001e there flag unit States as well thank you to Vern and team for making that happen for us um now I'd like to throw it to Kelly for um information at Panorama so Panorama is a Student Success platform that we are going to start using in the fall so right now we're working with the integration process Vern and Angie and his team we're working to um integrate our existing data and we'll be using that to help support our mtss process for both academics and behavioral and it provides a really nice overview of students in the area of seal academics um behavior and attendance so we'll have all of our power school data all of our assessment data um our social emotional screeners um all of that data will be in one place and we'll be
002able to use that on teams and is with individual eventually individual teachers will be able to use it as well but we're starting with our teams um and so we'll be working on that and learning that process with our leadership our mtss leadership team this spring and we'll do some work in the summer as well but I just want to thank Vern and Angie for being so great with the tech integration part because that's a lot of work on the back end so we're in the process of planning all that we're also excited to announce that based on feedback from teachers we're moving forward field testing two new reading programs amplify ckla and hmh into reading in our K5 classrooms these programs focus on building essential literacy skills such as phonics vocab and comprehension and
003will be carefully evaluated to ensure they meet the diverse needs of all of our students as we continue this process we're committed to developing a cohesive literacy curriculum that supports teachers and provides our students with a strong foundation in reading and writing so Carrie has been working very hard on that um in the wake of the results from the board survey so appreciate that work Carrie is there a middle school component to that the I think the one goes to sixth grade um but we're just stopping at K5 for right now okay excited to announce uh Central's 2026 DC trip uh April 29th to May 1st 1st 2026 that is a year from now we're talking about next year's trip right now not to be confused with uh this year's trip is coming up so
004Central is excited to prepare for that and parents of current seventh grade students next year's eighth graders are invited to a parent information meeting Wednesday at 6 PM so we hope you will join us as we begin preparing for another exciting DC trip uh Central hosted swick tournament uh this past weekend and Amy Sandow and Haley r with their Builder Club hosted uh concessions we appreciate uh all those volunteers and all the kids that came out to help with that hosting that tournament um we've got number of special events at Central coming up this month I invite the board and public to the central talent show which uh will be on March 13th in the evening and then a Repeat Performance on the 14th and then the district choir Festival on March 18th so if
005you're interested in more information on those um you can check the calendar Central's calendar or uh call my office we'll be happy to give you that information number of condolences this month Eileen Von borel's mother passed away peacefully last week Eileen's a second grade teacher at Memorial and the president of the teachers union Katie zal's father passed away Sunday afternoon Katie's a first grade teacher at fic and Cindy chore lost her sister-in-law a gruna Harden who passed away uh yesterday Cindy is a district Tech specialist and a longtime CMS girls volleyball coach so our condolences go out uh to those three 146 uh families and celebrations baby news congratulations to Lauren Cs and family on the arrival arrival of their new baby boy Theo was born on February 24th his full name is Theodore James
006CS which is adorable and he weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces and measured 20 inches long uh big big Theo um everyone's doing well Lauren's a fifth grade teacher at F and our hats off to Cindy chore as I mentioned longterm longtime Central volleyball coach she him at her last home game and that's all I have for the suits report thank you uh 4.1 fiveyear Financial forecast yes I have a presentation we come yeah at least these all right so this is the fiveyear forcast um in my budgeting cycle which is year round this is this is the opportunity to take kind of a longer term look rather than just focusing on one year at a time budget but looking at the longer Trends and see uh in advance if there's anything that needs to uh
007be addressed or any areas of concern um so I'm going to start essentially with going through all the assumptions that I used and then we'll look at the numbers at the end so um here is a picture of our revenue and where it comes from and uh as we'll get to later uh property taxes has always been our biggest source of of Revenue but as recently as five years ago this number was 80% and the state number was six or 7% so those two numbers u local has gone down by 10 and um State funding has gone up by 10 which we view is a good thing and we'll get into why as we go through and then all the other numbers are are much smaller that's the revenue side um a lot of our
008Revenue since it is local it is tied to the Consumer Price Index so we have five years of History history here and then the current year and then five years of of what I used in the projections so the long-term average over the past 20 years is 2.5% so that's what I have used going forward you can see some years it's below that we had these two big spike years where it was above um in 24 the levy of 24 which we'll be receiving this year that number is 3.4% and we already know next year's number which will be 2.9% um so I'm using those actual numbers for the next two years and then the long-term average going out beyond that new property is also a component of property taxes you could see in in
009the way back it was nearly $5 million a year we had the year that the Tiff expired which was a big spike and that's what allowed us to uh Implement full day kindergarten and then pretty much all the other years it's been a very low amount so it's it's a small amount of um additional income so I'm using 500,000 which is the recent long longer term average evidence-based funding was put into place in 2018 and there's four tiers um tier one is the most funding tier four is the least so we we've kind of bounced around every year 432 and now we've kind of settled in tier three for the last four years in a row it generates about $50,000 of new Revenue each year which in the scheme of our $50 million budget is
010not a lot but every little bit helps and then of course the other thing is these property tax relief grants uh we received and it's a one-time Grant but then it goes into your base funding minimum so you get it in a lump sum the first year and then uh State funding is increased by that amount every year in the future so we have received it now four years in a row and in increasing amounts 1 million 1.2 1.4 1.7 um and for three of these years I've been thinking that'll be the last year we get it we qualify for it but we we keep getting it so um our state that's the reason our state funding has gone up so significantly just in the past five years is these property tax relief grants that
011then become permanent new funding um we're also assuming the rest of State funding is going to be flat which given the state's uh Outlook might actually be optimistic but but we're going with flat for now uh interest Revenue has also been kind of all over the place it was a million dollars a few years ago then it dropped way down his interest rates went down and now it is back up to about a million and a half and that's the number interest rates have kind of stabilized now um so that is the number we're using going forward and then as as part of the property tax relief Grant we have to Abate our property taxes for two years so each of the four property tax relief grants have caused us to Abate for two years
012um so the the 2 million and the 2.2 for year 24 are on the agenda for approval later tonight so uh we have been abating a lot of tax money and um which is a good thing it's a it's a the we're replacing local taxpayer funds with with State funding on the expense side um unlike Revenue which has changed over time the expenses have stayed pretty steady over over time uh salaries and benefits are the two biggest components of our budget which is about 34s of our budget and then the rest is smaller amounts um so in coming up with projections we have negotiated agreements that have salaries in there already for some of the groups so I'm using what's already out there uh we're we're going with the assumption that staff Staffing will be
013flat next year or in future years um this could always change but those are the numbers we're using health insurance uh H I have been using 5% increases um but those numbers are coming in higher each year and we uh we're looking at 6% for next year so I'm using 6% for all of the the future years of the five-year forecast and then all the other categories I'm generally leaving uh equal to CPI the 2.5% so purchase Services supplies those kinds of things uh except for transportation that's another one where costs are going up faster than CPI um so I'm using 5% there and then we also have some capital projects we have the CMS improvements of 3 million happening this summer and then uh I have $1 million per year in the future years
014just to take care of uh ongoing um capital projects and maintenance so I apologize in advance for all the small numbers and I'll show you a a graph that's easier to read but throwing all of that into the mix this is what it produces so we have our current budget and then five years going forward those all of this is in board docs if you want to see it where you can actually read it um this this number here is is kind of our bottom line for each year so in our current year we have a small Surplus the red numbers are negative next year we have a small uh deficit but then as those abatements expire then it becomes big surpluses in those out years so this is what it looks like a little
015bit easier to read so here we have five years of History then the current budget in the middle and then the projections are on the right side here so the green line there is our fund balance uh what is left over uh revenues minus expenses over all the years that's our existing fund balance the the lower of these two lines is 50% of the fund balance that's in our board policy that we will never let our fund balance go below 50% of our expenses so that's that's how far above we are the second blue line is actually 85% of our fund balance um you could you could call the lower line more of our emergency like if we ever let it get that low then we're kind of in trouble uh the 85% is more
016of our realistic goal so you can see you know looking historically we're pretty close to that line and then as we go into the future it actually expands as the batement go away and the effects of the increased State funding um come in so just some observations um so we have the four different abatements for two years each 7.8 million in extra State funding from those property tax relief grants um we have been spending some of our fund balance on Capital Improvements as opposed to taking on new debt or anything like that and so uh the bottom line of all of this is that it's break even near term this year next year and then surpluses going out beyond that and of course that is just if we let everything ride as it as it
017currently exists usually we make um plans uh in between but this is uh really just a way to see are we on the right track and the district definitely is we are in Good Financial shape um and that's that's all I have do anybody have any questions all right thank you excellent 5.1 citizens May address the board at this time are there any citizens that wish to address the board okay seeing none 6.1 Union reports okay um at the middle school they've got we've got congratulations going to eighth grade boys basketball team they're the 2025 swick Champions and and um they enjoyed a schoolwide incentive to see dog man this month students enjoyed the movie and the opportunity to celebrate their success uh fic students are being celebrated many ways through some principal lunches monthly
018recognition young authors and Buzz tickets it's wonderful to see the pride they feel and how their peers commend them it's really a back and forth in return um they've been honoring Black History Month in February and this month honoring women's history students are fasting for Ramadan and looking forward to fund St Patrick's Day activities next week uh successful parent teacher conferences and welcoming spring at Fulton tonight is the second annual wheelchair basketball game between Fulton staff and athletes from the Lincoln Way special Recreation Association it'll be a fun event with face painting and games other entertainment it's a fundraiser for the organization the game begins tonight at 6:30 and um we're wishing the teachers good luck uh the science fair is also going to take place this week Wednesday and Thursday student council is having
019a donation drive for cuse they're doing this in memory of um our wonderful retired peer professional Nancy maslowski who passed away last Christmas day um Cruz is having a readathon students are logging the reading minutes and raising funds for the school they're able to uh to earn prizes for reading and they're collecting donations the student council collected over $1,200 that was donated to the Pasadena Animal Humane Society in California and Memorial is having a school uh book character bracket challenge for our March m Madness each day Mrs Pard our reading specialist comes on the announcements and announces the new book character competition for the day and the winner from the previous day uh classrooms vote each day for the winner and we're going to announce the final book character winner at Family reading night and
020that's all thank you excellent uh can I have a motion for the consent agenda I move that the Board of Education approve consent agenda items 7.1 approval of minutes 7.2 approval of Clos session minutes 7.3 approval of the destruction of closed session tape 7.4 approval of financial items and 7.5 approval of personnel items as presented is there a second is there any discussion secretary please call the r Chelada yes amernick yes dlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes yes nza yes 7 n6 approval of the 2025 2026 school calendar yes thank you to the board and to the calendar committee for your patience the way school calendars overlay with um the year calendar usually prevents a couple or uh provides a couple challenges but um next year in particular it seems to really uh be challenging
021to get a characteristic school calendar so um I think I confidently say that neither the calendar committee nor the administration nor the board of education is particularly delighted with the calendar we're proposing for next year um however it does we did do some things to make it as characteristic as possible with a first day of school for teachers on August 18th and a first day of School for students on uh the 20th which would be a half day um unusually recommending that we be in session on Wednesday the 26th of November the day before Thanksgiving that has uh traditionally been uh a nonattendance day for students and staff um however in order to have two full weeks at Christmas uh I should say uh two full weeks for winter break the weeks of December 22nd
022and 29th um it was necessary and then another unusual uh novelty I guess I should say for next year is a last day of school if no emergency days are required um the last day of school will be in May um which is you know only a day or two different than typical but traditionally our last day of school is in singled digigit June so um that's a summary of it appreciate the the board staying with us through a number of different versions um but that is option one in board docs for you and that's the calendar that I'm recommending that you uh adopt tonight is there a motion I move that the Board of Education approve the 2025 2026 calendar school calendar as presented is there a second is there any discussion from the
023board hearing none uh secretary please call the RO sh hamernick yes yes Lloyd yes Barry yes yes 7.7 approval of policy changes second read yes predominantly updates to uh references and uh the legal record there have been no changes to this batch since it was an info item last month is there a motion go ahead I moveed that the Board of Education Board of Education approve the revised policies as presented is there a second a second any discussion secretary please call the roll sh yes amernick yes unlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes nanza yes 7.8 approval temporary waiver of policy uh two colon 120 for Rich Boehner yes if it pleases the board since Mr Boehner is running in this election unopposed um in the interest of getting him and keeping him up to speed
024with uh the board's business uh recommendation that you temporarily and for this case only wave board policy 2220 which prevents candidates from attending close session can I just add uh Rich texted me he apologizes he had a he has a wake to attend tonight which is why he's not here so I'm not even sure he I'm do we have an election before the next meeting we might not April 1 right well we'll have before the election is ratified we'll have at least one more okay ratification okay is there a motion in light of Rich bers B Boehner unopposed candidacy to become a d1146 board member I move to invite Mr Boehner to join the board in close session for the meetings between now in may to wave any portion of board policy to semicolon 120
025to the contrary on a temporary and non-presidential basis is there a second second any discussion secretary call the rooll Shada yes amernick yes onlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes nza yes 7. nine approval of gift to community Consolidated School District 146 yes as the board is aware uh Mr uh Paul German uh deceased famous Wall of Fame member of District 146 uh who gave his entire adult life in service to District 146 um has named district 146 as a benefactor uh in his will and as those accounts are resolving probate um this will be another round of gifts that I'm asking the board to uh accept this time in the amount of roughly $6,300 um the board must act each time it receives a gift uh in excess of $500 is there a motion I
026Mo that the Board of Education accept the gift and donation to The District from the state of Paul German as presented is there a second second any discussion secretary please call the rooll SCH yes hamernick yes dlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes enza yes 7.10 the first resolution for abatement yes uh as part of the property tax relief Grant we have to Abate two years of property taxes and so this is the first resolution is the abatement of the second year of last year's uh property tax relief Grant excellent is there a motion I move that the Board of Education approve the resolution authorizing the abatement of a portion of the taxes heret for levied by Community Consolidated School District 146 Cook County Illinois in connection with the receipt of a property tax relief Grant
027fiscal year 24 is there a second second any discussion secretary please call the rooll Chada yes amernick yes dlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes nza yes 7.11 the second resolution yeah I apologize for the lengthiness of the the attorneys but uh this is year one of the newest property tax relief Grant excellent is there a motion I move that the Board of Education approve the resolution authorizing ing the abatement of a portion of the taxes here to for levied by Community Consolidated School District 146 Cook County Illinois in connection with the receipt of a property tax relief Grant fiscal year 25 is there a second second any discussion secretary please call the rooll Shada yes hamernick yes dlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes nza yes 8.1 food service contract renewal yes this is just information
028but uh we are with wit this year for our food service along with six other school districts in a Consortium um so they are presenting the renewal for next year uh it is limited to a maximum of the CPI for food so that's what they presented to us it's 3.6% more than what we were paying this year um I'm recommending approval it it's the first year so it's not been without its challenges but they are open to working with us and it's it's going well enough that uh we want to renew with them so next month it'll be uh we'll be requesting action okay do the kids like the food by and large do we have a sense of that um so I mean it just like anything some things are a big hit some
029things less popular and so we work with them and we say not ever again with this and more of this and you know it gets tweaked over time and you feel they're responsive to that they are yes that's great okay thank you 9.1 Communications we have one uh Board of Education Administration and staff of school district 146 I deeply appreciate your kind gesture of sending a sympathy arrangement for John's Services it will be a lasting reminder of John John loved his district 146 family and he felt so fortunate to work with so many amazing people thank you for all of the support you gave to us during John's cancer battle it meant so much from Linda Marquez okay can I have a motion to go into close session please I moveed that the Board of
030Education enter into Clos session to discuss personnel and collective bargaining matters is there a second a second uh discussion secretary please color rooll Chelada yes hamernick yes dlap yes Lloyd yes Barry yes nza yes we're in closed session there will be no action following closed thank you everybody