December 19, 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 November 14, 2024
Minutes of closed meeting held November 14, 2024 December Bills Payable November Treasurer's Report Destruction of closed meeting audio recording from June 15, 2023 |
|
V. Superintendent’s Report – Recognition and Informational Items
|
|
V.A. Student Recognition
Description:
Nicole Pawlus will be in attendance so that we may recognize her accomplishments in being selected the December Student of the Month.
|
|
V.B. Fall Athletic Accomplishments
Description:
Athletic Director Dave Behm will be in attendance to share highlights from our fall athletic programs.
|
|
V.C. Girls’ Wrestling
Description:
The administration will present details on a policy change by the Illinois High School Association regarding girls’ wrestling.
|
|
V.D. College of Lake County (CLC) High School Feedback Report - Fall 2024
Description:
Annually, CLC provides all Lake County high schools a Feedback Report. The Fall 2024 Report includes aggregate data regarding ethnicity, gender, full-time/part-time status, and reading-writing and math readiness for our most recent graduating class. According to the report, 119 of our 2024 graduates (28%) enrolled at CLC. We are pleased to report that 97% of those students displayed reading and writing readiness, 2 percentage points above the Lake County average. Recovering from a slight dip last year, 79% of students displayed math readiness, well above the County average. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the College of Lake County to improve student success outcomes.
|
|
V.E. Special Education District of Lake County (SEDOL) Financial Planning
Description:
The interim leadership at SEDOL has been very communicative about challenges they are working through. They have presented a variety of factors that have necessitated amending the 2024/25 budget and raising tuition rates for 2025/26 by 15-17%, including:
|
|
V.F. Principal’s Report
Description:
Dr. Schmidt will give his monthly Principal’s Report.
|
|
V.G. Student Representative’s Report
Description:
Casey McCleery will provide her monthly report.
|
|
VI. Public Comment
|
|
VII. Superintendent’s Report – Action Items
|
|
VII.A. Educational Life Skills Program **
Description:
With the Educational Life Skills program phased out by the Special Education District of Lake County last school year, combined with programming changes at the feeder school level, the administration is recommending we establish an Educational Life Skills program at Grant effective with the 2025/26 school year. Costs to establish and maintain this program include: personnel, course materials, community-based instruction, extended school year and initial classroom renovation and setup. Details from last month’s presentation by Tina Sonders, Director of Special Education, are included for your review.
|
|
VII.B. School Board Policy Modifications **
Description:
The administration is recommending approval of the following School Board Policies based on direction from the Illinois Association of School Boards and legal counsel:
Section 200 Board of Education 2:105 Ethics and Gift Ban 2:120 Board Member Development Section 400 Operational Services 4:30 Revenue and Investments 4:60 Purchases and Contracts 4:150 Facility Management and Building 4:170 Safety Section 500 Personnel 5:10 Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Recruitment 5:20 Workplace Harassment Prohibited 5:90 Abused and Neglected Child Reporting 5:120 Employee Ethics; Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest 5:125 Personal Technology and Social Media; Usage and Conduct 5:230 Maintaining Student Discipline Section 600 Instruction 6:60 Curriculum Content 6:135 Accelerated Placement Program 6:270 Guidance and Counseling Program Section 700 Students 7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities 7:100 Health, Eye, and Dental Examinations; Immunizations; and Exclusion of Students 7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment 7:200 Suspension Procedures Section 800 Community Relations 8:10 Connection with the Community The PRESS Update Memo is included to provide supporting information for all proposed changes. Policies with non-material changes, including those with legal reference and footnote updates only, will be modified administratively and are not presented for change. Recommend approval as presented. |
|
VII.C. Cardiac Emergency Response Plan **
Description:
As a result of House Bill 5394, signed into law and effective January 1, 2025, Illinois Schools are required to have a comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP). The legislation amended the School Safety Drill Act to include this Plan and require schools to prepare for a sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency that may occur at school or at a school-sponsored activity or event. Our Cardiac Emergency Response Team has been meeting to prepare for communication, training and implementation by the January 1 implementation date. Recommend approving the Cardiac Emergency Response Plan as presented.
|
|
VII.D. International Trip Requests **
Description:
The World Language Department is requesting to schedule international trips over spring break 2026 to provide students with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the language, and fully immerse students in the language and culture. Details are as follows:
For both trips, the cost of the Ultimate Plus Protection Plan is included and required. Based on lessons learned in the past, this will provide the District and families options in the event trip plans needs to be modified for any reason. |
|
VII.E. Overnight Trip Requests **
Description:
The Math Team is requesting an overnight stay to travel to a regional competition from February 21 to February 22, 2025. The competition will take place at DeKalb. The majority of trip costs will be paid with activity funds, with the exception of chaperone and fuel costs. Students will be paying for their meal on Saturday afternoon.
The Speech Team is requesting an overnight stay to travel to a Varsity Speech Invitational to be held at Downers Grove South High School from January 24 to January 25, 2025. The majority of trip costs will be paid with activity funds, with the exception of chaperone and fuel costs. The Speech Team is requesting an overnight stay to travel to a sectional competition from February 14 to February 15, 2025. The competition will take place at Freeport High School. The majority of trip costs will be paid with activity funds, with the exception of entry fees, chaperone and fuel costs. The Baseball Team is requesting an overnight stay to travel to Millington, Tennessee from March 23 to March 27, 2025. Approximately 4 coaches and 25 student-athletes will make the trip. The team will compete in 6 baseball games at USA Stadium. The cost of the trip will be covered with Baseball Activity Funds. |
|
VII.F. Personnel ** REVISED
Description:
Recommend the employment of the following individuals:
|
|
VIII. Business Affairs
|
|
VIII.A. Final 2024 Tax Levy **
Description:
In October, I presented the tentative 2024 Certificate of Tax Levy. Attached, please find the final 2024 Certificate of Tax Levy, along with the Resolution to Spread a Tax Levy for Year 2024, the Resolution to Levy Certain Special Taxes for Special Education District IMRF Purposes, and the Resolution for Levying for Working Cash Fund Purposes for the Year 2024. There has been a small change to what was presented in October, which I will go over at the meeting. Recommend approval of the 2024 Final Tax Levy as presented.
|
|
VIII.B. Operational Funds Expenditures Report **
Description:
School Board Policy 4:10, Fiscal and Business Management requires the Chief School Business Official to present a written report that includes the annual average expenditures of the district’s operational funds for the previous three fiscal years at or before the board meeting at which the Board adopts its levy. We are asking the Board to adopt the 2024 Tax Levy tonight, so I have included this written report as well for your approval. We will post this report on our website as well. Recommend approval of the Operational Funds Expenditures Report as presented.
|
|
VIII.C. Final 2023-2024 Audit **
Description:
I have included the final audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. A bound copy will be given to each of you at the meeting. Recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2024 audit as presented.
|
|
VIII.D. Coaching Recommendation **
Description:
Per the Agreement between the Board of Education and the Grant Council, a standing committee meets annually to discuss the number of coaches and sponsors assigned to athletics and co-curricular activities. This committee met on September 25 and October 22 to hear proposals from coaches and sponsors. We met again on December 13th to review data gathered, and to make a recommendation. Included in your board packet is a recommendation from the committee with the data we reviewed. Recommend approval for 2024-2025 of one additional Assistant Cross-Country coach.
|
|
IX. Other Business
|
|
IX.A. FOIA
|
|
X. Closed Session
|
|
X.A. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) **
|
|
X.B. Student disciplinary cases 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(9) **
|
|
X.C. Other matters relating to individual students 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(10)
|
|
X.D. School building safety and security 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(8)
|
|
XI. Action items from closed session discussion
|
|
XI.A. Potential Board action regarding personnel **
|
|
XI.B. Potential Board action regarding student placement **
|
|
XII. Adjourn
|