District 208 Board of Education Committee of the Whole Meeting 09-23-25

001We're going to call to order the meeting of the board of education, District 208, this evening, September 23rd. Pledge of Allegiance, please. I pledge algiance 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. >> Miss Mallo, could we have a roll call, please? >> Mr. >> President. >> Mr. Derkin, >> here. >> Miss here. Miss Rosco >> here. Mr. Roach, >> Mr. Williams >> here, >> Miss Davis >> here, and we do have recognitions this evening. Dr. Fretas. >> Good evening, honorable board members. Nine teachers at Riverside Brookfield High School held leadership roles with the College Board AP exams in 2025, including readers, table leaders, question leaders, exam leaders, and co-chairs of their department. and AP

002exam leadership will promote professional development and increased knowledge of the ins and outs of the respective exams. We are grateful for the dedication and hard work they put to support AP students and the wider AP community. These teachers being recognized this evening. They're fantastic human being, great parents, great aunts and uncles, outstanding coaches and club sponsors, and it's a pleasure to work with them day in and day out. I'd like to recognize the following educators present today. And for those that are not present, you can see their pictures live on the board. I'd like to recognize first Mr. Mark Husen. [Applause] >> You're wearing the same hoodie as your picture. >> Uh slightly different. >> Okay. Uh Mr. Alison, what area do you teach is do you teach? >> So, uh, I'm the A coordinator

003for the school. Um, and I work, uh, with the A coordinator advisory council, which is a small group of, um, about 25 coordinators from across the country who help to do professional development training for all AP coordinators. >> Oh, wow. >> And within that group, um, I work for a smaller team that helps manage that group. So, um, you know, it's been a >> it's been a fun job since about 2018ish for me. Okay. Um, and it's um something I I really have a passion for doing. I've got to meet uh meet coordinators from all around the world. Um, and especially a lot of our local ones that I've met through presenting both in person and on Zoom. >> Nice. >> Thank you. >> Next, I'd like to recognize Miss Lindsay Miner. >> What's your

004role with the AP? Um, so I'm an AP reader for AP Statistics. Um, and I think I've done it almost every year since 2011. Um, there's about a thousand readers for statistics and so some go on site um, and some are read from home. So I've read from home for the last four years to kind of allow for flexibility of schedule and um, being able to do kind of a lot of our end of the year stuff. Um, I would like to just really quickly talk about Mr. Vonrio um who has been on the development committee for AP computer science principles for the last number of years um and then Miss Chica who is kind of queen of computer science um and has worked with both computer science principles and computer science a um as

005a reader. She does uh the AP summer institutes training new AP teachers um and has really kind of been a great resource for us through college board for I mean pretty much the entire time that I've been at RB. So >> thank you M. So can I >> when you say training AP teacher so >> what qualifications do you need then to be the AP teacher is it training through AP >> every like uh it's highly recommended when you become a new AP teacher that you attend an AP summer institute >> which is essentially a week-long 8 to 5 or 8 to3 training where you go through the entire curriculum um you you know if there's like key projects or or activities that would they would recommend recommend they go through that. They provide you

006resources. You, you know, go through the last year's AP exam. You do a lot in a week. Um, and so that's, you know, she goes all over the country. Um, Miss Rodrigo does it as well, um, training the new teachers in those programs. >> Wow. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss. Next, we would like to recognize Miss Patty Sarcad. Could you let us know about your role with the AP college board? >> Um, so hi everyone. I'm Patty Sarcati and I'm actually one of the teachers that participated in the AP summer institute this year. So, the college board wanted to bring in a career and teched um curriculum to the college board to offer AP to career and teched students. And so, the college board decided that it would be the most um fluid to

007implement it in a business course. So, the college board um is proposing starting next year FY27 um that is that right FY27. so that um AP business um principles with personal finance will be available um worldwide. So that starts next school year. So um I was very fortunate to do the 4-day training and it was like 8 to 5 on the first day was 8 to 7 and um meeting the group of educators that were part of this team. There were a hundred of us selected to go um and be uh take care of like go to this and bring back the curriculum. Um so we're actually piloting it right now and so it's very exciting because um the curriculum is so enriched um and I'm part of a focus group now with these teachers

008and so we are talking twice a month about what works, what doesn't. We have a shared resource um section right in the in the AP um website uh so that we have access to everything and we're trying everything and then they're seeing what works, what doesn't work and uh it's really amazing. So I'm so happy to be part of it. >> Wow. >> Thank you. We'd also like to recognize the faculty members that couldn't make it this evening due to pride commitments. Mr. John Fields, Miss Delaney Gerity, Miss Kathleen Hary, Mr. Dan Ror. [Applause] Congratulations to the three Riverside Griffith High School students who were named semi-finalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. More than 1.3 million students enter the program by taking the preliminary SAT, the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served

009as an initial screen of program entrance. As three of the 16,000 semi-finalists, these students will continue in the competition for some 6,930 National American Scholarship worth an overall total of nearly $26 million. We would like to recognize America Castan. [Applause] We would like to recognize Quinn Hendris. [Applause] And last but not least, Zach Rosenfeld. [Applause] Next, we would like to congratulate the following student on placing third overall in the state at the at the distinguished Young Women of Illinois Scholarship Program. the state branch of the nation's largest and oldest scholarship program for high school girls. Sophia was selected as one of the top 22 senior girls in Illinois after completing a rigorous process that included personal interviews, public speaking, and a physical fitness routine and a talent presentation. She was also evaluated on her scholastic

010achievement, which includes her grades, advanced placement classes, test scores, and extracurricular activities. Her outstanding performance earned her scholarship to 12 colleges and three CAT scholarship to use at the college of her choice. In addition to her third place finishing state, Sophia received recognition for her exceptional dance talent and earned first place in the fitness category. Unfortunately, Sophia had to teach a dance class this evening, so she could not be here with us. However, she is doing what she does, teaching dance. [Applause] Honorable board members, that concludes recognition. I would like to ask the staff and the student to please join us outside for some photographs. >> Congratulations to everyone and in particular the semi- finalists for National Merit. It's a huge accomplishment. Step up to the mic. >> You're up. >> Actually, you can come

011to the table, guys. >> You want to pull up an extra chair? You could sit. You could stand. >> It's really your call. >> All right. Start. >> Yeah. Just tell us your names and your role on this. >> Thank you all for letting us speak um here at this board meeting. Um usually there are six of us, but two of them have soccer and one is at work. So, we are the three representing student association tonight. My name is Tommy Bogdan. I'm a senior and the treasurer of student association and I'm involved in many clubs and activities here at RB including I run cross country um part of student association national honor society and one of the co-founders of the newest club here at RB Hoso. >> Um hi my name is Selica Kuba.

012I am the vice president of the SA Exec board. I'm also the um captain of the girls varsity tennis team. I'm also a member of HOSA and NHS helping pause and I also run track in the spring as well. And then my name is Violet Fury. I am a junior. I am the student spokesperson on the essay exec board. I as well as essay I am involved in golf hosa best buddies and body here at RB. Wonderful. All right. Um to start this year off we've had huge success in um getting our students involved in our events such as like the pep rally and the homecoming spirit week. Um we've had a lot of success um not only getting our members to participate in these events but also getting staff and other students involved. Um

013our major goal for this year is to keep that enthusiasm up and keep everyone participating and get the school excited for um our events by um creating new like innovative ideas to keep everyone excited and um yeah to keep the ball rolling with that. And then one thing I did want to touch on really quickly was our past freshman orientation that happened at the beginning of August, right before school started. We are super happy with the turnout this year. We had almost the entirety of the incoming freshman class come as well as many others from SA that volunteered to help that day. We had tours going through the school as well as some inclass time where we went over the new schedule, gave some tips to the incoming freshman and just answered any questions that

014they might have about the school, anything about going into high school. And we're super happy with everyone that came and overall it just went really smoothly and from the looks of the first day of school very effectively. >> And then to touch on homecoming which is this past week and um the dance was on Saturday. To kick off the week, we started with our Windy City themed spirit days, which received lots of participation from both staff and students and lots of positive feedback. Um saying that um everyone who participated in the days really enjoyed um the themes for each days. And then our pep rally was hosted on the Friday. Um, once again, lots of participation from both staff and students in the games. Um, and received tons of positive feedback from both the staff

015and students at the pep rally. Um, saying that it was a super fun and exciting event that brought the spirits up um, at RV. And then to conclude, we had homecoming on Saturday um, in the fieldhouse this year, which was a little different um, from past years as it was usually on the stadium. Um this morning we had an um executive board meeting where we kind of share our opinions on how we felt about it and we were kind of split between who enjoyed it more at the stadium and more in the fieldhouse. Um but overall really good fun um and spirited event here at RB and we thought that the week went very well. >> Wonderful. >> Um so now for our upcoming events. We have many coming up um in these next two

016weeks. Um this Saturday we have the Walk for St. Jude which is going to be at the Brookfield Zoo. Um and then following that on October 1st we're having our first annual blood drive and then then following day um we are going to be participating in World Smile Day October 2nd. And um so far we've got um a lot of our SA members and other sports and clubs um such as the cheer team and soccer team to all sign up for the uh walk with St. J this weekend. So, we're really excited to see the turnout of that as it it's our first year doing this and we're super excited um to see everyone show up for the walk and see how that um turns out. So, yeah. And then we also have a lot

017of other events coming up in later October, but these are our major three um right now. So, yeah. Do you guys have any uh questions for us? >> Sounds like a lot to keep you busy. Um, who were the the who was part of the royal court in homecoming? >> Oh, I was. >> Anyone we know? >> I was the king. Um, and then Alan V was the queen and then there were I think there were 10 other just regular members. >> Congratulations. That was that was a cheap question. >> So, did you move into the fieldhouse because of >> the weather? Yes. So, sadly since we couldn't have it on the stadium because of the rain, they decided to move into the house. Okay. >> And it was split, you said this morning? Yeah,

018this morning we all shared our like opinions on what we've kind of liked better from years prior since it has been it had been on the stadium for the past three years at least for the seniors who were on the executive board. Um, we were kind of split. Half of us liked it in the on the stadium and then half of us liked it in the fieldhouse. So, for future years, >> I think about 7:45 a.m. Saturday morning, I started getting random text messages like, "Hey, so and so's asking is homecoming inside or outside?" Right? That's that's not it's not like a weather day. Hey, that's a Mr. Manning question. >> Well, thank you all for your service and in um at the start of the year and we look forward to your regular updates.

019>> Thank you so much. >> Okay. Um Dr. Skinis, we have quite a bit in the superintendent and assistant superintendent reports. Why don't you jump in? >> Okay. Uh superintendent report Senate Bill 637. That is our legislation that's helping us work on the lease language with the zoo. I've been exchanging lease language drafts with the zoo and we'll continue to update the board as those discussions progress. We're still in the draft phase. At this point, I plan to hold off on having Liz Hennessy from Raymond James attend a board meeting until October when she can present funding options through the tax exempt capital improvement bonds for potential site improvements and safety enhancements. I just think it's first and foremost we got to uh get the language solidified. Um >> do we need to talk about

020that before the end of the year? I would assume >> we do. We should have >> uh her definitely before the um November would probably be the latest. We only have one meeting in November. >> Just so everyone can kind of keep that on your on your radar. It'll be a very mathy meeting. um parent organizations. Miss Mo sent out invitations to all of our parent organizations to attend the October 28th committee of the whole meeting uh to provide their annual report. Um the advisory councils that met, we had a great technology and curriculum advisory council meeting last week. Um that was Miss Gaska and Miss Susca that participated with Dr. Freighes, myself, Miss Linquist. Uh the advisory council met on September 18th to review the performance benchmark data report which the board will receive

021tonight and updates on the curriculum guide. Uh I did receive one question or comment. There were some concerns uh with the audio system at the stadium and the maintenance and it already working on that. We have a sound guy coming out this week to do a test. We're not quite sure if it's the different uh coaches plugging in their phones and iPads with different music queued up. Um, so we're going to try to get that solidified, but it uh that's that question did make it to me and it is being addressed. So I just wanted to include that in my report. Is I just had a curious I submitted that question. Is there a designated sound person that deals with it during the game or is it a different person every game or how does

022that work? >> Uh there's not like a sound manager or anything. So the coaches go and plug in uh through the ox cord. So, uh, we have somebody coming out like Dr. Se. >> I believe they're coming out tomorrow. So, we'll get a better idea cuz it could be something as simple as maybe it's a bad oxport or the ox where we plug in or there's something going on there. >> Um, but that's part of the problem with different files on phones that it may not plug in and play as easy. I do know that there are a few um students that are are learning about sound engineering that could probably benefit from look taking a look at it at least or having some guidance on it. >> So we we filmed the games, right?

023Is our RV TV at all involved in >> Yes. The concern that was brought forward was that there were some parents and residents that were concerned like you couldn't hear the music or the announcements. So when we hear the music, we've had some bad like I think what Mr. Torres and Mr. Williams were just addressing sometimes that the DJ or whoever they use to choreograph for to choreograph the music with dance could be on a different type of file or type of phone, iPad, whatever. But when they said they were having trouble hearing some of the announcements, that makes me think that could be something bigger because that's not plugging in. That's microphone or >> Yeah. >> speaker, right? >> Yep. 100%. And so, uh, we do have a sound technician, uh, that works with

024us on all of our sound systems, fieldhouse, auditorium, gyms. So, they're bringing him out that tomorrow. You said, Phil. >> Yeah, tomorrow. >> Okay. >> When's the next homegate? Is it Friday? >> Friday. >> Okay. >> That is That concludes the superintendent report. Um, the assistant superintendent report monthly summary. Total operating revenue for the month was 544,000. 73% coming at from evidence-based funding, 16% from CPRT and property taxes is 6%. Remember, there was a question submitted by a board member. 80% of our revenue is from property taxes. They have not released a second installment of property tax bills. So, that's why some of the financials may look off or the budget may look off. We have not we're barely receiving any property tax dollars. Um total operating expenditures for the month were 2,990 394 with

025607% of that towards salaries and benefits 13% towards building level supplies and 8% for operations and maintenance. Monthly financials the summary of revenues show the district has received about 3.5% of its budget for the revenue for this year. The amount is lower than fiscal year uh the last fiscal year which was 34.22. That's why we're so off. We haven't received any property taxes yet. >> So it's it's not the adjustment from the kitchen project. No, it's just because we haven't >> we've had zero revenue so far in this >> so far. Okay. >> The summary of expenditure shows the district has spent 19% of the budget expenditures for the year. This amount is higher uh to last year as the time which was 1871. Statement of revenue and expenditures August 31st. Also lists the revenue

026expenditures for the month. It also compares the budget to actual for each account. Negative account balances in the student activity report represent actual fund balances for those accounts, not negative balances. Uh the staff compensation is included in this. This is an annual report that's required uh by the state. It's also off state document documented format. Uh so this is the same one we've been using every year. Uh you can find that on the website under human resources. >> Did we at one point have the number of years that they've been part of RB? I do not recall that and it's a state document. >> That's a state document. Okay. >> Paid facility rental fourth quarter is attached as the fourth quarter report. This report includes any paid rentals during the time period for the fourth

027quarter from last year April 1 to June 30th. Uh the district collected about 23,000 in revenue and expended about 6,200. Of the revenue from the fourth quarter, 48% of it came from facility space charges with the majority of the rentals coming from aquatic center followed by the auditorium. Year to date, the district has collected 78,000 and has expended 22,000. The surplus from the rentals is used to offset costs related to upkeep of facilities. So last year was 78,000 to 22. This is um reporting out on last fiscal year. >> Wait, did they get did this close out last fiscal year? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. That's what that's how I that's what I thought I understood >> and I think I answered all the questions, but let me just check one second. um balances for

028past classes in the activity accounts. Uh that sometimes is money not spent. A lot of times those classes will come back and give her a gift to the school district at the reunion. One of the out the outdoor patio with the blue tables in front of the school was an example from one of the classes. Um on page 14, uh the services there was 150,000. This year there's none. um that food service that was the food service pass through account we were running the bills for some of the feeder schools we were providing lunch for we covered that before we're no longer doing that they're getting build directly so that's why there's >> no loss there >> so that that's the services to other districts >> yes we don't they're getting build directly so that

029no longer goes through us >> okay >> um registration fees yes they trickle in we're at about 60% they'll trickle in throughout the year uh with parents on payment plans um fees if a kid trans changes a course. Um and I believe that answered all your questions. The revenue although there is no more 2 million in bonds from last year and revenue expenditure side. The biggest thing that's hurting us this year is the failure of not having received any property taxes yet. >> And those are all the questions I got related to the financial. >> Any more questions? received our property taxes yet we are still in good shape what our fund balance >> well we're paying it out of our fund balance >> right >> so as you saw in the report I believe

030she >> I think we talked about this if I could Dr. skin because even when we approved the budget two weeks ago and said we had a six month >> six month so we've been like two months now right we've dipped down >> well one month one month >> I mean I think we I I have some level of confidence we'll have property tax revenues by the end of the year >> insight insight knowledge >> some level of confidence that's what I would say >> I think those are all the questions that uh were submitted on the assistant super report >> were there any questions from anyone else here this evening? Um, Dr. Fretas, do you want the student representatives to go first before the team? >> Yeah, I was going to say if it's

031okay with you, Madam President, you know, I could present the principal report followed by our student adviserss and then we'll go over the formal reports if that's okay with you, Madam President. >> Good evening again, honorable board members. Here's the principal report on the teaching and learning. On the 8th of October, we have the PSAT and MSQT for junior exam. On the 23rd, we have our parent teacher conferences virtual. And on the 24th of October, it'll be an institute day. Under school culture, for September, we have our first parent university tomorrow, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium where parents will get informed about the ins and outs of parent square and how to leverage it for better communication. Also, tomorrow morning, we have coffee with the principal. Our parents are invited 9:00 a.m. in

032room 2011. In October on the 7th, we have our second pair university early college credit opportunities, curriculum and course selection night. That'll be at 6 pm in the auditorium. The 10th is the end of the quarter. And the 13th we celebrate Indigenous People's Day and Columbus Day for activities and athletics in the month of September. We just had our homecoming game victor victorious for us. We are 4 and 0. Big shout out to Coach Styler, head coach, and all the football players. The work is paying off, you know. Um, and during the summer we s our weight room. I mean, it was packed to the kids. So, thank you to the boosters, to the board for making it happen because the results are showing. Again, congrats to all the football players and coach Tyler and

033the dance was successful. No major incidents. Big shout out to Mr. Man, our assistant principal and his staff for coordinating another great event. A few days ago, we had Boys and Girls cross country senior day. I had the pleasure of being there personally. It was a lovely day at Indian Gardens in Riverside. and one of our coaches, our girls cut coach, Mr. Jensen, celebrated his last senior day because he uh Yeah. Um it was just a wonderful, wonderful day for the cross country team. Um to coach Weiss, we celebrated the girls tennis senior night. Another great day for uh for seniors and for Sam and a victory. Um on the 26 uh next week, excuse me, this week, this Friday, we have our senior night where we'll be celebrating our boys football palms, cheer color

034guard, and hiphop dancers. for the month of October. On the 6th, we have boys soccer senior night 6:15 at the Canary Athletic Complex. On the 14th, we have girls volleyball senior night, 5:30 in the main gym. And on the 16th, we also have girls swimming and diving senior night, 5:00 p.m. in the aquatic center. Student adviserss, your turn, Hannah, your turn. >> Okay, so um under teaching and learning back in September, September 12th, um progress reports were sent out with Skyward and teachers reminded students to check on their grades prior to the reports being sent out. >> And then for October on the 29th, um it is the practice ACT for freshmen, which is going to be at 8 a.m. in the fieldhouse. We're wishing the best of luck to the approximately 400 freshmen who

035are taking the first step towards college admissions, including my younger brother. So, best of luck to him. >> Special shout out. >> Um, moving on to school culture and operations. In September, um, we have the college planning tips for seniors on the 23rd. That is from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium and that's going to help prepare the class of 2026 for their future academic goals. I >> actually just came back from the the meeting. Um, September 25th, we'll be having the sign piano dedication concert from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Um, it's going to be featuring performances from our honors ensembles including win ensemble, magical singers, and chamber orchestra. And this will be taking place in the auditorium. >> And then we have the plumbers training institute bridge program. Uh, this program is going

036to provide seniors with a gateway into the plumbing profession. Um, it includes courses like intro to intro to tool safety and trade related math. Students must sign up by September 26th to be part of this program that runs from 4:30 to 6:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays from October 6th through December 8th. >> On September 27th, the St. Jude Walk will be occurring at the Brookfield Zoo from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This is a free family-friendly event that RB is collaborating with to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. And after the walk, um, people will be given free access to the zoo. Um, yeah. And you can register on Arby's website. >> Um, >> so did you say it was a free event for families? Yeah. So, how do they raise money if

037they're not paying to participate? >> It's through donations. You can donate when you register. >> You can donate, but other families. Okay. >> Do we ever I'm so sorry. I didn't realize. Do we advertise that to the community at large? Like future Bulldogs? It's been all over social media on our website. >> Yeah, it's been a lot. >> Well, but if you have first graders, you might not be looking on the high school website. >> Yeah. >> But first graders love walking through the zoo, right? >> Hopefully parents will let the children know, I guess. >> Yeah, that's you know, because I I know a couple of those little kids that >> Yeah, it' be a good opportunity. um on September 29th and on the 30th there are senior portrait retakes. On the 29th it

038will be from 3:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the little theater and on the 30th it'll be from 3 to 6:30 p.m. also in the little theater. Um and I myself am taking advantage of this opportunity because I miss the senior portraits in June. >> Uh moving on to October. On October 2nd, we have the school spotlight on CVS, which is going to start at 6:00 a.m. um throughout the entire school and then go um far until after school. Um many organizations will be present such as NHS, Clarion, B Palms, Band, and Cheer just to name a few. Um the entirety of RB, Hannah, and I are all very excited to share our school with the Chicagoland area. >> Um on October 8th, we'll be having our junior high choir festival. So choirs from our neighboring

039middle schools, Hower, Essie Gross, and Kamar are collaborating with our RB choir to um have vocal performance of Come to Me Love, which is an annual tradition for the first RB choir concert of the year. And then >> is that the 8th or the 2nd? I just want to confirm. >> Uh the ETH. >> Okay. >> Um and then the following day, October 9th, we'll be having the fall choir concert. Um this is for our choir ensembles, chamber choir, concert corral, and magicals. And additionally, the SSAA and SATV a capellas will also be performing the music pieces. And I'm really looking forward to this because my sister is in concert and I'm an SSA ac capella and I'm really excited to be singing Dancing Queen. Um, in November 11th, we're having our Veterans Day ceremony

040from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m. This will be taking place in the auditorium. It's to honor our local veterans and their service to our country. Our music department including all three choir ensembles and our band will be performing the veterans day medley representing each branch of the US Army. Additionally, there'll be the military color guard presenting their flags in the traditional flag ceremony and as is annual every year we have um veterans being able to um talk to the students themselves. Each veteran will be assigned to a classroom and they'll be able to um students will be allowed to learn about the individuals who serve our country. Oh, wonderful. Thank you, >> Dr. Fras. Real quick, there was a question submitted. Can you please address that the the Uber question? >> Yes. So, um, we partnered

041with High School Nation and thanks to Mr. Manning's effort, they gave us, uh, free Uber rides. So, we distributed that to the students. I want to say last Thursday or Friday. Um, so there's no for it was just a free gift that we shared with our students. >> Okay. That that was my question. I thought maybe there was a agreement that I missed, but it was a it was a giveaway. It's like a chicken sandwich. >> We wouldn't do that with you, Madam President. >> Okay. So, it's just a random ride for students to >> Yeah. So, it's a it's a Uber Teen account. You know, they have to get permission from their parents set up, but through those, right? They got free rides through the Ubers homecoming season. They were doing this through all

042the high schools. They give out the the QR code so that kids can set up a free teen Uber app so that students are have safe rides to >> marketing. Yeah. >> Right. It wasn't just with RB, it was through everybody. I think >> and it's just like a couple of rides or just >> No, it's a teen setting up your teen Uber account. I think maybe the first ride's free or >> Yeah, it's like a couple rides are free and then you get uh it's a discount off of um Uber Eats if you want to order food as well. >> Oh. >> Um on September 19th, we had our homecoming games. 4:30 we had the boys soccer teams playing and of course our football team playing the homecoming games. They did an incredible job.

043They got 51 to zero. So, >> couple months. >> What was the overall uh reaction? Was it a good reaction that we did it? For some of the board members that may not be aware, the admin, the building administration came up with the idea to do the varsity soccer team first and then the varsity football team so that more kids got a chance to play like at a homecoming match. I thought was it well received from the student body or >> Yeah, there wasn't anything negative. I mean, the homecoming game is always the homecoming game. I feel like people um there's no really like big issue if there's anyone as long as the homecoming game still happens. Everyone's happy. So >> probably gives people a reason to come to the stadium a little bit earlier,

044you know, and see some other student >> athletes. Really excited to get to the soccer game early. So yeah, >> I thought it was a good idea. >> Totally good idea for sure. >> And then lastly, we had the homecoming dance on the 20th, which was from 7 to 10:00 p.m. in the fieldhouse. Um due to inclement weather, the dance was moved inside. Nonetheless, there was definitely a sizable turnout and students enjoyed the variety of things there such as the photo booths and 360° slow video booth, including Hannah and me. >> Very good. And do you guys have a personal opinion on indoor versus outdoor? >> Um, I personally enjoy outdoor, but it wasn't like anything horrible like a disaster that was inside. It was still happening. Um, it was still lots of fun, but

045just being outside I feel like is just a different type of like vibe because you're just outside in the fresh air. But either way, we kind of have to It was It wasn't like >> we had a choice, but it was because of the weather. So, >> fair point. >> Did it actually rain or did >> Yeah, I I'm not sure. I was inside, you know. >> So, the field would have been wet. >> Yeah. And the DJ's equipment. Well, there's always that and everything. So, >> the staging and lighting was the big we had to make it all by like early Saturday morning show. I don't think the DJ was very excited either. Right, Mr. May? He was concerned about his equipment. >> Okay. >> Thank you both very much. >> Thank you. >>

046Dr. Freyus, you want to cover the enrollment and the class report first and then we'll bring up your team? >> Yes, I could go over the reports. Yes, Dr. Skus. Good evening again, honorable board members. Now, I will present the classes under 20, single under 20, and over the caps report. As you can see, there are 14 classes, singletons under the cap such as AP music theory. >> Can I interrupt quickly? I think you're just make sure we get the right slide up. I think it's >> 38 or 9. Keep going, Miss Smolo. That's not the I think it's before this >> page 38 or 39. 39 right there. And just so the board's aware why we get this information in the fall, the board in the spring approves classes under 20. That's a board

047policy. And so we just as we start to get into the fall and course selection and preparing for the levy and things, we just want to show you where those classes sat to where and these are pretty well played pretty consistent or even went up one or two students. But the his history of this is that you you approved them in the spring and you wanted to see where they landed in the fall. There were kids that dropped in the summer or things like that. And a singleton means there's only one class. There's not like with English, freshman English, there might be 10 sections where like with all these classes, it's offered one time during the day. If it fits in your schedule, you could take it. If it doesn't fit, there's not another option.

048>> Okay, Dr. Freighers. Now as you can see board members there are 14 classes singleton under the cap such as AP music theory French and pre-alggebra there are 14 classes singletons over 20 but under the cap such as AP Spanish language group fitness jazz band and honors jazz ensemble and there are five classes over the class cap. >> So just confirming we're not voting on this tonight. This is an update from last spring so that we can see how things have have evolved. >> Correct. Just just an update. Yep. So, >> just want to make sure anyone watching it because I know that's always an issue that we have a lot of discussion about. >> So, then we'll bring this back kind of when we vote on when we're asked to approve classes under 20

049again, right? So that we kind of have >> next spring, right? >> Spring of approved all these spring for 256, >> right? So, I mean, I think it would be good to refer back to it so we kind of see >> that would be old data. Well, if you know if every year I mean you know >> are you trying to say for a trend way >> kind of yes because like the you know the calculus the you know ABC that's kind of consistent um some of them are consistent but if we start to see something trailing off as a trend we might have to have that difficult conversation can it be paired with something >> okay >> you know I just think holding I know I'm going to print it put it in a

050folder and then when we have the convers conversation in spring about let's approve some of these classes that are under 20 kind of looking are they starting to trail off. I do I do think I mean it's a new cast of characters obviously every year, right? Um I I hear what you're saying. I think I would I would ask that the administration when they're bringing us the list in the spring, they're looking at, you know, tier three reading, you know, we've noticed that consistently. If there's a class that is is really on the bubble, I think that's appropriate to say identify that and flag it for us as we go through our vote in the spring. >> I mean, some of these are capstone classes like, you know, >> Well, yeah, that's my point. Exactly.

051Like some of these are necessary and some of these are >> um >> and then some are >> elective. >> Yeah. you know, and if we see electives trailing off, then like I said, we might have to have that difficult conversation. >> Could they be combined? >> Why Why is construction tech 2 have a a smaller class gap? >> Uh because of the the equipment being used in the space. >> So, lab and safety, that's what we usually tend to the lab classes smaller. So again, I think this is a topic we'll revisit come spring. Um, >> Madam President, I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> I'm sorry. >> There were a few questions submitted that I'd like to address. Um, there was a question, you know, and I'm paraphrasing. There's a list of classes that don't

052have to be taken for four years, you know, for a full year, excuse me. Do the students know, you know, yes, students are informed, you know, um, they're informed. Everything's published in school links in our curriculum and it's part of the one-on-one counselor meetings. So you could take B for one semester and an elective, you know, another semester. >> Well, I I think Dr. Freuses, I think the the question or my my version of the question and Miss Ra may have had a different version was so when we see this in the spring, it would be helpful to know AP Spanish literature, the March enrollment was TW, not a good example. If you take a single year-long class and it's 20 in the spring, it's 17 in the fall. I guess I'm asking, is there

053additional attrition in the spring when it actually runs? >> Am I making sense? >> That's No, that wasn't the question. >> People are dropping the classes, >> right? They're choosing to not take it as a full year. They're taking it as the one semester. >> But that's not this chart. And that question is not on this chart because I asked that question. This chart is classes we approved for the full year. >> Yes. >> And so I'll just look at like chamber choir one and chamber of choir two because they have the same name, you know, I just grab those. >> So if next year we're asked to approve the class and they only have 10 in each, well that would be that there's less taking that and you might want to ask the question,

054could they be combined? And I I don't know that. We might say no, they can't. But then if in the third year now we've got eight of each, you there would be a trend. Mhm. So these are classes I believe that go for a whole year. >> Remember this is the first year that we're implementing the music uh part where we took the number of students and divided by third. We lowered the classroom limit. And so that's why you'll see like if you look the five over the cap our music classes there's six over the cap and then there's like six that are under the cap. But that's how we that's where we landed after talking with LT hearing some of the feedback from our music parents. So like they knew like hey we're going

055to run marching band at 37 because we want to run honors at 14. Like they made some of those decisions to run these classes. So we have no issues uh with those at this point. So I wouldn't look at it as any trend of things dropping off or I would this was the first year for a lot of those. >> Okay. I mean and it could be anything. I just picked those two courses because they had the same name. >> Yeah. You know, if you're going to combine sometimes like we have photo one, uh, two, three, and four. They >> No, we made all of our music classes semesters though now. >> Seme. Okay. >> Remember, we had that meeting in the spring so that kids could get an extra music class in maybe one

056semester and not be forced to take it for a year. So, that's the only reason why it says S1 and S2. >> So, okay. But on this chart, like photo two, three, and four, that would run for the full year. >> No, no, those are semester. >> Semester. >> Those are semesters. Mhm. >> If it helps, I'll just jump in. Next year, >> I will indicate a column if it's a semester long class or if it's a year law class. >> Thank you. >> Because I thought it was levels. I thought that was total level one level. >> No, even if even in the curriculum guide, you'll see there's what, eight or 10 classes that you could >> theoretically take one semester, not the full year. I'm trying to understand to what extent people are

057taking advantage of that. I think Laura's question is different, but that's what I that's what I was trying to get to. >> Yeah. So, that question I asked it wasn't related to this chart, but it was related to how you asked it. So, now we put it in the curriculum guide that there are some classes that in the past you had to take for the whole year. >> Correct. >> Option. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Had nothing to do with this chart, but that new thing in the curriculum guide if people were taking advantage like you said. >> Dr. Fre want to go into the transfer? Um Dr. said there were other two two questions if I could that were addressed by the board. One uh the department heads questions they'll be invited for future meeting

058and it'll be presented before and then another question submitted related to classes. It was related to uh how can we offer more languages you know online opportunities. So really to to make that happen I mean we look to hire staff with multiple endorsements. I mean that's helpful right? someone could teach a language and teach math or teach a physical education course. So that's what you know we look for you know I mean I know I mean we offer two Spanish and French you know Spanish is a prominent language very popular in America in this state and is very useful you know um you know students do have right you know according to board policy they do do have an option to do you know an online language course which would which we would honor credit

059for but I mean we're we're open to all opportunities here at RB >> we've had this discussion a couple times now though at the board level >> there's not enough interest to hire a full-time teacher in another language. >> So, where we're struggling is and where some of our co our colleagues >> have dropped some of their languages because the same thing. You may get one or two sections worth of Mandarin, but unless that teacher has multiple certifications, they're not going to come and work for part-time. And so, we that's where we've struggled a little bit and that's why we've had this discussion. We've looked into this, Kylie and Beth and Dr. professor on a couple occasions now >> cuz I know I asked that for a future topic and I asked you know are

060there high schools that you you know you can't have a teacher for every language you know in the past maybe you did you had Russ there was a time we had Russian we had German we had Czech we had you know all these languages >> I don't know >> but now I'm just wondering if there are high schools that are using kind of like an online university and you could have one faculty member I don't know if there's an endorsement language that can facilitate this learning. So if you had somebody who wanted to take Mandarin for their four years through high school, could it be facilitated with somebody who has an endorsement in language where >> there's not a general endorsement in language though it has to be in a content like Spanish, French. So

061where we struggled is we'd have to pay an online and a kid would sit there and just take an online course and we do have that ability under policy. If a kid wants to take an online course, >> they can't take. We've had a student do German. >> Okay. >> So, we do offer that and it is in the curriculum guide and in our board policy. >> So, we do have something because to be a competitive high school, I you know, I just think that we would want to have more languages available or if students want to take more languages, >> they can. It's available. Yeah, it's it's a it's a I mean it's available through through online services, you know, that we would honor credits for. I mean, work policy, you know. Um, I'd

062also like to add we in the seilla by literacy program that we have here, you know, students are able to show proficiency beyond the languages we offer. We have students recognized in Polish and Lithuanian. So, we make efforts to acknowledge our linguistically diverse population. It's just as as it was stated here. Uh I mean you got to find that unicorn, right? That person that can teach and be endorsed in multiple areas. Um if not, it just becomes extremely difficult to, you know, find someone to teach those other classes and and bring those languages here. >> Just just anecdotal, I I know of a high school that's having a multilingual family tailgate at their football game. And that that's interesting. This is where we're moving to now where families do speak more than one language at

063home and you know they could celebrate that. So you're nodding your head. So you speak more than one language at home. >> Yes. Um I'm half Indian on my mom's side. So >> I um learned English and Gujarati which is an Indian language. Um at the same time I had an when I spoke English when I was younger I had an Indian accent when I was really young. Um and so I speak two languages at home. My mom speaks um she's like fluent in English but we do speak Gujarati and English >> and my entire mom. >> Yeah, both my parents are Algerian so at home we speak Dja which is an Algerian language and I've been learning it more as I've grown older and I go visit Algeria but yeah >> so I I

064love that. So our our heritage was Bohemian check and we lost that but now I'm I'm glad your generation you're not losing it. you're retaining your heritage and your languages and you know my you know the kids father who passed he was Spanish and so they retained some of that but there are families speaking two three languages at home and as Americans that that's a area for growth for us and so thank you for helping lead the way helping us follow your uh your example thank you >> Dr. F. We got to get lot to get get through here. >> Yes. And that con that concludes honorable board members the classes under 20 report. Um, moving on to the transfer student report. This year we had 48 students with four IPS transfer in and 49

065students 19 with an IEP transfer out. There was no gain in students. The total enrollment in September was647 with the total projected 1672 which made a difference of about 25 students. And I want everyone to know that staffing was not impacted. So even though there was a drop in students, staffing was not impacted. You can see the the table there and you can see the historical data board members and you can see the data that I just referenced of this year. So, quick reminder, the board will get their staffing report in November, which has happened annually since I got here. You get that report in November, but also enrollment projections from our feeder schools. Um, Kristen's done a great job uh projecting to total enrollment. We've kind of gotten it down to pretty much to

066a science. This is the first year we've missed by 20 students. Last year, I think we were within like one or two students. I was going to say this is an aberration and it's still a small number >> and and it's it's missing >> on the high side >> so that we have room for transfers. It's not missing on the low side where we're we're scurrying in August to find another teacher. >> And the way the board should think about this is basically every 30 kids represents one full-time teacher. So, we're if anybody wanted to say, "Wait, are you slightly overstaffed or but that helps us also keep enrollment small in class sizes. It helps us keep um staffing if we get a influx of transfers. What how also impacts transfers and enrollment a little

067bit is um we start early in August. More and more schools are starting early. Even CPS started before Labor Day, but we still get a lot of transfers in mid to late August. And so we have to make sure we have seats available for those kids to come in. So we put those in a lot of our core classes, you know, basic English, basic math, regular, you know, uh so that we have room for kids transferring in. Um there were a couple questions. Uh I thought there was one question. >> Yeah, there were a few questions that Dr. So there was one question about um where where are the students going, you know, and who are the students coming in? I mean, they're going everywhere, public, private, out of state, international. and we're receiving students

068from private schools, public schools, neighboring states, the city of Chicago. So, those are those are students. There's some kids that are staying home, you know, for homeschooling. That's a that's a right that many parents are exercising. You know, um we've lost students from all grade levels. We've gained students from all grade levels. But again, the more important thing about these numbers is that it hasn't impacted our staffing. >> Thank you, Dr. Frereda. There was one other question submitted that was uh um about the enrollment, but we'll get that in November. But since my time here, we've been over uh we've been pretty hovering around 14 between 1547 and 1647 over 15 years. >> Yeah. And I was telling Diana when I first came on the board that's way before your time we were just I

069want to say under 1,200 maybe at 1,200 and we saw the number 1600 and we didn't think we'd ever get to 1600 but here we are at 1,600 and we fit very well. We're very comfortable with our 1600 and we've been there for a long time. Um but I see a little dip. I was just wondering are we going to see a couple year forecast or >> I think what Dr. Skink has just said is we'll get that in November. You know the the feeders >> you could be able to look back at last year's report and it shows you in the next couple years. >> Next couple of years. Yeah. >> I mean the trend does show a dip going down because of birth rate and enrollment in the feeder school. So I think

070we won't see it down to 1100 but I would anticipate when we see that November report it'll show a we're on the downward enrollment trend. >> Slight trend. Slight. >> Yeah. I shouldn't say >> it's not significant but >> n >> but >> a little late. >> All right. The next report Dr. Freigherus is going to call up his administrative team that is with us tonight. But this is an annual report that you get in September or October um the last two years we've done it in September. But these are performance benchmarks that the board of education identified several years ago. And this is kind of what we use. Um, these are all on the school report card as well as these are best practices of of data points to be tracking for your your

071school or your high school. And so, um, these are what you'll be reporting on average daily attendance, student engagement, which is participation athletics, extracurriculars, freshman on track, college career readiness, your graduation cohort, your four-year graduation rate. Um and then advanced placement data which was requested um and we usually tie that in either now or in October. So Dr. Fra, the floor is yours. >> Yes. First I would like to introduce assistant principal of student affairs, Mr. Dave Mannon and assistant princip Mr. Phil Torres. Come on up Jim. [Music] >> All right. Good evening. Uh tonight uh we're going to provide an update uh on the key performance indicators associated with the office of student affairs from last school year. Uh my report will address two primary areas uh average daily attendance and the student engagement

072in extracurricular activities which includes our clubs as well as athletics. um in kind of preparing for this report, you know, we looked at um our local data and context and so we looked at like the trends in the state and where the state is experiencing kind of a noticeable increase in chronic truency. So that would be truency of more than 10% 18 or so daysish um if you go by the school calendar. And uh so they went from 16.8% 8% in 2018. Fast forward to last school year to 26.3%. Um, in that same period, the state average daily attendance declined from 93.9 to 91.6%. That's the average for the state. So, compare that with our environment here at RV. Our chronic truency rate is at 12.5% which is really close to where we were at

073last school year. I think we were at 12.3. Um, our o overall average daily attendance is at 92.3. Again, really similar, a tenth of a point off or so from last school year. Um, the state report card will reflect around a 93%. They take the three highest averages. Um, and compile that. So, that would be around 93 for the 2000 last school year, excuse me. Uh, September, I'm digging into the data a little bit more. September and January were our lowest attended months. um largely due to excused absences, illnesses, medical appointments, personal reasons, mental health needs. Um I think whenever we come back from an extended break, whether it's, you know, summer vacation or summer break for the kids or we're coming back off of the holidays, um you put a lot of students together,

074we're going to see some sicknesses and that usually presents itself um late late September, early October and then the same thing late January into February. So um that was definitely a trend that will continue here. I don't see a big discrepancy between uh demographics in looking at that whatsoever. Um if you get into some of the grade level stuff, um we saw an increase in mental health days. We reported out on that uh in the summer, uh mental health days were up um largely due to our senior um our senior students calling in and using those mental health days. And as they call in, they can, you know, tell us a variety of different excuses. Mental health days was the one that was more more widely used last year. There's some protocols built in with

075our department and with Miss Augusty's department on followup with those uh when they do call in. So um you know, that's being handled. However, it's one of those areas that now is an excused absence for the state that does impact our attendance. So >> Dave, was 2021, that was our co year, correct? where half the kids are in person, half are online. >> Yeah. And we had really good attendance that year. >> I was going to say 96, but I mean the rest seemed to be 92 to 93. >> Yeah. We kind of leveled off the last three years around 92 92 and a halfish. Um, which coincides with what what we're seeing from other schools in the state as well. >> Well, I think if you look at the 2021, not not that I

076think I want you to still pursue this. We want to get more closer to 93. But I do think since 2021, we have encouraged kids now to stay home when you're feeling sick and have a fever or have the sniffle. Right. Where in the past >> it used to be a trend of tough it out, if you still go to school like right like >> Yeah. >> There's a new trend in schools or now if you do have a low-grade fever or you're not feel or you have a cold or sore throat, you're they would prefer you to stay home. >> Yeah. that and there was a little bit of a strain of CO that came through too last year and so you know doctor's offices are continuing to recommend you know if you have

077symptoms you know stay home and things like that. So that does uh to bring our average rate down a little bit. Um another thing that and we use Panorama the platform that that the student services offices use for interventions. We also use it um for a variety of attendance um interventions and digging into the data there and and some of the stuff that came out there was um our junior class, our current senior class had uh around 120 or so students had less than a 90% attendance rate. So that's something that we're marking and looking at heavily this school year. Um an additional uh data point is 48 of our 140ish students on free and reduced lunch also had a 90% or below attendance average. So those are two data sets that we're really uh

078focusing on. I know there's a question about you know um the ongoing meetings that we're having as a department. That's what we're looking at. We're using more of an expansive data set to really hone in on interventions that we're we're connecting with students on. Um just going into that um some some of the things that we're we're utilizing this year again I talked about Panorama um they do kind of they implemented some AI within the program now and so it gives you a live insight uh to data that we can kind of like look at emerging trends um so you can look at what's happening as of last week as of this week and it kind of shows you on a graph which is really nice and those conversations are held on Mondays in association

079with our attendance office with our health office um and our student services office as well. Um we're transitioning from Skyward to our uh parent square in regards to um attendance updates for families and parents. If there's a cut, if there's a missed attendance mark, if there's something like that or it's those are going to be coming out through Parent Square um because of the live onetoone connection we have with Sky where it's an easier platform and it goes directly to our parents. I know some might be annoyed with a lot of the the um communication coming through in a like text format, but it does produce results. Our parents are responding to that and I think that's going to be a nice way for us to key up on, hey, your student is missing or

080didn't call in or what have you. So, that's going to be switched over here in the near future from the sky alerts to to uh parent square. And I should remind parents too, it's a great time to come to that meeting tomorrow night um in the auditorium just to learn more about the application. I highly suggest everyone download the application on their electronic device and then you can kind of pick and choose. Um if you don't want your, you know, all the communication coming through as a text format, you can push it into your your email account as well. Um lastly here, um you know, continue our cross collaboration with our departments. you know, we're looking at our tapestry program, the interventions there, working with our health office, our student services office, and uh those

081all go to support um you know, in benefit, I get to students getting students here and ready to go and ready to learn. So, that is the overview of our attendance. You have any questions? >> There were none submitted on attendance. Uh you want to go into engagement with you and Mr. Torres? >> Okay. So engagement uh this is our second performance indicator that impacts our office here. Um we experienced a highly successful year achieving around a 78% overall participation rate which is the highest it's been since I've been here so going on 11 years. Um and this is includes any student that was involved in a club uh an activity or any type of uh athletic program. Um the first chart there on the report provides a three-year overview of student involvement. uh noticeably

082just looking at kids that were involved in athletics. Now they could be involved in an athlet sorry an activity they could be involved in athletic um area as well but in looking at that um the participation rate uh grew um sorry I lost my place here one second all right let me back up so the freshman participation rate increased from 79% in 23 24 to 87% last year so that was a significant gain there. We saw a little bit of a decline in our second and third activity uh participation rates. Um but overall, every grade level did have a significant increase uh minus the uh senior class which went from 71 to 67. But overall enrollment showed um decent for activities. I think what we saw is a big gain in athletics. So we're kind

083of on a teeter totter. if it goes higher on their end, it might go lower on the activity end. But overall, what we want to see is that that final number, that final percentage, and that was 78%. Um, and that goes to um a lot of different offerings that we're we're continuing to provide. Uh, last year we started the auto tech club, which you know, they got some exposure at an event at um the technical um I don't know what college or what have you or or school up in Lyall. Um, they're looking to compete this year. Here we have a future educators club that started last year, an Asian student association club. Um, and we're off and running with finalizing some activity packets for the board to see next meeting about what was discussed

084today, the future health professionals club, that's a new science club. Um, so all these are just broadening opportunities for our kids and helping sustain that that high percentage rate that we have here on the activity side. >> Mr. Torres, what about sports? Um on athletics you can see in the chart uh that we've increased and some of that is credited to the addition of bowling for boys and girls. Uh we also added a level for girls volleyball and then we did see numbers uh rise in uh boys water polo. We were able to have two levels for the first time in a long time. Um and we were able to add a freshman B level in uh boys volleyball as well this past school year. So, um the good news is and obviously we want

085to try to get those uh our hooks and those freshmen right away and get them involved in something. Um and so that 87% rate is reflected in it and we were able to sustain those levels uh with it. The thing I'm really excited about is yes, the one sport participation goes down if you look at the chart, but I am because it's going against the grain. Uh I'm beyond thrilled that our numbers spiked with uh two sport athletes and three sport athletes because um I think I think our kids are in society is specializing too soon. And uh so I'm really pumped and that's uh thanks and credit to our coaches um for for accepting the challenge of letting kids play all sports and um and letting the kids engage because this is one of

086the rare times in their lives that they can play three sports. They can and do two more clubs and get involved um and and they're going to blink and it's going to be over and then they're going to say, "I wish I could have or I should have done this." Um, so getting the kids involved, uh, is is really good and I'm really excited about the two sport and three sport numbers and hopefully we can keep those kids engaged as they um, move up the levels and and move up grade levels as well. Um, in terms of uh, conference, I know that that was a big discussion last year. We're still we found ourselves a home. Everything is going swimmingly with the Upstate 8 conference. Um, our girls golf team just repeated as back-to-back uh,

087champs in conference yesterday. Um, so everything is going really well and I know Dave can appreciate too that when we have challenges or we run into things, we have 13 other schools and colleagues that we can reach out to and be like, hey, what happens when this what did you do when this happened? And so, um, it's definitely created and extended a network that we can rely on. Um you'll see that we have our uh it's a ways off, but it'll probably be here before we know it. Uh our future bulldog night is scheduled for January 14th. Um where all our sports and club sponsors will be there for our incoming bulldogs. And then uh I know Dr. Freighus already mentioned it, but thanks to the board for the help and our sports boosters for

088the wait room. It is a phenomenal space. If you haven't been down there yet, make sure you try to get down there. um our teams that it's it's creating good problems because we have to schedule because everybody wants to be down there now. Um and and we're seeing the benefit of that throughout our sports. >> I have a question about the uh back to the extracurricular activities. uh how is there a distinction made between uh there are certain class I'm thinking in the music department there are certain uh classes that actually have extracurricular components meaning there's concerts and there's concerts for for magical there's concerts for the orchestra plus there are also club orchestras and club choirs is that distinction made is is there a difference between the classes and the extracurricular >> yes if

089there's a tie in with curriculum that's not included on the activities side. Um, but your orchestra um club, your mariachi, ac cappella, I'm trying to think, rock, not rock band. Um, >> what about like the play and musical and things like that? >> Play and musical, no curriculum content like connected with those. And so that would be on the activity side. Got it. And they've been doing a phenomenal job double casting and that's really brought our our numbers up as well. >> And mariachi by the way too. I think we had around 20 or so. So that's going to add a bonus as well. 20 this year, >> Mr. Beasley. >> Um, that I think that addressed the questions for these two. Correct. >> Correct. >> So, you want to call up uh >> Thank

090you, Mr. Torres. Thank you, Mr. I'd like to introduce our director of special education, Mr. Kevin Baldis, assistant principal for student services. Miss Beth Austin Augustine and assistant principal for curriculum and instruction. Miss Kylie Linquist who will report on the next performance indicator. >> You're on this side. I know me every year. This is the way we do it. >> Hi. >> Hello. >> Good evening everyone. Hello. >> So um I will start with freshman on track. [Music] I did leave the summary of what freshman on track is for our new board members, but I'm understanding. Um, so you can see that we had an increase this year in our freshman on track going up uh 38% from the previous school year. Um, in August and looking at these numbers, we had 11 students who

091were considered not on track. and then give you a little um brief summary of who those students are. Three of them having IEPs and breakdown female to male and then um diversity breakdown as well. It's kind of split uh pretty evenly. Um included um the action steps that we will continue for our current freshman class to ensure that they're remaining on track. Um, I did look, we currently have 398 students and look to see where failures are right now. And, um, if we were to take a number right now, we would have nine students off track with a 97.7% of our students on track. So, let's try to maintain that because then it'll be higher than our current our freshman on track for this year. And I think looking from 2021 to 2025, uh, each

092year we're kind of growing a little bit or staying consistent. So I think the interventions that we have in place seem to be working in the way that we are monitoring students. Um, I would say >> sorry, it doesn't freshman on track speed. It doesn't only focus on the ones like critical but it focuses to that whole you know the literature around that. What what I've read and heard out of University of Chicago is it focuses on that whole experience. If a freshman is engaged in activities freshman year, they're more likely to be engaged in activities sophomore and junior. and the freshman has some challenging classes. So, their whole high school experience, the whole continuum. I I think it's more than just I mean we we have to watch you know those that are struggling

093to make it through freshman year, but if we want to see students maybe challenging themselves with an advanced placement class senior year, that's going to start freshman year, right? And I think we've had we spent a lot of time just focusing on you know the very you know the student that is really struggling struggling. >> I think for the purpose of this report because it's something that we are required to that's on our school report card. >> This is a state report card item. >> Correct. So I think we are we are looking at students holistically and and looking at their >> high-flying students and their needs and students who are struggling at risk and everything every student in between and making sure that they are getting a a comprehensive high school experience. >> Yeah.

094Uh and and monitoring uh again I know Dave spoke to attendance. We're monitoring grades. We are encouraging students to get involved. We're um looking at students that have some, you know, mental health concerns. So, it's looking at the wise in this report specifically, they're not doing well academically. And again, when the counselors receive DNF reports, it's not just on core classes. They're seeing if they're, you know, failing an applied arts class. They're seeing if they're failing their PE classes. But for the sake of this report, it's just those core classes. >> So what would have to happen to say that a freshman is not on track? >> DRFs. Yeah, if we're talking for the purpose of this report, they they have to have they in order to be on track, you have to have earned

095five credits at the end of your freshman year and no more than one failure in a core class, which is English, math, science, or social studies. But they could fail one and not be ripped. Well, so I am pulling reports at the end of every semester and looking to see if they've failed one class and then we are putting interventions in place. So yes, they could fail one course in core area and not be considered off track. That's the that's what the state is looking at. >> Okay. So for the for this report card data that is the state report, >> correct? >> Yes. though that's just um so there could be more students according to us but we're just looking at students who didn't make all five credits and have failed more than for

096this for the purpose of this report but we are looking at any student that's failed whether they're a freshman, sophomore or junior and encouraging them to go to summer school sending emails sending letters to try to have them make up any failed courses during summer school so that by the time they get to a senior year they're not forced to take multiple credit recovery classes. So I think when we get the panorama reports, is it panorama? Panoramic panorama. Panorama. I think a lot of that information you're asking about is in those discussions we've had with this team, right? About people who are um not succeeding completely, but they're not necessarily in this freshman offtrack grouping. Well, I think it sheds some light when we talk about this report freshman on track and if we look

097at the not on track, we're really looking at kind of an egregious place because you're failing two then, right? Two core classes and you've not made five credits. That's how you're getting flagged for the state report. >> Correct. and correct the fact that we only had 11 students and really when we look at those students a lot of it is is due to lack of attendance. >> Okay. So then there could be students that are not identified in this report that failed one course. >> Yeah. No, and I'm saying I think I think what I'm hearing the the team say is that they're looking at those other collective groups regularly and we see some of that. I mean it's kind of not truly a board report but we see it through the panorama. >> We

098follow it in small teams. There's a lot of interventions in place. That's not something that the board would get into at the board level >> right >> from the state report card level and for the purpose of this report which is also reflected on a state we've done. >> Yeah. I mean this is really looking at students who are really struggling on the state this state freshman on track. >> Did you want to add anything as well? >> Yeah, even like electives and and those types of classes any student not passing the class is not okay. So we're still going to in fact put interventions in place uh especially when we're trying to talk about freshman track from my perspective doing make sure they're placed in proper classes before they come in. We do eighth

099grade transition meetings and we meet with the feeder schools and make sure they're embedded into classes that are uh appropriate and at their learning level so that they can succeed day one when they come in and they already know who their support team is. But no, I agree with you. We're not going to just let um you know failures go because it doesn't affect the the state. We're still going to put interventions in place for kids that fail any class. >> This is not the only data point you're looking at. Correct. No, I think that's the bottom line. what you're asking, right? >> Yeah. So, it it definitely opens up the you know, it opens the discussion of freshman track wider. So, the state report card is identified really like crisis level, you know, um

100you've got that cut off point there, but then as you're articulating, there's like different tiers of freshman, you know, some freshmen that are not at that crisis level where they're going to make this report, but they're still struggling. And you've got different levels. And so in our discussion here, I don't know that that's always been clear, you know, where we said, you know, we have some that are really critical. They fail two main courses, you know, >> uh, and that would be on the report, but then there are some that are just kind of on the bottom and we're worried about them. There's this whole band. We don't know how big that is, but it's under your radar. Then there's another band. it it's really a more robust uh discussion that I think >> well

101I think the next the next performance indicator ties directly into and graduation rate. >> Yes. So >> so that that makes sure that all bands are are covered >> yes because ultimately the the goal is to have them graduate on time with postsecary plans like so I think that those and they failed two classes but it's a it's a credit. It's not that they filled up, they haven't failed two credits, it's a credit and it's so doable to get caught up. And I think that's making sure that we have eyes on these students to ensure that they're getting caught up and not kicking the can down the road and doing it their senior year. Um so graduation rate um we increased a little bit again um from 2425 our graduation rate was 94.85. that the

102state consider 21 students uh as non-grads and of those 21 11 of them were special education students. Uh, eight of those students met their graduation requirement but returned for transition services this year and then three of those 11 were actually are actually the class of 2026 but for whatever reason when the students enter our early school year they consider them the school they consider them as um uh starting a a year earlier. Don't know why. I don't know maybe Mr. All this can speak to that >> because those kids are kids that have IEPs that have extended school year in their IEP. We need to start before our calendar year the next stop in school so they go on our report card as as B makes basically early entrance early enrollment. >> Oh interesting. >>

103Yes. >> So I think I think the important thing to highlight to the board the yellow highlight on the report of the 96.8 that's our true graduation. >> You think about freshman track we're at 97. This is 96. What we have started to do now with these reports is we can identify who the students are who are not on track. And as Beth has listed here and work with Kevin, um we knew where they were in 2022 and got them on track to graduate in 202. >> Yeah. So I'm actually keeping celebration spreadsheet of all the names of the students who were not on track for a particular school year and then comparing them to the graduation data. Um and so as Dr. Skink has uh pointed out like back in August of 2022 when

104I gave this report um it was 96.24 and you can see that we are like right at where our graduation rate is but of those 15 students that were not on track at that time 14 of them graduated. So they're not necessarily the same students. Um, and then I know I missed the um, curriculum advisory committee um, that was last Thursday and I know a question was brought up like of the the eight students that didn't actually graduate, was there any real patterns? And um, and there really wasn't. You know, there were a couple of special education students that had been outplaced. Um, we have students that decide to go to an online school are considered like a drop because they're not actually found somewhere in the state. Um, we had a one student that

105was a a no-show at the beginning of the school year of her 11th grade year. Like there's there's just issues that come up. Um, but there was not any particular pattern. But what I will say is none of these students were in our building that we were providing interventions for who didn't graduate. So if we could keep them here, they will be able to um to graduate on time. So I think that's we we didn't have any of our students that, you know, stayed all the way through senior year and then decided, you know what, I'm I'm just going to drop out at that point. I >> mean, that that's huge. So you're saying that students that were identified as not being on track? >> Yes. >> Four years later, >> you can attest they

106graduate. >> Correct. >> 14 out of 15. 14 out of 15. 14. I mean, that that's huge. That that's that was a huge win. That that's the white, you know, W flag. I mean, that's >> huge to say, you know, and so that number, >> like you said, other things happen in life, you know. >> Yes. >> The other eight are coming from a different pool. >> Yeah. Um, >> I think it speaks to the dedication of the staff and the teachers to those kids, identifying them early and then really building in uh supports and and strategies to get them back where they need to be so they can graduate with their class and move on to that post high school outcome, whatever they they choose for it to be. Um I also included new

107on this report our FAFSA completion um 81% so um ISAC should recognize us again as silver that was from the class of 2025 um includ included the clearing house data that's directly from school links u demographics of students that um at this time were not attending college or trade school that certainly could change um depending on the clearing house numbers that come in over time identified a number of students attending two-year colleges and then our top four-year colleges um where students attended in ranking order. Um and then just the continued action steps again I I feel like we have it's a kind of a welloiled machine with our um graduation rate and really tracking students. We identify students at the very beginning of the school year who are at risk, ensuring that they're part of

108our credit recovery program. Um ensuring that they have the supports that they need in order to be successful. um and listed those um action steps. I think there was a question. >> Yes, there's a question back on the percentage of of students that graduated in 2025. They go into the transition program. So, of those 11, eight completed their graduation requirements, they continue on to our transition program here at RB. Uh this means there's about 18% of the graduating students with IEPs uh that are now participating here at in transition at RB. um consistent with historical ranges from 15 to 18% over the last four years went back and and ran those numbers. Uh eligibility for post high school uh transition programs are determined by each student's individual educational team, an IEP team with their parents

109and and related service staff. Students who participate in this program typically require intensive special education services. Um and they are not yet able to independently access employment, education or daily living skills is where that that continuation of of special ed up to the end of that 22 year age. Um we have some kids that leave earlier say young adults. I still do that um because they're all my kids but you know they're young adults and they they they stay around for maybe two years. It all depends on what that that plan is that the team sets with their them and with their parents. >> So that 15 18% is pretty consistent. It's not nothing. >> Yeah. And numbers it goes from like nine to seven. >> Okay. >> To eight each year. >> Thank you.

110>> Yes. So the students that stay for extended services um when they finish those services that does that come back into our graduation? >> Yes, that's why that that >> that's the adjusted cohort on the top. >> That's what I thought. Okay. If they if they graduate, if they choose to take their diploma, >> the the board determined I think you were part of the decision several years ago that we're going to use the highlighted graduation rate so that we can see exactly how many kids finished in four years. >> Yeah. I just wanted to make sure that's what we were So and we we acknowledge them on gradu because I think in the past if they graduate if they walk the stage to get the diploma >> it it could jeopardize their they receive

111a certificate of attendance. So we we recognize them as a certificate of attendance and we hold their diploma until they choose to take it. Yes, they take that diploma, then they are no longer eligible in the state of in the eyes of the state of Illinois to continually receive special education service. So, we're very >> like you are not to give them that diploma if they are. >> That's why we're only allowed to give them an empty case. Every everyone only gets correct. Just so you guys both know, you're not getting your >> I'll hand it to you as you walk on the stage. >> Um and then I just will um mention the PACE framework. I included the link for um the Illinois post-secary and career expectations that this year we were required to

112have our uh framework on the website. We adopted a framework and this is um ensuring that students are exposed to career uh career exploration and development post-secary education and preparation and financial financial aid and literacy. These were all part of our student services program. It's just now put in a nice little chart for everyone to recognize um and see on our website. And then um I I know there was some conversation about uh scholarships for seniors and I did want to highlight that um the scholarships are available on our websites all year every year and that um during senior meetings we do highlight scholarship opportunities in August when the counselors meet with their seniors in small groups. And then uh we highlighted it again in February in meetings in English classes where we're trying to

113ensure that we have the maximum number of FAFSA completion uh applications and then we go around the cafeteria and during college and career week and try to promote scholarships then and I will say you know this is my 22nd year um I I've seen a decline in the number of scholarship applications over the last several years just a sort of a lack of willingness to write another essay or to complete another um you know another application. It's almost like some of the students are just at burnout at that point where they're they're kind of done. So um I do want did want to highlight that we really do try our best to promote the scholarship opportunities here. Kylie, last but not least, >> performance indicator five, college and career readiness as measured by the PSAT

114and SAT. As a reminder, and for those of you who are new to this report, um the class of 2025 data is based on the SAT that those students took during their junior year. and we report out for the purposes of this report only on students who spent um freshman year through junior year with us because we are looking at our programming and how we are able to prepare students for college and career readiness. I think it's also important to note that this is the last class that we will be able to present SAT data for because our class of 2026 took the ACT um last year in their junior year. So, this report is going to look different next year with some baseline ACT data. Um so the first thing I wanted to mention

115um there was a question and I think it's easiest to to reference it at the beginning um because the question was when did the class of 2025 take the PSAT which would have been essentially their placement exam in reference to the pandemic and that really tells an interesting story. The normal timeline for students to take their placement exam when they are coming to RV is actually in the fall of their eighth grade year. um because of when we build our schedule and when we do our staffing, we need to get those numbers in the fall so that we're confirming placements at future bulldog night in January and February. And then Beth Began is building the schedule um generally around spring break. For the class of 2025, um they experienced the world shutting down when they

116were in um 7th grade. So when they came to school in 8th grade at uh the 2020 school year, we didn't give them a placement exam. We could not at that point due to the pandemic have 300 kids in any place taking a placement exam. So for the class of 2025, their placement was made based on their MAP scores from the junior highs and middle schools that they came from, as well as really heavyhanded teacher placement um and teacher recommendation. So, this cohort of students was not given what we consider a placement exam until 11 months after normal, which would have been their freshman year during September. So, the numbers are certainly there's a potential that that's skewed in terms of the growth because students may have grown, they may have dipped in those 11

117months. We're not really sure, but what we do know for a fact is that students in the class of 2025, the students based on this report had their instruction interrupted during 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. So, they were sent home in seventh grade. Um, they were in some sort of hybrid remote, I'm not sure what was the case in 8th grade. And then when they came to us in 2122, that is when things were starting to be open, but you had a definite shift in education of like don't push them too hard. They just went through a pandemic. They're really rattled. They're traumatized, right? Um so thinking about what students learn in seventh, eighth, and nth grade. They learn student skills. They learn productive struggle. They learn how to handle rigor as it gets higher.

118um that's going to translate into their scores. Um Mr. Man was laughing at me earlier because one of my division heads made a really awesome chart that just kind of tracks pandemic in general. And so we are right now working with students who in their middle school years and beginning of their high school were impacted. Um and as we go down, we are not even close to the students who were supposed to be learning how to read when they were sent home. So, we will not be unaffected by pandemic interruption of learning until the class of 2025. The class of 2024 is the I'm sorry, 2034. >> I was going to say, right, >> 2035. It's a long day. Um, the class of 2034 is the last class that has some sort of tethers in

119the pandemic. They were starting kindergarten in that 2122 school year when we were sort of easing back in. But when you look at students who were um interrupted learning during kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, those are going to be our classes of 2030, 2031. You are going to see significant impacts on this the stretch of their learning. We're seeing it now in behaviors, in student skills, in students who are ready or not ready to do homework. Um so there is kind of an interesting backstory to when that PSAT was taken. Um this report takes a look at a few different numbers. It looks at first in that figure one which of the students um met benchmark in either SATW, the evidence-based reading and writing or math. We had 342 students who we were

120measuring because they were with us from that freshman to junior year. Um 66% of them met benchmark when they took their SAT uh in the evidence-based reading or writing. 46% of them met benchmark in math when they took their SAT uh that April of their junior year. Figure two then takes a look at which um what is the number of students who didn't meet benchmark but met the expected growth. Um and the expected growth is listed there. For ERW it's 90 points. For math it's 100 points. So you can see that 12% or 14 students um didn't meet benchmark but made their target growth. uh in ERW and in math 33 students or 18% um of those students who didn't meet benchmark met their growth targets. That pulls you to the next page which is

121the third um graph which simply gives you the overall picture um of the class of 2025. What number or what percent of students either met benchmark as they should have or met the growth target that college board would say is appropriate if they weren't at benchmark. So you can see that that's 70% in ERW and 56% um in math. And you certainly have seen as you're looking at um those classes, there's the 5-year snapshot there, you certainly are seeing um where you can see sort of those things trail off. It's hard to compare class to class because it's like comparing apples to oranges. Kids are different. Um, but I think that when you take a look at where students were being inter impacted by pretty significant interruptions in learning, that's going to translate somewhere. It's

122going to translate in how they know how to behave, how they know how to take tests, all of those things. Um, so what we can do is we can just continue to grow and we continue to get better and we can continue to say, okay, we want more than 56% of our students either meeting benchmark or growth targets in math. So what are we going to do to get there? We started the work last year as the state of Illinois transitioned us to the ACT of taking all of our curriculum in math, in science, in English, in world history, uh, world languages, I mean, in social studies, and looking at what we currently do in our classroom against ACT standards so that we're starting to line up that standards work. This year, we're going in

123deeper and we're looking at what are our assessment practices. Are we asking students the right questions to be able to get accurate data on them to be able to support them with tiered interventions? So last year we began the work of realigning because the states kind of switched that that final um the finish line on us and we will continue that work this year. Um, I've shared some of the breakdown there in terms of what the student population looks like so that so that it's very clear to the board. We are looking at all of the factors that might be playing into um what this looks like. And at the school level, much to um similar to Beth talking about freshman on track, we know the kids by name. We can find those kids. We

124can put them in interventions that we've created over the past couple of years so that they are sitting in a classroom and a teacher is working with them on their skills and on their um assessments for their classes because we know that the best way that students will perform on state tests is for them to be in rigorous coursework um and be caught up and be able to pay attention in class and learn from their teachers. So, so Kylie, we keep using the buzzword um meeting benchmark. >> People buy homes, they look at this before card data. They're going to pay the taxes in this neighborhood. They're going to come to the school. This benchmark, I think there needs to be a shared understanding what we mean by that. when I looked that up and

125what I've always assumed that to me that would mean that if a student get you know that the students who come through the school if they're meeting benchmark they should be able to pass a college class without >> and again one of the definitions I looked up said significant remediation like they should not have to take a premath class to get into the math class >> you know to start their college education >> correct >> um I know as a parent that would infuriate me if I had to pay for classes to prepare my kid to to start his college career. Is that what we're talking about meeting benchmark? And I think as a board, I think that's something that is important to us. We want our students to graduate prepared. And when I look

126at different definitions, it's not only for four-year colleges, but it's also trade school. It's for whatever post high school experience they're going. It meant that they developed the the thinking skills while they're here to be successful after high school. >> I think that's an interesting point when you talk about college and career readiness benchmarks. That's a number that is set. So the state of Illinois says 48530. These are the benchmarks. This is what means a student is college and career ready by the definition from the college board or from ACT or from the state of Illinois. When you are talking about what we do as a school where we bring in the soft skills that students learn in their applied arts classes, their fine arts classes, things that aren't tested. Um their productive struggle, their

127well-roundedness in terms of what clubs they're involved in. um can they think critically? That's more the picture of a total student because college and career readiness benchmarks are great and yes, we want students to meet those. But does it mean that if a kid was for whatever reason did not meet those benchmarks on those that one day that they tested in ACT? Does that mean that they're not ready for what they're going to do next? No, it doesn't necessarily mean that. It doesn't translate that way. Sometimes it does. And you know, when we have the trades fair, um, and we're talking to some of the guys from the union, some of them will say, "Some of our kids can't pass these tests to get into these apprenticeship programs because people have in the past assumed

128that if you're going into the trades, you don't need reading and writing skills." That's wrong. Um, so for us as a school, we don't hang everything on the college and career readiness benchmark because we know that that picture of a student is bigger than that. it it plays into some of those things that you were talking about, but the benchmarks themselves are those numbers that we're beholden to by the state of Illinois or by whatever testing mechanism. >> No, but like you I'm sorry, but like you said, they have to be able to read and write to pass the test. And so there are numbers. I mean, if we had a student graduating here in four years and couldn't pass a test for a trade, we failed. Mhm. >> And so if those numbers give

129us an indication, I you know as a board I think that's something we have to be cognizant about and be you know looking at and saying yeah we need to make sure that metric is we are on that metric. >> Yes. >> Do we have uh statewide information to compare our school to with with these the benchmarks the benchmark? >> We do um it'll get trickier when we have ACT. The College Board portal is beautiful. The SAT portal is beautiful. You log in and it tells you exactly where you line up against the state and the national benchmark. Um we are always above the state and the national benchmark in in all of our areas in terms of how many what percentage meet um what our average scores are. We we meet or exceed state

130and national benchmarks. ACT's reporting tool, hopefully no one from ACT is watching. ACT's reporting tool is terrible. Um when you log into their system, it's very clunky. It does not give you a lot of information. So, we're going to have to do some due diligence on that when we move forward and we're taking a look at how we line up uh in other areas. But, yes, there is a there is the ability to be in a comparison both nationally as many people as take it nationally. Even College Board reports on because there's students that are taking it all over the world. So, it's like the total population of students versus the Illinois population. >> I mean, the whole state's going to have that problem with the ACT, right? So I think the report card is

131going to look >> odd. >> It's going to look interesting and now they're resetting the benchmarks too. So that's a whole new part of it because >> right the benchmarks are changing correctly. >> Right. Dr. Sanders was here we all know not too long ago and and he did an interview with RBTV and one of his talking points one of the questions they were asking him about were those new benchmarks. And from the standpoint of the state superintendent what he's saying is that Illinois has been telling children for years that they were not college and career ready but they were. And so that's why some of those, you know, and there's politics on either side of this. But all that to say, it's shifting. It's all sort of in this weird flux place. So this

132report next year, we're not sure what that will look like. >> So next year will be both the new benchmarks and the ACT. >> Yes. >> So just just throw this. No, I I think it's a really interesting, you know, discussion as to to, you know, who sets the benchmarks and when and where Illinois sits with >> other Midwest states, other industrial states. Um, >> yeah, it gets it gets caught up in a lot of dialogue, but it'll be assumingly we will um >> you'll see some real growth >> and and this year we attached the AP data as well to this report. Um, >> I think that's the board would like to see that moving forward every year. It just easier. Um this this is I mean I'll tell this story all day long

133because um we've always said as an administrative team we'll put our AP program and our AP scores and our teachers up against anybody in the state or the country. Um so if you look at the 5-year snapshot of our ACT scores 5 years ago we had a 567 AP students. Class of 2025 we had 635. Every single year, not only are we increasing the number of AP students we have, we're increasing the number of AP exams those students are taking, we're also increasing um our number of students who are scoring three or higher, which is passing on one or more exams. Um, and when you look at the really the the most drastic number to me when you look at the 2021 versus 2025 from this class of graduating class last year, 81.1% of our

134students, now that's everyone. So that's not just class of 2025, that's the 2425 school year. 81% of our students who were taking an AP class were scoring three or higher. Um, and then we have the breakdown there of all of the tests and where you can see those pass rates going. Um, we have some really, really phenomenal AP students, um, AP teachers, uh, AP programming where we are continuing to see more and more students take advantage of that opportunity, take a risk. We are an open access school, so we do not have barriers to students entering. We have students that are sitting in AP statistics who took extended algebra, who needed an intervention in math their freshman year and when they get to their senior year, something has made them feel confident enough that they're

135willing to try that. Um, and that's always been something that that we are proud of. There are schools that will not allow a certain type of student into their AP programs because that will hit their pass rates. For us, the experience is the key for those students. the rigor, the challenge. Um, and so that AP data really is indicative, I think, of that open access policy and all that we do to help our students really get the most out of AP programming. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think again, this is another board discussion where we talk about getting the right data to monitor some of our policy decisions and one of them uh being an equitable equitable access to AP. And we and we talked about are we pushing students to take something that they're not

136ready for? Are we just doing that so that we can, you know, have high numbers, but you have excellent data here to show that by allowing students to make choices for themsel, they have actually done very well. >> And so, you know, it's part part of our board goals to, you know, to have that equity for all of our students and academic. This is speaking to two of our board goals and it it's good data to say that we're moving in a good direction. Well, thank you Kylie for that. >> Let me ask our students uh our student rights. Have you and do you like the opportunity that if you want to take any AP class, you can. Have they been accessible to you? >> Yeah, all the AP classes here have been um very

137accessible. I'll graduate RB having taken 11. >> Um and slabber and like Miss Linquist was saying is very true that um the the pass rates are very high and I owe that a lot to my teachers who push me um hard and make sure that I'm doing as well as possible. Um five of the APs I'm taking this year, but on the six previous ones I've scored all fives. And so that is large part due to you know Mr. Ouror having us write essays every other week or Mr. Bonergo um telling us that it is going to be challenging but you know it's going to be all right and that it's um as long as you work hard and you put in the effort it's accessible to you and it's all there and there's especially

138now in a digital age there's so much information and useful resources online. So, I mean, obviously there are going to be times when you struggle a little bit, but there's always someone there to help, even if it's like a computer or someone on YouTube walking you through it. >> Yeah, I agree with Arian. Um, I'm taking five APs this year, which was a big jump from two last year. But, um, teachers are really accessible. Um, tomorrow morning I'm going with Miss Kaylor. She's teaching AP bio. She's holding like a um, yeah, she's helping us review for our test tomorrow. So, I'm going to go to that. And um >> so you probably want to get out of here before 10:00 on AP statistics too. How it's like accessible to everyone. I think that's really really

139nice. Yeah. A lot of people that I haven't seen in like my other classes I've seen now in AP stats. So yeah, it's nice to see my friends in these classes. >> Thank you guys. You did a great job tonight. Kylie, you need to stay for two minutes though. All right. >> Only two. >> Put that on. Put the time. >> Thanks everyone. >> Thank you both. >> Thank you. >> You want me to stay up here? >> Yes. Because they're going we the two old business agenda items are yours. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Um so that concludes your report Dr. Fras and the whole team. >> That concludes all of our performance. >> I just like you when you say that that's how I know we can move on. Um, quickly, I say

140quickly for information items, um, related to our retreat that was last week because yes, the board has met three of the four weeks this month. So, it's been busy month. Um, we have some standard operating procedure updates that uh, between Dr. Skinis and I will circulate based on Lor's feedback and all of our discussion. So, expect that from the board and we can um, provide comments back and hopefully approve them and move forward by next board meeting. Um, that being said, visitor statement. Is anyone here for visitor comment this evening? >> No. Okay. I thought there was a gentleman in the back before and I wasn't sure. >> It was one of our counselors who just came. >> Okay. >> You know, he looked familiar, but I I wasn't sure if there was something from

141the public that we've seen before. So, I wanted to make sure I wasn't omitting anyone. Old business. We don't have anything under life safety, capital improvements, or sustainability. We do have proposed curriculum guide changes. >> Yes. So, I'm going to is it if it's okay with you, I'm going to do the fees real quick first. >> Yes, absolutely. So, we'll do the proposed course fees for 26 27. >> So, there was um at the last board meeting when I wasn't here, there was uh some a request for a little additional detail for the applied arts courses whose course fees were doubling. We had several course fees in the applied arts that were set at $20. Those were kind of all in our engineering um construction section. um of the applied arts, so construction technology, our

142draft and CAD program, and our pre-arch and pre-engineering program. Um I went in and I worked with Kendra Kaggel to get some of the things that they are specifically referencing needing and some of the increases um that you can see to uh particular um supplies. One of the things I really wanted to highlight, uh, well, first don't ask me what all of those things mean because like the light packets and the things, they're doing some really cool stuff in there, but I would not be able I would not be able to teach those classes. Um, for a construction technology class, pre-architecture, CAD, all of those, $20 was a really low course fee. When you are looking at providing students with hands-on experiences and lab experiences where they are building a mockup of a house, where

143they are working with cemetery, where they are um creating things down in the wood shop, um you really want to give them that hands-on experience. Otherwise, why would they be in that class? So, increasing to $40 allows us to um handle the increase of lumber. A 2x4 cost $5 each, for example, or our our 10-hour OSHA training cards are $35 a piece. Um, when we're talking about um CAD printers or the Project Lead the Way subscription that helps us get our engineering curriculum up and running, those things come with a higher cost. And when you want to try to do, as I said, more hands-on experiences and you want students in the lab more, building more things, working with um the the actual tools that they're going to see in the industry if they continue

144on, we needed to be able to up that fee so that we could give them um a more well-rounded experience. >> Now, that answers my question. I just think um since I've been on the board, this is the first time I've seen fee increases for many of these classes, so I'm not opposed to them. and and I assume that there were some back office. >> Yes. And I think you know you the board knows in the last um couple of years, this is our second year um with our new teacher um when we had a former applied arts teacher leave um and we were then we hired an auto teacher and we hired the inside part of the auto teacher which was the CAD engineering. So the new teacher in these areas just lived the

145experience the first year, right? because the budgets were submitted and we had already done course fees. So now that that new teacher has been here and we've seen some further development and looked at the opportunities that he would like to give students and with those more hands-on experience just made sense that we had to grow in that area. >> Were there any other questions on this or go ahead >> the we're going to approve these quickly if we could. The Board of Education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, approves the course fees for the 2026, 2027 school year as presented in the September 23, 2025 board agenda packet. >> Can we have a second? >> Second for Mr. Durkin. And we do need a roll call. >> Mr. Durkin, >> yes. >> Miss

146G. >> Yes. >> Mka. Yes. >> Mr. Nov. >> Yes. >> Mr. Williams? >> Yes. >> Mis? >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. Now, >> thank you so much. >> curriculum changes. So, um these proposed changes to the curriculum guide are proposed new courses, um proposed course description changes and proposed um course name changes. I've summarized those for you in the memo that goes with this. And then um each uh has its own um page in the accompanying pages. You've seen this once. Um the curriculum advisory council has also seen this. There were a couple of questions on this. One had to do with um the AP seminar class and why that's not like a a wholesale replacement of an English course at that um 10th grade level where this would go. Um we have

147typically had three levels in English in sophomore I'm sorry junior and senior level. The seniors have contemporary literature, honors world literature, and they have AP literature. Um, juniors have American literature, they can go into honors American studies, or they can go into AP language. So, it's very traditional since I've been here for us to have sort of a general level course, an honors level course, um, and an AP course. AP Seminar is sort of the sister of AP research, which are two capstone courses from the College Board, wherein if students take both of them, they have the opportunity to receive something called an AP diploma. It's like a college and career pathway endorsement, but for AP, it's another thing that you can put on your diploma, on your transcript. Um, these courses deal with research,

148with argument, with writing. Um, and AP seminar is a natural based on College Board's vision of how these things fit into the high school curricula. AP Seminar is a natural prerequisite or preparatory course for AP language. So, for us at the sophomore level, we don't know that every kid is going to be AP ready. We don't know that every student is going to be ready to challenge themselves at that AP level. Um, so we felt like adding this in and seeing what our students are interested in. Um, we think we will have a population of students who will be interested in the AP route. I'm sitting next to two people that probably would have taken this class if it was available when they were sophomores. Um, we have a large population of students that take

149AP macro and micro at the sophomore year. So, some students are ready and some students just aren't ready yet. So, we don't want to remove that honors English 10 and kind of alienate that kiddo maybe who's in the middle and wants to get ready for AP but doesn't want to be there yet. Um, so that's kind of why we we did not go the path of forcing the two-way street um in English with seminar. Another question um was submitted I believe with regard to the robotics and the and I think did you answer this last time the partnerships in terms of um internship opportunities. Um we talked about that one. Okay. >> Um other than that I do not believe there were any um specific questions entered in about this. You heard Patty Sarcati talk

150earlier tonight about um RB being selected um one of 100 schools um in the nation that was selected to u be a part of the development of that AP business principles. So um in approving that we're really excited that gives students yet another pathway to fulfill that consumer economics requirement. Um so these courses um we feel would be um good additions to our guide and to um the types of things that our students need to continue being ready uh for whatever their next step is. >> The biggest thing for the board is in this report is we already looked at the course changes or adjustments. It was the summary memo that Kylie included for September 23rd, 2015. It just highlights all the change. They did a deep dive with the division heads, teacher leaders on

151adjusting the curriculum guide, removing courses that haven't been offered for several years, um reorganizing it, reabeling it, making it more user friendly, labeling early college career pathways, and that was all as a request of the board um over the last two years when we were going through all our different staffing and curriculum discussions. So my understanding is that summary memo I shared with you is not necessarily the board doesn't necessarily vote on the approval of these kind of summary changes. The board votes on the the courses I was just um mentioning. But since it was sort of uh at the urging of the board that we really did need to do that deep dive of the curriculum guide and really clean it up um that summary memo highlights what that looked like. And when I

152say the we, I mean um our division heads, our four division heads, our five teacher leaders that represent all of our departments. So we had department representation from all of our um departments in the building along with administration, really doing a page by page, line by line scrub of that guide to make sure we are communicating effectively and accurately all of our offerings. And now we're in the process of now that we've kind of cleaned things up, um, we are working to transfer everything that we cleaned up in school links because school links always matches exactly what is in our curriculum guide so that when students go in to select their courses, they have the totality of information about all of our courses. >> So, this was a a huge project. So, thank you. I

153would say this was one of the the goals and I think it's been a lot of work for so many people you just listed and thank you again to my my colleagues who sat with you I think for a couple hours last week. >> Yeah, it was much needed. Thank you Miss Ruska and Missa. That was really beneficial and they were partners starting all the way back in the spring when we when we were kind of in the thick of this this as well. Um some of their direct suggestions are you know laid out in that curriculum guide. So I'm very appreciative of that partnership. Just for clarity, tonight we only are voting on the new course offerings and technically not even the elimination of other courses. It's it's simply the new course offerings as

154part of what the board goal is here. >> So, any questions on that or can we move forward tonight on on that issue or do we >> you wanted this this evening? >> This is a second read. >> Second read, right? We have this there's been a fair amount of questions and dialogue. >> Is everyone comfortable moving forward with that resolution or that action then? Thank you. Um, the board of education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, approves the new course proposals for the curriculum guide for the 2026 2027 school year as presented in the September 23, 2025 board agenda packet. >> Do we have a second? >> Second from Miss Ruska. And we do need a roll call, please. >> Mr. Caputo, >> yes. >> Mr. Durkin, >> yes. >> Miss Gaska,

155>> yes. >> Miss Ruska, >> yes. >> Mr. Novak. >> Yes. >> Williams. >> Yes. >> So, I would say thank you very much. >> Thank you so much for your support. Appreciate it and for your time. >> Good job, Kylie. >> Thanks. >> Good job, everybody. Thank you for staying. >> Yes. Thank you, everyone. Um, we don't have any additional new business this evening. Excuse me. New business. Uh, visitor statements. None present this evening. Any discussion items? As as usual, I'll bundle together. Um, 11 and 12. Any discussion items for this evening or consideration of items for future meetings from anyone? >> Yeah, I I would like maybe like a minute, two minutes. We had a robust workshop and a couple things came to mind on our goals. A couple things that tie in

156directly to our goals. just to highlight that because as board members, you know, we focused on our goals and if everything we're everything we're doing should be meeting towards those goals and just kind of talking about them, highlighting them makes them live with us. And there was a couple conversations we had today that I'm like, "Oh yeah, that's that goal. That's that goal." And so we could and we might not get them all, but if we could have a minute or two of somebody if came to somebody's mind, I would like to be able to do that future consideration. I know, you know, time's running out with the curriculum guide. We had mentioned the pathways. Lorena and I were talking about the new uh state mandated pathways. We're only supposed to have five for a

157future time. we can bring in, you know, who's relevant for that and kind of share what those pathways look like, the ones we've developed and maybe even have discussions which ones might be, you know, interesting to move forward or something we'd like to see developed. >> Does that make sense to have that discussion when we bring in the um the section that the division leads? So, I think it ties into that work quite a bit. >> It does. I would start by the board needs to click on that link tonight that Beth included and that should provide you a good refresher of everything that's going on. >> Yeah, it could even be its own topic just those pathways that the state said we now have to have and then we would have that information. So

158when we bring in the heads if it related to one of those pathways we would be able to talk to them. So that would definitely be a future. >> That makes sense. >> Yeah. Um, and then, you know, related to the goals, what we talked about at the at the meeting last week was over the next two to three months through the end of this fiscal year, I should say fiscal year, that's my my day job, through the end of this calendar year to start bringing forth each of the goals. So, you know, the the retreat happened seven days ago. I think everyone needs to take kind of a a breath. My expectation is we'll see the administration start bringing some of that forward in the coming weeks. But I mean even lighter like we

159had a goal of communication and today we were talking about the walk you know the St. Jude walk to me that really kind of resonated with our our communication goal. Remember how we talked about getting more into our community not just our high school families and hearing about that St. Jude activity that and that that's what I'm talking about you know these three minutes you know that was a resonation that was a clear meeting I think of that communication goal um we had talked about during our robust looking at um academic performance and we definitely today touching on you know when they said 14 out of 15 of our freshman graduate, you know, that were identified and went through the four years. I think that really touched on our academic, you know, so we have

160that goal and we were touching that goal today, you know, that was a kind of a percolated to the top for me. You know, that was like, yes, that's what we're talking about. That's a real win. You know, those 14 of the 15. Um I don't know if anybody else something came to their mind when they heard of our you know or just even talking about the new you know we were talking about the footprint that was been one of our goals on the wall and Dr. Skinkis we're policy is in the process of being met. So seeing how we are actively in you know working with those goals I think is exciting. It means we're doing that work. And I don't know if anybody else had a moment where you're like, "Hey, that that

161belongs in that box." But that's what we were talking about. Anyone else have anything to weigh in? >> No students, we're good. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um, matters for close session would be the next item. We have appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of the public body. We have student discipline, individual student matters, purchase, sale or lease of real property, probable imminent or pending litigation, collective negotiations, and school safety. The board of education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, enters close session for the purpose of considering the close session matters as presented in the September 23, 2025 board agenda packet. >> So moved. We need a second. Second from Mr. Williams. And we need a roll call to go to close, please. >> Miss Rosco, >> yes. >> Mr.

162Novak, >> yes. >> Mr. Williams, >> yes. >> Miss, >> yes. >> Mr. Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. with gas. >> Yes.