District 30 Board Brief

Dear District 30 Community,

Close to my heart, I hold a core belief that public education is one of the most valuable resources our communities have to offer. All professions are built upon education, and our public schools help students to become doctors, architects, astronauts, or whatever they dream of.

American Education Week has celebrated this idea for over 100 years, and this year’s celebration starts Monday. It is a wonderful time of reflection when we celebrate every single person in our schools and community who contributes to student success. That includes our teachers and entire staff, as well as parents, volunteers, lunch workers, crossing guards, bus drivers – anyone who makes our schools safe and inspiring for our students.

In this month’s Board Brief, we begin American Education Week a bit early with recognition of our Board of Education in advance of School Board Members Day, which happens each year on November 15. We are thankful each day for these seven elected officials, who volunteer a tremendous amount of time and share their expertise to serve our students and all who live in District 30.

Next week, we will thank our staff with gifts, breakfasts at each school, and recognition for their dedication to our learners. However, today, I hope you will click below to hear our thoughtful students share why they believe public education is important, as well as what they love about their own school.

I invite you to scroll below to explore additional highlights from our Board of Education meeting. Thank you for your vital contributions and partnership in supporting our students.

Sincerely,

Dr. Emily K. Tammaru

Superintendent of Schools

The Board honored members of the Maple 8th-Grade Girls Volleyball Team for their second-place finish in this season's conference tournament.

Coached by 7th-Grade Math Teacher Mrs. Julie Wojton, team members are: Minchae Cho, Ariela

Cortesi, Julia Kantarovich, Juliana Koziol, Gianna Michael, Ariana Michael, Peyton Radford, Natalia Ramirez, Kyra Sikaras, Skyla Soares, Sophia Tea and Emmy Yang.

Superintendent Dr. Emily K. Tammaru stated: "This was a very special group- their dedication, teamwork, and athletic talent shone through from start to finish. They brought the perfect balance of hard work and fun into every practice and game, and their determination paid off. We’re so proud of their growth, sportsmanship, perseverance, and the positive energy they brought to every practice and game."

Congratulations to our players on an unforgettable season! Go Mustangs!

In advance of American Education Week that begins Monday, the Illinois Association of School Boards designates November 15 as School Board Members Day – a time to honor the servant leaders in our community who selflessly volunteer for these elected roles: Mrs. Zivit Blonder, Mr. Adan Galvan, Mrs. Pamela Manicioto, Mr. Ammar Rizki, Mr. Patrick Wang, Dr. Stephanie Yohannan, and Mr. Jeffrey Zuercher.

Dr. Tammaru presented each Board member with a token of appreciation during Thursday's meeting, heralding their "devotion to the education of our students."

Thank you to our Board of Education! (And check out a darling thank-you video from our students below!)

The Board approved the 2026-27 academic calendar, with no changes from the initial draft discussed during the October Board of Education meeting.

Key dates from the calendar include:

• First Institute Days on August 17 and 18, 2026
• First day of student attendance set for Wednesday, August 19, 2026
• Winter break December 21, 2026, through January 1, 2027
• Spring Institute Days on March 9 and April 7, 2027
• Spring break March 22 through March 26, 2027
• Last day of school tentatively set for Wednesday, June 2, 2027

Next year, we will introduce a fourth Institute Day on March 9 in alignment with District 225's school calendar. To counteract this additional Institute Day, District 30 will reduce the half days in March and April, so the impact on instructional time is neutral. April’s Institute Day is on election day.

The Board is required to approve an estimated tax levy as part of the annual levy process. The estimated 2025 levy was approved at $35,401,000 for capped funds and $3,437,500 for non-capped funds. The Board will finalize the levy after a public hearing at the Thursday, December 18 meeting.

As a general reminder, districts under the tax cap can raise their property tax collection by CPI (Consumer Price Index) plus any new growth/construction not previously on the local tax rolls. The annual levy (what is requested) is routinely set artificially high because even though the CPI factor of 2.9 is known, the new growth/construction in a district is unknown. Once new growth/construction is determined in the spring, the actual 2025 extension (what is received) will be finalized and is assumed to be approximately 4-5% (2.9% for CPI + 1.1-2.1% for new growth) higher than the 2024 extension.

The Board of Education approved a State of Illinois School Maintenance Grant application for a $50,000 match to support the expansion of the parking lot at Wescottt School, which is part of District 30's Master Facility Planning. Work on this project is projected to begin this summer.

Board President Mr. Ammar Rizki serves as the District 30 representative on the TrueNorth Leadership Council, and he shared that the Council will vote next week on whether to adopt its Articles of Reorganization. He added that the Council will also vote to extend the contract of the interim superintendent to ensure continuity as TrueNorth "right-sizes" the organization.

Because the TrueNorth Council votes next week, Mr. Rizki explained this timing affected a resolution up for vote during Thursday's District 30 Board meeting. Members would vote later in Thursday's meeting on a resolution signaling District 30's intent to rescind its previous resolution to withdraw from TrueNorth, so long as the Articles of Reorganization are adopted.

As outlined above, the Board of Education voted on a resolution that signals District 30's intent to rescind its previous resolution to withdraw from TrueNorth. The measure passed unanimously.

Dr. Tammaru reported that applications are now closed for the roles of Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning and Wescott Principal. She and Human Resources Director Dr. Scott Carlson have screened candidates, and the first round of interviews for the Assistant Superintendent role begins the week of November 24, while the first round for Wescott Principal begins the first week of December.

Dr. Tammaru shared that district administrators have started planning for staffing needs for the upcoming school year. The district uses current enrollment and enrollment projections to determine staffing level needs and adjust accordingly with time.

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She noted Maple is expected to see an increase of one class section, while the elementary schools will see a decrease of three sections, and staffing plans will adjust accordingly. Kindergarten enrollment is is more difficult to predict, but is projected to remain at current levels, she added.

Kindergarten enrollment for 2025-26 will begin in January.

The Board approved Maple School's annual Washington D.C. trip for 8th-grade students, scheduled for May 6-8 this spring. The board must approve field trips beyond a 200 mile radius.

The Board approved Technology Integration Coordinator Anna Davis and Maple Math Teacher Sarah Arends to serve for their second year as the 2026 Summer School Principal and Assistant Principal, respectively. They also hired Stephen Alfredson as a Wrestling Coach for the Maple 2025-26 season.

The Board of Education consists of seven members elected from the general public to serve the entire Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Community. The Board provides governance for the district by hiring and evaluating the superintendent and approving a budget, policies, and goals that align with the district's strategic plan. Board members are:

• President - Ammar Rizki
  
• Vice President - Jeff Zuercher
• Zivit Blonder
  
• Adan Galvan
• Pamela Manicioto
  
• Patrick Wang
• Dr. Stephanie Yohannan

Northbrook/Glenview District 30 exists to create an inclusive community that inspires learning, fosters resiliency, and cares deeply for every child. We honor childhood and foster intellectual, physical and social-emotional growth. District 30 serves more than 1,200 students in pre-K through 8th grade across Willowbrook, Wescott and Maple Schools.

We prohibit harassment and discrimination of all forms within our district and follows all policies and procedures to ensure a safe environment for all.

Email: communications@district30.org
Website: district30.org
Location: 2374 Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL, USA
Phone: 847-498-4190