001[Music] Heat. Heat. Heat up [Music] here. Heat up here. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Laughter] [Music] meeting for September 9th, 2025. for roll call, please. >> Leah Conover, Carlos Aia, Jessica Rodono, >> here. >> Adena Hoover, >> here. >> Kevin Maron, >> here. >> Alexandria Mill >> here. >> Lauren Zakiri. All >> right, please stand for the pledge of allegiance. 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. >> All right. In the absence of both our president and our vice president, we'll need to nominate a president prom to run tonight's meeting. Do we have any nominations? >> I nominate Jesson. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. Any nays? Okay. All
002right. Motion passed. Thanks, guys. Um All right. So, we're going to begin first with the approval of minutes. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the August 12th, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education as presented. >> So, move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Motion carries. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the closed session of the August 12, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education as presented. >> So move. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Um any public comment? Doesn't look like it. And so we'll move on to our consent agenda. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the cons consent agenda as presented. Personnel recommendations. Valerie Gudgeon, interimm director of student
003services. Jack Snyder, long-term sub, Westmont High School social studies. Alyssa Alstrom, long-term sub, Miller. Alyssa Vjac, teaching assistant. Carly Greco, principal secretary. Allison Jagyo, teaching assistant, and Justin Schwack, volunteer baseball coach at Westman Junior High. Um, appointment of non-discrimination officers, coordinators, managers, appointment of title nine officer, certification of hazardous crossing, approval of additional August 2025 expenditure report and approval of student tour. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. Yes, Miss Rodono. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. Right. >> Motion carries. >> All right. Motion carries. Awesome. All right. And next we're going to um hear from Dr. Brown about our summer school recap. two-step verification. Sorry, hold on. >> No problem. While while we're waiting, I'll just mention that
004we do not have a need for close session tonight. And so, we are just moving right into our open session agenda. We already did. All right. So, I'm excited. I get to do the summer school review. So, um over the summer, we had a really busy summer. Here's some really fun pictures that I thought I would add. Um, we had lots of programs for our students prek all the way through 12th grade. So, our elementary students had five different programs they could have been a part of. The June boost was for most of um all pretty much all of June and halfway through July. Um, and that was a math and ELA focus um for incoming first through fifth grade students. And that was invitation only for our kids who needed that extra support in
005math and ELA. We had 61 students attend and the attendance for that program was um was pretty good actually. ESY was again pre-K through fifth grade. Um and it was determined by the IEP team eligibility for that. That was held at both um Manning and South School and 22 of our students attended that. That was a really successful program as well. STEM is always a favorite of our students. um that was uh through the month of June and 32 students attended that and attendance for our STEM program is always really solid. It's it's pretty close to 100% attendance because kids are just so excited to go. Um that's with Mr. Ritz and they do um coding, science, and engineering. Really fun little projects um throughout the summer. Then we had our jump start to kindergarten
006which has been wildly successful. It's a couple days um at the end of July and it's really to help our incoming kindergarten students so that when they come on the first day of school it kind of gets their eases their worries. Um so it's a nice little soft introduction to to kindergarten and there were 55 students who attended that which is just out of our kindergarten students. Um we have about 100ish kindergarten students so a little more than half of our students attended. And then our jump start to dual language. I'll talk I'll show you a little video of that one at the end. That one's also an incredibly fun program. Um and that is for our current kindergarten through fifth grade students who are enrolled in duel and 48 students attended that. So a
007lot of opportunities over the summer for pretty much every kid um to get involved in those. That was the elementary programming. Can I ask about the June boost with the invitations and who attended like a percentage? >> The June boost? >> Yeah. So, >> yes. Um, I can get the exact number for you, but there are kids who go on vacation and stuff. So, we always say like we'd prefer you to just attend for what you can. So, our attendance is a little bit off because that extends for such a >> such a long period Monday through Thursday, but I want to say it was about 70ish%, but I can get back to you on the exact percent attendance. >> But yeah, like STEM generally has a higher attendance rate. Um, jump start to kindergarten
008because it's shorter and it's kids who are signing up because they really want to be there. Not that our kids don't want to be in June Boost, >> but it's a different program. And then our summer program for junior high, um the reading and math rising is very similar to the elementary June boost. Um so it's a math and ELA focus and it's for sixth through eighth grade eighth grade students who are in math and reading intervention. 33 students attended that program. Um the junior high always does a great step up for our incoming sixth grade students. um same idea as the kindergarten um the kindergarten program, but this is um for 2 days and 38 of our students attended that. And then there's a compact 8CC math course um that's through the month of
009June. It's an online course and it's for kids who want to make that jump from seventh grade common core math to math 1 for their eighth grade year. Um and 46 students completed that. And then we again had our virtual summer programming through IVSA and that was open to all kids in our district um kindergarten through 8ighth grade who wanted to be a part of that and students had the option to use their schoolisssued devices um and then uh it through IBSA so it's it's separate from us but we help to get them enrolled and then once we enroll them then it then IVSA kind of takes over but 32 total students attended um eight of them were Miller students students, six Manning students, and 18 junior high students. And then high school, there were
010five different programs that our kids could have been a part of. Um, credit recovery, 10 kids were attended that program. And that was for that's for 10th through 12th grade students um who are credit and skill deficient. The jump to AP geography is a really fun uh program that our kids are in. 60 students attended that. That's how fun it is. Um, and it's really designed to expose kids to um, expectations of AP human geography. Um, there's team transitions in English and math and that was um, that's designed for any student with literacy and math skill needs um, who is enrolled in literacy or math workshop and 25 students attended that. And then freshman orientation um, 88 of 98 students attended that. And that's really just one day to prepare all of our incoming freshmen
011um for a smooth transition into high school. And then summer bump um one day weekly from June through August. Um it's for 9th through 12th grade students looking for support and enrichment and 12 kids attended that. So it was a very busy summer. We had a lot of staff members involved to make sure that our kids had really cool opportunities throughout the summer. Some of them programs were invitation only and a lot of them were open to anyone who wanted to be a part of it. And then I want to end with a really fun little video. I hope the sound works. I didn't even think about that. >> The sound is not working on this. But um it's a fun video of that saltante program um for our dual students. And it's just a
012fun little video of all the students in the the program, but there's pictures of their field trips. They went on field trips um in Westmont and they got to see some some places and um they had a lot of fun. So, the sound makes it cuter because there's like >> It's really cute. I watched it earlier today. It's really >> It's a very cute program, but they visited the bank. >> They did a great job. >> Yeah, it's a really fun program. Can I ask for the high school? Um, I know geography is obviously a freshman class, right, that we jump into or world history. Are there other like AP classes that they jump into freshman year? Like, um, and why is there not like a kind of a jump into that program besides social
013studies, I guess? >> Absolutely. I'm going to have Jack answer that one. Yeah. >> So, there are schools that don't even allow freshmen to take AP. >> Yeah, totally. Yeah. So the fact that we have about 75% of our freshmen taking it is probably the highest inclusivity rate that you will find there. If there's a student and there's a rare exception that is going to this has happened. It's pretty rare uh who wanted to take an AP class. It's been considered and it's it has happened but not very often because there are so many other requirements. All the students have to take biology pretty much. they take a math class, they will they will take AP and social studies. Um, and then they have to take physical education most often. Uh, they usually will take
014a language and they get an elective. >> So, but and then in sophomore year, the AP options really do open up. We students could take two to three AP if they chose to. Mhm. >> Um I I'll go on record as saying I don't think any school that I can find has more AP opportunities as early as we do. So >> yeah, I was just wondering if there was if uh cuz at our school too, the freshman AP curriculum is mostly social studies, but I didn't know if there was other options offered like >> not usually for the freshman. I think because they're coming in from a junior high to that that's the one class I guess there are >> their schedules get filled up with everything they're required to take. >> So there not
015many other AP as a freshman that they can take. So then no other introduction I think. >> Exactly. >> So let's take math for instance. They need the prerequisite classes to be ready. We do have sophomores who take uh AP calculus >> if they're ready for it and some are. It's not very often but they do by junior year. It's very prevalent. The same thing in science. Um it's it happens AP environmental science. We have many sophomores who are in uh AP world and AP uh uh environmental science or they could take other options too. The AP English courses are pretty much the the composition and then the literature which are junior and senior options. Um, and I'm trying to think and so that's pretty much the rationale. >> Okay. >> They need some prerequisite
016courses to be prepared for AP. >> Mhm. >> But we don't there have been times if students requested it, they could we've had freshman take multiple courses. Rare. Sophomore year, we do have a handful of students taking two classes and then by junior and senior year >> Mhm. >> it's pretty as intense as they want it to be. >> Okay. Yep. >> Any other questions? >> Thanks, Carla. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Carla. Nice work. >> Yes. Great work. Um, next we'll hear from Mr. Ranoc Conor about financial reports and working cash transfer. >> All right. Well, thank you everybody. So, the first thing is that I'd like to make sure that the public is aware that we are looking at alternate ways for funding. We are listening to recommendations. For example, uh one of
017the pieces that we were looking at was where it's Kalin 302 in their bond refinance. Uh the thing is though, Kalin has enough in debt where they have to spend $12 million a year to pay off their debt. We're nowhere near that. We're about 1.6 million. Uh we're also looking at state funding. For example, the constructions uh grant is coming back up. upward 50 million or $50,000 and then federal dollars and any sort of local assistance. Um it ties in as well with the tiff dollars that we're looking at as well from for pertaining to Manning that may need to come sooner than later. Uh today I saw video from Dr. Ryan of uh an issue where where the nurse's bathroom is when you flushed uh feces would come up into the kitchen. So, they
018had to get a plumber out there uh and clean that up and take it out. But we've had issues with both Manning and Miller with plumbing. And as you can tell, the village has had to do a lot of work around those schools. So, it should be an obvious indicator that there are issues with our facilities. Um, and then the working cash piece. We have approximately a little over $600,000 in working cash. I'd like to move that in the next probably it could be in the next month to be honest with you $600,000 of that so that we can just keep things going for our facilities. It would be a disservice for us to let things continue to fall apart when we have students housed in those buildings as well as staff. So, it's it's
019getting to that point where I think we'd have to move some of that to our construction pieces and and start spending. >> Um, I have two questions. Uh, the first question is about the alternate funding sources. In your opinion right now and looking at those, do you think that's enough and this is jumping ahead just a little bit to like the item prioritiz prioritized list of projects. Will that like put a dent in anything or is it not nearly enough? Is it clo like what's your estimate of what those alternate funding sources could potentially bring in? >> In all honesty, looking at how the district is doing uh with alternate funding sources and the needs primarily at those two buildings, I I don't see how an alternate funding source could take care of most of
020those, even let alone a little bit of them. Uh when I was at North Chicago, it was a pain just to get $4 million from the state for a working boiler >> and they pushed back on that. So uh this is one of those examples where we really need to start rethinking, hey there's a reason why there were those listening sessions, why we had those committee meetings on that with communicating because there is a need. You know, I I feel like I'm still not necessarily an outsider because I've been now with the district, but from my perspective of different places I've been in um in my leadership roles, it this is a pretty rough situation. >> Mhm. And I know a lot of uh um um stakeholders ask about those alternative um >> and things
021that we can do and definitely we can do them but um like you said it's jumping ahead a little bit but to say what we have to do and what you know no I'm not going to put down any amount of money to say it's you know it's nothing but just when you compare and what we can get done and how how do we even start um to work on something starting with a small amount like I know it's a little bit um it can be a huge challenge to say yes we want to start work on plumbing knowing how much we have to do I don't know it's I I figure that's going to be a huge challenge even to say what can we start with a small amount compared to what we have
022to do but because I want to do it responsibly also >> for sure uh for example I mean Keaneland is one of the highest tax rates in the area when it comes to the bonding piece, but all they're doing to try and I guess survive is they're it's just like refinancing a mortgage. So, they're extending that and then whatever space they have remaining, they're trying to add more to that. Um, and to be honest with you, the federal uh piece is not looking very very good. I think you've seen that they're looking at getting rid of that, you know, those dollars in those title funds and grants. Uh the state is trying to balance. So that's that's another issue. Uh it's just right now it it it is going to be difficult when we discuss
023the budget again uh in the next couple weeks, things will look as they are. But again, I I warn everybody that it is a map. And with two facilities of those natures, like it can truly blow a budget because if you keep putting band-aids onto something, it they're they're only temporary. >> So, >> one of the things that also came out of listening sessions that we have heard a lot is just that need for transparency. I think it's really um everybody who's here and anybody who might be watching knows that we've we are actively exploring alternative funding sources which was really important to the community. How can we publicize that a little bit more? Like does that go into the documents that we just put together um to articulate what those alternative funding sources are
024so people are very sure that we are due diligence like looking at that researching it and here's the practical kind of amount estimated amount and still not enough. I just think it's really important for people to know we did that because that's something that they ask for. So just thinking from a PR kind of perspective >> for sure. I have to say this. If there if if there was free money out there, everybody be getting it, including us. So true. >> This is the way that you improve your facilities when the time comes to do significant renovation is you go to your taxpayers and get their permission to do it. >> Mhm. >> Because if the money was available, then everybody would get after free money. But it just doesn't make any sense. The alternative
025to raise the add some kind of a sales tax was rejected by the village of Westmont and we'd have to be a home room rule district to even consider that which we're not. So that is an idea that is has been explored and we can explore it again but it's not a realistic idea and the idea that like as Ron explained we Keaneland as an example extended their debt >> but the way they did that was through almost refinancing. There is no free money out there. >> It just doesn't I would be very suspicious if it was. So we used the mechanism which is a referendum. Now what came as we're going into the listening sessions was one of the things we learned is to reook at renovating Miller and Manning and not building a
026new building even though the initial survey said that was what most people preferred. Okay. So now live a living document. We have unbelievable detail about what it would cost to renovate Miller and Manning. And it's sourced. Everything is sourced very clearly. It's it's it is will take feedback. There's the opportunity for feedback, but the detail is intense. If anybody says transparency or what exactly is going to cost or how did you come to these numbers, that is all explained in tremendous detail on our website for anybody to go see and explore. I I cannot imagine that most citizens are going to take advantage of it, but anybody who wants to can dig in at the deepest level possible. and we revise that document multiple times and it's sourced and it's layered and it's detailed as
027you can imagine and if there's still questions we will take that input >> but I that's the next piece that I want to you know on our agenda is to talk about that is live and present I don't know how we could be any more transparent >> can I just ask one more question about the working cash transfer can you just explain where that comes from where to where >> the working cash transfer >> and I'm sorry and the impact potential impact like on the budget. >> Absolutely. So working cash is typically a loan against itself in the district. So you have seven it's what they call the 70 fund. So it's money you have set aside that you would put in it from a bond or other issuances from the past. There is again
028north of $600,000 in there. You can transfer that with board permission over time. So, for example, the $600,000 that we're looking to, we would like to move I would like to move that to the capital projects fund because the capital projects fund and all of my doings I guess within other districts has been that's the savings. That's like you need the the new roof for your house. That's when you need to be able to take care of anything that has to do with the shell. So, that's where I would like to move that because there is still a leak at the high school on the roof. Uh, at least one I know of. We're having these plumbing issues. And again, I can't emphasize enough if anyone were to think that the district were to make
029something like that up. Look around the streets and trying to drive around Westmont. Even the village is trying to take care of this. So, that kind of puts the district in one of those binds. Um, it can be used for pretty much anything that is construction related. So, when it comes to heavy pieces like that, you can't spend it just out of the one fund. You'd have to move it to this one, the one I was looking for. So, that at a whim, if we were to need something like Manning needed a new intercom system, that's $23,000 that could go from there. uh anything with safety, security, uh anything having to do with the environment for a child and the staff. That's what that 60 fund is for. And that's something I would like to
030educate the community and the board on and saying this is something we need to continue to do and put money into. But at the same time, if we keep doing band-aids, you're never going to be able to save anything. >> So what what's the risk that we take out of that fund? What won't we have? >> Yeah. Is there some other fund that would need that money instead of infrastructure? Are we, you know, robbing robbing Peter to pay Paul? >> The money is currently sitting there and it's not earmarked. So, if anything, it's a non-operating fund, which means that even when the state looks at its scores for how well a district is doing, it does not count in that score. uh the 60 fund which is our capital projects fund does not either this
031though you can't help but see what's happening like again when I see when I was at Manning today and you saw you know whatever sewage gushing up from the floor in the kitchen that that's that's horrible >> so that's the type would take >> why was that created what was the idea for that like is that is it because of well you just answered that part. Is it because of scores that shows that we have a healthy balance rainy day fund like why create that uh cash um fund? >> So the 70 which is working cash it's a mechanism from the state so that when that money is in there you can move it and it's almost like it's not a savings per se it kind of is but it kind of is ready for
032those emergencies of sorts. Um the 60 fund is that rainy day fund and that's what they call the capital projects fund. Those two do not count when it comes to certain items such as fund balance or scores for the state because the state looks at your red fund which is your 10 fund which education >> 20 which is operations and maintenance your 40 fund which is your transportation and then if you're and actually um if you go below a certain threshold with your 50 which is like paying for IMRF or social security for staff then that counts against it but right now it doesn't so we want to keep it that way. Um, in the meantime though, I it's one of those where it's a um you look at the basics of of just taking
033care of of a child or or a staff and um that the immediate need in this district is is your capital projects. I mean, if you compare those facilities with anybody else, I get it. People may be upset about it, but you know, I'll be on record in saying it's among the worst I've seen. And that's including like in North Chicago which the state took over because of how broke they were. Uh but every other day it seems like there's another instance of I don't I just can't understand how we can just sit there and let that happen. So, um, again getting into what, um, uh, what's on our agenda for discussion and what's been put out, the extensive information to let our public know like they have an amount, but how does that compare
034to the amount of work we have to do like, you know, sound it is a lot of money. I'm not putting that down, but when it in the scope of things, someone can take a look themselves and say, "Okay, they have this and they're working cash. Why can't we fix the building?" They can answer that question. >> It it to be you don't have anything else outside of it. So, once that $600,000 is gone, we have to hold out. We have to be able to tax a certain amount into it to keep that open so that we can continue to save for those rainy days and moving it. But once that money is gone, it's gone. And the district is that 600 is probably the last move with that fund before now it's gone. I
035will add though it is nothing to do with anything irresponsible. The problem is that the buildings have so many needs. >> Yeah. >> So, and I've heard that from from other community members. That was one of the first things. It was actually a privilege for me to come here to see uh just how the trust from the board and from Mr. Balderman administration because it's a lot of work to be done in those facilities and it's something that we got to tackle head on. >> Jack, do you want to say more? We're kind of in our agenda items three and four, but moving on to the listening sessions and the >> just a quick >> facility committee meeting. Just a quick summary. The the things we heard were we need more detail. I don't know
036how we could provide more detail than what's currently on the list. >> It's extensive and it's been sourced. We show where we got this information from. If anybody has further questions, there's a feedback form, >> but it is it's an incredible level of detail that's provided about what it would cost because the other thing we learned from the listening session was would we consider renovating Miller and Manning instead of building a new building? That's an option. So, to that end, we provided all the details for what that would cost. It's available. is for the whole world to see and there's the opportunity and we will have a finance and facilities meeting in October I believe >> where we will redisuss this >> and then um I know this is probably more PR meeting when is
037our next PR committee meeting >> was listed >> that is was it I know there were so many I'm not >> because we talked about like still how there's some gaps in getting like the document and everything that came from it is so great and there's still some gaps in getting that out to everybody who's voting in in the community and so I probably at that meeting maybe a little bit at finance and facilities discussion about that next step I know it's on the website and it's been published in a lot of places but there are people who still don't have that um and we talked about mailers and stuff like that so I just want to make sure everybody sees it because I think that is you're right it's could not be more detailed
038and it's an invitation for feedback back as well, which is great. >> Can I ask now that I feel like the information is out there, like you you've been saying, we we're very clear in what the cost is and and what the needs are. Um, are there going to be more listening sessions about do we renovate slash do we build new before we make a decision on that? >> Well, we have the uh finance and facilities meeting in October. We have a schedule meeting uh for PR but also for the board and admin because there'll be need for some time for the board and the admin to talk about what is the next option. >> There is the option of going again to referendum in the spring of 26. I'm not saying that that's I'm
039just saying it's an option or in the fall of 26. So, but we need to just have a discussion about that and obviously no decisions have been made, >> right? >> So, >> I just am more concerned with like what the community wants, you know, are we >> like if we go to referendum, which option is it? And and we have talked a lot about that. Is it A, B, or C? And like and the A was renovate these buildings. Now that they have the number, >> they've been dying for the >> um clear numbers and the location and all these things and now they've been given it. >> so back to that first question. >> Yeah. >> I anticipate at some point in time it will be put to the community. Here are the
040options. >> Do you want to renovate Miller and Manning at this dollar amount? Do you want to do something at the Manning site and not retain Miller? Do you want to reentertain a new building? The the option of not doing anything is just not feasible. That's what Ron's really saying, >> right? Agreed. >> But the more we dig into our working cash and into our budget, there's not enough money there to do all the repairs that are necessary and then we're putting our fund balances and the money that's meant to fund the district at jeopardy. But absolutely to your point, before any decision made, we will have another round of listening sessions of some nature and put options out there and get feedback from everybody. >> I think I think at that October meeting, it'll
041be really important to come up with a timeline for that because we're obviously we've lost so much valuable time to make these renovations or fix things. And so if we can iron out what those few options are and our plan for getting as much community feedback on those options um at that meeting seems to be like the priority in my opinion. Okay. Octo We don't know the date. October >> I think it's the October 28th meeting. Correct. I had this in my head yesterday. >> Is it 28 or 23rd? Let's get that. Might >> as well say it. >> It's a meeting day. I know for sure. >> 28. Okay. Thank you. >> You're right, Shannon. Okay. >> Thank you. >> 28th is finance and facilities. >> Great. All right. Any other questions or comments
042on that item? Um the next item on our agenda is um just about the critical incident information. Jack, can you just explain a little bit about that? The >> or you can Shannon incident. So, Mike Leinsky leads up our critical incident team for the district and then every summer he gets together with the emergency personnel from the fire department, the police department and all the buildings um admin and they go over the drills, the requirements, um plans, threats, um all that. They review what happened last year, what was good, what needs to be improved upon, and then we get everything together and coordinated for the drills we need to perform um as required. And then um we get our plans together and then we send them to the ROE. So they're available to the board.
043We don't make them available to the public for security purposes. Um but just so the board's aware that their plans are in there and >> Great. And I believe the buildings have already started their drills. >> I know that they have. >> That is correct. >> Yes. Yes. >> Oh yes. >> Yep. So that's about it. >> Any questions there? Awesome. And then this time of year we always just review our sixth day enrollment. So what the enrollment for every school building and the district in total was um compared to the past two years. So Jack, you have those numbers? >> Yes. Overall enrollment went from 1325 last year. It's at 1309 this year. So we're down 16 students >> districtwide. With that being said, we're more vigorous about residency checks than we have ever
044been. We and that is a very sad at times situation but it's necessary to protect the taxpayers. So we were more thorough doing checks asking for stronger documentation than I think we have for I would say ever but at least in the last 15 to 20 years. And so part of the decline, our families that we established did not actually live in the district. About it came to approximately 12 students. So while enrollment declined by 16 students, we would say some of those students, 3/4 of them really should not have been here. >> Mhm. >> And that's not easy to tell a family that you can't be here. But it's the law and it protects the people who do live in the district and it lets us put the resources towards the taxpayers who are
045paying here. And we have never been this vigilant before that I can tell. On an average year we would turn down zero students, zero through the residency process. This year we had about a dozen. So, um, the enrollments per building 58 at South, which is up slightly, 180 at Miller, which is down slightly, uh, down 13. Manning is actually up two students at 388. The junior high is down five students to 293. The high school is at 390, down nine students currently for a total district enrollment of 1309. Great. All seems pretty standard to me. So that's great. >> Any questions? >> Okay. Um, moving on to policy. Second reading. Kevin, Shannon, any updates? >> Anyone have any questions? >> No, we did this at the last the first reading of the last meeting. >>
046There's no questions. It'll be voted on in just a minute. >> It'll be voted on right now. On to action items. How about that? Um, the chair will entertain a motion to approve the policies as updated and press issue 119 as presented. >> So move. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Miss Mill, >> yes. >> Dr. Hoover, >> yes. >> Miss Rodono, >> yes. >> Mr. Marin, >> yes. >> Motion passes. >> Uh, moving on to superintendence report. >> I'll keep it brief, but we are off to a tremendous start. I can't even explain the culture in the buildings, the atmosphere, the student citizenship, the commitment of our teachers, the quality of our admin team responding, the parent involvement, uh, have been incredible. Um, and so I'm very proud. We've really pushed the idea
047of compassion first and last. That the way we treat each other is the most important thing and that we're not just raising intelligent people, but people who care about this world and each other. That's been our constant theme. The kids have been incredible. I'll reiterate, please take a look at the data. That's plentiful. And we're going to republish. South School earned the gold standard award. There's nothing higher. That's the for preschools. Miller and Sam Cinovich and the team unbelievable work. Their chronic absenteeism rate was four and a half percent. That's top 1% in the state. Their five essential scores were 97 98.99. Top 1% in the state. And their math and literacy scores are showing improvement and the culture there is unbelievable. So congratulations to Sam and the team. Manning was just named out of
048208 schools in DuPage County was ranked number 12. That's incredible. And the leadership there should be thanked. Lindsay and Jada. We have tremendous new leaders in Dr. Ryan and Steph just uh their scores are improving. Their chronic absenteeism rate was amazing. But exemplary school, the highest rating, and Chicago magazine says number 12 out of 208. It's just incredible. The uh junior high is the most improved school in Illinois. Give me another name. Go. I've searched the data. There's nobody. They went from four out of 10 to great schools to 10 out of 10. They're exemplary. to rank number one middle school in DuPage County by Chicago magazine and by the Illinois State Board of Education. Number one in DuPage, Westmont, I'm telling you, it's incredible. Their test score increases over the last two years, 25
049to 30% in literacy and math. It's unheard of. And their chronic absenteeism rate is under 5%. I I don't Amy and Mike and the staff there and the kids. I don't know what more they can do. It's incredible. I've never seen it like it. And then you get to the high school that of course exemplary every single year. They were number three in Illinois for five essentials. Their chronic absenteeism rate was in the top 1%. Uh their test scores are through the roof uh before the state recalculated it. they get national recognition for the AP program and for uh the work they do as a professional learning community. So from preK we're the gold standard through 12th grade and everybody in between and the most important thing that's really hard to our you know besides
050the data is walk into our buildings, talk to our kids. They are so well behaved and so hardworking and it's a result of the teachers loving them. So, we're off to a great start. You know, I I couldn't be prouder of our whole team, parents, board, admin, teachers, support staff, kids, community. Thank you for all your tremendous support. And here's the last thing I'll say. We're meeting Thursday and Carla and Edith have devised a system. We are going to dig even deeper into our data about continuous improvement and getting even better. So, it's and we always have more work to do, but it's going to happen. [Music] >> Great. Thank you. Um, any board reports? >> Yes. Uh, I want to say I want to build on what Jack just said. I went to the
051high school open house. Um, you know, and met the teachers. Um they just great enthusiasm, you know, excitement, knowledge. Um you know, I I love going to the open houses. It's really exciting to me. You know, it's a special atmosphere. Um I want to thank the seventh grade. They had a teachers. They had a curriculum night. It was very informative. Um went to the high school football games. Teams playing good. Um the band sounds good. It was exciting seeing cheerleaders and then the bitty cheerleaders there. >> Um it was a good time. So, >> and then finally, my last comment I want to make. I want to thank Mr. Landreth and Mr. Dunn for the Chinatown uh trip with the geography club. Um he they had a whole bunch of kids out there on a
052Sunday to go. You know, it just shows the enthusiasm of of that club and you know, I know my son had a really good time going. So, so thanks I was going to say very similar things just I didn't make it to the Manning curriculum night but I already know a lot about Manning but I I the first time I can shout out the middle school um now that I have a junior higher um and just it's really great to just see that not skipping a beat the same you can just tell teachers want to be there and I can promise you that's not every district or every school and so um we're really lucky to have that. Yeah, as a teacher myself, um I teach high school, but to go to Miller for my
053kindergarteners, you know, meet the teachers, back to school night, whatever they want to call it. Um they care, which is great. They're super enthusiastic, which again, not every school, not every teacher is like that. Yeah. Um and and just um I think that speaks a lot to the environment of this district is that people care um and and are willing to like I have teachers responding. I'm sending an email at, you know, Sunday night, which they don't have to respond. Um but they're responding on Sunday night. And I I think that speaks to the fact that like they care enough to to do that. Um and yeah, just over overwhelmingly like a great environment so far um at Miller and I only have a kindergartener, but just very excited to be a part of the
054district. Awesome. Any other board reports? Any public comment? >> Public comment. public comment. >> Oh, okay. Sounds good. >> I can't wait. Um, then moving on then to future meetings and events. Um, just a couple of things coming up before our next board meeting, the Westmin High School virtual college information and financial aid info. Um, that's going to be on September 18th at 6:30. Um, and then the CU our next USD board meeting September 23rd at 6:30 here at the village hall. just something that would it's not a board report but just to add to this I'm having my dates off as far as uh homecoming also and oh >> uh just putting out to the board that is one of the great times I like participating if I'm not just standing there watching the
055kids so as far as like participation and cheering on the kids so uh something we should think about um as to that tomorrow see if anyone wants to participate sounds Mhm. Great. >> Um any updates from on communications? >> Mm. Okay. Um then the chair will entertain a motion to adjourn the September 9th, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education. >> So move. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Oh. All those in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Sorry.