001Good evening. I'd like to call to order the September 18th regular board meeting. Um, can I get a roll call vote or roll call, please? President Wasowski >> here. >> Vice President Boyd >> here. Who's here? Mc >> here. >> Neil here. They just >> here also present are Dr. Smi, Miss Siako, Miss Fentes, Mr. Grass, Mr. Pa, and Miss Pusca. >> Excellent. Thank you. Um, can you join me in saying the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Um, to get us started, I'd like to make a motion to amend the agenda to remove the personnel report from con the consent agenda and move it
002to action items with discussion after the close session. >> Moved second. >> Okay. >> Um, we'll say that I can speak on that first and second again. I'm sorry. Gina and Shondaanda. >> Thank you. Can we vote on that? Correct. >> Uh yeah. >> Okay. So, um any questions? That's just so we have a chance to talk about the personnel issue in close session before we vote. Um can I get a roll call vote, please? >> President Wesowski, >> I. >> Vice President Bo, >> I Neil I. >> Ortiz I. Sanchez I. >> Six eyes. Zero Naz, one absent. Motion carries. Okay. And then uh we have the public hearing tonight. So I need a motion to call to order the public presentation for the fiscal year 26 budget. >> Move by Rose. >> Second.
003>> Regina. Any questions or concerns to open hearing? Okay. Roll call vote, please. >> McFersonson. >> Hi. >> Neil. Hi >> Ortiz. I Sanchez. >> I President Wesowski. >> Hi. >> Vice President Boy. >> I six I zero. >> Motion carries. The public hearing was called to order at 610. All right. So, as Dennis gets ready for the presentation, just a reminder that we um as required by law, we did advertise the public hearing and um the budget was um available for inspection. So, we will have the um presentation tonight in the hearing um and then we will adjourn the public hearing and vote on the budget later in the agenda. [Music] >> Thank you, Dennis. >> Well, good evening. All right. So, back in June, we had a discussion regarding our tenative budgets. As
004I had mentioned, not a whole lot of significant changes for them to now a lot of grant stuff being adjusted overall about five 7% change, but we're going to go through final budget after uh working through some of our hires throughout the summer process and some of those grand finalations. Uh purpose of the budget is to meet the requirements imposed by law. Provide the district with expending and taxing authority and satisfy a minimal level of financial information for local, state, federal governments, tenative budget and public notices. Uh this waski has mentioned we have posted in the paper when and where the budget would be available for inspection as well as the date of the public hearing and the time and location. Uh so those have been met uh following the adoption of the budget. We
005will post this on the district website and we're here today to conduct the hearing. Now some of the filing requirements again followed with the regional office of education uh by October 31st of each year. I fulfilled this requirement uh fairly quickly after the board approves this. I bring this over to the township treasurer who will then collect all the budget from all the township treasurer school districts and file it on our behalf with the regional office of education. I also send a copy to Illinois state board of education as well as file it with the county and posted. Some of the assumptions uh roughly around 98% is what we do for historical property tax collections. Uh in the past due to co we had bumped this number down significantly but we are back to 97%.
006We always go a little bit less but never quite to that 98%. 97% got us fairly close to last year and uh it's a solid number. Looks like our collections are back in line with that 98% payment move taxes. We've seen a significant increase in this number over the past and the county has projected a a slight I think it was like percent increase over last year's. So we did use last year's member the budget for this year. Interest lunches and tuition uh projected to increase slightly uh a lot due to the interest income. Um interest rates came in fairly good last year. That's projected to continue on through this year. So I did move our interest income up slightly to kind of mirror what we did last year. However, once like caveat to that
007is with the delay in the property tax collections, that money is not sitting in the bank. So, I did have to take that number. It's not quite up to last year's numbers, but it's moved up closer to launch revenues based on 24 and 25 collections. We have seen over the past, you know, five to seven years that number as far as you want revenue going down. But then in kind, our revenue from the national school lunch program is going up. So the one in one direction the other state sources uh current revenue projected based on all funds it's uh fairly consistent. Some of their there there's some moving pieces in their transportation claim comes in fairly close year after year as far as revenue goes. Some other moving pieces uh some of our therapeutic day
008school reimbursement that's based on what actually happened the year previous. So I have to take that into account. I worked closely with with Lazy to determine that number. Um, and then there's there's one other smaller piece with the therapeutic day being larger. That combined with our transportation some of our expenditure assumptions um salaries based on staffing levels as well as projected increases. So those were somewhat known going into the budgetary process. uh we were still in the midst of new negotiations partly once that number was finalized I was able to update the budget uh just by dropping in the number of flow through all my spreadsheets and update everything very nicely employee benefits that's based on projected increases purchase services I work very closely with departments to find out what kind of needs they have
009for the upcoming year based on their request I budget supplies and materials fairly consistent uh we know janitorial wise and uh the building departments work very closely together and report that to the principal and then I meet typically in April May to gather that information for the tenative budget. Very rarely does that information change from tenative to final budget but again we're talking less than a 5% change in happened. It did happen in a couple of accounts but again some open show to the board slight things they had. Oh Dennis we forgot to put this in there. Go ahead and add it. that'll make sure it gets notified. Some of the highlights, uh, we do have, uh, balance and positive ending funds and all the funds. So, that's that's very nice. Um, 13.6 million at
010the end of the year, uh, roughly equates to about 6.37 months that we can continue to operate without any kind of fun. So, we have healthy fund balances. I believe the Illinois State Board of Education puts out there about 50% reserve is what you want to maintain. and coming in at 6.37. It's slightly over. So that's fantastic. Uh strategic transfers with the delay in Cook County property taxes. There were two funds that doing cash flow projections I felt had the potential to possibly run negative and that's not something we want to have happen. Those two funds uh in particular have front-loaded expenditures. One being transportation. We paid all of our transportation leases in July. a significant expenditure and then it kind of levies out throughout the course of the rest of the year frontloading of
011those. I was concerned that in the event that the taxes does not come in quickly enough, we may run negative and I don't want that to happen. I'm not proposing the transfer as of now, but I will continue to monitor it and then we'll have the leeway in the event that we need it. We can do it at a future date to make that happen. The other one being operations maintenance. There are some capital and some recurring costs that occur typically in July and August. A lot of inspections that have to happen, testing that has to happen throughout our systems and some of the smaller projects that don't quite end up in the capital projects fund get done through the opportunity. And so again, a front loading of expenditures and we just want to make
012sure we do have enough fund balance to continue throughout the rest of the year. In the event that the Cook County property tax collections were not delayed, we would not be talking operating fund deficit test. We did do a test to find out if we did need a deficit reduction plan. Based on all testing, no deficit reduction plan is needed and the reserves remain within prudent ranges of that six to seven month across all. So getting into it now, I did put in here that fiscal 25 these are unuded numbers. However, I do not anticipate any changes from audited to audited. Property tax collections increase from you know 15.7 to 16.3. uh payment of taxes got a slight decrease from last year. However, they're projecting roughly a 2% increase. I just brought it closer to
013the actual interest, lunches, and tuition going up by 124,000. State sources again fairly consistent going down by 6,000. Federal sources down by 107. Again, uh sunset of the ESR funding, some of the stronger connection grant that we incurred last year. We're not going to get that money again this year. So some of those fading away resulting in some loss and then uh other sources of fund. We did do that bond refunding last year and the bond refunding is why we're seeing a significant decrease in other sources of funds which the bond refunding did result in savings to the community which is always a great thing we could do something. That was not a taking cash out of for the bonding. It was simply just issuing new bonds to replace old bonds saving taxpayer dollars. Sources
014of revenue roughly about 76.25% coming from real estate property taxes. We have a number that high it does matter when property taxes are roughly about 26% roughly 76% of our revenue comes from property taxes. So when those monies do get delayed, it doesn't matter. and cash flow is something I look at very closely. As in years past, we've done the transfer for the debt services. Both the auditor and the township treasurer has assured me that if the money comes in in January, they're going to pay those bills no matter what. So we're not doing the extensive dance we've done in years past for that services with the assurance from both the audit replacement taxes coming in at 1.5% interest earnings at 2.75%. That number's up significantly from what we've seen five years ago. So it's
015very nice to see the interest income in there. I just caution because that can change quick. Other local sources coming in at 1.25 25 evidence-based funding coming at 6.5 restricted aid from the state at 6.5 and federal aid at 5.25% and that's the breakdown of our revenues. >> That's a real quick question for the real estate taxes. Did that number go up slightly as far as the percentage is concerned? >> It does go up but it's based on is other revenue increases that's going to increase. So historically before co before we received all the srer funding that number always was within that 75. >> Okay. >> That's what I was trying to >> the other funding decreases we're seeing adisement. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Great question. >> All right. So expenditures um we're
016going to go through it in two different ways. First one we're going to look fund by fund and then we're going to go through object by adject. So this one starts off with just the educational fund looking at 16.3 in fiscal 25 to 16.6 in fiscal 26. We can roughly assume a lot of that's going to be related to salaries and operations and maintenance fund going down by $95,000 to 1.9 that service fund going down by 4.1. Again, that's bond refunding that did last year. We're not doing that again this year. So, what we're seeing on the budget for this year is interest on interest and principles. Transportation fund roughly going down by $88,000 to $1.5 million. We did a a pretty sizable project out of our transportation fund of the bus garage last year.
017So, we're not doing that project and taking away of that project of salaries and benefits for fiscal 26. That's why we're receiving 88,000 reduction. retirement fund went up by $31,000. Salaries go up. We're going to see that fund go up. And kind capital projects going down by $214,000. Again, we're going to be scaling back on capital projects now that we've we set out a plan that we were going to save money to do capital projects. We've done that. Now, we got to go back into savings mode to build up our fund balances so that we can work capital projects down. Working cash fund. Um these are transfers expenditure wise. So last year we did a $250,000 transfer from working cash to capital projects. This year we did a $230,000 transfer from capital project working cash
018to capital and torque fund. This is going to be our workers compensation or general liability and our lean and we're expecting a slight decrease from now looking at the same numbers but this time not by fund but just by salaries, benefits and so on and so forth. We're seeing $363,000 increase in salaries. This is just cost of wage increases from last year to this year, plus any staffing changes that have occurred. Employee benefits going up by $79,000. Again, as people change insurance throughout the year, we have that open enrollment period. Then we have to factor those in coupled with any uh people that might be leaving the district, the new people coming on board. We'll see some changes. And actually um when I tend to budget in that tenative budget, I always put the worst
019case. So I put family insurance for for those things and family insurance is very expensive. So when we see a reduction of the overall projected deficit from the tenative to this one a very good portion of that reduction in deficit can be attributed to I'm factoring in thinking worst case have the money in the budget if they do opt to choose the family but great if they don't I can take it back out. So purchase services, we're seeing a $475,000 reduction in purchase services. Supplies and materials, a $222,000 increase. Things are becoming more expensive as uh fortunately. And capital projects, again, a $585,000 reduction. Just starting to see that scale back in capital projects. We're going to see it again next year. There are certain things that we'll continue to do, some proactive maintenance and
020stuff like that. We're all building ups. So, I'd like to do some money towards masonary repairs. Mechanical last year was uh very intensive for us for our heating system. We're expected to see some some additional charges again coming through this year. So, we'll always see some expenses there. As our system ages, it does become more costly to maintain. Other objects seeing the reduction there directly related to that bond issuance. non- capitalized equipment gone down significantly. I believe last year there was a significant uh purchase of student devices where this year while there was a purchase of student devices not and those devices did fall within that 500 to 2,000 on an individual basis if an item is over $2,000 we capitalize it. If it's under uh depending on such it'll either go into capital assets
021and quote book cost has crepted up over the years where they're now falling that non-cendes by type roughly 47 a.5% of our expenditures are related to salaries and benefits which does make sense for a service industry providing educational service to the community. So large portion of our cost should be salaries and benefits. Salaries being the first at 75 47 and a half followed by employee benefits at 11.25 purchase services at 14 and a half supplies and materials at 5 and a half capital outlay at 4.25 out of district tuition came in at 11 and a half other expenses at 75 and bond and interest payments at roughly 5%. >> Question just curious how much are the Chromebooks now? Do you know >> under five and over four? >> Okay. >> And it depends on the
022model. I do know that the ones that they get for faculty and staff are a little bit more advanced and those are going to come in roughly I think around seven. >> Okay. >> They'll continue to bounce. >> All right. So historical look at our fund balances. One thing I'd like to mention and I I think we're going to talk about this a little bit more and more is fund balances during our presentation. So state law does not allow us to go over I believe two times our annual expenditures and fund balance and ours is roughly right around 6.37 memory reserves. We talked about that as far as our reserves go. So at the end of fiscal 26, we should be looking at roughly 6.37 months worth of operating expenditures, which is well below the
023state requirements of making sure they're one or two times our expenses expenses. And we'll actually have a motion, I believe in December, if memory serves, just kind of making sure that we memorialize talked about this. It's really important when it comes to the tax levy that we talk about this, which is why I put it in December. But I still like everyone to just know where our fund balances are in relationship to our expenditures. Roughly over $14 million in uh fund balances at the end of fiscal 25 and we're projecting $22 million in expenditures while the same and still a healthy fund balance. That's you know we it did go down from last year but again we were saving for capital projects. We spent that money capital project and now we're going to start to
024slowly ease out the capital projects and go back at the savings questions. >> And now is the time where we open it up for public comments. Correct. So um we have public comments and testimony for the uh fiscal year 2026 budget. So just a reminder for the audience that there is still public comments for the general comments of the meeting. This is just for the budget hearing. Um, and board will have time to ask questions before we vote as well. So, is there any public comments or testimony for the budget here? >> For the budget, >> you do a great job. >> I mean, it's well, it is nice to know, right? Like the TTO is right like that you're working with them and that that's like the safety net, right? Sometimes >> too. Yeah.
025>> Yeah. >> Awesome. >> Anything else? >> Then I need a motion to for the board of education to adjourn the public hearing. >> Jerry, not Jerry. Sorry. Moved by Jerry. Second Desanda. Yeah. Jerry boards. All right. Roll call vote to adjourn the meeting or to adjourn the uh to adjourn the public hearing. Neil. >> So close. >> Neil. >> Hi. >> Ortiz. I >> Parich Sanchez. >> Hi. >> President Wesowski. >> Hi. >> Vice President Boyd. >> Hi. >> Fear. >> Hi. >> Six eyes. Zero names. One >> abs. >> Motion carries. The public hearing is adjourned at 6:30. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> All right. Um and now for just a few um board recognitions that we'd like to give some shout outs for. Um the thank you for to the entire staff
026for the planning of all of the recent buildingwide events like curriculum night and grandparent night um and our upcoming events that are still in the works um like high school night and Hispanic Heritage Night. These these big events we know are a lot of work in addition to your um you're already heavy teaching in an administrative role. So, we appreciate um we appreciate that extra work and we know that it's important to our school communities and families to have that time to come together um and to learn and to celebrate. Um so, we appreciate everyone's efforts for that. Um, we'd also like to give a shout out to our um, fantastic business office staff and um, our fellow board members from 5 years ago for their foresight in approving um, a lease to own uh,
027deal for some of our buses. Um, we're happy to report that we just made our last payment uh, on those buses. So we are receiving the title soon or have we already they're in hand. So we are the proud owner of five buses. Um we do things to us. >> Um we don't have to make any more payments on those. Um so with the rise in bus costs, you know, it ended up being a deal worth making. So we're glad that they made uh that decision and that you led us um in that direction. Um, and then lastly, I think a little fun shout out and a good luck to all of the players playing in the district staff pickle ball league. Um, kudos to everyone who organized uh the league and to those who
028signed up to play it. It looks like a great way to have some fun, uh, get some exercise and build and build community. Um, I would love if anyone wants to like share where the pickle ball is being played so we can all come watch this very intensive >> Steph and I Steph and I went headtohead yesterday. >> Oh, so yeah, we're going to >> I would have if I was >> Well, you know, we were we were competing with Kimberly, but I I think when people were shocked to see >> myself and Steph walking up with our, you know, our >> the gear. >> Yeah. And so like, oh, we want to play like Okay. So we, you know, we were at PS yesterday. So we had uh three nets across. I think it
029was like 12 or >> 14 of us. >> We have 17 >> 17 >> that day. We'll have more >> al together. We're going to be at two buildings, PS and >> awesome. >> Yeah. So it's pretty cool. >> Awesome. Really? >> Well, I'm I am keeping I'm like that. So you are and it's singingly like my own like we got all new nets. We got an all new, you know, new boss. What benefits? >> We're signing waivers. >> Yeah. >> What does the winner get? Just bragging rights. >> Oh yeah. >> Oh, I told Oh, I told them what I said. Well, we should have said >> Oh, yeah. >> I said, well, actually the winner Steph and I are sub in their classroom for a week and they could go like they could
030end a week early. I said I go then we'll see how many >> a day or two. >> But I would just because I was I go watch how many watch how many we would have next week. There'd be like 60 people playing crazy. >> No, I said I'm kidding. I'm kidding. It's like it's bragging. >> Kudos to you guys. I think it's I think it's fun. It's a great way to build community. I think it's a a great >> We got three bus drivers there. >> Well, and like cross building, you know, sometimes you don't necessarily get >> and that's how she breaks it up. It's like it's just random. So, I was with Cerny was the my uh >> your partner. >> My partner. >> Nice. >> Yeah. and Steph was with a
031paraprofessional and uh you know it was great. I saw Mr. Gibson was a ment. >> Yeah, it was pretty awesome. >> Tumi Tumi was >> she blew me away. >> Great job. >> They already had some skills up there. So >> yeah, I said you said you didn't know how to play. She's like I didn't say I didn't know how to play. I said I I don't know. I No, I said I never No, I said I thought you didn't play. She's like I never told you I didn't play. I said I don't know how to play. Like even keeping scorewise. You are actually >> Well, well done. Um, so next on the agenda, we have audience comments. And I believe we have a sheet. Okay. So, um, just a reminder, we welcome comments from
032staff, parents, and constituents. A person who wishes to address the board should complete a request to address the board of education form handed to the board's recording secretary when recognized for the board president. Please limit your comments to three minutes. You're the only ones, so you're fine. Um, >> my name is Gabrielle Hen. I have two concerns. My first concern is about lunchroom. Um I know CO has been over for a while. I know staffing is not the best and I appreciate everything that is there in place. However, it's really hard when your third grader comes home and is like, I can't play with my friend cuz they're in a different class or we're not supposed to cross this one or they're standing on each side of the line talking to each other because they
033can't. And I I I like the idea that they're opening to Friendship Friday, but again, I think it's really hard when this is the only unstructured structured time they have that they can't play together or they can't all be together at once. And I know it's loud. There's 100 kids. Um, but in the same breath, like things are very different than when we grew up. things are very structured and there really is no time for them to kind of be a little silly and to be playing with their peers. And so then when they are out in the hallway and they're distracting each other from the hallway just to hi or whatever, could this be eliminated by just maybe opening lunch a little bit more? So that's my first um and then my second one
034is about um retesting scores. So last year, um, my son failed a test, reviewed, got a C, failed a test, reviewed, got a C, failed, uh, got a D. So the skill set isn't always rettaught. I think it's just reviewed. I don't know if truly if it's retaught to where they actually learn the skills. And as the modules go on, the lessons get harder. So if that skill is not >> um >> achieved understood, you're going to continue to have those. And so now you have a child that consistently is going down and then instead of wanting to do the work, puts less time and effort into the work. >> So I just don't really know how that all works. I know that I was told in the past and I like kind of looked
035through policies like after two times it's supposed to be completely retaught. How does that work? How do I follow up when those circumstances and hopefully it won't happen again? It was a one-off, but I just want to know the proper procedure at the beginning of the year instead of waiting and then asking these questions. >> Yeah. Do you have that now or do you want to get back to her? >> Yeah, I can send it back to you. >> Okay. Okay. That's all. >> Okay. So, then we'll definitely reach out and get uh and get you that information. And um is it for a particular school? Do you want them for both schools? >> Um >> are they the same for each school? >> Is the same. >> Okay, never mind. Same for each school.
036>> Thank you. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments? And I need uh a motion uh for the board of education to approve the consent agenda as amended. >> Moved by Gina. I can second it. Um and just as a reminder, we um removed the um the personnel report from the consent agenda and moved it to the um action items with discussion later. So right now on the consent agenda is the regular board meeting minutes of open session of August 14th. And then the second reading and adoption of policy 5-100 staff development program 6-150 home and hospital instruction 6-235 access to electronic networks. Uh policy 7-70 attendance and truency and 7-190 student and behavior. Um any other questions or concerns? Okay. Roll call vote please. >> Sanchez. >> Hi. >> President
037Wizowski. >> Hi. >> Vice President Boyd. >> Hi. >> McFersonson. >> Hi. >> Neil. >> Hi. >> Or eyes. >> Six. Zero names. One absent. Motion carries. All right. Now for action items with discussion. We have bills, claims, and payroll authorization. So, I need a motion to open discussion that the board of education approve the bills and claims in the amount of $671,96951 and payrolls in the amount of 98,93457 into authorized payment by Shanda and second by Jared. Anything you want to highlight for us, Dennis? >> It's pretty standard uh in regards to bills and planes this month, but that cash flow issue is one of the issues I've been keeping an eye on for the last month. Probably my most concern. >> Any questions for Dennis? >> I just had one quick question and
038I apologize for not sending it earlier. wanted to know about the lapsi, like the tuition that we pay outside of our district. Has that increased at all? Like are we >> has it how how much has it increased this year versus last year? Like do we how many we have how many more students that are overall the tuition I would say is roughly about the same amount. However, there's also 30 schools that go into that. >> Okay. I would say from classroom admission that the two of them together is actually slightly deeper. >> Okay. However, US drivers um speed transport just because I had a feeling more something we enjoy doing but find sure those kids are >> and and the only tricky thing is that as of right now it's this but like if
039we get a kid who transferred in who needs to be so it goes both ways. Sometimes those families end up leaving. So, it's like kind of this >> it's something that we watch. You know, one thing that we're definitely talking about um >> is as we're getting used to it, just that everyone is being updated to know >> that, you know, especially the >> finance department knowing like, hey, we just got this kid >> and we're going to have to, you know, we may have to move them to one of the lads or a therapeutic. And then there's different, you know, funding. If you go to a therapeutic, you know, theoretically you're supposed to get money back from the state. You know, how that comes in is is you know, you'll see him making his
040eyes like that. Let me >> you know, you never know. >> Is that what you say? >> But ladsy, ladsy is not but sometimes the, you know, the qualifications that go into a therapeutic are different and they're more um it's more restrictive. So, not every kid qualifies. And when you say pr-rated, like prrated based on like what they think we should be paying, >> a percentage of what we pay. >> No. So if our claim says we say 600,000, they might only give us 80% of >> That's what I'm saying. A percentage. >> But why? Like for what what particular reason do they give us a reason? Do we know? >> Ah, >> same reason they transport 80% of what we share. It's just our tasks. Thank you. >> You're going to appropriate your tax.
041No, >> I'm saying I was just making an example like say if you do like those home improvement things and and like the windows and all that stuff, you get they only give you a percentage. They don't get you don't get it fully 100%. [Music] >> Any other questions for bills and claims? >> All right. Roll call vote, please. Presidentski. >> Hi. >> Vice President. >> Hi. >> Pearson. Hi. >> Neil. >> Hi. >> Ortiz. I Sanchez. >> Hi. >> 6 I zero N. >> Motion carries. Next, I need a motion to open the discussion for the board of education to approve the resolution adopting the fiscal year 2026 budget. >> By Gina. >> Second by Rose. Right now, we're going to ask all of our questions about the budget adoption. >> Okay. Okay. Does
042anyone have any questions about the budget? >> Such a good job. I know. You really do. >> Lay it out so we can understand it. >> Anything? >> I think it'd be like a sad question. I know. >> He's disappointed. No questions. I'm telling you. >> We'll do better next time. All right. Roll call vote, please. Vice President Boyd. >> Hi. >> McFerson. I Neil. >> Hi. >> Or I Sanchez. I President Wesowski. >> I six eyes. Zero names. One abs. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you, sir. >> All right. I need a motion to open discussion for the board of education to approve the resolution authorizing the school treasurer to loan monies from the education fund to the operation and maintenance fund as presented. Move >> by Rose. >> Second by Gina. >> There's
043a memo there, but anything you want to walk or actually there's not a memo. Sorry, the resolution is there. Anything you want to walk us through? >> So, I picked 600,000 and I think it's more than what we need to eat, but I'd rather do this one time as opposed to come back and say, "Whoops." So, trying to get us through December. By December, I'm anticipating to start as soon as those bills go over the Astros. >> Okay. >> But this is a shortterm inter fund loan. Don't have to go out and do taxes this patient and pay interest on that. We're actually utilizing those reserve balances. It's great that we're in the financial shape that we're in that we're that once the taxes are received, we'll pay them >> ourselves. Y >> this resolution
044authorizes me to make the transfer as well as the contract and the cont. >> Oh, great. One one. >> Excellent. All right. Any other questions? Roll call vote please. >> Hi Neil. >> Hi Ortiz. I Sanchez. >> Hi. >> Vice President Boy. >> Hi. >> Six I zero. One absent. Motion carries. All right. Now these fun ones. I feel like I'm always going to try to take notes on these these policies and I never do. >> Trying to make this gameless. >> I know. You do such a great job. I >> so just so you guys know getting through these should that gets us through all the policy updates all like the major policy updates from the I think it was the June press release so press will have another release in October so I'll
045look at those and see the priority for those possibly starting with >> okay >> you'll get a brief >> right a little break so these are discussion items with no action Um so but it is the discussion and the first reading of the policy. So the first one we'll tackle is 7-200. Um L gave us a little note there that some um seemingly major changes but all related to the rights of students providing student services details how to treat allegations of sexual violence. Um and thank you for saying no optional footnotes because I always look for those. Um, so on my reading, you know, I was just defaulting to accepting press. Did anyone have anything of concern? >> No. Oh, out of school. Okay. >> Are we okay going with press on that on that
046one? >> Yes. >> Um then next we have um 7-210. Sorry Laura, was that okay? You got >> um 7-210. Um so for this one, some formatting changes uh information about a student support person representative, but we do have some options. Um and the notes say that option one is considered best practice. >> Yes. So um uh slide items F through H under number one. >> Okay. >> So where it says list the students prior suspensions, state that the school code allows blah blah blah blah and then um ask the students parents, guardians or attorney to inform superintendent. Those are optional but they are considered about the practice. >> So these options weren't available in prior, >> right? They're not listed in the fire. >> So I just to make sure I'm in the right
047spot. So number one, FG and H. >> Yes. >> And we did not have them listed in our current one. >> Nope. So we had an ab bcde e f. So what did we sometimes I don't know if you can see like the see the briefly describe what will happen during the hearing. That's actually listed twice. Sometimes in board docs when I'm doing the comparison it'll that's why sometimes you'll see like those duplicates or those errors like >> Gotcha. Gotcha. >> Yeah. It's just it's a formatting issue within board essentially. >> Okay. And then yes, I guess you're right. It's the And where do you see that it's the best practice? It's in in the footnote. >> Yeah. or I see items F through H are optional but best practice inclusions. Does anyone have any
048concerns with including do I need to take them line by line? So F which is list the students prior suspension or suspensions. >> I have a question about that. >> So this will be in any given school year like >> that's a great >> that school year >> or is it a prior you know what I'm saying? I just wanted to ask that question. I mean, the way I I read prior, I would think would be any time. >> Yeah. Because when you go into expulsion, they're going to look at the whole history of so it could be from >> like prior suspensions. If I mean, if we wanted to limit it, I think we would need to say prior suspension for the current school year. >> I I was just only thinking about that
049because sometimes, you know, I'm not saying I don't know, you know, we don't have you haven't had a lot of explosions here, right? But thinking about maybe somebody has a really bad year one year then the next year it's a good you know what I'm saying that I just was wondering if like we wipe we wipe the slate clean year after year. Usually you do, right? But for what you're asking that that I understand where you're >> I guess to to tag team on on that. Do we know about a student's prior suspensions if they don't occur at our school? >> U would would this just be listing their prior suspension? >> There is there is Well, I could tell you. So what happens when you even think about going to expulsion? The first conversation
050you have with the lawyers is what are their priors? Because you usually don't want to go to expulsion unless it's something major. And if you don't have a track record on it either and if you if just say you're doing for behavior stuff like I I can't even go to expulsion without a history of all you know things unless like I said if if a child had a weapon or massive amounts of drug you know then it's a different story. Mhm. >> They'll still ask about the priors, but if you're going for strictly like behavior stuff, it would have to be a series. And it's usually about that. I think it's usually that year. Like I don't know how I I can't remember when I've done them like that. We've gone back multiple years, although
051they may ask for that. And one of my questions >> yeah um with that is >> especially like going from building to building or if there's a >> you know if you know in kindergarten everything is good everything's good you get to um is they have a difficult time yeah >> um or let's reverse it they have a difficult time at PS and then are good at is and then something comes up at the middle school are we going all the way back to And this is actually saying so this is before the student may be expel before the student may be expelled the student and his or her parent/guardian shall be provided a written request to appear at a hearing and the request should be sent um and then the the request shall list.
052So this is basically just saying what we're required to list in the letter. >> Okay. So I guess like for F I mean so the priors might come in up during the expulsion hearing but this is just saying in the letter do we want to list the prior suspensions? >> Am I understanding that correctly? I haven't thought about that, but >> yeah, if it's something that's going to be considered, then I definitely think it should be in the letter >> and it usually relates to the situ which like so if a kid got a detention for something or suspended for and then it wasn't related to the expulsion. It's usually not so much included, but they like usually it it aligns to whatever >> from my my perspective being the behavior person in my district,
053I think it's a important part of the narrative because if this student needs some some kind of support that would help them now, you don't have that as part of the narrative and it doesn't show that they need the support as much. That makes sense, you know, like like, oh, what have they struggled with in the past? What what can we support them with in that in the present, right? And if you're going, like I said, if you're going to expulsion, it is a major thing. And so you're looking to, you know, you need to have evidence to justify that move. And so evidence would be priors that justify that that doing. Otherwise, you're going to say, you're just picking >> my child or there's a oneoff and now they're that's the where's the progressive
054discipline? you're going right to expulsion when you've never even been suspended. >> And I guess in the era of like full transparency like like if we're if this is the letter going to the parent, we're being transparent of this is this is >> information we have that we're sharing, >> right? If a student does something that is extreme and then you don't have the history to back that up like why was the student not you know were there any other incidents and then you know we didn't mention him wasn't >> there's several reasons for >> okay so does it feel is it are we okay leaving it as as stated list students prior suspensions Any caveats to that? >> Go ahead. >> Yeah, I've said what? Yeah. What the concern is, but >> what is
055so say it again? >> So, yeah. No, I'm just a bit if it's something that will be considered, I definitely think it should be in the letter to the parent. Um, so I'm going a little outside that specific request or that addition wondering, you know, how we use that information. And if it's >> and if it's not going to be used, then I wouldn't put it in the letter because it might cause additional concern unnecessarily. So again, I know we don't have very many expulsion hearings, but when we when we do, if we do, >> is the anticipation that we would look at the full history of the student? >> Yes. >> So then I think it probably needs to be in it. >> Yeah. >> This would Yeah. This would be the last, you
056know, you don't take it lightly because you're talking about being them out of school. like even if they live in town like there is no other place they could go to at a public school they live with Westchester >> right >> so you're taking that away >> so it's a you know and then there's always the alternative you know they could always do but they have to do that like you don't set it up >> and so even in lie of that you do like a removal or then you you set it up like they go to safe school which is in lie of expulsion so to get to that point it would have to be pretty serious and you would definitely want all your >> and we your information you want to be transparent.
057>> Okay. So then we'll leave we'll include F >> and then G is to state the school code allows that the school board to expel the student for a for a definite period of time not to exceed two calendar years as determined on a case- by case basis. So that just state stating the stool school code. So >> does that one feel okay to conclude? >> Yes. >> Um and then H asks that the student or parents/guardians inform the superintendent or board attorney if the student will appear with a representative and or support support person and if so provide the name and contact information for representatives and or support person. >> There's a typo in there. Okay. It's the second line will appear with a B. >> Oh yeah, I'll update it for second. >>
058Thank you. I was reading press. I'm like I don't see a typo, but I was reading from the wrong page. Um, and how do we feel about that one? >> And we don't think that's an undue burden on the family to to tell us in advance. Okay, those are the only optional ones, right? >> Yes. >> You know what? I I wonder if we should put a time period on that because you know in theory notifying the school 15 minutes before the so if we want to say 48 hours or 24 hours um I think that might be important >> do we have that in the res I'm thinking of the residency hearing >> definitely in the letter it'll be like the Friday before >> the Friday before the hearing. >> We don't say the
059Friday. We don't specifically say the Friday before, but we time it. So, if the hearing's on Wednesday, you need to let us know by Friday before whatever that whatever that date happens to be. >> Two business days before the hearing >> or what were you thinking? 24 hours before hearing. >> I think I like that. you know, at least two business days or something like that so that if we need to have our attorney there, we can be prepared, >> right? >> Would that be workable? Y >> at least at least two business days. >> Yep. >> Trying to think how I want my own. Sorry. >> Yeah. >> Is that okay with you guys? Mhm. >> Yeah, I think that's good because you're right. >> Yes, >> because that would give you enough time
060to get home with a lawyer there. Yeah, >> good one. >> Anything else for that one? All right, close all of these tabs I have open. I don't use myself. And then um next is um uh policy 7-270. Um so notes on here is um adds info about students being able to carry their own diabetic supplies. Uh this is the current practice of our district. Although some students and families still prefer to have the items in the health office. Um you did not add the info from press about undesated oxygen tank since we have left that out in the past. I guess let's we can talk about that. Do we have an undesated oxygen tank? Okay. Are we required to >> Okay. >> No. And it says in the in the of the diabetes it
061um it should be may also possess. So it doesn't require them to carry it but they can do >> double check with our health offices that that's what they were doing anyway. >> Good to know. >> Thank you. >> Okay. That one looks pretty standard. Yeah. All right. Okay. And um policy 7-310. These look like u more style grammar changes, further defines publications and adds info about bullying and cyber bullying. What would be an example of like a non-school sponsored publication? Where are you? >> Are you referencing something >> just in general like like the um >> I think that would be like we get those flyers from like the park. >> Right. Right. That's what I'm assuming like the flyers that they want us to >> and we have we always have them all
062put on their flyers. That's >> what I meant. Yeah. Okay. So whether we're distributing them by paper or electronically, this is applying to all of that. Is there any updates that you guys want to make with that with anything that's been happening with that or we're good with this? Okay. Then press on this one. >> Okay. Uh Whoops. I went too far. Um 7-340. Um so we have an optional area to look at. Um which is the yellowish green. You're right. It is like the yellowish green. >> Well, because it's green already because it's added from press and then I have to highlight over it which is why it looks yellowish. Um, so then Laura's notes here is to just consider maybe not including it since it doesn't need to be updated as often and
063we didn't include it before. I guess let's take a look at that. Why does press say it's optional? >> I think because it already says accept as provided state or federal law. Okay, >> that's fine. Because that's >> Oh, I got you. >> One through four is the summary of state and federal law. >> You're right. >> So, if something changes tomorrow, we don't have to worry about going >> Right. Right. >> Because we're going to be following those state and federal. >> Okay. I see what you mean. So, and like it said rather than listing the exceptions in the policy, a school board may just choose to end the sentence after the the provision except as provided in state and then you're not >> pigeon holing yourself into specifics. >> I think that's a
064probably a good advice. Is that okay with you guys? >> Y so we'll we'll agree with your advice on that one, Laura. And then the other one is there an optional item to add info about biometric data collection. Um we do not because uh well we do not we do not include it because we did not collect it and do not plan to according to our technology department. >> Yep. >> So are we okay with following that lead and not including that optional biometrics. >> Yep. >> All right. Got what you need on that one? All right. Um correspondence. We didn't have any official correspondence, but it looks like we got some handbooks that um our legal team um >> You should have one more policy. Sorry. I got excited. I know. >> Sorry. I
065thought it was the pink. >> You know, too. >> I feel I feel like when um I get off timing when you highlight it in yellow, like I think that's the one I'm on. And so I'm like, "Okay, we did that one." And so then I move forward. Sorry. >> Sorry. >> Um policy 8-30. You're just too on the ball for me, Laura. >> All right. This one further defines school property, adds info about not having consumed alcohol, cannabis, etc. Um, and then it looks like there is an optional provision about posting when the facility is available for use, but we have not included that in the past. Um, is that just, you know, so that we're not sort of nailing oursel to a a particular time? >> Is there something? >> Yeah, I think
066>> I'd have to pull up the press, but like for example, you might say the building is available for rent on weekends. >> You don't want to get stuck in there. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> The building, right? >> You can just leave it out. Yeah. to the right. >> I'm sorry. Um, Laura, what was that footnote? >> Okay, >> open up for us to figure out >> I know I have to like toggle back and forth. Um for three. >> Uh okay. >> And then there's two options. The following optional provisions can be modified according to the local conditions. >> Gotcha. So the sentence is persons on school property without permission will be directed to leave and may be subject to criminal persecution. And then there is an option where we can say that the
067superintendent may post certain facilities for community use. Um, so it sounds like the recommendation is that we not include those options because we already have the school use policy. >> Yeah, >> that make sense. >> Okay. >> I had questions about the convicted child sector. >> Which section is that? >> Page two. >> That's what I didn't even realize. Should there ever be a reason why They are allowed to be on school property. >> State law prohibits a child sex offender from being present on school property with or within or 500 ft of school property when a person under the age of 18 are present. So unless the offender is a parent or guardian of the school attending the school and has notified the building principal of his or her presence. Guess we already had
068it in that before. Even as a parent, >> what >> isn't that usually some kind of of rule that has to be followed even if you were a parent? >> Well, I think this >> they have they say have to be escorted by the superintendent, but I'm wondering in the day of technology that we have now that we could do that virtually. They shouldn't be allowed to be on campus at all. But I don't know if that is our >> That's what Yeah. I didn't even think about virtual. Yeah. >> Yeah. Because when we're in co we had virtual meetings. I think it laws are very very limit like parent teacher conferences or something if they if they're >> so it says they could yeah they cannot be on school property if their students here
069unless the offender is attending the school and has notified the building principal for the purposes and there's one two three >> if it's like necessary for a student's >> so attending a conference at the school with school personnel to discuss the progress attending to review evaluation or placement of of special education and attending conferences to discuss other student issues concerning his or her child retention and promotion. So I guess the question is >> can we say they can't come? >> Exactly. Well, the only other thing with that though is whether they don't have technical violation, >> especially when it's like number two is the placement of special social special education services and I don't know that you can exclude >> well they're supposed to notify you, right? So like they notify you then you got
070to make you got to make accommodations notifying the >> and I could tell you if they notified >> I know this was my first callers to figure out >> right well yeah like in the in in prior years all these other years we didn't really have virtual conferences so we didn't really think that there'd be an alternative >> um >> so did we ask for like the other policy or a reasonable time of notification. >> Oh, >> like within a certain like >> are we are we allowed to to fuss with it? You know, let's see. >> I don't It's under foot 17. see anything optional or >> right >> anything that says ask >> um so it's the Illinois look on the definition of sign a sex offender. Yeah, it doesn't say anything but
071it does um of a school official. So >> I guess my cons other concern is the other people that are at school but they're not aware that that's even if it's for you know parent teacher conference and the teacher says we need to meet about your child and not necessarily and not knowing Um, and you know, whether or not the child sex offender complies with their own requirements, right? I would feel a bit more comfortable if we had some type of time frame in there. >> So, and it does look like, if I'm reading this right, so it's like they have to do one and two, right? So the offender has to have notified the building principal and then two also has permission to be present from the board superintendent or super >> I missed
072that. >> It's am I reading those is that either or or both? Like I'm reading that as they have one and two >> or superintendent >> or so you're right then we probably do need to have some sort of notification like timeline. Yeah. I mean and so not to rest not say restrict access but I think we need to have a caveat in there too. So you know within 24 hours or as soon as reasonably possible or something like that because what if the teacher reaches out that morning and they say can you meet after school? So that wouldn't be a 24-hour period, but I don't know exactly how we consider that. And you know, if we say as soon as we possible, they could say, you know, I'm in the parking lot and I
073plan to come in. >> Right. Right. >> If that would teacher would most likely >> No, correct. I mean, I guess not unless we had a reason to >> Yeah. >> look it up. I don't know that you hooking up every >> So, how would you know that? Are they I guess that would be something that we would need to know. Are they >> coming into our school? >> Are they required to report when they register their kids at the school? >> Oh, I don't know that. >> They have to report period, but not >> I don't have to report in general, but how do we even know who they like? >> Well, it's just really just stuck out. probably tell >> I think there's >> well I think they check it when they check
074bus routes but they're not probably person yeah >> um so what do you guys what is your recommendation on on this one >> we could also table it and think about it some table and get some legal counsel on how to treat that >> what is the requirements now like you don't know if any of our >> they're supposed to Yeah, like that's just that's the requirement is on them, right? That's their part of their >> their me. Yes. >> But that would be my concern because if we don't know that >> and they're violating their own, >> you know, >> now I know that, you know, we do run >> right >> for transportation like as far as we are paying attention to the sex offenders in that community, right? So it might come
075up that we actually know about oh my gosh this house but is actually apparent so that we know and so then that >> yeah that might be the instance. >> So otherwise you hope that you know that it is total violation for them not to say something. >> Yeah. That's not uncommon, >> right? >> This is policy. Yeah. We'll we'll reach out. We'll get >> So, this one will in um specific things that we'd like them to ask legal just like are we allowed to put any sort of restrictions on this? Um like can we ask for notification? >> What else? >> Anything else that we want them to ask legal on this one? >> Uh might as well just ask him if we could say virtual will be first choice. Something like that. Like
076could we can we >> put that in as an option >> a virtual conference? >> Y >> they may say no but like you said you might be violating the >> student. You got it. >> All right. So what I could do with that one is um you can put it so normal the rest of them will be on the consent agenda for the next meeting. What I could do is put that as an action item with some discussion. Okay. >> So that if we um I can put some options and so we can actually take action on it at the next month as you guys are okay with whatever the lawyers. >> Okay. >> Y >> thank you. right now correspondents. So, nothing official, but we have the handbooks from uh Hler. Um so,
077those are always um some nice fun. I have I have pulled them out and looked at it a few times. So, it is kind of handy to have. So, thank you to HLORK for giving us these handbooks. Um board president's report. I actually have a couple things tonight. So, um, one is just a reminder to the, um, staff and community that our person of the year nominations will be available, um, next week, um, and due October 24th. So, these are a great way uh, to recognize staff members who have had positive impact on our schools. Actually, it doesn't have to be only a staff member. It can be a community member, too. So, um, just to recognize uh, people who have had positive impact on our schools. Uh while we usually only have one winner,
078we do recognize all the nominees. So I mean it is important to um you know it's great to be nominated. Uh so please um encourage everyone you know to submit some nominations. Um, and then for two, I'd like to um officially appoint myself and uh Cynthia to be the two board representatives on our strategic planning task force. So, we both are able to be there for the two October meetings and said we would commit to that. Um, we also want to make sure we still are hearing from as many stakeholders as possible um including board members, families, students, staff. So the stakeholder interviews are going to be held later this month. I'm sure you'll tell us about it and then in October. So I think the 24th is during the day, but the October one
079is going to be in the evening so we can, you know, make sure that we get as many >> um voices as possible. That's what I got. Uh legislative report. I know Cynthia was not able to be here. She did not get one submitted. Um, IASB West Cook >> dinner coming up on the 30th. Um, and anyone you say three of us? >> Yeah. All right. >> This the teacher of the year, Illinois teacher of the year is the guest, right? >> Yes. >> The speaker. >> Perfect. >> So, we will report back. Um, anything for board representative representative reports? I think if Cynthia were here, she would probably report, I'm going to speak for her, that we had this school um of community relations, we had the school back to school picnic and our
080table was definitely active and hopping and u it was nice to see some kids. Some kids really liked our booth and really spent a lot of time at our booth and loved >> love the stickers, liked every free giveaway we had. So, um I think that was always a good thing. So, thank you to Cynthia and Laura for organizing that and for those of you who could attend. Um foyer request, we had uh two for August. So, thank you Laura and superintendent report. Hey, good evening. Um, so as Dana mentioned, uh, about the strategic plan and just, you know, if you guys came in, I thought tonight was an awesome turnout. Um, we're trying to support, you know, Proviso and their work and this was the first session that they actually had in the theater
081district. So I didn't know what the turnout would be and you know I said parents square works because people came and and and this is something that is a really important topic as many of you sitting here have sent your kids through >> um but you've also been in this town for a while so you know the narrative that's out there and so it you know the stress that we've been uh giving or sharing with uh Chris with 209 is exactly what I was saying tonight like it's real like there are families that it does kill me every time I see families from our town that are amazing families that have brought their kids all the way up. They get to eighth grade and they leave and it's usually not just one kid. It's usually
082like two or three kids that are leaving our district. That does have an >> impact. Yeah, >> that that has an impact on a district over time, you know. Um so if they can get that right, you know, it's important and I said consistency matters. So our consistency is a strategic plan which we had in place and like we could talk about you know COVID and all that that did kind of derail us. So the goals are solid. So we had our second implementation team meeting on Monday the 15th and that's made up of my administrators. We looked at the goals. We looked at a lot of data um and we are really thinking about as the future goes um priority making our priorities off those goals. But the the key thing for us is
083KPI which is key performance indicators and that's really being you know I think that we have we have informed people of the data but I think it's just like something that we are just like a dashboard we're just constantly referring to making sure that we are doing everything we say we want to do and if we don't hit it then we are just continuing to train but we're making it like that is our you know uh that's our star right that's our northern star that's what we're going for like whatever we set the target at, you know, uh even if we don't hit it right away, like the fact that we're continually improving towards it, that's awesome. And it could be and I think it's an opportunity for us too to like kind of, you
084know, toot our own horn about what we're doing well, especially because one of our goals is around budget. Like, let's take some credit in the fund balances. Let's take some credit in some of the things we're doing in the community, in our messaging. Like, we've got to do that. So, that could be a KPI. So we're figuring that out. So then as Dana said on October 10th and October 23rd, the task force which is now going to be made up of two board members, the admin team and then several different staff members, right? So that they're making up those teams right now. >> Students too. >> So the students, yes, will be from the middle school. Yes. >> Um then there is going to be Yes. From here from middle school. >> Was that meeting
085y'all had earlier before? >> That was that was the strategic plan for proviso. Gotcha. >> Um they wanted input um for their own plan from our parents. Uh so then on um on September 24th, the stakeholder interviews are going to take place. So after talking with Dana, you know, made a really great point about making sure we are giving parents opportunity because not everyone could be there during the day. If you guys wanted to come on a 24th and you had time, I will give you the times because we are going to they're going to be in a middle school, they're going to be first meet with the kids at like 10:30. They're going to interview them for about an hour. Then they'll meet with the teachers here at 12:30 to 1:30 and then they'll
086be at is and PS. They'll break up and go is to PS from 2 to 3. So if either the 12:30 to 1:30 here and I'll send us an email or 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 at PSR you could jump in an interview staff. If you can't then in October I will have an a night it might be a Monday night, Tuesday, whatever. It'll be like probably from four to six and they'll come and as many people as we have if you have you know 20 people they'll break it up and do like focus groups and give them different prompts to get the feedback and then you know and then we will continue to roll out. So probably by mid year you know like sometime in December January we'll be able to have
087our updated strategic plan and then that will go in in in effect starting in next year and that will carry us for five years. So, I'm excited about the work work at West 40. Um, just really important I'm just a lot of learnings from the last plan of where we could go and I I think there's tons of opportunity. >> That's a good question. >> Yeah. >> Um, when you did you say that the stakeholder interviews are going to be including students? >> Yeah. >> So, is and students from here? >> Yeah. >> And is that like how are those students being chosen? Are we getting a repres? >> So, we're trying to go sixth, seventh, eight. Yes. and not just student council kids like so it's it's it's a it's a mix of kids
088so I think >> a good mix of >> male and it's working with Miss Fentace and and Mr. believe in and I know that they're looking at different kind of kids that are you know whether kids that have um interest they're kids are you could see kind of natural leaders or kids who just are interested in just asking so >> right >> we'll we'll work we'll work through that and just because they come on a 24th doesn't mean like if if we have a more or want to go into other buildings we could you know we could be flexible and they're flexible like that's kind of cool working with them >> um the other thing >> one quick question too I think it might another important consideration to select students who've been in the district
089for a period of time so that we can >> get feedback, you know, >> um I guess right, >> right? Right. Because if they're just uh >> they just came here from middle school and they don't have that experience. >> And if you heard my phone ring, Timberly is in effect. I know you guys don't have that right now, right? So, but Camp Timber camp Timberly this week, it's been hot, but it's nice. They come back tomorrow, they're excited. You know, Greg's given updates. Um, that's cool. We are, uh, you know, finally got some preliminary data, but hopefully by October, we'll have our school designations. It's looking, you know, uh, it's looking positive. Um, the last thing I want to say, and I'm going to I'll mention this in my October newsletter just because it's
090important. I don't want anyone to think it doesn't fall on us here, but the news whether we just had something happen in Berwin the other day like the news has been heavy lately. >> Oh my god. >> And there is like this uncertainty whatever without even having to talk about >> what what you know because if I had to address every single thing that's happening in the news, I'd be you'd see my parents scores you'd hate me. >> Yeah. I just, you know, if if we we cannot um think that our kids, even if they don't say anything, they absolutely notice what's happening. They hear us, they hear adult us meaning parents, they see the news, they're seeing the any silly social media thing, and it's playing, you know, with their head. So, I just
091want to let everybody know that at school, you know, we're committed to giving them a safe and and supportive place to learn, feel cared for, know they belong. There are opportunities, you know, in each building. You know, the in in here, you know, Mr. Fentes, the social workers, Mr. believe in the teachers like we are we we are listening and looking and you know kids ask questions and like so how much you go into it like how you know maybe there's teachable moments but other things if you've noticed that they're hurting we want to make sure um they're there so I just want people to know and then at home like even a simple check-in just seeing you know if they've hurt or how they're feeling it can make a big difference and and you
092know end of the day you know together we are going to we could help build that um you know when when they need this resilience and they need some hope like we've got to give them hope right so even my own college child sophomore is texting me asking me if I could you know text my in-laws because he's worried that you know something's going to happen I'm like I don't want to let you focus on what you got to focus on but but you know it it impacts everyone and and so I just want >> know that that you know I may not have to send out a a message every week. you know, some some districts they do like, oh, we want to talk about it's like I think sometimes too I don't want
093to bring more attention to it. Like just know that we care about your kids and and we're here to do a job. And I think if anything from what I heard, it was very h I was very happy to see that those families that came, >> they may not come to board meetings, but they were talking about how happy they are at, how happy they are at EMS, how happy they're here, but the reality is of where they're going. And I think that was they weren't saying they were not happy here which made me feel really awesome and all of us. >> Yeah. For a little bit at King. >> Yeah. Okay. >> But they Eugina was here for >> I just was curious and it's ironic that you all had that. I had an
094opportunity to meet with Superintendent Moip um >> probably like a week or so before school started >> and that was one of the things that we kind of talked we talked about a lot of things but that was one of the things and I told him about our >> Westchester residents and I said you know um one of the key factors for for most of them are of course the education is very important. I said but will you lose them? I said parents are not wanting to send their kids that are very athletic forward through our schools because our athletics and it's this program is you already know. >> And so that was something that he you know and of course that's not something that he's going to be able to fix overnight. But just
095to know that if that was slightly better competitive and more organized and structured and they had put more funding into those differentities >> and right and so that was the thing you're right Stephanie that's it is athletic it's the whole gamut but like I was trying to stress to them to the reason why you know once again it's like about to our own horn when you have a consistent board when you have people that are committed when you have staff everything that we talked about about like when you talked about negotiations to getting people here to stay here. You look at our retention rates, you look at our administrators, you know, the same people, you see the same faces, that makes difference. And as long as we're all holding ourselves and keep pushing, >> you
096will see change over time. It is not easy because if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. But, you know, when I tell you that I'm in the PTS, you know, Township and now I've become the senior, you know, like all of a sudden I was like the rookie and now I've been there the longest out of seven district. like I'm the longest and this year we have four new in proviso and like three acting. So the change that those districts are going through >> the feeder you're talking >> yeah feeders meaning like yeah your lindops your bellwood all these there there is all this change and it it's tough and now you add like I said when I talk about what's happening in the world like it's change change change it's too much
097for people I lose their mind so if we could provide >> consistency and knowing you're going to get here >> those are three principles >> um so any other questions for Phil for his superintendent report. >> No. >> Okay. >> And then administrator reports. Always some really great information in there. Um I I did have one question, not really directly related to um administrative report, but is there any update on a plan for the WIS math specialist coverage? >> Yes. >> Okay. So obviously we um we put the uh advertisement out right away. It is very difficult in the middle of the year or after the year to start to hire a teacher. We do have a um paraprofessional who has a teaching license. The key thing is making sure that the kids that need
098supports, which is a part of what the math specialist was doing was providing interventions that those kids are seen because there's a group that that that person would have. So the key is making sure we get that. So Stephanie, myself, Sean, you know, we are working on um going to interview the person who wants to who is on staff that could move in who has a teaching license that can go into that position. we'd have to then fill her position as a paraprofessional but also um think about the other things that the math specialists do and then try to you know use our other math specialist or Sean or Stephanie. Am I missing anything? Steph, >> I have a question about that. This person is a math specialist is not just uh >> they have
099to have specialist degree. >> Not for us. >> Not for math. We do it only for reading. I don't know. I I don't know if I just got some concerns about that because you really are supposed to be skilled in that particular field to be doing to be a master >> and in middle school. In middle school, you got to have the you have to be a Met because you have to have the specialty endorsement >> endorsement. Right. >> Right. >> But this is for what? >> Sri us. So the issue is it's basically going to be vacant >> if we don't you know um so we can hire someone you who applies off the street but at the middle of the year right >> what are you going to get >> we have some
100teachers interested but we didn't think what you want to explain >> yeah so there are teachers in the district but I you don't think you're talking now we're September 30 we're talking October 1st so now you've already had two months of a teacher like all said you might love your kids teacher you know what I'm pulling them >> how are How you going to feel? How are you going to feel? How are you going to feel? Like so that to me and now you're disrupting the 20 something kids in that classroom and bringing someone new in their head routine. So we don't think that that's the best move. We're trying to make the best out of a out of a difficult situation. So moving someone in there and then like I said, making sure that
101the kids that the specialist would see because they're on an intervention because of whatever you know the assessment, the MAP, whatever we had them on, we got to make sure they get that. The math specialist does do coaching and they do um different types of uh supports around math instruction. We do have two other math specialists that if we had to lean on, we could. Sean is also, you know, sharpening his tool to know how to support teachers in grade level meetings. It's not it's not ideal, but but like I said, the key thing is for us to make sure that we have the supports for the kids first and foremost >> intervention. Yes, the interventions and then we will, you know, we will work to get the >> and then next year we go
102in knowing that we're that's our priority. So if I wanted to take teachers, >> I'm just be curious to see >> I have two two concerns. One, we typically don't chime in on your hiring, >> right? >> If you think that they're qualified, then we hired you to do that job. Number one. >> Thank you. And number two, um, if they're not qualified, could they also serve as a math like support and non-speist? Like could they So not with the coaching role, but >> for sure >> like they could be an additional math teacher that could exactly. Yeah, that's what we have now. >> Yeah, there you go. Math interventions instead of math special. >> So that's my other thought. I guess I just in my head thinking mass specialist is someone that and I
103understand where we are and so I just be concerned about that person being in that role and then wait if they like that role but that are not necessarily the most qualified. How do we get them out that role next year? Well, the conversation is that this is for now. This is the conversation and they understand that and you know our respon you know the principal and well the principal makes decision and has the right to move you know you >> he or she can move the people wherever they feel a teacher may not want to do it but that's right >> she knows the person may do a wonderful job in that but I'm just was concerned about >> but it is about this is a term >> this is a yes >> well
104it's great that like what are the >> what are the odds that you're going to have a par who has their teaching license. Like that was really, >> you know, an unusual >> and I just find >> I have an opinion. I'll keep it to myself. >> Okay. Anything else for the >> Anything else for the administrator >> report? >> All right. Um so um I'd like to make a motion for the board to retire into close session to discuss the appointment employment compensation discipline performance or dismissal of specific employees and litigation when an action against affecting or on behalf of a particular public body has been filed um in which case the basis of a finding shall be reported and entered into the minutes of the closed session. And then for collective negotiating matters
105between district and its employees or their representatives or deliberate deliberate deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees in student disciplinary cases and matters related to individual students >> moved by Steph second for Stephanie >> second Gina sheet you got it. >> Oh thank you I do that every time. So that was Stephanie and then Jana. Roll call vote please. >> President Wesowski. >> Hi. >> Vice President Boyd >> I. >> Pearson. >> Hi. >> Neil. >> Hi. >> Ortiz. I >> 6 I z when absent. Motion carries. Close session at 7:41.