Board Brief - 9/11/2024

Principal Jenny Grosch of Marion Jordan Elementary proudly led the Pledge of Allegiance alongside several new faces at her school, marking an exciting start to the new school year. With the Moving 15 Forward initiative bringing fresh opportunities and changes, many staff, students, and families are stepping into new roles, fostering new friendships and connections.

Joining Principal Grosch were some new Marion Jordan Blue Jays:

• Mrs. Hillary Pruc - New Assistant Principal

• Ellie and Sam S. - Students adjusting to new attendance boundaries

• Claire and Josh G. - New Full-Day Kindergartener and a new 5th-grade School Leader

• Mrs. Kim Konishi - New to MJ, but experienced an experienced District 15 educator

• Ms. Kayla Lieberman - New to both Marion Jordan and District 15

This month, we are proud to honor the Secretarial and Records staff from both the Student and Educational Services Departments for the Above and Beyond contributions. The following highly skilled and dedicated staff members recognized at the Board meeting were:

• Ilene Nunez - Executive Assistant to Dr. Tom Edgar and Dr. Mindy McGuffin

• Valencia Brennan - Related Services Secretary

• Justyna Socha - Reporting Secretary

• Dilnaaz Rustomji - Purchasing Secretary

• Sharon Lewis - Records Specialist

• Erin Carp - Records Specialist

Dr. Mindy McGuffin and Dr. Thomas Edgar praised the team’s dedication, especially during the summer when their support was crucial for the success of the Moving 15 Forward initiative along with several staff training sessions.

They emphasized that this team's efforts went beyond their daily responsibilities, ensuring that every task was completed with precision and care, even under tight deadlines. Their supervisors and directors expressed immense gratitude for the team's commitment to supporting students, staff, and families throughout this busy time.

We are deeply grateful for the contributions of this talented team and are proud to recognize their hard work. You all make us #ProudToBe15!

Presented by:

• Mr. Tom Bramley, Director of Transportation

• Mrs. Diana McCluskey, Chief School Business Official

• Dr. Claire Kowalczyk, Administrator on Special Assignment, HR

• Mr. Scott Harrison, Highland Electric Fleet Solutions

The presentation provided an overview of the district’s efforts to explore sustainable transportation options through the use of a number of grants awarded to District 15 with the assistance of Highland Electric Fleet Solutions.

The Highland representative discussed the environmental benefits of transitioning to electric buses, highlighting the reduction of emissions and improved air quality around schools. He also outlined the potential financial advantages, including long-term savings on fuel and maintenance. Additionally, Highland Electric Fleets offered insights into available grant funding to support the district’s transition to electric buses.

The Board expressed interest in the environmental and cost-saving potential but raised questions about infrastructure requirements, the impact of winter weather conditions and the feasibility of implementing a pilot program before fully committing to the transition.

Next Steps
District 15, in partnership with Highland Electric Fleet Solutions, will pursue grant opportunities to help fund the acquisition of electric buses. The district is open to potentially launching a pilot program in the 2025-2026 school year to assess the performance and viability of electric buses on select routes. Ongoing discussions will focus on developing the necessary infrastructure to support the electric bus fleet.

You can view the information in Diligent Community or watch the presentation on Youtube.

Presented by:

• Dr. Tom Edgar, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services
• Mrs. Renee Urbanski, Assistant Superintendent of Multilingual Programs

The presentation on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) was led by Dr. Edgar who provided a detailed overview of the district’s performance including academic achievement, student attendance, and student, family & community engagement during the 2023-2024 school year.

The data presented highlighted improvements in standardized test scores, particularly in mathematics, as well as positive trends in student attendance rates. Dr. Edgar emphasized the district’s ongoing focus on addressing achievement gaps, particularly among economically disadvantaged students and English language learners. He also noted that while overall student engagement increased, there remains a need to further promote participation in extracurricular activities to foster a more well-rounded student experience.

The Board engaged in a discussion about how the data could be used to inform instructional strategies and resource allocation for the upcoming school year. They also expressed a strong interest in continuing to track these indicators to guide future decision-making and ensure sustained academic growth.

Mr. Urbanski shared an exciting update surrounding our first Summer Book Club for students with over 400 students having signed up, 62 different Book Clubs formed, and over 90 books enjoyed in both English and Spanish! Now that’s engagement!

Next Steps
The district will use the data from the KPI report to develop targeted support strategies for students in need, particularly those in underperforming subgroups.

Members of Cabinet will continue monitoring overall metrics and provide the Board with periodic updates to ensure progress throughout the 2024-2025 school year.

You can view this segment in Diligent Community or watch the presentation on Youtube.

The Board had the opportunity to discuss the second reading of the proposed changes found within PRESS 115 and Policy 7:190, Student Behavior.

PRESS 115 includes:

• 2:070 Vacancies on the School Board – Filling Vacancies

• 2:125 Board Member Compensation; Expenses

• 2:160 Board Attorney

• 4:015 Identity Protection

• 4:040 Incurring Debt

• 4:070 Resource Conservation

• 4:080 Accounting and Audits

• 4:140 Waiver of Student Fees

• 5:130 Responsibilities Concerning Internal Information

• 5:180 Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity

• 5:200 Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal

• 5:285 Drug and Alcohol Testing for School Bus & Commercial Vehicle Drivers

• 5:310 Compensatory Time-Off

• 6:110 Programs for Students At Risk of Academic Failure and/or Dropping Out of School and Graduation Incentives Program

• 6:140 Education of Homeless Children

• 6:150 Home and Hospital Instruction

• 6:230 Library Media Program

• 7:170 Vandalism

Other:

• 7:190 Student Behavior

These updated policies will be implemented district-wide to ensure compliance with state guidelines and further support student success and safety.

ED-RED Committee

Board Member Annerino shared that ED-RED is not in session yet, but it will be back for a veto session on November 12 for two weeks. ED-RED has been working on setting up the priorities for the 24-25 school year. One of the concerns is funding for low-income and EL students and the flexibility in student transportation policy which goes along with getting bus drivers certified. Also, another upcoming topic will be TIF reform, having the school boards a say in approving TIFs. For more information on any of these initiatives, visit ED-RED’s website.

one-five Foundation

Board Member Taylor shared that teacher mini-grants are now open for the 24-25 school year, and teachers and staff can apply for those mini-grants via the one-five website.
The Foundation will continue its fundraising campaigns throughout the fall and encourage community involvement in upcoming events in order to provide as many opportunities for mini-grant awards as possible.

Finance Committee

Board Member Hunt shared that the committee reviewed the tentative budget and discussed our current financial standing including expenditures, and projected revenue. The Business Department is preparing for the upcoming Committee of the Whole Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, 2024.

Equity Committee

Board Member Ader shared that the Equity Committee met with Dr. Edgar regarding the KPI update that was presented tonight.