District 30 Board Brief
October 12, 2023 - Board of Education Meeting Summary
Community Survey deadline is today!
Your opinions will shape our Strategic Plan
Dear District 30 Community,
Have you noticed a common topic being highlighted in our Board Briefs, social media, newsletters, website and even local media in recent months?
In case you missed it: District 30 is creating a new Strategic Plan that seeks to embody the voice of the whole community! Today, I invite you to join those who are already participating by sharing your voice and helping to shape the Strategic Plan, which will guide our District for the next five years.
Please click here to take our anonymous Community Survey that ends today, January 19. The survey is open to all who live within District 30, so please share with your neighbors who might not have children in our district. We value the opinions of ALL who contribute to District 30 and benefit its students and staff. Your voice will help make us even better together!
Sincerely,
Dr. Emily K. Tammaru
Superintendent of Schools
Strategic Plan updates
Board Reports
Board Members Mrs. Zivit Blonder and Mrs. Pamela Manicioto shared a report on the January 16 Strategic Plan Orientation virtual meeting. This was the first meeting of the Plan Team, which will be responsible for analyzing the community survey that runs through January 19 and additional, detailed District 30 data. The team will then analyze District 30's strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement; draft a "preferred future" statement; and ultimately draft the Strategic Plan and present it to the Board of Education.
Mrs. Blonder and Mrs. Manicioto both shared that they were pleased to see the team includes over 60 parents, community members, teachers, administrators and students, with strong representation across District 30 grade levels, buildings, and areas of expertise.
Superintendent's Report
Superintendent Dr. Emily Tammaru reported on the upcoming Strategic Plan Data full-day retreat planned for February 1. Members of the Plan Team will explore data related to enrollment and demographics; achievements; curriculum and instruction; finances; and technology.
The Data Retreat will be followed by a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and she invited the Board to share any thoughts on these topics with Plan Team representatives Mrs. Blonder and Mrs. Manicioto.
"This is information the community at-large doesn't always engage with or see, and we are excited to present this information to them in a truly transparent manner," she said.
Dr. Tammaru added that details from every meeting are posted soon thereafter at district30.org/strategic, including meeting agendas; minutes; handouts; required reading; and presentation.
Technology summer work reports
Computer literacy integration
Dr. Andrew Kohl, Director for Educational Technology, shared a report on District 30's summer work that focused on computer literacy. The work was guided by a state law that requires elementary schools to embed computer literacy knowledge and skills at every level starting in kindergarten.
Media literacy framework
Dr. Kohl also shared a report on District 30's summer work to create a media literacy framework that could be applied across the curriculum. This work was done with support from Illinois Media Literacy Coalition (ILMLC), including a professional development day last spring that featured keynote speaker Dr. Michael Spikes of the ILMLC.
Human resources audit results
During the Committee Meeting, the Board heard a report from Dr. Emily Tammaru on a human resources audit of District 30 completed by members of the Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA). The audit was conducted to complete a comprehensive review of current practices, identify strengths and vulnerabilities, and outline the next steps.
IASPA consultants focused on the areas of talent acquisition, talent development, and total rewards. They commended District 30 for their work in managing human resources functions while also recommending the creation of a dedicated human resources position to streamline and organize current practices, among other internal tasks to complete for improvement.
Financial Projections
Mr. Dale Falk, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, discussed the District 30 financial projections, highlighting an 11-year picture of the district's finances - actuals for fiscal years 2019-2023, the current fiscal year 2024 budget, and estimates for future fiscal years 2025-2029. Specific detail included projections of each of the funds making up the district's operating budget: education; operations and maintenance; transportation; municipal retirement and Social Security; and working cash.
He shared that future projections continue to meet the Board's policy of maintaining a year-end fund balance goal of at least 45 percent of the district's annual operating funds. Projections also include the Board's continued goal of the early retirement of a portion of its debt relating to bonds for the new Maple School.
Staffing plan update
Superintendent Dr. Emily Tammaru shared staffing projections for the 2024-25 academic year. She noted that projections are based on current enrollment, kindergarten enrollment over the past five years, and a projection study. Overall, the district is confident in similar enrollment for grades 1-8 next year.
Dr. Tammaru highlighted the following staffing needs:
- Because Maple has a large incoming 6th-grade class and a smaller departing 8th-grade class, staffing changes will be necessary. Conversely, Wescott will have one less 5th-grade section.
- Part-time support in math intervention to support elementary learners.
- Hiring of additional certified staff positions and reduction of several non-certified staff to better support inclusive learning.
Board reports
TrueNorth Update
Board Vice President Mr. Ammar Rizki detailed that True North will soon begin a collective bargaining process, with an focus on competitive salary structures due to the national shortage in qualified teaching staff that especially affects special education. Mr. Rizki explained this would ultimately impact the cost of services to school districts the cooperative serves, including District 30, as teaching expenses are the largest portion of True North expenditures. He added that representatives from area school districts asked True North to review how to manage rising salary costs commensurate with the budgets of local school districts.
PRESS updates
The Board completed its second reading and approved 28 new and updated Board Policies, which are reviewed approximately every five years. Dr. Tammaru reported no major changes to any of the policies up for review and reminded the Board that all policy changes are reviewed by appropriate members of the District 30 administration based on their area of expertise.
Personnel update
The Board approved the hiring of Eve Light, Maple Instructional Assistant, and an extra duty stipend for Alex Eberlein at Maple. The Board also approved one resignation from Willowbrook and two leaves of absence.
Next District 30 School Board Meeting
You are welcome to join us at our next Board Meeting!
Thursday, Feb 8, 2024, 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