Superintendent’s Report
Student Body President Sarah Bires and Vice President Bridget Mitchell reported that students recently collected and wrapped gifts for needy families and supported a Food Drive. The Senior Class is discussing what to give as their class gift. Plans are underway for the Winter Formal on January 25 and Spirit Week activities just prior to the dance.
Principal Chala Holland reported that finals will be held prior to break and systems and structures are in place to support student social and emotional wellness during this time. Winter Break will be a time for students to disconnect and enjoy families and free time. No assessments will be given the week prior to finals in response to feedback from last year. Students will be able to obtain support from their teachers or access resource centers on Wednesday and Thursday during Personal Learning Time (PLT) the week prior to semester exams.
Superintendent Mike Simeck provided an update on strategies for systemic change and improvement to support all students. Catalysts for change include learning by example, providing evaluations, and being persistent. Mike highlighted four areas of focus: rigorous curriculum for all students, all students attending the school and class they would attend depending on their needs, clear guidelines and procedures for special education eligibility, and building staff capacity. The District is now looking at an independent needs assessment to transform practices and support the capacity of all administrators and teachers. Mike noted that we are at the place where we need to provide concerted, significant professional development. Progress monitoring and staffing will be a crucial component of success.
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Assessment Report
Director of Teaching and Learning Alan Wahlert presented a comprehensive Assessment Report. Highlights include: ACT scores continue to be stable and strong with a 26.3 composite score (82-85% national average). Alan noted that a significant portion of our students meet yearly proficiency benchmarks on the SAT. LFHS had the highest percentage of students taking AP courses in the school’s history while overall pass rate remains high (89%).
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Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Report
Sally Davis reported that 451 delegates attended the IASB Annual Conference in November. After considering community input and the Superintendent’s recommendation, the Board voted to oppose four school safety resolutions. Sally represented the LFHS Board of Education at this conference. Sally reported the results from the conference on the resolutions related to school safety.
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Finance and Operations Committee
Sally Davis reported that the Committee received the audit report from Miller Cooper regarding the District’s financial statements. The District was recognized for its professional and thorough work and received an “unmodified and clean opinion,” which is the highest level of assurance. Additionally, a management letter was deemed not necessary. Miller Cooper reviewed the forensic audit and confirmed that the District had adopted all of the recommendations from the audit. It was emphasized that the District’s existing processes enabled the Administration to detect any irregularities and are an indicator of the District’s strong controls. The Committee reviewed and discussed Community Education revenues and costs and the Facility Rental Policy.
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Action Items
Adoption of 2019 Tax Levy (with further Board review anticipated in the spring prior to finalization), Acceptance of 2018-19 Audit, Personnel, Policies, and Human Resources Report.
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Upcoming Meetings
Monday, February 10, 2020 - Board of Education Meeting 7:00pm, LFHS West Campus Board Room.
