September Board of Education Meeting

001We're good. >> Yeah. >> Good evening. I call to order the board of education meeting for Prospect Heights School District 23 for September 18th, 2025 at 7:01 p.m. Can I get a roll call, please? Mrs. Morsy, >> here. >> Mrs. Bowwinsky, >> here. >> Mr. Gonis, >> present. >> Dr. Log >> here. Mrs. Mlan >> present. >> Mr. Nordmark and Mrs. Peters. >> Leading us in the pledge of allegiance tonight is uh Eagle Scout. Did you earn it already? About to soon to be Eagle Scout Gavin Seleki. And uh after the pledge, we'll chat about a really cool project that he uh completed with us this summer. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

002for all. So, for those that didn't know, just prior to our meeting, we had a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new Ross Sullivan Learning Patch, which is an outdoor learning space. It's a an enhanced garden area. We had always had a small garden out by Ross. Um but over the last few years we have been planning for and trying to develop a process by which we could introduce a new learning space. Um we had uh support from our PTO for funding to purchase the garden boxes. We worked uh Amy worked with some vendors. We got some free donated boxes. But the problem was that pesky labor and how do you build uh build it and and install all of the stone and along came uh Gavin and you decided you wanted to do an

003Eagle Scout project. Can you tell us a little bit about what brought you to uh to doing that? >> Yes. So I wanted to contribute back to the district because I had just graduated that earlier like 3 months before that. Um, and I kind of met with Miss Amy McPartland and we came up with an idea and she said that this idea has been rolling for a little bit, but we and we she had everything kind of set up already, just needed people to do the labor. >> So, I believe it was three it was three or four days that we worked in the hottest week of the summer in the morning. >> Uh, it was like 12 to 16 volunteers for each day. The first day we assembled the boxes. Then the next day

004we kind of placed them where we needed them to go. Then we actually had some issues with the amount of dirt that we had. So we had the gravel get delivered as well that day. So we started spreading the gravel and putting the dirt in, but we didn't have enough dirt. Then the third day we finished spreading all the gravel. It was 48,000 lbs. So just a little bit. >> Just a little. Yeah. Um, and then we finished up all the uh spreading all the dirt, leveling it all out. Um, and we didn't just have dirt in the boxes. We had some of the ground cover that was originally when the landscapers scraped it out. We put that in the bottom, some ripped up cardboard that will eventually decompose and then the dirt. And then

005that was pretty much my project. And then this this year we saw people planting in it. >> Yeah. So tell us about what what is the what's the next step for the Eagle Scout. So you completed the project is that >> so yeah so I did the project's the main part of it. Now I have to do a lot of paperwork >> saying that I did it. I have to write a whole there's a there's a lot of stuff. >> Yeah. >> Um >> I also still have four more badges I have to do. Okay. But I've got three years for right now, but three three years, three full years to finish that up. So I hope I'll have plenty of time. And if I don't >> Yeah. >> Well, you know where to look

006if you need any other service projects, need to earn merit badges, whatever you might need. >> So what are the merit badges for? I heard Windows. I heard >> babysitting one another one. I've got I think cooking's one. >> Mom, what's for dinner? >> Right. >> He cooks constantly. He just has to follow. >> Yeah. The requirements. I got cooking. Personal fan. Yeah. Personal management. I have to pick something I want to buy, look at different places, figure out what's the best, and then eventually earn the money and buy it. Um, >> oh, I have uh yeah, citizenship in the society, which they added, the BSA added to the required eagle badges about I want to say two and a half, 3 years ago. It originally wasn't one, but from a certain day, everyone had

007to get it before they eagled out. And there was one more. I can't remember the last one, but I think there's one more I have to do. I can't remember it. >> And for those young Cub Scouts out there, tell us about your journey. What? Where did you start? >> I I started I was a what? Tiger. What do you start at? Tiger, lion. I don't even remember. I I was the first one. >> It was a tiger. It was a tiger when he started. They've since added lion, which is kindergarten. We started in first grade at Eisenhower. >> So, I started Yeah, I started when I was in kindergarten. Stuck all the way through. I missed the Pinewood Derby's. That was my favorite part. Yeah. >> Um, we actually met in Eisenhower, at least

008with my pack. Then I moved on to I went originally to Troop 401 in Buffalo Grove. >> Uh, then I switched to Troop 140 where I'm at now. I've been there for about a year and a half. >> Mhm. >> Um, they're really good with the Eagle. Everything Everything is organized. >> Um, and I've been working on some of my merit badges there. I went to summer camp for 3 years. Um, got some merit badges there, but I would definitely say stick with it. >> Yeah, I >> it's a lot of fun. >> And the stuff I'm able to do now that I'm older, like the high adventure stuff, the the filmont in New Mexico, the backpacking, the white water rafting, everything. I'm Seabase I want to go to. I'm looking forward to all that.

009>> Yeah, that's awesome. >> Any other questions? >> What is seabbase? >> What is sea base? You boat out to it's an oil rig. So as you boat out, you sleep on the boat and then you sleep on the oil rig I think for a week or something. >> Then what do you what do you do when you're out there? >> That I'm not completely sure. >> You have to go to find out. >> Report on us what happens out into seabase. >> What happens at sea bay stays at sea basin up there on the boats. Pretty cool. >> Yeah, that sounds really cool. >> Love it. >> Yeah. >> Hey, Gavin, make sure you apply your project for Eagle Scout project of the year through the council. So, you have an opportunity to do

010that. I think you have a really great project and I'm proud of you. Sorry I couldn't be there tonight, but uh I think you should definitely consider applying for that award. >> Definitely. >> Even if you don't get it. So, >> all right. Thank you. >> Yeah. Great. And I also want to give a shout out to uh Dr. Curtis and to our principles, Miss Mezier and Miss Gage, uh, for their work on the curriculum side. Uh, in attached and included in the packet is a memo that, uh, they developed just to kind of articulate the, um, curricular components of study for our students. We have now have uh, garden spaces at all of our schools. And so he kind of highlights a little bit of uh at each of the schools kind of what

011that purpose is. And uh as Gavin said, we have already seen our Ross and Sullivan kids go out and plant their initial uh things and our teachers each have their own box. So that is looking fantastic. Again, another thank you to our PTO for coordinating and funding and staying the course on that as well. and to Amy who really stewarded this process through over the last three years to to bring it to fruition. So, thank you all. Uh thank you again, Gavin, for your service and for enriching our school. We really appreciate it. 48,000 lbs of stone. I'm glad you moved it and I didn't. So, great. Thank you very much. >> And Gavin, one more. Even though you're no longer a district 23, once >> once a marauder >> always a marauder. >> Great.

012[Applause] Chris. >> Oh, wait. Let's go back. We're going to do it again. Are you ready? >> Yes. Perfect. >> That's a holiday card, too. >> I think a holiday card. That's amazing. >> Great. Thank you. And Gavin, thanks for coming tonight to lead our course. >> Thank you, Gavin. >> All right. Um, at each regular and special open meeting, members of the public and district employees may comment on or ask questions of the board of education. If you would like to address the board, please complete the pink form. It's over on this side this evening, and give it to Mrs. O'Donnell, our recording secretary. Looks like we have no one. >> Okay, got it. We are getting ready to move on to our next item. I'm just checking to see that we have everybody.

013All right. Would you pass those down? >> Sure. >> So that we can >> uh our September or Yeah. September board meeting is always uh a special one because we uh take a minute to honor and recognize our faculty who have earned tenure status in the district as well as introduce uh our new faculty publicly to the to the broader community uh even though they've been hard at work already for a month. So, um, Becky, if you wouldn't mind, uh, tonight with us, I'm sorry, tonight not with us is Lisa Allen from Anne Sullivan School, Nicole Dorsy from Eisenhower, Christina Drier from Sullivan, Mia Ferber from Sullivan, Rachel Labota from Anne Sullivan, and David Panic from Anne Sullivan, all earning tenure this year. Uh with us this evening we have Kaylee Donahghue from Ann Sullivan

014School. Make sure I don't miss Sophia Barrett from Eisenhower. [Applause] Julie Feldman from Sullivan [Applause] and Jeannie Whitfield from Eisenhower. Does anyone want to read the um the the language on the the pin that we distributed to you all tonight for the group or do you want >> I can read it. >> All right. >> The great redwoods of California are one of the beautiful natural wonders of North America. These giant evergreens can grow to a towering 300 ft tall and live for hundreds of years. For all of their magnificence, one would think the redwoods require a deep root system to keep them upright. Instead, they have roots that spread out along the surface of the forest floor to capture all the moisture possible, intertwining with the roots of other redwoods in the growth. The

015interlocking roots securely support and sustain these giant sequoas when storms strike and fierce winds blow. The tree survival depends on the combined support of one another. When we stand together, support one another, encourage one another, we become stronger together, and like the giant redwoods, we keep growing taller. >> So, we use that symbol of the full inclusion in our in our school community as part of that family, our interlocking, interdependent uh strength that we get as a as a school district because of your growth, your service, your professionalism. So congratulations to you all and u we look forward to many many more years of successful service. Thank you. >> All right. We also want to recognize our new faculty who are uh have joined us this school year. And first not here, uh, Miss Kiana

016Hayes at McArthur, Katie Link, uh, psychologist at Betsy Ross, Julia Seager, uh, psychologist at Anne Sullivan, and with us this evening from Anne Sullivan, we have Amanda Magician. And from MacArthur we have Karen Mukapadi. And also at MC at MacArthur, Hannah Zanstra. >> And these faculty received pins that we had uh have distributed over the years uh to uh all of our faculty have received a pin similar to these. um depending on their category of employment, whether it's teacher or special education specialist, um educational support personnel, everybody received one. Um but again, as a token of our welcome, and we're very excited to have you joining our school district and school community, and we thank you and look forward to many years of your future success with with us as well. And that's the introductions.

017If you want, anybody have anything they would like to say or >> congratulations on making it either through tenure or to uh through the first month of school. We know that now that routines are established, you're getting into the real nitty-gritty and and we're kind of past our honeymoon phase in a lot of places. So, um, keep it up and good work and congratulations. We're excited to have you a part of our family. So, thank you. >> Remember, once a marauder, >> always a marauder. >> Right. >> All right. >> The next item, >> you guys can all >> I think Chris is going to try to take a group. >> Good night, everybody. >> Thank you all. >> Good night. Uh next uh is a reminder about the North Cook Division meeting. It'll be

018held Wednesday, October 22nd at Forest View Educational Center. This is our IASB affiliated uh regional meeting. If you're interested in attending, please let Michelle know >> there. Um I I've talked to um Alba about this a little bit. They're going to do two things. So at the beginning at 5:30 there's either going to be a tour of the right buildings and everything or they're going to have a discussion about the upcoming things that are going to be at the delegate assembly. So if you want to like go learn about like what's going to be presented through like the de like they were kind of doing a this or this. So they were just talking about how there's never really a time to talk about that. So they they had talked about that. >> And then

019the topic of the meeting is Dr. Doug Bolton again. Um he's a familiar face for many of us. He talks about uh social emotional needs, resilience among kids. So he will be the keynote um speaker at that business meeting. >> I've already registered. So I'd love for you guys. Great. I said that I wanted >> I did. So I would love for any of you guys to join and your time. >> Uh and the next item we were, you know, we gave ourselves about six hours to be really pleased with uh the D23 family. Uh we had a great turnout that night. We had beautiful weather. We had a fantastic um event uh I believe and we enjoyed that for about six hours and then began immediately planning our next major community event which we're

020excited about uh the D23 drive-in movie night uh which will be October the 24th. >> Who won the vote? >> Uh it is a tie. I was going to say when I counted it. >> Teacher it. [Applause] >> When I counted it, it was tied. >> Yeah, it was. It was a straight up tie. So, we're going to do another little round of voting with some of the kids here. Um, so we will be announcing that uh shortly and um but it will be from 6:00 p.m. uh starting at 6:00 p.m. >> We'll be parking in uh the grass field and the soccer fields down at the end of the campus by Ross at the south end of campus. Um it is obviously not a drop off event because kids are driving themselves. Um but

021it is an opportunity for our community to come together and uh celebrate. We will have uh the radio tuners just like the old oldtime uh drive-ins, so you'll be able to tune in and watch from your car. Uh some snacks from the PTO are going to be uh made available. So, we're looking forward to hosting another event just celebrating our community. So, we'll be doing that on the 24th of October. all his friends. >> All his friends. >> All right. Uh committee reports. Um the first up um we have buildings and sites. Tracy, did you have anything to report out? Buildings and sites. >> We had um um so was our last meeting with with him. Um we trying to say Um we stuck today. Um um we are doing phone replacements. We're moving to

022a cloud-based phone system. Um where there's so intercoms that we have right now are rather obsolete. So we need to upgrade. Um because our cabling project came in under budget. We're going to use some of those funds towards our intercoms um outside. We're also going to be facing some intercoms um outside the building. So, you'll have entering security outside the building as well as invested duals. Um, we're also going to be participating with 100 other districts in a water sensor program update to help manage um, notifications so that when people aren't here on holiday or the weekend or something like that and we get some water somewhere, there'll be a sensor sensors installed so that people come back to school um, for surprise. And then we also took a tour of the uh learning path

023in the garden and um wonder wonderful contributions by the BTO and the hard work of our Eagle Scout friends and um that's all I have. >> Thank you. Uh finance Brian. >> Yeah, we we met last week and uh you know that we walked through the budget that will be will be done tonight. uh an update on the annual audit. Looks like we just got to wait a little bit longer to get those final numbers. Um which is which is fine. We also talked about the intercoms. Um we we talked and then we talked a little bit about using the a job order contract for the for the next phase of the windows and siding project that Amy has given us some recommendations on in the packet tonight. I think just conceptually right just making

024sure that that's a mechanism that we can use to ensure that we kind of have consistency in the quality right that that was you know that was delivered here when we when we kind of get the work done over at MacArthur but then also ensuring right that it's being done you know that you know in a budget conscious way right in a competitive quote um we t a quick update from Aerys on the carousel kind of land swap. Um we're still kind of waiting for a little bit on the Arlington Heights side from that. I don't or that we're I guess we're just kind of waiting from for them still. >> We're looking on the preliminary uh IGA. We haven't seen that. >> Yeah. So So we're just waiting to kind of see the agreement

025from the complaint side. Um and I think that that that was the bulk of it. Was there anything else that we hit on that you want to make sure that we touch on? >> Okay, you got it. >> Great. Thank you. Awesome. um NSSO Carol. >> So, um tonight I'm going to focus more on where NSSO is in the strategic plan. Um because that's that's pretty much what's happening now in NSSO. I've been reporting the last several months about the whole uh strategic plan uh process and just what's gone into it. a lot of um meetings talking to pretty much every stakeholder in NSCO and in the last several months uh the superintendent have been meeting monthly uh talking about different aspects of NSSO and and um what things would benefit NSSO moving forward. And

026what's come out of this process is that uh there it is that this this meeting of the superintendent needs to be part of the whole process. And um there this discussion about is this uh just a functional board or an operational board. And um so through all these discussions and meetings uh the recommendation from Dr. Schnore is that uh we create a fun a operational board and that that be how part of the structure of NSSO and how it operates. So, NSCO has articles of agreement which have kind of gathered dust for several years. >> Uh, and so now part of this process is that we need to review the articles of agreement and update them and codify all of this um, discussion and determination and recommendations. So um that process has been going on

027and the board the NSSO board had discussion last in their last meeting and the action item was to move these articles of agreement the draft articles of agreement to >> I'm sorry >> we need a phone. The phone just walked out of the room. >> Okay. Oh boy. This is George. I need my phone. >> Uh the action item on the agenda was for the board to move these articles of agreement to their member districts. And so um after a fairly lengthy discussion again about this process, um that vote was taken. It was 6 to2 to move the articles forward. And so now these articles are coming back to us as as a member district and we have 90 days to review. Uh in many of the discussions it kind of I think some of

028the confusion boils down to is this um a structural description or a procedural description? and what should be in the articles and what is part of procedure. Uh so Dr. Schnore created a matrix and that is in the packet tonight and my copy is not color. I ran out of color at home. But it shows the function that's part of a particular um article how it is currently um >> assigned. Yeah. Delineated whose responsibility. >> Who's respons? Yeah. The responsibility. And then uh according to the draft articles that we have at this point, what that what that that means for the for the um new structure. Uh so I I think that's been helpful to kind of help focus on on the issues and and like I say what what might be procedural and what

029might be structural. So um so all the member districts are asked to review the articles, the draft articles and to submit comments. You can send them comments, questions, concerns, whatever to me. Um we'll put them together and then uh we'll send them on to NSSO. and Assessio is asking that these comments be back to them by um I was gonna say August or really late uh by October 15th. So our next board meeting is >> the week before. Uh so if you could have comments back to us by the that board meeting uh that would be helpful. I don't know. Does that explain it? Mhm. I think so. Yeah. >> We're also we have also established sort of a standing uh as part of this new process, a standing meeting with Carol as our NSSO

030rep with Chris as our primary liaison to NSSO and myself so that we're together on the different kinds of topics and information. Um, I think as Carol described, there are a number of ways you could restructure an organization. There is no specific way that a cooperative must organize. So, this strategic plan process gave NSSO and all of us as members the opportunity to give input into what we would like it to look like. And you know, I think as the the uh comparison matrix shows, you know, we're looking at it being a much more collaborative process. Um that uh creating an organizational board and a governing board gives a a different level of involvement. The formal formalization of that makes those meetings both open meetings act. So there's more transparency in that. Um and it

031will you know continue to evolve but um the first step is to uh get the articles uh ratified uh in in whatever their final version will be. Our plan would be to bring that to the November board meeting. Um and as soon as Carol has the final version of the draft, she'll circulate those uh to the rest of the board. And did Me create this on her own >> the structure? Uh the I I think the c her her she and her cabinet. >> Yeah. >> I was just wondering like how did they like where those >> Yeah. And this is not um this change is not you know an odd thing. I mean there are other co-ops in the state that have this >> this kind of structure. Yeah. So, >> so they're not

032just creating this on their own. This is they're following the other. >> Yeah. And that was part of the process. Um, the board asked Dr. Schnore to go and to talk to other co-ops and and to kind of get a pro and con, you know, what do you think works with your structure? What is a challenge? And so, she included that in what she's given us. So, >> I know this has been a lot of work for you guys. So, thank you for all of the time and hours and all of that. >> Has the Has has the superintendence meeting started yet or are you waiting for this to finalize? >> The superintendent meeting has been happening for months. >> Yes, since the spring, >> but it's not an operational board yet because >> currently

033an advisory board is the term. And then you also meet as the >> ad and rep. We're called the admin rep group. >> You guys meet regularly as well. >> The CSBOs and then we meet all the CSB >> and then we're going to have a meeting about meeting. >> He needs another meeting. He does. >> He does. >> And as Gavin just told us with Eagle Scouts, there's paperwork involved. >> I was like, "Wow, you must work in a adult 101. >> All right. Any >> Yeah, Carol, you said that the that the vote was 6 to2 to move forward with this. The people that objected to that, like what was that discussion about? I I think there's and this is my opinion, you know, I think there's concern that um that the governing

034board is losing some of their oversight and responsibility. Uh and so there's people that have concerns about that. >> I do that explain. >> Yeah, that's true. And that's what the that's what the matrix shows. You can see there are some responsibilities that would shift from the governing board to the operational board. Um so that's a you know that's a reality that's just the facts of how the structure would work differently. >> All right. Any other questions about NSS? >> Thank you Carol. >> Thanks Carol. >> Um Dr. Long if you'd like to provide a quick report on the succession planning. >> Sure. We uh met last week. Uh we've started some work that we will review in executive session later today. That's my report. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um public hearing on

035the 2526 annual budget. >> Yes. So on uh at our August board meeting, we reviewed and approved the tenative budget uh as was drafted by Amy and our business office in consultation with the finance committee. Uh it had been uh published as required by legal that we uh put it available for public inspection for 30 days. Um and then we uh bring it tonight for a hearing. So at this time uh >> that's me. >> You can take over. Yeah. At this time, the board wishes to conduct a public hearing for the purpose of presentation of the 2526 annual school budget and to allow board members and others to address the board regarding the 20 2025 2026 annual school budget. May I please have a motion to open the public hearing on the 2526 annual

036school budget. >> So moved. >> Moved by Brian. Can I get a second? >> Second by Tracy. All in favor? I any >> No, we need a voice. Sorry. Going in. We do. >> Voice. Sorry. Voice. Can I get a roll call? >> Mrs. Arninsky? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gordon? >> Yes. >> Dr. Long? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mlan? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Morrisy? >> Yes. >> Uh 7:36 p.m. We are in >> vote passes. 5. >> Vote passes. Oh my gosh. 5. vote passes. I haven't messed that up in a long time and Spencer being on the screen is throwing me off. Okay, at this time I would ask Mrs. McPartland to address the board with any necessary update. >> Yeah. So, we'll just provide a little bit of an update where we are

037at in the U budgetary process. I want to provide some insights um how we anticipate finishing up uh fiscal year 2025. As Brian said, we are still in the process of um finalizing some of those uh approvals that will tie back. We don't anticipate um many, but there are two that I'll um fill you in on that we uh that we know are going to tie back to fiscal 25. We'll provide an overview of the existing budget and then that will be uh we'll take action on approving that a little bit later in the meeting. Next slide, Christian. Um this was all obviously included in your packet but just a show of um on a cash basis where we anticipate um landing and that is a um an increase to our operational budget of $529,000

038just over that. the two transactions that I anticipate uh that I've actually spoken with the auditor about tying back. One is a um a billing correction that we received funds from first student in the amount of about $190,000. So that'll be addition uh in addition to our transportation uh year end. And then the operations and maintenance line item will also see the $325,000 um commitment from um uh uh that was from uh Representative Kant's office. Um that will show as a receivable and it will book back to um fiscal 25. So those two line items will give us a little bit of a bump there too um in that operations um line. So that's really positive. Um, >> Amy, I'm so sorry to interrupt you and get sidetracked, but what was the what was the

039first union? >> First student or what was the first student rebate? >> Yeah. So, it was funds back for over billing with regard to some of the special ed routes that we had been kind of working through that was listed on the variance report that we shared with finance, but it had been we were hoping I I kept saying like we need the money back and you know by by July we wanted to get those funds back. So, we did get that back. So, we're going to tie it back to this year. >> Okay. Got it. Thank you. >> Yeah. Mhm. Um so anyway, so yes, a positive way to wrap up the year for sure. So we're excited about excited about that. Your next slide, Christian. As we know um we've had a lot

040of conversations um with finance, with the board around um really working to make sure that we're budgeting as efficiently as possible. But we know that the budget is a plan. um several strategies that we put into place this year um I hope you'll see lines us up um for continuing to work on rebuilding that fund balance. So I'm I'm proud of the work uh of our office and certainly of the work of the administrative team um to really budget very thoughtfully this year. But obviously we utilized again uh a zerobased approach to expenditures which means essentially that everybody starts off with zero in their budget. You start off with zero. You really need to go through and kind of justify each one of your expenses. Um we saw minimal uh increases in the line items

041in all honesty really only where um those increases were driven by our our vendors. Um we eliminated the contingency that we talked about doing that. We did keep one staffing contingency, but for the past couple years, we had carried a $100,000 contingency and so we don't need to continue to carry that. We were showing it as an expenditure um and and really not utilizing it. So, we've eliminated that. And then that ongoing monitoring of revenues and expenditures is essential just to make sure that we're um excuse me um aware of and then communicating um any anticipated variances with finance as early as possible and then as frequently just to let them know kind of where um where those are looking to stand at the end of the year. So those um go ahead and move

042forward Kristen if you don't mind. some of the strategies then that we really put into place which were shared with the board when we presented the budgetary guidelines in March. Again, the zerobased approach to the expenditures, we budgeted our property tax revenues at 96%, we had really tried to get to 95% but that cut us really close on some of the expenditures. So 96 um% put us in a really nice place while still showing a decrease um in that uh anticipated revenue. 10% reduction in building discretionary cost per pupil allocation. That was building to building. As you recall, we typically um assigned a value of $188 per student for discretionary funding. That has been the same for the past 5 years. There's been no increase there. We actually saw a 10% reduction coming into this

043year. So again, certainly a lift by the administrative team to really kind of figure out exactly how to allocate those dollars. And then with regard to the departmental budgets, they were tasked with a 5 to 10% reduction in any of their um line items obviously other than salaries and benefits. Um so that was when I say departmental my department Don Craig Chris uh Chris Roa and and Chris Alms as well. So those are kind of the big E. Um and then limiting limiting staffing increases. We've talked about that um that we were going to hold the line on staffing um and really make it more dependent on enrollment. So that was presented I want to say back in May and June with an anticipated reduction of $170,000. So that is shown here as well. Go

044ahead. So just kind of trying to put some dollars to all of those strategies so we could really see what that impact was. Um, obviously the change in auditors was uh we transitioned from Baker Tilly back to Evans Marshall to net savings of $22,000. The staffing savings due to student enrollment, we talked about that approximately $171,000. And then the elimination of the $100,000 contingency. When we look at what those uh discretionary reductions were, um you can see that discretionary funding to the building that is that tied to that cost per pupil roughly $30,000. And then those five to 10 percent reductions, you can see some went over that um and and others kind of were just really nicely adhering to that. So for a budgetary impact from the reductions alone of $565,000, which is nothing

045to really sneeze at when it feels like we budget as closely as we do. So thank you to the administrative team. This is really a a really great effort. Thank you for putting this slide together too because I know just like out of the whole thing right like that to really get it on the one page just to where we're really >> trying to eat streamline even more than they have been. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. >> Of course. Go ahead. Next slide, Christian. Um just obviously we continue to really look to see where our revenues are at and that that has to drive our expenditures. We know we don't we're not anticipating any um significant additional revenue. So we just want to make sure that those are really very closely aligned which we've

046continued to do. Um just obviously the salaries uh were increased 2.9% that's per the negotiated agreement tied directly to CPI December of 2024 that 5% reduction in services supplies and equipment. Um and then any other non-ax revenues we it was largely flat. Um certainly we're keeping an eye on uh that federal funding um just to kind of very closely monitor as that trickles in a little bit. So >> from the federal funding, right? And I know you know that you you you both done a really good job of kind of keeping us up to date on that from the >> but >> like have you got any different guidance about just based on kind of the level of unknown about about federal budgeting about like to do anything different or to like plan any differently

047or really just really just trying to to keep moving forward that things will be the same but just to really keep a close eye on funding and when things are getting held? Yes, we uh the the current thinking is obviously this year's budget uh this year's grant dollars. Um we're being conservative in our planning and but those have been allocated. The message moving into next year, next fiscal year, we will see because the funds that we're receiving now were already allocated, >> right? And so that was part of the legal battle was hey you can't turn off funding that Congress already sent allocated to the to the schools. Um so if in next fiscal year they don't allocate those funds then that's their choice. So we are anticipating a significant reduction in federal funding moving

048ahead. the the you know the plan that we've talked about and that our colleagues have talked about is plan for nothing >> and be surprised and grateful if if we get some. My guess is, my hunch is that again, special education services will be sort of the one carve out in that realm that there will continue to be allocations for um special education students and services. Um but the remaining professional development, our title one grants, our title three, uh four and five, um we are going to as we head into next year's budgeting cycle, we're going to be assuming a zero. >> So is that separate from whatever Medicaid stuff we get? >> Medicaid is totally separate. So that that is potentially a big cost that we will have, >> right, >> if they cut

049Medicaid. And so the Medicaid funding that we the services that we provide that are Medicaid eligible, we submit for reimbursement for is what you're talking about. And then >> the again for our current services, we're going to be watching what that reimbursement looks like moving forward. If there is less invested into that or if there are other restrictions on eligibility, you will likely see a significant reduction in that revenue. It we've always provided the services. That's always been our responsibility to provide those services. The federal reimbursement was an acknowledgment of those services taking the place of per privately purchased therapies. Um but with those cuts, we will continue to provide the services, but we likely won't see that reimbursement. And on the state level, the same uh challenge is the reimbursement rate that we um

050anticipate. You know, if we are due $100,000, we would expect to get that $100,000. Those are being projected depending on the different category anywhere between 60 and 75%. So we're owed a h 100,000 but we're likely only going to get 775 as an example. So that again is built into our budgeting as we hear more about and you'll hear the term MCATs mandated categoricals is what that stands for. That's when we're at triple I you'll hear a lot about funding fully funding MCATs. That's a pillar that IASB, ISVO, IASA are all pushing legislation for. Just fund it as it as you're supposed to. We're not asking for more. Just fund it as you're supposed to because not fully funding it is actually a reduction because the money has to come from somewhere. We still have

051to transport. We still have to provide the services. So that those two combined, federal and state, will definitely be an impact. Now again, in our district, it's a relatively smaller percentage of our overall budget, but as you just saw, I mean, it's we're being very we're already making cuts. We're already making reductions. um to to reduce by another 300,000 or 400,000 we'll have to have a very sharp pencil. >> What is what is the the the just roughly the Medicaid reimbursement for us annually? >> Uh last year was about $225,000. It's pretty significant. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uhhuh. Um this is a slide that we kind of put together. Um the details of this slide are actually in the long budget document that I included. I provided the line by line um for all

052of the funds. And then this last page was um this is kind of the uh drilled down version. So I talked a little bit about um what that would look like to budget a reduced uh re uh reduced percentage of uh property tax collections. So you see that $528,000. We talked about that. That's just the operational surplus. And when I say operational, I'm referring to the ED fund, the ON&M fund, the transportation fund, and the working cash fund. That's what we talked about um and what we agreed to in the fund balance policy. It's consistent with the operational funds that Isby uh acknowledges. So those are in alignment. Um, in the past we had budgeted anywhere between, honestly when I started we were budgeting at 104% of property tax revenue because we were getting all

053of our revenue in and then often times we would get some dollars coming in from prior years, right? So that that made sense six or seven years ago. What we saw then was two, three years of delayed revenues or they were the refunds were higher than anticipated and we weren't seeing certainly not 104% and maybe not even at 98% right but coming into this year we talked about and have um implemented a little bit different strategy where we have budgeted our revenues coming in at 96%. Now the reality is we know we're going to get 96% that or we're going to get more than 96%. We're eventually we are going to get the 100%. Um we are in the process now where we're kind of evaluating where we're at. We're looking at another property tax,

054you know, revenue delay. Um we don't anticipate any cash flow issues. That's that's not our problem. But trying to project exactly where these dollars will come is really important. So what we did was we budgeted at the 96%. We calculated the amount between the 96 and 100% which for us comes to $94,484 and then our plan is to have those funds go directly into fund balance. We're not going to spend them. We don't have a plan to spend them. The dollars will come in. They'll go right into fund balance. Um and this is really an integral part of working to rebuild those fund balances. So the grand total um and those those you will not see those funds in the budget. So that's just kind of we know that's how we're planning it. The dollars

055will come in. Um we will show that when we get to the point where we're showing our projections. We'll show that revenue, but we won't show any expenditures attributed to that. So the budgeted operational surplus 528,000 property tax revenue 94 is that again 96 to 100% for a total um anticipated contribution to surplus of 1.4 million. Um, and then one point that Brian had was in the budget, uh, I worked with Liz to kind of, uh, allocate, um, some of those bond proceeds. Um, otherwise, if we didn't include them, we'd be filing a pretty quick amended budget. So, we wanted to really be as thorough as possible and account for all of those dollars. These funds, um, the 1.5 million, um, is the money that the district is due back from the construction design work

056to date. um that's roughly $950 to $975,000 and then $545,000 um which is interest. So we've booked that to O andM um and that was Liz's recommendation and then we certainly ran that by the attorneys as well. So the grand total um to uh operational surplus at this time including that bond impact is just over $2 million. Um, so again, I thank you to the admin team and I'm happy to answer any questions. We'll go ahead and take action on this a little bit later, but um, just next if if anybody has any questions on this before we go to the next slide. I don't know. >> Just thank you and the admin for all the hard work from this the last few years, right? As we kind of >> really rec you really just

057really recognize that we need to do whatever we could to get to this point both for you know, for the current needs. Yeah. You know, to for the current needs of what we need to be delivering to the to the community, then also for rebuilding the fund balances, but then being as streamline as we possibly can for the future if more cuts are coming. So, >> thank thank you. I know that you've worked so hard on this. So, thank you. It's it's it's great to see this and and again, like to me, right, it's more that this has been a multi-year thing, right? and that the first fruit of this is seeing that we had the half a million dollar surplus from last year, right, to start building this back. So like you know this

058is a slide, right? But but this has been a huge focus of yours for three years. So thank you so much for all the effort and you put into this. >> Thank you. >> Just really seeing it >> Yeah. >> kind of come to fruition is awesome. >> Thank you. So just the next steps then for the approval of this budget, we'll approve the budget this evening. We'll go ahead and submit that to ISBY. Um and then we'll continue to work with Evans Marshall to finalize our audit making some of those um last uh adjustments on the approvals and then we'll go ahead and plan to generate our projection models in January f uh just uh following the AFR. So then we'll be finalized on our budget and then we'll be uh finalized in the

059AFR. So we'll look forward to bringing that to you a little bit later. Then outside of the budget process, once tonight's vote to approve the budget and submit, our communication plans for the next few board meetings will be to start clarifying that picture of sort of a we'll start with a look back at fund balance over the last 10 years and the ups and downs and kind of what brings us to today. Then in in November, December, we'll share sort of a here's our snapshot of what we're doing currently. And then once we have the finalized AFR, we'll be looking at okay, so we start projecting this out 10 years or five years, where does that put us in terms of fund balance and um operational funding availability. So yes, I agree. Thanks to Amy

060for your work on that. >> No, he's still here. >> Oh. Oh, does Kristen have to turn that back on? No, because we're going to just we're going to turn uh we're going to go to another presentation in just a few, but you get to see his friendly face. >> Do we have any questions from um the board about the budget? >> You know, just one question I thought I would think. So, last year I think we budgeted at 97 98. >> We were at 98. >> They were 98 last year. What percentage actually came in? Do you know? Off the top of my head, we were over that. >> It was like higher than anticipated. It was right. It was like between 98 and 100, right? Yeah. Okay. >> It's just >> that was

061refreshing to see them like, "Okay, coming in." But >> what have we you heard from Cook County from the fall? >> Just cuz I know that like everybody's like people are so mad. It's like mine was up a ton, but like do do we expect a delay in getting revenue? We are seeing a delay. Um we actually received an email this morning from Cook County um reaching out to any taxing body that needs to take advantage of a bridge loan uh interest free which we do not qualify for that because our bond rating is too high. Um but they I I don't know. I mean maybe you know something more but it's just nothing more. I mean I haven't heard anything more. I'm just thinking November, but >> there are at least three of our

062neighbors have already uh filed for tax anticipation warrants because they will see a cash or are >> preparing to weather a cash strapped window. Um in in our local area, we will be in good shape. We won't face that particular critical piece. On the positive side, we've started to see some of the machinery working that says, "Okay, we know that they're getting ready to start processing." >> Okay. >> But I think we also know just given where that is at in the process that we're going to see some delays. >> They've plugged the machines in. >> Yeah, the machines are warming up right now. >> We're not sure if they're working, but >> yeah, unfortunately, uh, this is now year three in a row. >> Year three. >> Yeah, >> we had one good year

063last year, though. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Are there any more questions or wishes to be heard from the board? >> Is there anyone in the audience that would like to address the board about the budget? Anyone? >> I was just checking. I was just check I'm just checking. >> May I have a motion to close the public hearing on the 2526 annual school budget? A motion to close the hearing. >> Moved by Brian. Can I get a second? >> Second by Tracy. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mrs. Bwinsky? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gordonis? >> Yes. >> Dr. Long? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mlan? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Morsy? >> Yes. >> Uh, bud. The hearing is closed at 7:59 p.m. Uh, 50. Motion passes. Oh my god. I have to

064go back. >> Guys, it's it's only 8 o'clock. >> All right. Consent agenda. >> So, our consent agenda this evening um includes the approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on August the 14th and the personnel report. Um I missed the opportunity to put volume 119 press policy in for second read. We presented them in August for first read. So we will you'll see that on October's consent agenda. I forgot to put it in here. Um uh and as well as our personnel report which includes uh the hiring of our new director of operations, Luis Gonzalez, who will introduce uh if uh he is approved. Um, can I get a motion for the consent agenda? >> Moved by Tracy. Can I get a second? >> Second by Brian. Uh, can I get a roll

065call, please? >> Mrs. Morrisy? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Finsky? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gdanis? >> Yes. >> Dr. Long? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mlan? >> Yes. Motion carries 5. >> So, welcome Luis Gonzalez. So you is uh from the uh Walkaggan Gurnie area but has been uh in the buildings and grounds departments of Libertyville District 70 uh Northshore Country Day School and currently or up until just a minute ago uh was the director of buildings and grounds in Comic uh which is in River uh not Riverside. North. >> Yeah, North Riverside, right? North Riverside. Um, brings experience in HVAC, brings experience with construction projects, just facilitated an addition and, uh, some remodeling in comic, and has experience also with uh, ongoing preventive maintenance and, uh, the the world of custodial services. Um, he's got a

066family. He's got a a three-year-old and a 10-year-old a three-year-old little boy and a 10-year-old little girl, right? >> Yes. >> Uh that he loves to spend a lot of time with and uh are the center of his world and uh monster cars and monster trucks and WWF with the little ones and uh is excited to cut his commute in about half. >> So good. >> Welcome to the District 23 family. >> Thank you. Yeah, I really appreciate it and I'm really thankful and appreciative as well. Um I I can feel support and just I can feel the vibes as >> it's very family um oriented and I really appreciate all you guys and I'm really excited to to to work closely with each and every one of you. >> Bring your kids to that

067uh drive-in movie. That's right. You don't have to come join join our community. So, welcome. We're really excited. Oh. >> Yeah. Can we take a quick picture? >> I got lots of pictures >> since you're all gussied up. Yeah. >> This should be the last one, though. >> You don't want more? >> I mean, we can do one later. >> Okay. >> A commemorative. >> I know. I got ready for this. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> One, two, three. >> Perfect. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> So great. Chris Christian. >> All right. Anything else? >> That's it for >> awesome. Uh, next up is the financial report. That was Brian's. Was that Brian? >> Brian. Yeah, you had the finances. >> They just kept coming. Um, yeah. You know, I

068think we have some questions about a few of them. >> No, apologies. I thought you said something. Sorry. >> Oh, sorry. >> You're up. No. So, we I we just talked about a couple items that came up, but I think everything was pretty good overall. Um, so I I motion to approve the uh financial reporting as presented. >> Can I get a second, please? >> Second. >> Moved by Brian, second by Tracy. Can I get a roll call? >> Mrs. Morsy, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bowinsky, >> yes. >> Mr. Gordon, >> yes. >> Dr. Long, >> yes. >> Mrs. Mlan, >> yes. Motion carries. eight uh 850 5. >> You're mixing up numbers. >> I I'm so tired today. I don't know why. All right. >> I'm I'm really sorry, but just to backtrack from

069from earlier, I just want to thank you for the uh that fall that that fall the fall festival is really awesome, you know, like that that like most people >> that did not exist four years ago, right? And that's something that uh I feel like is really your brainchild, right? And it's become like a tradition in the district. So that's that's really awesome and that's so great. >> We were out of popcorn before I got to work. >> You need to double the popcorn order next time. So I figured out that Becky volunteers to go last cuz she knows that the popcorn >> the popcorn. It's good strategy. >> I still worked my hour. I counted votes for the movie. >> No, I but that's like but there hadn't been 800 people at that, right?

070It's just incredible. Um, so it's really cool that that's really turned into like a tradition and part of the community, but that but that was your brainchild and your work for that. So, thank >> I always look forward toward that. >> And I truly think too that um >> that it's nice too that Miss Claris does things that involves the junior high kids so that their I mean they might not hang out the whole time but their presence is known to so you really and you'll get to see this as you become a part of our community is that we're truly a a family right like you see the kids from >> prek all the way up through 8th grade and some returning returning kiddos and so that's just really fun to see that like

071you know the eighth grade girls all there you know having fun and running around and so >> but like so just your entire team is there. There's so much staff there. So many teachers there. Like it's >> PTO volunteers. >> So many PTO volunteers. You community partners. >> You know, I I appreciate you saying that. I I do think that it is an effort that we all um are really proud of. And you know, when I when I tell other folks about it, u you know, I there are certainly negatives to uh being a part of a smaller district and we have our challenges, but one of the benefits is that we can do something like that. And other districts would love to be able to have a community event where they can bring everybody

072together. And you know, for us, a thousand people is like twothirds of our student body and families. That's about what we project. Um, so we do it because we can and and it is one of the things that makes us special. So, yeah, I appreciate you saying that. Thank you. >> Well, thanks for having such a fun event. >> Yeah. >> Um, all right. We are now on the superintendence report. >> So, I apologize again. The first time I submitted the packet, I forgot to include our strategic goals uh link in the descriptor. So, if you went on as soon as I hit send, uh, you didn't see those, but uh, I went back in and and labeled those. That was one of our initiatives that we had talked about as a board to try

073to make sure that as we're having conversations as they relate directly to our strategic plan that we wanted to highlight that. So our first item is um a discussion on the resolution for the issue of uh and sale of our funding and refunding bonds. Uh this is tied to our facility construction project. Um our building a better D23 project for Eisenhower for MacArthur's window siding doors project. Um, and again, we're very happy to have uh Liz with us today, Liz Hennessy from Raymond James uh to share some really good news about our um updated on the sale of our bonds that just uh is about just about to close on them. We hope we got the wrong last. I just sent it. I just recite the >> y >> and Liz and her team. We

074were we've been on a multiple series of calls over the last couple of weeks. We had a really good call with Moody's uh that uh was very positive. The team talked to us pre-sale and then uh post sale. And uh we're we're very excited. We appreciate all of their work that goes into the volumes of paper um product, but really the process that will move us forward and and improve things for our students and communities. Just bring it. >> While they're pulling that up, um I will mention that um we did go to Moody's and they reaffirmed the AA3 bond rating, which is uh wonderful and they were very appreciative of the efforts the district's taken in FY25 and FY26 budget to bring it in alignment and rebuild fund balances. So that was uh very

075much appreciate appreciated. So okay. So um tonight on your agenda you have a a parameters bond resolution. Um and that is the last uh official step the board will have to take to uh complete the financing process. going back to uh July, the board approved uh up to 16 million 545 545,000 of debt certificates. 16.5 million was the option we chose after looking at many from April through July. And now we are passing looking at passing a resolution to pay off that 16.5 million um with funding bonds and funding bonds are paid from the debt service extension base and is part of all the discussion we had about how much of that do we want to use, how much of that we want to use leave for future boards and that kind of thing. So

076the parameters resolution um authorizes the sale within certain parameters. We had the sale today um and we are what I'm going to report to you now is the results of the sale assuming you approve the parameters resolution and the results of the sale are very much within the parameters set forth. Okay. So let's go to the next page. Google is doing its normal thing. Is there any way we can do this PowerPoint? >> Can you do it as a PowerPoint instead of in >> I'm sorry. >> Is it in Google Drive? >> Yeah, let me try it. >> That was the PDF itself. >> It was a PowerPoint. >> Oh, >> it was exactly what what you sent. I just forwarded it. >> It It is a >> Yeah, you just have to do the

077open with up at the top in the middle. Can >> you try open with PowerPoint? >> You don't have it. No, >> not Google Slides. We don't have Windows in this computer. >> Here, let me try mine. >> Please hold. >> Sorry, guys. Well, I'll just talk a little bit about what happened uh yesterday. >> Um, you know, yesterday the Fed lowered rates by a quarter point. Um the market was waiting with baited breath for that announcement and uh importantly uh they discussed possibly two more rate decreases through the end of the year. That was really important information for the market that immediately priced in about a 90% chance of two more rate decreases before the end of the year. all that helped our market. Thank you so much. That's exactly what we want to

078try to see. The top graph shows all the supply that's um out and it compares it with 21 22 23 24 25 is the dark bar. Uh through July and August, you know, we really have record issuance. Um so getting in the market this week was important because there's not much issuance on a week when the Fed speaks. So, we're really in the wake of the good news of the Fed. Um, what you the graph on the bottom shows municipal fund inflows and outflows. When the bars are green, that means there are more buyers and sellers. And when the bars are red, there are more sellers. So, we're at the far right end, and you can see the green bars um helping our sale uh with good demand. Let's go to the next page. This

079is the uh municipal market data AAA index. And we've looked at this graph often. And I'll tell you, it looks very different today than it did just a month ago. Um a month ago, we saw the short-term rate even high. Okay, let me just tell you what we're looking at. The dark blue line is a 30-year average for yields for AAA bonds from years 1 through 30. Um, and then you see the yield is on the uh y ais. So, compared with the 30-year average, the red line is where we are today. And if we looked at this a month ago, you would see the short-term rate was much more elevated. And then we did go below for the next 10 years, but in year 10 and after, the red line was well above that

080dark blue line, meaning long-term rates were really elevated, reflecting what's happened uh since January 1 of 25. So >> I have a really naive when you look at is this what they typically call the yield curve >> for municipal bonds? for useful bonds. >> Usually the yield curve refers to US treasury bonds. >> Okay, >> which are taxable which means follow. So >> So let's go to the next slide. This graph um last month we looked at it. It was about similar in direction but the short-term rates were not down as much as they are now and the long-term rates were up way more than they are now. So, it used to be the long-term rates since January one were up like 80 basis points, but now they're only up like 34. So, you can

081see that's a retrenchment of like 40 50 basis points in the long end of the curve, which is critical on our deal. Let's go to the next page. Here's the yield curve with the Treasury. So, this is the more typical Treasury. This shows the uh 20-year average of US Treasury bonds. and then where we are today. And you can see um we are elevated still on treasury rates and um when you turn around and invest your money that's helpful because you can invest in taxable treasury bonds. Um but uh this is directional for the municipal market as well. Let's go to the next page. So I'm sorry I I know these are small. I'm not sure if you have these on your own computer. Okay. Well, what this shows is the yield for each year

082of the proposed bonds. And we sold today 20,445,000. Um the second grouping in that says pre-pricing scale 917. That's where we started yesterday uh in our discussion after the 25 basis point rate drop. And then the far left is the pricing scale we presented today, which shows rates about seven basis points lower in the first couple years, four basis points lower in 2037 through 41, no change in 43, and then one basis point higher on the very end, we change the type of bond to a discount bond. So all this is very complicated to say we are showing a spread to the municipal market data index and that spread is able to be compared across other issues. So we're showing how you compare to can key Illinois. So you can see their spreads. If you

083look at the uh the number with a slash in it, the second number, you see that's like 90 basis points over the MMD index and we're like 70 to 80. So we're better lower spread to the index. And the reason we look at the spread to the municipal market index is because rates change every day. But the thing we can compare is how they relate to that index over time. We've got Lockport Township Fire District uh down in Will County and they're uh similarly rated and um are spread in that 80 basis point range. But the actual yields are lower for your deal because of coming off this great rate decrease. So even though the spreads are comparable, the true yield is much lower because of the market changes we've experienced just this week. If

084we go to the next page and and we'll get you this report so you can go over these uh deals. Um I don't want to take our whole night, you know, I could go on forever talking about these comparables, but here's uh again more comparables. We got Carbondale in the market at the end of August, Opelon 218, uh Roseville, Allen in Vermillion County, and Woodstock, Illinois. So all of these are various uh up or down stronger double A's, some double A3s, some with insurance, some without, but all similarly rated deals that give us a good feel for um the spreads to that index. Okay, let's go to the next page. We have a different index for taxable bonds. These are the US treasuries. These yields are spread to the US Treasury. So you know we

085have a taxable refunding uh it goes from 2031 to 35 and those yields go from 425 to 470 and those are 38 basis points to 58 basis points over the US Treasury bond. Clearly the district is uh a little less rated than the US government but trades at a wider spread as do others. So we have some comparisons here for you also taxable bonds. We can compare these in different states. Tax exempt bonds because of the tax treatment in Illinois, we can only use Illinois comparisons. But for taxable bonds, we can use other states as well. So we see very similar spreads for Wilson School District in Pennsylvania. We go to the next page. We've got the Arizona border regions and Southwest College uh down um in Madison, Illinois as well as Illinois. Now um

086one thing you'll see between if you go back one page between our pre-pricing yesterday and our pricing this afternoon, Treasury rates did go up a little bit. So that's why the yield went up a little bit, but the spread actually went down. The spread to the index went down. So, um, that is where we landed on the taxable piece. So, what, uh, here's, yeah, let's go to the next page. This is another totally small print. So, again, sorry, uh, I'm going to send this to you, but uh, I'm going to give you the bigger picture in in bigger numbers in a minute. This is the structure that we have been targeting. Um we we are refunding all of the $16,545,000 and our uh structure uses a debt service extension base through the year 2036. Then

087in 2037 in the green box we have room to issue additional bonds again. That's the structure we've been looking at in July, August, again here today. um per the board's direction. The good news is um we have a window in the green box of 645,000 on average. That window just a month ago was only 585,000. So having more flexibility means interest cost went down on our deal actually uh about a million dollar versus what we looked at in August over the life of the bonds. So, we're able to refund all the debt certificates and get a bigger window for you in the year 2037 and have total interest costs on this deal about a million dollars less than we looked at just last month. So, we are really excited about this >> because um this

088is uh not what we were expecting in August. Here's the graphic that we've seen many times where the line is your debt service extension base. The drop in rates happen in 2037. Um so that's when you'll be able to issue more of these working cash bonds. Let's go to the next page. Um just to split out and relate this to the parameters resolution that was in your board packets that you're considering on the agenda tonight. the um funding bonds and the tax exempt refunding bonds together are considered the 2025A bonds, but there's uh $18,42 are the proceeds for the funding bonds that pays off the debt certificate principle of 16,545,000 the interest which is at 5% 114,896 and the capitalized in interest in the cost of issuance. Um to remind you, capitalized interest is proceeds

089from the bonds that go to pay off a portion of the interest on the bonds. So that the the whole structure fits within that debt service extension base. So the two things we did to squeeze these bonds in is refund some bonds and use capitalized interest. So that reduces the levy on those bonds to fit within that Dub. So there's no increase to the taxpayers other than CPI. Okay. Um so I'm going to get into the particulars on that capitalized interest. We have it lumped with cost of issuance. The uh tax exempt refunding was 2,519. That refunded the 2022 bonds and portions of the 2019s. Um so you see those bond proceeds are going into a refunding escrow to pay off those two pieces of debt. The cost of issuance are there related to that.

090Then we have the taxable refunding um that is of the 2019 fees which because um we're doing them in advance and we got if you go way back remember we got Chase Bank on the 22s to to let us pay them off immediately. So that's why we could do more tax exempt, but there's a part uh that went to the public markets that we have to refund on a taxable basis, and that's that 2,280. So that money is then going into that escrow to pay off those bonds as well. So on your resolution, we are authorizing 20 million not to exceed 20 million of funding bonds. So it's going to be $18 million 402. We wanted to do a maximum because we didn't know what interest rates were going to be. Um, and if interest

091rates were higher, we'd have more capitalized interest. On the refunding piece, we lumped those together and said not to exceed 6 million in your resolution. We're actually issuing 4,799 of refunding bonds. So again, a big cushion just in case. We've seen incredible interest rate volatility um leading up to this over the the last 6 months. So let's go to the next page. >> Can you actually go to two before? >> Yeah. >> Um this one. >> One before. >> Yes. No, no, this is right. Like why do we I I guess like why are we grouping the the the refunding in with the with the new money in that a series? Like why why group them together? >> Exempt. >> But but one set of them is going to be complete is going to get

092paid off before the other set. But you just call them the same anyway. >> Yeah. So from an investor point of view, they're purchasing taxexempt bonds. investors like big block sizes. So, the more we can do to um make the block sizes bigger, the more the better it's going to sell in the market. What they're getting is tax exempt bonds that are limited tax general obligation bonds payable from the debt service extension base. So, the source of the repayment is the exact same for both types of bonds, >> right? But like but I I guess that's why I wanted to pull this up because like the the the purple will will complete in 10 years, right? And but but >> the yellow goes on >> but the yellow will not. But how do you how

093do we how does someone buy those together, right? >> So let's look at somebody buying the 20 36 maturity which is kind of half purple and half yellow. They don't care the purpose of the bond. They care how it's getting repaid and it's all the same source. The refunding bond is does not have priority over the funding bond or vice versa. >> Okay. >> So, they're just worried about when their bond is going to mature and whether it's a purple or a yellow bar, they don't care. >> Okay. So, so >> but you guys care because we want to pay those refunded bond off as quick, >> right? And I I guess I just think of those I think of the purple ones as a completely separate offering, right, than the than the gold, right?

094Which but but so but the way that so we have a 2025A offering that's that that has a 2036 maturity and then we also have a 2025A offering that has a 204 maturity. >> Yes. >> Is that right? Okay. Right. >> Yep. you have bonds in all of those years and then the red bars are the taxable refund, right? >> Because those rates are higher, we want to pay those off the quickest, >> right? But then but then the 2025, so that that's a series B and then those are a 2034. Is that right? >> That's a final maturity there. Yes. >> Okay. >> 2034. These are levy years, >> right? >> So they matured one year later. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Okay. Let's um back. >> Yeah,

095>> there you go. >> Thank you. Okay, so this is all the data. Um so they're way too many numbers on here for everybody, I know. But for those of you who are interested in the the um series, the tax exempt series had all entry interest cost of 4.86. The taxable was 479 a little bit lower only because it matures earlier even though those rates are higher. Um the escrow yields go to what we can invest the uh in US treasuries the refunding portions um until they mature and then the par amount of each of the series which total is 22,725 and then net premium discount cost of issuance for each series and altogether that includes your bond council your underwriter bond insurance disclosure your council. You're getting two opinions at closing um from council.

096Uh the refunded bonds, you can see the amounts of each present value cost for this refunding. We are stretching bonds out. There is cost. It's much less than it was before. And then the debt certificate payoff, which is of course the payoff of the 16,545. So now um let's go to the next page. I just think it's summarizes it. The top line is the original plan what we were looking at back in July. We were going we issued 16,545 of debt certificates giving you 16,500,000 for your projects. Uh we wanted to pay it off October 3rd and the estimated rate was 491. Last month I mentioned to you that we may not be able to keep all that 16,500 because rates had gone up so much we couldn't fit the funding bonds and the refunding

097all within that window that we have under the debt service extension base. So we were going to have to pay back some of those debt certificate proceeds. So, you know, that's you can see how high the rate was 524 back in August. You know, a lot of tariff influences going on there. A lot of anger uh you know, at the Fed for not lowering rates, but the inflation data didn't support that. But now we he they did and now we priced. So, we got it all done. We got it done lower than we thought originally. 486 is the all-in true interest cost. It's a million less debt service over the life of the bonds than we looked at on the August 14th update. And the Dub window is bigger starting in 2037 than we originally

098thought. So that's why we're pleased to present this plan to you tonight. Um the parameters resolution authorizes the execution of a bond purchase agreement with Raymond James and Company. uh authorized by the board delegates which include Amy Don and the board president uh to say yes to the deal because it is within the parameters. So sorry I've been talking so long. I know you guys are tired. It's been a long night. Um but I >> and Spencer >> early morning for >> so um happy to entertain any additional questions. >> So is the resolution now for the the 225 or is the resolution for the 26? >> The resolution is still parameters for the 26 just what leg went what went into the packet. Okay. But what the resolution authorizes is the sale subject to

099those parameters. Uh, and I brought the bond purchase agreement tonight for Amy to sign after and the board approves the resolution, which will lock in the terms we're looking at here. >> Okay. >> So, it's kind of a two-step process, but you guys only need to vote on the parameters resolution. Again, it authorizes for President Amy and Don to sign that grant that And then we did it that way because if today was a disaster in the wake of the Fed meeting, we didn't want to go to market today. We want to lose. So that's why we did it that way. >> And OMA, you have to post obviously in advance. And we didn't, you know, you don't know these data until the day of. So you build that estimated cushion in in the event,

100but the actuals will be what you presented. That's what's in the deal that that uh they struck today. >> Can you go back up one more just to that kind of summary of this one? And and so then the the 20 so then the 2025A true interest cost is kind of a blend between the the different expiring that are kind of bundled together >> funding bonds and the refund >> between the funding and the refunding. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. And so the the resolution tonight is for $26 million, but based on the agreements that you have today and that Amy would technically sign after we we would vote on this, the the number is actually 22725. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you for putting this together. It is still way bigger than my

101brain understands. Um, but it it helps to understand it a little better from this. So, great. Thank you guys for your patience. I mean, this this is a uh uh not a typical straightforward geop. It's a a structured deal that meets your needs and we're excited that we could bring you this result today. >> Yeah. And I think right we're we're all grateful that um the fed that it came out the way it did. It gives us the full amount to do the work we want to do. I think that that's exciting for us. Um and and I I know we've had lots of questions because this isn't any of our first language, right? This isn't what we do all day. So, I know I'm very appreciative to my my fellow board members that have

102asked me good questions that I then don't know the answer to to ask you guys good questions, but um thank you for sticking with us and answering our questions as we um look to to do what's great for district 23. So, I really So, well done. Thank you. >> Can you just help me understand one more time that 1.75 million in capitalized interest and why we needed to do that? >> Sure. Um, so, and I pro I probably should have brought one more chart. I don't have Well, let's go back. Uh, sorry. Let's go to um page >> I'm trying to mimic what I see on your screen. Page >> 10. that one. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> Okay. So, what we've got and and I don't have the capitalized interest set forth in this

103sheet, but if you look at the net debt service under the blue box, the far right column, net debt service, there you go. You see how tiny those payments are? 22,154. Those payments are small because part of it is being paid with that 1.5 million capitalized interest. >> Okay? >> And so that's going to go towards paying the rest of the interest on the bonds um which are netted out here for purposes of illustration for you guys to show how it fits under the debt service extension base. Amy's going to get a debt book from me. Um that is going to show and you're going to budget payments that are bigger than this per year. Um and so you're going to budget something like a million5 or a million to or sorry I can't talk

104like a million almost 2 million is what you're going to budget in the next couple of years. But you're only going to levy if you look at the total debt service a million4 or a million5. The balance of that is coming from capitalized interest because interest payments on 22 million are a lot more than you know they're like 1.5 million, right? So these first years between refunding and using capitalized interest, that money is coming from the bond issue to pay back the bonds until the debt base is opened up and is able to do it. So you're going to get net bills from Zan's bank. They're investing that capitalized interest and that capitalized interest plus interest is going to come to you to get the payment. So that's to fit under the no tax. If

105we don't want to increase the levy, >> yes, >> we don't want to >> if we owe 1.5, >> we're not going to levy for 1.5. We're going to levy for 1.4. Right. And I'm happy >> to stay within that under that no tax out no tax increase to the taxpayers. But the difference that we owe, we have to pay still. >> You still have to pay bond holders. Yeah. >> So we're paying for that out of the bonds themselves, >> right? 327. So when I >> like if I if I just state this back to you making sure that I understand this so that so that we have so that out of this 18 we have taken this 1.7 which is called capitalized interest that we're then using to repay the bonds out of

106out of those borrowed funds so that we don't have to increase the ded. Yes. >> Okay. Okay. I got you. And then that that effectively that's for the like kind of spread across the first six years of this or >> no only through uh 2027. So only like two years out you you have a limit of like 3 years. So >> Okay. What? Okay. I thought you So it's like one, two, three like these three. >> Yeah. Um actually those are levy years. So the first one is 25 uh which goes through 26 and the second one is 26 it goes through 27. So um I think it's like two and a half of those. Yeah. >> Oh, I see. Okay. >> So um I can show you a chart >> that um I'll board

107that to to forward to you get clear when the debt book is done. Yeah. when we have the new payment structure that'll make it extremely clear. Yeah, just echo Becky like thank you for all of the time and questions because >> yeah, it's not it's not uh it's got a lot of bells and whistles on it, but I think it's accomplished the goal of the board and the district, which >> I believe my statement many times was, I think I understand, but don't really ask me because I I'm not going to explain it, right? So you should just call some like so I really appreciate you guys all not just you but you you all too um helping us so that we are not >> impacting the taxpayers because that's very important to us right

108we we we want to do this but without that so um again thank you to everybody and the team so we really appreciate that >> Liz Liz never likes to toot her own horn but she is a rock star in the uh this field been doing it for just a couple of years >> and um that's why we it's why we partner with smart people be that's what Raymond James does as a institution and so yeah we we only do this every so often so relying on our partners to help guide us through that is critically important >> right so if we have no more questions um I was wonder I'm wondering if we could get a motion Sure. I'll motion to approve the resolution providing for the issuance and sale of approximately $26 million

109of funding refunding bonds and for the levy of taxes to pay such bonds. >> Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Moved by Spencer, second by Tracy. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mrs. Morsy, >> yes. >> Mrs. But Winsky, >> I appreciate all your work and as I said before, I just I'm not comfortable with this whole solution. So, I'm going to vote. >> Mr. Panis, >> you know, this is the direction that the, you know, that the board has has chosen to move forward, right? in July. So, I mean, I did not vote for that in July, but I respect the board's decision and that this is, you know, the guidance that we have is to abide, right, like uh Jeff Labowski. And ultimately, right, like this is the path

110that we're going down and that I think that I I, you know, I I I respect the decision of the board and want to do everything I can to make sure that this is successful. So, I I approve. >> Dr. Law. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mlan. >> Yes. Motion carries. 41. >> Thank you. And thank you again, Liz. >> Thank you. Thank you. Next. Amy, I'm not going to leave without that sign. All right. >> You can ceue up um Craig's presentation. Our next uh action item. >> We have a Oh, the budget. >> Yeah. the budget uh the adoption of the FY26 budget as uh after our hearing that was held earlier and the tenative budget being uh on display and posted as required. Um we now ask the board to uh vote on

111the district budget for fiscal year 2026. >> Could I get a motion for the budget? A motion >> moved by Tracy. Do I have a second? >> Second by Brian. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mrs. Morsy, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bowwinsky, >> yes. >> Mr. Gordon, >> yes. >> Dr. Long, >> yes. >> Mrs. McClean, >> yes. Motion carries 5. >> All right. And the next the next action item is a presentation. Last month, you'll recall, we we highlighted one of our um key strategic plan uh initiatives, which was comprehensive safety. Uh the second area that we want to highlight is curriculum and instruction. Um and there are a number of sort of parts underneath that. And then next month when we're at Eisenhower, as a reminder, um we will highlight our

112third goal area which is the building a better D23 uh project. So this uh presentation is tied to goal 1.1 uh looking at our curriculum adoptions um looking at our curriculum adoption for social emotional learning as well as specials exploratory. um our 2.3 which is our expectations and norms around instruction success criterion grading assessments. Uh and 2.4 Four, tied to high quality professional development in the area of teaching with clarity, standardsbased instruction, assessment, and reporting, best practices for diverse classrooms, embedded instructional coaching, artificial intelligence, and integrated technology, instructional tools. Dr. Curtis, take it away. I'd like to start by thanking the rest of our presentations for building the suspense because I know this is the one you've truly been >> so excited about. >> All right. And I promise also for those who the other

113presentations might have been over your head. This is right on your level. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. You know that I this is my language. I I understand this. Thank you. >> All right. >> Thank you for reminding the community of my area of strength. >> All right. So, for our curriculum and curriculum and instruction presentation tonight, there's really three parts to it that we're going to include. Um, the first one is assessments. The second part is committee work and curriculum curriculum adoptions. Um, the reason we put those two together is our curricular adoptions are part of our committee work. Um, and then the third part is professional development for assessments. our assessment. The reason we do assessment in the district is really to improve our teaching and learning. And really that's going to be

114a trend for all three of those parts that we're going to introduce. Um really assessment um is built to differentiate instruction for children. Okay. Um this schedule here um is something that's available on our website for um the community to take a look at throughout the year. This assessment calendar shows our universal benchmarks for all of our students throughout the district. You can see um each of the grade level that these universal benchmarks are um applied to throughout the year and also which times of year and the dates for those assessments. I'll highlight a couple right now. Our kindergarteners start the year with our kids assessments. That's uh that is done in the first 40 calendar days of the school year. And then also down towards the bottom in the green, our first I Ready

115assessment for the fall is underway right now in all of our buildings. Some of them have completed it. Others are in the process and others um our kindergarters will do that a little later after they do their kids assessments. Um there's others that many of you are familiar with some of our state assessment, our access for multilingual um and our I assessment which will come later in the year. There's other assessments that are not listed on here. Um for example, our formative assessments, which personally I think are our most important assessments. Those are the ones that our teachers do daytoday and probably learn the most from. um they they adapt their teaching every single day based on what they learn. Um and prove their instruction dayto-day based on those. Um and then also our our

116summit of assessment which would include these but also include you know end of unit attest tests and things like those. >> Go ahead. >> Can I talk about just every time we see it like >> do you feel like this is the right amount? Do do you feel like this is too much? I guess as I get older, the years seem to go by faster and it's like, wow, >> feels like they spent a lot of the school year assessing themselves. >> So, it's interesting. So, we actually >> that looks that looks like >> some of the Ready stuff is our kind of our own like internal measurement. Yeah. Everything above, right? >> Well, the Ready is Go ahead. >> We've actually minimized this list. It looks like a ton, but these are for all

117different grade levels. You'll see the kids one, that's a state one. That's for the kindergarteners. Access is a state one. We have to do that, but it's only for multilingual students. Um the I Ready is our own, but we have to do a universal benchmark. >> Um really when you look at this, the most assessments that our kids are doing is I AR, which is statewide, have to do the multilingual, and the Ready. So you're looking at three tests throughout the year, which is down from what we used to do. Um when we also did there, we also did FastBridge in addition to that. So we really minimized that to make sure that we're not overesting our students. Um most districts I would say still do a test if not fast bridge, something similar. >>

118Um so we really have minimized those numbers because we are really from both the administrators and our teachers, we listened to exactly what you're saying there. I think it looks like like it looks like a long list. It is a long list, but if I'm looking at this like my fourth grader and my second grader aren't going to take the constitutions. We can that one. They're not taking >> the multilingual like they can take that one out, you know? So, we're taking a couple. I'm the mom that wants to know how are we doing to be this week. What are we doing? >> I think the other thing too that is tough about this, right, is the I test that's required, >> right? >> But we don't even get those results. I like they they

119finished by April 17th. we don't get those results until almost the next school year. So like they're not helpful in planning instruction and moving forward in your class. The I Ready is really the one that helps you form your your teaching because you get those instantaneous and then it's normed to your >> the other thing that's important is we do try to you know we we have to do the state ones in the state windows but at the same time we also do try to spread them out as best possible. So, um, our I Ready benchmarks, we don't do them at the same time as the AR or as the access. The access happens from January through March. Um, so we do the I A in November um for the winter so that it's not

120at the same time. >> Are you ready? >> I'm sorry. Yes. Are you ready? Um, and then the AR comes after access so that they're at different times. you know, on the other hand, you're continuously testing, but at least they're not at the same time to overwhelm kids. So, >> but that is another one of the platforms that our collective organizations continue to advocate for, which is we value the the feedback. We value the assessments, but there are different methodologies that wouldn't pull kids out of instruction for as much time as right >> a lot of these take. And so it's not anti-assessment, it's not anti-feedback, it's just, you know, why do we need to take five subtests if that at 40 minutes a piece when a a different type of test that's two subtests

121at 40 minutes, you can get the same or similar data. So that's why I jumped on it. Yes, we test too much. I don't think it takes too long. Again, we're we've minimized on our end, but the goal is for us to continue to advocate for the state to revamp what their tests look like to minimize the lost instructional time. >> I could see it being frustr, you know, we spent all that time adding time to the day and what are we doing with it, you know, so it being frustrating. >> Yeah. And as Becky pointed out, if we did advocate for a test, it would be I Ready because it pertains to our instruction and what we feel is most valuable for our teachers to get the most out of our students with instructions.

122But in addition to what you're saying about like what Becky and Craig both said but like if it take is is there feedback to the state about like the IR like it when it takes six month when you when you take it in the spring and then it take and you don't get the results for 6 months it's kind of just it's like this point in time historical measurement that's really of no use to the districts in planning or you know >> another school by then >> right yeah they're another school another grade Cuz yeah, I cuz I I think this we're I'm done getting those now, but remember like oh you know in October you you you find out about what they did in in April, right? It's when you see we already approved

123the 2030 resolution but one of the major pillars of 2030s the the advocacy that IASA IASBO IPA is timely and meaningful feedback >> right >> through quality assessments. Nobody is saying hey we don't want the assessments. We're saying give us data that we can actually use >> and let's especially given today's modern environment >> you know to still be doing tests on scantron and filling in bubbles >> is IR like that >> some of it is good >> some of our tests are not not necessarily I but >> um but yeah so that is an advocacy point that we're all pushing for is like hey we'd love to see a streamlined assessment window and assessment tools. >> Craig, are we looking at something different from Savers with the new social emotional screening thing that's coming

124out or that's >> We are not because we are not quite yet because it does meet the the requirements that were put out. Um we are looking at our social emotional learning as part of the curriculum adoption. Is is I ready a tool that's used by other 214 theaters? Is that kind of standardized or accept? >> It's still not standardized in terms of like everybody doing it, but I Ready is a is a pretty common assessment. I mean, it's nationwide it's used certainly, but locally it's also being used by a number of people. But some folks use NWA map, which is what we used to use. Some folks use FastBridge, right? Do you know, Craig? >> When we had when we had looked last year, we had uh you had asked for a report on

125some of those things. And while they don't use it for their actual math curriculum, they do use it for this purpose. So, yeah. And not all of them, but there was at least one I want to say there were two districts that use it for this purpose. And for the other piece, the kind of the intervention, the the path that we do with the students. Thanks. >> Um, so the next the next area we're going to look at is committee work and curricular adoption, which again the the purpose of this is to improve curriculum and instruction in our in our schools. Um, but the key piece I also want to add to that is that we have a collaborative approach to this. A lot of districts won't have such a collaborative approach. We bring our

126teachers into this process. Our committees have anywhere from um our smaller committees have maybe three or four staff members on them and then our bigger ones have up to 30 staff members on them which is very different than you'll see in a lot of districts. On this slide you'll see a list of all the committees which looks they look like very long lists. Um the ones on the right you're very familiar with. Um a lot of you guys sit on these committees so we're not going to review those because you've seen that list. The other list you're actually going to recognize as well because most of these are repeat committees. I'm only going to hire I'm only going to highlight a couple of them. The top two um all of our committees just kind of

127started getting underway. Um but the top two, the district improvement committee actually met earlier this evening. Um that committee this year we're we're kind of looking at that you heard earlier I want to say last month probably about our leadership summit. uh we're going to use that committee for this year to further develop our leaders in the district and uh help implement our strategic plan through those leaders. Um, one one other facet of that committee is going to be kind of re-engaging with one of our data tools also. Um, you've you've seen the data that we show to you guys through ECRA um and helping some of our staff members re-engage with ECRA and kind of revitalize that tool to the to meet the needs of the teachers. um our standardsbased practices committee. Um while

128you probably haven't seen that before, it was on our list last year, but we re we've renamed it. It assessment committee last year. Um this year um for that committee we are looking to uh reshape our grading and assessment practices throughout the district and just kind of looking to better meet the needs of our students, provide them um provide them as much feedback as possible in the in the day-to-day stages of learning and make sure that um make sure that we're meeting their needs and making learning transparent for them. Um, a lot of times learning is unclear, not to anyone's fault, but through um redefining through through redefining how we deliver instruction and how we word things, we can actually make learning better for kids. And so, we're starting kind of from the from the

129foundation and um changing mindsets of teachers. And that's what we're working on this year. Um, and we'll talk a little bit more about that in a minute. All right, next slide. Okay, so going back to curriculum adoption again through our committees. I'm going to highlight a couple pieces. We're actually going to go backwards from how we read. We're going to start on the right hand side here. Curriculum support. I like to, you know, mess with people's minds a little bit. Uh, curriculum support. These are curriculum adoptions from last year. What are these people doing in the background? Playing video games. >> We're bringing it at the forefront. You know, this is this is our digital >> game. The template is around the gamified. Yes, they're playing arcades. That's what >> you can see it right

130here. >> Oh, yeah. Right there. I see the controllers are cheering them on. >> It's all about the party in the background. Um Brian. >> So on the right hand side you'll see how we're supporting the curriculum adoptions from last year still. So we have our library media center uh curriculum and our math curriculum from last year. Then on the left hand side we have our new curriculum adoptions for this year. So I mentioned earlier that we'll be looking at our social emotional learning curriculum which currently is second step. We may stick with that. We may look at some new ones. right now, just from a baseline assessment, it looks like we will be looking into some other curriculums for this year. Um, and then we've also had our first meeting already for our specials

131exploratory curriculum adoption or adoptions, I should say. We're looking at all of our career pathways as well as our uh math uh I'm sorry, art, PE, um some of music, some of those types of things. And for a lot of them, it's just kind of uh looking at their standards and make sure making sure that we're not missing anything. Um for others, it's actually looking at the tools that they use and maybe looking at some options for their curriculum. So, just kind of depends. As part of that, do you uh kind of review the different uh different curriculum, different subject matter that that we're offering and say, well, you know, there doesn't seem to be as much interest in this and maybe we should look at something else. >> In a lot of ways, yes.

132So, at the middle school, they've actually been doing that along the way. Um Dr. Nestrom's been doing a lot of work with that. Um and they have revamped. So one example would be um the fax program family and commun family I'll get it right. One of these yes family and consumer science. Um they have changed some offerings. I don't some of you may have heard that last year they added some portions to that. Um we had purchased some mannequins and added some um CPR to that to offer some babysitting and some things like that. They've also added some uh pieces this year for um guitar classes and things like that throughout for certain grade levels. So they've added some pieces based on um just interest of the kids. So they have done a little bit

133of that. So yes, that'll be a part of it. And then also looking at the actual standards, making sure that if it's not in the class, but it's part of the standards, making sure that is it taught in gened, is that why it's not in there, or do we need to add something to the course? Um, and then just looking at our actual um what we're using the the textbooks or the online software that we have to teach the standards. So, a little bit of everything. And it's tricky because some of those subjects there's only one person teaching and some of them there's PE there's a whole department. So we have to look at aligning those making sure we're teaching everything throughout the grades or if it's one person we might have them um go

134visit the high school and uh collaborate with the high school and making sure that they're aligned with what's in the high school for that same career exploratory. Okay. >> All right. Next one. Okay, our last area. Oh, no. Either way, this one works. Okay, so our last area is professional development. We're going to look at four different uh strands in this area. We're going to look at our coaching partnerships. We're going to look at our math partnership with 214. You guys are aware of that a little bit from last year. We're going to look at gamified PD. And we're also going to look at teaching with clarity. Um we're partnering with someone named Tony Frontier. So, we'll talk about that next. First up, our coaching partnerships. So, our coaches who you guys have all met

135in the past year, two years, um they've visited us, they're doing some awesome things, but we need to make sure that we continue to support them so that they're receiving professional development. And then also with our philosophy of professional development, we haven't been sending people out and spending money to send our teachers to workshops and conferences as much. Instead, we've been we've been doing those same things but inhouse. And that's kind of our district philosophy with professional development. Now, we still do send people out for specialized courses and things like that, but at the same time, we can do that with our coaches in house now. And so we also want to make sure that we're providing them the training and the networking that they need to receive professional development too. And so we've partnered

136with River Trails and Mount Prospect. Um and we have something called coaching connections. We actually have our first meeting coming up next Friday. So that when you guys were talking earlier about how everybody's helping out NSSEO except me, that's where I come into play. Um actually Chris and Dominique and I team up and we partner with the assistant soups um from these districts and on that day we have Molly from NSSEO coming in to help with that first meeting and provide some cognitive coaching training. Um but basically that's their chance um for both our special education coaches um a couple of our psyches and then also our instructional coaches to team up have some um partners in like positions from these other districts and they team up. We've sent them out to NSSEO courses in

137adaptive schools um in presentations and then also in uh cognitive coaching. And so that the this is kind of a followup for them to make sure they're using some of those tools two, three, four years later. Um and just further developing those skills and then also at those meetings they spend time um just talking about some common things that they experience in their job and making sure that they can talk to someone else in their positions. We also have another district um someone that I met in my position when I was at at a I guess a course called Level Up in Springfield um from a district called Big Hollow and we they were looking for partners for their coaches. So we also partner with them four times a year. We started that last year

138so we also partner with their coaches. So those are some cool partnerships that we've been having lately. Um next slide. Okay, this one you heard about last year. This is our partnership with uh district 214 and then also all of the feeder districts in the area and um this is a Metro Chicago math initiative >> and it's so c it's crooked. I don't know how to read it. Um >> brain teacher. >> So I call it MCMI is actually the initials. It's much easier that way. Um, but this partnership has changed a bit this year, the focus this year is on algebra. So, what last year was us sending all of our math teachers on we chose one day, but throughout the partnership, you sent your teachers three different days. Now, it's down to everybody

139sending their teachers on one day, but we're only sending our algebra teachers. So, for us being a small district, us Mount uh Mount Prospect River Trails, we just have one teacher that we're sending. We're sending one teacher and then also our middle school coach, Kelly Brockway. Um and then I usually go, Don goes sometimes and then Cam and Caper, the principal, assistant principal, go also to show our support. Um but that's how we're focusing on this just to improve alignment of algebra across all of the schools um in the partnership. We haven't talked about the followup to that whether it'll be geometry or back to what it is but we'll we'll get to that >> like whatever I'd be interested in like the outcomes of that because I know that this is a topic that

140I think that comes up quite a bit right just because >> I have two children with Percy now. I I know Becky has one coming and I have another one coming too. But but >> I think that there are a lot of questions about when our kids come into Hersy and compare it to Thomas kids, right? like it, you know, it feels like that that the like it would be nice to kind of understand the difference in the curriculum because it just at the advanced levels it feels like that there's more I know there's more kids from Thomas but there's a even higher percentage of Thomas kids are getting to algebra earlier than than here and but again but this this is kind of anecdotal right that I hear but just to >> but like

141if I think understanding how our curriculum and the number and the percentage of kids that are getting to pre-alggebra and algebra here and where they're getting placed at 214 relative to our peers, right? And again, from purely Hersy perspective, it's River Trails >> and 25, >> right? But but to kind of just understand where you think we stand relative to them and what we're offering from a from an pre-alggebra and algebra perspective, I think would be really useful. Right. Because I and I know that Becky and I have talked about this that people have brought this to her. I know this is something that Brian is really interested in as well. Um, but so just any interesting outcomes you get from that or kind of metrics or comparisons to how you feel like we're doing

142relative to our peers and again I don't want to be selfish but all but you know but also 21 right and our kids that would be going to wheeling would be really interesting to kind of see and if we see areas where we could potentially have a different longer term strategic direction or focus. I know Don and I have spent a little time talking about that about like >> the same things I've heard, right? Like I've brought back to Don and just like that >> to to Brian's point like how do we comp not I we'll never compare in every way, right? But like how are our kids long-term in comparison to those placements for the for the four year >> and those conversations and our investigations into that are ongoing through a different route

143that is really a MacArthur study. It's part of our partnership with 214 and the feeders in our data agreement. >> Say we just did this last year, right? Where we can now get back. >> We're still a part of that data consortium now. So we're working on those really what you'll see here and the focus here is more is less on the curriculum per se >> is teaching strategies >> as it is on teaching strategies so that there's more of an alignment in how we're approaching instruction >> but that's not to say we're not looking at the others but just not through this particular avenue. Yeah. And and I mean I can say again this is just in conversations but proactively during these conversations the and this isn't this isn't to say to me but

144from the teach from their the high school teachers talking to our teachers they are proactively telling our teachers there's nothing else you need to do. You you all of your kids who come into our classes are so well prepared. They're doing a fantastic job. Now again, they're saying that to our teachers. So, are they just trying to be kind because it's our teachers? I don't know. But that's what they're saying to our teachers as far as how well prepared they are. Again, there's no data there. There's nothing like that. But, >> that's what they're saying when we have these conversations about actual skills and those types of things. um you know because what what they're saying in other they're actually giving hey practice your foundational skills make sure you guys work on number sense those

145types of things and for us they're saying no your kids are coming in very well prepared >> but again it's not actual data set >> yeah and it's I I guess just you know my middle was went to Hersy for 8th grade right to to take to take algebra one with Right. >> And then last year then as a freshman then she was in that algebra 2, >> right? >> And like she was the and it was her and >> 19 kids with Thomas, right? And so that then that's the thing that we're like that they were >> that there's like a different curriculum set there. It's not that we aren't prepared, but are we >> I guess that's more of the question. It is it's that and then it's the followup of >> long-term

146success cuz it's it is >> you know if we were to we could refer twice as many kids >> but if they're not successful >> absolutely >> and and if you know so that's part of the other side of the of the equation that we always are looking at. So, how do we maximize opportunities for our kids in successful ways >> so that they continue to be successful? >> Okay, next. >> And this is a really cool thing that 214 coordinates. >> Okay, next next thing here is teaching with clarity. Um, so this goes back uh and kind of ties in with our standardsbased practices committee. Um, so as I mentioned, we started this committee last year and as we went through and and saw where some of our staff members mindsets were, we felt

147as if we could use some assistance with this in um basically basically looking at um clarity and help um and basically looking at regrouping and kind of >> focusing um focusing our staff members. And what what Tony Frontier does, who writes this book, Teaching with Clarity, is he focuses on how do we remove some of the clutter around things that get in the way of our teaching practices? And because there's so much that we put on our plates, there's so much that we're thinking. And if we can bring focus to a lot of those um obstacles, we can get to the root of what truly matters in in our teaching practices. Um and we can we can think empathetically from a students point of view. And that's what really matters in this. If we can

148just tell the kids ex exactly what they need to know from that point of view, that's going to get done what we want to get done and they're going to be able to explain it to their parents. We're going to explain it in a better way that matters and that should be what education is really all about. Um, so what we've done is we have Tony Frontier uh as a partner this year. He's coming in to he well he is coming in for our next institute day. So if you guys are able to join us October 3rd that's a Friday um he will be presenting in the morning. Um and all of these dates these are videos that we have set up. Um and he has already sent us the first three. We've sent those

149to staff and basically they are watching those either as a building or as a team and then they're following that up. We have kind of a we put it into a little presentation and then they watch that at a building meeting or a team meeting and have a little discussion to follow it up. So um these are some of the topics we started they kind of match the chapters in his books. So he started with talking about clutter. Then he has what he calls the clarity paradox. um kind of that's what's gets in the way of clarity. Then he talked about the APGAR assessment um and aligned assessments and that's kind of where we are right now before that October 3rd institute day and that's when he's going to come in and talk a little

150bit about success criteria. Um all right, next one. And to close things off, um we talked about gamified PD a little bit last year. Um, but what this is is this is something that all of our professional development this year is gamified. And we're turning our professional development into a little game for staff, trying to motivate them. And um, we we really just want to make this turn this a little competitive, but also fun. We put them on mixed teams. So there's about 20 staff members on a team, some from each building, and they can earn points for every piece of professional development that they do. Um there's a rubric that they follow, which is also aligned to our um standardsbased practices. The way that's going to end up being at some point and so

151they can start if they just attend a professional development, they get a point for that. If they then teach that to somebody else, they can get two points. If they then implement it in their classroom, they can get three points and so on. And so you could get up to four points for professional development for each piece. So we actually created a video to kind of get people pumped beforehand and we'll kind of close with a little video that we showed. >> Are these points per team or per >> per person? Person. Another boring book I have to read about grading practices. [Music] >> D23 coaches, how did you get in my textbook? >> Hold on there, player one. Feeling a little uninspired? We are here to be your guide to level up your learning.

152And we're here to show you that learning doesn't have to be a grind because you've got the power. >> You got the power. [Music] >> Gified learning. What's that? >> Come with us. We'll show you. Imagine if everything you learned was a quest. Complete challenges, earn experience points, unlock new levels of knowledge. Think of it like your favorite video games, but instead of defeating dragons, you're conquering instructional concepts. We take the core principles of game design, things like rewards, progress tracking, and engaging challenges and apply them to professional development. Suddenly, learning becomes fun, motivating, and dare I say, addictive. So, instead of just being told to read about something, I could engage with the reading. [Music] Exactly. Imagine participating in a professional development where you take the lead on your own learning. >> Gamified learning

153makes learning active, not passive. Game on. >> Wait, wait, wait. This sounds impossible. How will we ever do this as a district? I need to know more information about this. >> Who needs details? I'm ready to play. >> It's dangerous to go alone. So, let us explain. >> Players will be placed on a district level team. >> Teams will battle for points and level up their learning throughout the school year. >> Who will be awarding points and prizes and keeping track of teams? >> Wait, who's paying for this? >> It's me and Tono. >> Well, sounds to me like our adventure begins now. Ready player D23? Dust off those controllers and joysticks. Get ready for PD Arcade school year. [Music] >> Yeah, we can definitely stop it there. >> Oh, we missed the >> Oh,

154no. We didn't miss anything. >> Wait, what's the end? Just a a repeat appearance of our >> techn uh we're in in the gamified world now and That's why you'll see the theme of arcade games and that kind of thing throughout this school year. >> Do you want to repeat your phrase? >> It's a me and July. Yeah. >> Uh the next item is anformational item. It's our annual sort of the formalized uh closing of our enrollment and staffing tracking. Of course, we continue to monitor and and enroll students throughout the year, but included in the packet is um a memo uh that just kind of gives you the most up-to-date as of September 10. Um we see our current enrollment at 1480. Uh we do project and uh of course at early childhood um

155we purposefully uh wait to or hope to delay hitting our max because we add students anytime they turn age of three. So we have some room to grow there. Um and we see again just uh we see that that downward blip in uh kindergarten again and first grade. Both of those came in uh under our projected. We see uh significant uh upward blips in fourth grade. Uh we're at uh 190 students in fourth grade. Um and then in sixth grade, we saw another uh increased bubble at 182. So again, we range typically average in that 140 to 150 range um depending on the the the year and the group. But um the flip side on the on the second page of that when we look at our uh enrollment and class size average then these

156numbers are tied directly to um students served here u not alternate school placements. Um, and then we calculate class size averages based on that. And as you can see, we're uh at or or under uh or well under our our staffing and class size guidelines uh at all the grade levels. You see where we're we're approaching the top end at a couple of them, but we have uh again historically always sort of uh gone up and down. Uh but always our goal is to stay within those guidelines. So no recommendations for any additional staffing to stay within our guidelines. We should be good. >> Do you are any other districts kind of seeing what we're seeing demographically with K and one? >> Yeah. So we're definitely I know I've used the joke before. We're definitely

157seeing that COVID bubble uh of fewer kids being born now 5 years later. Um and then again, I think for many of our districts, the u impact of fewer immigrant students, we have seen significant numbers increase in immigration in the last few years. We're seeing those numbers drop off. Um, and the housing market for again a district like ours, we tend to see a lot of young families moving in and that's, you know, that's where we tend to see our increases is uh in families moving in with kids already. So, the live birth data of families that live here now that are just now having babies, we track that. But really, the variable for us that's harder to predict is the housing market. And so depending on different communities, different areas, folks are some are

158seeing housing pick up, some are seeing housing kind of be flat, uh, which is more so what we're seeing currently. Um, but universally and really nationally, we're seeing a decrease in the number of kids that folks are having, waiting to have kids until they're a little bit older. Um, so we're seeing that dynamic just happen nationally. Okay. Uh, >> yes. Uh, the next item, item E, recommendation for participation in a job order contract. U, this again is tied to goal 4.2, two, facilitate construction design tied to our Eisenhower uh and MacArthur projects. This is specifically for the window, siding, doors project. And uh Amy prepared a memo for you. We'll talk a little bit about it today, bring back any other information you might want and then present it for um approval and action next

159month. But Amy, you want to >> Yeah, just a little bit of an overview. So, as you know, um based on Illinois school code, the district has the opportunity to participate in um solicitations that are cooperatively um um offered to multiple vendors throughout the state. They can either be done by another taxing body or another school district. So there are a couple of those contracts existing that would allow us to utilize um FH Passion who is the contractor that we worked with very successfully on the Grodsky Ross and Sullivan window siding and door project. Um our recommendation would be to move forward with utilizing them on the MacArthur project as well. They have a close relationship with um Archon. We've already kind of started very preliminary conversations, but um for us um >> they came

160in under budget last time. >> Yeah, they did come in under budget last time. >> You know what? And Archon has been very clear in >> um stressing that this is a very tightly budgeted project again and the importance of um really maximizing um those dollars that are available um with passion. Um we feel pretty strongly that we'd like to continue that relationship. Um but it is just being presented just kind of an FYI. We did talk about it um briefly at finance. We've talked about it a little bit um in buildings and sites as well. Um and it's will be brought for action uh in October. We just kind of wanted to see if there's any other questions or anything that we can prepare to bring forward in October. But um again, we've participated

161in other cooperatives. It's really nothing different than we've done. For example, all of our furniture, many of our custodial and um office supplies are purchased through different cooperatives just because we're able to get a better price on some of those um uh pre solicited opportunities. I'll say cooperative opportunity. You know, the only question I had based on we we presented at finance is >> if we do it through JC this way, does is is there anything that's going to be different about like contractually or the relationship with them or the way that we'll work with them? >> Yeah, that's a great question. So, the interesting thing when I looked at right now, um, I asked Passion to share with me all of their solicitations that they've been awarded to really kind of see exactly what

162the differentials would be. The the fee on each one is different, right? So, with one it's a 2%, with another one it's a 1%. It just it's very interesting to see kind of what some of those differences are. So obviously we'd pick the one that's the most advantage to the district um and just make sure that that's something that we can participate in. You know, some some municipalities will only will issue um uh solicitations and they're not open to joint purchasing. Others are and so we need to make sure that that's vetted and um that it's all appropriate for the district to participate in. But yeah, there are there are some that fees are different, but we we would not have any reservations about the level of service that we would get under this type

163of a contract because I think the ongoing interface that we have with that vendor has has been and will continue to be really positive. Those weekly construction meetings have been really important for us to play an active role in. And then that back and forth between buildings and sites or the construction committee for anything that comes up out of sorts, I I think it's been helpful. Mhm. And archon in this project, you know, sort of plays as a a resource to both the district. Hey, we can ask them questions. We like you to come out and give feedback as well as for the construction company to to re to be as a resource. That would continue in a JC relationship as well. >> Yeah. And in in this already, Archon has been out to do

164all their field measurements of the of the windows over there that we've walked a couple times with him now to evaluate um the condition of the doors and the and you know just kind of talking through some of the intricacies of the project. Um so that very much is handinhand with Archon and then they're feeding um that data to passion which is exactly what we had in the Ross Sullivan project too. Would it you think it would be like the same PM and then like your same contacts? >> I I would be very happy if it was. >> Yeah. Okay. We we asked that when we had an sort of an after >> Yeah. kind of like wrap up >> wrap up at the end of last um time. We expressed our satisfaction. They were

165really happy being here. Um, so they indicated that they would likely keep the same folks. They'll try to keep the same subs uh since they're familiar with the project and worked really well here. >> And the plan is to do that this summer, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. The plan would be to move forward with the Joocc agreement. Um, and then November, December, they could really work to start getting those orders placed for windows and whatnot and then kind of keep it moving forward. >> Yeah. And we'd bring that that would >> after this approval, we bring the final contract back to the board for approval November, December with their um timeline for construction starting and but it would be a spring to summer project. >> Anything else on that? >> And we have one

166more action item for those. Um we have we have a vote uh as a member of IASB um for the slate of officers for our region u at the October 22nd meeting. And so Carol's going, uh Becky is going. Uh anyone else that may be interested? >> I'm going. >> Tracy's going. So >> Carol is our representative. Oh, >> we can have uh >> a question. >> Yeah. >> So, there's a slate to vote on. >> I I don't know what the protocol is, but what if somebody raises their hand and they're like, I want to >> We've been talking a lot about this. >> So, >> yeah. >> What happens? >> So, the at the >> It's not me. >> No. Right. Carol, are you telling me something? >> I was going to go

167for chair. No. Um, so just like any other meeting, they will they'll ask for a motion. They'll ask for nominations. This is the slate that has come forward. Um, if somebody else said, "Hey, I want to be considered two," they would be considered as a candidate. But the directed votes that are supposed to happen in open session like this are we've decided to give whoever, in our case, Carol, the authority to vote yes for this slate to vote yes for whomever she feels is the best fit. We can you can direct her uh or representative however you want. But what the process has been, the formal process has been through this nomination process, develop this slate. So if people had been interested before, they could have put their hat in the ring before this slate

168was published. >> Carol, I think you bring up a good point though because we've been talking a lot about this with um the delegate assembly, >> right? >> Is that we sit there for hours? >> Yeah. listening to opposition and things that you know people are telling us why we should vote differently than what the delegate packet we all direct like >> the last couple of years has been me we have this directed vote so like I technically have to vote the way we've voted in in open meeting to to vote so why am I sitting here for four hours listening to arguments >> for or against this and kind of taking away time >> at the conference where I could be learning thing that like you know instead and so there have been a

169lot of conversations about about that. So >> I don't know that everyone >> feels that way. >> No, that everyone follows the directed vote path. >> Yeah, I I don't know that. >> Right. So, and I honestly don't recall them sending a slate in advance before and asking for a directed vote. So, >> yeah, I don't remember ever talking about this before. Yeah, >> this is the first time I've ever I ever saw it. >> Yeah, not for just for the slate, but for IASB in general. So then it fell to whoever went to the meeting and that was just a random happen stance and then they call, you know, we do the minutes and they do their regular business and you hear all the reports at that dinner. >> Um, and then they'll say,

170"Okay, here's the here's the slate. All in favor, I guess." Yes. because there wasn't any alternative. So um again this is a u membership driven organization so it's private and we choose to participate we could choose to unenroll and you know we certainly have have that right but I I didn't had not seen them ask for a directed vote in the past. So when I saw that come through I said I'll right I'll put it on the agenda and So what do we do? >> I need a motion. I I need I need a motion for >> So you can motion to what I wrote in the packet is a motion to approve the slate at to direct. We have to pick somebody Carol to vote on our behalf at the meeting >> for the

171slate or weate trust Carol to pick >> or say Carol you vote for whatever your heart >> wherever your heart leads you. I mean, I I have no idea, right? Like part of me would almost just defer to Carol's judgment based on what occurs in the meeting. >> I I agree. I mean, I looking at this slate, I know a lot of them, right, from either like board stuff or per like things. I I don't necessarily have a problem with this slate, but to your point, if somebody stands up that we think is >> more qualified, I I I trust you. I Carol and I have talked about this this week >> that like Carol really knows where a lot of us stand on this board and what we what we believe and what you

172know I think Carol does a really nice job of >> of knowing what we >> So you could have just empowered her to vote. >> Yeah. Carol, I make a motion to direct Carol Bwinsky to vote with the authority of the board at the IASB fall regional meeting. >> I'll second that. Moved by Becky, second by Tracy. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mrs. Morrisy. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bowwinsky. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Dr. Long, >> you're muted. Oh. >> Oh, sorry. Hold on. You were >> late. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Yes. Motion carries. Five to zero. >> All right. We are in old business. Any old business? Any new business? Executive session. Um, can I get a motion to adjourn to executive session? >> Motion to

173adjourn to executive session >> for the purpose of >> personnel. >> And there will be no action after. >> A motion by Brian. Can I get a second? >> Second by Tracy. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Morrisy. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bowwinsky. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cordonis. Yes. >> Dr. Long. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mlan. >> Yes. Motion carries. 5. >> Get some coffee. Go get some coffee. >> Take like a two minute >> uh motion by Ryan. Second by >> it's almost breakfast. >> It is. [Laughter] in line 39.