April 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting
| Agenda |
|---|
|
I. Call to Order
|
|
II. Pledge of Allegiance
|
|
III. Roll Call
|
|
IV. Consent Agenda **
Description:
Minutes of regular meeting held March 21, 2024
Minutes of closed meeting held March 21, 2024 April Bills Payable March Treasurer's Report Destruction of closed meeting audio recording from October 20, 2022 Quarterly list of authorized depositories, investment managers, dealers and brokers |
|
V. Superintendent’s Report – Recognition and Informational Items
|
|
V.A. April Student of the Month
Description:
Julia Podgorski will be in attendance so that we may recognize her accomplishments in being selected April Student of the Month.
|
|
V.B. English Language Learning (EL) / Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) Coordinator – Shared Position
Description:
With growing enrollment in the EL/TBE program, we are asking for the Board of Education to consider the sharing of a 10-month administrative coordinator position in partnership with Big Hollow School District 38. Attached is a historical snapshot of enrollment in the program, which has increased from 53 students and 6 languages spoken in 2020/21 to a projected 189 students and 16 different languages spoken for the 2024/25 school year. In order to remain in compliance with Illinois State Board of Education requirements, and provide quality educational services for these students, the number of teaching staff required has increased as well. Also provided are a few additional details about rotationally taught courses in the program, resources required to screen new students, annual testing requirements, and requirements for the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee. Actual shared costs would be based upon experience and other school district comparable salaries and would be presented to the Board of Education for approval in a subsequent personnel report, if approved.
|
|
V.C. Special Education Position
Description:
Over the course of the past 10 years, the number of students with an Individualized Education Program and/or an accommodation required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act have increased substantially. As a result, the number of teachers in the Special Education department, as well as the number of support staff and related service staff, has also increased. The administrative resources dedicated to the Special Education program were streamlined in 2017, at which time a restructuring took place as a result of a personnel change. Additionally, the District assumed responsibility for private placement team services from SEDOL beginning in 2020.
With an increased number of students to provide support for, additional supports provide for in-house, combined with an increasing number of staff to provide leadership for, the administration is requesting the Board of Education consider adding a full-time Assistant Director of Special Education effective with the 2024/25 school year. With a certified teacher already providing part-time administrative support, this is not an entirely new cost. Rather, this is an increase of approximately .4 FTE. Actual costs would be based upon experience and other school district comparable salaries and would be presented to the Board of Education for approval in a subsequent personnel report, if approved. |
|
V.D. Safety Position
Description:
The safety and security of students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus has always been, and will always remain, a priority for District 124. In recent years, maintaining a safe environment conducive to learning has become even more paramount, and is a multi-faceted responsibility. The responsibility is currently shared by a number of administrators, and supported by faculty, staff, security personnel, and the School Resource Officer. While we maintain comprehensive emergency and crisis plans, and practice those plans diligently, we believe that designing a position, whose role would focus solely on core school safety responsibilities would improve the overall safety of our school. A Director of Safety and Security would be charged with the development, implementation, and oversight of all of our safety protocols, including emergency preparedness, crisis management, security infrastructure, safety training, and risk assessments. We are proposing this position at a time that a security personnel retirement is occurring, thereby offsetting the cost of establishing this position. Actual costs would be based upon experience and comparable salaries and would be presented to the Board of Education for approval in a subsequent personnel report, if approved.
|
|
V.E. School Board Policy Modifications – First Reading
Description:
I am recommending changes to the following School Board Policies based on direction from the Illinois Association of School Boards and legal counsel:
Section 200 School Board 2:40 Qualifications, Term, and Duties of Board Officers 2:260 Uniform Grievance Procedure 2:265 Title IX Grievance Procedure 2:270 Discrimination and Harassment on the Basis of Race, Color and National Origin Prohibited Section 400 Operational Services 4:165 Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors Section 500 Personnel 5:10 Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Recruitment 5:20 Workplace Harassment Prohibited 5:100 Staff Development Program (complete rewrite) 5:120 Employee Ethics; Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest Section 700 Students 7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities 7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited 7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment 7:185 Teen Dating Violence Prohibited The PRESS Update Memo is included to provide supporting information for all other proposed changes. These policies are presented as a first reading only this evening. They will be presented for a second reading and potential action at the May meeting. |
|
V.F. Graduation
Description:
We are looking forward to our graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 19th, in the Fieldhouse. The ceremony will begin promptly at 2:00 P.M. All Board of Education members are welcomed and encouraged to attend this celebratory event! Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you are able to attend, so seating and diploma distribution arrangements may be made.
|
|
V.G. Principal’s Report
Description:
Dr. Schmidt will give his monthly Principal’s Report.
|
|
V.H. Student Representative’s Report
Description:
Julia Podgorski will provide her monthly report.
|
|
VI. Public Comment
|
|
VII. Superintendent’s Report – Action Items
|
|
VII.A. English Language Learning (EL) / Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) Coordinator – Shared Position **
Description:
Recommend approval of an EL/TBE Coordinator position to be shared among Grant Community High School District 124 and Big Hollow School District 38 effective with the 2024/25 school year as presented.
|
|
VII.B. Special Education Position **
Description:
Recommend approval of an Assistant Director of Special Education effective with the 2024/25 school year as presented.
|
|
VII.C. Safety Position **
Description:
Recommend approval of a Director of Safety and Security effective with the 2024/25 school year as presented.
|
|
VII.D. Future Business Leaders of America National Competition (FBLA) **
Description:
We are proud to report that seven students qualified for the National FBLA Competition and National Leadership Conference. The competition will take place in Orlando, Florida, from June 29 to July 2. The sponsor, an additional chaperone and the seven students will travel to Orlando on June 28 and return on July 3. When students qualify for extracurricular or co-curricular national competitions, the District has traditionally contributed half of the student costs to attend. The estimated Board paid costs for the competition will be $10,070.75. FBLA is contributing $1,000 from activity funds, resulting in a student cost of $614.34 each to participate. Recommend approval of the FBLA costs as presented.
|
|
VII.E. Overnight Travel **
Description:
The girls’ varsity basketball team is requesting to travel to an overnight team camp at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, June 21-23. Approximately 8-10 student-athletes will attend, along with 3 coaches. The cost, approximately $1,600-$2,000, will be covered by a combination of funds provided by the Booster Club and team activity funds.
The wrestling team is requesting to travel to an overnight camp at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, from June 23-26. Approximately 35-45 student-athletes will attend, in addition to 4 coaches. Interested families will cover the cost of $375 to participate. The dance team is requesting to travel to the Dance Team Union overnight camp at Illinois State University, in Bloomington, Illinois, June 25-27. Approximately 30 student-athletes will attend, in addition to 4 coaches. Interested families will cover the cost of $389 to participate. Recommend approval of the overnight travel requests as presented. |
|
VII.F. 2024/25 Board of Education Meeting Date Changes **
Description:
The Board of Education may want to consider changing the dates of the following two meetings in the 2024/25 school year:
The November 21, 2024, meeting date conflicts with the pre-conference sessions for the IASB/IASA/IASBO Joint Conference. To allow for Board members and administrators to take advantage of attending those early professional development sessions, the administration is recommending we change the November meeting to November 14, 2024. Additionally, the June 19, 2025, meeting conflicts with the Juneteenth holiday, a day the District is required to be closed. The administration is recommending we change the June meeting to June 12, 2025. |
|
VII.G. Personnel **
Description:
Resignation letters from the following individuals:
Notification of a FMLA request for Shane Rivette for April 19, 2024 on an intermittent basis. |
|
VIII. Business Affairs
|
|
VIII.A. 2023/24 Amended Budget
Description:
Just a reminder this is currently on display and will be on the agenda next month for approval.
|
|
VIII.B. 2024/25 Budget
Description:
2024/2025 Budget is under construction. I’ve been meeting with department heads to find out possible expenses that will be a part of next year. I’ve been updating the budget as I have those meetings. Additionally, we should have renewal rates for health insurance within the next month. I plan to bring the tentative budget to you in May for display, with hearing and request for approval occurring in June.
|
|
VIII.C. Tax Cap Adjustment
Description:
The county multiplier from the Illinois Department of Revenue is 1.00 for tax year 2023. This equalizer is then applied to our equalized assessed value (EAV) resulting in a total EAV of $1,178,955,217. This is an increase of $100,213,131 from 2022. The EAV increased 9.29% from last year. As a result, the tax rate is 2.190976. The consumer price index for this tax cycle was 6.5%, so it was capped at 5%. Approximately, $191,373 had to be cut from the levied amount to comply with the tax cap limitation. A copy of the detailed cap adjustments is attached, as well as a comparison of Grant High School’s tax rate to other high school districts in Lake County.
|
|
VIII.D. National School Lunch Program – 2024-2025 School Lunch Price **
Description:
As part of the Healthy Hunger Free Act of 2010, Section 205, the district each year must analyze the price charged for the school lunches using a paid lunch equity calculator provided by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The purpose is to comply with the law which requires that schools charge students for paid meals at a price that is on average equal to the difference between free meal reimbursement and paid meal reimbursement. The paid lunch equity calculator determines the amount that the lunch price must be increased based on our lunch prices and number paid lunches served in October of 2023.
I’ve included the Paid Lunch Equity Worksheet and a historical list of our prices per meal. I recommend the school lunch price be increased to $3.60 per meal for all meals, in order to comply with the paid lunch equity component of the National School Lunch Program, and the school breakfast price stay the same at $1.50 for all breakfast meals. |
|
VIII.E. Weight Room Construction Update
Description:
I will have an update on the weight room construction for you at the meeting.
|
|
IX. Other Business
|
|
X. Closed Session
|
|
X.A. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) **
|
|
X.B. Other matters relating to individual students 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(10) **
|
|
X.C. Student disciplinary cases 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(9) **
|
|
XI. Action items from closed session discussion
|
|
XI.A. Potential Board action regarding personnel **
|
|
XI.B. Potential Board action regarding individual student matters **
|
|
XI.C. Potential Board action regarding student disciplinary matters **
|
|
XII. Adjourn
|