Board Briefs
Summary of the December 13, 2021 Board Meeting at Westbrook
Board Briefs is a newsletter-style overview of the highlights of the Board of Education's discussion and action. You can find the meeting agenda online here, and look for minutes of the meeting to be posted after they are approved at the next BOE meeting (January 10, 2022).
Board Meeting Recording
Public Hearing - Tax Levy
The Board of Education held a public hearing on the 2021 Tax Levy. Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Eric Miller reviewed information presented at previous Board meetings. He reminded the Board that with the closing of the Glen TIF in the 2020 levy year, the Board has a one-time opportunity to capture the new property from the TIF area in this levy.
There were no comments during the community participation period. In the regular meeting, the Board approved the levy.
Superintendent's Reflections
Dr. Delli then shared information about the adaptive pause for the 8th grade class at Springman:
"As we have stated since March of 2020, students are best served when they are in school, with their teachers and with their peers in the safest environment we can accommodate. This has always been our primary objective and nothing has changed.
We have also stated since March of 2020 that we will follow the recommendations issued by the Cook County Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education specifically related to COVID19 mitigations.
There are times when it becomes unfortunately necessary to temporarily exclude some children from in person learning who have tested positive for the virus, have been deemed a close contact, or when children are identified in what county health officials define as an outbreak.
In the case of Springman Middle School, we first learned on December 1st of three classrooms with clusters of multiple students who tested positive. As the exclusion process ensued for those impacted, and because the school was unable to ensure 6-foot social distancing at all times for those 60 impacted students, outbreak testing was employed and two additional cases were identified.
Our duty as a reporter to the county health office resulted in the agency’s epidemiologist recommending, both verbally and via email, that the entirety of Springman’s 8th Grade begin an adaptive pause until the start of the winter break. Students are receiving remote instruction until that time.
Adaptive pause, while not a preferred modality, is the standard that has been applied by state and county health officials and by the Illinois State Board of Education for these exact situations. We look forward to having students back for in-person learning as soon as possible and we will be investigating the possibility of rescheduling missed extra and co-curricular events lost by virtue of the adaptive pause.
As we approach the start of a new calendar year, the administration and school board will stay abreast of any contemplated changes to current recommendations set forth by CCDPH and will continuously review the impacts that mitigations have on the teaching and learning process and consider adaptations as new information becomes available moving forward.
Finally, I would like to thank Mrs. Russel, the building support staff, the Springman 8th grade staff, and our students and parents for the extra effort required in navigating this difficult situation."
Community Participation
The community is encouraged to attend Board of Education meetings, and contribute during the community participation periods. In all regular Board of Education meetings, the Board follows a set agenda that include two opportunities for community participation.
During the first opportunity for community comments, the following people spoke:
- Svjetlana Dragicevic, parent of D34 students, shared her frustration with the Springman 8th grade adaptive pause and its impact on students.
- Lynn Drake, parent of D34 students, asked why students in other grades and siblings of 8th graders are not in quarantine. She said that children in quarantine are gathering outside of school.
- Paul Kelly, parent of D34 students, indicated that he and his wife started a petition to get the attention of the Board and administration. He expressed that the District should adapt the health department recommendations in a way that works for the community so that this situation does not happen again.
- Matt Laurencelle, parent of D34 students, expressed that he does not agree with the decision to move to an adaptive pause. He expressed concern for the social and emotional development of children. He suggested the District hold a public hearing.
- Amy Laurencelle, parent of D34 students, asked that the District not have meetings on the same night as District 225, and requested a town hall forum to facilitate more discussion and understanding.
- Karina Trapp, parent of D34 students, expressed concerns about the requirement for masks at athletic events, while staff members in buildings are not always wearing masks.
- Matthew Richards, parent of D34 students, said that he and his wife are strong supporters of D34 schools. He said that, by following the rules that the District is required to follow, it is causing a great deal of lost instruction and challenges for families. He said that outbreaks will happen again, but we have to be able to keep children in school.
- Teodora Bogdan, parent of D34 students, advocated for choice for parents and for the District to push back against the recommendations of public health and elected officials.
- Tom Kopczyk, parent of D34 students, shared concern that his daughter eats lunch on a plastic tray on the floor. He would like to know the metrics that will guide decisions to remove mitigations.
Resolutions
Consent Agenda
Construction Update & Approval of Furniture Purchase
Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Eric Miller shared an update on referendum construction phases 2 and 3. He explained that, given the volatility in the economy and supply chain challenges, current construction estimates exceed previous projections.
Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Innovation Brian Engle gave an overview of the timeline in developing District 34's learning spaces and furniture. From 2020 to 2021, overall educational furniture costs increased 25% and the District's cost is expected to be $1.5M over estimates. Due to supply chain issues, it was recommended that the District order early in order to ensure furniture arrives for the start of the 2022-2023 school year. The District has locked in pricing for the next two years.
The Board approved a furniture purchase of $5.5M over the FY22 and FY23 years.
Other Resolutions
Discussion
Illinois State Report Card
Integrated Comprehensive Systems
2022-2023 School Year Calendar
The first day for students is August 25, 2022, and the last day for students is June 8, 2023.
Other Discussion
Glenview District 34 is governed by a seven-person Board of Education, elected by the community, that consists of the following individuals:
- Scott Nelson (President)
- John Heggie (Vice President)
- Mike Korman (Secretary)
- Jim Baumstark
- James Dolan
- Natalie Jachtorowycz
- Diane Stefani
You can contact the Board at board@glenview34.org.
About Us
Email: news@glenview34.org
Website: www.glenview34.org
Location: 1401 Greenwood Road, Glenview, IL, USA
Phone: 847-998-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/glenview34
Twitter: @glenview34