Hawthorn Board Highlights

The Board of Education approved the hiring of Kevin Kolcz as Hawthorn’s new Executive Director of Technology. This newly created role brings district technology leadership under one position to improve alignment, efficiency, and long term planning. Kevin was selected from a competitive pool of 39 candidates and brings 19 years of experience in educational technology across multiple districts. He has been a member of the Hawthorn community for the past four years, and his son currently attends HSYL. We are excited to welcome Kevin to the Hawthorn team!

Present

• Robin Cleek
• George Fievet
• Michael Engle
• Joel Finfer
• Stephanie Peters
• Karl Borchers
• Julie Clifford

Absent

• None

• The Board heard from a representative of the Key to 73 Foundation, who shared that recent fundraising efforts allowed the Foundation to donate more than $26,000 to the district. Funds were provided to support Eagle Net, ensuring reliable internet access for families, and to restock the Hawthorn Food Pantry, helping students and families during the holiday season.

• The Board also heard from the Hawthorn Education Association, which thanked Board members in recognition of School Board Recognition Month and expressed appreciation for their service to staff, students, and the community.

No recognitions were held at this meeting. Recognitions are planned for the next Board meeting, as students were attending an eighth grade welcome event at Vernon Hills High School.

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!

• The Board President shared an important reminder for families to monitor student use of artificial intelligence tools, noting concerns around inappropriate content and messaging related to student wellbeing.

• Board members also shared that they attended a legislative breakfast with local state representatives and senators to discuss upcoming issues impacting school districts.

• The Board received a reminder that the ED RED Legislative Dinner will be held on January 26, with Congressman Brad Schneider serving as the keynote speaker.

• Updates were shared on upcoming SEDOL summer construction projects planned for 2026. Projects at Gages Lake School, the Pre Vocational Program, and John Powers Center will focus on modernizing infrastructure to improve efficiency and reduce long term costs. These projects will be funded through a geothermal rebate initiative. Upcoming SEDOL Board meeting dates were also shared.

• The committee shared updates from its January 6 meeting, including productive conversations with Lakeside Transportation focused on bus scheduling, student behavior, and the use of bus monitors. Families recently received reminders about expected student behavior on buses.

• Additional updates included progress on summer projects, ongoing development of the five year facility plan, upcoming custodial bids required by state law, and continued review of information related to a potential local facility sales tax. An update on the Technology Director role was also noted.

Key to 73 Foundation

• The Foundation encouraged families to sign up for email updates through its website and shared plans to host future community gatherings aimed at bringing families together at local venues.

Wellness Committee

• No report was shared this month.
• Next meeting: January 27.

• Dr. Hannigan shared that two previously requested future topics are now scheduled. Elementary extracurricular activities will be included in the staffing plan presentation in February, and a presentation on artificial intelligence will be brought to the Board in March.

• None

The Board reviewed preliminary bid results for the Middle School South interior renovation project planned for summer 2026. Multiple bids were received across all trade packages, and overall costs aligned closely with projections. Final contractor recommendations will be brought to the Board at a future meeting, with construction expected to begin once school is out for the summer.

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on February 5, 2026 at Hawthorn District Office.