remove_red_eye 472
page background

Hawthorn Board Highlights

Hawthorn Board Highlights
Hawthorn BoardHighlights

Hawthorn Board Highlights Hawthorn Board Highlights

zoom_out_map

Did you know?

We've added "Contact" and "Subscribe" buttons to the bottom of this newsletter for your convenience. Whether you have feedback, questions, suggestions, or compliments, reaching out to us is now just a click away.

October 17, 2024 Meeting October 17, 2024 Meeting

Attendance

Present: Michael Engle, Karl Borchers, Joel Finfer, Julie Clifford (arrived later in the evening), George Fievet, Robin Cleek, Wes Polen.

Agenda

Watch the Board Meeting Watch the Board Meeting

School Board Meeting: October 17, 2024

Board Meeting Breakdown Board Meeting Breakdown

Recognition Recognition

Join us in congratulating Allison Strakusek and the Hawthorn staff at Lincoln Early Learning Center!

Allison Strakusek was recognized for her exceptional dedication and commitment to fostering a supportive, engaging, and inclusive learning environment. Her creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork have enriched the lives of students and colleagues at HSYL!


The Hawthorn staff at Lincoln Early Learning Center were recognized tonight for achieving the prestigious Gold Circle of Quality award from the Illinois State Board of Education. Their commitment to excellence in early childhood education, dedication to fostering a high-quality learning environment, and continuous support for students and families has set a remarkable standard!

Nominate someone for recognition today!

One of the goals of the Board of Education is to recognize the accomplishments of those who play a significant role in advancing Hawthorn’s tradition of excellence. This includes teachers, staff, students and community members. Nominate someone for recognition today!

President's Report President's Report

Board President Robin Creek mentioned an invitation from Mr. Natale for the Middle South Veterans Day breakfast, with a request for board members to RSVP.

Superintendent's Report Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Dr. Pete Hannigan shared that the 2025 Niche report was released, and the majority of Hawthorn's schools are performing in the top 10% in the state of Illinois according to the Niche rating system. He noted that Hawthorn is now the #2 most diverse school district in Lake County, and Middle School North is the #1 most diverse middle school in Lake County. Dr. Hannigan mentioned that on November 14, he will be sharing the State of the District assessment regarding student achievement.

Presentations Presentations

FY24 Audit Presentation

Kevin Smith from EEC presented the FY24 financial audit to the board. The audit fieldwork went very smoothly, and the district received a clean, unmodified opinion on the cash basis of accounting. There were no new accounting standards that needed to be implemented this year. The district's fund balance decreased by about $5 million, which was planned due to the capital projects underway. The general fund is at about 9.5 months of current year expenses, which is consistent with the district's historical range of 9-10 months. The debt service fund is at about 7 months, and the transportation fund is a little over 2 months, which is low but has been flat the last couple years. On the government-wide financial statements, there was a $5.9 million increase, mainly due to the capital asset purchases. Overall, the auditor reported that the district's finances are in a strong, fiscally sound position.
BoardDocs
BoardDocs contains links and PDFs of all presentations and discussion items

Discussion Items Discussion Items

LCSMART Intergovernmental Agreement

Dr. Hannigan shared that the Lake County Regional Office of Education (ROE) is developing a mutual aid agreement, called the LC SMART IGA, to allow public agencies to provide additional resources, personnel and equipment during emergencies. Dr. Hannigan recommended that Hawthorn District 73 participate in this program, as it would allow the district to both receive support from other districts in an emergency, as well as provide support to surrounding districts when needed.


  • The board will be asked to consider approving participation in the LC SMART IGA at the November 14 board meeting.

2024 Tentative Tax Levy

Jennifer Akin presented the tentative 2024 tax levy, which is recommended to be $55,440,000, representing a 4.35% increase over the prior year's extension. The business office used estimated equalized assessed values (EAV) for existing and new property to calculate the levy, as the final EAV numbers won't be known until spring 2025. The district safeguards the levy by estimating new property EAV higher than the county's estimate to ensure it captures all available tax revenue. The levy increase is limited to the prior year's December CPI of 3.4% per the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL).

Custodial Contract Renewal

The district's current 3-year custodial services contract with GSF is set to expire in December 2024. Jennifer Akin presented an 18-month renewal with GSF, representing a 3.2% increase. This will be the fourth and final renewal before the district needs to issue a new RFP for custodial services.


  • The board approved the custodial contract renewal.

BoardDocs
BoardDocs contains links and PDFs of all presentations and discussion items

Upcoming

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on November 14, 2024 at Hawthorn District Office.

Board of Education Webpage
Hawthorn District 73 Board of Education
Hawthorn Board Highlights is crafted with care by Hawthorn's Communication Specialist. We strive for accuracy and relevance in every edition. Should you spot any errors, or if you have comments, suggestions, or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Communications Specialist, Samantha Cook, at cooksa@hawthorn73.org, or by selecting the "Contact" button above. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us serve our Hawthorn community better!
Loading indicator

close
Powered by