001June 1st, 7:00 p.m. regular board meeting to order. Secretary, call the roll, please. >> Valencia. >> Here. >> Cifuentes. >> Here. >> Reyes. >> Here. >> Lasher. >> Here. >> Olivas. >> Here. >> Moreno. >> Here. >> Johnson. >> Here. >> Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag All right. Before we move on to public comment, um I do have something here to say real quick. So, we would like to uh we would like everyone to join us for a moment of silence as we honor and remember two dedicated members of our East High School family who recently passed away. First, we remember Bob McCue, a proud member of the East High School graduating class of 1956. Bob's commitment to our schools extended far beyond his time um as
002a student. He returned to serve our our community as a dedicated school board member for 10 years from 1997 through 2007, leaving a lasting impact on the district he loved. We also remember Jason Lawrence who served as an industrial technology teacher at East High School for 17 years, beginning in 2009, Mr. Lawrence was a mainstay in our classrooms, guiding, mentoring, and inspiring countless students with his hands-on leadership and dedication to his craft. Both of these individuals dedicated decades of their lives to the spirit, leadership, and education of East Aurora community. Please join us now for a moment of silence to honor the memory, service, and legacy of Bob McKeague and Jason Lawrence. Okay. Thank you. There is no public comment, so we are going to move on to communications from the superintendent, Dr. Halverson. >>
003Thank you, Board President Cervantes. Tonight, we have two items. The first is the appointment of our student board members, and this appointment will take place as of August 1st of this year cuz we want to make sure we allow them to finish up their junior year and enjoy their summers going into their senior year. So, this appointment will be for August 1st, but we are thrilled to welcome Roberto Diacono Arroyo to the Board of Education as a student board member for the 2026-2027 school year. Roberto brings a phenomenal track record of leadership and service to this role. His extensive involvement across East High and the local community includes the National Honor Society, Student Athlete Society, Mathletes, Boys Wrestling, and Boys Track and Field. True to his dedication to giving back, he also volunteers his times
004with Operation Senior Shovel, Elementary STEAM Night, the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, and Feed My Starving Children. Ms. Tanya Galloway, an English teacher and NHS advisor at East High, shares why Roberto is such an excellent fit for the board. To quote her, "Roberto is an ambitious yet genuinely humble leader who, despite his many achievements, continues to approach every classroom, practice, and meeting with the same grounded work work ethic. His ability to balance rigorous academics with his many extracurriculars shows just how mature and determined he is. Roberto's infectious drive elevates the environment around him, and I have no doubt he will bring that same energy to the Board of Education. Please join me in welcoming Roberto Di Aquino Arroyo. Next, we have Lotana Geo Nabulgar. We are thrilled Geo, how did I do with that? Pretty close?
005All right, we're working on it. I promised you I might not have it tonight, but I will have it by our August 1st one. We are thrilled to introduce Lotano Geo Nabulgar as our second student board member for the 2026-2027 school year. Since moving into the district in 2023, Geo has fully embraced the Tomcat community. After being paired with a mentor through the Ambassadors program as a new student, Geo was inspired to pay it forward and make a lasting impact on his school. Today, he is deeply involved at East High, participating in track, soccer, the Ambassadors Society, National Honor Society, Principal's Advisory Board, Junior Class Council, and Bridging the Gap. Mr. Jamie Bowmaster, an English teacher at East High, spoke highly of Geo's incredible dedication inside and outside of the classroom. And to quote, "Geo
006consistently demonstrates outstanding academic achievement, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout his entire high school career while simultaneously enrolling in multiple AP and honors courses each semester. Beyond the classroom, Geo has distinguished himself as a leader in engaged in and an engaged community member. He has accumulated over 300 hours of community service during his time at East High, demonstrating a genuine commitment to making a positive impact in the wider world. Let's give Geo a big round of applause as well." And now, Ms. Morales is going to come forward, uh gentlemen, to do the oath of office, and then we'll pause for a second to take some pictures this evening and allow your parents to take some pictures as well. Thank you. >> So I'm going to read our the awful office assistant board member student student
007board member oath of office and I will pause and then you can answer yes, okay? So Geo and Roberto, I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of school board member of the Board of Education of School District 131 in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the laws of the State of Illinois to the best of my ability. I further swear that I shall respect and and represent East Aurora student interest by serving as a faithful protector of that interest while serving as a student board member. And I shall encourage and respect the freest expression of opinion by my fellow student and others who want to express their ideas to me and promise to bring those ideas to the
008Board of Education for discussion. Congratulations. Welcome to the school board. Congratulations. You like to take a picture of them with the school board and your parents if they're here? I think I'm forward. What was >> No district updates, right? >> And uh last thing before we move on to my final update is I let both student board members know we're going through the process. I gave four interviews for the final round um and they were very excited. I asked them what their interest level would be in sitting back up at the board seat. So, if you look at the seat next to Mr. Andy Allen, um our student board members will take turns sitting up front here to be a true part of the board. So, we're excited for that opportunity for them in the
009future as well. So, they both said they could take on the take on the challenge, right, gentlemen? >> Thank you. >> So, the only item I have other than the exciting appointment of our student board members is an update for celebrating East Aurora High School and the student success at the end of the year. Um tonight I am thrilled to share some phenomenal milestones from East Aurora High School that showcase the academic excellence, dedication, and incredible drive of our students and staff. So celebrating our graduating class, this May we proudly watched 756 graduates walk across the stage. These students have worked tirelessly over the last 4 years and we are incredibly proud to welcome them into our East Aurora High School alumni community as they head off to change the world. And we do have
010additional graduates coming during summer graduation as well. Uh next I want to highlight our global thinkers that we have here. Um we have a new record for biliteracy. Our commitment to cultivating global citizens has reached new heights. Our students achieved a brand new personal best for East Aurora High School. We had total biliteracy award awards were earned by our brilliant students this year. This includes 198 seals of biliteracy and 159 commendations towards biliteracy. The best part about this these awards span across our freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, meaning our pipeline for multilingual excellence is stronger than ever. So that's something we can definitely celebrate and we're excited for all the hard work that our elementary, middle school, and high school teachers have put in to make sure that we truly have biliterate students as they
011graduate from East Aurora High School. Uh next regarding academic rigor, uh leading the way in advanced placement, East Aurora High School students continue to challenge themselves at the highest levels. Our advanced placement program is absolutely thriving. We had 1,407 students stepped stepped up to participate in AP courses this year. Together they tackled an astounding 1,995 exams across 27 different tested courses. So quite an achievement there. Out of the 31 AP P courses we offer, our students tested in nearly every single one, proving that East Aurora High School is a culture where academic ambition is celebrated and supported. So once again, kudos to our students there. And finally, when we look at an investment in our futures, we had over 24.7 million dollars in scholarships offered to our graduating senior class. Um the high school counseling
012department shared a jaw-dropping number that truly speaks to the caliber of our students. As of our most recent count, that like I said, the East Aurora High School class of 2026 has been awarded a staggering 24,724 million, sorry, 737,920 dollars in scholarships. And here's the exciting part to that, because colleges and students often keep those numbers close to the vest, this massive 24.7 million is actually a conservative conservative estimate. The true total investment in our students' futures is likely even higher. So, just my closing thoughts as we close out the year for our East Aurora High School seniors who have moved on, whether it's through global language proficiency, collegiate level academic testing, or earning millions in competitive scholarships, our East Aurora High School students are setting new standards of excellence. Thank you to our incredible
013teachers, counselors, administrators, and families who support them every single day. So, once again, I just want to celebrate our students as our 2026 graduates move on to do even greater things in the community and the world around us. Board President Sifuentes, that concludes my report this evening. >> All right, thank you. All right, moving on to section five, a motion to approve the following consent agenda as listed. >> So moved. >> Second. Any questions? Secretary, call the roll, please. >> Moreno. >> Yes. >> Perea. >> Yes. >> Losha. >> Yes. >> Valencia. >> Yes. >> Cifuentes. >> Yes. >> Gaston. >> Yes. >> Oliva. >> Yes. >> All right, and we do have a introduction. >> Yes. Okay, hear me now? We are pleased to announce um Derek Smith. Derek, if you please stand. Uh
014as the new assistant principal at Allen Elementary School. Mr. Smith has 13 years of experience in the field of education and has spent the past 6 years serving in administrative roles. Most recently, Mr. Smith served as the Dean at Coward Middle Middle School. He previously served as a Dean at East Aurora High School and a guidance counselor at Simmons Middle School. Mr. Smith holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Aurora University, a master's in uh school counseling from Northern Illinois University, and a bachelor's of arts in psychology, also from Northern Illinois University. Please join us in welcoming Derek Smith as assistant principal at Allen Elementary School. >> All right, moving on to section six, finance and personnel committee with Ms. Reyes. >> Thank you, Mr. Cifuentes. Good evening, everyone. Buenas noches a todos. The
015finance and personnel committee um met earlier today here at the administrative center at 5:30 and I will have a report at the next uh board meeting and we do have some action items for tonight. Uh let's see, 6.b.1, motion to approve the resolution for the commercial insurance policies as presented by risk program administrators for the 2026-2027 school year. >> So moved. Second. Any questions? Secretary, call the roll, please. >> Yes. >> Valencia? >> Yes. >> Cifuentes? >> Yes. >> Moreno? >> Yes. >> Olivas? >> Yes. >> And then um at 6.b.2, motion to approve the revised and renamed SIS student information specialist to SIS technician lead. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any questions? Secretary, call the roll, please. >> Lovejoy? >> Yes. >> Reyes? >> Yes. >> Olivas? >> Yes. >> Johnson? >> Yes.
016>> Moreno? >> Yes. >> Cifuentes? >> Yes. >> Valencia? >> Yes. >> And lastly, 6.b.3, motion to approve the following revisions to the IASB press board policies as listed A through Z. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any questions? Secretary, call the roll, please. >> Valencia? >> Yes. >> Cifuentes? >> Yes. >> Moreno? >> Yes. >> Olivas? >> Yes. >> Reyes? >> Yes. >> Johnson? >> Yes. >> Lovejoy? >> Yes. >> The next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting will meet on Monday, July 6th, 2026 at 5:30 here at the Administrative Center. And that concludes my report. >> All right, thank you. Moving on to Curriculum and Programs Committee with Ms. Valencia. >> Thank you. Buenas tardes a todos. Good evening, everyone. On May 18th at 6:00 p.m., we gathered in committee to discuss school improvement
017plans for Boupree, Bardwell, and Johnson. The team from Boupree reported 45% of students were on track to meet their reading growth goal. Um they shared the impact key actions had in reaching their literacy goals. And the team also shared being on track for the numeracy goals. During their presentation, it was shared how they have focused on culture and belonging. It was reported staff has sent postcards and hosted various school events, including coffee with the principal. Bardwell was next, and they shared having increased the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade level expectations in literacy and numeracy by 5%. The Bardwell team shared the key actions they have utilized to reach success. When discussing culture and belonging, they shared various reinforcers and challenges that they have aided in student that have aided in students in empowering
018through learning. Lastly, Johnson's shared anticipated growth by 7% more students meeting or exceeding grade level expectations in mathematics and literacy. They also shared the key actions taken to support staff and students. Johnson's team also shared ways they have promoted culture for belonging by implementing consistent greetings, communication circles, and collaborative structures. In addition, there was discussions about about a request for Mercury consultation to provide quarterly in-person learning opportunities for dual language administrators, including observations, feedback, and data reviews at the cost of 7,000. This is an actionable item. Elementary schools will have a social studies pilot due to Illinois state expectations for literacy literacy growth by incorporating language arts into social science. The goal is to maximize instructional time while building strong readers and writers and reinforcing social science standards. There was also a summer school update
019provided for all grade levels and their respective location. They were We were also notified about afternoon sports, STEM Ignition summer camp, and the Boys and Girls Club summer camp. To finalize the meeting, we were provided with enrollment information as of May 8th, 2026. And so, as mentioned, there was an actionable item. So, motion to approve item 7b1, services from Dr. Sandra Mercury and Consultants at the projected cost of 7,000 70,000. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions? So, this is on the bills for tonight. Is that for last year and then we're doing this for next year? Remember, I sent an email today. Is it Dr. Engel, the bills this evening that were presented was it were we paying the services from Okay, so we're paying her for last year and then the the
020presentation this evening is for next year. Okay, got it. Thank you. >> Any other questions? Hearing none, secretary call the roll, please. >> Moreno >> Yes. >> Olivas >> Yes. >> Valencia >> Yes. >> Cifuentes >> Yes. >> Lauche >> Yes. >> Reyes >> Yes. >> Johnson >> Yes. >> And so the next curriculum committee meeting will be June 15th at 6:00 p.m. here in the administrative center. >> All right, thank you. Moving on to building and grounds committee with Mr. Lauche. >> Thank you. We had a meeting tonight. So we'll give a full report at the next board meeting. Our next building uh buildings and grounds meeting is Monday, July 6th. And we have one action item. This is a we need a motion to approve the facility assessment to Cordina Clark and Associates
021in the amount of $100,000. We did Mr. Allen did a great job getting three bids. And this was the lowest. One was 300,000. Forgot what the middle one was, but 180. So it's a pretty comprehensive with HVAC, plumbing, roofing, like So I think the committee's happy with it. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any questions? Secretary call the roll, please. >> Reyes >> Yes. >> Valencia >> Yes. >> Johnson >> Yes. >> Lauche >> Yes. >> Cifuentes >> Yes. >> Olivas >> Yes. >> Moreno >> Yes. >> All right, moving on to executive session for the purpose of discussing the appointment, employment, performance, and compensation, and dismissal of a specific employee. >> So move. >> Secretary call the roll, please. >> Valencia >> Yes. >> Lauche >> Yes. >> Johnson >> Yes. >> Reyes >>
022Yes. >> Moreno >> Yes. >> Cifuentes >> Yes. >> Olivas >> Yes. >> Secret- >> Yes. >> Motion to adjourn. >> So moved. >> Second. Secretary, call the roll, please. >> Yes. >> For the record, it's still light outside.