ACROSS THE BOARD
January 2022 Committee Meetings
January 18: Special Board Meeting
January 18: Learning & Teaching Committee
January 27: Citizen Advisory Committee
January 31: Special Board Meeting
January 31: Business Services Committee
January 31: Policy Committee
Agendas, minutes, documents, and recordings from all meetings are available to view on BoardDocs.
Superintendent Search Firms
References with whom the Board spoke made several recommendations:
- Get an idea of salary and terms the search firm is offering
- Make sure the Board knows what it wants
- Make sure the District is comfortable with the associates who are doing the search
- It is important to get feedback from people at all schools
- Define the timeline for search completion
The Board approved a motion to hire HYA as the firm to conduct the Superintendent Search.
The motion passed 7-0.
SCEA Contract
Appointment of Students to the Citizen Advisory Committee
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Superintendent Report
Dr. Pearson announced Gary Hanson as the new Secondary Math Coordinator, who began on January 3. Gary briefly introduced himself and said he appreciates the opportunity to serve the district.
For Discussion
ESSER III Funds
The District has received a third influx of funds related to COVID relief, which is a $4 million allocation that must be spent before the 2023-2024 school year.
The primary purposes of the spending plan are to ensure
- The safe reopening of schools
- The continuity of instruction
- That students' academic and SEL needs are addressed, especially for those who were impacted most by the pandemic
In alignment with these purposes, the priorities for spending are as follows:
- In-person instruction ($2,279,525)
This includes obtaining materials that support safe social distancing and the hiring of permanent building substitutes to ensure continuity of instruction.
- Maintaining consistency and providing learning for all ($272,000)
This includes providing a virtual academy option through Edmentum for those who could not safely attend school in person, as well as providing additional services for students with disabilities.
- Impact of the pandemic ($1,461,500)
This includes supporting SEL needs through targeted interventions and partnerships with community providers, hiring math specialists to provide curriculum support in the schools, and hiring additional staff to support ELL students and students with IEPs.
A public hearing to gather input will be held during the regular Board meeting on February 14.
Compass Academy Update
Mission:
Compass was established on the mission of igniting creativity and innovation, inspiring personalized learning, and preparing students for multiple paths to success.
Interview Video with Compass Academy Students, Parents, and Staff Members
Students of Compass Academy benefit from:
- Smaller class sizes
- Flexible schedules
- Advisory periods to develop a post-secondary plan
- Opportunities to provide feedback
- Career exploration opportunities
- Competency-based learning
Future Agenda Items
- Early Release Information
- Student Achievement Report
- Equity Audit Update
The next Learning & Teaching Committee meeting is scheduled for February 22 at 5:30 p.m.
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Welcoming New Members
Superintendent Report
- Stakeholders have multiple opportunities to provide input as the District begins the Superintendent Search, the Strategic Planning process, and the Equity Audit
- A survey for the Equity Audit will go out soon and the community will have opportunities to participate in focus groups as well
- The District aims to complete the Superintendent Search by April 1
- Strategic Planning will continue throughout the rest of the school year
For Discussion
Community Wonderings
Will there be any communication about the pending litigation in which the district is named?
Dr. Pearson said the District has been monitoring the case. Since no decision has been handed down by the judge, the District feels that it is best to wait to communicate until there is specific information to share.
What is the timeframe for the Facility Master Plan?
Administration has been working with Wold Architects to establish and compare building standards for each school. The comparisons will be presented at the Business Services Meeting on January 31 so the Board can decide on next steps. Facility Master Plan updates will be an ongoing discussion in the Business Services Committee Meetings.
Portrait of a Graduate
- Dr. Pearson led a discussion about the portion of the strategic plan that will result in the creation of a Portrait of a Graduate.
- The goal of Portrait of a Graduate is to provide a framework that informs the Strategic Plan. It will help the District decide how to provide students the experiences and opportunities that help them develop the competencies they need when they graduate.
- Members of the committee watched two videos (linked below) and then discussed in small groups about the future of work and the competencies students need to be successful now and in the future.
Future Agenda Items
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Communication Plan Related to Superintendent Search
Mrs. Smith presented the communication plan for engaging the public in the Superintendent Search. She reviewed the draft web page that will go live once the community survey has been completed. The District will keep the community informed about the search using several mediums:
- Superintendent Search webpage
- Press release
- Social media promotions
- Information in Across the Board newsletters
School Board members reiterated the importance of seeking feedback from stakeholder groups in the district.
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COVID-19 Financial Impact Summary
- There were no additional expenditures.
- FEMA has obligated the grant funds in the amount of $348,406. District 303 should receive the funds in the next couple of months.
Five Year Financial Forecasting Model
Mr. Attaway presented the 5- year financial forecast for District 303. He stated that the budget development cycle takes about a year. The District 303 School Board continues to maintain its perfect 4.0 financial rating from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Mr. Attaway reviewed the assumptions used to create the five-year projections. Property taxes account for 84% of the district's annual operating revenue, while personnel costs account for 79% of the district's annual operating expenditures. As a result, changes to either can have a significant impact on the district's financial outlook. Based on the most current data, the district's finances are in good health and are projected to remain stable over the next several years
FY 22-23 Budget
Designate Individuals to Prepare the FY 22-23 Budget
Budget Calendar for FY 22-23
- First draft will be presented in May
- Final draft will be presented in July
- Approval of the budget in September
Facility Master Plan Update
Mr. Baird and Mr. Kritta presented updated information on building standards across the district as requested by the Board.
The Board asked Administration to use this information and overlay input from the Citizen Advisory Committee to bring recommendations about facilities. The Board:
would like the Administration to bring several scenarios for discussion
heard from the community the desire to eliminate the mobiles at the high schools so that all students and staff members are in buildings
understands that the capacity challenges will be disproportionate across the district
would like Administration to consider which elementary schools will need to make adjustments for the 2022-2023 school year
would like the Administration to work to ensure that the capital improvement plan continues to address the situations in the neediest buildings in the district.
Administration will bring recommendations to the next Business Services Meeting on February 28.
Haines Center Classroom Wing
Presented by Mr. Dan Kritta and Mr. John Baird
- Mr. Kritta and his team looked at options for the E Wing that contains 10 classrooms. The proposals include options for traditional classrooms and science labs
- The improvements will also have to include adding air conditioning and sprinkler systems
Asbestos Abatement
- The inside can be done quickly but the windows could not be completed until the improvements to the wing are made
- Abatement should be held off until right before construction begins
Construction Timeframe
- It will be difficult to meet the target deadline of finishing construction by the beginning of January 2023. If plans moved forward now, the earliest completion date would be around spring break of 2023
- Issues with the supply chain and worker shortages continue to affect the timeframes.
- At this time, construction schedules have been pushed back so far that it does not seem worth it to move forward with construction now
- There may not be a significant increase in cost if delayed
District recommendation: Delay construction and abatement in the E Wing until next school year.
School Fees for FY 22-23
Presented by Mr. Justin Attaway
- Registration and class fees remain largely the same
- Some high school classes may slightly increase in price to accommodate for increasing costs in materials for the class
Kindergarten fees
Presented by Mrs. Jan Geier, Assistant Superintendent of Leadership and School Improvement
The District surveyed families who placed their children in half-day Kindergarten to learn whether or not those decisions were made based on the fee. Eighty families responded. Most said that the decision to send their child to half-day Kindergarten was because it was best for their families. Based on this feedback, the District recommends consolidating fees to two tiers:
- Free
- Full pay
Mrs. Geier also reported that the first day of online Kindergarten registration was January 31. So far, 152 students enrolled (8 for half-day). The enrollment projection is 746 students.
District recommendation: Approve the suggested fee changes and consolidate Kindergarten fees to two tiers: free and full pay.
Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) Supplemental Savings Plan Resolutions
- In 2021, TRS asked all districts to adopt a resolution to implement a supplemental savings plan for teachers that acts as a 457 plan
- The state is requiring every school board to pass the resolution
- There is no cost to the district
- The district will continue to offer the 403(b) and 457 plans already offered
- Teachers hired after July 1 are automatically enrolled and can opt-out within the defined time
District recommendation: Adopt the resolution.
3 Year Renewal of Audit Services
- Currently, the district contracts Miller Cooper to conduct financial audits
- The administration is extremely pleased with their thorough service
- There is a slight increase in cost due to changes in reporting requirements from the government
District Recommendation: Continue to contract Miller Cooper for their audit services.
Village of Wayne Intergovernmental Agreement
- The Village of Wayne has expressed concern about the wear and tear caused by District 303 buses traveling on Country Club Road
- The Village has asked District 303 to pay $300 annually per steady route on Country Club Road. The equates to $5,400 annually and would be in lieu of any overweight vehicle charges.
- In most municipalities, there are codes that exempt charging government vehicles over road weight limits for road usage. Wayne does not have large vehicles in their fleet so they do not have that exemption in their code.
- Buses could possibly circumvent Country Club Road by traveling on Route 64. This would add approximately 15 minutes to route times.
- The Board and Administration will continue discussions with the Village of Wayne to define a clear agreement suitable to both parties.
Future Agenda Items
- Continued Budget Discussions
- Facility Master Plan Update
The next Business Services Committee Meeting is scheduled for February 28 at 6:00 p.m.
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Review of Policy 2:230 - Public Participation in School Board Meetings and Petitions to the Board
- The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) has reviewed ways for the Board to enforce Policy 2:230
- The CAC would also like the Board to increase ways for two-way communication between the Board and stakeholders. Recommendations will be discussed at another time
- Mr. Moore will bring a revised policy to the next Policy Committee meeting on February 22 at 6:30 p.m. following the L & T Committee
Motion to Clarify the 21-22 Return to School Plan
The Board revisited this item that had to be rescheduled from the November meeting. Mr. Moore is going to consult with the District’s attorney to see if this item should be integrated into the pandemic preparedness policy (4:180) or if it should be guidance embedded in our return to school plan.
The committee will bring it to another meeting for further discussion.