The amended budget document for fiscal year 2025 (2024-2025) is attached for review. Notice of publication and public availability of the tentative budget amendment was completed at least thirty days prior to this meeting. The reason for a budget amendment is so that the budget more accurately reflects actual expenditures and revenues. At the time of initial budget approval, revenues and expenditures are only estimates. The supporting documents are stored within the hearing portion of this meeting.

FY25 Budget Amendment 2 June 18, 2025

Amendments have been made to the Title I, Teacher Vacancy Grant, and after school grant, since the last amendment, those funds have been reallocated accordingly.

In Fund 20, the Operations and Maintenance Fund, expenditures have exceeded revenues thus far. The ongoing updates and maintenance of our buildings have contributed to these costs. While these updates should not be recurring, routine maintenance will continue to be a necessary expenditure. To help offset the deficit, the district has publicly posted for an interfund transfer of $250,000 from the education fund and a resolution will be presented to the board. Although the budget remains unbalanced, a deficit reduction plan is not required currently.

The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comments on the proposal to transfer, pursuant to Section 17-2A of the Illinois School Code, money estimated at the time of said hearing from the District’s Education Fund to the District’s Operations and Maintenance Fund.

The Board will move to closed session for the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or a volunteer of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. However, a meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the public and posted and held in accordance with this Act. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1).

Individuals wishing to speak during public comment must complete the Public Comment Form and submit it to the Board Secretary prior to the start of the meeting. Members of the public may speak during this portion of the meeting. Comments are limited to five minutes. Board members will not respond to public comments or questions during "Public Comments". Should total Public Comments approach or exceed a cumulative time of 30 minutes, the Board may suspend additional Public Comments until immediately prior to the Board and Superintendent Comments portion of the agenda.
 

"Board Policy 2:230. At each regular and special open meeting, members of the public and District employees may comment to or ask questions of the School Board, subject to reasonable constraints. The individuals appearing before the Board are expected to follow these guidelines:

• Address the Board only at the appropriate time as indicated on the agenda and when recognized by the Board President.
• Identify oneself and be brief. Ordinarily, comments shall be limited to 5 minutes. In unusual circumstances, and when an individual has made a request in advance to speak for a longer period of time, the individual may be allowed to speak for more than 5 minutes.
• Observe the Board President's decision to shorten public comment to conserve time and give the maximum number of individuals an opportunity to speak.
• Observe the Board President's decision to determine procedural matters regarding public participation not otherwise covered in Board policy.
• Conduct oneself with respect and civility toward others and otherwise abide by Board Policy, 8:30, Visitors to and Conduct on School Property."

"Board Policy 2:220 The President shall designate a portion of the agenda as a consent agenda for those items that usually do not require extensive discussion before Board action. Upon the request of any Board member, an item will be withdrawn from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda for independent consideration." There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Board Member so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as the first item after approval of the Consent Agenda.

Consistent with Board Policy 2:220, the Board is asked to approve meeting minutes, and, once approved, open session minutes become public.

Regular personnel items; Approval of Crossing Guard Job Description

Retirement donation on behalf of Michelle Hill to CatSnap in Champaign in the amount of $100.
Notification of Title I School Improvement Grant allocations: $228,395.

The district's risk management insurance (e.g. property and liability) is with ICRMT. The rate for 2025-2026 is $387,759, which is a 23.01% increase. The reason for the higher rate increase is, in part, due to bringing the new PreK addition into our insurance as well as overall changes in the insurance market.

The Board is asked to approve the annual engagement with Russell Leigh and Associates for the Annual Audit. Fee will not exceed $23,400.

Since  the  budget  will  not  be  adopted  on  July  1,  2025,  the  Board  of  Education is advised to authorize the District to expend funds in order to cover  the costs of salaries, materials and supplies. The Board of Education is asked to approve  the  School  District’s  expenditure  of  funds to defray necessary and proper expenses and liabilities of the School  District  incurred  for  educational  or  operations  or  maintenance  or  transportation  or  site  and  construction  purposes  of  the  District for  Fiscal  Year 2026, until which time the Annual Budget of the District is adopted in  conformity with applicable sections of the Illinois School Code.

In addition to the affected policies. Jennifer Frerichs will be removed from all policies in which she is named as a Nondiscrimination Coordinator and/or Complaint Manager. 

Affected policies: 2:260 Uniform Grievance Procedure, 2:265 Title IX Grievance Procedure, 4:15 Identity Protection, 4:80 Accounting and Audits, 5:10 Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Recruitment, 5:20 Workplace Harassment Prohibited, 5:60 Expenses, 5:100 Staff Development Program, 6:150 Home and Hospital Instruction, 6:235 Access to Electronic Networks, 7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities, 7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited, 7:60 Residence, 7:70 Attendance and Truancy, 7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment, 7:185 Teen Dating Violence Prohibited, 7:190 Student Behavior, 7:200 Suspension Procedures, 7:210 Expulsion Procedures, 7:250 Student Support Services, 7:255 Students Who are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence, 7:270 Administering Medicines to Students, 7:310 Restrictions on Publications; Elementary Schools, 7:340 Student Records, and 5:60-E1 Exhibit - Employee Expense Reimbursement Form.

There are no changes to the district's administrator benefits package when compare to 2024-2025.

The Board is asked to approve compensation increases for the 2025-2026 school year for employees not governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement as specified in the attached memo. Affected employees include positions such as cooks, secretarial, clerical, certified and non-certified administrators, technology, warehouse, maintenance, and substitute staff.

The board is asked to approve a consulting services agreement with Jennifer Frerichs, retiring Assistant Superintendent, for the 2025-2026 year to oversee and manage three grants--Stronger Connections, 21^st Century, and After School. The cost of this agreement is $43,050 with no additional carrying costs such as benefits.

The board is asked to approve the Serious Safety Hazard Finding document for submission to IDOT. By approving this document, administration anticipates approval by IDOT that will allow increased access transportation for K-5 students who live within 1.5 miles of their assigned school but may have an unsafe walking route due to the specified IDOT matrix. Primarily, the documents focus on students who may have to cross a combination of the railroad tracks, Route 45, Route 136, and/or use the viaduct at 136 and the railroad tracks. 

The board is asked to formally appoint Hanna Tieman to continue serving as the Recording Secretary pursuant to Board Policy 2:110 Qualifications, Term, and Duties of Board Officers. 

Recording Secretary

The Board may appoint a Recording Secretary who is a staff member. The Recording Secretary shall:

1. Assist the Secretary by taking the minutes for all open Board meetings;
2. Assemble Board meeting material and provide it, along with prior meeting minutes, to Board members before the next meeting; and
3. Perform the Secretary's duties, as assigned, except when State law prohibits the delegation.

In addition, the Recording Secretary or Superintendent receives notification from Board members who desire to attend a Board meeting by video or audio means.

6/13/2025. John Reynolds; Ricoh USA, Inc; John.P.Reynolds@Ricoh-USA.com:  [T]he copier, multifunction and printer contracts for the school district.  Current contract that the school district is operating under.  This would include the lease and maintenance agreement for the equipment currently in use.

The Board is provided a monthly report detailing out-of-school suspensions. Due to the student record data contained in this report, this report remains confidential.