001Mr. Serrano? Here. Dr. Martin? Here. Dr. Murillo? Here. Dr. Here. Ms. Robinson? Ms. C? Here. Ms. Wenman? Here. Let's all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Item 4.1, first thing on our agenda today is our Pride Recognition. Hello board members, uh can you hear We will welcome Dr. Tammy Harmon this evening, Executive Director of Schools, to read and help us celebrate all of our Pride winners this evening. Good evening. Tonight, the Board of Education acknowledges Pride winners from Hunt Club, Lakewood Creek, Pathways Transition Center, and Traughber for the month of April. Pride stands for Proudly Recognizing Individuals Demonstrating Excellence. The Board of Education began the program 10 years ago to recognize, promote, and celebrate the many contributions made by teachers and employees across the district. We thank our generous district partners who support this program,
002which is presented by Serve Bank and supported by donations from Chick-fil-A, Culver's, Imagination Print and Design, Huntington Learning Center, The Scoop, KCT Credit Union, Texas Roadhouse, and 113 Main. Your contributions make this program successful. We would like to thank all those who nominated individuals for consideration. Each nominee has been recognized with a certificate. Awardees, after your name is called and we share your information, please come forward to be congratulated by the board and Dr. Caliendo. And stay up front until the rest of the individuals from your school have been called up. First is Hunt Club Elementary School. Christopher Whitehurst has a fun approach to the curriculum. Finding ways to keep his students engaged during music class. He is dedicated to connecting with each of his students, even taking the initiative to learn Spanish so he
003can better communicate with dual students in the dual language program. His passion for his work is evident through his care for students. A former student shared, "His teaching is the reason I am who I am today." Congratulations, Chris. Larissa Miravete Larissa brings a high level of energy energy to her second grade dual language language classroom. She works hard to ensure that students are engaged and understand the content of each lesson. Her support of students allows them to grow in both knowledge and confidence. One parent said, "I love hearing all the ways she inspires our child and hearing how much they enjoy being in her class every day." Congratulations, Larissa. Stacy Matthew Stacy, dual language kindergarten teacher, instills confidence in her students, helps them problem solve, and sets an example for kindness and respect. She incorporates
004hands-on activities that enable her students to make personal connections to what they are learning. Her classroom is a welcoming space where students are held accountable and can grow socially and emotionally. A parent shared, "We have been so grateful for her involvement in our children's lives while they have been at Hunt Club." Congratulations, Stacy. All right, thank you to our Pride winners from Hunt Club. At this time, we invite any building administrators who are present to come forward to join the awardees, the board, and Dr. Caliendo for the photo. Congratulations, Hunt Club. Our next spotlight is Lakewood Creek Elementary School. As building engineer, Al LaFan Al works hard to make his building better each and every day, responding promptly to any reque- request. Regardless of the mess, he strives to ensure no student feels bad about
005an accident. Beyond his care for students, he has a great sense of humor that other staff members appreciate. A fellow staff member said, "He is genuinely concerned about helping students and staff stay safe as well as ensuring that our school is clean." Congratulations, Al. Next up, Heather Carroll. Heather, behavior technician, is committed to helping the students and staff of Lakewood Creek in every way possible. She is quick to respond to calls for help, and even assists at lunch, at recess, and in the car line. Her calm and nurturing demeanor allows her to work through situations with compassion. As shared by a co-worker, "I have learned a lot from her and appreciate everything she has done. Heather is truly one of a kind and deserves this." Congratulations, Heather. And Lori Zilke Lori has dedicated several several
006years to serving students as a school social worker in School District 308. Her empathy, kindness, and support has allowed her to touch the lives of many students and staff members. Her role in bridging connections between school, home, and community helps promote student success. A fellow staff member shared, "I know all of our students, current and past, have been so incredibly blessed to have met and worked with her." Congratulations, Lori. All right, at this time, we invite Ms. Budd, who and any other administrators who are present to come forward to join the awardees, the board, and Dr. Caliendo. Congratulations, Lakewood Creek. And now it's time to celebrate Pathways Transition Program. Building nurse, Amy Packham strives to meet the needs of every student she encounters. She has even partnered with the transportation department to ensure students receive
007all they need when they are not in her care. Her passion for student wellness enables her to care for all students through a holistic care model. As shared by a fellow employee, "Pathways relies on Nurse Amy and her kind approach to all she encounters is worthy of the Pride Award." Congratulations, Amy. Dan Bryan's role as a social worker enables him to support both students and staff on a daily basis. He maintains a student-centered focus and finds creative solutions to problems. His approach to his work allows him to establish positive relationships with students and families alike. A co-worker stated, "Pathways is truly fortunate to have such a high-performing, empathetic, and compassionate social worker on our team." Congratulations, Dan. Mary Soto Mary teaches her students through the creation and implementation of meaningful activities and learning opportunities both
008in her independent living skills lab and in the greater community. She is heavily involved in serving her building even beyond her role in the classroom leading a number of student-centered changes in the program structure at Pathways. A fellow staff member shared her students like and respect her and her families have nothing but positive praise for her as well. Congratulations, Mary. At this time, Mr. Macklenburg will come and join you for a picture. Congratulations, Pathways. For our final building celebration this evening, we move to Traughber Junior High School. Devon Cano As a band teacher, Devon Cano demonstrates an incredible commitment to his students. He cultivates a positive culture within the Traughber band program offering encouragement so students feel supported and challenged to grow. Outside of just musical instruction, he's dedicated to instilling positive values in his
009students. One nominator said in all aspects of his role, Mr. Cano models personal and professional integrity continually seeking ways to improve his teaching and contribute positively to the school community. Congratulations, Devon. James Milner Industrial Educator James Milner leads with kindness and a deep commitment to the district's vision. He makes school enjoyable for his classes with his student-centered approach. He takes pride in his work and inspires others to do the same. One nominator shared he is the kind of educator that every school hopes to have. Congratulations, James. Shannon Menassi In her role as a language arts teacher, Shannon supports her students creating a learning environment that enables them to grow as readers and writers. She challenges her students and makes them feel excited to participate in class. A parent stated it's all the time she put
010into both creating meaningful lessons connections with her students and building their confidence that has made her an unforgettable teacher for my son and I'm sure many others. Congratulations, Shannon. Becky Lockwood Math teacher Becky Lockwood encourages her students bringing out the best in each of them. Outside of being there to guide students academically, she helps them navigate the complexities of junior high school. She's a great listener and makes her students excited about the real-world application of what they learn in school. As shared by a parent she does an incredible job getting to know her students and knows how to inspire them in ways that foster a love of learning. Congratulations, Becky. Michael Appley Science teacher Michael Appley's positive energy and contagious smile sets a positive tone throughout his building. His reliability is something known and appreciated
011by both students and fellow staff members. His support of students extends beyond the school day and he makes an effort to show up at different events. A student stated he is always able to brighten up students' moods even when he doesn't feel 100% himself. Congratulations, Michael. And any building administrators? Ms. Francis, come on up. A final round of applause for Traughber. Let's have one final round of applause. As we recognize and celebrate these amazing staff members for all they do, honorees please proceed out into the hall gathering at the landing of the stairs for a group photo. Thank you to the families and colleagues who are here tonight to support our winners. Our final round of Pride Awards for the 2025-2026 school year will be recognized at the May 11th board meeting. >> [snorts] >>
012All right, I'm going to be uh Next item is our action item 5.1 approval of building administrator contract. Can I have a motion, please? I make a motion to approve the building administrator contract as discussed and presented. Second. Any discussion? Dr. Martin? I. Dr. Polak? I. Ms. Winmouth? I. Mr. Cerone? I. Dr. Muriel? I. Ms. See? I. Motion passes 6-0. Good evening, Board President Cerone, Vice President Martin, members of the Board of Education, and Superintendent Dr. Kilgatti. Erica Garza is our recommended candidate for the principal of Hunt Club Elementary School. Erica is an experienced educational leader with a demonstrated track record of improving school culture, academic outcomes, and instructional systems across diverse settings. As a current principal, she has led a significant shift toward a more positive, supportive climate while increasing staff attendance and reducing
013student behavior concerns alongside measurable academic gains. In a previous role, she elevated the school to exemplary status within 1 year and strengthened systems such as MTSS, instructional leadership teams, and social-emotional learning structures. Her earlier leadership included oversight of a dual language magnet program which led to strong academic performance across grade levels complemented by her deep experience as an EL program coordinator and bilingual educator. Please join me in welcoming Erica to District 308. Thank you. Ms. Garza, congratulations. You coordinated for the Hunt Club celebration to be the same night as your appointments. That was very fortuitous and and we just want to thank you and welcome to our community. It's a great place to work and to to grow and I know you will find a lot of just great opportunity to continue your leadership here
014and I see you have a staff member here with you as well. >> [laughter] >> That's wonderful. Thank you. We're very excited. Thank you. All right, um Great. Next item, Betty? Sure. Next item on our agenda is 6.1, the Superintendent's comments. >> [clears throat] >> Well, good evening, Board. It's uh truly an honor to be here this evening and to be able to to engage in really the reflection on our celebration of our staff. Um we are so and everything in everything we do every day, we have students at the center of that. And I have to tell you um when I get the opportunity and Mary George joined me this month uh to visit schools and to celebrate our staff. And it is without a single beat where we meet staff and they are
015so surprised. Not one time is a person like, "Oh, okay, yeah, I was waiting, you know? How long did it take you?" No, nobody. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Most, if not every one of them tonight, uh said, "Really? What? Me?" You know, and it it's never a single moment. The communication team and I always look at each other like, "We just can't believe we get to witness this." The level of self care, or I should say self-effacement, and complete dedication to children that when we show up and we say, "We'd like to invite you to come meet the board." Every one of these folks always just kind of looks at us like, "Are you serious? I already get the best job in the world." And so, I just I want to thank the
016comms team, and it is without a doubt such a joy. And and we know that education is fraught with challenges, but what we do know is that when we can put forward the standard bearers of what education needs to look like, it gives us all something to work towards, and it gives me, personally, uh something to work towards and a reminder of that. And so, um I just want to take a moment again to celebrate our principals, our staff, who are really at the front line of this. Um and I want to thank them, and I want to thank the comms team for making this such a wonderful experience. Um board, tonight I I want to report a couple quick things, and then I want to invite you to share share some additional celebrations, cuz
017Lord knows in a district of 17,000, we have a lot to celebrate all the time. And so, first off, I want to thank the team. I'll let uh Mr. Mr. Bell, who uh for Kinderquest, it was an incredible turnout. Uh I had a chance to get there at the end and meet students and families uh who were leaving, and just the level of commitment and excellence that they experienced and getting to know who their future student their future school would feel like um is really an exciting event. I think the number is 600 we had, right? 600 people showed up. Uh it was Do you have the exact number, Jeremy? Do you remember? It was Exact number, um and I want to absolutely consider that communications, schools, and all departments had a huge uh impact
018on the success of that. Um but yes, uh there was quite a few families that walked through. Um we have we're able to capture prior to the event up to 600 names, families on that list to be able to send out communications out to. So, that's way more than we've been able to capture at this point in previous school years. Um and so, that just is another foot in the door for our newest learners uh to be able to really understand and access what we have to offer. And this building was very busy that night. We had junior [clears throat] high track going on. We had softball games going on. We had a play going on or a musical going on. We had a volleyball tournament going on. And so, uh everybody showed up and
019showed out, for sure. It was really wonderful, and and I think it's What I think is important is that we're we're making intentional efforts to coordinate the opportunity for families to know what's happening in our district. Um that's also mirrored or we are doing screenings earlier than we've ever done before in terms of language acquisition. That's a huge shift. Um you'll hear more about that soon once we're past the the the middle of this, but uh again, kudos to those families. Um and really, uh tonight's celebration is probably one of the precursors to next week's uh this week's, I'm sorry, our retirement and service awards celebration. This week, we'll be honoring staff members who have dedicated 25, 30, and 40 years of service to this district. Um this is truly a remarkable feat. Um and
020uh 34 of those individuals are going to be uh moving into the next chapter of their lives and retiring formally from the district. And so, we want to really celebrate them. We want to thank our staff who are preparing for this big event. And it's really an important um opportunity for us to again continue to recognize that. Um coming up, we also have national uh teacher appreciation week, national interpreter appreciation week, and national uh school nurse appreciation day. So, lot This is the season to say thank you, um and to take time and to honor those who are on the front lines. And I just want to uh begin that by just recognizing them here at the board in preparation for Finally, it's also always important to take a moment and reflect and give back.
021And this coming Friday, we have our monthly food pantry distribution. Uh we want to thank all the families and the the uh volunteers who come out and support that effort. It's going to be at Old Trapper uh facility on Franklin Street. It is open to anyone in the community. This is a resource that you can access. You don't, you know, no questions asked. Uh come. Uh we know that it there these are free services that our community's able to work to coordinate, and that we're committed to continuing, and we want to welcome you. Uh and I want to thank the team for leading that. And with that, I want to invite our board members to share some additional celebrations and notes that we want to bring to the forefront. All right, we have an exciting
022first for the district this weekend. Alex Wollschlaeger became the first football player in OE history to reach the NFL. He signed with the New Orleans Saints as part of the offensive line. Congratulations, Alex. We're so proud of our alums. Well, the Saints was my first favorite team in America when I moved to the US. That's it. >> Was it? Yes. He must have known. Who dat say gonna beat them Saints? Who dat? As long as it wasn't the Packers. >> [laughter] >> Um the IHSA the IHSA at the IHSA journalism state finals, Tyler Urbanowski of OEHS earned third in advertising and fifth in yearbook page design, and Eric Gonzalez of OEHS earned fifth in radio news. From OH S, Taylor uh Anna placed sixth in news writing. Congratulations to these student journalists. Uh the Wildcats
023had a successful showing at their regional soccer competition. The silver team finished third, and both orange and junior teams earned silver. In the recent skills competition, Emily Malanaukas uh placed fourth. Ryan Halverson earned bronze. Zack Bayes, Ben Conley, and Lacey Sawitowski earned silver, and Benny Robinson and Gianna Heineman won gold. Congratulations and good luck to our athletes competing at the state this June. The Bednarzik Science Olympiad uh team took second place overall in middle school division A of the state tournament. The team also earned medals in several events. Congratulations, Bulldogs. Way to show off your science skills. The Oswego Police Department has been visiting visiting different SD 308 schools for autism acceptance month. Many of these events have included a K9 comfort dog, safety talk, touch a truck opportunity, and more. We are grateful for
024our partnership with OPD and appreciate the time they are dedicating to raising awareness this month. Thank you. Thank you. And finally, at their April 22nd PTA meeting, Wolf's Crossing drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 100 people. They celebrated over 20 students of the moment nominated by their teachers for the positive ways they shine, and warmly welcomed families from Grand Park Elementary who are joining the Wolverines next year. The leadership club wrote heartfelt notes and shared a touching presentation about what makes Wolf's Crossing so special. The energy and pride in the room were beautiful reflection of collaboration across the district. It's really good to hear. Yeah. Yeah. There was a lot of intentionality to really build what these bridges are going to look like. And so, I want to thank the the student assignment planning
025group for that focus. I I just You made a comment about it being uh nurse's appreciation day. Why Everybody else gets a week, they get a day? They have both a day and a They have both a day and a week. Okay. Just want to make sure. Thank you. And and I do want to thank In many of the schools when we're visiting, we're seeing posters for autism appreciation, neurodiversity, uh posters that really help celebrate and help people feel seen. And I want to just thank everybody. It just You you look at them, and you know that uh somebody's going to see that and feel that they are seen. Um it's the same reason we celebrate um all of our various celebrations throughout these months. It's really because it helps people really feel seen in
026the building. So, I want to thank our schools and our school leaders for making sure that's a priority, and also our schools team um for the the leadership. And with that, Mr. Rowan, back to you. Okay. Um We have public comment today? All right, 7.1, public comment. On behalf of the Board of Education, I would like to thank the public for attending tonight's meeting. We value the feedback we receive from our members of the public and encourage everyone to take an active interest in their public school system. Individuals interested in speaking to the board this evening are asked to have completed a comment card and presented it to the secretary to the board. Any members of the public who have not yet turned in their public comment card to the secretary of the board are
027asked to do so at this time. Okay. When the secretary calls your name, I ask that you come uh to the microphone, state your name for the public record, and provide your feedback. Please note that comments are limited to 5 minutes per person. The board does not participate in discussion during public comment. Comments should address the Board of Education as a whole and not be directed to an individual board member, audience, or staff member. Follow-up to your questions or concerns may be addressed by administration through the contact information provided on the comment card. Thank you. Alexa Ludwigsen Hello. My name is Alexa Ludwigsen and I'm a freshman at Oswego High School. And I am here to ask the board to consider the need for adding online classes to be offered at the high school school
028level again. As a student who has a 504 for two different conditions, I understand how necessary accommodations are in order for people to have an equal learning environment. Me, along with many other students, some of which are my close friends, have had to fight for accommodations and in many cases we haven't gotten enough to fit our needs. Recently, I have noticed the schools have gotten more strict and given less variety in accommodations or taken away ones from kids who need them. These accommodations should not be seen as a privilege as they do not give kids a step up, but make their education as accessible as possible. As a whole, our students reflect our community and we should strive to help our students achieve success in any way possible. Every student is different, but that's why
029accommodations like online resources can be extremely helpful.