001She needs to volumize this in a second. And I would like to call this meeting to order. If everyone could please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to this Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Miss Flores, can we please have a roll call? Yes. Robin Kleek, Julie Clifford, George Beavitt. Here. Carl Borchers. Here. Stephanie Peters. Michael Engel. Here. Joel Fimber. Here. Thank you. Just to note, Robin Kleek is not here tonight because her daughter is receiving an award at Berning Hills High School. She wanted to be there for her daughter. And Julie is traveling for business. With that, is anyone here to make a public comment this evening? Just as
002a reminder, if you wish to comment, you have five minutes. And going once, going twice. All right, that's that. Ignore the end of the table, please. Carl, would you like to do any recognition this evening? Would I? Absolutely. I always enjoy this time of the school year as we close out because it's always the culmination of all the great recognition we've done throughout the year for our students, teachers, and community members. So I think you can see by the attendance this evening, we have plenty of recognition to do. So please enjoy as we go through. So let's begin with the middle school boys bowling team who placed seventh at the IESA state tournament bowling 10 games over two days. Special recognition goes to Daniel Wolfe, who finished third out of 72 bowlers. And his highest
003game was at 290. We also want to recognize the bowling coaching staff, whose leadership and encouragement help these student athletes develop confidence, sharpen their skills, and compete with focus and determination at the highest level. Coaches, if you'd like to say a few words, you may come up at this time. And the bowling team, when your name is called by your coach, please receive your certificate from Ms. Flores and line up for a group photo in the cafeteria. Either way, it doesn't matter. Face this way. OK. Hi, everyone. It's fun to go first. I am not the coach. I'm Jennifer Harris. I'm the athletic director. But I'm standing in for some of the coaches here tonight. So for bowling, I'm well aware of the bowlers. We spend a Friday and a Saturday together. It was great
004fun, Mrs. Wolfe. So congratulations to our middle school bowlers. Seventh graders, we're looking forward to you coming out next year for the season. We have some good bowlers coming up. Eighth graders, we're proud of your accomplishments this season and for representing our bowling teams throughout your middle school years. We hope you continue your success in high school. Way to represent Hawthorne District 73. So first, we have our solo bowler, Kyle. Is Kyle here today? Where's he at? Kyle, stand up. Kyle was our solo bowler representing Hawthorne South this year. And we had our team representing Hawthorne North this year, who consisted of Logan, Jackson, Charlie, Daniel, and Everett. So if you guys could also step forward. These two are phenomenal bowlers. I don't know how you bowl strike after strike after strike after strike after
005strike after strike. I don't get it. They're phenomenal. So if you're ever bored and you want to go to Lakeside Lanes and Mundelein, they'll appreciate your support. So next, we'd like to highlight the eighth grade girls volleyball team from Hawthorne Middle South. Special congratulations goes out to these talented athletes on winning both the IESA regional and sectional titles. They competed in the state tournament on March 21st in Morton, Illinois, and it was their second state appearance in the past two years. We also want to recognize as well the coaching staff for their strong leadership and support helping these student athletes grow in confidence and compete at this highest level. Coaches, again, if you'd like to say a few words, you may come up at this time. And for volleyball players, when your name is called,
006please receive your certificates from Ms. Flores to line up for a group photo in the cafeteria. You're right, I'm back. All right, so today I'm going to read a little something from Coach Honda, who is the eighth grade South girls volleyball coach. She is apologetic for not being able to be here tonight. This is an accomplished group of athletes and young women. Our season ran from the first week of December until spring break, and these girls showed up every day with their families, helping them juggle, many other sports, and their extracurricular activities. They finished the season as regional champs, and seventh overall in the state. They are one of the only teams in Middle School South volleyball history to accomplish these things consecutively as seventh graders and eighth graders. This group of girls know how
007to balance competitiveness and fun, and at the end of the day, they always had each other's backs on the court. Thank you for taking the time to recognize this group as it's well-deserved. I can't wait to see what these girls do in high school. So if the Middle South volleyball team could stand up and receive your awards, we have Claire, Cece, Kennedy, Lexi, Sophia, Eliana, Mallie, Leilani, Aria, Imani, and Mia, Alyssa, and Courtney. So next, we're excited to recognize the Hawthorne Middle North cheer team for their outstanding season in a top 10 finish at the IESA State Cheerleading Competition. This dedicated group of athletes worked tirelessly throughout the season to perfect their routines and represent our school with spirit and sportsmanship. At State, they earned an impressive 10th place finish with an overall score of
00880.58 and a testament to their hard work and unity as a team. We also, again, wanna recognize the coaching staff whose commitment to the team's growth and development made this achievement possible. Congratulations to the Middle North cheerleaders and their coaches on a season filled with determination, progress, and pride. Coaches, if you'd like to say a few words, you may come up at this time. And our Middle North cheerleaders, when your name's called by your coach, please receive your certificate from Ms. Flores and head to the cafeteria for a group photo. Hi, everyone. We wanted to thank everyone for being here tonight. We really appreciate your time, taking time out of your evening to acknowledge the Hawthorne Middle School North competitive cheerleading team and all of their accomplishments this season. We had a really successful season.
009We placed second at our first competition at Crystal Lake, following with third at Buffalo Grove, and fifth at Huntley, and ending strong with 10th and State. Each one of these athletes tonight has demonstrated their dedication and determination to this program through achieving the goals that we sought out together. We continue to grow the skills and progress and overcame every challenge our way. We are so proud of their leadership, teamwork, friendship, and commitment that all of these athletes have shown this season. We also wanted to give a big thank you to all of our parents. We wouldn't have been able to have as memorable of a season with all of your help and support. So a big round of applause to our parents. And we also want to say that we are going to miss all
010of our eighth graders next year. We're going to cheer you on and good luck in your high school cheerleading journey. And then I'm gonna pass it on to Pam. Hi, everyone. I just wanna say big congratulations to our Middle School North cheer team. We did an amazing job this year, and I wanna say a big congratulations to our eighth graders who have worked so hard for the past three years, and every single one of them made the high school cheerleading teams, both JV and Varsity. Give them a big round of applause. And now we'd like to honor our cheerleaders. Okay, so when you hear your name, please come up. We first have Karina Kojavakian. Layla Noble. Nikki Morris. Sloan Andre. Rebecca Yalovetsky. Janayla McKinney. Eliza Poulos. Gemma Waters. Autumn Kaiser. Jocelyn Sanchez. Donna Tellez. Shira
011Weiss. Skye Newman. Ava Reddick. Kate Freed. Willow Crawford. Summer O'Neil. Oh, this is a long one. Dasha Verobilva. I'm sorry, you know I messed that one up. And then Ashley Stern. We now head back over to this side of town line for the Middle South cheer team, who also competed in the IESA state competition and finished 13th in the state. This group showed tremendous dedication, working hard at practices, building strong team bonds, and consistently bringing spirit and energy to our school community. We also want to recognize the coaching staff, who supported the team's growth and demonstrated strong leadership. Congratulations again to Middle South and their coaches on a season filled with determination, progress, and pride. Coaches, if you'd like to say a few words, please come up at this time. And cheerleaders, when your name
012is called, please receive your certificate and take your group photo. Hi, we just wanted to say congrats to our cheer team. This past year has been so much fun. We're so proud of you guys. And we've already started planning for the fall and looking forward to great things next season. And we want to wish the eighth graders very much luck in high school. And we'll miss you guys. So when we call your name, same old spiel, I guess. Priscilla, Cattleya, Bella, Giselle, Safa, Sophia, Autumn, Dorothy. Izzy G, Izzy M, Gianna, Leilani, Sophie, Avery, Emily, and Julia. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Good job. And now I'm pleased to pivot over to the academic side of our competitive groups within our school district and turn our attention to the outstanding students of the Middle North Science Olympiad
013team who recently competed at the state tournament at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Out of 46 schools across the state, the Middle North team earned an impressive third place overall, an incredible achievement that reflects months of hard work, problem solving, and collaboration across all STEM disciplines. The team competed in 28 events with standout performances in events like helicopter, metric mastery, mission possible, micro-admission, and optics. We also want to recognize the incredible coaching staff whose tireless preparation, encouragement, and content expertise help guide these students to success. Thank you for your leadership and dedication to our students. Coaches, if you'd like to say a few words, you're welcome to come up at this time. And North Science Olympiad team members, as your name is called, please receive your certificate from Ms. Flores and then line up
014for a group photo in the cafeteria. She does it all. All right, let's do it again. I'm actually gonna read something on behalf of the coaches at Middle North and Middle South for both of the teams. They've been equally successful, equally dedicated, and both performed well at state. So this is just a little snippet for both teams. So Hawthorne Middle North and Hawthorne Middle South Science Olympiad teams, we are incredibly proud of each and every one of you who competed this year. Whether you competed at an invite, a regional, and or at state, we are extremely grateful for you. We are thankful for all of our parents and our high school coaches who volunteered their personal time throughout the year to help us run these programs. Without you, it would not be a success. Our
015Science Olympiad seasons would not be possible without the help of everyone of the school community and the surrounding community, so thank you so much. With that, we're gonna do the Middle North names. So go ahead and come up and follow the same protocol everyone else has. So Ekam, Pranav, Arth, are any of you here? Oh, Vihan, so I started reading and I was like, wait. Ria, Aman, Arush, Atharv, Sachi, Tarun, Janani, Hamsika, Advith, Sharv, Anisha, Archit, Vaneeth, Shavy, Kian, Zanub, Alisha, Lakshita, Cora, and Sriranshi. And as mentioned, we also wanna make recognition for the Middle South Science Olympiad team. So a couple highlights just to add on to the context there is they competed in place 13th in state out of the 46 schools and scored, had top scoring in events such as the Pentathlon,
016Geocaching, Code Busters, Agricultural Science, Fossils, Microbission, and Scrambler. Again, we're grateful to the coaches who led and inspired this group and have lots of appreciation and gratitude for the parent volunteers who helped make the season possible. So again, if you'd like to come forward and recognize the students of the Olympiad South team, thank you. I'm Jennifer Harris. I am here again. I apologize if I screw up anybody's name. So I'm doing my best. Okay, so Middle South, here we go. Sanat, Rimsha, Luke, Anay, Nadia, Bamini, Maeda, Rhea, Rohan, Arjun, Sarah, Kikion, Catherine, Jasmica, Akshara, Nishida, and Hasini. I think I was successful with that one. Again, one last thank you to our parents for helping step in and coach and our high school volunteers. And if you weren't aware, we are taking pictures. Science Olympiad
017parents, if you wanna go to the cafeteria and snap a shot. Now we are honored to turn our attention to our staff. And let's first take a moment to recognize the many accomplishments of our volunteers. We're proud to highlight the contributions of Mr. Mitchell Cohen, a returning Hawthorne Helper volunteer whose dedication to our students and schools continues to make a meaningful difference. Mr. Cohen has generously supported classrooms across several buildings, starting at Elementary South, stepping in at dual language when help was needed, and currently serving at Elementary North. Wherever he goes, he brings a warm, encouraging presence and a deep commitment to student learning. Whether leading small literacy groups or enriching classroom instruction by sharing his military experiences through engaging presentations, Mr. Cohen's impact is both wide reaching and deeply appreciated. Beyond the classroom, he's
018also played a key role in shaping and refining the Hawthorne Helper program itself, helping ensure it runs more smoothly and serves both volunteers and staff more effectively. Mr. Cohen, we sincerely thank you for your service as well as your time and your unwaiving dedication to the students. We look forward to welcoming you back again next school year. Please receive your certificate from Ms. Flores and be prepared for a photo. Next, we are honored to recognize several members of our Hawthorne staff who were celebrated beyond our district, earning recognition at both the county and state levels for their commitment to excellence in education. These staff members were selected by the Lake County Regional Office of Education and the Illinois State Board of Education for their annual Educator of the Year awards and the 2025 Those Who
019Excel awards. These awards highlight everything we value in our staff, dedication to students, innovation and instruction, strength and leadership, and a deep sense of purpose. Many of tonight's honorees were recognized in more than one category or by multiple organizations, a reflection of the exceptional impact they have in our schools every day. Please join us in giving a round of applause to all these remarkable individuals. Staff members, once you hear your name, please receive your certificate from Ms. Flores and prepare for a group photo in the cafeteria. Starting with Connie Travis, Nancy Estrada, Stephanie Olson, Laura Preston, Maggie Kirst, the Townline Intervention Team of Nico Gayo, Christina Hughes, Heather Sawicksy, Shannon Howell, Katie Kelly, Nikole Calhoun, Adriana Soles, and Christina Pyke. That's together. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. All the best weiß. God, thanks so much. Congratulations.
020Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Good job. Thank you. Now let's take a moment to honor a group of staff members who play a vital role in the success of our new teachers, our building mentors. These experienced educators provide more than just guidance. They offer unwavering support, real-time coaching, instructional modeling, and emotional encouragement. Their time, energy, and compassion build the foundation for teacher success in a strong school culture. To our mentors, thank you for lifting others up and helping our profession grow stronger every day. At this time, as probably needed at this point after hearing me, I'd like to ask that Dr. Karen Maturo will say a couple remarks. And building mentors, when you hear your name, please receive your certificate and prepare for a group photo. Dr. Maturo. Thank you. I have to say a
021few words, meaning irreplaceable, stupendous, encouraging, patient, nurturing, safe, inspirational, and cheerleaders. These are our building mentors. They're a true lifeline for our new teachers. They don't have to do all the hours that they do, but they do. So this is a huge group that helps our first and second-year new teachers, and I'm so excited to celebrate them tonight. I feel like I'm hearing double of me. Well, that's good, hear me twice. So I am going to call your names. You're gonna do the same thing, so we can all say thank you to you. Shelly McConnell. Shelly Drezic. Sarah Lawless. Pam Alamissas. Nikki Gallo. Nikki Gallo. Nikki Calhoun. Maggie Kirst. Congratulations. Lisa Vates. Lindsay Aronson. Lauren Timiny. Laura Gitzinger. Kelly Wilton. Kelly Burke. Katie Kelly. Katelyn Kessler. Eileen Duhigg. Anne Halvorson. Daisy Ramirez. Andy Travis. Carly
022Breyer. I don't know if we heard Carly Breyer. Brandon White. And last but not least, Alison Strachczak. Way to go, we couldn't do it without you, woo-hoo. Now it's time to recognize another dedicated group of staff members who committed themselves this year to professional growth and leadership development through Hawthorne's Leadership Academy. To our Leadership Academy participants, thank you for investing in yourselves and in the future of our schools. Your leadership is already making a difference. At this time, I'd like to turn it over to Mr. Adam Palmer to say a few remarks. And participants, as you hear your name called, please receive your certificate and prepare for a group photo. Mr. Palmer. Thank you, Mr. Borchards. It's our pleasure to recognize the graduates of our fourth cohort of the Hawthorne Leadership Academy. This year, Dr.
023Maturo and I had the privilege of continuing this meaningful initiative designed for staff members who are eager to explore and grow their leadership potential. The Academy is focused on identifying and cultivating the incredible leadership talent already present within Hawthorne. We were thrilled to welcome nine passionate and committed participants into this year's program. Throughout the year, these individuals engaged in thoughtful discussions on leadership styles, heard personal stories from current administrators about their professional journeys, and participated in activities that encouraged self-reflection and growth. These sessions explored a wide range of leadership roles within education, not just administrative paths, fostering inclusive and well-rounded conversations about what it means to lead in a school community. The feedback we received was incredibly positive and reaffirming. I'd like to share just a couple of the reflections from participants when asked about
024what stood out to them most. One shared, I have learned and grown as a person and a leader so much in our short time together and through our book study. I am truly grateful for this experience. A second participant shared, the leadership journeys that were shared had a common theme of a student-centered purpose. I've been trying to figure out my next steps and it's clear to me now that my purpose is to ensure all students can read before third grade. I'm dedicated to that purpose. I've started to write my own leadership journey and for the first time, I can see my path clearly. Thank you for this gift. These comments reflect the powerful impact of the academy and the bright future of the leadership in Hawthorne. At this time, I'd like to recognize each of
025these year's graduates and invite them to come forward and receive their certificates from Dr. Maturo. First, Anthony Ekmekjen, Katherine Balmus, Megan Bohn, Shelly Drazek, congratulations, Jennifer Fragasi, Amanda Fries, congratulations, Carly Hendrickson, Ranjita Jain, thank you, and Sarah Lill, thank you. Thank you, thank you. So congratulations once again to each of you. We are so proud of your growth and your commitment to leadership. I'll now turn it back over to Mr. Borchardt to continue this evening's recognition. Thank you, Mr. Palmer. We are especially proud to honor a team of educators who have received one of the highest distinctions in all of education, the National Blue Ribbon Award. This prestigious award given by the U.S. Department of Education recognizes schools that demonstrate exceptional academic performance or show significant progress in closing achievement gaps. It represents a level
026of excellence that few achieve, and it reflects the hard work, dedication, and collective impact of the entire school team. Tonight, we are honored to recognize the Middle School South Physical Education Team, whose commitment to student health, engagement, and growth contributed to this remarkable achievement. Through their dynamic instruction, focus on wellness, and support of the whole child, they've helped build a school environment worthy of this national recognition. The following team members will be honored tonight not only with certificates, but with the district's highest recognition, a brick that engraves with the words, big things are built one brick at a time. Please join us in congratulating Matt Cameron, Jennifer Harris, Vera Flutgrott, Tom Shaver, and Jason White. And as we close tonight's recognition, we have one final honor that carries special significance. We'd like to celebrate and
027extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Karen Maturo, Assistant Superintendent of Innovative Learning, who will be retiring at the end of this school year. Dr. Maturo's impact on Hawthorne spans across programs, people, and years. She has been a tireless advocate for innovation, for teacher growth, and most importantly, for our students. Her passion for learning and her unwavering belief in what's possible has inspired countless educators and shaped the culture of our district. This year alone, Dr. Maturo was recognized at both the Lake County Educator of the Year awards and by the Illinois State Board of Educations, those who excel awards, a testament to the true excellence that she brings to her role. She's led our building mentors program with heart and vision, supporting new teachers and fostering the next generation of educational leaders. Her steady presence, encouragement,
028and belief in others has left a lasting legacy at Hawthorne. Above all, Dr. Maturo has been Hawthorne's biggest cheerleader, lifting others up, championing student-centered practices, and modeling what it means to lead with empathy, intelligence, and integrity. To honor her immense contributions, she is receiving the district's highest level of achievement as well, a brick that is engraved with the words, big things are built one brick at a time. Dr. Maturo, we thank you for the big things you've helped build, the people you've inspired, and the legacy you leave behind. Please accept your brick, your certificate, and our warmest congratulations on your well-earned retirement. This concludes recognition for the evening. Thank you all for your contributions to the community and to our students and your patience through this. I turn it back to Mr. George Feavitt. Earl,
029as much as I'm sure y'all wanna rush out into the rain, we're gonna go ahead and take a five-minute recess for those who'd like to leave. You're more than welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting, but thank you all for being here tonight. Let's reconvene at 742. Who would like to sign up? The information that you need is on the Key to 73 website, and it will be a very good time. Next, we're gonna thank the board for our enthusiasm and willingness to take on additional responsibilities through committee assignments. Some committees had several board members express interest in serving on them, but due to the Open Meetings Act, we can't have more than two board members on any one committee. I'd like to plan on keeping these roles until the next election in
0302027, but if at any time someone needs to switch out, talk to Robin. The assignments are as follows. Joel, Ed Redd. Are you shocked? I know. Mr. Engel, Seedle. Robin has volunteered to take on policy. Stephanie and I will be serving on site and facilities. Carl, you are stuck with me for recognition as well. With you? Yes. Julie and Joel are gonna take on wellness, and Robin and Carl are going to sit on the Superintendent Communication Council. There may be some changes here, but Robin will explain at a later date, so a little bit of mystery. Finally, we'd like to thank our administrators, teachers, and support staff for putting forth their best efforts each day for our students. Your dedication is truly appreciated. To our teachers, parents, and students, we hope you have a wonderful,
031relaxing summer off, and we look forward to seeing everyone again in August. Though we do have a meeting in June, so if you wanna stop in and hang out with us one last time, we'll see you on the 12th. Mr. Finfer, do you have an Ed Redd report for us this evening? Since the session hasn't ended, yes, I do, George. For those of you who have been with me since the beginning of this legislation, you'll recall that we started out with 1,800 bills that were introduced into the House and Senate. I've got good news and I've got bad news. The good news is that there are 50-ish bills left. Still all awful, but some, because of the works of Ed Redd, are less awful than intended. When I say ish, and this'll be a brief
032education here, there's a vehicle called shell bills, and you can create a shell bill, which is exactly what it sounds. You're creating an empty vehicle so you can sneak something in at the last minute, but as it stands right now, we're down to 50 bills that will directly impact education. On a more positive note, Ed Redd is an acronym for Education Research and Development, and to the education end, on June 12th, Ed Redd will be holding its third mini-summit, and the intent is to educate school board members and administrators alike in current practice and in some of the directions that the world seems to be going. Thank you, Joel. Mr. Engel, do you have a CEDAW report? I do. The last executive board meeting was April 24th. The last governing board meeting was March 5th.
033Just a couple of notes. Dr. Stephen Johns and Ms. Becky Allard were approved by the board to continue as co-interim assistant superintendents of business for the 2025-2026 school year. Dr. Johns shared a sample of a district cost sheet and comparison of member district rates and other services comparing fiscal year 25 and fiscal year 26. The board approved the tentative budget for fiscal year 26 and recommended approval by the governing board at our June 4th meeting. Pending that approval at its June 4th meeting, the final fiscal year 26 budget will be presented to the executive board on June 26th with a final approval at the August governing board meeting. The board approved the fiscal year 26 school to school food service contract between CEDAW, the John Powers Center, and the Regional Safe School Program and Vernon
034Hills District 73. And at the upcoming June 4th governing board meeting on the agenda are executive board member appointments, delegation of executive board authorities, appointment of treasurer, establishing meeting dates for the 2025-2026 year, further updates on the continuous improvement plan, the CIP, and a brief overview of the proposed extended bargaining agreement for the 2025-2026 school year reached with the CEDAW Teachers Union and that will be followed by a vote to approve. And that'll be at our upcoming meeting. The next executive board meeting is May 22nd and the next governing board meeting is June 4th. Thank you, Mr. Engel. Mr. Feavitt, do you have a site and facilities report? I'm just reading a script. Yes, I do. All right, so first an update on the bus tags. We're happy to report that all of our bus
035tags have been distributed through the North and South campuses. So far the system's working well. I know I've really liked the fact that I know exactly when to shove my kid out the door in the morning. Special education students will start in the fall to give time for equipment installation and training for those bus routes. Also, we are aware of spring construction delays in the area, Gregg's Parkway is a mess. So if you'd like to track your buses in real time, this is your prompt to sign up for the app and start getting notifications pushed to your phone for your students' tagging and bus arrival times. We also spent some time talking about energy costs due to regulatory changes throughout the entire governmental world. We are tracking a significant increase in energy costs starting this
036June 1st. Due to our co-op membership, we are in the best position we can be in. And as a district, we're gonna continue to look for energy savings throughout the district. But we will be keeping every summer school child cool and comfortable in our buildings in our summer program. So please consider those programs as well. We spent some time talking about our five-year facility plan. We are locked in for the work we're doing this summer and we've continued to adjust things throughout the next summers to ensure that we remain within our summer budget. We're gonna prepare our bids for the summer 26 so that we can get them out in the fall and get those projects started on time and get the bids out before everybody else does. Some last comments about funding and food
037service. Nothing to change in that landscape, at least with funding. We are so far seeing that every grant we expect to go after is still available, but we are watching out to make sure that remains the case. And then within the food service world, we're on month two with our onsite culinary manager and things continue to improve. We're menu planning for 25, 26, and we've been hearing word of new monthly promotions and exciting new menu items for our students. One last comment as the school year rounds wraps up. A bit of a safety update. Please do not turn left out of Elementary North in the morning or in the afternoon. Please don't turn left into dual language town line in the morning or in the afternoon. And please do not go in the exit at
038Aspen Elementary South. Follow the traffic flow for the safety of our students. And with that, I'll wrap up my report. We do not have a wellness committee report this evening and nor do we have a key to 73 report, except once again, there's a golf outing on June 6th. You may have heard about it about 15 minutes ago. No, not that long ago. Additional information's on the website, come golf with us. Now let's dive into our discussion items for the night. We're now gonna hear from Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Operations, Ms. Jennifer Aiken, to discuss the approval of the facility's vehicle purchase. Thank you. This evening, the business office has one item for board discussion. Hoplorn operates a dedicated fleet of vehicles for utility purposes, including a 2015 Ford F-350 dump truck that
039has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. Mike Labay, our Director of Facilities, has conducted a thorough research in collaboration with our purchasing cooperative and proposes replacing the 2015 Ford F-350 dump truck with a 2025 Ford F-250 pickup truck. The transition to a pickup truck will offer greater flexibility for our facility staff, enabling them to better meet the district's needs. Are there any questions for the board regarding the proposed replacement of the dump truck with a pickup truck? Not a question, more of a comment. This does include the plow required to keep the lots clear throughout the winter, so it's pretty important that we have. Yes, we were gonna replace the plow at the same time, so we're ready to go if it snows. Thank you. All right. With no
040questions, Dr. Hannigan, you have a super intense report. I do, George, thank you. First and foremost, I just wanna recognize Dr. Matera, I'm not gonna go into quite as much depth as Carl did earlier, but you know, Karen was describing the mentors. I started thinking, she used these eloquent one-word vocabulary statements, and so I started thinking about all these one, how I would describe Karen, and then I decided I'm gonna wait till May 30th for your retirement party, so we're gonna keep it there, but a lot of good words came to mind when you described Karen, but I just wanna thank you for your 36 years in Hawthorne, the last six years working together with you has really been, it's been a lot of fun. That was one of the words that came to my
041mind, fun. Contagious personality, but yes, I just wanna congratulate on everything you've accomplished in your entire career and all you've done for Hawthorne, so thank you. And so just as we close out the school year, I wanna sincerely thank our students, staff, and families for making a success and memorable. Your dedication, teamwork, and support have truly been appreciated. To our students, I wanna congratulate you on a great job and how hard you worked and all you've done to grow. We're especially proud of our eighth graders. As the board knows, on May 27th, we'll be celebrating all of our eighth graders during our promotion ceremonies at Vernon Hills High School, and as we head into summer, I just wanna wish everybody a season filled with rest, joy, and time with loved ones, and we can't wait
042to welcome back all of our Eagles on August 21st. Have a great summer, everybody. Thank you, Dr. Hannigan. All right, the consent agenda is next on tonight's agenda. This consists of board meeting minutes from April 10th, 2025, board meeting minutes from April 24th of 2025, our final 24-25 calendar with the correct last day of school, an expenditure report from May 15th, 2025, an Amazon expense report from May 15th, 2025, treasurer's report from March of 25, a MasterCard report from March 21st of 2025, a disposal of technology surplus, and a personnel report consisting of 11 new hires, 12 resignations, four leaves of absence, two changes of status, and one retirement. Before the board takes a vote, Dr. Hannigan, would you like to make any remarks? Thank you, in your consent agenda, you will see the recommendation
043for Mrs. Lisa Anderson to be the next principal of Hawthorne Elementary South. As the board knows, the vacancy was posted on all the regular job bank postings. We had over 60 applicants. All of the applicants took an online screener. Then the pool was whittled down from there. They had an online phone screener. They were screened by district administration. And then finally, we took three candidates to be interviewed at the building level with, again, administrators, staff, and parents. And so I'm very excited and proud to recommend to the board that Mrs. Lisa Anderson be the next principal at Hawthorne Elementary South. All right. Does the board need any items taken out and voted on separately? I do. I need the minutes from April 10th separated. Okay. 6.1. All right, so can I please get a motion
044for the approval of item 6.1, board meeting minutes from April 10th, 2025. So moved. Second. Motion by Joel Finfer, second by Carl Borchers. Ms. Flores, can I get a roll call vote? George Feavott. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Abstain. Michael Engel. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. Motion passes, four ayes, one abstention. Can I please get a motion to approve the remaining consent agenda items as presented? So moved. Second. That's a motion by Peters and a second by Engel. Ms. Flores, can I get a roll call vote on those please? George Feavott. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Aye. Michael Engel. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. Motion passes, five oh, and we now need to congratulate our newest principal of Hawthorne Elementary South. Mrs. Anderson, would you like to come up and say a few words? Come
045on up. And you can face them, it's fine. I can face them? All right. Well, I just want to thank everyone so much. I am absolutely honored and thrilled to come back home to Hawthorne where I spent 12 years as a school psychologist. I do not take this privilege lightly. As a mom, I know how important it is that we trust our kids to schools and to the staff to love, care, and grow for them. And I intend to take that on wholeheartedly into every single child and family that walks through the doors of Elementary South. I know having worked here, there's amazing staff here. I'm so excited to be able to partner with those who are here to help them grow in the ways that they are excited to grow and to really be
046a champion for every single child that we have at Elementary South. Thank you so much for this opportunity and I hope I don't disappoint. Thank you. All right, gang, let's move into our action items for the evening. We've got an approval of a facility's vehicle purchase, appointment of treasurer for the 2025-26 school year, approval of our facility rental agreement, a resolution transferring funds from the Operations and Maintenance Fund to the Capital Projects Fund of the district, and a resolution transferring funds from the Educational Fund to the Debt Service Fund. So next we will hear from Ms. Jennifer Aiken to review the action items on tonight's agenda related to the Business Department. Thank you. The Business Office has five action items that George just described for board consideration this evening. As we discussed earlier this evening,
047one vehicle in our fleet is no longer operational and requires immediate replacement. The Business Office is seeking board approval to proceed with the acquisition of a 2025 Ford F-250 pickup truck at the cost of $55,061, along with a replacement plow priced at $10,885,000. The estimated trade-in of the dump truck stands at $10,500, resulting in a total replacement cost of $55,446. The 2024-2025 budget has already allocated a placeholder of $100,000 for vehicle replacement, meaning that this entire expense is covered within our current budget. If the board approves this replacement this evening, the Business Office will expedite the trade-in and the purchase process to ensure completion before this fiscal year concludes on June 30. The second item is the appointment of the treasurer. Every year, the Board of Education appoints a treasurer to manage their finances, ensure
048proper accounting, fiscal integrity, and adherence to legal requirements. The treasurer acts as a custodian of district funds, pays authorized obligations, maintains financial records, and advises the school board on financial matters. The Business Office requests the board approves me, Jennifer Aiken, as the 2025-2026 school treasurer. Next, as we shared last month, the facility rental rates and terms have remained unchanged since 2014. Mike Labay, director of facilities, conducted a review and comparison of peer districts to ensure that our rates and terms are comparable and consistent. The Business Office is seeking board approval to move forward with these new rates and terms beginning July 1. And lastly, the two fund transfers. The first transfer is for summer projects and requires $2.5 million to be moved from the O&M, Operations and Maintenance Fund, to the Capital Project Fund. This
049transfer was planned and is accounted for in the 2024-2025 budget. The second fund transfer is for the Technology Device Lease and requires $613,511 to be moved from the Ed Fund, the Education Fund, to the Debt Service Fund. This amount is part of our three-year device refresh plan and is also accounted for in the 2024-2025 budget. Are there any questions about any of the five items that I can answer for the board? Thank you. Thank you. All right. Can I please get a motion to approve the facilities vehicle purchase? So moved. That's motioned by Joel and seconded by Michael. Can I get a roll call vote, please? George Vividt. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Aye. Michael Angle. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. Motion passes five zero. Can I now get a motion to approve the appointment
050of a treasurer for the 2025-2026 school year? So moved. Second. Second. I'm gonna give that one to Carl and Stephanie. Can I get a roll call vote, please? George Vividt. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Aye. Michael Angle. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. Motion passes five oh. Can I please get a motion to approve the facility rental agreements? So moved. Is Joel on the motion and Michael on the second? Ms. Flores, can I please get a roll call vote? George Vividt. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Aye. Michael Angle. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. Motion passes five oh. Can I please get a motion to approve the resolutions transferring funds from the operations and maintenance funds to the capital projects fund of the district? So moved. Second. I yield my movement to- Thank you Stephanie for the
051motion and Carl for the second. We're gonna get better at this. We're gonna get better. Ms. Flores, can I please get a roll call vote? George Vividt. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Aye. Michael Angle. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. And lastly, can I please get a motion to approve the resolution transferring funds from the educational fund to the debt service fund? So moved. Second. That too. All right, motion by Michael, seconded by Joel. Can I please get a roll call vote? George Vividt. Aye. Carl Borchers. Aye. Stephanie Peters. Aye. Michael Angle. Aye. Joel Finfer. Aye. Five oh. All right, at this point, I will turn the meeting back over to our superintendent, Dr. Peter Hannigan. Thank you, George. We've received two FOIA requests since our last Board of Education meeting, which have been identified in
052section 8.2 of the board agenda. Thank you very much. Does the board have any other additional topic that they would like us to discuss in a future meeting? Well, then with no further business to discuss, can I please get a motion to close the meeting? So moved. Second. Motion by Carl, seconded by Stephanie. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? And we're done.