001We would like to thank you for being in attendance both virtually and in person for tonight's board meeting. At this time, we would like to reconvene the meeting of the community unit school district 300 board of education to order for Tuesday, June 10th, 2025. Madam Secretary, please take the role. Burket, present. Arantino, present. Lamar present. Lindmark, present. Mckende, present. Melia, present. Zetler, present. You have seven board members present. Everyone please rise for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, moving on to um item five, approval of the agenda. We are making one amendment. We are not going to have a second close session at the end of this meeting. So given that
002amendment, do I have a motion to approve the agenda as amended? So moved. Second. Madam Secretary, please take the role. Lamar I. Tarantino, I. McKende, I Meia, hi. Burket I. Lindmark I. Zetler I. Motion passes 70. So I'm going to pass this over to Dr. Smith for recognitions. For tonight's student recognition, I'd like to welcome Beth Beth Gaudy, director of literacy to the podium. She will introduce the Battle of the Books champions. All right. Good evening, Dr. Smith, board of education, and community members. Tonight, I'd like to celebrate our students who have competed in the District 300 Battle of the Books. Battle of the Books is a reading incentive program that encourages students to read, come together as a team, and test their knowledge. In January, interested students in grades sixth, seventh, and eighth grade
003joined the Battle of the Books teams at each of the middle schools. Teams were given a list of 24 books and were asked to prepare to answer in-depth questions related to each of the titles. Students were given three months to prepare for the Battle of the Books competition season. At the end of April, the competitions began and throughout the month of May, students from the middle schools competed to earn points for their team in order to have the chance to compete in the final round. On May 15th, teams from Dundy Middle School and Carpentersville Middle School competed in the final battle. After a fierce competition between the two teams, DMS came in first place. Today, we have the DMS team here to be recognized and celebrated for their accomplishment. With us tonight are Lillian Knap,
004Bridget McCrae, Alana McCrate, and Mary Poris Arnalis. Congratulations, these amazing students. Good job. Did you read all perfect? an extra screen here. Continuing on, I'd like to welcome Mr. Joe Shisowski. Yeah, there he is. Director of CTE Pathways College and Career Programs to the podium. He will introduce Dundy Middle School robotics team. He's enjoying it already. Uh, good evening, Board of Education, Dr. Smith, and the D300 community. My name is Joe Saskcowski, and I'm the director of CT, Pathways, and College and College and Career Readiness. I'm here tonight to sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh share some exciting news from Dundy Middle School. For many years, Dundy Middle School has proudly supported a robotics
005club. This school year marked a significant milestone for our Dundy Middle School robotics team. They competed in their first robotics education and competition or RECC Foundation's VEX Robotics Regional Competition in Mctavia on February 8th. Their goal was simply to learn from the experience, but they performed well and earned an invitation to the state competition held on March 22nd. The team worked incredibly hard to refine the robot between those two events. Then something truly remarkable happened at the state competition. Our Dundy Middle School team finished fourth in the qualifying rounds and formed an alliance with the third place team for the finals. Together, they went head-to-head against the first and second place team in a best of three series. Our alliance won the first two matches, securing the Illinois State Championship title. This phenomenal achievement meant
006that Dundy Middle School was invited to the RECC Foundation's VEX Robotics World Competition held in Dallas, Texas in May. At Worlds, DMS placed 32nd out of 80 teams in their division, making them eligible for the finals pending uh alliance selection. While they weren't ultimately chosen as an uh partner in the finals, this was still an extraordinary accomplishment for our students. It speaks volumes about their dedication, hard work, and the quality of the robotics program. We are incredibly proud of these 10 students as well as their club sponsors, Mr. Tony Paresi and Mr. Gaspar Ponti, without whom none of this would be possible. I'd like to now hand this podium over to Mr. Tony Pissy to recognize the students. Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to recognize our amazing students. They had an incred
007incredible competition season and we look greatly look forward to watching them continue to grow and develop their robotic skills either in middle school or high school. Our seventh grade student team members included Caleb Hos, Ryan Hos, Hudson Leggy, Madden Leggy, and Uke Patel. Our eighth grade team members included Jacob Pradus, Audrey Hank, Ashley Manoj, Ellen Minot, and Ian Wright. We wish these students the best of luck in all their future endeavors. [Applause] Sorry, no problem. This doesn't make Guys, this is really really exciting. So, congratulations everybody. and a robot. Continuing on with recognition, Mr. Chris Kalenaro, director of fine arts, uh will introduce the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards recognition. Good evening, Board of Education, Superintendent Smith, and community members. Um, it's a tough act to follow when you've got a robot. However, I
008could not be more pleased um with this privilege and pleasure tonight uh to celebrate. Um, we have two students, uh, Sebastian Yavona here from Dundy Crown and not in attendance is Audrey Wagner, but two students who brought great distinction to our district with their talent, hard work, and artistry. This year at the 2025 Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards, an elite and highly competitive program that recognizes the top musical theater performers in the state. Audrey of Hampshire High School's production of Spongebob and Sebastian um under the direction of Mr. Jake Staer and Dundy Crown's production of Urine Town were nominated by best performers in the actor roles. Out of the hundreds of submissions from across Illinois, Audrey and Sebastian were chosen based on their outstanding performances, vocal ability, stage presence, and their depth storytelling through
009song and character. Their selection placed them among the very best high school performers in the entire state. Not only did they represent their schools and districts, they also demonstrated the incredible potential that exists in our fine arts programs here in district 300 and their individual dedication, passion, and then throughout the support of our wonderful teachers, directors, families, and communities really nurture the arts every day in D300. As part of this recognition, Audrey and Sebastian participated in master classes in with Broadway professionals. They received individualized coaching and performed on stage at his Chicago's historic Netherland Theater. Tonight, we honor not only their accolades, but their also their commitment to growth, excellence, and the transformative power of the arts. We look forward to watching your journeys and continue to unfold. And we know this is only the
010beginning. Congratulations, Sebastian. [Applause] I'd now like to welcome Miss Sarah Turner, director of science and social studies. She will introduce the state science fair qualifiers and the state science olympiad. Good evening members of the board. Dr. Smith, community members, parents, and students. I'm honored to be here tonight to celebrate the achievements of our incredible students and staff through two signature science events held here in District 300, the Robert E. Hart Science Fair and the Science Olympiad. We kicked off the season with the 68th annual Robert Ehart Science Fair held on February 19th at Jacob's High School. Over 400 student projects were registered and showcased, demonstrating not only scientific understanding, but creativity, curiosity, and problem solving. These projects represented the collective effort of our students, their families, and the educators who guide them and support them
011on a daily basis. Thank you for continuing to champion innovation and inquiry in our schools by supporting our science programs. Following the district fair, 44 students advanced the Illinois Junior Academy of Science Region 5 Fair at Northern Illinois University in Rockford. From there, 39 proudly represented District 300 at the JAS State Exposition at the University of Illinois Champagne. From May 1st through May 3rd, over the course of three days, our students participated in multiple rounds of judging and attended an awards dinner with leading researchers in human- centered design. I'm thrilled to share that many of our students earned top honors, including one high school team that received an EPIC award, which recognizes the top project in its category statewide. In addition, two middle school teams were nominated for the thermmoiser scientific award, which honors the
012top 10% of junior level projects across the state of Illinois. I'd like to take a moment to welcome the staff and administrators who are here to represent their buildings and introduce the students that they brought with them this evening. We have Mr. Jason Lent, the principal of Elganka Middle School. Mr. John Gorby, the science division head at Dundy Crown High School, Mr. Andrew Andrew Lindley, the division head at Hampshire High School, and Mr. Jeff Brunstrom, the division head at Jacobs High School. Carla, nice to have so many of us here. Uh, good evening, school board members, uh, Superintendent Smith, and community members. I'm Jason Lens, principal at um Aangquin Middle School and it's my honor to introduce to you um Vijay Singh Rathod. Congratulations. [Applause] I am John Gorby the science divisional at Dundy Crown.
013Here we have Nathan Cortez representing Dundy Crown. [Applause] Good evening. I'm Andy Lindley, the science divisional at Hampshire High School, and tonight we have Annie Leco. Congratulations. [Applause] Good evening. I'm Jeff Brunstrom, science division of Jacobs. Uh from Jacobs tonight, we have Laya Anderson, Ella Bloom, Everett Gerzanics, Natalie Goss, Logan Henning, Sophia Kukaruta, Caitlyn Minoj, and Isaac Winton. [Applause] Thank you everybody. In addition to the state science fair I want or the science fair in general, I want to take a moment to recognize our science olympia participants this evening as well. This season demands intense preparation and applied scientific thinking. This year students from Dundy Crown and Jacobs High School represented district 300 at the competition at Mckenry County College. Their performance was outstanding. Multiple students and teams earned medals reflecting over 270 hours of
014practice, 60 hours of competition, and even more time spent studying and perfecting their craft while at home and in the classroom. These students truly exemplify passion, perseverance, and excellence. I'd like to take a minute to welcome the staff and administrators who are here to represent their buildings and introduce their students for Science Olympiad, which includes Miss Carla Keely from uh Jacobs High School. Thank you, Hara. Hello. I am Carla Key, the science olympiad coach at Jacobs. And today we have Sophia Kerry, Ash Killow, Caitlyn McKay, Ava Patel, Adana Ry, and Emma Slavic. And then for Dundy Crown, the representative tonight is again Mr. John Gorby. I'm going to read the names on behalf of Miss Duggar, who got stuck in traffic. So, um, we have Bella Cardiness, we have Nathan Cortez, we have Alexis Dela
015Cruz, Charles Johnson, Gabriella Leonard, and Isaac Vargas. Thank you. They're going to create their own procedure. I mean, nobody No. us to be went that way. That worries me. I will. I will. And we have Mr. Tommy Paresi, director for PE health, drivers education, athletics. He will introduce the staff members who will speak about um their IHSA state qualifiers for high school spring sports as we switch one group out in another end. So, good evening board of education, Superintendent Smith, and community members. Athletics plays a vital role in D300 strategic goal plan goal one to develop the whole child through sports. Athletes learn the value of teamwork, leadership, resilience, and accountability. These lessons stay with our students their entire lives. Achieve achieving state qualification is no small feat. It is a result of relentless effort,
016discipline, and a passion for excellence. Today, we celebrate our outstanding athletes and coaches who have risen to the challenge representing all three of our high schools and communities at the highest level. We will start with Dundy Crown as our first sport is girls track which is coached by Chris Hopkins. Thank you very much for um honoring Marissa today. Marissa is a four-year track and field athlete. She qualified for state as a junior in the 100 hurdles and as a senior she qualified in the high jump. She was also an exceptional leader for us both on and off the track. She's an outstanding student who took classes at ECC this year. She finished her high school career with a weighted GPA of a little over 6.0 which put her third in her class out of 600
017and her unweighted GPA was a 4.0 know it put her first out of 600 students. She had worked hard all four years with us and for a couple of years with the club track team as well. She had been having a solid season in all of her events. She led our team in the shot put, the long jump, the triple jump, high jump, and the 100 meter hurdles. She was also second in the 300 hurdles. And she was ranked third on our team in the 800 and the 100 meter dash and fourth in the 200. She has also been a pole vter for us throughout the years and also was in our 4x4 relay. And she also throws the javelin for our club team as well. So she does quite a bit of things. She
018had an injury right before our conference meet. So, we chose to rest her for our sectional meet and it paid off. She ended up tying her personal record of 5 foot2 in the high jump, which was also the state qualifying mark. Downstate, she stepped up in the preliminary round of the competition and set a new personal record in the high jump with a jump of 5'3. And this was good enough for her to make it to the finals. She had another strong showing on the day of the finals, the top nine in the finals with medal. She matched her personal record again and she ended up finishing 10th in the uh state, which unfortunately just put her out of the medal contention. It was an outstanding finish though to her high school career and we
019are so proud of her. She plans on attending Western Washington University to study marine science and to join their track team and has been wonderful watching her grow as an athlete and evolve as a young lady. I am truly going to miss her again. Congratulations to Marissa and we wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors. Thank you. [Applause] Next is our Dundy Crown boys track athletes coached by Matt D'Angelo. Good evening, Dr. Smith and the board of education. Um, I am proud to recognize this group of student athletes who qualified for state in six events and went into the state meet, ranked second in the 4x1 and third in the 100 meter dash and were an injury away from a possible all-state finish in multiple events. Even still, this group accomplished so
020much throughout the season. This group was part of uh six top five Dundy Crown track performances ever. Set three Dundy Crown school records. Set the Cane County 4x100 meter relay record and set the Fox Valley Conference uh 4x100 meter relay record and the 100 meter dash record. There was so much to be proud of this year. And lastly, I know that the season didn't finish exactly how we wanted it to uh at the state meet, but it gave us a chance to show unconditional love toward each other. um and that our care for each other as athletes and coaches is not based on athletic performance and that their lives are not based solely off athletic achievement. So, uh here are state qualifiers. Uh we have Leon Metaf who in triple jump not here. Uh but
021Gavin Fernstrom in the 4x2. Eddie Bailey in the 4x1. Anthony Spain in the 4x1. Kyle Brent in the high jump and the 4x2. Terion Spencer in the 4x1 and the 4x2. And Oreo Lua Sou in the 100, the 200, the 4x1 and 4x2. So please join me in honoring this group of athletes. Everybody. Hampshire High School is the next school with state qualifiers. They also have qualifier qualifiers in girls track. I would like to introduce their coach by Brian Price. Today we're here to recognize something truly special. An incredible young group of women who represented our school at the state track and track and field championships. These athletes didn't just qualify. They inspired. They showed what it means to push the limits, support each other, and compete with heart. Let's begin by celebrating Haley Homala,
022who not only qualified in shotput, but finished eighth place in the state, earning all state honors. Haley, your strength and focus set the bar high, and we're so proud of you. [Applause] In the sprints and relays, Alyssa Garcia was the force, qualifying in the 400 meter dash, the 4x100 meter relay, and the 4x400 meter relay, and trul uh and was truly an all-around competitor. Cassidy Papa stood out in the pole vault and also raced in both the 4x1 and 4x2 relays, showing both skill and versatility. Chi-Chi Ukahuku uh brought speed and power to the 4x1 and 4x2 relays, while Malaya Lian stepped up big in three relays. with the 4x1, the 4x2, and the 4x4. Jamra McCroy made her mark in the 4x2, and Ava Sanchez added her strength to the 4x4 relay team. And
023let's not forget our distance crew, Kaylee Byrie, Reese Long, Hannah Jones, and Mia Maraga, who worked as one in the 4x8 relay, showing true grit and endurance. Uh, with Kaylee also doubling in the 4x4 relay. Every athlete that I've named didn't just earn a spot at state. They've earned the respect of their teammates, their coaches, and their school. They've put in the hours, the miles, the lifts, and the mental work. And they competed with pride. To our qualifiers, thank you for representing us so well. You've raised the bar for what's possible, and we can't wait to see where you go next. Congratulations. [Applause] Finally. Finally, we would like to celebrate our state athletes from Jacobs High School. We will start out with our first time ever in D300. We have an esports team that qualified
024for state. They are coached by Nolan Luwendowski. Hello board superintendent. Um the Jacobs uh Rocket League esports team is composed of Max Reynolds, uh Norville Boyd, and one one other individual. Uh Rocket League is a team-based 3v3 soccer game where players drive cars, need to score on the other team's nets, just like soccer, but the ball can be played off walls, the ceiling, and the players can hit the ball in the air using boot uh boost, which adds a different element to the game. Um, players need to learn different mechanics of the game, communication, and different roles on the field. They competed in the IHSA sectionals, um, in Rocket League, and they swept the competition by never even taking a loss. Uh, they went to the IHSA state finals, and they tied for fifth place.
025Um, to some, uh, this is just a video game, but it has the same elements as a physical sport, um, but on a computer. Uh, the players have trained hard and raised up in the ranks throughout the season. I'm very proud of this group of guys um and cannot wait to see what next year will bring. [Applause] Next from Jacobs is our girls track team coached by Jason Wright this year. The girls track team accomplished some really great things as a team. They were able to set three school records. Two of them by the two athletes that are here today. In addition, we have had many names added to our top 10 records boards in the school. This season was highlighted by some incredible growth and determination by the entire team, and this group learned
026to celebrate the little successes and how to grow from setbacks um and get even better. They supported each other through it all. Hudson and Carly were able to qualify for the state track meet and represented our school in the best way possible. Hudson this year, came in as a senior, was a fantastic leader on our team, showing her teammates that hard work does pay off. She ended up second all time in the 3200 meter and third alltime in the 1600 meter on our school records. Hudson finished this year as the sectional champion in the 3200 meter and was able to run a personal record at the state meet in that same event. Carly has worked hard since she started at Jacobs and has been able to excel not only on the track but in the
027classroom. This year Carly was able to reach new distances in both shotut and discus. Carly ended up qualifying for state in both events and finishes the year all uh third all time in shotput. Additionally, Carly broke the school record and rebroke the school's Discus record on her way to being a sectional champion and state runner up in Discus. We're so proud of both of you and how uh outstanding athletes you are. Hudson, we're excited to see what you can do next year at Lewis. And Carly, we're excited to see what you can do moving forward and watch you grow as a senior. [Applause] And finally, I would like to introduce our Jacobs boys track team, coached by Jason Bohart. Uh this season, our boys track team uh set four school records and then added another
028four top five performances all time. At our sectional track meet, we qualified three relays and three individuals for the state meet. When we got down to state, two of our individuals advanced to the state finals and one max meddled, placing second in the 1600 meter run, the highest finish that we've had since Olympian Evan Jagger in 2007. Uh, standing before you is Max Adjuni. Uh, like I said, second place at state in the 1600. He also helped our 4x8 team qualify for the state meet. And Isaac Cartwright, who had the unique experience of qualifying for state in the 4x8 and then running the 4x8 and the 4x2 or no, I'm sorry, running the 4x two at the state meet. So, it was a kind of a a unique unique situation for him. Uh, no, most
029of the time nobody runs those two events, but Isaac did. Uh, congratulations, guys, and thank you for having us here tonight. That concludes our spring state qualifiers. I just want to thank Superintendent Dr. Smith and the board of education again for your continued support of our athletic programs. Thank you. Thank you, Tommy. Um before Mr. Mark Wetzel, deputy superintendent, introduces our new um director. I would like to make sure that we take a moment to uh thank Mr. Todd Rowling. As it is his last board meeting with us tonight, and we want to make sure we thank him for his service to District 300. And I wanted to make sure the board had an opportunity to say something if they chose to Anybody? [Applause] Anybody else? I wanted to make sure you had a moment
030before we move on if you wanted to. Anybody have anything else to say? I just want to say, Todd, that um we've known each other for several years now and have grown to really uh like you and Susan and we're going to miss you. We're going to miss everything you've done for us and we appreciate it. And we're going to miss Susan, too. So, please stay in touch. We will. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Thanks. Thank you, Todd. And thanks for all the little things you do. Um much appreciated. Um staying getting here a little early, staying a little late, and uh believe me, we we all see it and we appreciate it. So, thank you for keeping us safe. Thank you for keeping our schools safe. Uh we appreciate you. Mr. Mark Witzell. Yeah, I'd
031like to call Joe Prisbilla up to the front, please. Good evening. I am pleased to announce Dr. Joe Prisbella as the new director of school safety and security for District 300. Dr. Prisbella brings more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement, campus safety, and emergency response. Before joining District 300, Joe was the chief of police and executive director of campus services at Northeastern Illinois University, where he oversaw a variety of departments, including police services, risk management, and OSHA compliance. Prior to that, he held the role of police commander at Northern Illinois University, where he also contributed to the university's emergency response planning and served as a key liaison during major campus events. In addition to his leadership in higher education, Dr. Prisbella has served as an associate professor of criminal justice and emergency medical
032services at Kishwalki College, where he led curriculum development, increased enrollment, and expanded public safety training initiatives. His extensive certifications include lead homicide investigator, paramedic, and EMS instructor, and he has led numerous behavioral threat assessments and emergency response trainings. Dr. Prisbella holds a PhD in international law and diplomacy, an MBA with a focus on homeland security, and master's and bachelor's degrees in criminal justice. His proven track record of proactive safety leadership, collaboration with community stakeholders, and dedication to educational environments will make him a valuable asset to District 300. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Joseph Prisbella as our new director of school safety and security. [Applause] No. Well, as um we're should be at uh um item eight, public participation, but we did not have anybody sign up. So, I'm throwing it back to you or
033continuing with Dr. Smith. Superintendent's report. Uh I think it's Mrs. Kelly Manafi is up next with our graduation highlights. The best day of the year like tie neck andneck with the first day of school. Good evening board me excuse me. Good evening board of education members, superintendent Smith and community members. I am Kelly Mani and I am the assistant superintendent of high schools. And tonight it is my pleasure to share the highlights from the graduating class of 2025. On May 17th, District 300 proudly celebrated the accomplishments of our seniors with commencement ceremonies for Hampshire High School, Jacobs High School, and Dundy Crown High School at the now Arena. Oh, thank you. I'm sorry. The day began with 463 graduates from Hampshire High, followed by 522 graduates from Jacob's High, and concluded with 673 graduates from
034Dundy Crown High School. In total, 1,658 students earned their high school diplomas and crossed the stage with pride. A simple yet special moment from the day included our very own superintendent, Dr. Smith, showcasing school spirit with custom footwear designed by our student winners of the shoe scholarship contest. Each pair was a unique was unique to the school it represented and added a personal celebratory touch to the ceremonies. The class of 2025 in district 300 has demonstrated outstanding achievement across academic, career, and college readiness measures. These key accomplishments reflect the hard work, dedication, and diverse talents of this graduating class. Of the students, we had one national merit semi- finalist, 27 associate degrees earned, 106 students received the state seal of biiteracy, 139 students were AP scholars that were recognized. 224 National Honor Society members, industry
035certifications were earned, and over 20 million 20.1 million dollar in scholarships were awarded. This is a true reflection of the academic excellence, career readiness, and postsecary preparedness of this graduating class. In addition, we proudly recognize students who have chosen to serve our country. This year, we have graduates joining each branch of military. Seven in the Air Force, four in the Army, one Coast Guard, 13 Marines, 11 the National Guard, and three in the Navy. We thank them for their commitment and service. In closing, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all who contributed to making this day and the journey for our students a success. Thank you to the high school leadership teams and staff, our central office administrators, and the board of education for your support and dedication to our students. And
036of course, a special thank you to our families and friends of our graduates for your guidance and support throughout the years. Kelly, thank you so much for everything you did. Now, you you ran the show and it was great. There wasn't a hitch. You did a really good job. Thank you. Thank you. It was a great day. I do just want to add uh the staff from each of the schools are always phenomenal on graduation day and um the principles and the APOs and their um building management, custodial staff. I mean, they switch that over and they do a great job. And so, all the staff supporting the kids in the tunnels is it's it's a beautiful day. So, nice job, Kelly. Next we have Mr. Mark Wetzel and Mrs. Patty Schmidt to join us
037with a um beginning update of our handover research um project about our cell phone policy potentially in the future. Good evening board members, Dr. Smith, and community members. This evening, I'm joined by Patty Schmidt, our directive or executive director of school improvement and accountability to provide an update on our ongoing project related to district 300's cell phone policies. We will be reviewing the work conducted in partnership with handover research tonight. But before we do that, I want to clarify the purpose of tonight's presentation. Tonight's presentation is intended to serve as an overview and progress update. Our goal is to inform you and the community about the steps that have been taken so far. Tonight's presentation is not intended to present results, analysis, or recommendation to the board at this time. Mike, these items will be
038shared at a future meeting once the full analysis is complete and any potential recommendations are developed. Finally, we would like to make the board aware that the district is also closely following ongoing conversations at the state level regarding student cell phone use. We will continue to monitor any proposed legislation that could impact how school districts implement and enforce cell phone policies. So, what was the purpose of the project? This project set out to gather comprehensive feedback on cell phone usage patterns in district 300 as well as stakeholder perceptions of current policies and attitudes towards potential policy and procedure changes. Why did we pursue the work? Across the nation, school systems are grappling with the growing impact of student cell phone use during the school day. In district 300, various stakeholders, including staff, parents, and students,
039have raised concerns about the perceived influence of cell phones on student behavior and the learning environment. By partnering with an independent research firm, the district aimed to ensure the data was collected and reviewed objectively and to receive unbiased recommendations for the administrative team to consider moving forward. As part of the project, handover explored the following core questions. Current usage patterns. What are the current cell phone usage patterns among students in grades 4 through 12? And how do perceptions differ across roles such as students, parents, and staff, and grade levels? Awareness and perception of policies. How aware are various groups of the existing cell phone policies and what are the preser perceived strengths and weaknesses and attitudes towards policy changes. What are stakeholders general attitudes towards potential changes to the policy especially regarding impacts on student
040behavior, academic performance and well-being? Handover research solicited feedback from really four major stakeholder groups, parents, students, staff, and community members. And at this point, I'll turn over the mic to Patty Schmidt. Now, we'd like to provide an update on how the data was gathered. To ensure that we captured a broad range of voices, two separate surveys were conducted. One survey was designed for parents, staff, and community members, as well as students in grades 6 through 12. A second survey with simplified language was created specifically for students in grades four and five to ensure age appropriate understanding. Each survey consisted of roughly 20 questions that could be completed in 10 to 15 minutes. Survey administration took place between January 17th and February 7th, and we're pleased to share that nearly 12,000 individuals participated in our survey.
041This strong turnout demonstrates just how engaged our community is on this topic. In addition to the surveys, we also conducted a series of virtual focus groups between March 4th and April 29th. These included participants from elementary, middle, and high school levels with separate sessions for parents, students, and staff. For student participants, parental consent was required and collected as part of the survey. Handover is currently analyzing the open-ended comments from the survey and information captured during the focus group sessions. Handover will then incorporate both sets of findings from the survey and focus groups into the overall study. The district will continue working with handover research to ensure a thorough review of all collected data and will provide further updates to the board as key findings and recommendations emerge. In closing tonight's presentation, we will review the
042status of several significant project milestones, identifying the scope of the project, administering the survey, conducting the focus groups, and delivering the first board presentation is now officially completed. Our next steps will be to review the handover analysis this summer, as well as prepare for future board meetings either this fall or this summer with recommendations. Any questions? Thank you. Um Mr. Jorge Almadovar, assistant superintendent of title schools will now update us on um our targeted schools and um some supplemental resources to support them this upcoming school year. Absolutely. Thank you. Um, good evening uh, board members, Superintendent Smith. Uh, my name is Jorge Molar and I serve as assistant superintendent of Title One Schools. Um, tonight I'm sharing an update of our work with the Tit uh, targeted schools and the supplemental materials recommendation for our
043schools. Additionally, I will be speaking out the instructional materials for our ESL3 course at the high school level as well. to provide you some background. Here is a timeline that highlight the progress throughout the year. As you can see, our progress began in um our process began in October when the Illinois State Board of Education identified three of our schools, elementary schools, Lakewood, Park View, and Perry as a targeted schools due to perfor underperformance in one or more subgroups. In November, the district team conducted a root cost analysis followed by a comprehensive needs assessment at the school level in January. In February, tier 2 instruction emerged as a clear priority for improvement. Most of our students, regardless of their subgroup, were still struggling in foundational skills throughout the uh the uh month of March and
044April. School teams engage in a review process of potential uh potential supplemental materials for tier 2 instruction to provide extra support to our students. We are now in the fi final stage and we will be seeking your approval for the uh to purchase the um tier 2 materials as well as the updated school improvement plan of the targeted schools. The materials were vetted through a multi-ter review process involving our district leadership and technology team as well as sitebased collaborative team of teachers and staff. Each team used standardized rubrics to evaluate the quality and alignment of our resources and they also provided detailed qualitative feedback based on their instructional expertise and classroom experience. Our teams are recommending two programs that are uh specifically specifically designed to address the foundational skill gaps identified during the needs assessment
045process for reading. The 90 95% group literacy intervention system was chosen. This program is grounded in the science of reading and aligns closely with the Illinois comprehensive literacy plan. It provides targeted instruction in phonimic awareness, phonics and fluency. Critical areas for students who are struggling to master early literacy skills. The digital tools and teacher focused design ensure that instruction is both efficient responsive to the students needs. For math, we're recommending sor blower kickstart number sense. This intervention directly supports the development of early numeracy through engaging hands-on lessons that emphasize number relationships and problem solving. Its clear structure and bilingual resources make it highly accessible, allowing us to better meet the diverse needs of our student population, specifically to those who require support in building foundational math skills. Based on the review, in alignment with the
046student learning needs, we recommend the purchase of the following supplemental materials. 95% group literacy intervention system in sor bluer kickstart number sense. The cost of the title two supplemental materials for literacy is $87,429 and for the math is $74,617 fully funded through title one grant. These materials were selected because they specifically target the foundational gaps in literacy and math. We are seeking your formal approval for these purchases at the June 24 board meeting. ESL instructional materials. Any questions on that portion? In addition to our targeted elementary efforts, we're also bringing forward a recommendation for new instructional materials for ESL3 at the high school level. to review. The review process mirrored what we used for the elementary materials. Our district leadership technology and collaborative staff teams evaluated resources using rubric and share qualitative reflection on our
047classroom use and instructional fit. After a comprehensive review, the team is recommending engage from Vista Higher Learning. This resource include both print and digital tools for students and teachers with an emphasis on authentic language experiences, engaging task in a clear progression of English language development. It is especially well suited to support students as they transition from basic language acquisition to more advanced academic English. We are recommending that engage be placed on the public displays for 30 days. The total cost is $25,790 to be funded through the district textbook budget. We will seek final board approval for adoption at the July 22nd meeting. Any questions? Thank you. That concludes the superintendent's report. Thank you. Thank you, Jorge. Item number uh 10, board discussion. Is are there any updates regarding the following board committees? Um board operations
048committee. Uh yes, our next meeting is going to be Tuesday, July 15th at 4:30. And as we always say, that is where we talk about a lot of the things that we'll be voting on coming up in the agenda tonight. So in more detail, so that's a good place to tune in for more information. And those meetings are available online or you can attend in person. And how about superintendent's evaluation ad hoc committee? Uh we'll be um sending the gathered information to the other board members to um review and then we'll be discussing it further after review. Um board policy ad hoc committee. That's um right now there's nothing new to report on that. We're still going through the um policy book. It's a lot but I will get back to you on that as
049soon as I'm finished. And then last but not least, board member handbook ad hoc committee. No update at this time. Okay. Anybody any board members have anything else they'd like to talk about or share? I do have an update on the followup from the meeting yesterday about the um IGA. Would you like me to talk about that at when you get to that item for Pingri Grove? Sure. Okay, that'd be great. Thank you. Okay. So, um item 11 for I will read each individually each item individually to allow for any discussion. Note that some of these items have been vetted through the board operations committee. Um like Miss Burkett has just said, which is why there may not be a need for new discussion. So 11.1 board meeting minutes. Any further discussion? 11.2 disposal report.
050Any further discussion? 11.3 Treasurers report. Any further discussion? 11.4 Donation Report. Any further discussion? 11.5 Waste and Recycling Services Extension. Any additional discussion? 11.6 Weed Fertilizer Insect Control Bid. Any further discussion? Academic 11.7 Academic Progress Monitoring Suite Contract Renewal. Any further discussion? 118, behavioral services contract renewal. Any further discussion? Number nine or 11.9, copier maintenance contract extension. Any further discussion? 11.10, dual language reading program contract renewal. Any further discussion? Number 11, number 12, I'm sorry, employee benefit contract renewal. Any further discussion? 1113, professional development services contract renewal. I'm sorry. I think you skipped item 11. Oh, I did. I'm sorry. Um 1111 education services contracts 2526 renewals. Further discussion. Techn did I do 14? No, I'm out of line. No. Okay. 11.14 technology services contracts renewals. Any further discussion? 11.15 temporary staffing services contract renewals.
051Any further discussion? Numbers 116 universal screener contract renewal. Any further discussion? And then we get to 1117 village of Pingry Grow Intergovernmental Agreement. Per the board's request at the operations meeting, I did follow up with the village president today. Um and she's more than happy that we're in line and moving forward with this and hoping to get that settled. So um and u mentioning that they have more um commercial property that they'll be bringing forward some u support. Awesome. Uh between the two of us in the future. Okay. So we'll be we'll um come back to that at another date and continue with that one. Yes. Okay. Thank you so much. 18 11:118 change order approvals. Any further discussion? 11.19 employee handbooks administrators in Noo 2025 2026. Any further discussion? And 11.20 Freedom of Information
052Act report. Any further discussion? Okay, we'll move on to item 12, consent items. Do I have a motion to approve the consent items? Moved. I have a second. Second. Madam Secretary, please take the role. Fantino. Hi Burkett. Hi Melia. Hi Zetler. Hi. Lenmark. I Mckende. I Lamar I. Motion passes 70. Okay. Thank you. Item 13 roll call action items. 13.1 Approval of outofstate district student travel. Do I have a motion for the approval of the out of district student travel? So moved. Do I have a second? Second. Please take the role. Lamar I. Burkett. I. Meia. Hi. Lindmark. I. Fearantino. I. Mckende. I. Zetler. I. Motion passes. 70. Roll call. Action item 13.2. Approval to display materials and curriculum. Do I have a motion for the approval to display materials and curriculum? So moved. Do
053I have a second? Second. Please take the role. Lindmark. I. Meia. Hi. Lamar. I. Zetler. I. Mckende. I. Burkett. I. Fearantino. I. Motion passes. 70. Thank you. Roll call action item 13.3. Approval to display proposed supplemental materials for targeted schools. Do I have a motion for the approval to display proposed supplemental materials for targeted schools? So moved. Do I have a second? Any discussion? Madam Secretary, please take a role the role. Mckende I. Burket I. Zetler I. Fantino I. Lamar I. Melia. Hi. Lindmark. I. Motion passes 70. Thank you. Um, roll call action item 13.4, approval of interactive touch wall of fame project for Dundy Crown High School. Do I have a motion for the approval of the interactive touch interactive touch wall of fame project of Dundy Crown High School? So moved. I have
054a second. Second. Any discussion? No. Seeing none, secretary, please take the role. Burkhead. I. Lindmark. I. Zeller. I Arantino I Lamara I Meia Hi and Mckende I motion passes 70 I have a resolution I'm going to read into the record board of education student expulsion motion um from 610 2025 motion to expel student number eight pursuant to 105 ILCS 51022.6 6 of the Illinois school code for the 2025 2026 school year and the first semester of the 2026 2027 school year for violation of board policy 7 col 190 specifically using possessing distributing purchasing or selling alcoholic beverages using being under the influence possessing distributing selling or of offering for sale any illegal drug or controlled substance or cannabis drug paraphernalia including devices devices that are or can be used to ingest, inhale, or inject cannabis
055or controlled substances into the body and engage in any activity on or off campus that interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including conduct that may reasonably be considered to endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property. In the event in the event the student completes an accredited drug counseling program, the student may return at the start of the 26 27 school year. Upon return, the student will be administratively placed accordingly. Do I have a motion for the approval of student discipline case number eight? So moved. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, madam secretary, please take the role. Burket. I. Lindmark. I Mckende I Zeller I Lamar I Fantino I and Meia I motion passes 70. Um roll call item
056action or action item 13.6. I have another it's approval of student discipline case number nine. I have another resolution board of education administrative placement under student safe schools program motion for June 10th 2025. Motion to place student number nine at Oakidge School pursuant to the regional safe schools program as established by 105 LCS 513A of the Illinois school code for the 2025 2026 school year and the 2026 2727 school year for violation of board policy 79190 specifically using electronic device in any manner that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others or otherwise violates student conduct rules. Prohibited conduct specifically include sharing, viewing, receiving or possessing possessing in indeent visual indeent visual depiction of another person without express permission to do so. engage in in any activity on or off campus that interferes
057with disrupts or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including but not limited to conduct that may reasonably be considered to endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property, and violating any criminal law. Do I have a motion for the approval of student discipline case number nine? Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, Madam Secretary, please take the role. Theino I Lindmark I Mckende I Lamar abstain Zeller I Mia I Burket I motion passes 61 thank you moving on to action item 13.7 approval of employee discip discipline case number three three I have an additional resolution to read resolution of the board of education of community unit school district 300 authorizing suspension. Whereas the board of education of community unit school district 300 has received
058a recommendation from the administration regarding the performance and conduct of Alexis J. Johnson, a DESA employee previously discussed in close session. And whereas this board of education herein finds and determines that evidence shows that Miss Johnson violated article 8 section 13.13 inappropriate workplace behavior of the DESA negotiated agreement. Whereas the board of education finds that the suspension of Miss Johnson is in the best interests of the district. Now therefore be it resolved by the bo by the board of education of community unit school district 300. Miss Johnson is hereby suspended without pay for three days to be served on dates to be determined by the assistant superintendent of human resources adopted this 10th day of June 2025 for the following roll call. Do I have a motion for the approval of employee discipline discipline case
059number three? So moved. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? M secretary or madam secretary please take the role. Lamar I. Mckende I. Zetler I. Burkett I. Theino I. Lenmark I. Meia I. Motion passes 70. Okay. Item number 16, adjournment. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Do I have a second? Madam Secretary, please take the role. Theino I. Mckende. I. Zeller. I. Lindmark. I. Lamar. I Meia. Hi. Burket. I. Motion passes. Thank you. We're adjourned.