Board Meeting Summary

The Board of Education provides a "Board Meeting Summary" after each Board meeting. The summary includes a brief description of the main topics and action items. These summaries are not meant to replace minutes. The minutes for each meeting are approved and posted after the next regularly scheduled meeting. We hope these summaries provide some basic information and context around the reports, presentations and action items. For the full packet of information including presentations and reports, click here

This meeting took place at the new District 41 Kindergarten Center.

Meetings are streamed live online and the videos are archived on the District website, click here.

In Attendance
President Dr. Robert Bruno, Vice President Jason Loebach, Secretary Julie Hill, Amy Becker, Ted Estes, Katie LaDow, Dr. Chris Martelli

Student Board Members: Chloe King and Joseph Maillet

Celebrations and Recognitions | watch

• Kindergarten Center Student Presentation with Principal Sarah Rodriguez
  - Four students presented about why they love kindergarten

• Board of Education Appreciation

Presentations

Strategic Plan Priority Goal 3 Update | watch

Executive Director for Student Services Molly Victor presented a District 41 Preschool Program review. She provided an overview of the preschool program and shared a sample daily schedule. In addition, she highlighted feedback from the Strategic Plan Goal 3 Subcommittee about current preschool strengths as well as challenges. She also shared next steps and suggestions provided by the subcommittee. Board members asked questions and engaged in conversation about next steps.

Strategic Plan Priority Goal 1 Metric Update | watch

Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning, and Accountability Dr. Kris Webster shared information about how we measure excellence in District 41 including proficiency metrics, growth metrics, and achievement gap metrics. These metrics are the measurements according to our current District 41 Strategic Plan through 2027. Dr. Webster also highlighted changes the state made to IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) and ISA (Illinois Science Assessment). She also presented a plan for next steps toward advancing the district's strategic goals.

Public Participation | watch

Superintendent’s Report | watch

Dr. McHugh presented themes from the Instructional Technology Committee of the Whole feedback session as well as next steps. He also provided an overview of the process for hiring two administrative positions due to retirements at the end of the school year, and announced that the district will be looking at the Hadley Junior High School schedule for the future.

Immunization Report Posting | CLICK HERE

Board Reports | watch

Student Board Reports | watch

Discussion

Resolution to Regulate Expense Reimbursements | watch

Assistant Superintendent for Finance, Facilities, and Operations Eric DePorter shared a report about a resolution to regulate employee reimbursements.

School Maintenance Project Grant | watch

Mr. DePorter expressed the district’s interest in applying for an Illinois State Board of Education grant that would be used for an HVAC project at Forest Glen Elementary School.

2025-2026 Fiscal Year Levy | watch

Mr. DePorter presented the levy and announced that it will be posted for the public, as required. He also went through the calculation of the levy and answered Board member questions.

Transportation | watch

Dr. McHugh provided an overview of transportation services in District 41 over the past two school years. He shared the process and timeline for exploring alternatives to our current provider Safeway Transportation Services. Dr. McHugh and Mr. DePorter explained in detail why the administration is recommending that the Board vote to terminate transportation services with Safeway for both regular and special education services as of December 19, 2025, and sign an agreement with a new provider, First Student, Inc. First Student is prepared to be in place to begin operations when students return January 5, 2026. Mr. DePorter shared the financials related to this change and referenced the proposed plan as outlined in the Board Report posted here. Board members asked questions and engaged in conversation about the two recommendations that will be voted on later in the meeting.

Action Items watch

Consent Agenda

Personnel Report

Monthly Financial Reports

-Disposal of Surplus Property

-Donation and Gifts

-Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Report

-Investment Schedule

-Monthly Revenue/Expenditure Summary Report

-School District Payment Order

-Summary of Bills and Payroll

-Treasurer's Report

Board Meeting Minutes

-October 20, 2025 Regular Meeting Minutes

-November 3, 2025 Committee of the Whole Minutes

-November 3, 2025 Closed Session Minutes

(Voted Yes: Bruno, Loebach, Hill, Becker, Estes, LaDow, Martelli)

Annual Chromebook Purchase

(Voted Yes: Bruno, Loebach, Hill, Becker, Estes, LaDow, Martelli)

Approval to Place Levy on Display

(Voted Yes: Bruno, Loebach, Hill, Becker, Estes, LaDow, Martelli)

Resolution to Regulate Expense Reimbursements

(Voted Yes: Bruno, Loebach, Hill, Becker, Estes, LaDow, Martelli)

Statement shared regarding transportation services by President Bruno | watch

The administration is recommending Board approval of two agreements relating to student transportation services to respond to:

1. The deficient level of service by the District’s current provider Safeway;

2. Safeway’s representations to the District that it could not sustain service to the District under its current contract; and

3. Safeway’s failure to demonstrate sufficient facilities and financial resources to fulfill its current contractual commitments after the upcoming winter holiday break.

Renewed issues with Safeway were communicated to the Board and the community about when school resumed in August of this year and again in October. Over the last few months significant efforts have been made to assure long-term service and satisfactory levels of service from Safeway, but without success. The point has now been reached that the immanent risk of sudden and complete loss, or at minimum substantially reduced and interrupted, service for the approximate 1800 of our students transported to and from school and school activities daily necessitates ending the District’s contracts with Safeway and contracting with First Student on an emergency basis.

The first motion recommended for adoption by the Board approves an agreement with Safeway to terminate service and the general education and special education transportation contracts with Safeway at the close of the day on December 19 when winter break starts. The agreement avoids a protracted unilateral contract termination process and minimizes the risk of service loss or interruption by Safeway over the next month and permits contracting with First Student to begin service when students return to school from winter break on January 5.

The second motion recommended for adoption by the Board approves a five-year agreement with First Student, with an option for the District to terminate after 2 ½ years. First Student was willing to ramp up the provision of service to the District mid-school year, and so quickly, only with a contract length similar to what First Student has with area school districts. The contract has been negotiated with prices competitive with those paid by area school districts, but is being awarded on an emergency basis without formal competitive bidding. This is permitted by the Illinois School Code as long as the contract receives at least six yes votes from School Board members.

The competitive bidding process is a long and complicated process. If followed under the present circumstances, the bidding process presents risks of a lengthy interruption of transportation services to our students, the loss of state aid and a significant extension of school into the summer likely combined with remote learning. These are risks that can be avoided entirely, or at least substantially reduced, by contracting with First Student now on an emergency basis.

Approval of Agreement Terminating Safeway Transportation Service Contracts

(Voted Yes: Bruno, Loebach, Hill, Becker, Estes, LaDow, Martelli)

Approval of Transportation Services Agreement with First Student on an Emergency No Bid Basis

(Voted Yes: Bruno, Loebach, Hill, Becker, Estes, LaDow, Martelli)

Other/Board Governance - Learning Together | watch

Illinois Association of School Board (IASB) Resolutions Report

• Mrs. Hill presented a resolution about school bus safety.

• President Bruno highlighted the Board and Community Book Club reading What School Could Be. He shared that the February Committee of the Whole meeting will be an engagement session about the book.

• Mr. Estes added to his Board Report from earlier in the meeting. He also thanked the PTAs for their generous donations.

All meetings are held at Hadley Jr. High School, 240 Hawthorne Blvd. unless otherwise noted.

• Monday, December 15, 2025 Regular Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
• Monday, January 26, 2026 Regular Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Email: ekrehbiel@d41.org
Website: www.d41.org
Location: 793 North Main Street, Glen Ellyn, IL, USA
Phone: 630.790.6400
Facebook: @glenellynd41 X: @glenellynd41