September 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM - Regular Board Meeting

1. Call to Order of Regular Board meeting at 6:00 p.m.

2. Roll Call

3. Pledge of Allegiance: Marquette Elementary Students

4. Approval of Agenda

5. The Mission of the Harlem Consolidated School District, as a vital part of the community, is to help diverse learners realize their unlimited potential by providing an educational program dedicated to academic excellence and the development of strong character in a safe and respectful learning environment.

6. Approval of Board Meeting Regular & Closed minutes for August 18, 2025

7. Jason Blume, Assistant Superintendent for Communications & Community Relations

7.A. Awards and Recognitions

8. Comments from the Community

9. Approval of Bills

9.A. Payables Summary

9.B. Voided Checks

9.C. Payroll Voucher(s)

9.D. Accounts Payable Warrants

10. Communications and Committee Reports

10.A. Diane McKinney, Board Member

10.A.1. Next Education Committee meeting: October 8, 2025

10.B. Diana Johnson, Board member

10.C. Rebecca Carlson, Board member

10.C.1. Next Policy Committee Meeting: TBD

10.C.2. Recommendation to approve First Reading of Policy 8:80 from September 3, 2025 Policy Committee

10.D. Aaron McKnight, Board member

10.E. Evelyn Meeks, Secretary

10.E.1. Next Equity & Social Justice Committee Meeting: October 8, 2025

10.F. Kurt Thompson, Vice President

10.F.1. Next Business Services Committee Meeting: October 8, 2025

10.G. Michael Sterling, President

10.G.1. Next Regular Board Meeting: September 22, 2025 

11. Administrative Reports

11.A. Dr. Michelle Erb, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction

11.A.1. Recommendation to approve Student Travel Requests:

11.B. Josh Aurand, Assistant Superintendent for Business & Operations

11.B.1. Recommendation to approve Resolution Declaring Surplus Property:

11.B.2. Recommendation to approve Facility Requests:

11.B.3. Recommendation to approve an agreement with Per Mar Security to update the monitoring system at Harlem Administration Center for a cost of $3,540.

11.B.4. Recommendation to approve an Independent Contractor Agreement with Bright Beginnings Bilingual Therapy, LLC to provide Speech & Language evaluations for 2025-2026 school year at $1,000 per evaluation for Pre K-2nd grade students and $1,400 per evaluation for 3rd-12th+ grade students, $80 per hour for screening and miscellaneous services, paid with IDEA Flow Through Part B & IDEA Pre-K.

11.B.5. Recommendation to approve partnership with ROE 17 for the middle school and high school science departments for continued implementation of OpenSciEd at a cost of $6,400, funded by Title II.

11.B.6. Recommendation to approve an agreement with the Illinois MTSS Network to provide professional development to the Harlem Middle School Improvement Team at a cost of $16,116, funded by School Improvement Grant.

11.B.7. Recommendation to approve a partnership with UPchieve to provide tutoring services for the 2025-2026 school year to low-income students for a cost of $10,000, funded by School Improvement Grant. 

11.B.8. Recommendation to approve a Resolution Authorizing Attorney Amy Silvestri to Intervene in Property Tax Appeal No. 2024-02971 for Property Index No. 08-21-128-001 for the year 2024.

11.B.9. Recommendation to approve an agreement with Gordon Flesch Company to provide 6 copiers (Loves Park Elementary, Machesney Elementary, Maple Elementary, Marquette Elementary, Olson Park Elementary, Harlem High School Athletics) for a total cost of $96,585.

11.B.10. Recommendation to approve agreement with CLEAR for add-on License Plate Recognition software for an additional monthly cost of $279.47 per month.

11.B.11. Recommendation to approve an agreement with Challenger Learning Center to provide 6 mission expeditions to Mars for Machesney Elementary for a cost of $4,600

11.C. Dr. Shelley Wagner, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources

11.C.1. Recommendation to approve Personnel Agenda & Addendum

11.C.2. Resignations

11.D. Dr. Terrell Yarbrough, Superintendent

11.D.1. Recommendation to accept a donation from Progressive Components in the amount of $5,000

11.D.2.  A Freedom of Information Act Request (FOIA) was submitted on July 30, 2025, by Meredith Monti requesting information about the employment of Michael Cross in the Harlem School District during the years 2014-2019.  District's response dated August 13, 2025 with the inclusive documentation.

11.D.3. Freedom of Information Act Request dated September 2, 2025 submitted by Peter Medlin of Northern Public Radio requesting information regarding digital copies of any contracts the district currently has for AI-based education services.   The District responded to the requestor on September 4, 2025 with no records for the request.

11.D.4. Freedom of Information Act Request dated September 2, 2025 was submitted by CT Mills requesting copies of records related to district purchases and contracts for Core Curriculum purchases, Instructional Technology, and Common Assessment Software. 

11.D.5. Freedom of Information Act Request dated September 2, 2025, submitted by Owen Wang of the Rockford Sun requesting names and honors of all students in your high schools recognized by the College Board as AP Scholars.

12. Consent Agenda

12.A. Approve Personnel Agenda & Addendum

12.B. Approve Student Travel Request(s)

12.C. Approve Facility Request(s)

12.D. Approve Gift to the District

13. ACTION ITEMS

13.A. Approve First Reading of Policy 8:80 from September 3, 2025 Policy Committee 

13.B. Approve Resolution Declaring Surplus Property

13.C. Approve an agreement with Per Mar Security to update the monitoring system at Harlem Administration Center for a cost of $3,540.

13.D. Approve an Independent Contractor Agreement with Bright Beginnings Bilingual Therapy, LLC to provide Speech & Language evaluations for 2025-2026 school year at $1,000 per evaluation for Pre K-2nd grade students and $1,400 per evaluation for 3rd-12th+ grade students, $80 per hour for screening and miscellaneous services, paid with IDEA Flow Through Part B & IDEA Pre-K.

13.E. Approve partnership with ROE 17 for the middle school and high school science departments for continued implementation of OpenSciEd at a cost of $6,400, funded by Title II.

13.F. Approve an agreement with the Illinois MTSS Network to provide professional development to the Harlem Middle School Improvement Team at a cost of $16,116, funded by School Improvement Grant.

13.G. Approve a partnership with UPchieve to provide tutoring services for the 2025-2026 school year to low-income students for a cost of $10,000, funded by School Improvement Grant. 

13.H. Approve a Resolution Authorizing Attorney Amy Silvestri to Intervene in Property Tax Appeal No. 2024-02971 for Property Index No. 08-21-128-001 for the year 2024.

13.I. Approve an agreement with Gordon Flesch Company to provide 6 copiers (Loves Park Elementary, Machesney Elementary, Maple Elementary, Marquette Elementary, Olson Park Elementary, Harlem High School Athletics) for a total cost of $96,585.

13.J. Approve agreement with CLEAR for add-on License Plate Recognition software for an additional monthly cost of $279.47 per month.

13.K. Approve an agreement with Challenger Learning Center to provide 6 mission expeditions to Mars for Machesney Elementary for a cost of $4,600

14. Announcements and Discussion:  

15. Executive Session to discuss Employment of Personnel (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1), Negotiations (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2), Selection of a Person to Fill a Public Office ( 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(3), Pending Litigation (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11), Student Discipline (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(9), Placement of Individual Students in Special Education Programs and Other Matters Relating to Individual Students (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(10), Purchase or Lease of Real Property for the Use of the District  (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5), Setting of a Price for Sale or Lease of Property Owned by the District (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(6), Self-Evaluation, Practices and Procedures or Professional Ethics (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(16), Sale or Purchase of Securities, Investments or Investment Contracts (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(7), Security Procedures (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(8), Establishment of Reserves or Settlement of Claims as provided in Local Government and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act (5 ILCS 120/2(c)12), and Discussion of Lawfully Closed Meeting Minutes (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21).

16. ACTION ITEMS AFTER CLOSED SESSION

16.A. Approve recommendation for Administrator & At-Will Compensation for FY2026 school year

17. Adjournment