Public Hearing – 2024-2025 Budget Adoption
No one asked to speak.
Public Comment
Joseph Legat, an architect who had previously done work for District 54, told the Board he planned to send them information about solar panels for schools.
Operational Update
- Staffing
District 54 is fully staffed for the 2024-25 school year with 133 new certified educators, all of whom were invited to attend the annual D54 Induction Week this week.
- Construction
Summer construction projects are nearing completion, including solar panel installations at Addams and Hoover, telecenter and network replacements, resurfacing the Eisenhower track, and roof repairs/replacements. The Lincoln Prairie addition project also commenced this summer.
- Transportation
District 54 has added 11 bus routes to accommodate increased ridership. Bus driver shortages continue to be an issue for all school districts including District 54. First Student has been creative in offering incentives in an effort to attract more candidates.
- Enrollment/Facilities Study
D54 has contracted with RSP & Associates to compete an updated, five-year Enrollment and Facilities Study to assist the district with short- and long-term facility planning.
- Safety Update
The safety of students and staff is the top priority for District 54, which aims to keep schools safe through a positive culture and necessary interventions. Each year, District 54 reviews its crisis plan with local first responders. This year, District 54 will add Visitor Aware, an electronic visitor management kiosk in school vestibules. Training will be provided to staff and communications will be sent to families prior to implementing at each school.
Instructional Update
- Summer Camps
Registration hit an all-time high, with more than 3,800 students participating in one of the 35 District 54 Summer Camps. Offerings included Camp Spotlight, Culture Camp, Camp Creative, Drone It Up, Sports League, Lemonade Tank, Summer STEM and Instrumental Music. District 54 also hosted its second annual Newcomer Camp, with more than 360 students who are new to the United States attending.
- Academic Achievement
Each spring, District 54 students take federally mandated assessments designed to help school districts understand how students are growing academically compared to their peers across the state. Students in grades 3-8 completed the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in English Language Arts and Math. Preliminary results show a 5% increase in English Language Arts and a 1.5% increase in Math. In addition to the IAR assessment, Illinois school districts must annually assess the language proficiency of all students identified as English Learners (EL) using the ACCESS assessment. Preliminary results show 15.5% of EL students meeting the criteria for English proficiency. The statewide average of proficiency was 6%.
- Whole Child Success
The 2024-2025 instructional projects include implementing an updated social-emotional learning curriculum. However, SEL is not just a curriculum, but a sense of belonging that occurs across the school day. The task force updated our critical teaching practices to include items such as establishing welcoming rituals, building a trusting community and using inclusive language. The district will continue to focus on creating a culture of belonging for all. All elementary staff will attend a professional development on Sept. 11 with a leading researcher on belonging, Doug Bolton, and then create school “Belonging Plans.”
- High Quality Instructional Projects
District 54 will introduce a new Literacy Resource Guide, which the literacy task force developed last year. In addition, a comprehensive K-2 Literacy Plan was developed that includes professional development, assessments and targeted instructional resources. This year, District 54 will form a math task force to explore instructional materials, and will examine its acceleration block structure and make achievements as needed to align with students’ needs.
Freedom of Information Act Requests
District 54 received and replied to three Freedom of Information Act request since the last report to the Board, related to contracts and the Lincoln Prairie School project.
Consent Agenda
The Board approved the following items on the Consent Agenda.
- The minutes of the regular Board of Education meeting on June 13, 2024
- Resignations, leaves, termination, retirements, employment, re-employment and salary adjustments of personnel
- Checks dated June 14, June 28, July 12 and July 26, 2024
- The treasurer’s reports on cash and investments for June 2024
- The monthly update of revenues and expenditures for June 2024
- The purchase of property, casualty, and liability insurance coverage for 2024-2025 from Liberty Mutual and cyber coverage from Houston Casualty Company
- The authorization of the assistant superintendent of business operations to negotiate a contract for the purchase of electricity and natural gas for a term of up to three years
- The purchase of technology software licensing and support
- The destruction of the verbatim records of the closed-session school board meetings held on January 19 and 26, 2023 for which approved minutes already exist
President’s Report
Board President Jim Pye thanked everyone who was responsible for offering Induction Week for new employees this week. He also thanked Schaumburg Township for hosting its annual Pack the Bus event to collect school supplies for District 54 students and those who volunteered at the event.
ED-RED Report
District 54 is hosting the ED-RED Legislative Breakfast on August 12, an opportunity for educators, school board members and legislators to connect.
D54 Foundation Report
Board Member Bill Harper asked everyone to support the District 54 Education Foundation, who will be parking cars at Collins on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend during Schaumburg’s Septemberfest, and will be hosting a food booth at the festival on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2). The Foundation is also taking over the Run to Read, which will be held on Sept. 22 at Dirksen School. More information can be found online at d54foundation.org.
New Business
- The Board adopted the 2024-25 Budget.
- The Board adopted a resolution directing the superintendent to prepare the 2025-2026 budget in tentative form.
- The Board appointed representatives to serve on the District Citizens Advisory Committee for the 2024-2025 school year.
- The Board approved District 54’s membership in the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce, Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce, Greater O’Hare Area (GOA) Regional Business Association, ED-RED and Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the Schaumburg Business Association and the Midwest Principals’ Center.
Adjournment
The Board adjourned at 8:42 p.m. to enter closed session for employment/appointment matters.
