001Good. >> Okay, we're going to get started. We call to order a meeting at 6:37 p.m. Could we have roll, please? >> Here. >> Reynolds >> here. >> Landers. >> Shider >> here. >> Espinosa >> here. >> And >> yet here. >> Can we stand for the pledge of allegiance? 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 for all the regular meeting agenda, please. I'll make a motion to >> agenda. >> Yep. And a second. >> Second. >> Comedas. >> Yes. >> Reynolds >> here. >> Anderson. No. Shider >> here. >> Yes. >> Espinosa. >> Yes. >> And >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. We're going to move on to item four with an
002official welcome to our two board members. um [clears throat] if you're okay with it. It's a super long um oath of office. If you want to just read it together, you can just sub in your own names at the time that it's time to reach your names. Um but we do have to be official. So stand on up and raise your right hand and then you can just begin reading and add in where your name is in the district. I have a sound faithfully in accordance with consultation of the United Thanks for respect. I shall abide by majority decisions of the board while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions that are through ethical and constructive participation. outcomes of course. I feel structure in an environment designed to ensure all students have opportunity
003to maximum through a strong organizational framework to ensure student achievement and all conditions affect students to the community school to advance the vision 289 started to work together with the district superintendent to lead the school district for fulfilling the vision board that's created fostering excellence for every student in the areas of academic skills knowledge citizenship and personal development >> right >> and if the superintendent does his job that's the most stressful thing you have to do [laughter] >> thank you both and welcome officially >> thank you >> I'm out of breath I'm taking [laughter] >> yeah take Take a drink and take a deep breath. >> It's all good. >> My goodness, it is it is a lot. >> So, um you will have some additional conversations and orientation and um for you also you'll
004have some state required trainings and all sorts of things. >> Yum. Don't hesitate to ask questions if they come up. So, this is our meeting. Even though it's recorded, it is the board's meeting. So, don't like you can't stop and ask a question. >> Okay. >> Um assuming we have no visitors or comments from this evening. All righty. Can we have a motion to approve the consent agenda, please? I make a motion to approve the consent agenda. 6.1 disposition of minutes. 6.2 payment of bill 6.3 district treasurers report 6.4 for the activity fund report, cafeteria report and 6.5 personnel report >> yes and shrader. >> Yes. Espinosa. >> Yes. >> Um, two more probably AI generated for you reports. One and both about high school. One was about a high school math team and that
005was you want to give us your >> Yeah. Um, just a quick update. Um, I'd set something out. It's it's July. employment in a school in July is just interesting, right? Um and so we're doing great. Um we were able to anticipate a lot of it. And so um in the personnel report that you just approved, sixth grade social studies is already filled. Um our sixth grade our middle school um technology was filled internally from our steam teacher. So now we have a steam opening. We've got some some good leads and ideas on exactly um what that is going to look like and then middle of next week we have interviews for the district office administrator and so administrative assistant so >> doing okay. Um, one other thing I did want to bring up uh
006just kind of got dropped uh in um in my lap today is bringing it up to you because it's tennis courts. Um so [laughter] evidently the evidently the pickle ball is going so strong the city might be interested in partnering with us to do something related. Would you as a board >> um would you as a board be interested in that dialogue if that was to everybody in the community to always listen to any of those? >> Yep. Most definitely. >> We had no board committees that met this time. applications. >> And this was kind of a late ad, but every [clears throat] couple years um we can get there are a couple different lines in some of the grants um where it says the district have approval to be doing this grant. So I
007think the last time we did it was three years ago. So they said give us >> it's just authorizing administration the ability to fill out forms for any Should we put state or do you just state? >> I would I think state. >> Okay. So, could we have a motion for item? >> I'll make a motion to authorize administration authority to fill all the necessary state and federal. Yes, >> Espinosa. >> And >> yes, >> press policy 119. >> Have you been Have you been going over that? [laughter] >> Say you're now our policy expert. >> I don't want to be the expert. [laughter] >> Um, in addition to the typical fiveyear rewrites, Um there were some law changes with respect to some parent optout things. There were um some updates with respect to uh
008ice in the immigration uh schools and making sure that everybody's prepped for all that. And so really nothing controversial. >> Yeah. And really it's it's nothing. We've we've always we've always required a judicial sign anything in order to have a police presence on school grounds and that's continues. Right. state of education bunch of resources out and it's very scripted like it's not there's not a lot up to individual decision or interpretation very much like here's exactly what we will do >> a question about the opt out um that's for anything >> no no it's more for um LGBTQ plus materials. >> It's um so that some of the federal mandates changed the way the language was written and so in some cases some of the language had been updated recently and then had to go
009back in order to be comp. But there are very specific things that require parentification or don't require parentification. Like for example, there's protocols in place to use a different name. So that all take a look. there's ever like a policy change though with press policy like we subscribe to press. So if you ever want to like know more about a specific topic or we want to you know get more information around something like we have the ability to ask for that or we can reach into IAS and ask them to provide more materials around a specific topic. So, I know most of them are usually so simple like a case reference change, >> right? >> But if there's ever anything they're like this is kind of a significant change, like we can certainly request more
010information to give people look into it. I know some boards have policy committees that literally go through every single change across policy. We don't have to do that, but we can have a committed. >> Yeah, most definitely. Most definitely. Yeah, we can always um you know adopt the policy with the exception of this >> right >> and have that as a separate discussion. >> Yeah. >> So we subscribe to press which is the the legally backed you know vetted version of each of the policies that we exist that we maintain. As a board, we have the ability to pass more or less or changes or whatever. Like, we don't have to always have them the way they are. The reason we do that is because it saves time and money because our lawyer doesn't have
011to help us rewrite and update all of them all the time because they're in line with everybody else. But it's also not abnormal if we felt like there was a need or something specific to address either procedurally or through policy. So, tidbit of knowledge around that. >> All right. Cannot believe we're talking about November already. >> Um yeah, so 90% sure that um we're going to be at the uh at the Rison again. And so that worked out really well. I think everybody like that. So yeah, I know that H's not going to be there Thursday, but you know, as you kind of Brenda's giving you the >> I'm not going to be there >> at all for the whole thing >> at all. >> Okay. [laughter] >> Um, so one thing though that I
012that I did love last year and I know it was kind of by happen stance that we We had a spot open last minute and we had Stacy Kai there. But I think the idea of offering it to our administrators even if like they rotated days or like what rotated times whatever I think especially for our longer term >> um administrators that kind of take like more of a leadership role. Y >> we know that that's there's a lot there for them to hear. And it was also nice to be able to kind of have that opportunity with them besides just one >> group. They're not on an island either. >> Opportunities Principal Association not anywhere near >> if the the triple I of the state run conference is a triple I offer of learning
013opportunities >> and tracks like it's cool that you could they have track for admin assistance track for principal track for super track like you really can bring your whole group together and like all learn kind of on the same topic which is sort of cool from different perspectives. The other thing that I think is really that's so unique is very rarely do you hear a presentation that doesn't invol >> right >> which a lot of those conferences you go to and like the expert speaks on it but you don't hear like from your own community like who did it how it went >> it makes it a lot more relatable if they're a school It's also a rural school that has 100 kids per grade level and you can really connect and understand um you
014know exactly what the presentation is a lot more related >> and I think that the schools that do have to choose at least from like my experience of being there so many years it seems like schools that have to travel really far for something this is like the one thing that they let everybody go to right it's worth And then our district finance. >> Yeah. And you know, [clears throat] we're kind of headed into that season. Um August we have the preliminary budget. September we have the final budget. Um I just want to kind of remind everybody that um our budgets have been cyclical. You know, we put a bunch of money in the bank this last year. um this next year we'll do deficit spend the year after we put money in the bank
015again. And so just to kind of remind everybody what that looks like. Um this is probably one of the most I'm going to say um uncertain fiscal years in recent memory just with all of the um you know questions around federal funding and how federal funding tracks state funding and what all that looks like. And so you know we will navigate those waters as best we can. you know, we are and again that's why you make sure that you are really on top of what you what your trends are and where you end up. U you know we we're ending the last fiscal year with in excess of $9 million in the bank, right? And so you know we're not you know we're close to the best on anything. It's not like you know if
016we miss this federal payment when I make payroll I mean you know we have a nice cushion there. So, um, that's why you make sure you've got a nice cushion for years like this that you're not really for sure exactly >> changing. >> Yes. Yes. >> Well, and I think one thing to point out that not everybody's aware of is like our evidence based state funding, right? which is by far the crux of most funding outside of our taxes. The state of Illinois when they set that up set it up in a way that all schools would become equitable, not equal. So they would take what your local could contribute, add what they would need to contribute to make you whole for each student, right? But in order to make that plan work, they had
017was it $324 million of new money or something right around that billion? No, per year million per year and of new money each time and keep that amount and add to it every single year in order to make that goal and make that work. And I don't think that they've actually funded it >> entirely every I know it's not every year. This year I think it was like >> they've been close >> close. >> They've been close. So the >> not enough. And I think another thing to remember is they also reduced the already reduced amount of payments that we get. So like if we do need to get 70 cents on the dollar as a reimbursement for transportation >> they dropped again in what they pay. So even though Illinois's got a balanced budget,
018>> I always I like think it's important for people to understand that it didn't pay the full amount it needed to to ADF. It doesn't pay dollar for dollar on what it believes it districts for the spending. >> Yeah. And sort of a lot for that when we're budgeting knowing that it's not exactly >> um you know we get we get not quite $4 million a year um from EBS from the the primary state funding source [clears throat] but since we are not uh what they refer to as a tier one or a that's most in need financially. Um, our annual increase that we get every year is very very small. So, um, you know, it, you know, if we're getting $3.8 million last year, I think our new money was like 11,000, right? So,
019it's not like it's not like our local property tax um revenue that grows at three or four or 5% a year. Our state money hurts all. It's been the same as it was years and years ago. So we fall kind of far behind with that. But that's the way the formula was set up is so the neediest schools get the most money >> except there's still schools that are funded at 130% and there's still schools that are funded at 60%. So there's still a long road to go to >> most. Um so like I said we we still got um we still have $1.2 2 million um outstanding in solar grants and so >> like due to last >> Yep. Yep. that will come. Um we the only solar grant that we received last year
020we received about $700,000. So that our total for the project is 1.9. So we still got that outstanding. That'll be a revenue. Um that's obviously very positive. >> Did you where did that Can you just Where did that come into? Like so that revenue is anticipated for this year but we also borrowed in order to pay that initially right >> so actually our solar project we didn't have to borrow for it was actually money money that we had on hand so we >> no so our grants were basically the first phase of our of our HVAC project and then this last time we were we finished paying And then um with this with this summer phase of the HBAC projects, that's where that came from. So I mean that's it's kind of semantics, right? So
021>> I guess my question is 1.5 new revenue coming in or that was into revenue for a year. >> So our so our [clears throat] total solar project was 2.1 million and we secured 1.9 million in grants. 700,000 of that we've already received. So, we know at some point in time in the future, we've got another 1.2 million coming. We know we're not going to get all this year. Um, but we could get another halfway. So, one of the one of the more substantial grants, I think it's about 800,000 actually gets paid out over the next six years and I think this year the first year of that, >> but the plan is it's part of a revenue. like in your >> Y equation. >> Most definitely. Most definitely. Yes. And then um one thing
022that we've been talking about that we're going to continue to talk about um a lot is we're going to continue to do everything we can with respect to health insurance. Four years ago, we spent 1.8 million on health insurance. This year, it's going to be over three. And so, it's increased whatever that math is almost 70% in four years. And so um you know I think that that you know we we had a uh a large number we had more than 50 people who did um a biometric screen uh for their own health. We got a summary of that and so we'll see if we can we can use some of that summary data to maybe um offer some different incentives to this year moving forward to see if we can help all our people
023as possible address. >> What like what happens because obviously we're going in the wrong direction. What happens if it just keep saying >> well that's there are a lot of answers to that um >> what happens what you >> sorry I said like so being selfinsured like remember we were going to try to make look more attractive and picked up into the co-op so we share more the risk but the longer we keep kind of going in the wrong direction the less anyone would want to partner with us to share that risk so that those numbers climbing in that way if they were to continue to climb in that way four years from now be detrimental. So like what happens? But those numbers aren't our fault necessarily, right? >> There's no blame, >> right? I
024mean like we haven't had >> in excess. I thought that had stopped two years ago. No, it's based on the amount of claims that we've had and the cost that we impression that it stalled and it was just the health insurance going up in general due to >> no claims. No, it's it's claims driven >> that we talked about that >> and so um so so yes uh so a couple different things we we are still actively trying to get into a cooperative um and they are the cooperative that that we would be eligible for um basically is going to about September or October look at our six most recent months of claims and have been trending in a positive direction. I'm pretty I'm optimistic that we can get in. Um but regardless of of
025that, there are always opportunities to talk about, you know, different plans and coverages, costs, you know, those are those are pretty good >> conversations. Those changes can't be made contract. >> They can only be made with the teachers during contract negotiations. They can be made other staff at any time >> or if we really were looking at something with the teachers and they were interested, it could potentially be something that we opened up to. >> Right. It's not that we have to wait till the full contract. >> Correct. >> Even just have you thought about like maybe just putting I know we have like an insurance committee which there's designated people but even just I think it's important to notify like hearing what you just talked about with four years and what that dramatic difference
026cost was like making sure our staff are aware of that if people have ideas if people want to be part of committees or solutions or brainstorming or whatever like I think that's an important thing to look at that's a significant amount of money if that were not to go the right direction when we discussed possibly having it was just a conversation um more fulltime into the mix and having that insurance would that change percentage wise or what that's your world I don't understand but there's there's more of us then right so we have greater buying power with different insurance or with a co-op then we hold these new people and it's all these people six months clearing in a way that you get what I'm trying to say >> for the new people you're talking
027about. >> I think she's talking about there was a discussion about making previously making for example paras you know extending >> to purchase >> yeah well or or instead of them working 32 hours or 28 then giving them more and having me personally I think that would put more of a risk on us because you know you never know how many bigger than we can draw. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. Like if I'm a part- timerr and I'm getting health insurance now, >> I think it would depend on how many people like because realistically the the cost benefit of how much it cost to buyer insurance from the perspective compared to what those people are typically paycheck like it would a lot of people looking at insurance which some people will but if the
028driver is, hey, I need I need to work and make no money just because I have so many medical bills and I have insurance. Like, is that does that increase the risk to our existing pool of people that we already have? >> It was again, I have no idea on those numbers. So, if it's a slight conversation, if you're taking in more people than you have, >> it it wouldn't Yeah, it wouldn't really help from a buying power perspective. um we're already um large enough to be um a successful standalone. We have more than I think we have a little over 100 employees and when you look at the total number of wives in our health insurance almost 300 and so so we already you know do have enough to to be successful conversations >>
029but I think there's just some other things that we've tossed around for years about like do we offer different plans do we have high deductible potential but then that tends to draw really healthy people away from the mix. So that throws your your risk level kind of the opposite direction. Well, we've talked about like offering to buy people out of their insurance and providing a percentage of what we would have paid for provide insurance as a cash incentive to get them off the plan which again you'd want the right people to take the thing. I mean the very best thing we can do is work towards getting in the co-op and that just takes this tiny microscope on us and just >> Yep. spreads it >> spreads it >> then that's when you really get
030that kind of a economy and scale or protection that >> I think it would be smart to ask for you know in a sense kind of the the staff buying on it like what is their perspective on it what can they do to help us or do they even know like does the average staff member know what we paid four years ago what we're paying today what that means and like do they understandured model you know, we're trying to get that better, but we're going to continue to see these increases >> because it's their increase, too. >> Yeah. Like I I got that email in my new district that I'm okay, this is significant. It wasn't because of me and that. >> But I think that's important to send that out >> because I I
031took note of that. >> Right. And then just I think as much as we can do to continue to provide resources, tele medicine promoting urgent care versus the ER, right? All of that kind of stuff. >> Yeah. And I think the biometric screen um was a good one. Um >> Blue Cross Blue Shield has this really fairly inexpensive u program where you can partner with local gyms for gym memberships. That's conversation to have. So, >> does the current plan offer like a tele medicine call >> where it's like free to staff to >> uh I don't think it's free. I think it's 40ucks or something >> versus going to do it from home. >> Was there was there a very big uh turnout for that pre-screening that they had here? >> I would take advantage
032of it. I would say um for the uh for the first time us doing it um I think we had right at half of our employees who are who take our health insurance um came to participate and so hopefully that number will grow over time because um there's a lot of positive feedback about it a lot of positive >> and none of that can be used to maybe get a reduction on the insurance cost for all the pre-screenings or the preventable stuff might help drive those numbers down. >> Well, I yeah, I mean the ultimate one of the ultimate hopes obviously you know your primary is to take care of your people and hopefully they'll be you know think more about their health and you know and they'll be healthier make make good decisions. Um
033but then that you know that's definitely a you know a secondary benefit is that people are more health conscious eventually claims. So what you got was like summary data like this many had high blood pressure. So like it helps to inform potential outreach opportunities like maybe we partner with the hospital and can offer ongoing blood pressure screenings for staff twice a month or something like that to help see like is what you're doing. >> Correct. >> So we kind of know where to focus on. >> Yep. >> Yeah. I think I think staff knowing where we're at and offering them the opportunity would be great. So it doesn't feel like it comes out of nowhere. >> Right. Right. >> Anything else? >> No. I just wanted to, you know, spend a few minutes and appreciate
034conversations. Next time we meet, we'll be at school. >> Oh my goodness. You're right. >> It's late. It's the 21st. >> Oh, >> you celebrate the whole week or the whole month. >> So, we should have cake. [laughter] >> Ice cream. I'm more of a ice cream person than a cake. No, do not do that. >> It's a thing where you should have to bring Remember it's a school. You should have to bring the treats to share with everybody else. >> That is so weird. >> It's not hard to help this plan. >> We used to have people in California. >> Well, nowadays you can't do it, but when we were kids, that's where you would like be so proud to carry the cupcakes around school to everybody. >> Have your mom make anything. >>
035At the grocery store, you can have them. >> Goodness. All right. Well, there's no other questions or concerns. We have a motion to please. >> Make a motion to adjourn at 7:12. >> Second. All in favor? >> We're good. Thank you all.