0017:00 p.m. Call to order a meeting of the District 208 Board of Education. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And a roll call, if you please. Mr. Pluto? Present. Ms. Gasko? >> Here. Ms. Fresca? Here. Mr. Novak? Here. Mr. Williams? Here. Ms. Bayless? Here. Uh we do have FOIA requests this evening under information items. Dr. Skinkus? Uh Justin Wang. Um two from Justin Wang and the information was provided in the packet. Other responses, uh there were some questions submitted. Um really not related to the FOIA response, more to the actual vendors. Laura submitted some questions, so Kristen's going to touch on a few of those and then uh if Laura
002wants more detail, we can provide that on a separate meeting with Laura. Okay. Yeah, you okay with that cuz I think they were they were well, in addition to the to the FOIA. So, as long as you're okay with that. >> a deep description, but you know, I that FOIA kind of caught me off guard. That was Well, I think Those are the those are the same vendors that we've been paying bills for and approving, right? >> But yeah, this is a routine FOIA and so all of the information is pulled from three months of bills that you guys all have been approving. Um so, there are no new vendors that you haven't seen. Uh but I can provide a a quick overview of the questions that were submitted. So, Life Fitness and Direct Fitness
003are for wellness >> this as a I mean, as a separate conversation cuz I feel like Laura has a lot of questions. >> important for the board because does everybody know what Life Fitness and there is that our gym stuff? Is that our extra stuff? I just you know, it's a couple of words, but I think all board members should kind of have an idea that Well, then quickly I think in the interest of time, I think it seems uh But that this is our our meeting, our working meeting. >> aware. Okay. Uh Life Fitness and Direct Fitness is for our wellness department to purchase equipment. Collins Sport is athletic training supplies. Um transportation, um I can answer that in more detail when we go through the transportation uh first read. Okay. Um Lake Cook
004Distributors are purchasing just English novels from them. Uh nothing additional. Ingram Library Services are library books. >> Okay. Henry Schein is athletic training supplies and AEDs. B&H Photo uh is our art classes. Um Snap-on uh is items for our autos classes, which is purchased through grant money. Uh That's grant money you said? The Snap-on tools for the >> Correct. Okay. So, that's not our mark or that's not coming out of our stuff. No, it's all it's a board account, but it's um we use grant money to pay for that and it's all supplies for our autos classes. Okay. Um Nuco is uh HVAC. Uh Home Depot is variety of things, maintenance supplies, construction tech classes, fall play, spring musical, uh etc. And that comes out of our general fund? Comes out of a variety of
005accounts depending on what the expense is. So, if it's a maintenance expense, it come or construction tech, it comes out of our board accounts. If it's fall play, spring musical, it would come out of our activity accounts. What if Armark needs stuff? Do they have their own account and then bill us for those kind of things? >> No. No, it all goes through our operations and maintenance. Our operations and maintenance. Okay. Okay, so I think if it would be helpful if you're available, Dr. Smetana, if you have additional questions for Ms. Rescar or Ms. Rescar has additional questions. Yeah, but I think all board members should know these major blocks. I think to to to Dr. Smetana's point, we approve payments for each of these every month. Um Visitor statement, I'm seeing none here this
006evening. We can move on to consent agenda. Ms. Gasko? The Board of Education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, takes the following action on the listed consent agenda items. Approves minutes from the meetings held on March 10th, 2026, open and closed sessions as presented in the April 14th, 2026 board agenda packet. May we have a second, please? Second. Second from Mr. Williams. All in favor? Aye. >> [clears throat] >> Under old business, life safety items, capital improvement, sustainability, do we have any updates this evening? No updates. On schedule with solar for May. End of May. And we'll have a a more thorough update on that in May with the discussion, right? Thank you. Under payment of bills, I don't believe we had any question for payment of bills, but um does anyone have
007any this evening? We can move ahead. Uh the Board of Education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, approves the payment of bills as presented in the April 14th, 2026 board agenda packet. So moved. Do we need a second? I second. Second from Mr. Novak. Any discussion? Could you get a roll call, please? Ms. Gasko? Yes. Ms. Fresca? Yes. >> Mr. Novak? >> Yes. Mr. Williams? Yes. Ms. Bayless? Yes. Mr. Pluto? Yes. Next item is the consolidated district plan, which is the annual grant application. This is fairly perfunctory. Is who's talking us through this? Uh this is a general >> [clears throat] >> annual plan that the district is required to fill out. It started in the 2019-2020 school year. So, every year we fill this out, and the board approves it. It just
008um provides instead of having to do the same information on all the different grants, federal and state grants, it's one consolidated application so that you fill out all the information one time and then you they use it for the rest of the assignment of state grants. Correct, Dr. Smetana? Correct. And then you there's still a separate uh grant application for all the grants that are listed, Title 1, Title 2, Title 3, 4, and IDEA. Um There's one thing missing. Uh it I had to upload the parent engagement procedures at the building level. So, I did that through ISBE, but I did not include it in the board packet. So, I will include that and then ask the board subordinates to vote on that um as a part of the grant application at the next meeting.
009Um There were two comments submitted about um uh some grant responses and one was about increasing student access to early college credit. Um that box got cut off, so uh it is expanded to include beyond Loyola and AP opportunities. You just couldn't see it. Um So, did you include the dual credit and all those other options? >> Yeah, you just couldn't see it in what I provided because uh you had to scroll down. So, that part that little piece got cut off. Okay. Um yeah. And then regarding the uh EL professional development comment, um there's a comment to include under the professional development that we've expanded um our bilingual staff. Um I can look to add that somewhere else. It doesn't really quite fit under professional development, but I can look to add that somewhere
010else in the grant. I think you know, that's also such a an asset we have at the school where we have administrators who are so fluent in Spanish and can you know, comfortably speak with families and answer questions. Many families say they really land their kids for those notes and this way, you know, the families can come to us and ask you know, adults and they're comfortable. So. Yeah, Madam Woman, we always make ourselves available to our parents if they need any Spanish [snorts] translation service. Yeah, so that that's really an asset that we have. I thought we didn't want to lose that as a grant. So, this is a first read, correct? Okay. So, when I read through this, I didn't see the part for our programs or projects that we're asking for this
011year. This this is not a specific grant application. Okay, this is just what we need to have before we make the application? Yeah, so it's on page um so, it's in the cover memo. It's also listed on board book page 202. Um but the grants in order the grants that we are applying for eventually will be Title 1, Title 2, Title 3, Title 4, and IDEA. Before we can apply for those, we have to submit this to the state. We've been doing this since the 1920 school year. Um none of these grants are new, so this this isn't new money in essence cuz we've been getting it year after year after year like all schools do in varying capacities. So, if you didn't update this form, would it be possible that we might not get
012money this year then for something we needed? Well, yeah, I wouldn't be we wouldn't be able to apply for any of those grants. For any of those grants? >> Or federal fund I I maybe a a different word instead of grants would be federal funding. Probably be uh >> It's a requirement every school you have to do. So, yeah, we have to put that in. So, it's not it's not a grant in the traditional sense. Maybe think about it more as federal funding. So, this is more our federal fund. And then it in the first part, there's the delinquency under was that under like Title 4 Title 5 or disfunct dysfunctional part? In the beginning part of that grant, is it because that's not operational yet? So, I think it Title 1 it the delinquent
013part is not checked. >> Yeah, the delinquent part. Delinquent We don't qualify for that. Not checked. So, we don't So, okay. So, is that unique to our school in that A lot of schools don't qualify for that. So, like that's those are all of the things that you could apply for, but the only ones that we are eligible for are the ones that are checked. Okay. So, this is a first read. So, if there's additional questions, we can review and approve it at the next meeting. Is that okay with everyone? Sure. Okay. The next item is also a first read, I believe, the 2026-2027 school board meeting dates. I know um Laura did have some comments on that. I don't No one else submitted any comments, so my suggestion is we take our first read,
014and the second read at the next meeting is when we take a up or down vote on it. You will need it for the May meeting calendar. Does that work for everyone? Yep. Yeah, does I mean, typically we've had I mean, this is the time where we have a little discussion with each other. Uh typically we have the two meetings. We have opportunity then to have the programs come in and share with us. We have so many things going on, you know, the state, we have the career pathways that are in development. Um we're going to have some major projects happening, hopefully, in the next year, where we will definitely want to have updates on. Just knowing our calendars, having that those meetings set up front is huge, rather than having to try and schedule
015them. Um I think the January one made sense, but going down to just three, I don't think would be sufficient. So. The uh the only one we pulled was the February right now. Was that was because um after this we've looked back and looked at it all the February's, they were both like 10 minutes long. So, we consolidated that to one. And the May one, the board's already here for graduation in the May meeting. Um so, that we kept September, October is when we do the budgets, the reports, and is October, and then we kept the two in April to go through all the um as we prepare for stuff. So, I think baseline is we certainly meet once a month. My suggestion to the board is think through their last year of board meetings.
016Are there additional topics you think we could have would have should have covered that were not covered because of a absence of time, or something we need to expound upon from one of the existing administrative reports, and that could maybe factor into the vote we have on this at the next meeting. Yeah, so that February one, I think on our academic, I don't think we've had, you know, reports on different academic data that's come to us, or things that are happening, or the pathways program. February, that second meeting of February, could be a nice time slot for that. I think you're going to go to the academic advisor on Friday, and that's actually scheduled to be presented to the board on April 20th of this month. All the division heads are coming to speak about
017the career pathways and the different academic interventions. So, we've been tech the last 2 years we've been doing that in April, so it's at the end as we do the goals and prepare for the next year. Um but we could definitely let the board weigh in and Okay, so I think that was a first read. I mean, any more comments? I don't want to only have one voice. Anything? When do we discuss the school report card? Uh that typically happens in October. In October. Yep, after the state publishes. So, we get a presentation. >> So, we're we're going down from 18 to 17 is what the new what the new calendar had it was, right? I didn't do the counting that way, but yeah. Yeah, okay. It it's a reduction of that certainly every month.
018Yeah. Right. We kept the busy months of September, October, and April as doubles. We never had more than We only had one in November, one in December. This year we already went long in January because of the way our when our breaks work. So, the reduction of Feb the February meeting. Yeah. I think coming once a month February for a little longer is better than coming twice. Short, but you know, it's What are we saying? Okay, well, we don't need to vote on it tonight, so we'll vote on it the next time, and people can give it some thought if they if they um want to move ahead or or or not. Um Next item is the auditor contract. Uh yes, the district completed uh the administration completed a request for a proposal for our
019auditing services. Uh they're exempt from the standard bidding process and requirements. Uh the last time the district had gone out to RFP was uh 2017. Um so, I reached out to 12 auditing firms um on February 25th. The proposal was due March uh 13th, and we received four proposals. Uh as evidenced in the chart below, the district's current auditor, Evans Marshall and Piz, is the most cost-effective. Uh additionally, they've been uh the district's auditor for the past 15 years, and they have extensive knowledge of our financial position, and they're also the auditor for the township treasurer. Um overall, we've been pleased with their quality of work. So, the recommendation would be to approve um the 3-year contract uh with Evans Marshall and Piz. Okay, so that's the administration's recommendation. That's a first read. Any comments?
020Questions? Based on the cost alone, there's a pretty big difference. It it is significant, although you don't really necessarily want to go cheap with an auditor. >> Right. But I mean, 50% more is the next year. It is I agree. Almost. I don't believe there were any questions submitted, so this is one maybe we can approve tonight, unless the board wants to we can also put on consent. I'm I'm comfortable with the consent next month. Is that good? Okay. So, we'll do that. Thank you. Amy, could you please make note to move that to consent, please? Um transportation, field trips, and extracurriculars. Um Dr. Freda, is this was uh No, this is mine. Oh, I'm sorry. Uh this is transportation for For I apologize. >> we were on the field trip one over there. I
021I was Um so, this is a RFP for transportation services, and this does comply with the standard bidding process and requirements. The last time the district had gone out to bid for transportation was uh 2017. So, on March 18th, the bid notice was published uh on our website and the Landmark newspaper, and then we also published it um in the Suburban Life the following week. The proposals are due uh tomorrow. Um so, I included the bid specifications uh that we published, as well as the form contract. So, my hope is uh if the lowest bidding company approves the form contract, that I can bring it to the next board meeting and uh receive approval um at that time. Um But we'll see how that plays out. Um so, there were some questions submitted previously uh
022from Laura in regards to transportation under the FOIA. Um so, in short, there's a huge shortage in bus drivers and companies. Um and so, we use First Student whenever possible, but um they often 99% of the time cannot accommodate this before 9:00 a.m. or before uh 3:00 p.m. So, you have to take a field trip within a very short window of time, and uh athletics can't leave before 3:30. So, um when we need to use a bus uh outside of that, we use M&M or another charter. Um and so, First Student is always our first go-to. Um but often we will need to use um M&M or another charter, especially if we have a team that's playing outside and there are no lights, and they need to get to a certain uh venue at a
023specific time. So, is Evan M Limousines, is that like a bus? Cuz I've seen the word limousine and not knowing what that is. So, that's a how it can carry a whole team? >> Bus They have a variety of different sizes of buses than they we get the size that we need. But this is You've been using that for a while now, right? >> Yeah, we use other charters. M&M is the cheapest, so there's other ones, Windy City we use from time to time if M&M's not available, but M&M is by far the cheapest, and um they uh do a nice job working with us to try to accommodate our needs. Do we need special forms for you know, when we have contractors come on the school, the contractors have to go through background checks
024and everything cuz they're around students. Do the drivers on the um different bus companies have I'm assuming First uh Student already does that cuz they're working completely with students. But the other bus companies, are they complying with some of those background checks and things like that, or >> That's a yeah, that's a requirement of the company. That's not something that like we don't do the back background checks for the bus drivers. That's on the the company to do that. Um uh and these are also um trips that are uh always have chaperones ample chaperones as well, so it's not Students are never alone um you know, on the bus. Um the other questions submitted, First Student does our bus uh evacuation drills. That's outlined in the um bid specs that I put out. Um Ever
025Driven is used to transport McKinney-Vento students. Um and then Pace is for uh renting vans, or yeah, renting vans really for uh special education students, primarily our students that are in our transition program when they go out into the community, or they do jobs. And I'm sorry, Ever um the Ever one that was in Ever Driven Technologies, they are also What did you say about that one? >> They transport our McKinney-Vento students. So, we should not put this on consent calendar just because of the un- uncertainty as to who will actually receive the contract. Um but I think the board should think about approving it at the next meeting since we did have this chance to see it. >> the bids in the next meeting. >> Yes, yes, you'll see the bids. It's it's a
026low bid Right. >> process. If there's not It's not an RFP. Sure. Um but I do want to thank Dr. Smetana cuz you've done now two contracts. I think the board was asking you to to look at some of these, so it's it's a lot of extra work, and it's appreciated. Thank you. So, we'll see the bid for the main company, right? But, then we'll still end up using several of these others as needed. Yeah, we will have to. That's the unfortunately the reality that all schools are facing, especially when a school doesn't have regular bus routes. Um you know, we have to wait for them to finish all of the regular bus routes, which would happen even if we did have but they have to finish all the bus routes before they're ever able
027to do anything extra, which is also why they have to come back um by 2:00 from field trips so that they can get to the regular bus routes to take students home. And this Like I said, this is something we've been using for several years now. Yeah, this is it's a it's a newer reality that uh started after COVID when they lost all their bus drivers when COVID hit and then they had uh the industries had a hard time getting drivers to come back. Okay, and and you'll let us know then if there's any issues with the contract terms and conditions that too. Okay. Thank you. Do you want to take these separately or Dr. Freitas want to do them together? The overnight out of state overnight field trip for varsity cheer summer camp and
028we have an out of state overnight field trip for the music department. >> the the first trip is an annual request so the cheerleading staff is requesting to attend the National Coaches Association summer camp in Carthage College, Wisconsin July 10th to the 12th of 2026. Um and it would help if the board can approve it tonight cuz if it is approved tonight, then the team could begin fundraising and all those things. Um the next trip is a biennial trip every 2 years the music department requests to attend an out of state trip and they're requesting to attend um to go to New Orleans and Tennessee. So, the insurance it would have been helpful to see in the packet what the insurance so typically they should be signing insurance if somebody breaks a leg during their
029time there. >> They have to sign it. Once the trip [clears throat] is approved, students get students and parents get a permission form that outlines their expectations. You know, there's insurance requirements, there's statement that says, you know, if it's an accident district is not liable, and if students misbehave, parents, you know, are on the hook for the cost and all that. So, everything's outlined in the permissions slip once the trip is approved. And then we have the as a district we have the appropriate insurance should there be an you know, a terrific bus you know, a back bus accident or something like that. The school said don't Yeah, I mean I saw that question but I I had prepared an answer for it. Like Dr. Sumitana is nothing I mean, we have approved multiple overnight
030trip like the we have our insurance all the none of the forms have changed from our attorney review. So, all the things are covered at Miss Ruska had submitted. Correct? >> Correct. Our our our attorneys have reviewed them as well as our liability insurance. >> And these are the same forms we've been using and the board's been approving. So, I just want to make sure we got nothing's changed. >> Nothing's changed, ma'am. Could a copy of those forms come in the Friday? I mean, I'd like to see what those forms look like. Is it a secret or No, I believe it's in our No, it's not a secret. It's in our archive. We have it and we make it [snorts] available to our staff and everybody. I don't know if any other board member would
031like to see what those insurance forms look like but we ask Also, do is there a form that the students sign or some agreement that they are going to follow the rules? And if they don't, they're going to be sent home on their parents? Yes, yes, madam board member. That is on the parent and student permissions slip form. Yes. So, yeah, I'd like to see that too. We've had an incident where a student was sent home from Italy at the cost of their parents for making some of their own choices. And so, I landed you know, it would have been helpful to see those things that those things are intact. Yeah, I'll provide copies to our superintendent and Um not to make the meeting longer than it should be but Italy is that their educational
032That's not an RV sponsored No, it was. It was It was an RV sponsored years ago. I think that was before me though, right? Well, yeah, probably was and a student made some choices that were not wise. Yeah. No, it was you know, within AP class. Why can't I Why can't I go to Italy and I have to go to No, that's why I I'm like cuz my Yeah. Kids participated and I know the school it's not school sponsored. So, I just wanted to make sure everyone understands that that's not what we're doing. No, this was a school sponsored trip and That's not what we're currently doing. No. Okay, thank you. Well, the music one is a school sponsored trip. Correct. And so, as students make a unwise decision on a on the music trip,
033they would be families would be responsible for their I I think we had that same discussion when they went to to Disney World a few years ago and then New York. So, this is that that's not >> to sign off sign off on all that. So, I would have liked to have seen that in the packet with form that we have in the packet. >> think they've probably created the the permission slip yet. At this point, we're just approving I'll send out in the Friday update the general procedures that the teachers have to follow. Okay. They won't be specific to this trip. But, it will be the format of what they have to follow. Thank you. So, Dr. Freitas, I hear you about the varsity cheer summer camp. The request is for approval this evening.
034What about the music department? I had Yes, it it would be it would be great if if we could approve it today so they can lock in the price, you know, cuz it may get more expensive if it's if we approve it at the cap but it's up to the Does anyone have any objections to approving both the field trips this evening? No. No. Okay. And this is in in and to be clear, this is the music's big trip, right? >> Correct. Yeah, it's a biennial. Yeah, every other year, you know, they they go you know, somewhere fancy. It looks like it'll be an extensive one, too. I mean, we went to New York. We had a great time. Oh, were you on the New York trip? I was on the New York trip. I
035chaperoned on the New York trip. >> is this is years ago. This is not this last year. >> No, in 2019. Got you. And so, I I know what this And I've sent three other kids on I've sent four kids on trips. So, but you know, I'd like to know that those forms are still intact. The legal forms are still intact. We've had incidents at the school and I would like to know that they're there. So, you comfortable moving ahead with them this evening? I'll go ahead >> with these two items. Okay. Um Miss Gaska. Um there's two separate items. Thank you. Sorry. The Board of Education Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois approves the out of state overnight varsity cheer summer trip to attend the NCA summer cheer camp at Carthage College,
036Wisconsin as presented in the April 14, 2026 board agenda packet. I'll second. Second from Mr. Novak and there's a roll call, please. Mr. Williams. Yes. Ms. Davis. Yes. Mr. Bucur. Yes. Ms. Gaska. Yes. Ms. Ruska. Abstain. Mr. Novak. Yes. Second one. The Board of Education Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois approves the out of state overnight field trip request for the music department to travel to Memphis and New Orleans for an educational and performance tour as presented in the April 14, 2026 board agenda packet. Second from Mr. Novak and there's a roll Yes. Mr. Bucur. Yes. Ms. Gaska. Yes. Ms. Ruska. Abstain. Mr. Novak. Yes. Mr. Williams. Yes. Okay, I hope the kids have a great trip and they can fundraise appropriately. Thank you. Good times ahead for them. Uh visitor statements. Hannah,
037anything you want to jump in? Since you're here. Okay. >> [laughter] >> Thought I'd ask. Um figured I'd ask. It seems like it's a quiet night. Uh Board of Education discussion items and I'm going to bundle that with Board of Education items for future meetings. Does anyone have anything? I've got a quick discussion item. Okay. So, I went to the West Cook dinner on the on Thursday. Again, these are open everyone. It was at Washington School, which is on Lawrence Avenue. About half a mile east of LaGrange Road. So, you are literally on the airport's footprint. DNL was their architect, brand new school. Uh I had actually served as election judge in that school twice so I saw part of it but then they gave us a tour. The soundproofing in that school is amazing.
038The the way they set up the classes and the common spaces and they have the special education building. So, just such a tremendous build. Um it was pretty amazing to get the tour. The district went over the top and so, I forgot to bring their students made us a 3D lamp for the district and I'll bring for our board room. Forgot to bring that in there that lights up. Everybody who came, their district got this little light lit [snorts] up lamp. And the speaker was an expert on AI who had worked in the field for 20 years, was a um an educator and worked professionally in the field and talked about how this field has advanced and things schools are doing and things we need to look forward to. Um they said he said he
039would share his power deck with us or the PowerPoint, which I need to get from them. So, on the Friday update, I'd like to disseminate that to you so you can go through. Short presentation during dinner, very informative. You could ask questions. Um the Illinois Association of School Boards, they brought their Washington liaison, they brought their attorneys that help write the policies with us. So, they really had everybody on deck where you were able to ask lots of questions and then speak with other districts kind of like, how are you guys doing this and that. So, it was a nice It was really nice evening. They they went over the top, you know, they did such a nice job. Yeah. You say your architect was DLA? I think it was Our architect I think so.
040>> you said. No, I thought it was DL DLA. >> you said DNL. You said DNL, but it was a DLA. I think it's DLA. Okay, that's our architect. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, a lot of those schools in that area get a ton of federal dollars uh from the FAA uh to help >> noise mitigation. noise mitigation, yeah. And you could not hear those planes. It was amazing. So, that that was, you know, it was really nice. Yeah. Anyone else? Looking, looking. Okay. Matters for closed session. We have appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body. The HR packet, we have student discipline, individual student matters, purchase, sale, or lease of real property, probable, imminent, or pending litigation, collective negotiations, and school safety. Ms. Gasca. The Board of Education, Township
041High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, enters closed session for the purpose of considering the closed session matters as presented in the April 14, 2026 Board agenda packet. So moved, and a second. Second. Second from Mr. Williams, and a roll call to go into closed. Mr. Pluto? Yes. Ms. Gasca? Yes. Mr. Proscia? Yes. Mr. Novack? Yes. Mr. Williams? Yes. Ms. Ayala? Yes. Okay, we are moving to close at 7:31.