Minutes from the April 5, 2012 Regular Board Meeting

Please click here for the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting on April 5, 2012

Board Brief for May 17, 2012

Recognition:

The School Board presented Ambassador for Excellence Awards to Maria Barba, a third-grade dual-language teacher at MacArthur School, who received the 2012 Golden Apple Award; to Dylan Estrada, an eighth-grade student at Addams, who received the 2012 Infinitec North Technology Achievement Award; and to Insia Khan, an eighth-grade student at Addams, who received a $1,000 scholarship from School Band and Orchestra Publishers for her winning essay.

The Board also recognized 20 Mead students for their accomplishment at the National History Day competition. Four of those students will compete at the national competition in June. The Board also honored Cheryl Hinchey, a Mead social studies teacher, who received the Patricia Behring History Teacher of the Year Award at the National History Day state competition.

Ambassador for Excellence Awards were also presented to the following teams that won the 2012 District 54 Battle of the Books:  Hale and Fox schools tied for first in the third-/fourth- grade competition and the John Muir Literacy Academy won the fifth-/sixth-grade competition.

The School Board presented Above and Beyond Awards to Karen Roldan, a community member, who gave 100 free haircuts to Blackwell students; and to Laura Sutherland, an instructional assistant, who implemented a Grab and Go Breakfast program for students in need at Campanelli School.

Public Comment:

One parent said she and others in the community have become involved in an anti-bullying organization called Stand for the Silent. She asked the district to consider hosting the founder of this organization as a speaker next year.

Freedom of Information Act Requests:

District 54 received five requests since the last board meeting for bid documents related to classroom modifications and summer moves; for the 2011-12 budget; and for the number of staff members and RIF notices for the last 11 years and the average class sizes and average years of experience of teachers for two years.

Consent Agenda:

• Minutes of the regular and closed-session meetings on May 3, 2012
• Resignations and leaves of personnel
• Checks dated May 4, 2012
• Monthly update of revenues and expenditures for April 2012
• Treasurer’s report on cash and investments for March 2012
• A contract for custodial mop and towel service
• A contract for natural gas pricing
• The 2012-13 Workers’ Compensation insurance policy
• The voluntary, parent-purchased student accident insurance plan for the 2012-13 school year
• A contract for site improvements at three schools
• A contract for the purchase of updated laptop and desktop computers
• The purchase of technology equipment and software licensing
• The purchase of the Measure of Academic Progress computer assessment software for 2012-13
• A contract to upgrade the projection systems at Lincoln Prairie and the five junior high schools and a contract for power installation for these systems
• The approval of summer curriculum writing projects
• An authorization to destroy the verbatim records of closed-session school board meetings held on Oct. 21 and Nov. 4, 2010, for which approved minutes already exist
• The Teacher Appraisal Plan (This plan is in line with the PERA - Performance Evaluation Reform – Act and was supported by the teachers union. The District 54 Appraisal Committee has participated in and coordinated training for all certified staff. The plan is based on the Danielson model, which is the state of Illinois’ model as well.)

Superintendent’s Report: Superintendent for the Day Matthew Williams spoke about his day, including opening the District 54 Young Athletes/Partners Club Track Meet. He also announced that Assistant Superintendent Nick Myers recently published a book about how to implement the Professional Learning Communities process called Getting District Results.

Report of the President of the Board of Education: President Teresa Huber announced the Illinois Association of School Boards is accepting nominations for resolutions and panels for its 2012 conference in November.

District Citizens Advisory Committee:  Board Member Barb Hengels announced that DCAC elected its 2012-13 officers and offered feedback on the Parent-Student Handbook and Calendar.

Legislative Networking Committee: Board Member Peggy Brothman reported that the committee has been busy contacting legislators about various education-related bills in Springfield.

Foundation Report: Board Member Bill Harper invited everyone to attend or sponsor the Foundation’s golf outing on June 11. Click here for more information.

PTA Report: Council President Lisa Guagenti reported that PTAs are hosting or supporting field days, teacher appreciation events and other year-end activities.

New Business:

• The School Board appointed Vernessa Stepney as assistant principal of Campanelli and Fox elementary schools for the 2012-13 school year. Vernessa is currently a psychologist at Armstrong.
• The School Board appointed additional representatives from the community to serve on the District Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the 2012-13 school year.

Announcements:

• Board Member Mary Kay Prusnick said she enjoyed visiting MacArthur for the implementation of its new Teaching Garden and Campanelli to meet a delegation of Taiwanese artists who were working with students.
• Board Member Barb Hengels praised Churchill’s production of Beauty is a Beast and the PTA Scholarship/Recognition Dinner.
• Board Vice President Charlotte Kegarise said the District 54 Special Olympics team will play with a Schaumburg Athletic Association soccer team Sunday at Atcher Park.
• Board Member Peggy Brothman said she was amazed by the students in the Spanish Speech Contest at MacArthur.

Adjournment: The Board adjourned at 8:20 p.m. to closed session for collective negotiating and employment/appointment matters.

Minutes from the April 19, 2012 Regular Board Meeting

Please click here for the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting on April 19, 2012

Board Brief for May 3, 2012

Service Awards:
Before the board meeting, the School Board honored employees who have served 25, 30 and 35 years with the district.

Discussion – Early Childhood Program Overview:
Research shows that children who receive high quality early childhood education and interventions have gains in language and math skills that remain into their elementary school years.

District 54 began providing early childhood services in 1972 by establishing an early childhood special education program that served 80 children. Today District 54 still provides early childhood special education for ages 3 to 5 for 276 children. However, the district now offers a variety of other programs for our youngest students.

Preschool for All serves children ages 3 to 5 that are identified as being the  most at-risk of academic failure using a systematic screening process. District 54 screens about 400 children a year for this program.

Prevention Initiative, funded by the Illinois State Board of Education, began in District 54 in 1991. The program serves families with children ages 0 to 3 who meet certain at-risk criteria. The District 54 Child and Family Educators have established resource centers and programs in multifamily residences that house low income families in order to find parents and children in need of support.

Family Involvement Nurturing Development (FIND) provides services for children ages 0 to 5 through community resource centers at seven locations. Services include parent-child interaction, home visits, parent workshops and family literacy time.

The purpose of the early childhood program is to help at-risk children catch up to their peers both academically, physically and socially by the time they enter kindergarten.

Public Comment:
One individual, who is both a resident and business owner in Schaumburg, spoke about how he investigated the financial records in District 54 20 years ago and is working with a group to investigate current records.

Freedom of Information Act Requests:
District 54 received six requests since the last board meeting related to the art supplies bid tabulation, award information for roofing replacement and salary information for administrators, teachers, custodians and maintenance personnel.

Consent Agenda:

• Minutes of the regular and closed-session meetings on April 19, 2012
• Resignations, leaves, retirement and employment of personnel
• Re-employment of five teachers who had received dismissal notices
• Checks dated April 20, 2012
• A contract for paving work at 15 District 54 sites during the summer of 2012
• A contract for seal-coating work at 13 District 54 sites during the summer of 2012
• A contract for Project Lead the Way classroom structural modifications during the summer of 2012

New Business:

• The Board approved the appointment of representatives to serve on the District Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the 2012-13 school year.

Announcements:

• Superintendents for the Day Molly and Kelly Guagenti talked about their day as superintendent. They visited Mead, Stevenson and Collins.
• Board Vice President Charlotte Kegarise spoke about how much she enjoyed Eisenhower’s play Beauty and the Beast Jr.
• Board Member Mary Kay Prusnick read to an early childhood class at Einstein and attended the Friday celebration as part of the Week of the Young Child activities last week.
• Board Member Karen Strykowski spoke about reading to early childhood students at Fairview and then visiting the school science fair.
• Board President Teresa Huber mentioned that next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and said the board appreciates all that our staff members do for the students in District 54.

Adjournment: The Board adjourned at 7:50 p.m. to closed session for employment/appointment matters, legal matters and collective negotiating matters.