2026-05-19 Community Unit School District 201 Regular School Board Meeting (LIVE)

001Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, oh the high Heat. Heat. Oh, oh. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh the Lord. Oh, heat, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, oh. Heat. Heat Heat up here. Heat. Oh, oh. Order the May 19th, 2026 regular meeting of the CUSD 2011 Board of Education. Uh, roll call. >> Leah Canover >> here. >> Heather Franklin >> here. >> Carlos Aia >> here. >> Tim Herman >> here. >> Adena Hoover >> here. >> Kevin Marin here. >> Alexandria Mill >> here. Stand for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Love it. >> That was the best pledge of the year. >> Um, okay. The chair will entertain a motion

002to enter close session to discuss specific employees, student discipline, and superintendent evaluation. So moved. Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Aia. >> Yes. >> Dr. Hoover. Yes. Miss Mill. >> Yes. >> Miss. Franklin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herman? >> Yes. >> Mr. Marin? >> Yes. >> Miss Conover? >> Yes. Okay. Motion passes. We'll be back. All right. Why do you have is in which those experiences are shaping both our students and the culture of 2011 in meaningful ways. While academics are always at the center of our work and something our students and staff continue to, we also know that learning and growth extend far beyond the classroom. At Miller and Manning, we're already seeing students preparing for the incredible opportunities that will come their way in junior high and high school. Two strengthening social emotional

003skills and learning how to carry those skills into Ryan Johnson's leadership, students apply engineering concepts while building collaboration, problem solving, and We are so excited to highlight just a from close session. Um the chair will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the April 28th, 2026 regular meeting of the board of education as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. >> Motion passes. Uh the chair will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the closed session of the board of education April 28th, 2026 regular meeting as presented. >> So moved. Second. >> Uh all in favor? I >> opposed. Motion passes. Do we have any public comment this evening? I don't think so. Okay. Wonderful. Moving on to our consent agenda. The chair will entertain a motion

004to approve the consent agenda as presented. Number one, personnel recommendations. Kathleen DS, psychologist. Adriana Tissell, Elementary Teacher and Retirements. Number two, approval of the May 2026 expenditure report. Number three, ratification of the April 2026 regular payroll. Number four, approval of donation from Office Depot to Miller School. >> So moved. >> Second. Roll call. >> Miss Franklin, >> yes. >> Mr. Herman, >> yes. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Miss Conover, >> yes. >> Mr. Aia, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Motion passes. moving into information and discussion. So, we did just kick off uh the kicking this off with the joint annual conference conversation. Just really quickly, um registration, if you didn't get the email, which I think an email came out to just about everybody, registration is

005opening. So, joint annual conference is the weekend before Thanksgiving every year. It takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And there are additional um uh sessions like full day sessions on Thursday that board members um can attend. However, those are an additional cost. So if you see one of the sessions, if you can make it on Thursday and you see one of the sessions that you would like to go to, let Shannon know. She'll register you for it. For the conference as a whole, Shannon's going to send out uh and ask about registration. Okay. Um, uh, partners are free, so significant others get to go to the conference for free. Um, and it's a wonderful time, two nights. Uh, it's all good. So, tell Shannon whatever you'd like. I would say though, air on the

006side of caution cuz you can't get any more time once everything's booked, but you can always potentially cancel days a lot easier than than not. >> So, I'll probably send an email next week. And if for some reason you can't go to both nights, it's still okay to do like Friday and Saturday. Like you don't have to stay for both nights. So if that's a constraint, it's okay. >> Yeah, there's lots of stuff to do. Um but definitely it's it is a time piece and it's a busy weekend. So >> Festival of Lights as well. Um the hotel that we stay at is right on Michigan Avenue. So, any questions about the triple I conference? >> Cool. Okay, moving right along on to Kangaroo Math. >> Oh, man. >> Yay. >> Hello. First of all,

007I'd like to thank everyone for allowing me to present. My name is Don Dispensza and many of you know I work at Manning Elementary School. This year I am proud to be involved with the p pilot program of Math Kangaroo at Manning School. You might be wondering what is Math Kangaroo. Well, when I was first asked to get involved, I was wondering the same thing. So, let me start from the beginning. We are very fortunate to have an amazing parent in our district, George Milovich. He introduced the idea of bringing Math Kangaroo to Manning at a PTO meeting at the beginning of the school year. Dr. Ryan approved the program and as many of you know, I love math. So without hesitation, I agreed to get involved. Math Kangaroo is an international math program. It's

008an enrichment program that includes a global competition for students in grades 1 through 12 across more than 80 countries. This year over 68,000 students competed in the program. In fact, years ago, one of our very own club members had parents who compete competed in Math Kangaroo in Poland, which really highlights the international reach of this program. Math Kangaroo promotes mathematical thinking, reasoning, problem solving, and a love for solving challenging puzzles. The pilot program was offered to all second graders. We did allow one third grade friend of the Millovich family to test the potential of including multiple grade levels in one session. We had 17 second grade students and one third grade student sign up to participate. The Milovich family generously offered to cover all the registration fees for all the members and also funded the

009practice materials we used during our meetings. The club met several times after school at Manning for multiple practice sessions. At our final meeting, it included the official international competition test. Students worked through a challenging and rigorous 75minute exam. I have brought each board member a copy of one of the practice sessions. I will take one. Pass it along for your free leisure. >> Um, >> are we doing those tonight or >> No, I'm not. No judgment. No pressure. >> So, you can see a sample of the types of questions the students were asked to solve. Before we recognize the students, I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to the Milovich family for their incredible generosity and supporting the program and making it possible for all the students to participate. Their support truly

010made this experience possible. I'd also like to thank Dr. Ryan, Mrs. Just, Dr. Balderman, and the entire board for being receptive and encouraging to allow these types of enrichment activities to occur. Programs like Math Kangaroo remind us that mathematics is not just about numbers. It's about curiosity, creativity, and the confidence to tackle on challenging problems. Today, we celebrate our students curiosity, persistence, and willingness to challenge themselves, and we are incredibly proud of each and every one of them. Before I call up the students, do any of the board members have any questions about Math Kangaroo? >> Just this first one here. >> Yeah. Well, I'll meet with you afterwards. I'll give you a tutorial. So, all right. Well, here we go. Some of our students, it's a very busy time of the year. They all

011weren't able to come. Um, but at this time, we'd like to recognize our Math Kangaroo students and present them with an award ribbon and a few prizes. Mr. Milovich, would you please step forward and um hand the students their prizes as I call their names. So, come on up. He's our hero. Um, why don't you and before we begin with the names, we'd like to present Mr. Millerich with a coffee mug as a keepsake of the club. Each club member sign their name and we thank you for being an instrumental part of Math Kangaroo. Here you go. >> Thank you so much. Students, please come forward when you hear your name and please stay standing so we could take a group photo at the end. And audience, please hold your applause to the end. Um,

012and here we go. I'm going to mention all their names even if they're not here. Again, with baseball season, a few of them regretted that they couldn't um, join us. Um, Alex Lean, I don't believe he's here. Anna Devidok, yes, come on up. Come over here. Here you go. And why don't you come over here? We'll start lining you guys up. >> Congratulations. All right, here we go. Ka Harold, she's here. Come on up, Kora. Right here. Well done, Cora. Eleanor Banzac was unable to attend. Email Bronowski was unable to attend. Leila Gerillic, come on up. Ila, here it was unable to attend. Logan Martenddale was unable to attend. Luke Petty has a baseball game, >> but Luke Ted's Loss is going to a baseball game. So, come on up, Luke. We'll get your award.

013Thank you for your commitment and dedication. >> Mia Milovich, come on up. She's the daughter of the great Mr. Milovich. Come on up. Mia >> Parker Petri, she's our third grader. Come on up, Parker. We have Riley Rayornne. Come on up, Riley. And then we have Ruby Brittick. Come on up, Ruby. Tim Goodsy was unable to attend. And we also have Zoe Gerillic. Come on up. We have Zoe Guzman. Come on up, Zoe. Goodies, Zoe. And Zoe. And the final member of our club is Oliver Koska. Now Oliver, it was his parents who participated in Math Kangaroo in Poland many years ago >> and we got the results. Oliver is ranked 12th nationally after taking the test. Congratulations. >> All right, we'll take a quick group photo if that's okay and then we will um

014be on our way. But we'll wait for Oliver. Oh, it is adorable. >> We'll let Oliver. >> All right. >> Trying to scooch over. >> Are you going to get in? >> No. >> Yeah. Jack, you got to go in. >> No. No. Get your rose in you guys. >> Yeah, you guys can get in more there. >> Yeah, >> he's going. >> Jack, you can get in there. >> Wait. No, no, no. Wait one second. Thanks guys. >> Good job. >> Congratulations. Must >> be one of these kids. >> Thank you to all of our parents. Thank you students. >> Students, >> Mr. Milovich, thank you so much. >> I really >> And Don Despensza, I want to say Don before you exit. >> Oh, wait. >> She's out. >> I'm out of here,

015Jack. >> You don't have to listen to her anymore. Hi. Hi. It has been >> heard. You don't know. >> I would be remissed if I didn't take the opportunity to say Dawn is just an incredible member of our team here. Uh she trains other teaching assistants. Her knowledge and dedication are off the charts. Her commitment to our kids and the quality she brings to the classrooms where she works. She's an incredible uh staff member and we're most grateful going above and beyond. But you do that every day and you have for years. So, thank you so much, Don. >> My pleasure. Thank you very much. I love my job. >> Okay, >> wonderful. Good way to kick off the meeting. Um, let's move right along to our next discussion item. Growing leaders in CUSD

0162011 showcase of student service clubs and leadership. >> Is the AV working? >> No. Your hopes sound. >> You put so much time into this. Would we consider just postponing it until time we can get things right? We that that would be fine. >> That could be fine. Or we could put a lot of time into it. We interviewed so many teachers about so many programs. It's phenomenal. And it really just speaks to >> our district as a whole, not only in academics, but globally. So, we'll we'll give it another try. Yeah. Video he'll be able to >> It is It is long though to put this. >> That's the thing. It's like >> So, it'll just be for us. >> Okay. That was coming through here. >> So, we'll see if if you cannot

017hear it, then we can >> we can do >> Yeah. And you said maybe put the microphone. >> Did he say it was broadcasting online though? >> He just here. We can't hear it. >> Maybe. >> Okay. >> But we want you. We are thrilled to share just a snapshot of the many opportunities our students have beyond the classroom and the ways in which those experiences are shaping both our students and the culture of 2011 ways. While academics are always at the center of our work and something our students and staff continue to excel in, we also know that learning and growth extend far beyond the classroom. At Miller and Manning, we're already seeing students preparing for the incredible opportunities that will come their way in junior high and high school. Two examples we'd like

018to highlight today are Social Lunch Bunch at Miller and Student Council at Manning. Social Lunch Bunch supports our kindergarten and first grade students as they build social skills in a structured natural setting. During lunch and in small groups, students get to practice conversation, listening, friendship, and communication through guided interaction and peer modeling with the support from our incredible speech and social work staff. They are building confidence, strengthening social emotional skills, and learning how to carry those skills into everyday moments at school and beyond. At Manning, student council is giving students real opportunities to grow as leaders. They take on meaningful responsibility through schoolwide projects, teamwork, and service learning. Whether they are organizing fundraisers, leading donation drives or planning school initiatives, students are seeing the impact of their work in real time. From supporting organizations like

019Ronald McDonald's House to helping fund a buddy bench, they are learning what it means to serve others while building pride, ownership, and confidence in their school community. At the junior high, our students are thriving and discovering their passions. And honestly, it is hard to tell who's more excited, the students or the staff supporting them. What is clear is that these experiences are led with purpose and energy. There are many opportunities available and we are so excited to highlight just a few. The Future City program gives students a chance to take STEM learning beyond the classroom. Under Brian Johnson's leadership, students apply engineering concepts while building collaboration, problem solving, and communication skills. They design cities around realworld challenges like food waste, blending creativity with research and critical thinking. Students move through the full process from research

020to design to presenting in front of professionals, building confidence and realworld readiness. The Black Student Union in its first year under April Field's leadership provides a space where students feel seen, heard, and connected. With about 12 students involved, BSU centers on identity, belonging, and student voice points. Students lead cultural celebrations through Black History Month announcements, MLK reflections, bulletin boards, and themed lunch activities. Rotary Interact gives more than 50 students the chance to engage in meaningful community service while building leadership skills. It also provides our students with service hours that help fulfill community service requirements while connecting their work to real impact in our community. Students support school events and community partnerships, including family fun fairs, library programs, and outreach with seniors at Mae Lake. These experiences help students connect learning to purpose and understand the

021value of service while building confidence and civic responsibility. In athletics, our students continue to show growth, resilience, and pride. Wrestling made school history with regional and sectional championships and the first ever IESA single A team state championship. Cheer placed 15th at state. Girls basketball finished sixth and fourth JV 4 and five. Boys basketball focused on development with a young team. Baseball competed in its second season and it's building toward IESA state. Softball finished four and four. Track and field grew to nearly 60 athletes, our largest program ever. Cross country sent 13 athletes to sectionals and one advancing to state. Soccer continues to grow, especially among younger athletes. Across all programs, students compete with determination and pride. Across all of these experiences, students are building confidence, finding their place, and growing as learners and leaders in

022our schools. Our Westmont High School fine arts program offers a comprehensive and inclusive experience for students in grades 9 through 12. Nearly 50% of Westmont High School students participate in fine arts each year. Students have opportunities in visual arts, band, choir, theater, guitar, jazz, AP art and design, and AP music theory. Students participate in more than 30 performances, productions, exhibitions, and community events annually. Fine arts students regularly earn regional and state recognition, including ILMEA All Seed Honors and Scholastic Art Awards. This program helps students build creativity while preparing many for future opportunities in the arts. Westland High School, NHS, Rotary, and PRC are incredible clubs at our high school. National Honors Society inducted its 50th class this year and currently includes more than 80 student members. NHS, Rotary, and PRC together provide leadership and service

023opportunities for more than 100 students. Students complete meaningful community service projects including food drives, toy drives, blood drives, backpack collections, and share the spirit Christmas along with many other community service projects. Students actively support school and community events such as STEM night, PTO events, 9th grade orientation, and the fatherdaughter dance. Partnerships with Rotary and PRC Westmont expand opportunities through literacy projects, scholarships, food pantry support, and community outreach. These organizations help students grow as leaders while making a positive impact on both the school and local community. West High School also has the Suburban Agriculture Club. Approximately 80 students participate in Suburban Agriculture Club with 20 to 30 students actively involved each week. Students gain hands-on experience in agriculture, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and leadership. Club activities include gardening, hydroponics, beekeeping, honey harvesting, candle making, composting, recycling, and

024wetland cleanups. Students support the community through farmers markets and produce donations to local organizations like PRC. The program is highly studentdriven, giving students ownership in planning and leading projects. Our coming goals include expanding garden technology, restarting beehives, and continuing to grow hands-on learning opportunities in sustainable agriculture. We have many athletic highlights for Westmont High School. A few of those include our volleyball team earned a 30- win season, repeated as conference champions, and won a regional title. Boys soccer won the program's first ever IHSA regional championship. Girls cross country won conference with athletes advancing to state and national competition. Boys golf had a strong season with two sectional qualifiers. Boys cross country earned multiple allconerence honors and a sectional qualifier. Girls golf continued to show strong growth and competitiveness. Football showed continued improvement with a young

025developing team. Cheerleading helped lead school spirit and hosted another successful biddy cheer event. Girls basketball repeated as undefeated conference champions. Wrestling advanced six athletes to sectionals and one athlete to state. Boys basketball showed strong growth with a young roster. Baseball repeated as conference champions and recorded another 20 win season. Softball won its first conference championship since 2000. Girls soccer earned a share of the program's first ever conference championship. Boys and girls track and field both repeated as conference champions with multiple allconerence and state qualifiers. We want to thank the board of education, our COOSD 2011 staff, and our community for supporting the whole child in community unit school district 2011. Thank you all so much. >> Awesome. That was fabulous. >> That's all we have. >> Exceptional. Exceptional. Thank you. >> Thanks, Carla. That was

026great. Thank you so much. >> Anything happens with that video? >> Yeah. Board comments, questions. >> We are going to >> probably share it on social media. >> Share it. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think maybe a postcard for for the summer. Um we we had a maybe in the Westmont magazine. We'll we'll figure out some ways to get it out because it is important. We do so much and there's so many questions about you know >> we only focus on academics. We Yes, we do and so much more and and we wanted to make sure that that was reflected. So >> will it be on our website? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes, we can do that. Yeah. Any other questions or feedback or suggestions? >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next up, our Westmont High

027School course approval. >> Good evening. We us know, >> right? >> You guys are just they're testing this today. >> A lot coming at us. Yeah. All right. Let's get this party started. All right. >> Okay. So, today we're going to go over our course approval for the World Language Department. Then we're going to share out some beautiful data with you guys. I'm Vicki Gomez. I'm the World Language Department coordinator and Spanish teacher at Westmont High School. >> And Mary Cassier, assistant principal at the high school. Um, so the first thing before I share with you guys the course description, we just wanted to share the growth within our department. I'm super excited about the opportunities that students have who are taking Spanish and French too, but we're focusing on Spanish today. Um, being in

028a language classroom is such a wonderful place. They learn about language, culture, they work on their modes of communication, presentational skills, speaking, interpersonal, um, and their interpretive skills as well. So, we have had such success um the last couple of years collaborating with the dual language program, the dual program. Um and we've had a lot of students being placed in level three and three honors. So, for example, the incoming freshman class, the 17 students that we assessed that Bropha Seedine and I assessed along with Andrea at the junior high, all 17 of them for the class of 2030 um place into level three or three honors. So that would mean as they enter as freshmen, if you look at this sequence of coursing here and I've got the description and there are links on here

029too if you want to read in detail about the descriptions. So as they enter in 9th grade as in Spanish 3 or three honors we focus on these three modes of communication through ACTL and we develop their pre-AP skills. Um and after level three they go into AP Spanish 4 where they can take the um Apple test to assess for the seal of bi literacy or for commenation toward by literacy which um Miss Cassier will talk to you guys about after this uh core sequence. Um and during that time they can also take the AP exam as well. So when they go into their junior year they enter Spanish 5 honors which is our COOD dual enrollment course that Mr. 17 teaches um with Miss Derpich from COOD and they get six college credits through

030that and then when they go into their senior year um these 17 students which we actually have a group next year that what needs to be in six honors but since we just recently assessed the class of 2030 we're looking at long-term making a home for these 17 kids and then the year after another 18 kids and then native speakers as well. Um so their senior year they would enter the course that we would like approved this evening Spanish six honors. It's a literature course. Um and during this course they focus on the textbook that we uh adapted and got approved is called anorcha and I have it linked right here if you guys are interested in looking at it. It's through um one way education. Um it's got the 37 texts that are used

031on the AP Spanish literature exam. even though it's not an AP course um throughout this course they will not cover 37 texts in one school year um but we do I actually give them the AP lit I teach AP Spanish 4 the Spanish language and culture course and I always give them the list um believe it or not there are students that are interested in reading Spanish literature over the summer um if they want to get ahead and then they can go into AP Spanish literature maybe having read a few of the novels then Mr. Sebine will will work on those of the 37 texts this summer. He's writing curriculum to decide which ones he wants to focus on, but they will have that list. So, if they do want to take the AP Spanish

032lit exam at the end of the year, they can be successful. As long as they are willing to put some time outside of class, um, which these are wonderful dedicated language learners, I would think that there'd be plenty that would be interested. Um, so the course description for sixth year honors Spanish students will continue to develop their interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational skills, which we do from levels one all the way through six honors. Um they will develop critical reading skills as well as analytical writing as they explore the literature that they're going to focus on which is short stories, poetry, um plays, uh novels, essays from authors from Spain, Latin America, and um popular US uh Hispanic authors as well. So they're going to focus on different time periods, a variety of literature, poetry, um

033and novels as well. So, that's a course we would love approved. Um, and I've also linked I linked the textbook and it shows you um all of their learning targets and I've also linked the AP Spanish lit and culture exam which is like the guiding course of this textbook that we adapted. It works with the text from the AP exam as well. >> Okay. >> Yes. And oh, actually and as we're on this one too. So throughout our four levels of Spanish from three honors and even our levels one and two, but for our incoming freshmen that are going into three, these are the skills that we work on um and that are um also worked on in the AP or I'm sorry in the six honors literature course as well, which leads into those

034are the same ones that are assessed in the seal of >> the seal of literacy. So the seal and the commenation of bititeracy um our students as as Miss Gomez mentioned they have the opportunity either through the Apple exam or um through the AP lang or lit exam um to qualify for the commenation or seal of bi literacy in the state of Illinois. And so that's in addition to the credits they would also gain um by taking those AP exams. So, um, the state distinguishes by the level of proficiency, um, and then they award students on their diplomas with a commendation or the seal. And so, um, as Miss Gomez mentioned, everything is linked in here. So, when you review this presentation, the state seal, if you just select that, you can open that up

035and it will share with you um, how many credits students um, stand to earn in the state of Illinois, either in community colleges or in state schools. Um but just for a general reference, it's anywhere from about 8 to 12 credit hours for students who earn um the commenation or the seal of illiteracy. So feel free to take some time to kind of review that. But our last piece that we're really excited to share with you tonight um in addition to of course requesting for the course approval um is our senior data um that's coming out tomorrow at our awards ceremony. And just as a point of reference, in the state of Illinois, um 12% of students across the state of Illinois receive either the seal or commenation. And we are proud to share with

036you that 44% of our graduating seniors this year will be receiving either the commenation or seal at New Westmont High School. So yes, that's um in French and SP. So, it's not just French and Spanish in our department, but they assess what we use the Apple exam to assess in um Russian, Spanish, and in French, but then students that speak another language at home assess. So, we also have Polish, Romanian, um and Ukrainian as well. So, we're super proud of these kids who showcase their skills, not just from obviously within the classroom, but their native languages. And then it also shows it's not that they're just proficient in another language, it's that they're proficient in English and another language in all modes of communication. So it's really impressive cuz they can't just get it in

037the target language that they're studying. They have to have a high level of proficiency in English, too. So it's very impressive. >> So our numbers um so 16% of our seniors got the seal. um 28% got the commenation and commenation is a wonderful both of these awards are wonderful obviously the seal is the highest but with commenation if you look at the link that Mary posted there's so many credits that they're able to get >> Northern Illinois for example I use that one as just kind of a point of reference um Northern Illinois is eight credit hours for the commenation and then they they get 12 credit hours for the seal so U of I is eight credit hours for the seal so It's >> feel free to spend some time on it. It's really

038nice. >> If you click on them, there's a bunch of links on here, too. And if you go to the one with the course sequence, >> typically class college classes are like three credit hours. So, we're really three to four for language. Yeah. >> Four college classes in high school >> and really for growth in Spanish, especially with the six honors course that we're hoping to get approved. >> Which one did you want to pick? >> Oh, that one's perfect, actually. So, if you look at the and you guys can click on the links, but for example, under in sophomore year and they can um assess to try to get the seal and take the Apple exam. >> Yeah, this one's perfect. Um >> as freshman in their Spanish 33 honors course. And what's nice

039is it saves Apple at least for Spanish and French. It saves you you're assessed in four areas and it saves the areas that you got it in and then next year you can work on that one area maybe that you are still struggling with if it's interpretive reading or presentational writing which is wonderful. So then they do that um their sophomore year. So then you can get the Apple credit for college. You can get the the seal or the commenation credit. Our five honors gives you six credits from COOD. And then >> the potential Lang and Lit Lang and Lit where a minor I mean they're so close to getting a minor coming out of high school. Um so we're super excited about the growth and the opportunity for our students that are taking Spanish

040and are interested in learning about another world or a little bit more about their own. Any questions? >> Okay. Great. Sounds >> Thank you. >> No, it's impressive. Three and a half times the rate of the state for our kids. The success is amazing. The opportunities are incredible. The advantages they are going to receive by this program. So, it's truly impressive. Nice work. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. So board, just so that you know, typically this would be a split between two meetings. We would have uh the discussion here and then we would approve it on the next. We're in a little bit of a time crunch because we want to get this approved with registration and whatnot and they have to get schedules done. So that's why it's on why we're discussing

041it and approving it on the same night. So, but that's not typically what we would do. Okay. Um benchmark contract renewal >> and exactly what Leah just said about that is the same for this um typically so benchmark advance for kindergarten through fifth grade is the resource that we've been using since I think 2018 2019 um so we've had it for a while and over the past couple of years we um have done a lot of work around our EL ELA curriculum so that is our primary resource but we've developed assessments around it we've created pacing guides scopes and sequences um unit mapping we've incorporated instructional best practices using benchmark as our primary resource. Um, so we've done a lot of work around it and typically if we were just going to roll over the

042next year, we wouldn't come for approval. But as I was talking to the benchmark rep, um, they showed me a three-year renewal that would save us about $6,000 if we did the three-year renewal versus just renewing it for one year at a time. So, all of that is in um you should have all of that information and um if we were to renew do the three-year renewal, it's about $83,000. One-year renewal is about $30,000. Um and that is with the costs now. So, if you do a three-year renewal, you're locked into pricing. Um and that if we did a one-year, that typically does increase every year the pricing. Right now, it would be locked in. So, right now we're looking at a savings of 6,000 if we do threeyear. Um, we do not have any

043intention of moving away from Benchmark within the next 3 years. So, um, that is my recommendation to if to approve a three-year renewal agreement with Benchmark for kindergarten through fifth grade. Does anyone have any questions? All right. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, moving into policy first reading. Who's who's taking you taking >> I thought I heard someone start. So um I can say in summary um so the committee just went over the recommendations we have pressed um they are the experts um and for good reason and they um go through policies and look for updates of changes and everything like that and so they give us recommendations and we usually take those again they're the experts in looking at policy for um school boards and for the for the state really. Um I can say

044the majority of things there were no like profound changes I think we have to discuss today. So you'll go through it you can look through it yourself just to make sure you agree with that but a lot of things were updates or you know changing um sometimes something as minor as a comma I think like things like that. So overall I don't think there's any if Kevin agrees there wasn't any huge things I think we have to bring up >> right. Yeah there's nothing earthshattering footnote changes like like Adena >> sources. Yeah. So, and press their team of lawyers, they're the experts going through this. So, we follow we should follow what they recommend. And sounds like most school districts do follow what they what they recommend. So, I don't think we should go against

045what press is advising. >> Um I we always have their things we want to clarify. Um so again no major questions but we one thing we did that we said we would just clarify and look into it's um on one of the recommendations for get it right. >> Oh Carla has it. >> Oh have the answer. >> Okay. So what was the the subject? I want to get that right. >> It was 4165 I believe. >> Yeah. If you look in um on um the board docs, this 4165 is uh discussing awareness and prevention of child sexual abuse and grueling behaviors. Basically, we wanted to know was our practice compliant and so we just Yes. So, I looked that up. So, it did say that the changes in there um was to remove some language

046of prior written notice in there. So, typically this is the Aeron's Law presentation that we give every year. We give everyone 5 days of written notice because the state of Illinois has a um general broad parental opt out. Now they've just couple they've just put it in there. So they removed that language saying you need 5 days um of notice for that because there's just a broader opt out. So that's the clarification on that one. >> Okay. And and I think in in summary for that, I believe our practice is good and what we do. >> Yeah, we talked to um it is typical we always send home a letter when we do this law presentation and that could continue to be part of our procedures that we always send home a letter prior to

047that. >> Yeah. A lot of parents opt out. Yeah. >> Right. Yeah. Right. There is that broad opt out like parents can always opt out of that >> um >> at any point. at any point. However, it is good practice to send the letter home. So, that could be part of our practice is continuing to send that letter home. >> Yep. >> Thank you for the clarification. >> So, I think that was our biggest discussion. >> Um, but yeah, if you have any questions, then we'd approve that the changes or updates next meeting. But >> nothing. And the press issue was in our board update also which also kind of explains it. That's >> explains it a little bit differently also in addition. So >> questions. >> Okie dokie. We will have so then we

048approve this at the next meeting, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Parent and family engagement policy. That's Naen which is also part of the update in the press. Another one of those explain this much better. We I'm asking thank you board of education Dr. Bddererman. One of those other situations where we have to bring it to the board to discuss and then requests an approval by the end of the meeting because of the time crunch. Every year the district has to write a consolidated district plan, which is um a comprehensive plan that addresses all of the title grants and the um special ed grants all kind of lumped in together. And as part of that comprehensive grant application, which you have a copy of in your um in your documents, uh we address uh

049parental invol involvement and this idea of writing a parental engagement. They they they're calling it a policy even though it's not a connected to um board board law or whatever. we have to address it specifically and be and articulate what we're going to do to involve parents and I just when I we wrote this we followed the template that was offered to us by ISBY and so we just uh addressed customized it based on our own actions. So um this policy will be then uploaded as part of our consolidated district plan and that's the consol the consolidated district plan has to be submitted soon because the grant has to be submitted by the end of June in order for us to start to spend by July 1st. So it's kind of like get to keep

050backing it up. So that's why the timing is tricky. Do you have any questions about that? >> So so it follows ISB. So again expert recommendation. Yeah, I just took it's a it's it's kind of an administrative procedure and once again it's this is all laid out in press. So this was a template that >> you discussed it to and speaking to it like you I think you said the word since it's administrative procedure this is not um >> technically it doesn't follow underre policy we won't find this in the policy >> explicitly this explicitly cites the specific board policies that it connects to >> in the document but it's not the policy like capital P >> it's it's Yeah, it was confusing for me too. I kept kind of looking in the documentation saying

051are we calling it the right thing? But yeah, this is what this is the the template that they've provided for us and it cites the policies that you have approved and um it lays out how directly how we connect parents. the this policyish was also uh required last year but the the difference between what we did last year and what we're doing this year is we have to have it board approved. >> Okay. >> So we have a meeting to have parent um feedback every year. We've always done that. We've always posted the compact on the website. Uh we've always involved BPAC with the discussion of the grant um expenditures and how we we are we how we spend the grants. Um but this sort of formalized document is required to have your signature. >>

052So you say you do that before you submit grants or you do involve? >> Yes. has to be attached to the CBP to the consolidated grant plan >> and it has to be submitted as soon as possible because I must have that in uh to Isby before we can submit >> the uh special and the title grants. So it kind of like goes right behind it. Okay. >> So that's why the that's why I'm asking for your approval today. Any other questions, feedback? It's a lot of paper and procedures and all that type of thing, but right, thank you everyone. Thanks. >> Thank you. Meeting. >> Okay, town hall recaps. So, the next kind of three items are all like related to town halls. So, they might like, you know, kind of overlap a little

053bit. We're going to try to we're trying to like tease them out as much as we can. So, We had about 40 people in attendance. It was Yeah, please. Edith. Edith's going to join. Are you here? >> Well, you can just do it. >> Okay, I'll start. You may want to add. We had about 40 people in attendance. It was uh it mirrored the previous uh meeting that we had. The presentation was the same. We had some different questions. Uh I thought it was it gave us some feedback that we could utilize. Uh there were questions uh that were concerning about traffic patterns that Spencer helped us to address. Uh of course the financial issues and the burden to taxpayers was present. Once again we know that's true. There were also some supportive comments about

054you know this is the time the longer that we hesitate the more expensive this option becomes. And there was also a question about what happens if this does not pass. and we laid out pretty clearly the devastating effect of having to repair buildings at the expense of quality education for our young people. So, it's really imperative, as we've said. Uh, Edith, do you want to add anything? >> So, we've had three town hall listening sessions. We've had over a 100 community members attend those sessions. Really fantastic questions. um presentation really includes information on the Miller site, land acquisition, just a history on facilities, our ongoing challenges, and then a significant portion we made sure we left for Q&A and we want you to know that we are compiling all of those questions and we'll have

055answers. Everything is posted on our website. So if you visit our website, you click the about, you can click on forward together, you will find so much information including all of the recordings to the sessions and the answers to the questions. So also contact information for any one of us if you if you have additional questions. So just want to thank community members for coming out. It was very helpful. >> It was any questions about town halls? Um can I ask about any different from the um virtual one? >> The virtual session had some in-depth questions about TIFF and it it differed because I don't I think some of the pointed questions that we attempted to answer tonight were not present in the Zoom meeting. Mhm. >> I think we really got down to the

056most important issues and the ramifications of not passing that did not uh that was not a focus of the Zoom meeting as an example. So >> the Zoom meeting didn't go didn't actually go like the full time. >> Um we took questions or I shouldn't say we the administration took questions via the chat. So, we didn't have just because of the sheer number of people kind of logging on and logging off and dinging and all those things, we didn't do questions like unmute yourself cuz it was >> yeah, >> just not it was not going to be effective. So, we took questions via the chat and it wrapped up like five five or six minutes early, maybe 10 minutes early cuz they there were just not not a lot more questions. So, yeah, I was

057a little surprised by that. Um I would say for the FAQs just as we post those can we just you know make sure that we're looking at them and the answers from from the view of would every taxpayer understand this right so we're not using we're not using super specific or not super specific but technical language in those answers or we're explaining the technical language so that so that we're really thoughtful on those answers. Anything else on the town halls? Okay. So, next up, uh, this US201 the administrator recommendation. So, kind of what we do from here. So the we we had given the we'd given the administration the direction to start gathering or not start but to gather information from the community and they chose to do that via these three town halls. Now

058these three town halls have completed. So what do we do? What would you guys recommend we do from here? >> Yeah, I'm confident that I speak for the entire uh cabinet of our administration in 2011. We're unified in our thinking. It's not just based on this past spring's work that began with the finance and facility committee meetings and where we presented options and then we got some excellent feedback and then we held the town hall meetings and received more feedback through the listening sessions. But it's really the product of the last couple of years of engaging the community that included dozens of town hall meetings and hours upon hours of answering questions. and we're confident that we see something very positive happening. The village has been present in our most recent meetings. They've contributed in

059a meaningful way. We feel like we're in partnership. They have presented the idea that we've proposed could be of great benefit uh financially to the community. Uh the location was something that has been somewhat contentious over the last couple years, but I think as best we can, we've reached a consensus on a location that the community can get behind. No solution is perfect, but I think this is the best available solution to us. So, we feel like we have collaboratively listened, built a consensus, and we have uh nearing a recommendation. The only thing withstanding is the board's upcoming uh conversation and that's the choice of the board about how they wish to engage with the community and we will abide by that uh your wish is there but we are save that we are becoming

060more comfortable with the feedback we've received to make a recommendation to the board and I would believe that could be forthcoming. And do you have a recommendation for continued community engagement? What would you like to do there? We would like to hear the board's wishes about how you want to proceed by engaging the community and from that we would most certainly um depending on the recommend we would make a recommendation and then get the direction from the board and then by all means uh starting as soon as possible. We we want to if this is the direction we're heading in, we want to go back to having open format town hall meetings where we present in detail the recommendation that would have been approved by the board and listening carefully in the way we've done

061in the past. uh quick presentation on overview and details and then taking every question uh without hesitation to get the citizens and taxpayers the information they need to make an informed decision. >> Good questions. >> Yeah, there are questions but I think it so like you said I think it's starts to meld into the next one >> a little bit. So, we need to talk a little bit about the format. >> Yeah. Like the format for >> So, there's a couple different things that we need to like within the format. Um, so the town halls, sorry. Um, the town halls are administration meetings. So, um, we as a board directed the administration to gather input from the community and the administration translated that into we would like to do it via town hall meetings. Those

062are administration meetings. So, they're not meetings of the board of education. Um, so they don't have the same kind of pieces to it. They they don't have the same they aren't required to follow Robert's rules. They don't they don't need an agenda. It's the administration gathering information. So, um, so there was a question from the board member. Uh, Tim asked about potentially kind of doing these as a, um, as a committee of the whole meeting. So, essentially translating these or transferring these from an administration meeting to a board meeting, which would make them subject to Robert's rules, agenda, etc. So, we need to talk through that. Um and also we need to give the we need to decide kind of um timeline stuff right. So because we we have to be we have to keep

063in mind our deadline here right we must make a decision by August 23rd if it goes on the ballot and um that is our that is our like drop dead deadline and August 18th is our last board meeting prior to that. So, we kind of need to decide like how we want to discuss that ballot measure in our 18th board meeting or if we'd like to schedule a special board meeting to do that. So, and this is all to give the administration direction on um do we want to continue having meetings or do we want to continue kind of gathering or give this direction to the to the administration um so that they can communicate it and then kind of what's our last when are we going to decide? Okay, because that's effectively the last

064time that community members will be able to give us um public comment about this. um because once it once we decide once we make a decision on that ballot essentially our the rules change >> um as far as what we can communicate and it won't be back on our agenda until after the election. Um so we want to be able to have the administration be able to communicate that kind of like last chance situation and also so that the community knows about it. Well, not that is why right so the community knows about it. So there's a number of things that we need to kind of talk about. Um, so I would suggest that we kind of start with the format discussion and then we go from there. Is everybody okay with that? >> Yes.

065And I'll start since I was the one >> I was going to point to. You want to come to >> I was going to say Tim, take it over. I uh I asked for this to be an agenda item for this meeting because it's my belief that we need to hold a more like a committee of the whole type of meeting as opposed to having the town hall so that the board as a whole can engage with the community with questions and our questions to them but also their questions and answers back to us. And obviously a public comment um uh period doesn't allow to do that. And the only um uh format that I that I saw that allowed to do that was to do something like a committee of a whole or hold

066a special meeting but I think more is a committee and not really uh a formal board meeting per se. So like we have held uh finance and facility uh committee meetings but instead of doing that we make it more of a committee of the whole meeting so that we're all here we're all available to hear the questions and discuss uh those questions and answer qu and and ask questions to the community in a setting like this. I do have a question. I appreciate that. Thank you. Sure. Um do do you see it as one I'm looking at timing too. So this comes like you said this all gets meshed and do you see it as one meeting um like timing for that? What do you >> I I actually think we should have more than

067one of those. I think there should be at least two of them. uh you know, maybe we should try to fit one in uh before the uh before June. I know there there was a suggestion that we should maybe try to fit it in next week. That may be too quick. Um but I would like to see if see us fit one in and then maybe do one sometime uh mid to the third week of June, something like that. I wonder if this if that meeting um should precede the administrative Q&A sessions. So I I just don't I see if we're going to be gathering the community to a answer and ask questions, what's the difference between in theory between a asking the board and then asking the administrative team, right? And so I wonder

068if it needs to be now that we've had these three admin town halls, is there a board committee of the whole meeting? And then if you wanted to continue doing those Q&A like you mentioned, those follow because we don't have a lot of time. So, so if I get So, there's So, we do have some recommendations on this from ISB and from the lawyers because this this kind of floats into a bunch of different ways. Um, sorry, I lost my train of thought there. Apologies. Um what we have been doing town halls this batch last year the year before are from ISB and from our own legal team are a generally accepted way to engage with the community in a referendum. So it isn't it's what got they've got lots of um examples of how

069other towns use this town hall Q&A format and they are all done in the same way. it is an administration meeting that's doing the Q&A. So from from ISB their legal team and then our legal team. So there's there's that piece of it. What we're doing is generally accepted to be the kind of the standard process in in um in doing this committee meetings and committee of the whole and the pieces of it that kind of play out here. Once something becomes a board meeting, we now need to have an agenda. Okay, which we do for our committee meetings. We have agendas for the committee meetings and we a committee meeting has an outcome. So it the committee meetings are meant to do the work of the board. Okay. Essentially so the board is asking

070the committee to look at data, work on a budget, consider this information and give some type of recommendation. So what we were kind of doing with our finance facilities committee meetings prior to the town halls was we asked that committee, give us a recommendation. what do you want us to do? Right? Do you want us to continue doing the thing? And it said yes. Okay. So, that's kind of our committee meeting piece of it. The committee of the whole um is absolutely a super valid board meeting 100%. Um and where IB recommends it is in very narrow instances. So for instance, strategic planning and the reason for that is because you are more likely to stay on agenda because once a board meeting goes off of agenda, we are now in violation of um open

071meetings act. So, and that's where truly like kind of the core difference between an administration meeting and a board meeting fall into play is that board meetings are meetings that happen in the public, >> not with the public. So, there is not a way for the board, all seven of us, to take questions and answers on a ranging topic. And that's the concern is that the referendum topic, right, could go far outside of the agenda and then it is individual board members speaking for the board >> cuz isn't there a spokesperson for the board? >> Yes, that's the president. Yes. >> Yes. >> So lucky. So So that was my my concern with this. I guess I asked myself what what are we trying to get out of out of that type of meeting the

072committee of the whole um like what answers are we trying to get espec and to your point um it's there like what what are we getting that we don't get from the town halls and then my other concern is that I think what was eloquently stated by Leah is just getting off like I I don't want it to be a question to Adena Hoover. How do you feel? Like I don't I don't think that helps this person this this process because it becomes that what and then I want to be correct and we have people for that to answer. We have our architect, we have our um construction our buildings manager and so cuz they I felt like our community ask specific questions and they get that specific answer. they I can answer, but I

073feel like to get that best answer, you have people on a panel that are sitting. We have our president and then we have our um our architects, our construction um people, our building um the uh principles that run our building. So, and I'm listening to it all to make a decision, but I don't know. I think this is so broad and so many different ways that it can go. I just I have concerns about that. I think I'm like both ways. I think it's important to I love discussing with the community. So, I want that too. But just for this, I just I'm >> Yeah. I mean, I think it's important because I do think that there are there's at least some in the community that feel that we haven't fully built the trust. And

074I think this is something that would build the trust because it gives us an opportunity. For example, I may have wanted to ask a question today, but given the given the format of the town hall, we're constrained and if I ask if I ask a question and there was one other board member who wanted to speak, then we're in violation of the open meetings act. So if three of us or four of us want to ask questions in response to somebody else asking a question, that committee of the whole gives us the ability to do that. And the question can still be directed to uh Jack or Joe or the architect or anybody else >> who can then answer that. But at least we're able to articulate what were, you know, questions that we have

075because there are legitimate questions that I have and in a town hall I feel constrained about asking those questions. >> So Tim, since this was your suggestion, you're you're what I'm hearing you say is that is that you would like a forum in which you can ask questions because there really isn't there really isn't a way to inter interact with with with the community. That's that's your is that the main reason? Is that the only reason or is that what is that? >> That's that's the main reason. I mean we did it at you know we had uh finance and facility meetings and there were more than uh two board members present and and it and we had free discussions about stuff. >> Mhm. >> Why can't we do that? >> We didn't have free

076discussions about stuff. We had an agenda. >> Well, we had those so those pieces kept it in line and because it's a smaller group, you're able to say, "Whoa, whoa, we're going off top, right?" Like we could not have for instance if somebody asked something to Spencer tonight from the village like that's out of agenda. We would have we couldn't have guessed what questions came in tonight enough to get them into the agenda to be able to discuss them as more >> depends on Let me Can I finish real quick because I I just I want to make sure that I'm understanding why we want this meeting. So I get what you're saying. I think you're right that the the only way for for a board member or multiple board members to ask and engage

077with the community in this way is to have some type of a committee meeting. So then I'm going to ask the rest of the board is there is there's the desire to do that by other members. I don't have that desire. I don't have that need. So I don't I don't I don't feel a need to have this type of a meeting that you're talking about. But maybe there are other board members that do. So I don't know Kevin Adena, do you guys feel that you want to have the opportunity that Tim's asking for? I don't know if I personally feel like I would want to. I would be curious if there are community members that had a desire to engage with the board and in seasons of referendums in line with open meetings act.

078How does a community engage with the board? So at any time, seasons of referendum or not, and this is why we have it, the board has a spokesperson. So our our board um oath, okay, is that as is that the board speaks as a whole. We are seven members and we speak as a whole when we've made a decision. So if we've given direction to the administration, the seven of us may have given individual direction but the administration takes that and kind of overlaps what's the and and then we confer we say hey are we saying this is the direction we're giving the administration as and everybody yes or no right so that is a that is a um going along with the will of the board even in an instance where it may not

079be necessarily your individual desire it is the will of the board as a whole to go in that way. So that's where you get into really kind of tough in my opinion. That's where it gets really really hard to hard to distinguish um because as the board spokesperson when I'm speaking as the board president and I've been invited to these meetings to speak as the board president, I'm speaking for the seven of us, for these seven members of the board. um based on what we've done in the past, right? What we've the different direction that we were given over the last two years when some of some of us were not on this board. Okay. But so I'm communicating the will of the board for the board during that time. >> I understand that. But

080if if I was a community member that wanted to come to the board of education to pose questions or curiosities, I wouldn't be able to receive there is >> there is no mechanism for that. >> Okay. >> Um that the that you can't kind of like any question any time. >> So in a committee meeting >> add something that they do. >> So all this is constraint. It's frustrating, but it's a constraint. You do a comm community member can ask questions of the board, but they're asking to Leah. >> Okay. >> So, they so they is not really room to go down the line. It's not really an avenue for that. Like I said, it can be frustrating that way, but I think that's the thing within a constraint there is. >> Yeah. It sounds

081to me, Leah, like your like your biggest issue with this though is just the size of the meeting. not the ability to write an agenda because we can write an agenda on on the you know for a meeting like that very easily. What you're concerned about is >> No, my concern is the agenda and that is also IASB's concern with it is specifically that you couldn't capture all of the pieces in an agenda. >> Well, I read on ISBA's web ISB's website is website that they conduct all of their meetings as committee of the whole meetings. It's it was actually on their website and I read that. So if they can do it, why can't we do it? >> But they're doing it within the constraint. >> Sure. >> So they're discussing a specific topic

082>> and and to that point I would say that is their standard practice and so it is an accepted practice. It is not our standard practice. And so trying for for my opinion on this is that trying to create a new practice in the middle of an ongoing activity >> only hurts because the endlessly what what what I have seen in the past and what the board has gone through in the past is the endless moving of goalposts. though and and endless moving of goalposts and frankly lots of conversations about how inappropriate the board acts, breaking laws, etc. that are not true. And so I for me personally, I think trying to change path on what is already a standard process, something that we've already done in the past and we already have the mechanisms

083for invites, well now why are they doing this now? Because they're trying to hide something else or whatever that may be. So I think it just invites additional movement of the goalposts when we are following already our guidelines the standards and what's already in place. >> Yeah, I think not doing it uh um invites that speculation that we're trying to hide stuff. I think that we that that doing it is different and we and we want to show the community that we're treating this differently this time and that we really want to do so do it differently this time than the past times that we've done it. And that's and that's really what my you know to answer your question Carlos that's it's really more about saying to the community we're going to do this

084differently this time. We're going to listen to you. We're going to engage with you and instead of us just saying we're going to listen, we're actually going to do it. We're actually going to sit here as a as a full committee and we're actually going to engage with you guys. >> See, that's hold on though. I want to I want to make it clear. I'm I'm not interested in engaging in that way. That's exactly what I'm saying to you, Tim, is I'm not interested in having to field wild questions out of left field. Hold on. Just let me finish. And and so um you said 10 minutes ago this was about your opportunity to ask questions. That's what you said just 10 minutes ago. Now you're saying it's about receiving feedback and reacting to that

085feedback. >> Well, no. When I when I initially said this, I said it was about both. Yeah, >> it's my desire to want to ask questions certainly, but I also think it's about receiving questions because when you receive a question, >> it it it it may raise other questions that you >> and this board has a procedure for receiving questions and responding to them. We already have a procedure for that. >> So again, if it's your desire to ask questions, I understand that. I don't feel the same need, and I'm I'm I'm still interested to hear if other members of the board feel the need to ask those questions. when it comes to responding to questions and giving feedback, we already have a vehicle for that. So, I'm not I'm still not seeing the need

086yet, but maybe if there are other board members that feel the need to ask questions, then maybe there is a good reason for it. But I don't I'm not seeing it in this discussion. >> Um, so I I just been taking some notes. I have a couple points, but to the last point, um the idea of like doing things differently so we seem more open, I think it it leads to trouble because again, we're supposed to speak as one board, right? So like my own opinion on something, if someone's asking me a direct question might not be the opinion of the board. And so I worry with an open format like that, it becomes this, well, I think this, Adena thinks this, Kevin thinks this, right? like it it becomes this well what do you

087think Tim what do you think right I I worry about that and again I think the town hall meetings allow them to ask questions to the board we have a board representative there if if the community had a direct question to the board about something about the board and the board's decision we have Leah there to answer those questions so I feel like the idea that they can't ask us questions or that we're somehow like not being open. I I think that's false. I think they have the ability to ask that question and they have the ability uh to have that question answered again. But two more points. Um I don't think having this type of open meeting would bring any more or different answers than we've already been given. I think that's kind of

088where I'm more so leading with this is that um there it's very clear that there's one kind of our our questions even if we asked them as a board even if we had a couple of questions that haven't been answered it's not going to change the administration's recommendation for for the the referendum like it's very clear the recommendation is going to be one specific recommendation so even if we had additional questions which I don't I feel like all of my questions have been asked and answered by community members or by the board itself. I don't know why like I don't know what that meeting would do in my personal opinion. I don't think it's going to change anything and I don't think there's any really a whole lot of questions that need to be asked

089at this point. So those are all my points. I mean, my view is it's going to change perception and that's and that's and that really is one of the big things that's different and it's going to change perception of how we interact with the community as a board. And I know that I know that we have a spokesperson, but that's one of the biggest problems that was facing the referendum the last couple of times was the perception from the community that there were things being hidden or that we weren't open. And and that's really what it what what it's meant to do is it's to change. I mean we can all sit here silent if we want and just listen to the questions being asked and we don't have to participate but we're here >>

090but I think we are we are participating like this so when those questions are asked like you said perception and I get that um but we've over and over again have responded to those questions as a board that's how we have to receive questions as a board I don't for this particular topic I don't think with all the questions that come through, we charge our administration. Okay, we get these questions asked over and over again. And that's the history I have because I've been here longer. So, I I know that, but then it's just like how do we provide an avenue for people to go and look at previous questions that have been asked. So, not it's not just for me who know the answer or that community member that came. And so we charge

091with that and we're gathering questions that not personally I need to ask on a given day that can be answered and it's there to answer. And then another charge is how do we get that information out? I think for this and I think there's times for that. I think we always have to engage the community on different things on work the work and committees this goes forward. We're still engaging we we still need to engage the community on different avenues. This is passed. we still engage the community and maybe there's a room for that type of thing. I just I think with this particular topic where we've gathered so much already I don't know how much it'll add. >> We kind of know the opinions of different sides or >> can I make a possible

092suggestion? Mhm. >> So I'm hearing I'm hearing I'm hearing I' I'd like to ask there are questions I would like to ask which I assume is in inopen in some form in public. Right. Um and how we interact with the community and you know changing how we interact with the community. Um right our job is to come to consensus. Seven people coming to one thing. So um and the admin's job is to make recommendations and we've got to come to consensus and give them direction on those recommendations and sometimes approve them and sometimes not. Um I'm wondering if there is so what is kind of hitting me is that this discussion has been going on for uh 23 years. Okay. I don't know how decades I've been on the board. Uh me and Adena have

093been on the board the longest at five years. So we weren't even six >> six cuz I've been on five. >> Um so we weren't even here when those initial discussions started. So the the board members do have a format for discussing and asking questions and it's the board table. It's in open and it's the board table. That is our protected time. we can ask whatever questions we would like to in open recorded here at the board table. The community doesn't have that same time of protected time and also keeping in mind that there there is no mechanism for the seven individual board members to interact with the community on a topic like this for a reason. We so we we are constrained. We can't interact with the community in any way that we want.

094We are constrained by legal pieces. There are those really true legal pieces. So, what about if we and and I realize that Tim, you've been on the board a couple of months, Heather a couple months, Alex a little bit longer. You know, there's a lot of questions that me and Adena and Carlos and Kevin have asked over the last five, six years that you haven't been able to ask in open. >> True. >> You haven't been able to ask and get those answers in open. So, there is like a wild amount of information that we just have been able to ask and and I don't want to take that for granted. And it to me that's a little bit of what I'm hearing is that maybe we're taking for granted like all of the questions

095that have been asked in the past and that's fair. So what about if we did work into our next couple of meetings a agenda item, okay, to ask those questions and in that the administration would provide to us the questions that have been answered via the town halls any you know all all of those pieces um and we can communicate and discuss and ask any questions during that time about I'm going to guess that the questions that you would like to ask and open are about kind of stuff that's happened that we've already done or like things that we've already talked about. I mean you you've said that there are questions you would like to ask. So >> in response to some questions that were >> in response to community questions. So >> yeah something

096to that like kind of compromise kind of thing cuz I again like you said taken for granted that I've I've done it and been in a town meeting as president to go like feedback and back and forth. Is there a way within our rules? I don't know if there's a rotation with you that >> Yes, >> it's the limit is two. >> The limit is two by open meetings act. So, and yep, the board the board president is able to, you know, do a spokesperson. We can absolutely do that. Um, there there's not a lot of going back and forth. I will be there's not a lot of like follow-up questions. I will be honest in my experience in the town in the town hall. So, if if the administration were able to get that

097list of FAQs as well as kind of the questions or I'm sorry, the answers um to us and then we could discuss them in open during our board meeting and ask those questions. Would that be a potential compromise? >> So, you're saying then we could ask follow-up questions based on the answers. >> So, we would be potentially asking follow-up questions. Now look, divvied up by time, okay? Cuz it wouldn't because again, board meetings are meetings that happen in the public, not with the public for a reason. So we don't have that kind of back and forth ability immediately. But if we discussed it during an agenda item during our meeting, if we had the town hall questions and the answers that were given um and then we can discuss the seven of us answer ask

098any follow-up questions. Hey administration, we would like to know more about what this um person asked about. Okay. Or some type of direction, right? Some follow-up piece. That's not to say that they couldn't necessarily, the administration might not be able to reach out to that person and ask them that follow-up question. Effectively, it's creating a back and forth with an with an intermediary. Look, timing is not ideal, but >> but I'm asking, >> does it does it is it maybe a compromise that could that could work for the next couple of months? >> I have another suggestion and I don't want to chime in if you but I do have another possible recommendation. Go ahead. >> If if the administration is planning on more town halls, I I think it would be beneficial for you

099alongside a rotating board member as desired to sit with you on that. I think it engages the community. I think it shows the visual that we're all like we're in this together. It gives other board members opportunity to speak into things. Um, and I think it build it has the potential to build some trust in in the culture of our community with the board of education. >> Yeah, that's what I was I like what you're saying, but I was like I that's what I was getting at is the interaction. I think each of us kind of like to get at not just the like thing, but it's it's being able to speak even if it's not to answer technical questions. is being able to just interact with the community. And if we we're given that

100um that um we're we're giving that picture, we're giving that opportunity. I don't know. I don't even know if that's something you're you would want as a but I I just I don't know if that's just a way that um a board member can feel a part of that town meeting and can speak freely. some, you know, and >> who's going to answer a question that I would ask, though? I mean, if I if I asked a question, what if the community member had a, you know, had a followup or wanted to or wanted to add additional information and then there was an additional question, >> they they ask it, >> right? But I mean, in the FAQ format that you're talking about, >> it would take more time because essentially the administration would be

101acting as an intermediary. So if we had a question and then so we're limited by our board meetings, potential special board meetings if we wanted to add any in there. Um so it would it would just take place over the course of our meetings and the administration would be the intermediary to ask that follow-up question of the community member or well I guess community >> or us. Yeah. Yeah, >> real quick. Your suggestion is that go ahead with the town halls and have Leah and Tim in one case, maybe Leah and Aden in another case, Leah and Kevin in another case, >> be able to speak at that meeting, be prepared to speak at that meeting. Correct. >> Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Tim, does that sound like a a compromise to you? >>

102I mean, I kind of think the opportunity was there, but I also felt that that that, you know, there was some constraints, too. And I would also like to hear what some of the other board members think. I don't again I'm going to say it again. I don't have that need. I don't have the need to say it. I don't have the need to re receive the feedback. In fact, I'm really glad that you said what you said about um your belief that it will change the trust level that certain members of the community have and you think that that's a primary objective cuz I couldn't disagree with that more than than I could than I do. I it's it's amazing how often we've engaged with the public and still there are certain people that

103are entrenched in their positions. And the only time they smile at me is when I handle hand candy to them during the holidays parade and then they realize who I am and they then they take the smile off their face. So I don't know whether you're right or you're wrong. But I do believe that you're wrong. I believe you're wrong. I don't think it changes perception at all. But if you feel that and you want that, then you should pursue that. And I think that Heather's suggestion is a wonderful vehicle for you to do that. I disagree with you because I think I'm one person. And I think that if we're sitting here as a board, whether you want to ask a question or speak at all, that's your prerogative to do that. But if

104we're here as a board, even if it's just me asking the questions, it still shows that we're unified and that we're and and the perception is still there. So, >> I understand that you may not want to ask the questions or may not want to speak and that's >> again. I don't want to do it again. >> Okay. Well, it's okay. I mean, I and and and it would be your choice not to at a at a at a forum like that, but maybe somebody in the community asks a question that has never been asked and that and and and you say, "That's a really good question. Now, I'd like to respond." >> Yeah. I'll take the risk. I'd like I'd like you to to do that if that's what you want. And there's and

105that I think Heather's suggestion works. I mean, if that doesn't work for you, I don't know that we have a solution. >> Uh I we haven't heard from Kevin. >> Thank you. >> Time. >> I'm actually in agreement with Carlos. I have no great interest in I I'm more like to listen. I like to listen to our experts answer. Um, I do want to hear what the community has to ask, but you know, I think we need to speak as a unified voice. >> You know, I like having the spokesperson. You know, I like having time to think about things. >> Mhm. >> You know, not off the cuff answer. Um, I would be perfectly content if you want to answer questions. I don't have an issue with that listening. >> And I think that

106it's two different things. Like you you said you want to hear us discuss. This is the avenue for that. If you have a question that you like to hear what each of us feel this is what this is for and it's timing right I don't I don't think the community needs to come for open meeting that they can speak freely to listen to all of us speak that's not the point that's you know so if I think the time for the board member me uh board meeting is time for me and you to express what you feel on a certain situation and then we vote and we all go around and discuss our thoughts and things like that. I I think with our community, we need to hear them. And so I'm not interested in

107hearing us speak in front of them when I want their voice. So yes, let the community ask questions, say how they feel. Um I need that from town hall meeting. That's why I asked. And then we have time and our platform to speak here and and what we want. And so I just think with that with time is time is of of the essence. And so I need a lot of that time to get some of those questions and comments. And yes, if a board member wants to speak with address certain questions and issues, I think that's fine during those town hall meetings and we're still within um our laws that two board members are speaking at um a meeting. I that's that's just how I feel on something that is an active board topic.

108That is important for for OM distinction. It is important that it's an active board topic. So Shannon just gave me let's talk let's talk timing, okay? Cuz really >> we're going into summer. I don't know if you guys know but school ends next week. I'm terrified. Um so we're going into summer and we typically only have one meeting per month in summer because it's not there not a lot of action. Um and also it is summer. We are all pulled in a million different directions. Staff is 10-month staff. So much of the staff is not working in summer. Okay. So, our next three meetings, we have one meeting a month. 616, 7:21, and 818. Again, we have to make a decision on the ballot measure, which means that by 8:23 deadline, okay? Which means that

109the administration needs to make their recommendation on if they would like to do if they would like to do a ballot measure. They need to have the ballot measure written. Okay. And then we need to vote on that ballot measure by then. Okay. So there's I like to back into things a little bit. These are our scheduled meetings. 616 721 818. Jack, how many town halls in the next couple of months? And maybe Edith do you guys would you guys like to have you thought about how many you'd like to have? You want to have you want to have one a month? You want to have one every other week? What's your >> Whoa. >> What's your vibe? >> Um, I'd like to have several prior to the 6 uh 16 meeting. >> 616. >>

110In 3 weeks, >> you would like to have several town halls. I just want to make sure that we make that statement. >> I go couple, few, sever. Does everyone do it this way? Couple is two. >> Yes. >> A few is three, >> and several is more than three. Is that how you think of the word several? >> That's a good description. >> Here's what I would >> I just I want to make sure that what we're what we're talking about is realistic from a communication standpoint as well. >> When we did the town halls previously, we did them in fairly quick su succession. Mhm. >> We held a dozen of them. >> We won't be able to. That's not several, >> but >> we also scheduled them much further than 3 weeks out.

111>> Sure. >> We as a team, admin team, we would like to have bring a proposal. >> There's only >> we we're not waiting till August. If you're asking for our recommendation, that's too late in our opinion. We want to get an earlier jump than that. So to be able to come to the board with some more information, I don't I mean, yeah, we're in a tight deadline here, but it is what it is. >> So I I want to clarify what I'm hearing. you would like to, the administration is prepared to make a recommendation on a ballot measure >> prior to August and you would like to do it >> at least in July or are you thinking in June >> with all with all cander? I July would be the latest. >> Okay.

112But that would mean >> Mhm. From a communication standpoint, the minute that we approve the ballot measure, we no longer get an opinion. >> Would it Can I ask? Would it be to >> So, what what you're saying, Jack, like I I have a hard time with the three in the next 3 weeks, but >> is it optimal to say that we are working on this, but voting to have Just I'm I'm saying if if we're going forward and I'm looking only at that way, we're looking to approve a ballot measure by August. >> Yeah. And so so I guess actually in theory you guys could make the recommendation and we don't have to vote on it until August. I was going to say if there >> what should be a discussion item on the

113mid July the July 21st meeting the >> so the recommendation in our own discussion about it is are two different are essentially two different things >> okay couldn't we call a special meeting to discuss the recommendation I mean we could always >> so that's also why I wanted to lay out what meeting dates we already have okay on on the books so yes we can so we have we regular business at all three of these meetings. Okay? They're not they're not 30 minute meetings. We've got regular business to do. So, there is a very valid argument that we actually set one special meeting >> to discuss and vote on or just discuss >> just discuss >> with no action. >> Okay. Now, that we could do as a committee of the whole, but it's us

114discussing. So, the community would be able to do public comment. we wouldn't be able to ask follow-up questions of the comm of the community, but we would be able to discuss amongst ourselves that those public comments because we're only talking about this. >> So, if it's a committee meeting and not a board meeting, why does why why does there have to be a public comment type of uh of time period? Why can't it be a discussion period? >> Because it's because it's a committee meeting. It's not a board meeting. >> That's not what I said. a committee of the whole meeting for just discussion with no action. That's another piece of the committee of the whole is that it's so every time that we have a board meeting that we have an agenda and we

115have no actions, which by the way almost never happens, that is a committee of the whole meeting because we haven't taken any action, >> right? It's still a committee meeting, right? >> So, we could schedule a special meeting, okay? have the agenda items fall within our standard board meeting kind of procedures for a special meeting which would allow for public comment at the beginning and the end that would allow for the public to kind of speak to us. Now if we wanted to the board the administration could give us the recommendation that night or prior but we could protect this time as a special meeting for us as a board to discuss >> the recommendation itself. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Yes. We would not need to take action on that night. We could we could

116put the action in fact I would recommend that we put the action on another night but if it's if we end up doing that like in August so in theory we could put a schedule a special meeting on the 823 date and discuss this but the action item would have to be that night also. >> Yeah. >> Which look we've been discussing this stuff like essentially non-stop for four years. So that's >> you would have public comment at that special meeting, right? >> There's every special meeting would have public comment. >> Yeah. Yeah. For sure. We could have it both I think. Sorry. >> Okay. No, >> I was just going to say that we could have it both before and after we discuss which would allow for plenty of, you know, >> so I

117think that's a better compromise than than any of the other compromises is to hold a special meeting where we discuss it and have public comment before and public comment after our discussion because >> that to me strikes >> that hits that hits what you're trying to do. >> Okay. Now, I do want to I do want to add to that. We we I'm sure that we can suspend this, okay, for a one time instance, but our guidelines for public comment allow um 30 minutes for public comment, no more than each subject lasting 20 minutes and each community member gets 5 minutes. So, I'm sure that we can suspend that or for an evening. Okay? >> I would just suspend the total time. I wouldn't suspend the 5 minutes cuz there are going to be plenty

118of No, no, no, no. I Yes. So, so >> there might be 20 people, >> right? To my point on dates, okay? Cuz if we're going to suspend that, we have to talk about it at a prior meeting and we have to approve it at a prior meeting. So, this is like some of this backup stuff that like Robert's rules and the right how we operate. >> I like this approach and I like that Tim likes it. I like that you think this is >> I think it's a I think it's >> probably a meat of >> I think it it >> it's not perfect but it's a good compromise. >> We look we're not going to get perfect because we can't we're not legally able to interact with the community in the way that

119we would all like to. >> Mhm. And that's one of the that there's nothing harder about being on the board than >> bit tongue >> than biting your tongue >> not being able biting your tongue and not being able to to >> speak for it hurts >> for everybody like and always have to think about I need to speak as as one. I have to if we've there is literally nothing more frustrating about it and it's particularly challenging in really small communities. There is actually >> on the Sunday of the triple eye conference they have the um board member parent hat board hat parent hat. I went to um it's a phenomenal one. I did it my first year as well. It's a ton of a generally a lot of small districts end up in

120there because you're in a situation that we are in which is where we are two miles square and we know we are we know and people like right which is very very different than downers grove hinsdale clear right so it is a particularly challenging and frustrating item for us so >> can we make a suggestion to them that they do a board member non-parent community member >> it's the You can you can do it as well. >> I like that. >> It might they might even have adjusted the title. >> Make a special hat for you. >> Yeah, >> I think it's I think it is. >> I think it is actually board member hat, community member hat, parent hat or something like that for that. Exactly. Because Tim, >> we've got there are lots

121of board members across all of Illinois that don't have kids actively in the district. >> One of the I sat with someone at the conference. She didn't have kids in the district anymore. Yeah, it's I boy I serve on Sassid with people who've been on boards for 35 years almost 40 years. Some of those members, okay, they don't have you can't have children that long. They do it cuz they love it and they want to serve their communities. It's another way to serve your community. So >> So look, these things these supports exist. Okay, so >> no summarize. >> Here's what here's what I am hearing. 616 721818 currently scheduled board meetings retain standard agenda. >> Yeah, that's standard. >> Yes, correct. >> Are already scheduled meetings. Yes. >> Mhm. >> The administration can continue

122to hold town halls at their leisure and the expectation remains about communicating them as fast as you want, >> as fast or as slow as you would like. Um, we would like to hold at least one special meeting to discuss the referendum. Okay. And the potential ballot measure. Arguably, you guys should be able to make that recommendation that night so that we know exactly the ballot measures are are legally like >> right the the words that we matter >> like are you can make change nothing. So if you guys have So there is a piece of like that language that we actually that we do need to talk about and if we need to talk about options for the language. Um I think we actually looked at like two different ways to write it last

123time and then we ended up approving one. Um, in any event, so we would like to have at least one special meeting to discuss. The administration can make their recommendation at that time and that will not have that won't have any action unless there's something random that we need to approve that will occasionally pop into a special meeting. Um, >> and when do you guys want to have one of those? Do you want to have two of them? Do you want to vote on the on the ballot measure the same night? I do want to be really clear. Rules change about what we can communicate and how we can communicate as board members the day that we vote. If >> Yeah. >> Because I'm not guessing any of your votes if the board decides to

124vote yes. Okay. So, >> what we can say changes as board members. What the administration can say changes. The rules of communication change when we do that. So that is something to keep in mind. >> So will there be a doodle poll? >> I would I would >> I think there should be more than one special meeting then. I think we should have one >> maybe a doodle poll for the dates, but let's get like what we're asking for. >> I think we should have one in >> and I I'm already going to tell you I'm limited. So >> you're not limited. >> I'm I was just going to say the same thing. I I I I've got no problem with us having more than one. I don't know that I will make more than

125one. >> Yeah. >> I I I mean, just scheduling and and I I know the dates we're heading into. We're talking about vacation time. We're talking about >> sports travel time. We're talking about a lot of things here and I and I honestly I mean it might be valuable to schedule a couple. I I personally don't think I will make more than one. >> Um let me ask you guys a clarifying question. would you like to so new board members so that you guys know um the the board's done a lot of work on really committing to like the board schedule to to be respectful of board members time. There was a lot of time there that our free work was equal to our full-time paid work. Um so we've done a lot of work

126with that. So, one of the things that we did besides just making sure that we schedule our community our committee meetings for the year and our board meetings for the year and we stick to them is that we we essentially made the commitment that um if we do a special meeting, we try to keep it on a Tuesday. So, we try to avoid anything board related on a date outside of Tuesday because generally we only have meetings on Tuesday. So, it's the most likely day that the board members would be um available. Would you like me to? We can send out a doodle poll with all of the Tuesdays between June 16th and 8:18 and you guys can fill in what Tuesdays you would be available or would you like to open it up to

127other days of the week, but then we would need to really talk about like what week are we talking about? Obviously not well maybe July 4th. I don't know. But um >> July 4th is Saturday. >> Do you want to keep it on Tuesdays or do you want to open it up for other days of the week? >> Start with the Tuesdays. Let's start with that if it's coming up like is >> you're proposing a special meeting. >> Yeah, >> multiple. >> Well, we're going to we're going to start >> let's start with our high. >> Let's start with who's available. So, >> Tuesdays or other days of the week? That's my first question. >> Tuesdays. >> We can always come back to other days. >> I'm going to start calling you guys quiet corner.

128You got to give me something. >> We can do either. I'm fine. >> I'm on the day of the week. I can I can usually make a day of the week for >> Okay, let's start with Tuesdays. >> We send a doodle poll >> for all of the Tuesdays. >> Let's get wild. Let's do all the Tuesdays between now and >> 23rd 8:23. Don't we want to wait until we're discussing a recommendation from the from the administration? And isn't the administration interested in having some town halls between now and the time they make their recommend? >> What I want to gather is what's even everybody's availability first? >> Okay, I hear. >> So, if we gather like, hey, this week and this week like six or seven board members are all available on this Tuesday,

129that's going to drive some of these. Wouldn't it be like from 6:16 to 8? >> That's what we said before and she's opening it up to earlier. I I I think it only makes sense to have it after >> 6:16 to 8:23. >> Yeah, that's fair. >> Done. Okay. >> Can you send that out for them tomorrow? Can you guys please fill it out before Friday >> and then we will get information in the board update because by the way we have a month until our next meeting and so there's no way for us to talk about this. Um, so, uh, we'll have information in the board update. As far as like, look, if it only ends up there's one day where we've got like seven people available, we got one, okay? We got one

130special meeting, but if there's multiple days, so in the board update, we'll have how many board members are available on each of those Tuesdays, okay? And then I'll follow up with you guys over the weekend individually, and you can tell me your preference, okay? and then we will go from there. Is everybody okay with that? >> Am I understanding correctly that this special meeting will be a different kind of format where there will be board members asking questions and then public? >> No. >> What's the purpose of the special meeting? >> The special meeting is you guys make your recommendation. Mhm. >> The board is able to discuss it >> all seven >> as a board and there is our standard public comment prior and at the end of it where the community is is

131always welcome and we can on the 616 meeting talk about decide if we want to suspend the >> the timing rules >> the 30 minute total. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. the 20 >> 616 meeting agenda >> because we will have to suspend it for the special meeting. >> Okay. >> I hate to >> lots of moving conversation. Can we just do this meeting in that format on the 16th? The the administration makes their recommendation. We keep the time limit and then if we need to schedule another meeting because it we had to cut off our time, we already have our availability. >> It depends on the what we have on the agenda already. This special meeting is just for this topic. Yeah. >> And if we're going to open up the timing for people to

132give public comment, that's going to extend the time. So whatever other business we have, >> but don't we have public comment anyways? We do. Yes, but we're we're talking about opening that up so 10 people can speak. Right now it's 30 minutes and probably a good five can speak. >> Well, it's 20 minutes on each topic. So technically you could only have right now per our board policy four. We could only have four comments on public comment prior to and four comments on public comment to at the end. So we just it's suspending those pieces of it. I think it is the challenge with fitting it into the existing meetings is we already have agenda items that we will have to go through those days and we don't know what they are. In in my

133past experience on the board >> that leads to >> okay really long and late meetings that aren't super effective cuz we're here >> like tonight >> super late. I'd rather >> No, we we've gotten away from doing um special meetings. Um what are they called? Special meetings. Special meetings. um we've gotten away from doing them and so you have believe me we did a lot of them >> okay >> whenever things were were were goofy uh directly during and after the pandemic and and things needed to happen on timelines based on >> rules that were written in Springfield and all kinds of crazy stuff and and so um >> and then it became almost like standard practice. Oh, let's have a let's have a special meeting for that. had a special meeting for that and

134now we're trying to get away from that. But this this honestly from a >> I I think I like special meetings even less than I want to engage in that conversation you were talking about earlier, Tim, but but I but I think this one makes sense. >> Okay. Can can we get feedback from the board because to make it clear if we're on the verge of making a recommendation to the board about going for a referendum that the next time we advertise a meeting a town hall that we use that word to make it clear to the board. >> So you're just asking for approval from the board to use the word referendum >> in your communications. Well, the next I mean I think it'll draw a different attention >> and we're very clear, transparent,

135direct. >> This is one of the final meetings before we make a recommendation to the board that we're asking for input about a potential referendum. >> Mhm. >> And if we say anything else, facilities meeting, I think it gets lost in the ether. If we say directly we're talking referendum again that will get a people's attention. >> Yeah. >> As it did when we had the town halls the first time round in the fall and well actually spring, summer and fall of 24. We had very good attendance over 100 people on average at those meetings and we held 10 of them. So if we say we're going again at least we're being very clear and direct. So I I think my opinion is that you can use whatever language you would like to use provided

136that it does not give the impression that um the plan's going to come be part of creating the plan. We're out of plan ideas like so I don't want to create the impression that give us your new location ideas, give us your new like and I think that that is a a little bit different. That is different from what we did in the past. In the past, we were really inviting folks into the into the conversation more to get more ideas. >> But I think that my opinion is that use whatever language you would like to use. Short, sweet, simple. And but don't give the impression that don't give the impression that it's like come help us write the ballot. I don't know. Like this is the plan. We got we got no choices in

137the plan. Does that make sense? >> Absolutely. We've already processed it. We had a series of finance and facility committee meetings. Then we've held some meetings with the public. And to be frank, we don't really we've kicked around different options for 2 years now. >> We're coming in on it. So, but it's just to once again open up the opportunity to the community to be able to ask questions and hear directly from us. Even though we had, you know, 50, 30, 40 people, that's we can get more people here. >> Yeah. It's It's just It is Q&A. It's just not >> It's not Come help us. >> Yeah. >> Uh or are you guys >> I'm fine with that. >> I'm fine with it. >> Okay. I'm good. >> I mean, I if you want

138to use that language, that's fine. I I I I I'm not sure that I mean if you think we're at that point where we need to start using that language then I'm okay with it. We in my opinion we already have been engaged in this. We're putting slides up with you know looking at seven properties. The only way to do that is through a referendum to me. We've been talking referendum for the last month. >> Agreed. Because you cannot purchase those properties without a referendum. We can't build a new school without a referendum. I >> mean, we really can't do anything. >> No, >> without a referendum except >> I mean, we've kind of and I feel like we've been processing not just since we've been processing since May of 24. It's been two years

139we've been listening, processing, proposing, getting feedback both at the ballot box and at these meetings. So, and I feel like we're at a point where we have parties coming together and I just want to be transparent with the community and say like we did at the meeting tonight, this is what we've heard. This is the proposal. Give us your feedback. Okay, it sounds like use the language that you would like to use. Okay, what other what other direction do you guys need? >> We don't I would like to hold some level of meetings and I believe at that time that we will be ready to make a recommendation at 6:16. >> Perfect. And then I know that you are going to want to proceed with maybe discussing it that night or and I'm not expecting

140your vote on that night, but >> well, let's figure out any potential special meetings, okay, >> before we decide what day a recommendation is made. >> Okay. >> I think it's okay to say that the aim is to give it the 616. I agree. >> Yeah, I agree. >> Which is fine. and then but yeah I think at now we wait and see what our dates are let's so that we know exactly what meetings we have to discuss with the board >> okay um what else doodle pole keep it to Tuesday's special meeting to discuss no action on that special meeting we'll decide on ballot measure action which you guys can have the ballot measure determined well before whatever if you decide to go that way, but we will decide on the ballot measure on

1418:18 unless something else whatever. >> Are we all good with that? >> And we still open to have even more discussion in July >> at that next formal meeting one. Yes, absolutely. Yeah. >> Um >> and potentially a second special meeting if >> depending on Yep. So doodle poll will go out everybody get back to it. the sooner the better, please. And then um so I can get it into Friday's update. Um and I'll show or if you just pop into Friday's update, how many people for So Shannon will put into Friday's update how many people are available on each of those Tuesdays and then give me a call over the weekend at some point. Okay? And tell me what your preference is. one or two days and which of those days depending on how

142many people we don't need to know who's available on those days. We just need to know how many people are available. >> Fair. >> Sounds great. >> Okay. And then we will all come back together and any look for just make sure as always that you're checking your board updates because we do have essentially a month and that's going to be the mechanism to to communicate anything between now and that 616 day. >> Yep. >> Cool. >> Good. Does everybody feel good? >> Yep. >> Ish. >> Is Do we feel compromised? >> Compromise. Do we feel like we have come to a consensus? >> Everybody give something up in consensus. There you go. Beautiful. Okay, moving along. Now I have to find what page I was on. Um, let's go to action items. The chair

143will entertain a motion to authorize and direct the treasurer to pay bills received in May 2026 for the 2026 fiscal year as presented. >> So move second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Herman, >> yes. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Miss Conover, >> yes. >> Mr. Aia, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Miss Franklin, >> yes. >> Motion passes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the new course honors 6 Spanish at Westmont High School for the 2026 2027 school year as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Miss Conover, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravia, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Miss Franklin, >> yes. >> Miss Herman, >> yes. >> Motion

144passes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve theou between Kate Moon Reese Moon Wellness LLC, contractor of Oak and Elm Collective Therapy, and Westmont High School to provide counseling services to high school students from Westmont High School as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Miss Conover? >> Yes. >> Miss Ravia? >> Yes. >> Dr. Hoover? >> Yes. >> Miss Mill? >> Yes. >> Miss Franklin? >> Yes. >> Mr. Herman? >> Yes. >> Mr. Marin? >> Yes. >> Motion passes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the three-year renewal agreement with Benchmark Education Company for Benchmark Advanced 2022 K through5 ELA resources in the amount of $83,272. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Abia, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes.

145>> Miss Franklin, >> yes. >> Mr. Herman, >> yes. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Miss Conover, >> yes. Motion passes. The chair will entertain. Will recommend. The chair will recommend. Yeah. Why are we saying recommend instead of entertain? >> Tripping me up. Sorry. >> The chair will entertain a motion to approve the multi-year contract for Ronald Okconor from 2026 to 2029 as presented. >> So moved. Second. >> Roll call. >> Dr. Hoover. >> Yes. >> Miss Mill. >> Yes. >> Miss Franklin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Marin. Yes. >> Miss Conover. >> Yes. Dravia. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the parent and family engagement policy as presented. >> So moves. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Miss Mill. >> Yes. >> Miss

146Franklin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Marin? >> Yes. >> Miss Conover? >> Yes. >> Mr. Davia? >> Yes. >> Dr. Hoover? >> Yes. >> Motion passes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the consolidated district plan for title grants as presented. >> So moved. Second. >> Roll call. >> Miss Franklin, >> yes. >> Miss Herman, >> yes. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Miss Conover, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravia, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Motion passes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the title one schoolwide waiverss for Miller Miller Elementary School, Manning Elementary School, Westmont Junior High School, and Westmont High School as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Herman. Yes. >> Mr. Marin. Yes.

147>> Miss Conover. Yes. >> Mr. Aia. Yes. >> Dr. Hoover. >> Yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Miss Franklin, >> yes. >> Motion passes. >> Superintendence reports. What do you got, Jack? >> We've had a lot tonight. I'm excited about our town hall meeting because I think we really are moving in a direction of consensus and we look forward to getting more community input and we have a lot more work to do. But I uh have a level of optimism that I have not had in the past about our prospects. I think this is momentous for our district and more than necessary. So that's what I would like to say about that issue. I'd also like to recommend if we could for a minute just uh to recognize some of our athletes. We've had

148a very uh successful uh spring season. We know about the wrestlers winning state at the junior high and there's ongoing uh success. The baseball program had a 18game uh win streak which is uh tied for the best in the they uh are about to repeat as conference champions. The softball team won the conference uh for the first time in over 25 years. girls soccer team is still in competition, but they also were a three-way tie for conference championship. The boys and girls track team both won our conference. Uh, and we have two students who are going down state to compete. Uh, and we also had our very own uh Maxwell Hoover who finished 10th all around in the state gymnastics tournament on Saturday. Awesome. as a freshman. as a freshman. >> As a freshman. >>

149So, um, >> and the and the junior high volleyball team finished with the best record in school history. >> Wow. >> Sorry, boys. Boys, >> you guys only had one athletic committee meeting in all these years already. >> Look at one meeting in magic. >> It was great here in Westmont High School. I think that's people like Westmont. >> Sorry. Thanks. >> Cool. Any other superintendence reports? >> No, thank you. >> Cool. Board reports. >> That's along with Jack, but um just want to say like a congratulations to all those athletes. I think I was at the spring sports award meeting and there are a lot of students on stage for AC all academic and all conference. It was amazing. I think it barely fit in the picture. So that's congratulations to the Westmont High

150School students. >> I kind of have the opposite of a board report. I want to apologize for having asked for that athletic community had not gone to it. Um I hear it went great and I'm looking forward to working with the administration to find out what comes next. >> I'll tell you. >> Are you going to Are you going to report? >> I'm going to report it actually. >> No, we met uh for the first time. We gathered some parents and coaches, our athletic directors, just to um meet and just talk about as a district how we can just best support our student athletes from the kindergarten all the way up through 12th grade. I think we have a unique opportunity being a small district on how we approach um athletics and so it was

151an overall very positive meeting. from there. Um, there have been some kind of we compiled some notes and and saw some key themes come out of that. Um, this was last week Wednesday, so I have not had the chance to debrief uh just yet, but we will meet again on June 10th at 6:30 to kind of as um as a committee. So now everybody who was in attendance will get an invitation to attend a committee meeting and then anybody who is still thinking you know what I missed that initial phase but I'd love to be a part of the of the um kind of roll out of anything new and exciting that we do u wants to be a part of that you're more than welcome to and so stay tuned for more information but

152it was an overall I think positive experience I think our coaches got some really good feedback. I don't think they always get to hear maybe from uh the community as a whole outside of their uh teams and so um I hope they felt supported and and kind of cared for a little bit. >> Awesome. June 10th, let's get it on the calendar. >> This is an admin committee meeting. It's not a board committee. >> Not a board committee. No. >> Much as I love splitting some hairs, I think we should make that >> Yeah. Cuz we did decide the administration was essentially running this >> and you guys are and you're supporting it. >> Yeah. Mhm. I was supporting Edith that night. >> facilitating. >> Uh I just wanted to shout out the access scores

153and the the teachers and the team and everyone who does with that. I know it's a really big as a teacher myself, I know it's a really big undertaking and to see kids, you know, uh test out of the program and just to see how well the the students are doing. Um I I think that's great. Okie dokie. Do we have any public comment? Future meetings and events. No school. Memorial Day, May 25th. That is next week, Monday. Uh Westmont High School graduation is May 26th at 7 p.m. That's next Tuesday. Next Thursday. Westmont Junior High School graduation May 28th also at 7 p.m. Uh on the field. On the field. that junior high is always inside. >> Junior high is inside, high school is on the field, weather permitting. Uh, our last day of

154school, next Friday, May 29th, and our next COSD 2011 regular meeting of the board of education is June 16th, 6:30 p.m. Be here Bquare at Village Hall. Any other communications? No. The chair will entertain a motion to adjourn the May 19th, 2026 regular meeting of the board of education. >> So move. >> Second. All in favor? >> I opposed. >> Nobody better. >> Motion passes. >> Only