001Hello and welcome to this the regular meeting of the Geneva 304 school board for Monday September 22nd 2025. Bonnie, could you call the role? >> Here >> Stephanie will lead us in the pledge. The flag is right back there. I pledge algiance 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. >> If you wish to register attendance, there is an attendance sheet on the table in the hallway. Uh item two, the approval of minutes. We have the regular session and the executive session for September 8th. Did you receive any corrections, Bonnie? Are there any at this time? Motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I >> abstain. >> I I thank you. Item three,
002recognition, awards, presentations, and public hearings. We have first, what makes our school special from the Geneva High School staff and students. I see some in the corner. Yeah, we have uh Mr. Shoalter here from the woodworking lab with two students, Ben and Sebastian. Right. All right. So, uh Mrs. Sims, I think, had some uh more wonderful superlatives to share while they get up and I get my computer connected for them. >> Yes. I'd like to thank the gentleman here tonight representing the Woods program at Geneva High School. Uh Mr. Shaw Walter along with Mr. Christopher keep that classroom running all but 30 minutes of the day. There's actually been such a boom in registration and interest in the courses that there is not only um a very small weight list but we have a larger
003number of students that we would like that unfortunately have to choose an alternative elector elective because we cannot get all the students in who are interested. Um I would like to credit um Mr. Shoalter with his vision for the program and how he's expanded it in the last few years since he's um taken that on as his primary responsibility. um he's taken a a program that um had student interest and really, you know, risen that to the next level. Um he's really applied some real world applications to the projects the students are doing. Um he's absolutely for those students for whom they see this as a potential career path. He's opened doors for them to be able to do that and to gain some real world skills and knowledge. So, um, and to the two
004young men that are here tonight to share, I would really like to recognize their ingenuity and taking kind of a a packaged set of plans and making it better and making it um, better able to suit the needs of the um, apparatus as well as, you know, the future uses. And it's those creative thinking skills and that application of knowledge that will take them far in the future and again is so critical for this kind of work to prepare our students for life outside of the classroom. >> And I think I would just add real quick, you know, we talk about our strategic plan and the career pathways trying to set kids up on a wide variety of different paths and this is a great example of some of that work and the fact that
005this program is growing I I really think is a great example. So we're excited to hear from you. Um, thank you for the introduction. Um, I'm Rob Schaler. Um, thanks for inviting us here. Uh, so I took over the program about four years ago at Geneva High School and over those years um, all of the administration kind of across the board at the school district has supported um, most of what we've wanted to do in there. Um so first and foremost I wanted to say thank you to all the administration from u my department chair Eric Hetzel to our principles at the high school um Mr. Rogers um to uh the folks at central office Brian Patterson um across the board the school board um Mr. Laam Mr. Sims, thank you so much for uh
006the support uh that you've given us over the past couple of years. Uh the changes that have been made in the space really are largely because of the trust and um of course the financial backing that you've given us um in the program there uh at the high school. So, thank you very much. Uh so uh so a couple of years ago um I was having a conversation with Miss Sims right when I started in the woodworking program and um her first question to me and I think it's hilarious was u so you're are you building the same old table and I you know I I prefer to to >> well no that's that's the quote of what you said to me um which is great because it is incredibly challenging uh to me personally
007because I prefer uh when changes are ready to be made, I prefer to just try to make those changes as quickly as possible um and to integrate them into the class. And after she made the comment um really it pushed me past uh my reluctant reluctance to make the change um that we needed to make. So in in the we can go all the way back to probably the mid 90s when I was in high school at Geneva High School and we made the table that's sitting in the center of the illustration that I made that that was the table that we made in the mid 1990s when I was in high school at Geneva High School and Mrs. made the comment and I had always thought that like like that might not fit the
008family's houses, right? And so, uh, I want I want families to be able to bring the table home, welcome it into their, uh, house and, uh, enjoy it instead of bringing a table that doesn't match the style of their home and not enjoy it, but have it because their kid made it and they were proud of their kid. Um, and so what we did was we changed the leg style um, on the table. Uh and and what that did was it gave obviously the kids an opportunity to make a choice um on what they were building. Kind of elevated their interest in um completing the project independently. But not only that, but gave a chance for them to dialogue with their folks at home uh through the process as well, kind of bringing them in
009to the uh the school. A lot of the changes that we've done too in in the space uh is we did a a whole lot of reorganization in the workshop. Now we didn't really spend we didn't really buy new equipment. We didn't really do anything that we just changed the way it was organized in such a way to allow for the project to get completed faster. Right? Not only that, but we implemented a bunch of like station style learning where students are moving um with different groups through stations so that that it gives them an opportunity to work independently on their own while I or our other woodworking teacher, Mr. Christopher, um is working with them on a piece of equipment that they're still trying to figure out how to use. Uh and between that,
010between the efficiency in the workshop, the reorganization, between the ability to for the kids to make their own choice on the table, um it's taken the old build time of the old table where everybody did the same thing from about 18 weeks, almost the whole semester, the whole semester to about nine we're looking at right now. And Mr. Christopher, now that he's working with me, actually implemented a couple of more things that we're doing. And I think we might even get it to eight weeks. And while that's an incredible thing to do in a work environment, it can be challenging in a school environment because well, we still have 10 weeks or nine weeks of space in the timeline. And so what are we going to do with kids um for the for the remaining
011of the time? Uh and so we started thinking a little bit more creatively and we implemented three new programs into the woodworking curriculum that didn't exist before um the last couple of years. Uh those three programs are um one of them is kind of a rebrand and a rework of something that existed and then we had two totally new ones. Um the rebrand was a partnership that we do with our entrepreneurship class at the high school where Mrs. Dunlop's class uh they design uh and sell products and us as the woodworking group implements and uh and makes those products. It's kind of a manufacturing unit in that regard and we were able to escalate or increase the amount of products we are able to offer um in that program. We're able to sell more because
012of the efficiency. We are also uh we're also able to make more complicated items and and and send out. Previously what typically happened was the kids fulfilled the orders they made them. We also were able to implement the students doing the design side like how to actually build it in the workshop. So like you get a concept from the the sales side of the business. you get a concept from um the the folks that are going to end up selling and and doing that sort of things. Um but we have to really interpret it to to see how what it means and how it's created in the workshop itself and the students get a chance to do that. Um the one of the other things that we've changed to fill up that extra time in
013the workshop is we have created a new program called Geneva High School Furniture Fix and Custom Builds. Um, and I'm gonna bring up my two students, Ben and Sebastian, to start talking about that and the third one in just a second. So, if you wouldn't mind coming on up and start talking through that. Hi. So, my name is Ben. Uh, I'm currently in Woods 3. So, I've gone through three total semesters of woodworking on my third now. And I personally have really enjoyed this program through and through. Um me and Sebastian, we work a little bit faster than most students for all our stuff because we are in the robotics team and we have prior knowledge for all of the machines that are in there and show just helped elevate our knowledge on all of
014them. Um and so when we're done with that, now we work on the furniture fix or now show's been teaching us how to use the CNC at this point. Um, one of my favorite things that I worked on for the furniture fix was a project uh for one of the social studies teachers who I believe has retired now where we made a coffee table with two drawers with um linear bearings that slide that um slides the drawers in and out. And that was a fun challenge for us to work on that I really enjoyed. >> Nervous. My name's uh Sebastian. I've also been in the Woods program for three semesters now. Um like Ben said, we work a bit faster than everyone else, so we get to do other fun things such as furniture fix,
015which I actually do enjoy working on a lot. One of my favorite things that I worked on would be one of the shelves in the high school's main office and got to had to make a taper for the top of it. So, we had to use a coping jig, which neither me, Ben, or Sha Walter knew how to use. So, we all had to learn how to use that. So, that was a fun experience. Um, so this year, thanks to all of your guys' um investments and everything you've done for us, we've been allowed to acquire a large scale CNC machine, much larger than the hobbyist machine that show Walter had originally. Um, which it it lets us do so many more things now compared to the smaller hobbyest one which showed you remember how
016large that one uh small hobbyist one was two and the new one is how long? Yeah. So, we have massively increased the size of things that we can do on it. And because of that, we've also been able to make that funky little table over there and all of the things on it. So, I'm g let show walk around and show that to you guys. Uh, so with the CNC, we're able to create that cart all in one go. So, instead of having to print every or cut everything in multiple pieces like we had to do beforehand, we're now able to just do all of that at once, which means there's less downtime and we he can teach the students more on how to use a CNC machine. with that. As of right now, it's
017just me and Sebastian who are learning how to use the CNC machine, but in the future, it'll probably be open up to more kids. Um, and with with partnerships with the Sport Boosters, we ended up making those two signs. Um, and uh, it's instead of having to outsource to a third party to cut the signs and then ship them to the high schools and then ship them out to the parents, we're able to do all of that at the high school, which is a lot cheaper. Um, you want me to talk about? >> Yeah, tell us a little more about the signs and kind of the plan for these maybe. >> Um, as of right now, what I believe uh the plan is is that show is going to keep or show Walter as I
018should probably be calling you now that I think about it. >> Mr. Sho Walter, >> Mr. Walter, >> Mr. Shoalter. >> Yes. Incredibly formal. He's his class is so serious. But no, also we have a lot of fun in his class while also keeping everything really safe. Um, yeah, as of right now, I believe show uh Sho Walter's tentative plan for the signs is that he produces them for the boosters. Um, and as people buy them, he produces more and it hopefully cuts down costs of having to, as I said earlier, get the third party to cut, ship, and get everything here. Um, so do you know how much um you've saved just by cutting it ourselves? >> About $20 per sign. You got to be on the mic so we can have you on
019TV, Mr. Sho Walter. >> Yeah. So, for the sports booster signs, by producing them inhouse with the students support um for sports boosters, they're about $20 less than they were previously for the sports boosters to produce. Not only that, um but the labor that it takes to produce them is significantly decreased as well. They're not we're not hand painting them anymore. The machine cuts them. There's a little bit of finished work at the end of the day. Um but yeah, we're going to start producing those next week. um because the orders did come in uh and it's all set and queued up ready to go as soon as the materials come in for it. So yeah, so uh we were able to put the three different uh three new units back into the curriculum to
020to fill up that extra nine weeks of savings uh due to the efficiency we were able to create. Um and you know a little bit more about the CNC2. Uh so one of the things that I I started to see as I entered into uh teaching woodworking was um looking at the job market and and myself owning a furniture making business as well. Um in order to enter a true custom furniture business like there there's an incredible amount of skill that's needed, right? And because of that, the barrier to entry for a lot of folks, fullon custom furniture, is is difficult to get employees and to source employees. And we're already serving the community in that regard with the the table that we make and are able to customize. Um, but I also started to
021see in conversation with other furniture makers in the industry that there was a high need for CNC operators. Um, and every full-scale furniture company I I would visit and talk to, every single one of them has some in some capacity utilizing a CNC. Uh, and so it it became pretty clear that it was simply needed in in the curriculum and we had the time because we we made the changes. Um, we just didn't have the machine and we were able to get that this year. Um, and we do expect to be at full implementation of the machine throughout all of the curriculum levels in woodworking. By the end of next school year, um, by the end of this semester, we'll have our more advanced students utilizing it. By the end of second semester, every student
022in the program will be utilizing it in Woods 2 and Woods 4. Um, but then we'll go back and implement it in Woods one starting next school year. At the end of the day though, really we just wanted to come and say thank you for the support for the things that we're able to do. Uh because the trust and the the financial support that you all have given us um without that like all of this really wouldn't have happened, right? Like it it took a little bit of vision from Miss Sims and myself and Mr. Christopher to kind of put in some new things uh within the curriculum, but with if we hit roadblocks along the way, it just wouldn't have happened, right? And we're at the spot where we're at because people saw the
023vision, they kept listening to the conversation, they were willing to say yes, willing to take the risk. So, um I just wanted to come up and say thank you um for that support and uh thanks for letting us be here. [Applause] Well, I want to thank you for being there and I want to say that I still remember my junior high wood shop teacher, a man named Rex Persing. I'm sure he's gone now, but and I remember the project which was a light well with it was shaped like an oldfashioned well with a pump handle and the chain from the light went to the pump handle. So, you work the pump handle to turn the light on and off. And uh that's about as creative as we got back then. I'm actually gonna ask if
024you'll invite me to your class sometime. I'd like to see that and I'll bring a gift. >> Anytime. You're welcome to come on. >> Lamp with a pump handle. >> No, I don't. >> Yeah. >> That's a good suggestion, but it's actually gone. >> Yeah. Is there a video? >> Um, on the one slide there is a video on the third slide, fourth slide, there is a video of in that corner of the CNC operating. >> It's just running. Is it working? >> You know, this might be on me. I'm running this out of a PDF. I don't have the actual PowerPoint. So, >> so it's machine operating actually cutting that table right there >> down there on the side is actually the exact path that we used to cut out that table. um which
025um me and Sebastian over here, we used a program called VCarve Pro, which show Walter had introduced us to and the IT department had allowed us to get on our school laptops and we were able to use it to edit the original document and we are actually able to reinforce some of the parts of the table that were kind of iffy or broken that we didn't like. So, we were able to learn and implement a new thing that the school hasn't used before. So, That was pretty neat. >> I guess my final question maybe um I don't know is um the the signs do parents know where to order that >> if they wanted. >> Yeah, they sent out a couple of emails the last couple of weeks to order it. Um they are currently
026closed. There's the machine operating. Um >> the orders are currently closed. [Music] You got to build that domain, you know. I watch this thing. [Music] There's some other options. [Music] So, if we want a directional sign for parking or something for drama because we're doing a play and we need a prop, we can actually make that in house now. and all the signs you see in our doors that say a door number on them and braille can all be done as well in this machine for us. So when we bought the machine, it's just not for our students, but actually benefits the entire district. >> U real quick, um I did some research about job openings involving CNC operations and um according to the USVLs.gov, Um there are roughly 354,800 job openings for CNC machine
027operators in the US as of 2024. And on the robotics team, we have a um a partner called Smith and Richardson that they are more metal working and industrial CNC's. And we've had the privilege of going over there and seeing what they do and the knowledge that we can gain from show walls are working here. And if we can understand and are able to put on our resumes that we have knowledge on how to use CNC machines or use operate and path CNC machines, that is an incredible help for any field that involves operating a CNC machine. So yeah, >> true. >> Well done. >> Any other questions? >> Um I just wanted to say this is wonderful. I have um a third grader who was eagerly peering into your classroom during um the before
028back to school just waiting to get into your classroom. So, you have more kids coming. But I was wondering, do you guys have any overlap with um the theater program or are any of you guys looking for an extracurricular that you want to join the tech department? because I feel like this I we're heavily involved in the theater in my family, but I think that this is a lot of skills that I think of even my kids as they develop their theater skills would be great to have like from a tech perspective. Have we thought about like an expansion into curriculum in that way? Like maybe a tech specific class. One of the things that I'm aware of at least is some of the kids in the woodworking programs. One of those that I know
029personally, Matthew Peerless, he is part of the um tech group and he's actually in Woods One right now building his table. He's in the same period as me and Sebastian. Oh yeah. >> And sometimes he actually asks um me for advice when it comes to some of the things that they're doing in tech. So >> Oh yeah. Yeah. I could see this being very useful. Like that's a practical real life skill that even like as kids might be looking to get into acting to have as a backup as they're looking for jobs in the future. >> So great. >> Well done guys. Really >> Willard had a Oh, I'm >> just want to say um this is u kind of heart touching in the sense that my father was an industrial arts teacher back in
030the day. So I still can smell the sawdust, but I see you got a vacuum there. So when they didn't have that back in that time, but no, this is very encouraging because I took industrial arts 50ome years ago. And so it's good to know that that still is a definitely an art or or something that we can value in the 21st century. So I'm really encouraged to see this. >> Well, if you see Mr. Sho Walter at school, he's going to be in a hat and he's going to say it's because of the sawdust. So, >> I I will also add you may regret handing this sheet out to me. I think I can keep you guys busy for more than nine weeks. >> Yeah, >> we are more than happy to have more
031things to work on. >> All right. >> Thank you guys so much. Great job. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, >> we don't often get gifts from our presenters. Next is uh Shanet Sims will discuss the literacy K5 pilot update. Andy, anything to add? >> Yeah, just uh two things. One, uh good luck, Mrs. Sims, following >> Not even close. This will be nothing like that. >> No, but you know, we've talked a lot about literacy and and our work at the elementary level, and I know Shaunett's here to just give a little update on where we're at at the start of the year with our uh literacy pilot. >> Absolutely. I do I will share I'm normally I I would like to remember that differently than you're going to make that same old table but
032perhaps that is how it was said but anyway yeah I do appreciate them being here and absolutely that does make Geneva High School special so I'm glad that we attached to you know what I think the problem might be >> think Sebastian and were talking about this before the start of the meeting. >> Dup. There you go. >> Yep. I got duplicate. I was afraid I was still connected upstairs, which would not be good. All right. Um, so thank you for the opportunity. Uh, as Andy shared briefly, uh, this is just kind of the midpoint of our first pilot of the two that we're going to, uh, participate in this year. So, this first one is the benchmark advance. So, uh, George and I came kind of probably around late August and shared, you know,
033the the kickoff of that and what, uh, that was going to entail. So, we are about a week from the midpoint. Uh, this one, as we shared, will wrap up early November. And, um, our teachers have been engaged not only in the work of instruction, but also with a significant amount of PD as it relates to this um, pilot. So, as you'll recall, uh, there we did a partial introduction unit. And the reason we have to do that introductory unit, we have to do that for both of the curriculum that we're piloting is because that is like the language of instruction for that curriculum. So we can't just jump in because the the things the teachers are saying and the routines they're trying to put in place won't make sense. So we, you know, did
034a truncated portion of that for a few days. They then are going to do three units of instruction. This particular um curriculum has 33 units of instruction. They're going to do three of them um in the pilot. Uh this you'll recall is the whole class instruction, all the students with grade level text, grade level expectations, and grade level standards. Uh this is about 20 minutes for that part. This also includes all of those language comprehension structures. So all of those components of you know um the text complexity, text structure, uh writing is included in this as well. Um, so it's all of that piece, all that whole class, whole group instruction. Um, and then the professional development, which is a critical piece of this for our teachers who are in the pilot program. But what
035it's also doing, which we're appreciating, is it's giving us a glimpse of what fullscale professional development could look like and what we would like it to look like. Um, ideally we'd like it to look um, small group, very targeted to a particular grade level and very direct and in short incremental chunks of time. So, we're hoping that we can, you know, make that happen. To date, uh, we've had uh, we have every other week they do a check-in with the um, classroom representatives and they give them information about the program and they also are collecting questions that they are responding to during those times. They have done model lessons whereby their educational professionals have come in and taught in a classroom with our students with our classroom teachers that are piloting there to watch them
036model and then also to answer questions at the end which has been kind of fun because then we kind of get to step in a little bit to the classroom ourselves and you know you know feel out what's happening while they're getting their questions answered. Uh there also have done some just on demand questions and meetings that have come up. So for example, last week we had one just particularly on write or specifically on writing as that was just rolling out in that first unit and our piloting teachers had a significant number of questions. So we've appreciated that uh immediate feedback which again we would expect that given the you know um contribution that we'll be making here soon when the decision is made. Uh I wanted to share a little bit about how we
037talked about how all of the curricula we've looked at even the ones that we've looked at before selecting the two that we're piloting how these are all knowledge building um spiraling curriculum meaning the content and the concepts are the same through the grades they just grow in complexity and sophistication. So for example the first unit is on um like what things need to live and so kindergarten it's basically what are the basic things that plants need to live, what are basic things that pets need to live, and it goes all the way through. We are obviously stopping in the fifth grade. Um, and it gets into like, you know, more complex organisms and what they need to to live. So, not only is it in that um, you know, non-fictional text, but there's also fiction
038texts that are embedded into all those units as well. So, they've got that story aspect along with the facts information uh, which is critical not only for building that background knowledge, but also just the joy of reading text, a story. So that's that first unit that they're um wrapping up. Uh the next unit is all about character and how the importance of character and the role character plays in uh written work. Um so again, you'll see kindergarten through fifth grade. It's that same theme of character and again the skills they'll work on will be the same. They'll just grow in sophistication as they go through the units. The third unit in this curriculum they'll pilot is all about government. Uh so again we'll have that real text of what is your local, state and federal
039government. Um they'll learn about that both in fiction and non-fiction text and then there'll be set skills that they'll work on throughout writing. As you'll recall, for those that are piloting, the 12 classrooms, actually 13 classrooms um are uh bilingual direct instruction classroom is also piloting this curriculum um are using the writing from this. The difference is in how that it is structured. As you'll recall, we adopted 10 11 years ago a writing program uh that um of late is no longer um in favor nor is really the instructional methodology aligned with the science of not only like reading but writing as well. Um so it's still the three types of writing that you know students are expected to be able to produce but it's how that is structured in their actual output. So um
040every lesson starts with engaging thinking and sometimes that's the most challenging thing for students to come up with especially in those earlier grades that topic what am I going to write about and how do I move oh did I move from the micro sorry and you know we're not going to write about robots again we're going to write about another topic and so with this knowledge building background or background building content that hopefully is also giving them a broader toolbox from which to pull ideas from uh they then respond orally first and this is all the way through fifth grade. So they think of the idea and they start talking out what they're going to write about and what evidence are they going to pull from the text they've been reading and why is that
041the particular evidence they're going to choose and then depending on the type of writing does that evidence fit with that type of of writing and does it fit the audience that you're producing that for. Uh then they do modeled shared writing. So that might be where the teacher is modeling and sharing. It may be that they're writing something and sharing it with a peer. Uh they then routinely write. So it's not just an event. Writing is no longer just an event. You produce this one piece that is a narrative piece. Now you're done with that for the year. You're going to produce this other argumentative piece. You're done with that for the year. They will write continuously throughout the year on new pieces. Uh the also that um a big difference between the Lucy Caukins
042curriculum and this um is when you get into that grammar, not only is it embedded in the work, but it's also explicitly taught in that curriculum that we will be sunsetting upon adoption. Um it's to be just kind of discovered as you're grading their writing and for each individual student, you're responding. Well, that's not realistic for a classroom teacher to be able to respond individually to the 20 24 writers in their classroom with each thing that they're producing. So, uh we're looking forward as they begin this this week um for just their feedback and questions they have about um how this is going in the pilot. Um as you'll recall, we're not asking at this point what do you like, what do you not like. It's just the experience of what it's like from teaching
043and you know how the students are are picking up on uh the things they're to be learning. Um, another piece that we are not yet uh have not yet unpacked all the way are the assessments that come in with the curricula we're looking at. This again will be new. Um, the currently what we have is uh we rely mostly on our benchmark and our state assessments. Uh, this will actually give us really some curriculum based measures and assessments to look on. So there will be some interim skill development assessments that are given three times a year and those are just really those finite unique skills. They're going to be you know learned across the curriculum throughout the year but it's just have they learned those and are they applying them from unit to unit? Uh
044skills and strategies those are given weekly. Those are think of as like a quiz just you know are they are we ready to move on and then end of unit assessments uh we will have to look at those. those I know the feedback from the impromptu meeting was um those are lengthy there was one that was like 17 pages so that would take a significant amount of time to administer and for students to take so um we will be looking at those so and I probably have some we don't have pilot teachers but I know that they probably talked to their colleagues um that have maybe looked at those so uh we did have a conversation with our rep about that and they do have alternate versions that they're going to share with That is
045kind of the highlight. Again, this one's going to go through um well, we should wrap this one up by the end of or middle early November, sorry. If you'll recall, what stayed the same for all of our students, those interactive readalouds and those practices, that's still the same for all of our students. For our students in K3, the first part of third grade, that really great reading and the phonics program is the same for all of our students. That did not change. And we explained the rationale for that is because students would have to learn three different phonics programs and those structures and routines and the language of that curriculum and we felt that would set them up for an unfair advantage. And then also um the uh third through fifth grade the word study
046word wisdom program. So those things are the same for all of our students. They are not changing with either program that we pilot this year. Any questions about where we're at thus far with benchmark advance? >> So I'm just make sure I get my head wrapped around it very well. So um this is all programmed uh prescribed readings I take it right. >> So how does this kind of program even though it's programmed how does this uh um integrate with the libraries and schools? Do they get to read anything in those books? Uh because see we were talking about character. I don't know. I just had a thought from library science years ago. So a book like profiles and courage by John Kennedy which talks about character. So they would not have access to any
047of those kind of readings. It all be within your program structure of this u >> during the literacy block yet. It would be within the curriculum that was purchased. But I mean that's something that when they go to the library weekly or if they checked out on their own that they could um and I I I don't want to speak for a member of our audience, but I would assume that if a teacher also said, "Hey, the unit that we're going to be working on for the next three weeks is character that they wouldn't pull together resources that they have related to that that you know they could either share when they come to the library or share if they had time in the classroom." Yeah, I was just wondering whether or not they would
048have I think you answered the question whether or not they would have um either encouragement or some thought that there were other resources outside their program that were related to character for example. >> The programs do have like suggested book lists for like extra reading that that that those could be shared but in terms of actually working those into the curriculum there probably would not be time to do so. >> Okay. So one other question uh just make sure I understand it correctly. I mean I think it's great what I'm seeing and that I think that's especially the writing part. So when I look at what you were saying about opinion and argument would that still be in the same genre as persuasive writing or am I making that too synonymous? >> Yep. Correct. That
049would be okay. That's a very good advocacy. Thank you. So you you've given an an update as to where you are, >> but you really haven't spoken to how do you feel about this program yet? Is it too early? Is it something that's meeting your expectation? Is it clunky? Is it something that you're saying, you know, it's or this is the best thing since sliced bread. Can you give us a better feel or is it just too early for that? Now, >> we're not asking that specifically. Is it clunky? Yes, because it's new and it's it's a lot. There's a lot there are a lot of resources. It's a lot of information. The pace is very fast. Um it's the instructional methodologies are different than uh what we're used to. Uh the you know the
050idea that this is a little more boxed than what we're used to in Geneva. Um that's also an adjustment. I mean, we just had a meeting on Monday and we gave time for our committee members to work with the like um grade level pilot teacher on just lesson planning and I will share just walking through the room there weren't like large outcries of I don't like this but there were that there were definitely statements of this is a lot. Um I've adjusted as the weeks have gone on. At first I wasn't sure, but yeah, it'll be a big lift to whatever we decide. But again, we're trying not to do you like it, not like it yet because we want to give a fair shake to the next one, too. So, I love where we're
051at right now and the feedback like, thank you so much for bringing this to us so we can stay up to date as we're moving through the process. Do we think that there might be a time where it's appropriate that the committee comes and shares some feedback with us? kind of like to Paul's point to say this is what we like about it or this is what we think the challenges are just so we're all aware and making sure because I'm sure with any program we choose there's going to be some challenges. >> Yeah. The conversation we've had uh is maybe once the program is selected they would come for a couple members would come and share why like the collective consensus was what it was. >> Okay. Yeah. So like right before we would
052vote on like adopting that program. Okay. That sounds that sounds great. Also, do we think other than the teacher feedback, do we think we're going to have any like quantitative data that we can look and say like this probably helped our students perform better? >> We'll see what what we get from the assessments once we give those. Okay. >> Um but again, we just started looking at those last week and the one >> Yeah. So, probably too early to say what that would look like. >> I mean, they're not ready to administer them yet, but one I mean it was a second grade assessment that was 17 pages and so we >> would want to look at that one. >> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. >> Yeah, thank you. I appreciate the update. >> Absolutely. >> I
053think we all appreciate the update on this very important subject. >> Thank you. So, the next item on our agenda is public comment. Have we had any requests for public comment? Anybody like to say anything? All right, legislative updates. >> I have no formal report tonight. Not much going on. I did want to highlight at our next meeting in October. I'll just introduce the one IASB resolution that we have and it looks like on our schedule we will go into full discussion on that one and our second meeting in October. that'll um get us ready for the delegate um assembly in November. So, we'll be ready to vote on that. I also thought depending on how much time we have, the um Illinois General Assembly did update their website and I thought I would do
054a quick demonstration again of how you can look up who your elected official is and how you can contact them if you wanted to um talk to them about any specific topics that you were interested in. So, um again, if there's time, I'll go ahead and do that. maybe take five minutes of our time to show the updated website. And that's my report. >> Thank you very much, Jackie. Well, after the legislative updates, looks like there's a superintendent report. >> Yeah, thanks. Uh just a few things to share with everybody tonight. Thanks for the opportunity. Um so first you know on our agenda every month is uh you know upcoming presentations are listed there but I just kind of wanted to give a highlight for look at us from the new cool cameras. Huh. Uh
055so I just wanted to give kind of a update kind of foreshadow or lay some breadcrumbs on some of the kind of uh important information that we're going to try to build into each of our meetings throughout the year. So, first is uh I'm going to try to do we've already done it a couple. Hopefully you've noticed um and I'm going to try to do this in my presentations throughout the year. Um is a little quick facts section where we talk about, you know, so far we've highlighted some of our awesome technology folks or our transportation team and just do some little quick facts highlighting some different areas and some different uh things that are going on in the district that I think are important to acknowledge and recognize. So, so we'll do that. Um,
056and then in addition, there's kind of four big things that I think we'll be seeing uh coming back across the year. One, obviously, we have our staple of consistent annual presentations, whether that's, you know, a lot of Todd's financial presentations. Um, you know, stuff that Adam will share from, you know, regular HR stuff, Mr. Baker will come and do his annual safety and security update, you know, all those kinds of things. Um, Mike Wilks and his his tech plan. And so we'll have all those. In addition, obviously throughout the year, we're going to have different moments. Sometimes I'll include in my report and sometimes they'll be standalone presentations just on updates on what's going on with our strategic plan and and some of the work that we've been working on in those four key areas.
057And then two other that I think will be probably the most enjoyable for the board probably and the community. Um, obviously one, we're going to continue doing the what makes our school special like we did last year and like we saw tonight. Uh, something cool that makes Geneva High School special. We're going to keep having different presentations like that and expand on what we did last year, right? So, it's not just going to be the same old stuff, but new, cool, special things. Um, and then, uh, Mrs. Sims had the great idea who she loves herself an aliteration uh, content curious presentation. So we think over the course of the year we're going to have a few presentations and just kind of pick a particular content area and have the staff come in from that
058content area across the different grades and talk through with you what it looks like in that content area. Right? So what are we actually doing and what are the awesome things that our teachers are doing in this particular content area at primary grades and intermediate grades and middle and and high schools. So, we think that will be um a a cool opportunity for uh the board and the community. So, just wanted to foreshadow some of that. Um so, the fun facts today that I wanted to share and share some facts and thank yous about our instructional support staff. You know, we have uh some a lot of really awesome people who are just coming in day by day working closely to support kids and and support our teachers. So I want to share some facts
059with you about those folks. We have a total of 164 instructional support staff team members. So that's uh uh support staff. Some districts call them para profofessionals and that's these are people's uh who specifically we're calling them instructional support staff because we have a wide variety of support staff roles but these are the folks who work in classrooms or with kids, right? Um so 164 that's that's a lot of people and they do all sorts of things. Obviously, we have them all the way from prek and gelp all the way up to 12th grade. Obviously, they do a lot of helping directly in the classroom, helping teachers help kids learn. Um, folks in these roles do a lot of intervention to support students um you know, and help intervene when a a student might need
060help in something uh academic. Uh they provide a lot of support inside our classrooms day in and day out. Um, we have a lot of these folks who support our youngest learners at Gelp and kindergarten, you know, like that. Um, we obviously have some instructional support staff who support our English learners here in the district. Um, and I'd say probably the largest percentage, does that sound right, Adam? Probably the largest percentage is uh uh the great folks who are helping our students who have some special and unique needs. Um and you know you these are folks who are really touching lives um and making a difference in in the lives of kids and in our classrooms. And so just want to say thank you to them um and and acknowledge that important work that happens
061here in our district. Uh just uh some quick tidbits. You'll hear more about this uh as the year goes on obviously, but you'll recall that we're uh transitioning in our student information system. This is the transition year and we'll be going live next year. So, right now, even though it's only September, a lot of work is underway behind the scenes to get us ready for this transition. Um and the technology team is focused on system migration. they've, you know, to think about we have to take all of that information that is in our current eSchool student information system um and get all of that prepared to come out and then go correctly and appropriately into the new system. So, our tech team has all sorts of benchmarks um and targets that they're working on to
062get that data cleaned and out and migrated. Um, we're already starting in earnest to do planning for the training and professional development that's going to need to happen because this is going to be a new system for everyone to use, right? Um, and you know, I'm mentioning this today again to lay a few breadcrumbs because this transition is going to impact some of our historical practices and timelines. Um, especially as it's related to uh student scheduling and registration and some things like that. uh because we're going to have to have this system fully migrated uh or fully prepared to be migrated and then we're going to have to on day one flip the switch and be living in the new system. So, some of those timelines that we might have had for, you know, student
063course selection or things like that or asking families to complete verification or enrollment or registration, some of those timelines are going to need to look different uh because of this process and we'll be communicating a lot about that, but um it we thought it was important to acknowledge that now in September and start making sure people are aware because some of those things are going to have to look a little different this year. Um, also just wanted to touch base real briefly on uh one of the areas in our strategic plan that enrollment and staffing work. Um, and specifically talk about uh at the middle school level. We talked about this a little bit uh at a recent meeting. So, you know, I shared that I'd come back and bring a a little update and
064then if you know there's more down the road to share uh we can do that as well. Uh, you know, you'll recall that uh when Mr. Carly and Mr. Blue and I shared um you know this long plan that we've been working through together to you know slowly start right sizing that staffing at the middle school um you know as staff uh you know retire or leave and we can make that transition over time. So that has continued. It's working um well uh so far for the start of this school year. You'll remember that when this school year started um for our sixth graders, uh they have no formal teams designation. And you'll remember we talked about this a lot last year. Now, that being said, um the students and parents really aren't feeling much
065of a difference. Uh some of our teachers are certainly feeling a difference because they they are um maybe having to teach a different content area or move to teach at a different grade level for a class or something like that. But by and large um the the report that we get is is kids really aren't feeling that much of a difference than the experience they had historically. Um and uh that that's a good thing because we want our kids to be having that positive experience. Um theoretically then next year there will be no formal team designation um for all three of the grades at the middle schools. But that being said, we kind of anticipate that same feeling, right? Like it shouldn't feel that much different for our students. Um it's it's our staff as
066we continue to do that right sizing who are making uh adjustments and and we're grateful for that. Uh, also little foreshadowing, uh, we've talked about this briefly before, um, but part of this, the long-term transition in this process is that for next year, we would make a formal transition to semesters at the middle school. We currently have trimesters at the middle school. Um, and that has to do with uh a lot of things, but mostly, and we'll share more details about this down the road, but uh what it mostly has to do is as we continue to rightsize that staffing, then it'll need to change the model of our exploratory and electives and how those courses all fit in. And that will all work much better with our staffing structure uh in a semester model.
067So, that'll theoretically be coming for next year. although again it really won't change opportunities and experiences for kids that much. Um so more work coming on that and and we'll keep you posted. Um and then last it's homecoming week so lots and lots and lots going on at Geneva High School. The theme is uh Rio which uh we were talking beforehand makes me think of Barry Manalo and Duran Duran but I don't think that's what the kids these days are thinking about uh when they think about Rio. So, what are you gonna do? >> Who's that? >> Yeah. Who you know? But Copa Cabana D. I mean, you know, what can you say? But I think there's some cartoon bird from >> I was going to say I think that the kids are all thinking
068about the movie. The animated movie. >> Yes, the animated movie. Not Barry Manalo or Duran Duran. But, you know, what can you say? But there's lots of fun lots of fun stuff happening already. Yesterday was great with Paint the Town and um the 150th anniversary of Geneva High School event that I know some of us attended. Um and stuff every night this week with blue and white night and the new flag football uh team on Thursday, homecoming game Friday and the homecoming dance Saturday. So, lots of great things going on. Obviously, the parade will be later this week, too. So, uh that's all I have. >> Well, thank you very much. Um, yeah, I'm afraid these days with the progress and change that takes place in classrooms that we get a pretty continuous series of
069dated cultural references that don't actually work like we'd like them to. Having said that, it's good to see that the change and improvement and I think I might want to go with Miss Sims to a few reading classes just to see how that's working. >> Thank you. gives me something to do. So, board dialogue topics and pending action considerations. No items at this time. Eight, work study topics and future action consideration. U, the hearing officer proposal is next. >> Yeah. So, I did uh you know, we we've spoken a lot about this over the last several meetings. I think starting in the summer and coming into this year, I've included uh for you. I said I'd gather some information and looked for a variety um or or you know, kind of considered a variety of
070of options. Came across uh an individual comes highly recommended, has done this in uh a lot of districts, and I've included um uh Dr. Rmmer's proposal here uh for the board to review and consider. um my it's on here just tonight for uh you know basically potential future action but no action tonight. So it's kind of a a last opportunity for some discussion and then some direction to me on if this should come back for a formal vote. It could um you know come back as a specific action item. It could come back as a consent agenda item. And I know one of the things the board uh wanted us to consider was maybe um you know talking about this subject a little bit uh at the policy committee meeting. So so that's something we
071could do too. Um but here's the proposal and you know I'm happy to answer any questions or kind of take some feedback in terms of what you think next steps should be. >> Questions? Anyone? >> The only question I have is um and I agree with the polic. I think I think It's definitely something we should revisit or visit. Um does the um this individual only service um student disciplinary or will they help us with other things? >> Yes, this so this would just be he would basically be if if the board ultimately approved this, he'd basically be on call as someone we could uh contact for those student disciplinary hearings in those very rare instances. It would not be for any other things. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I would just recommend that and encourage
072that we bring this to the policy committee and we talked about making sure the parents have that final opportunity and see how that how we can work that into the system. Yep. >> Yeah. As I thought that that was a good suggestion by Paul and that as I thought about that more. I think it's important that even on this board, some of us as parents said we would choose different things. Some would say we would prefer a hearing officer, some said we'd prefer the board. So, it feels nice to have that option if we changed the policy that there was that opportunity, but there's still that non-biased hearing officer as well. So I support bringing it for a vote if that's our next step with an amendment if we have to add an amendment to
073adjust the policy through the policy committee. So, I think one thing we could do is vote on it and have it and have the shared understanding that um you know it's then in place, but you know, ultimately I'm the one who would have to call the person to implement it if we needed it. And um so we could just hold off and not do a vote on it at all or we could vote on it. We then have them in place. But I would just acknowledge we're not going to access his services until we've discussed it first and kind of had it go through the policy committee um and changed the policy in any ways that we thought needed to be changed. >> So, we do it either of those ways. >> So, change the
074policy first and then we would we still need to vote on it that you would eventually call him or each time you can kind of decide? >> Yeah, I think it would I think it would all depend on how the policy committee wanted to ultimately Yeah, of course. >> Like what language we ultimately wanted to put in the policy. >> Um so given that maybe it's just a matter of we've seen it, you've seen it. Let's take it to policy and let policy words smmith some things and then once policy has words smmith it theoretically when that policy comes back changed you could bring this back as well and could vote on them all together. That sounds like a better. >> So, what's the time frame for that process? I think we could add it
075as soon as the next policy committee meeting and and talk about it. And then remember, um I think the time frame would be a little while because we'd have to talk about it at one policy committee meeting, come back to the next one with potential language and then remember those then need to get move forward to the full board through a couple meetings. So, a couple months probably just because of our our meeting structure and timeline, but you know, again, this is a very rare circumstance. Um, and I think to get it right, that would be totally fine. >> So, so there's no need for a stop gap in terms something comes up. I'm just asking. >> Yeah, I don't think so. I think I mean we have a practice in place that we know
076has worked and and the board has handled very well. So, um, seems to meet status quo. Again, should that rare circumstance come up, we can do that and, um, with a couple months here, we could get to a good place, I think. >> Does that sound right to everybody? >> Okay. Thank you, Andy. I I would say I fully in agreement with that. And of course the board will vote on any policy changes that occur and a a steady slow approach to this actually significant change for a few individuals will will be I think our best path. So thank you all for that. Okay. uh information board meeting presentation schedule foyer request board correspondence there isn't anything there and discussion not required but if anybody has any questions next my favorite the consent agenda personnel
077report resignations retirements leave requests changes in assignment full-time equivalent new hires item two monthly financials July and August item three EIS teacher and administrator annual report item four gifts grants and request requests $1,500 from border heating and air conditioning for GHS athletic supplies, uniforms, and other needs. And unless we had a change, I believe that completes the consent agenda. And so discussion and a vote, anything. >> Motion to approve consent agenda. Second >> I >> Thank you. Next board member comments and reports. Um I think we'll start with Stephanie this time. >> Sure. So I was able to attend the Geneva music booster meeting recently. So, they have a lot going on with the start of the school year. Just a reminder, the Geneva Music Boosters not only supports our music programs at the high
078school and middle middle school with having orchestra, band, choir, all of those programs, but they do support all of our music programs throughout um all elementary classes as well. So, when you're supporting music boosters, you're really supporting all of our students. So, they recently finished up their um mom sale fundraiser and now they're gearing up for their greenery sale. I know it seems fast, but the holidays are right around the corner. So, look out for that. And then they also have a spirit wear sale coming up in addition to just all the other work that they're working on with um marching band starting and all the first concerts will be happen happening in about the next month or so. So, look for all that. I also was able to attend the theater booster meeting and
079I won't share any everything because Paul was also there but um they are having a spiritware for the first time right a spiritware sale for the first time right now. So if you're looking for some theater spirit wear you can get that through the theater boosters. They also have a fundraiser for checkbooks which are um kind of like little gift certificates for local Geneva spots. I know some of the students may have hit up some of the administrators during back to school night. So, >> I have to say it is one of the best f like you get your money you get your money's worth out of that baby if you use it for sure. I'm I'm giving them props on that. That I used one on Saturday. It's great. Yeah. >> So, you can
080contact the theater boosters or Paul has sold several of them for them. So, you can contact Paul, too. Um, and then they have a couple of shows coming up as well, but I'll save that for Paul because I think he has that. And then, um, just thank you for such a wonderful meeting tonight. I think we hit a lot of great topics. Um, great information shared. Love to hear about what's going on at the high school. Thank you to all of our instru instructional assistants. They truly do valuable work in our schools and really make an impact not just on the students that they're helping, but the whole classes. Um, and then thank to thanks to our tech department. I think this is such a big job and we won't see it for a while
081but it's going to make a big impact for parents, students, everybody. So, thanks everybody. >> Yeah, I just want to circle back uh regarding the uh technology with the woodwork. Uh I'm still getting my head wrapped around how things have changed in 50 years, but that's good. Do they still do wood burning uh as a back in the day they did that? We have a laser >> that does. See, there you go. See? See how things have changed? >> They have a laser. They have a laser. >> A laser. No wood burning like they used to. So, no, it was just really good to hear how things just evolved over the years and how things are, as the young men said, easier now. So, this is really uh great to know. What's old is new
082though. This is good. Thank you very much, >> Jackie. >> Um, first I want to thank Ben and Sebastian for coming tonight and sharing your experience. It it means a lot to us to hear it right from the students who are doing it. Um Mr. Sha Walter, thank you as well for doing this and coming. Yeah, clearly your students admire you and you're doing a great job and it was interesting to learn that and and to bring the the table to see how that new CNC machine, which I did look up what that acronym is now. I know um how you use that to make that machine. And then thank you for the little gifts that you uh gave us. Those are very nice. Um, and Miss Sims, thank you for your presentation tonight. Um,
083giving us an update. Uh, I was able to attend the football game, the first home game, and that was, uh, an exciting one. Also, it was eighth grade band night, so the eighth graders got to come out, um, during the halftime show and perform with the band, which I think is a special experience for them. So, they get to see what it's like to be at high school in the marching band and and participate in that. Uh I also was able to attend the 150year celebration at GHS yesterday and I wanted to share a few fun facts that I learned. Um there was no orchestra at the high school between 1944 and 2006. Let that sink in for a minute that I was surprised. So yeah, it was only in 2006 that the orchestra came
084back to the high school and we had that offered. So, uh, the first graduating class at the high school had two members. And if I remember correctly, it was almost 17 years after it opened. It was a long time because we weren't able to get all the the credits necessary to actually graduate. Um, they had, uh, I can't remember what year it was, so I'm going to say it was probably in the early 1900s some classes that you could choose to take at the high school. Uh, sophomore year you could take English, plain geometry, zoology, and this was my favorite, Caesar and pros. >> Oh, >> that was a class that you could take. Um, pretty cool stuff. So, um, thanks to the Geneva History Museum, they did participate in putting that timeline together. It
085was up on the the wall in the high school, but they I asked and they are going to have a a version of it um posted up to the Geneva High School website and also the history museum website. It really was a great um history of Geneva itself and the high school. I learned a lot and the number of mayors that have graduated from Geneva High School. It's not just Mayor Burns. Uh there were others who also graduated. So really cool um uh event yesterday and I learned a lot. So I wanted to give them a quick shout out. That's it. >> Thanks Jackie Dan. >> Yeah, thanks. Um yeah, not just to um echo what everyone else said about uh tonight's meeting and the presentations. Thank you very much. The only thing I'll add
086is uh looking forward to homecoming week. So hopefully everyone has a safe but fun uh weekend and week. >> Yeah. Again, I'd like to thank our >> like to thank our folks, the students that came out tonight. I think it was fantastic. Um you did a great job by the way. Your presentations were fantastic. Um, Stephanie, I'm going to need your help because I forgot my calendar. Um, but we have coming up the one act play is going to be Can you help me on that one? >> That's October 2nd and 5th. >> Yes. So, that will be at the high school. That's for the underassmen. >> The underassman. >> Yes. >> This is a test. That's that's what the play is called, right? This is a test. >> Test. Yes. >> Yes. And then
087the two um big um performances are going to be Romeo Joliet in the winter and um Chicago for the spring musical. So I think that's going to be kind of uh exciting. So, um, and, um, again, if you, Andy is right, the theater booster checkbooks are some of the best things that you can buy. If it cost you $25 and if you use more than two, you made your money back at all the restaurants in Geneva. So, if you're interested, contact the Gene of uh, the theater boosters or contact me and I'll see if I can get some more. Thanks. Okay, that leaves me and I will say first of all that I was able to attend the 150year high school uh open house. It was wonderful. Met a number of people there and and
088saw some old friends as well. The timeline is really worth looking at. The people did a terrific job. Also want to congratulate the artists who did the downtown windows in homecoming honor. They're looking good as pretty much always, but it's an exciting thing to see. And Paul, I will commit to buy one of those books from you tomorrow morning if you can get it. >> Yeah, I'll have it. >> Okay. Um, we ride cycles together, so that that will work out. All in all, things are going very well. I'm very pleased to see the great progress both academically and and otherwise in the school. I think a lot of people's hard work shows up very well. And second, what really everybody has uh has reported. Uh last item 12, notices and announcements. There aren't any
089at this point. And we have need now to go into executive session, which means you can leave. Um I'm gonna pardon me. I'm I'm going to read this and then we'll have to vote on it. But uh other than that um executive session to consider matters pertaining to collective negotiations, matters between the public body and employees or their representatives or deliberations concerning the salary schedules of one or more of their employees. And thank you Bonnie for editing that. I've been wanting that to happen a long time and you've come around to my way of thinking. I appreciate it. So um we need to go into executive session. Do we have a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. I >> I um we'll have a few minute recess just uh while we get things configured and
090then we'll start executive session.