And so the students will perform in district ensembles. And if they are qualified in that same audition at the very top of those ensembles, they then will be selected for all state. And then all state uh they reaw audition and are placed into either honors or all state. Um either way going to all state is a big deal. Um and uh so uh each year that process goes on and and it's just an amazing celebration of the amazing students that are available um to do music in the state. So district one is very competitive which is what we are in. And uh we have awesome representation in 230. So >> there we go. Absolutely. >> And we're seeing some familiar faces. So we see the continued >> some repeat some repeat offenders. Yes. Yeah. >> In a good way. >> Absolutely. >> Congratulations. Dr. Smith.
Any discussion? All those in favor? 6. Um, next we're down under programs. We have um computer foundations for digital age of course. >> Yes. I'm asking for this approval um for seventh and eighth grade. This will help with the new accountability model and give more offerings for credits for the middle school students. >> And I believe you did this under in a form last time. Yes. >> So we'll entertain a motion to approve this course edition. So move motion by Cheryl. Do I have a second? Second um by Chelsea.
Um so that was something that came out as important. growing with intention and investment, planning and funding strategic investments in your facilities, your services, your infrastructure to to to um support anticipated housing growth. And that's something we also tried to be very conscious of in the the comprehensive plan and and came out um in the feedback as well that we got on this plan. And then the fifth goal, strengthening capacity and coordination. We almost always say something like this because in in almost every community we've worked in, there's always something that can be done to strengthen uh capacity at the local level and coordination. And so um this goal focuses on ensuring interdep departmental coordination um which I know you are already doing but it's you know continuing that and then empowering staff and boards um with things like updated zoning tools um clear guidance etc.
I know we had a, you know, rising costs. Everybody everybody knows that that's kind of what's going on at home and and with what we have going on in the district. Tuition costs have been extraordinarily high. Um, I do have on the back side of the sheet that I passed out. There's a there's a rough breakdown of what the budget looks like to what we spent. Um, and I like to put down there >> a lot. Well, >> here. >> So, if you see about about 3/4 of the way down the page is a comparison of budget versus actual. So, I like to put on here to show you what the budget and appropriations were and then what we expended and what percentage of the budget is that we expended and we went from 98% last year to almost 100%. We were at 99.6. So that uptick along with you know some some decreases in you know overall revenues and and anticipating more fund balance to budget to balance the budget uh resulted in in our decrease in overall fund balance.
>> [applause] [applause] >> Josie. All right. Next up, we have 11th grade, Christopher Galicia. Christopher Galicia is a reflective and motivated junior with a love for English, fostered by the influence of his past English teachers. He's also been inspired by his former history teacher, Mr. Sweitzer, whose guidance and advice left a lasting impact. Christopher draws strength from his family, especially his father, and uses that motivation to navigate challenges. He has grown socially and academically at CHS, turning unfamiliar situations into opportunities to build meaningful friendships. He's exploring career paths ranging from entrepreneurship to running his own bodega. Is Christopher here? Congratulations. >> [applause] [applause] >> Commissioner Powers. I have the privilege of announcing the December student of the month for the 12th grade, Daisy Zuniga. Daisy Zuniga is an extraordinary senior whose passion for literature and leadership has shaped her high school career. She credits Ms.
>> Good evening everybody. Happy to share some uh Samberian musicians as well who uh kind of earned ILMEA designation. So, uh, you know, we have a great, uh, history and reputation here and tradition of great, uh, music programs and outstanding musicianship on part of our students. So, kind of happy to have recognized some additional Samber musicians this evening. Uh, up first is Shane Dinaro for ILMA Allstate Honors Chorus. Next up is Ganna Nardella for ILMA Allstate Orchestra. Brandon Ing for ILMA Allstate Honors Band >> and Elena Smith also ILMA All State band. >> Thank you very much. >> And I learned a new word today. >> I got full. >> Okay, you got congratulations. >> Thank you. I haven't heard that one. I haven't heard that one. I heard he >> he has the best liners, doesn't he? All right. Uh back to T-Bolts. Um those who excel tonight, it is my honor to recognize four outstanding members of the Victor J.
Um any discussion? All those in favor 60. Um, next we have some under new business. Um, some more policies. >> This is just a first reading. Please reach out if you have any questions. There's a group here to be rescended and then a group of policies to be replaced. >> Um, so again, that's an inform. Um, under programs, we have a prek programming approval. >> Yes. So, we've been exploring sustainable options to keep offering high quality prek through our Jennings County School Corporation. Um, our focus has been on options that are reasonably priced for our families in our community, but also fiscally responsible for the district. Um, we have studied pre-K prices in our area for all day, everyday uh, prek programs, as well as put together our total expenses of how much it would cost to run one site for the full year. uh you should have in your packet you should have a kind of a breakdown that uh breaks it down by cost tuition cost and how many students would be in the program and then the bottom it shows um net income or loss.
All right. So, I'm going to jump into the menu of strategies and then I'm happy to happy to make question happy to take questions. So, we do view this as a more of a road map or a menu. And I know I talked to to to many of you already about h the same thing when we when we look at the comprehensive plan strategies. I I said the same thing. So, I might sound a little bit like a broken record, but but I view the housing plan in the same way that this is not a blueprint. It doesn't mean you need to absolutely uh implement every single one of these ideas. They're really ideas that are in line with the goals that I just presented, but also in line with the types of things the state is looking for when they look to approve these plans.
And then right in the middle of that page you can see the analysis of fund balance which shows our 24 versus 25. The one thing I wanted to point out is that line in the middle there you see it's called excess surplus is about 217,000 in 24 and 25 it's zero. That amount of money is what we roll and utilize in the next year's budget. So in 25 would actually be not in the budget you're in now, but the next one. So the one you're working on currently, which is probably what you have printed out next to you, Megan. Um all the paper uh is is in that budget. So we don't have anything to start with to utilize for excess surplus. So it's just an item to keep in mind. You know, with fund balance being down, we're also down our excess surplus. Um, outside of that, um, which, you know, in in conjunction with, and I'm sure a lot of people have read the news and seen, um, that the state does recognize that this is an issue for not just this school district, but all that they had the exemption with raising the tax levy in excess of the 2%.
Turk and Mr. Rogers as the most influential teachers in her life, helping her develop critical thinking, writing skills, and confidence as a student. Daisy is actively involved in Key Club, Model UN, National History Day, NHS, and EHS, the Teacher Assistant Program, and Global Mentorship. Inspired by her parents' courage and determination, she aspires to become an immigration lawyer to help reunite families and advocate for a better future. She looks forward to continuing her education at either William Paterson or Montclair State University. Daisy, are you here this evening? Oh, we'll make sure she gets her >> [applause] >> Congratulations. Now, we're going to move on to January students of the month. Commissioner Rexel for the ninth grade student. All right. Ninth grade student of the month, Kylie Ocasio. Kylie Ocasio, excuse me, is an energetic and dedicated freshman with a strong passion for mathematics. She credits Ms.
Andrew High School community who will have been selected for the Illinois State Board of Ed, Those Who Excel Awards. Would you all please come up? >> These individuals. Yes. These individuals exemplify dedication, passion, and excellence in their roles, making a profound impact on our students, staff, and our T-Bolt family as a whole. I'm going to kick it off with Miss Barb Soapiars. Miss Sopiar has received the highest accolade which is the award of excellence. With over 20 years of experience, Barb is an exceptional science teacher who embodies empathy and high expectations for all students. She challenges students academically while fostering 21st century skills. Her classroom is rooted in student centered instruction. She tries to do hands-on learning all the time with investigations analyzing realworld data like EKGs. She creates meaningful experiences for our T-Bolts that build their confidence, their curiosity, and a lasting understanding. Her lessons reflect a strong command of content and a deep understanding of how students learn best.
So um for the 26 27 school year I'd like to propose one site at Northburn Elementary with a weekly tuition of $150. Uh this is an increase from last year but with on my way prek and CCDF uncertainties. Um this is the cost that would help or or this is the cost that we would have to offer for our PE preK program to remain costneutral. Um also the $150 is on average with the other all day everyday prek sites around our area. So offering or uh asking permission for offering prek with $150 weekly tuition at one site at North Elementary and the one uh if you flip all the way back to the the last page and the second to or the second to last and the third to last page uh that would be if it was $150 with 20 students in the program, we would be at $700.
And so we view it as a road map. When you have a housing production plan and it gets approved by the state, you have the um ability if you do fall under the 10% goal that the state has, if you do fall under again, you have the ability to to get safe harbor with this plan um by some incremental production, even if you can't get up to that 10% goal right away. And um the reason I say this on this slide is because it doesn't really matter how you make that incremental production. It doesn't matter if you do it in a way that is exactly in the the housing production plan. If you have an approved housing production plan at the state and you make that incremental production in any way that you can, regardless of what this plan says, you still get this certification in the safe harbor.
There were a lot of districts that took advantage of that. There's been a lot of news about that. Um, my home district, Haden Heights, did take advantage of that. They raised quite a bit. Um, but that goes in line with a lot of fund balances dwindling due to ESR money's drying up. Um, additional grant opportunities kind of going away. Things are going back more to quote unquote, you know, the way they were before 2020 and all the additional funding options. Um, so I just wanted to point those items out. um just to kind of go over a brief um position for the school district as the end of this is last June, so June 30th, 2025.
Trobiano from Woodrow Wilson Middle School for helping her truly understand math concepts, and Mrs. Han, her her eighth grade language arts teacher, for making learning enjoyable and creating a classroom environment where she felt supported and confident. Kylie is inspired daily by her mother, whose perseverance as a single parent motivates her to strive for excellence. Outside the classroom, Kylie is a committed athlete on the CHS competition cheer team and a member of the New Jersey Flyer Club softball team with aspirations to play softball at the collegiate level. Congratulations to you. >> [applause] >> Commissioner Rosiak January's student of the month for 10th grade, Julia Grabowski. Julia Grabowski is an accomplished sophomore who excels in mathematics and finds fulfillment in solving challenging problems. She credits Mr. Feeley with inspiring her love for math and influencing her desire to pursue a career in a math-related field. Julia is highly motivated by her uncle Chris, whose dedication and perseverance have taught her the power of hard work.
She's a trailblazer, advocating inquirybased through professional learning communities, mentoring her colleagues, and she always is invested in her own learning and growth with programs such as the Brookfield Safari program, the Zoo Safari program, as well as beyond the classroom. Barb is one of our co- studentent T uh council sponsors. She's been doing that for 18 years for us, providing countless hours to our T-Bolts, helping build leadership and giving them a wonderful high school experience. Her work influences the community and she helps develop the next generation of leaders and school culture builders. Miss Sopiar is a champion for learning and belonging. She exemplifies exactly what it means to be those who excel in Illinois and in our community. Congratulations, Miss So. Next up, another teacher, uh, Mr. Josh Niggo who's received a award of special recognition. He's an early career educator. Mr. Nego began in our district as an educational support professional at Samberg High School uh before transitioning to business teacher here in 2023, earning his certificate through a rigorous CTE pathway while simultaneously teaching full-time.
If we were to have 24 students, which is we can have 12 per staff member on ratio, it would um it would be we would make money at at 16,000. But with uh what we found out where this year, we have had a lot of students that we are having a hard time collecting funds and we've had to replace students from time to time if they are not able to continue paying the tuition. These changes are due to the legislation changes and the um freeze on funding in prek throughout the state. This isn't unique to us. Um but we really value our prek model. We've seen a huge progress and gain for kids who come to us that are four when they enter kindergarten, how they're scoring on roundup. We'd love to sustain the program. So we'd like to pilot this to see if a paid model um which is used in other districts and other areas in the state will work for us as well.
So I'm not trying to belittle the importance of this plan, but I just want to put it in perspective. It's certainly in no way mandating that that you do really any of these strategies. So that's why one reason that we like to present it as a road map with a lot of ideas and some of them you may really focus on and others may not end up working out for whatever reason and that's okay. it doesn't lessen the importance of having an approved plan for the purposes of keeping you in safe harbor if you ever fall under that 10%. Okay, so I hope that makes sense. Usually I can see nodding heads, but right now all I see is my slide. Um, so the the strategies are organized under planning and policy tools, local action things that you can well okay let me back up.
Um but if there are any questions about anything on this sheet or anything else in the audit report that you have, please feel free to reach out to me or let Megan know and she can always reach out to me as well um to to answer any questions that anyone has. So, thank you. Thank you again as always. We do appreciate and enjoy being the auditors for the for the school district. Uh, it's been over a decade now for me. Um, but you know, we've we've always enjoyed coming and thank you to Megan and everyone in the finance office. Everyone is always very cooperative. The audit is not the easiest process to go through. So, um, thank you as always. >> Thank you. Any people in the parking lot? >> No. >> Thank you everybody. Have a great night. >> All right. And now mis.
She's a leader in her school community as president of the Cultural Diversity Club and a member of the varsity girls' soccer team while also balancing club soccer and a part-time job. Julia plans to attend college and hopes to major in computer engineering or pursue a double major in computer science and cybersecurity. Congratulations, Julia. >> [applause] >> Congratulations, Julia. Thank you, President Bascom. Our 11th grade student of the month for January is Brian Cherlin. Brian Cherlin is a focused and driven junior with a lifelong strength in mathematics and a growing interest in engineering. He credits Mr. Henry, his AP history teacher, US history teacher, for challenging him academically and preparing him for the expectations of college and life beyond high school. Brian is inspired by his parents, whose care and guidance motivate him to treat others with kindness and respect. He plays JV soccer for Clifton High School and has learned to manage the demanding balance between athletics and academics.