District 30 Board Brief
October 12, 2023 - Board of Education Meeting Summary
This week, we are honoring our District 30 staff during American Education Week. We are celebrating them with a gift, breakfasts at each school and recognition for the amazing work they do to support our students.
In conjunction, on Tuesday we recognized School Board Members Day and thanked our outstanding District 30 Board of Education. These seven elected officials volunteer immense amounts of time toward serving as excellent stewards of our schools and our community's tax dollars.
We are grateful for their commitment to ensuring our students learn and grow in wonderful schools! Scroll down to see how we saluted them at this week's Board meeting.
Below, you will also find committee and regular meeting highlights that include results from the District 30 all-staff survey; our strategic plan; and summer work on both diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and science.
Thank you,
Dr. Emily K. Tammaru
Superintendent of Schools
Recognizing our Board of Education
Concurrent with American Education Week that runs November 13-17, the Illinois Association of School Boards designates November 15 as School Board Members Day – a time to recognize the outstanding efforts of the people who volunteer for these valuable elected roles.
Superintendent Dr. Emily Tammaru presented each Board member with a certificate and token of appreciation, stating "you are the model of a high functioning Board."
She added, "You are collaborative, you always stay focused on our students and the staff who support them, and we can't thank you enough for your dedication to our schools."
Click below to see a thank-you from our students and staff
HumanEx staff survey results
Mr. Brad Black from HumanEx shared overall results from the anonymous, district-wide staff survey and answered questions from the Board.
He shared that 89 percent of staff participated with an overall engagement score of nearly 68 percent. These numbers are well above average for organizations surveyed by HumanEx for the first time, Mr. Black added, noting that average first-time survey participation rates are about 50 percent and the average employee engagement rate nationally is 35 percent, according to Gallup and other polling bodies.
Nearly 71 percent of District 30 staff also shares a "growth mindset" toward wanting to learn and achieve more in their work, Mr. Black said.
He called this first round of participating in the survey a "gold standard."
The survey revealed areas for growth in staff recognition; training, development and support; and supervisor relationships. A second staff survey is slated for this spring, and results from both will guide opportunities for improvement, next steps and will inform District 30's upcoming Strategic Plan.
2023 estimated tax levy approved
The Board is required to approve an estimated tax levy as part of the annual levy process. The estimated 2023 levy was approved at $33,100,000 for capped funds and $3,431,800 for non-capped funds. The Board will finalize the levy after a public hearing at the Thursday, December 14 meeting.
As a general reminder, districts under the tax cap can raise their property tax collection by CPI (Consumer Price Index) plus any new growth/construction not previously on the local tax rolls. The annual levy (what is requested) is routinely set artificially high because even though the CPI factor of 5.0% is known, the new growth/construction in a district is unknown. Once new growth/construction is determined in the spring, the actual 2023 extension (what is received) will be finalized and is assumed to be approximately 8-9% (5% for CPI + 3-4% for new growth) higher than the 2022 extension.
School maintenance grant approved
The Board of Education approved a State of Illinois School Maintenance Grant application for a $50,000 match to support the Wescott School washroom renovation planned for the summer of 2024.
Strategic planing firm approved
The Board approved a contract with Catalyst for Educational Change (CEC) to provide strategic planning services for District 30's upcoming strategic planning process.
Stakeholder feedback is critical in shaping the priorities for the strategic plan, which will guide District 30 for the next five years. Please watch District 30 communications for upcoming opportunities to share your input.
The Board of Education is ultimately responsible for approving the strategic plan, which will occur after thorough stakeholder development and involvement.
Superintendent's report
2024-25 staffing
Dr. Tammaru shared that district administrators have started planning for staffing needs for the upcoming school year. She highlighted that the number of students entering Maple are greater than the number exiting, which could require additional staffing to support those learners.
Dr. Tammaru emphasized that kindergarten enrollment is the hardest to predict, and enrollment will begin in January. She encouraged anyone with children who will be kindergarten age for the 2024-25 school year to register when the window opens, and share this information with neighbors within the District 30 who may not yet be connected with Wescott and Willowbrook schools.
Additionally, Dr. Tammaru noted that mental health of students continues to be a priority for parents and staff alike, and the district will monitor what staffing supports are needed to ensure students receive optimal help in building a strong emotional foundation.
DEI summer curriculum presentation
Willowbrook Library Media Specialist Mrs. April Eichmiller, Wescott 1st-grade teacher Ms. Kate Kamin, and Wescott English Learner Teacher Mrs. Connie Park presented details on the summer work of District 30's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.
They discussed self-reflections completed by committee members to help determine priorities toward inclusion practices, as well as describing how those practices can be implemented across District 30 schools.
Committee members also shared details on grade-level curriculum guides created to ensure that common vocabulary, concepts and texts are consistent across our schools. These guides aim to create a shared knowledge on the value of diversity, as well as developing equitable opportunities and inclusive practices in our society.
Summer science curriculum presentation
District 30 K-8 Math/Science Coordinator Mrs. Kery Obradovich presented details on science curriculum work completed this past summer for middle school students at Maple.
She detailed a new learning resource called Gizmos – a library of science simulations – that enhances resources already used in Maple's integrative approach to science learning. The curriculum allows students to collaborate, problem solve and think creatively.
The Board engaged in a Gizmos demonstration that revealed how this resource provides additional learning opportunities for students.
Next District 30 School Board Meeting
You are welcome to join us at our next Board Meeting!
Thursday, Dec 14, 2023, 07:00 PM
Maple School, Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL, USA
Our Board of Education
The Board of Education consists of seven members elected from the general public to serve the entire Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Community. The Board provides governance for the district by hiring and evaluating the superintendent and approving a budget, policies, and goals that align with the district's strategic plan. Board members are:
- President -Jeff Zuercher
- Vice President - Ammar Rizki
- Zivit Blonder
- Keith Karchmar
- Pamela Manicioto
- Patrick Wang
- Dr. Stephanie Yohannan
Northbrook/Glenview District 30
Northbrook/Glenview District 30 exists to create a community that craves learning, fosters resiliency, and cares deeply for every student. District 30 serves more than 1,200 students in pre-K through 8th grade across Willowbrook, Wescott and Maple Schools.
Email: communications@district30.org
Website: district30.org
Location: 2374 Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL, USA
Phone: 847-498-4190