Video for the March 4 meeting
can be found on YouTube at the following links:
Student Liaisons to the Board
Sara Draddy from Hinsdale Central and Lilianna Bone from Hinsdale South and presented their reports to the Board.
Consent Agenda
The Board approved the consent agenda as presented. The consent agenda includes personnel, stipends, board bills, and meeting minutes. Click on the link to access the meeting agenda and then scroll down to see Consent Agenda items beginning under number 4.
Approve Superintendent Contract
The Board voted to approve a two-year contract for Tamara Prentiss to be Superintendent beginning July 1, 2019. Vice President Camden read a statement from President Bill Carpenter and a statement from Member Nancy Pollak, both of whom could not be at the meeting. Click
here to view the contract.
Approve Resolution #13.07 Authorizing Legal Intervention in Property Tax Matters
The Board voted to approve Resolution #13.07 Authorizing Intervention in Property Tax Assessment Proceedings. The firm representing the District in property tax assessment cases has since changed its name. This resolution updates a previous resolution to authorize the firm to intervene on the District’s behalf in tax assessment and tax exemption cases, in the Board of Review, Circuit Court, or the Department of Revenue and to update the firm's name.
Board
Pool Report
As requested by the Board, a pool report was presented for discussion. The Board reiterated that courses involving swimming or aquatics would continue until the pools fail.
Committee Reports
The draft minutes from the Deferred Compensation / Investment Committee Meeting were presented as committee reports.
Administration
Academics
2019 Summer School Proposal
Summer School Principal Lynn Hatzikostantis shared the 2019 Summer School proposal for the Board’s review. The item will come back for approval at the March 18 meeting. Once approved, all the relevant information such as cost, specific course information and schedule will be shared publicly and on the District website.
Curriculum Equity Update
Chief Academic Officer/Assistant Superintendent for Academics Dr. Carol Baker provided the Board with an update on curriculum equity. Dr. Baker said Department Chairs are in the process of building consensus, preparing now for the kick off meeting with all the teachers on April 10.
2019-20 Certified Staff Recommendation
Chief Human Resources Officer Domenico Maniscalco presented the certified staffing recommendation that will staff the general and special education programs at Hinsdale South, Hinsdale Central, Transition Center and HAVEN for the 2019-20 school year. Included in this report are class averages by department, class parameters used to set the foundation for class sizes between schools as well as student tallies for the upcoming school year. Mr. Maniscalco explained that as directed by the Board, Administration aligned more tightly to the 25:1 staffing framework. A drop of enrollment of approximately 140 students, coupled with adhering more closely to the framework, particularly in electives, resulted in a recommended reduction in FTE (full time equivalences) of 17.1.
Corrections of Miscommunication in the Community :
The Board and Administration addressed the following pieces of misinformation:
·
Reinstatement of Athletic cut December 17, 2018—Individual Board members expressed that they were in support of reinstating all athletics cut December 17 if the referendum passes on April 2.
·
Reinstatement of Activities cut December 17, 2018—Individual Board members said they were in support of reinstating some clubs and activities cut on December 17 if the referendum passes on April, with an eye to consolidating certain clubs or activities where it may make fiscal sense to do so.
·
Athletic and activities fees to reinstate those cut December 17, 2018—Dr. Law stated that the cost to reinstate the $1.1 million in activities and athletics cut by the Board would be $305 per student for all students, including those who do not participate in those or any activities or athletics but excludes students who qualify for fee waivers.
·
Athletics and activities fees to cover the full $5.2 million spend on activities and athletics—Dr. Law stated that it would cost $1,600 per student for all students, including those who do not participate in any activities or athletics but excludes students who qualify for fee waivers.
·
Selection of a Municipal Adviser—Dr. Law stated that the District followed an RFP process to select a municipal adviser and the adviser was chosen in Open Session on March 19, 2018. Estimated Tax Impact of the April 2 Referendum—Member Planson stated that the tax calculator on the District website was created by the District’s municipal adviser and the calculator shows that the estimated annual tax impact of a $500,000 fair market value home is $282.87, and that amount includes principal and interest.
·
Enrollment History of Hinsdale South—Member Blackburn referred to historical enrollment numbers from the demography study known as the Kasarda Report, citing that in 1991-92 Hinsdale South had an enrollment of 1,487 students.
·
Staffing framework of 25:1—Dr. Law and Mr. Maniscalco stated that the staffing framework of 25:1 has been in place since the 2015-16 school year, and was most recently affirmed by the 2017 Board on January 8, 2018.
The meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m.
Referendum Information
April 2 Referendum education information can be found
here
.
Come on a tour or attend an info session, check the calendar
here.
