeastern University this July. She is currently an 8th grade Learning Behavior Specialist at WJHS and has been in D39 for the past two years. Susan previously worked in Chicago Public Schools, Niles, Glenview, and North Suburban Special Education District (NSSED). 

2017-18 Final School Year Calendar - Due to the weather-related school closing on February 9th, the school calendar needs to be adjusted. Because the District meets the legally required number of student attendance days, February 9th is now listed as an Emergency Day. The last day of the school year continues to be June 15th, an early release day.

2018-19 Board of Education Meeting Calendar – Annually, the Board needs to approve its calendar of meetings for the coming year. This calendar reflects current practice.

FOIA

Strategic Plan Updates

  • Grades 5-8 Related Arts Course Progression – Ms. Lee - This report provides an update on the D39 committee’s work with Grades 5-8 Related Arts Course Progression.  The report and presentation include a draft of the philosophy statement along with current structure and course offerings.  The proposed changes smooth out inconsistent offerings and add a 5-8 coding progression.
  • Kindergarten Enrichment– Ms. Lee and Ms. Buscemi – This report is part of the ongoing investigation into the feasibility of Kindergarten Enrichment for D39.  It includes the impact on operating funds balance for two scenarios:  Build Classrooms OR Build Modular Units.  Given space and funding options, the administration would like to further explore modular units, which could provide half-day Kindergarten Enrichment as a self-sustaining program with little impact on tax dollars.

Annual Business

  • Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Funds Tentative Budget - Ms. Buscemi - The Operating Funds are comprised of the Education, Operations & Maintenance, Transportation, IMRF/SS, Tort and Working Cash Funds.These funds represent 98% of the District’s total budget. FY19 budgeted revenue for the Operating Funds is projected to be $75,055,967, which is a 2.0% increase over the prior year’s budget.The FY19 budgeted Operating Funds expenditures are estimated at $77,905,197 which is an increase of 1.16% from the FY18 budget.This results in a projected overall operating funds deficit of $2,849,230 for FY19 due to planned construction projects of $4.6 million for FY 19. The budgeted year-end fund balance is estimated to be $32,606,256 or 55.7% of annual expenditures in fund reserve.
  • 2018-2019 Student/Staff Planning Dr. Glowacki - Student registration began on April 4th for the 2018-19 school year.  The number of students currently enrolled for the 2017-18 school year have been moved to the next grade level to reflect anticipated enrollment. Registration numbers are monitored weekly until the start of the new school year so we can adhere to the Board’s class size guidelines for each grade level. 
  • After School Programming HMS/WJHSMs. Jackson - Since Youth Connection (YC) announced its end, D39 has been working on supporting its replacement. The plans are to honor YC history in D39 and provide a seamless transition. Students have been part of a “rebranding process” and we will have the Hawk Nest at HMS and the Wolf Den at WJHS. Homework club will be part of both programs. We are excited that the Wolf Den will be in the Learning Commons at WJHS, giving students greater access to technology, flexible space, and increased options.
  • Cooperative 90’s Health/Dental Plan ResolutionDr. Glowacki - Our new Cooperative 90’s insurance co-op has its own governing board. Each member of the cooperative is being asked to pass a resolution indicating resolution indicates who the representative (and alternate) will be on the Cooperative 90’s governing board.  It is recommended that the Administrator for Human Resources be the representative with the Business Manager as the alternate.  

BOARD ACTION

The Consent Agenda was approved including the following:

The next meeting of the District 39 Board of Education will be on Monday,
May 21, 2018 at 7:00 PM at the Mikaelian Education Center.