Recognition of Board Liaisons
The board and administration recognized and thanked student liaisons Jackson Hughes (Hinsdale Central) and Nautica Kindred (Hinsdale South) for their service during the 2019-20 school year. Principals Bill Walsh and Arwen Pokorny Lyp also announced that Heather Raslan (Hinsdale Central) and Carson Kotecki (Hinsdale South) will serve as the student liaisons for the 2020-21 school year.
Recognition of the Class of 2020
Principals Pokorny Lyp and Walsh recognized and congratulated the members of the Class of 2020. You can access Principal Pokorny Lyp's comments by visiting
https://bit.ly/2T2oVp2 and Principal Walsh's comments by visiting
https://bit.ly/2T2fia2.
Approve Certified Staff Retiree Resolutions
The board approved resolutions recognizing the following certified staff members who are retiring at the end of the 2019-20 school year.
Bond Premium Overview
The administration presented the board with an overview of the bond premium for the third referendum bond sale. This overview featured the following:
- Definitions of the keys terms par (face) value, premium bond, discount bond, coupon rate and bond proceeds.
- Information about the inverse relationship that exists between interest rates and bond prices.
- Information about why municipal bonds sell at a premium.
- Details about the first two district bond sales.
- Options for the third bond sale.
- Details about the potential use of the bond premium from the third bond sale to address additional facilities needs that fall outside of the Future Ready Facilities work, are operational in nature or are tied to our strategic plan. These include classroom upgrades, the renovation of offices for academic departments, the replacement of unit ventilators that are near or past their useful life, and the combining of water services to address an issue identified by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
- A summary of the estimated costs associated with completing the facilities work described in the bullet point above.
Since there is time before a final decision needs to be made, the board members asked the administration to revisit the list of projects that could potentially be funded using the bond premium. They also asked that special focus or emphasis be placed on projects that are critical from an operational standpoint or will benefit the greatest number of students. This topic is scheduled to be discussed by the Finance Committee during its meeting on May 20.
Committee Reports
Members of the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC) provided the board with a report from their meeting on April 21. During this meeting, the committee reviewed the following:
- Discipline data.
- Athletic/activity code of conduct and concussion data.
- Student Success Center (SSC) data.
The directors of deans from Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South also presented the committee with proposed revisions to the student planner and online student handbook that are aimed at:
- Identifying why students engage in academic dishonesty.
- Providing students with the tools they need to make better choices going forward.
In addition to receiving the report, the board voted to release the draft minutes from the meeting as part of the consent agenda.
Consent Agenda
The board approved the consent agenda as presented. The consent agenda includes personnel, stipends, board bills and meeting minutes. Please visit
https://bit.ly/2WvhB7p to access the consent agenda items beginning under number six.
Approve Assistant Superintendent of Academics
The board approved the appointment of Dr. Christopher Covino to the position of assistant superintendent of academics. Dr. Covino received a one-year contract with an annual salary of $180,000. He is scheduled to begin his tenure with the district on July 1, 2020.
Approve Administrator Contracts
The board approved one-year contracts for several school and district-level administrators. You can access additional information about these contracts by visiting
https://bit.ly/3fL3Hpt.
Approve Resolution Suspending Certain Graduation Requirements
Accept Personal Protective Equipment Donation
The board accepted a donation of 500 disposable masks from the 21st Century Institute. These masks will be used by essential district employees who are required to be on campus in order to perform their job functions.
The 21st Century Institute is a nonprofit educational organization from the Chicago area that "promotes and encourages understanding, communication, and cooperation between the United States and China." Our district partnered with the organization last year to host an education delegation from Shanghai.
Approve Student Settlement Agreement #2020-004
The board approved student settlement agreement #2020-004 as presented.
2020-21 Board Meeting Schedule
The administration presented the board with the tentative board and committee meeting schedule for the 2020-21 school year. The board will vote to approve the schedule during its regular action meeting on May 28.
2020-21 Illinois High School Association Membership
The board reviewed and discussed the renewal of the district’s Illinois High School Association (IHSA) membership for the 2020-21 school year. It is scheduled to vote on the renewal during its meeting on May 28.
2020-21 DuPage Area Occupational Education System Board Representative
The board discussed who will be the district's representative on the DuPage Area Occupational Education System (DAOES) board of directors during the 2020-21 school year. It is scheduled to appoint Superintendent Tammy Prentiss to serve in this role during its meeting on May 28.
Board President's Report
Board President Kevin Camden expressed frustration with the way state and federal elected officials have responded to and handled the COVID-19 pandemic. He also thanked the members of the District 86 community for their continued hard work and leadership in the face of the crisis.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Prentiss commended District 86 employees for the way they have risen to the challenge in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She specifically recognized the building principals, assistant principals, department chairs and the district's instructional innovation coordinator for their leadership on the implementation of the district's remote learning plan, as well as for their dedicated service on behalf of the D86 community.
Superintendent Prentiss also congratulated the members of the Class of 2020, and encouraged the community to participate in the virtual graduation ceremonies being held next week.
2020-21 School Year Update
Superintendent Prentiss provided the board with an update regarding potential plans for the 2020-21 school year. This updated included:
- A brief summary of the staff members and activities that have been part of the district's response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the past 60 days.
- The names of the different organizations that have partnered with the district or helped guide our response to the pandemic.
- Data and activities related to the completion of remote learning for the 2019-20 school year.
- Average student attendance rate from April 1 to May 18 (97.67%)
- Feedback survey administered to students, teachers and parents/guardians
- Teacher outreach to families regarding the issuance of passing grades or Incompletes
- Issuance of final grades for the school year
- Summer intervention or enrichment opportunities (e.g., Khan Academy Enrichment Program, math review packets, summer school for students who received Incompletes during remote learning)
- Details about the district's Recovery-Revitalization-Restored Committee.
- Twenty-seven members (teachers, department chairs, and building and district administrators)
- Kick-off meeting on May 19
- A graphic showing the state's five-phase Restore Illinois plan.
- Details about the work the district has done or will be doing over the next 120 days in conjunction with/response to the Restore Illinois plan.
- The various health and safety issues that must be considered/addressed in conjunction with the district's planning efforts.
- Acknowledgement that any scenarios that are identified or plans that are developed by the Recovery-Revitalization-Restored Committee will adhere to and align with the parameters, conditions and guidance that are set forth by the governor, ISBE and/or the Illinois Department of Public Health and DuPage County Health during the next 120 days.
- A stated commitment that all decisions regarding the return to in-person instruction will be driven by the strong desire to preserve and protect the health, safety and well-being of our students, staff, families and community.
The board will receive another update about this topic during its meeting on June 25.
Proposed Revisions to Student Discipline Rules for the 2020-21 School Year
Superintendent Prentiss and Brad Verthein, the district's assistant superintendent of student services, talked to the board about proposed revisions to the district’s disciplinary rules, more specifically those related to the issue of academic dishonesty, that were reviewed/discussed by the members of PTAC during their meeting on April 21. The revisions, which are detailed below, are aimed at identifying why students engage in academic dishonesty. They are also intended to provide students with the tools they need to make better choices going forward.
- The teacher reports an incident of academic dishonesty to the deans’ office, and the incident is documented. The teacher meets with the student and contacts his/her parents/guardians.
- The teacher reports an incident of academic dishonesty to the deans’ office. The dean meets with the student and documents the incident. The teacher meets with the student, issues a consequence and contacts his/her parents/guardians.
- The teacher reports an incident of academic dishonesty to the deans’ office. The dean meets with the student, documents the incident and may assign academic educational programming. The teacher meets with the student, issues a consequence and contacts his/her parents/guardians.
- The teacher reports an incident of academic dishonesty to the deans’ office. There is a meeting between the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction, the department chair, the teacher, the student, the dean and the student's parents/guardians. The student will be placed on a behavior contract and teacher consequences will be assigned.
The board is scheduled to take action on the proposed revisions during its meeting on May 28. You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting
https://bit.ly/2AnC5q1.
