001I hereby call to order this regular meeting of the board of education for Wilmet Public Schools District 39 this Monday, December 15, 2025. Will the clerk please call the role? >> Ann Hart here. >> Judy Blind >> here. >> Aaron Stone >> here. >> Kristen Castro >> here. >> Alison Pilis >> here. >> Amy Paling >> here. >> Katie Hilton >> here. >> Thank you. We'll begin tonight with the pledge of allegiance. Principal Jackie Bren Brennan is here to introduce Harper students to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Good evening. I'm Jackie Brandon. I'm the principal at Harper Elementary School and I am here tonight with one of our Harper Dolphin pods. At Harper School, we have three core values. Those values are >> kind, respectful. [laughter] >> That is that we are kind,
002respectful, and we are all connected. One of the activities that we brought to bring Harper students to be more connected is to form dolphin pods. That means students in grades kindergarten through 4th will travel together in one pod throughout their entire time at Harper School. These pods meet together once a month and do an activity based around our DEIB monthly themes. I brought Miss Kristen Brown and her pod to share a little bit about their experience and their favorite part of pods. Good evening. My name is Kristen Brown. I'm a first grade teacher at Harper School. This is my pod. We are known as the Golden Dolphins pod number six. One of the reasons I really love working with this pod is because every time we get together, we are growing and learning and evolving
003together. >> My name is Ava Ericson and I am in first grade. My favorite part of Dolphin Pod was reading We Are Wonder because it shows differences. My name is Olivia and I'm in third grade. And my favorite pod activity was when we share traditions because I love hearing other people's traditions and seeing their differences. My name is Everett and my favorite pod activity was um sharing our traditions because I love listening to other people's traditions. My name is Scarlet and I am in fourth grade. My favorite part of the dolphin pods is that we get to learn and connect to people that we may have not learned to connect before. My name is Connor and I am in second grade. My favorite part of the dolphin pod is the traditions. My favorite part of
004the because I love hearing other people's traditions. My name is Anderson and I am in second grade. My favorite part of the dolphin pods activity was listening. I mean um pods activity was sharing my two most special tradition, my two photos. Hi, my name is Henry Sarenza. I am in third grade. My favorite part about pods is meeting new people I won't recently get to see. Hi, my name is Evie. I'm in first grade. My favorite part about Pods was listening to everybody's tradition cuz it shows that everybody's family is different. >> Hello, my name is Jamie. I am fourth grade. My favorite part of Pods is um interacting with people who I might not interact with normally. Now, please rise for the pledge of allegiance. of the United States of America to the stands.
005One nation under God, indivisible, liberty andice for all. >> [applause] >> Harper students, thank you so much for coming here on this cold night and telling us um all about your pods. Um maybe other board members knew about pods, but I did not. So, I learned something new tonight. So, thank you for that. I think it's so cool that you get to learn and share and grow with each other throughout your time at Harper. So, um, thank you very, very much for being a special part of our evening and sharing with us. And on your way out to meet your parents in the lobby, we have a little something for you, okay? And I hope you all have a great holiday. Is it just the Harper? I know like some things are like Yeah, that's
006really >> these days. That's okay. That can close for now. That back door is open. >> Oh. >> I seek a motion to approve the minutes of the November 17th, 2025 board of education tax levy hearing and regular and executive session meetings. I move to approve the minutes of the November 17, 2025 public hearing hearing on 2025 tax levy and minutes of the board of education regular and executive session meetings. >> Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> The motion has been made and seconded. Board members, are there any comments, errors, or omissions to the minutes? All of those in favor of approving the minutes as submitted, please indicate by saying yay. >> Yay. >> The motion carries. This is an opportunity for the public to address the board on any topic.
007Are there any audience members that would like to speak at this time? Okay. Seeing none, we will proceed with our agenda this evening um with board reports. First committee reports, facility development, Mrs. to Castro. >> There were no facility development committee reports from separate. >> Thank you. School finance, Mrs. Paling. >> Yes, school finance did meet at uh the committee of the whole on December 10th. We reviewed the 2026 2027 instructional materials fees and talked about that there will now be an option to pay those fees at the time of school registration. The proposed fees will be voted on later tonight in the consent agenda. We also reviewed five-year financial pro projections. Uh the pres that presentation provided an overview of the major assumptions used with the projections as well as the projections for fiscal
008years 2027 to 2031. The projections show that district 39's operating funds end with a fund balance above 40% in each year, which aligns with our overall goals. Thank you. Strategy committee. Miss Stone. >> Yes. The strategy committee did not meet this month at the committee of the whole. [clears throat] >> Thank you. Then we will move on to liaison reports. Community review committee. Miss Stone. >> Yes. Um the CRC met last week on the 9th and this year's topic is teacher well-being. Um the members divided into three there three subgroups. um their first subgroup has to do with like research and the definitions and foundations. The second subgroup has to do with developing a survey that will go out and the third subgroup has to do with um national and international approaches to this topic
009and um I do not have the date of the next meeting but it's in January. >> Great. Thank you. Lazison reports uh or no I'm sorry also under liaison reports ISB Mrs. Berlin. >> Right. So, I attended the um state conference for the Illinois Association of School Boards. Um in addition to some really >> [snorts] >> uh exciting speakers, thought-provoking speakers and some very good programs, there was actually one thing I actually wanted to bring to the board just for information. In the meeting for the delegates, everything did go as expected. Um, but there were several items that were removed from the consent agenda for discussion and there was also a nomination from the floor for a person for office. And the interesting thing that happened was that a schoolboard member from some other district
010stood up and said, "I don't think I can vote on these because my board gave me direction on how to vote and now what do I do if there's new information?" I thought that was kind of interesting because we did kind of reach consensus on the things that we agreed to. a board member from a different district got up and said, "Well, our board reached consensus on on issues based on the information at hand, but I certainly feel empowered to make a decision if there's new information on behalf of what's best for the district." And just because it was an issue we hadn't even discussed, I will tell you I would have felt empowered if something important had come along that I thought affected well net. It didn't. But I just wanted to put it
011out there as something to think about in the future just to make it clear to whoever is going that they do have that kind of safety net of knowing that they have that the district has their back if something comes up that you don't expect once you've already been sent. Otherwise, it wouldn't even make sense to you. You couldn't participate in discussions and whatever. So, I just thought I'd share that because I thought was an interesting sidelite that I didn't expect. Also, I cannot believe how long people can talk about items that I thought would take 10 minutes. [laughter] Just saying. >> All right. Great. No, thank you. That is important and good perspective. Thank you. Going forward. Um, all right. And Mrs. Berlin, also for the legislative update. >> I don't really have anything
012significant that I saw in any of the uh information that was shared with me. >> Great. Thank you. All right. Then we will turn it over to Dr. Kremcoli for information items. >> Thank you. We have a handful this evening. Uh first of all, the board received written communication from go green well Met with a recap from their most recent meeting from Kelly Gruner uh regarding the new WJHS schedule and from Todd and Monica Gus Nickel regarding the Ed Foundation's Innovative Educator Award which has been really fun. Um and under administrative announcements uh first of all we have a draft school calendar for the 2026 2027 school year and also um have started to name the major breaks of the 2027 2028 winter and spring um for that school year. So uh there is a
013draft calendar that's been shared with the board for the 2026 2027 school year. a committee of teachers and support staff along with administrators. Uh they meet annually to propose a calendar that considers the holidays of Newer High School as well as the needs of our students and teachers. Again, we really try to align with knowing that so many families uh do cross over. It's noteworthy that district 39's 2027 spring break will end on March 28th with schools in session on March 29th, which I believe is a Monday. Um, Nutri High School resumes on that Tuesday, which is March 30th. So, just making a note of a slight variation there. Um, as we know, Nutri schedule, there's a day here and there that, um, is different from ours. Typically, their their late starts and some of
014their teacher work days are named a little bit later. Um, but the committee does aim to create a calendar that has as many uninterrupted weeks of instruction as possible here in district 39. and we expect that the board um will consider approving the final 2627 school calendar in January. Um and finally, the committee was able to identify the major breaks as I mentioned for the following school year of 2027 2028. We've heard from some of our families that that could be helpful and since we align pretty closely with Nutri and Nutrier has started to name theirs a little bit earlier, uh we're able to do that as well. Also, winter break uh will begin that year pending board approval um on Saturday, December 18th, 2027, and school will resume on January 3rd, 2028. Spring break
015will begin on Saturday, March 25th, 2028, and school will resume on Monday, April 3rd, 2028. So, please, we ask families to consider that when they're booking their vacations or their travel um with putting those dates out early, as early as possible. We hope that uh families don't need to have, you know, conflicts with with how they they schedule time away from school. Any questions with that? Um registration, we mentioned this uh a little earlier already. registration for the upcoming 2026 2027 school year um has been planned. The district is already preparing for that school year and registrations for new and existing families will begin in January. As a reminder to our families, registration is that really important time where we start planning for staffing. Um so we we do ask that families complete that as
016soon as they're able, ideally in January. Um, and new this year, we are linking the instructional materials fees to that registration. We've heard from families that it would be very convenient for them to just one-stop shop, get it all taken care of all at the same time. And so, um, with this evening's consideration of of student fees, we'll be able to link that directly and, um, have much of that work all accomplished starting in January. So, uh, look for those registration, um, reminders to out under the joint annual convention. Uh Judy mentioned quite a bit, but um she did skip over that we were able to um do a really nice presentation with our Wilmet partners. Um so uh the board knows and hopefully the community knows as well that we partner with the village,
017with the police and fire department, with the park district, with the library. Um, and as a school district, we all come together to really make sure that we are supporting our families and our community as best we can and maximizing our resources to hopefully keep our our taxes low and and remain as efficient as possible. And so, um, we presented on that and it was kind of a unique presentation at the statewide convention. Um, and to my, um, shouldn't say surprise, but I was quite impressed by the number of people who attended our session. It was Saturday afternoon, the last session of the day, and we had so many really active and engaged um superintendents, board members, business officials from other districts who really wanted to hear about what we have done here in Wilmet
018Met to strengthen those partnerships. So, um Judy helped present with us. We're really grateful that she was able to jump in. Aaron had helped to prep some of the materials in advance. We had a representative, Andrea Von Johnson, from the library. Um Tony helped to present with us as well. Um and then we also had sent from um the village and so we talked a whole lot about our our intergovernmental collaboration. We talked a little bit about the committee but um more about the general way to share resources and support our community. So it really was a a great event. We had people staying late to ask us more questions. We've had a few people reach out. Um, so it was really it turned out to be really really fun and I think well received
019as well. So I'm really grateful for everyone's partnership and a great opportunity for us to be recognized. >> Um, speaking of intergovernmental agreement, we also have proposed this evening um an update to the intergovernmental agreement with uh the village of Lamett. So we discussed this briefly at the committee of the whole meeting on December 8th. The board um approved an update and a comprehensive intergovernmental agreement with the village um last year around this time on October 28th, 2024. And then there were some changes in law that went into effect and really helped to clarify some of the roles and responsibilities of our police in our schools and in partnership with our schools. And so, um this update really, um calls that out and brings our agreement into alignment with um the new requirements. Um, I
020will say that each of those requirements were already being met here in our district and in partnership with the village. Um, but to make sure that uh the agreement lines up as well uh with the statutory language, we've updated that and we're recommending that for approval um later this evening. And then finally, Freedom of Information Act. Uh we did not process any this month. But I am happy to answer any questions about any of that if a question. Thank you. Then we'll move on to annual business. Um and first under annual business is a topic we've talked about um at committee the whole that's our instructional materials fee um for 2026 2027. The proposed construction materials fees uh were presented at committee of the whole and um the overall increase is tied to CPI. That's
021been the board's commitment now for some time unless for some reason expenses fall inside or outside of that. And so that's 2.9% and the fees are recommended for approval within tonight's consent agenda. Board members or Corey, anything you want to update there? The only thing I would add is for the upper the fifth through eighth graders, we had also taken the roller skating module fee, which typically been paid at a separate time in kind of in the middle of the school year, and rolled it in um up front just to make it a little more efficient, less things for our staffing for this evening. We'll link that to registration and be ready to go in. The other topic on under annual business is tax anticipation warrants. I can share a little bit and then Corey,
022I'll let you um fill in [clears throat] anything I missed. Um, in November, the district's cash flow situation was reviewed with the board at um, I believe it was at committee the whole um, and as of December 11th, Cook County has shared um, with another neighboring district that they currently do not win know when the distributions of property taxes will be able to occur. So, we know that um, we are heavily reliant on uh, local property taxes to fund the school district. Um the county is still seems to be having some serious software issues with the upgrade project and so that is delaying um collections and dispersements across the state uh to the frustration of many many school districts. Um so as such um district 39 is we're feeling at this point like we need
023to um be cautious and um issue what's called tax anticipation warrants so that we can have cash infus infusion come January in order to meet our accounts payable and our payroll. Um again, this is not overspending. This is simply we haven't received our local property taxes and so um we need to make sure that uh we can meet our bills. Um so the board is being asked this evening to approve a short-term borrowing resolution. The amount listed um indicates up to 25 million going all the way through um till June. Uh but district 39 only borrow what is needed in order to cover expenses until the um county is able to uh clear up their what seem to be software issues. Um, so the first borrowing amount is planned for six million and that's in
024early January and our hope remains that Cook County is able to resolve their software upgrade issues prior to that borrowing, but we also recognize that may not happen. So we need to be thoughtful. Tonight's recommendation for that resolution helps to ensure that we have um done everything leading up to that date. Um and we have some plans in place should um everything um go as it it could potentially in the most favorable way. We don't have to throw out this money at all. But um if it doesn't, we are set so that we can make January payroll and pay for probably skipped over some really important parts. So I'm gonna turn it over to you. >> No, the the only one of the the key questions um that I've had for uh Raymond James who's
025been helping us uh with this with this borrowing and they've also helped us with our prior bond issuances is what you know not know the nature of this issue is that we're doing this tonight and like I feel like Thursday with no warning we could have a huge distribution in our bank account and we would get the email I would get the email that says hey there's a distribution and that's just kind of how this would go. Um, but that said, one of the nice things Raymond James has assured me is we are looking to place our short-term borrowing with another school district outside of Cook County. Um, the nice part of this is it would provide extra flexibility in that that school district has agreed that if we were to start receiving money prior
026to the the closing date in in early January, they would they would be willing to cancel the transaction. So some nice level of flexibility that probably just wouldn't be there if we had tried to place this with a with a bank or another financial institution. Um so yeah so the as Dr. Krimoly said the amount is large um that was at the recommendation of legal counsel just because of the unknown nature of of the reason that we're borrowing. Um, many times when you see school districts borrow, if if it's not because the county's late, it's because they have such small margins of of cash, but they know kind of a definitive timeline. We don't know a definitive timeline. And so the attorneys had advised to to make it a little more broad than than we
027might typically see. So that's really it. We're just looking to have that flexibility and be able to do what we need to do to keep things moving along if kind [snorts] of the worst case scenario happens. >> Um, how much does this cost us in in borrowing? Like presumably we have to pay interest or something, correct? Right. Um, and I I know that depends on how much we borrow, but >> so our first borrowing is slated for about 6 million and um that looks to be like it would probably be in the neighborhood of like $20,000 an interest cost. So like going through with it on the front end like just placing anything obviously we would incur some attorney fees um some fees with Ray and James and then you know we're probably looking at
028depending on what what our needs in a given month with payroll and accounts payable you know you're probably looking at 20 to $25,000. So, I really appreciate I support this plan and I'm very grateful for all the work that is getting us prepared to be ready for this. I just wonder is there any advocacy we can be doing as a board to sort of hold them accountable for this? I don't know. I mean, it just it puts all terrible interest from payments that we have not had on top of the loan. So I don't know if that's a really good question. I know that the advocacy groups have been acting. So, um, the Cook County IASA, which is the superintendent's group, has been, uh, lobbying pretty hard and communicating pretty strongly about the impact of
029not receiving these dollars, both in interest, um, lost interest revenue as well as now interest costs. Um, some districts certainly are are even more less less well off as we are, and so they've already been hit by this. Um, so we are I wonder what IB is doing or could do to advocate as your kind of lobbying agent, but it is it's a significant impact and um to be issuing taxation warrants is not something that school districts typically. So it might be a good question maybe to reach out to find out what their positions I mean, we [laughter] can talk. We can talk. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. No, I agree with all that's been said and what an unfortunate situation to be in. Um, and how grateful we are to be in a district
030like this that is financially stable and so well managed. Um, and again just to reiterate with the interest, yes, the distributions might come in later this week, but that interest is gone forever and every day that goes by, we continue to, you know, lose more money on that. So, the impact um of the timing is real and just grateful for all of the additional work that has to go into figuring this out as well. Right. Any other? Okay. All right. Then we will move on um to public comment. Another opportunity for the audience to address the board. Any audience members that would like to speak? No. Okay. Okay. Then we will move on to action items with our consent agenda. The next order of business is the consent agenda. Are there any items that the
031board would like pulled from the agenda? Okay, seeing none, Mrs. Paplas, please proceed with the motions. Um, I move to approve the personnel report dated December 15, 2025. I move to approve the intergo intergovernmental aid agreement proposal with the village of Wilmet. I move to approve the student fees for the 2026 2027 school year as contained in exhibit A of this report. I move to approve the accounts [clears throat] payable for bills listed between November 18th, 2025 and December 15, 2025 in the following amounts. Educational fund $121,8775. ON&M fund $41,283.99 transportation $168,580 total all funds $331,6694. I move to approve the manual checks issued between November 18th, 2025 and December 15, 2025 in the following amounts. Educational Fund 1,82,493.13 O andM fund $158,953.74 transportation $264.58 capital projects $6,570 TORS $17,360 total all funds 1,265,2 $2545.
032>> Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> The motion has been moved and seconded. Will the clerk please call the role? >> Niccastro? >> Yes. >> Allison Paffis, >> yes. >> Amy Bailing, >> yes. >> Aaron Stone, >> yes. >> Katie Hilton, >> yes. >> Judy Berlin, >> yes. >> Annne Hart, >> yes. The consent agenda is approved. I now need a motion to approve the resolution authorizing the issuance of not to exceed 25 million taxable tax anticipation warrants in anticipation of the collection of taxes levied for the year 2025 by the board of education of the district for educational purposes and authorizing the sale of said warrants to be purchaser thereof. I move to approve the resolution authorizing the issuance of not to exceed $25 million taxable tax anticipation warrants in
033anticipation of the collection of taxes levied for the year 2025 by the board of education of the district for educational purposes and authorizing the sale of said warrants to the purchaser thereof. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> The motion has been moved and seconded. Would the clerk please call the role? >> Allison Pafus. >> Yes. Amy Peeling, >> yes. >> Erin Stone, >> yes. >> Christine Dcastro, >> yes. >> Ian Hart, >> yes. >> Kitty Hilton, >> yes. >> Judy Berlin, >> yes. >> Motion carried. >> Okay, [clears throat] we will move on to conference items. Old business. Is there any old business tonight? Okay. New business. Any new business? >> Good. And welfare. Alison, >> um, we were chatting about this before the meeting, but I just would, um, encourage everyone
034to check out the Instagram, the late the new Instagram post by I guess it's D39, right? Um, highlighting some of the newer graduates and mapping their course over their graduation from fourth grade and then eighth grade and then on to new Trier. um it's really been a big hit in my house and so I'm really glad that um that they're up there and that we see it and that they give a little shout out to their favorite teacher. So um thanks to Leo and I think Carrie who who came up with that idea, but make sure you check those out there. I'll just mention that it was very exciting to hear about all of the innovative educator award nominations. I think 47 in the first year of the program is great. So, and I just
035love that this idea came from the educational foundation and it's just a fun new way to um recognize um our teachers. So, can't wait to see what comes of this. and I'm free in February for the big event if [laughter] it works and invited to attend. But I just um think it's great. >> It's been so fun to celebrate our teachers and pop into their classrooms and for many of them in front of their students recognize them. So, it's been it's been really really um it's been wonderful. So, uh February 19th will be the celebration, the awards ceremony. Um, and we're inviting all of the educators to join us at that event. Uh, we're still finalizing the details, but please feel free to mark your calendars to join us beginning at 4. Um, the for
036teachers to have an award ceremony is is something that's pretty noteworthy to recognize them. Great. All right. Um, let's see. May I have a motion to adjourn to executive session to discuss special education, individual student matters, specific personnel, and collective negotiations? >> Uh, yes. I move to um adjourn to executive session to discuss individuals, students, specific employees, and personnel, and collective negotiations. >> Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Motion having been made and seconded, will the clerk please call the role? >> Amy Paling. Katie Hilton. >> Yes. Yes. >> Judy Berlin. >> Yes. >> Ann Hart. >> Yes. >> Kristen Dcastro. >> Yes. >> Alison Pavil. >> Yes. >> Aaron Stone. >> Yes. >> Motion carry. We are now adjourned to executive session. The time is 7:36