001So at this time, I'd like to call the regular board meeting of the Board of Education of January 21st, 2026 to order at 6.15 p.m. Andrea, can you call the roll, please? Patricia Bocock? Yes. Andrea Delzatti here. Allison Downs here. Tina Awanyo here. Stephanie Fiore here. Inas Sada here. Also in attendance we have Dr. Kartsemis, Dr. Stavrou, Dr. Leyva, Ms. Manganiello, Mr. Humbles, Mr. Groby, Mr. Maranto, Ms. Groelke, Ms. Howlett, Mr. Amsler, Ms. Sendelbach, Ms. Fischels, Ms. Meglioni, Ms. Gassler, and Ms. Buelow. Okay, we have a quorum. Please stand for the pledge. I pledge allegiance 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 for all. I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education establish
002the consent agenda as presented. Any questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none, Andrea, call the roll, please. Okay. Yes. Delzada, yes. Downs? Yes. Ioannou? Yes. Fiore? Yes. Sada? Yes. Motion passes. At this time, I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education approve the consent agenda. I'll move. I'll second. Questions, comments, concerns? None. We have a final roll call. Yes. Delzatti, yes. Downs? Yes. Iwanu? Yes. Fiore? Yes. Sada? Yes. Motion passes. There were no items removed, so we'll skip that. Up next is public participation. We don't have any. Principals report, enrollment reports. Yeah, so 2026 has really started off on a joyous note. We have a collage that our principals have made, showcasing our students' return to their schoolhouses. We also just want to thank our building and grounds team. Over break, our team
003was busy at work with routine and preventative maintenance work. They really took advantage of having some quieter time in the buildings to make sure that our buildings are running smoothly. especially before this winter season. So thank you to our Building and Grounds team as well. But today we also had an exciting visit. We had Bernie's Book Bank visit Kennedy and Washington schools. And each of our students went home today with a neon green bag that had eight new or gently used books. So we really are grateful for our partnership. Thanks to Kathy Manganiello for the continued partnership with Bernie's Book Bank. And they come to District 81 twice a year? Twice a year. How many years have they been doing that? A long time. Eight years at least. Please. No, I would. Because my daughter's
004got them in preschool. Yeah, that's when St. Luca had them in preschool, too. So it's been a long time. And we've also had an opportunity to go to their location and volunteer at their book bank. So that was a fun time, too, that we took from our students. That's cool. So, yeah. It's nice to have everyone back. Happy New Year. Board members, in your bags, your brown bags, and team, you should have received yours as well, is your one word. So John Gordon puts out a saying that instead of making New Year's resolutions, you should pick one word that will help guide and focus your year ahead. So inside your brown bags, you guys will see the one word that each of you have selected. So we're excited. Did I say chocolate? Chocolate. Oh, this
005is so cool. Oh, it's pretty. Oh, that's cool. Who did you pick? I love it. Did you do them yourself? Did you paint them? That's really cool. That's a good one. Up next is the examples of excellent student activities and enrichment opportunities. Well, thanks to our wonderful principals and assistant principals. They have created a video tonight that's going to showcase our student activities and our enrichment opportunities here in District 81. If you remember, one of the board's goal areas is student outcomes. that the board is committed to maximizing the success of all students in District 81 and providing equitable learning experiences for the whole child. So not everything is in the classroom. We really support the growth and the development of students outside the classroom. We're really proud to showcase our video tonight. Thanks to
006the principals for providing some awesome highlights of all the ways that students can get involved in District 81. So activities and extracurriculars and our enrichment programs really help our students feel connected and valued in their schools. So thank you to the board for your commitment to students in and outside of the classroom and thanks to our principals for showing all the wonderful things that our staff do with our students. It's nice to see how many kids participate too. That you're not in an empty classroom. There's just so many kids. That's really nice. And thank you to our staff for signing up for that extra hours outside of the school day to provide these opportunities to our students. And really, you know, I love how, especially at the middle school, where you get the option to
007kind of like, oh, I'll try art club. Oh, that's really not for me. I'll try. Lincoln leader so it's really nice that we give our kids the opportunities and the fact that you guys all know the kids so well that you kind of tap into those potentials so thank you so it's really great to see it from both the student and staff perspective. Okay board business we have our Leiden area board dinner coming up on Wednesday January 28th at 6 p.m. and this year is at East Leiden School. Okay old business information. This while he has some exciting updates. Yeah, so as we talked about the lucky presentation In November of last year the fall distribution for taxes last year was delayed through the county's new software system It was delayed from August 1st to
008December 15th as a due date even after that due date there was a little bit of uncertainty as to whether the districts whether or when the districts were going to get the actual distributions that they collected we found out at the on the last two business days of December that the county was sending approximately 60% to the taxing districts just to give them some liquidity while they were still figuring out their software system as of today we've had four distributions we had the two at the end of December we had one about a week and a half ago and then we got one today leaving us with still looking for about looking for about 30 percent of our distribution from last fall and then also we're confirming that the spring distribution which was normally supposed
009to be collected March 1st is now on April 1st. Fun stuff. And they're so on top of it that they sent my district's information to a Lake County district so yeah real good. And then for the callable bonds. Yeah. So we talked about this briefly at the board retreat. We were looking into the interest rate environment for the callable bonds and if there was any net present value savings that would be worth refinancing those bonds. As of the board retreat, that wasn't an option just because of the market rate environment at that moment. Upon an update by Liz Hennessy at Raymond James, It's becoming a little bit more advantageous for the district to look into doing a refinancing of those bonds to receive some of those net present value savings. So Liz will actually be
010here at the next board meeting to discuss those bonds and those are the 16-17 bonds. Thank you, P.S. Wally. Yep. Okay, there's no new business information. Okay, and we have our first new business action item. I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education approve Resolution 2605, authorizing the transfer of engagement appointment of legal counsel as presented. I'll second. Okay. Any questions, comments, or concerns? Andrea, can you call the roll? Bocock? Yes. Delzatti, yes. Downs? Yes. Iwanu? Yes. Fiore? Yes. Sada? Yes. Motion passes. I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education approve Press Prop Policy Issue 120 as presented. I'll move. Any questions, comments, or concerns? Okay, seeing none, Andrea, can you call the roll? Bocock? Yes. Delzatti, yes. Downs? Yes. Ioannou? Yes. Fiore? Yes. Sada? Yes. Motion passes. Okay,
011I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education adjourn to executive session at 6 27 p.m. To discuss personnel and session meeting minutes Any questions comments concerns? Boca yeah, tell Zadie. Yes downs. Yes. Iwanyo. Yes, Fiore. Yes, Sara. Yes Okay, I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education reconvene the regular board meeting at 6 58. I second. Andrea, call the roll. Bocock? Here. Yes. Tell us how to yes. Downs? Yes. Iwanio? Yes. Fiore? Yes. Sada? Yes. motion passes I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education approve the personnel report for the month of January as presented questions comments concerns seeing none answer your call and roll please Bocock yes Del Zotti yes Downs yes Iwanio yes Fiore yes Sada yes motion passes next we have public participation
012I'd like to entertain a motion that the Board of Education adjourn the regular board meeting of January 21st 2026 at 6 59 p.m. yes Delzatti yes Downs yes Iwanio yes Fiore yes Sada yes motion passes meeting adjourned thank you all thank you