H-F Board Notes 9/19/2023

This is a summary of the happenings at the Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233 Board of Education meeting. It is not the official meeting minutes, but rather a summary to assist the H-F community in understanding the workings of the Board of Education. The official minutes can be found on the H-F website in the School Board section once approved by the Board.

Meeting Date: September 19, 2023

Board President Gerald Pauling said that in light of the tragic death of a Hillcrest High School student last week, he is thankful for our staff who stay connected to our kids. We know that HF students are connected with Hillcrest students and need our support as they grieve.

Superintendent Dr. Scott Wakeley extended a heartfelt message to the Hillcrest High School community as they mourn the loss of one of their students. When one of us hurts, we all hurt in the Southland. He expressed our sympathy and empathy and extended an offer of support.

US News and World Report has named HF among the Best High Schools in America. Our teachers, administrators and students work diligently to make this a great place to learn. We are proud of this recognition and commit to continuing to strive to improve and move up on that list.

At the teacher institute, all staff participated in ALICE training, which prepares us in the event of an active shooter situation on campus. Associate Principals Craig Fantin and Shannon Swilley and Assistant Principal Jim Schmidt did an excellent job organizing and implementing the training.

As the Board requested to have a student representative at Board meetings, conversations have been held with the student government and they will send a representative to future meetings.

Season 2 of the Walking the Path with Wakeley video series began this week with HF Alum and 5-time Emmy Award-winning WGN TV Anchor Ben Bradley. The video will be released on Friday.

Board Vice President Nate Legardy attended several Homecoming events including the pep rally in the stadium. MC Mike Camp got students engaged. The football game was exciting and the dance was enjoyed by attendees.

Principal Dr. Clinton Alexander introduced new Department Chairs to the Board including Guidance: Dr Kizawanda Olowe, World Language: Mike Camp, Fine Arts: Candi Helsel-Wilk and Special Education: Jacalyn Bailey-Moss.

He reported that Homecoming was a very spirited week and the pep rally was enjoyed by all. The HFPA meeting was uplifting as the community came together to support our students and staff. Senior Jack Piros is a National Merit Semifinalist! The school will hold a celebration breakfast with him and his family. Culture and Climate in the building has been very positive. Deans Clerks are doing a great job managing attendance and tardies which frees up Deans to be proactive working with students and building relationships. The Principal Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday. We are seeking more freshmen participants to join the 77 current members.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Jen Hester celebrated our teachers and the impact they are having already this school year. Last night was the new educators meeting and they shared their appreciation for how organized HF is which helps them settle into their new roles. They also shared appreciation for the support from their colleagues to help them navigate the school. She also reported that classrooms are engaging students in learning with exciting teaching styles and content.

Director of Communications and Engagement Carla Erdey shared that engagement efforts around the strategic planning process are going well. So far, focus groups have been held with families/community (one in-person and one virtual), students (two in-person) and staff (one in-person and virtual each period scheduled for Friday). Staff are participating in the Equimetrics and IDI surveys related to climate and culture. A community-wide survey is forthcoming to help the 36-member Strategic Planning Committee understand what is going well and what areas we might want to rethink as we prepare students for their futures. The Charting A Course dedicated webpage and eNewsletter will be updated throughout the planning process which runs through April.

Chief School Business Official Dr. Lawrence Cook provided an overview of the 2023-24 budget that has been on public display since the previous Board meeting. The budget was discussed in detail at the August 2023 Finance Committee meeting and was summarized at the August Board of Education meeting.

Revenue is projected to be approximately $73.5M (up 10.2% over the actual revenue received for FY2023.) Expenditures are expected to be $72.5M (up 15.7% over the actual expenditures made in FY2023). This results in a slight surplus of $1M. Capital equipment/project expenditures, funded by reserves, are expected to be $23.4M. This culminates in a projected 9.6 months of reserve funding.

Discussion was held regarding potential changes to the school district's financial reserve policy to ensure the district is well-positioned to handle any unforeseen financial needs while also dedicating funds to the students currently being served. Currently, the policy calls for a 10-month reserve on hand. The finance committee and board are considering amending that to fewer months on hand, perhaps between 6 and 8 months. The future discussion will determine the Board's comfort level for that threshold moving forward.

There were no questions or comments from the community regarding the budget.

During the meeting, the Board of Education unanimously approved the budget.

Planning Committee Chair Nate Legardy provided an overview of the past two meetings.

• The Instructional Coach program is underway as teachers volunteer to work with an instructional coach to take their teaching to the next level.
• The Standards-Based Learning 5-year Plan was shared by Dr. Hester as teachers take on this exciting curriculum work.
• Information regarding Career Pathway Endorsements was shared by Director of Career Pathways and Work-based Learning Hope Stovall which aims to have every student have a career pathway. Currently, HF has automotive and education endorsements in place and we are building many more moving forward to encompass the many interests our students have for their futures.
• Hanover Research is conducting a qualitative and quantitative IB Program Review. A review is required by IB periodically. The study will include surveys of past and current students and families, outcomes analysis, program alignment, and academic return on investment. Hanover Research will make recommendations based on their findings for moving forward.
• Feeder district Superintendents and Dr. Wakeley are considering holding a joint School Board meeting for the three districts looking at areas for common alignment, information sharing, and professional development for Board members. This is part of HF's ongoing articulation efforts with our partner schools.

• Regular Board Meeting Minutes, August 15, 2023
• Public display of the recommended PRESS board policy updates for 30 days in the Superintendent’s Office
• 2023-2024 Annual Tuition Rate, non-resident students at $21,543.17 per year, or $122.40 per day
• Compensation Reports, Public Act 96-0434 Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefit Report/Public Act 97-0609 IMRF Compensation Report
• Approval of Expenditures, $4,261,419.09
• Approval of Imprest Fund, $24,340.06 7.7 Ratification of August, 2023, Payroll, $1,831,442.30
  
• 2023-2024 Extra Responsibility Contracts: Activities, $699.00, Athletics, $14,452.00, Auxiliary, $141,966.57, Cafeteria Supervision, $199,748.99, 6th Assignments, $31,569.43
  

The Board of Education meeting dates for the 2023-24 school year. Meetings will begin at 7 p.m.

• October 17, 2023
• November 21, 2023
• December 19, 2023
• January 16, 2024
• February 20, 2024
• March 19, 2024
• April 16, 2024
• May 21, 2024
• June 18, 2024