ACROSS THE BOARD
February 2022 Committee Meetings
February 22: Learning & Teaching Committee
February 22: Policy Committee
February 24: Citizen Advisory Committee
February 28: Business Services Committee
February 28: Special Board Meeting
Agendas, minutes, documents, and recordings from all meetings are available to view on BoardDocs.
Superintendent Leadership Profile
Dr. Brian Harris and Dr. Max McGee presented the leadership profile created based on the feedback received in the 851 community surveys and 33 focus groups.
HYA uses the report to recruit candidates and as a basis for interview questions both for screening interviews and the interviews being conducted by the School Board.
The report will also assist the new superintendent with the transition.
View the Superintendent Leadership Profile on the district website
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Superintendent Report
- Ben Davino from St. Charles East won the State Wrestling Title.
- The District is planning to recognize him at the next Board meeting on March 14.
Retiree Event
The annual Retiree Event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 24 at Thompson Middle School.
For Discussion
Early Release Update
Presented by Dr. Christine Igoe, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, and staff members across the district
Last year, the Board of Education approved of the 2021-2022 Early Release schedule. Dr. Igoe reviewed how teachers at the PreK-8 levels use time on early release days to develop their practice.
Staff members from several schools presented information on how the time is used at their school:
- Davis used early release time to focus on reading by collaborating across grade levels. This collaboration helped improve iReady scores in phonemic awareness and phonics.
- Norton Creek focused on problem solving and perseverance in math skills. Teachers had the time to plan, implement, evaluate, and adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of their students.
- Ferson Creek's ACCESS teachers worked in multi-disciplinary teams to support neuro-diverse learners reach their full potential. These teams consisted of service providers, teaching assistants, and general teachers.
- Thompson Middle School teachers discussed how the additional time will be used to support math instruction
- Wredling Middle School teachers will support students in reading and responding to informational text
Next Steps
Effective collaboration among teachers needs to include extended time. The District requests extending early release and for the decision to be made by April to allow for planning and communication to families.
Student Achievement Update for K-8
The District uses iReady in grades K-8 to track and evaluate student achievement and growth throughout the year. Teachers leverage data from iReady to tailor the curriculum for effective learning.
- iReady data shows that D303 students outperform state and national benchmarks.
- All grade levels demonstrate high levels of growth in reading and math.
- The achievement gap continues to grow for some groups of students.
Next Steps
5 Essentials for Continuous Improvement
- Where are we going?
- Where are we now?
- How do we move learning forward?
- What did we learn today?
- Who benefited and who did not?
Equity Audit Update
The District has been working with the Consortium for Educational Change (CEC) to conduct the Equity Audit.
The Equity Audit survey was open from February 7 - February 16. An electronic version was emailed to staff, families, and students in grades 6-12; a paper copy was mailed to those who did not have a valid email listed. The response rate across different groups was between 18-50%.
Focus groups will begin the week of March 14. Participants will be selected randomly.
Next Steps
Dr. Igoe and Dr. Taylor will share results from the CEC when they become available.
Future Agenda Items
- Student Achievement Update 9-12
- Equity Audit Update
- Resource Renewal
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For Discussion
PRESS Issue 108 - Policy Updates
Mr. Mark Moore reviewed the policies that need to be updated based on information from the Policy Reference Education Subscription Service (PRESS). Most are due to school code changes.
Next Steps
This item will be on the consent agenda for the next School Board meeting on March 14.
Review of Policy 2:230
- The Board discussed the draft proposal recommended by the Citizens Advisory Committee to Policy 2:230 Public Participation at School Board Meetings and Petitions to the Board.
- The proposal has not been sent to the attorneys.
- The Board discussed the possibility of applying the rules outlined in Policy 8:30 Visitors to and Conduct on School Property to the expectations of speakers during public comment.
Next Steps
Attorneys will look over the proposal and bring it back to a Policy Committee Meeting, if needed. If there are not many changes, the item will be brought to Board for approval as an action item.
Board Agreements
Future Agenda Items
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Superintendent Search Focus Group
Future Agenda Items
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Superintendent Report
- Students continue to excel in athletics at the state level. Aleksej Filipovic from St. Charles North and Leo Czerwinski from St. Charles East both placed in the State Swimming Finals.
- The swimmers will be recognized at the next School Board meeting on March 14.
Updated CDC Guidelines
- On Friday afternoon we received updated mask guidance from the CDC. We communicated to staff and families that the biggest change is that masks are no longer required on school buses.
- If IDPH has any updates, we will communicate those to our families.
For Discussion
COVID-19 Impact Summary
There were no additional COVID expenditures. We are finishing the ESSER III application.
FEMA obligated about $340,000 to District 303 for PPE and we are working through the process to access those funds.
Banking Services Request for Proposals
Facility Master Plan Update
Mr. Kritta reviewed the 5 criteria for the Facility Master Plan:
Solve student capacity challenges
Address the high priority “Do Now” recommendations
Focus on improving spaces of the schools in greatest need
Align improvements with available funding
Consider capital improvement needs
- Mr. Kritta and Mr. Baird reviewed timelines of scheduled projects
Air conditioning in kitchens, cafeterias, community rooms, and gyms will be completed in the summer of 2023. Designing and bidding is targeted to start in April to stay on track for work next summer.
The Capital Improvement projects that were approved for summer 2022 are on track to be completed by the beginning of the school year.
Contract Approvals
The District has contracted with GSF for 5 years and is pleased with their services. To extend a contract with them, GSF is asking for a 7% increase in payment to accommodate for new state laws that increased minimum wage.
District Recommendation: Approve a one-year contract extension with GSF.
Multi-Site HVAC Upgrade Bid Award
As part of the Capital Improvement Plan, the HVAC systems must be upgraded in 7 district buildings this summer. The project will cost approximately $696,217.
District Recommendation: Award the bid for the multi-site HVAC upgrades to MG Mechanical Contracting, Inc.
Thompson Track Resurfacing
It is now the right time for Thompson Middle School's track to be finished with a surface coat.
District Recommendation: Proceed with a contract with Omnia Partners with a total project cost not to exceed $140,000.
Technology Purchases
Presented by Mr. Matt Smith, Executive Director of Technology
The District maintains a fleet of 10,000 devices for students grades 2-12. One-third of the devices are replaced each year. This year 3,300 Acer Spin 511 R752T 11.6" Touchscreen Two-in-One Chromebooks must be replaced. The purchase of new devices includes the Chromebook, Google Chrome Management licenses, and a 3-year warranty.
District Recommendation: Purchase 3,300 Acer Chromebooks from Heartland Business Systems for a total cost not to exceed $1,200,000.
Security Information and Event Management System
The previous system that was in place no longer serves the District's needs. The IT department recommends purchasing licenses and support for the QRadar system from IBM to maintain a safe cyber environment for our staff and students.
District Recommendation: Approve a 3-year contract that includes licensing and support for the QRadar System for a total cost of $126,480.
Epson Projector Replacement
The District has been gradually replacing projectors throughout the schools over the past few year. Approximately 80 projectors still need to be replaced within the district.
District Recommendation: Purchase 80 Epson projectors for a total cost of $61,200.
Village of Wayne Intergovernmental Agreement
Presented by Mr. Justin Attaway and Mr. John Baird
- At the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, Administration received a letter from the Village of Wayne expressing concern over the usage of Country Club Road by District 303 buses.
- Based on the District’s current bus routes, the total annual fee due to the Village of Wayne would be $5,400.
- If more routes are added during the year, it is the responsibility of the District to contact the Village.
District Recommendation: Approve the intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Wayne.
Future Agenda Items
- Facility Master Plan Update