Good News
Principal Bill Walsh from Hinsdale Central was not in attendance at the meeting, so Principal Patrick Hardy from Hinsdale South shared good news for both buildings. He stated that hundreds of students started coming to school on Aug. 8 for athletics and have been practicing, working out and working hard all week. He welcomed all of the student-athletes back to campus, and thanked them and their families for their honor, integrity and competitive spirit. He also welcomed the coaches and athletic trainers back for the fall season, and thanked them for all they do on behalf of students.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Tammy Prentiss presented a report that included the following:
- A shoutout to Cheryl Moore, the district's assistant superintendent of human resources, for organizing a successful job fair on Aug. 4. Below are some of the highlights/outcomes from the event:
- Offers were made to nine substitute teaching candidates. Four of the candidates have already completed orientation and will be ready to start working when the school year begins. The other five candidates are scheduled to take part in orientation during the next two weeks.
- Fifteen candidates for paraprofessional positions have been interviewed and offers are being made to several of them this week.
- Details about the application process for the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee. Of the 41 people who applied to serve on the committee, 51% of the them have students at Hinsdale Central or its feeder schools and 49% have students at Hinsdale South or its feeder schools. Members of the administration and committee chair Cynthia Hanson will be reviewing the applications next week.
- Information about the updates for the 2022-23 school year that will be shared during the board meeting on Aug. 25. These updates will include information about safety and security measures, the district's new Tip Line and free mobile app, summer construction, and operational items related to health and wellness.
Committee Reports
Members of the Human Resources Committee provided the board with a report from their
meeting on Aug. 2. During this meeting, the committee:
- Received an update on the status of hiring for the 2022-23 school year and reviewed upcoming retirements.
- Received information about the job fair on Aug. 4 and referral bonus program for employees that are part of the district's efforts to fill its vacancies and substitute teaching positions.
- Discussed the decision to increase the pay rate for substitute teachers to $150 per day. This increase is expected to be cost neutral because the district will not need to utilize as many internal substitutes.
- Discussed Faith's Law, which requires school districts to have a professional code of conduct policy and provide training for employees.
Members of the Policy Committee provided the board with a report from their
meeting on Aug. 8. During this meeting, the committee:
- Reviewed the proposed revisions to policies 7:285 (Anaphylaxis Prevention, Response, and Food Allergy Management Program), 2:230 (Public Participation at School Board Meetings and Petitions to the Board) and 5:80 (Court Duty) that were featured in the latest update from PRESS.
- Discussed a recommendation from the administration to rescind policy 5:32 (Certified Hiring Policy - Credit for Past Experience) and define how credit for past experience can be granted to certified staff through administrative procedures.
- Discussed the board's proposed revisions to policies 4:130 (Free and Reduced Price Food Services) and 4:140 (Waiver of Student Fees).
- Discussed a board member's request to revisit a policy that had been previously approved by the board.
The board also voted to release the draft minutes from these meetings as part of the consent agenda.
First Reading of Policies
The board conducted a first reading of the following policies:
After finishing the first reading, the board voted to:
- Approve policy 7:285 to ensure compliance with Public Act 102-413.
- Rescind policy 5:32 based on the recommendation from the administration and Policy Committee that the content and corresponding revisions be moved to administrative procedures.
Public Hearing - E-learning Program
The board convened a public hearing about the proposed renewal of the district's e-learning program, which allows for instruction to be delivered digitally in lieu of using scheduled emergency days for issues such as inclement weather. During the hearing, the administration presented the board with information about the program. There was also an opportunity for community members to comment on it.
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/3JOxpcH to access the consent agenda items beginning under number eight.
Action Items
The board approved the following items:
Board President's Report
Board President Erik Held shared that it is good to see the student-athletes back on campus. He also talked about the excitement that accompanies the beginning of school, and how much he is looking forward to what he hopes will be a healthy and energetic start to the year.
Future Agenda Items
Below are the future agenda items that were requested by members of the board.
- An update on the district's public records policy, more specifically the preservation of district records.
- A discussion about board member access to administrative procedures.
- A review of the district's organizational chart.
- An overview of the changes made to the district website in conjunction with the redesign process.
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A presentation to the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee detailing the changes to the National Sex Education Standards (NSES) curriculum, as well as a corresponding request that those changes be shared with the community so people can better understand them and discuss them with their children.
- A discussion about policy 2:110 (Qualifications, Term, and Duties of Board Officers).
- A discussion about the performance of the district's law firm.
Financial and Treasury Reports
Per its regular cadence of reporting, the administration provided the board with the financial and treasury reports for June 2022. You can access the financial reports by visiting
https://bit.ly/3QwPv4M and the treasury report by visiting
https://bit.ly/3Pi0Nc8.
