Volume 25, No. 7 | Thursday, January 27, 2022
News from the January 25, 2022 meeting
Experienced Educator Appointed to Fill Board Seat
A career of educational leadership, organizational development and strategic planning made Beth Bazer, Ed.D., the unanimous choice of the District 28 Board of Education to fill the vacancy left by Shweta Jinkala, who moved out of state.
 
Dr. Bazer was selected from 12 applicants. The board interviewed six candidates in an executive session on Jan. 25. Dr. Bazer has spent her career in education, first as a teacher and administrator with Chicago Public Schools to her current role as senior director of Program Design + Strategy with OneGoal, a national organization focused on college education equity. She holds a doctor of education leadership and a master’s degree in elementary education.
 
A Northbrook native, she attended District 27 schools and graduated from Glenbrook North High School. She has two children who attend Meadowbrook School.
 
Dr. Bazer’s volunteer work includes being an advocate for LGBTQIA community in schools, including as a Friend to the Supreme Court on several cases involving the rights of trans students. She was also a partner to Teachers of Critical Languages Program administered through the U.S. State Department to bring Chinese and Arab language teachers to the U.S.
 
“I'm excited to serve my children's educational community and look forward to supporting the incredible efforts of our district,” she said.
 
Board President Tracy Katz Muhl said the board had an outstanding pool of candidates from which to choose and is appreciative of everyone who applied.
 
“Given that this appointment is for an unexpired seat while the district is in the midst of many big issues, we needed someone who could hit the ground running. Beth certainly has a background that will bring an important perspective to the table,” President Katz Muhl said.
 
Dr. Bazer will serve on the board until April 2023, when the seat will be up for election as a two-year term.
Superintendent's Report
New Superintendent Outlines Entry Plan
Dr. Jason Pearson presented an 18-month Entry Plan to the Board of Education with goals and action steps to be accomplished through June 2023. He will begin to meet with the administrative team and board members from January through March 2022. From March to June he will work with the board, meet with faculty and staff and begin to build relationships with community collaborators while still serving in his current district in St. Charles. When he officially assumes the superintendency on July 1, he will focus on building relationships and understanding of the district. His plan calls for reflection and action planning January-June 2023.
Board President Tracy Katz Muhl, Superintendent Dr. Larry Hewitt and Dr. Pearson created a video greeting (below) for parents to summarize the transition. Dr. Hewitt retires June 30.
Strategic Plan Update Tracks Programs, Resources
A mid-year review of the district’s strategic plan goals for the year itemizes work specifically targeted around the five goals of Student Growth & Achievement, Learning Environment, Work Environment, Family and Community Connections, and Resources.
 
The Strategic Plan Mid-Year Report provides updates on action plans under each goal. Each action also reflects changes made to adapt to the pandemic.
 
Curriculum Review A Systematic Process

District 28 utilizes a systematic process to monitor, evaluate, revise and implement revisions to the curriculum. The curricular areas are planned out in staggered multi-year cycles. Each area receives a specific focus as it proceeds through the stages of the review cycle, including: 
  • Committee Review
  • Implementation of Revisions
  • Monitoring, Evaluating and Adjusting

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kris Raitzer and Director of Learning Michelle Jackson provided a chart detailing each subject and its stage in the review process. Review the full report.
In Brief....
Record-High Infections in Early January Starting to Recede
The Northfield Township Public Health Dashboard and the district’s internal health data reflect historically high numbers of cases for the weeks of Jan. 2 and Jan. 9. Weekly cases per 100,000 in Northfield Township peaked at 1,713 the week of Jan. 9-15, remaining well above the ‘substantial community transmission’ benchmark of >100 per 100,000.

The district metrics showed 123 average daily cases of students and staff for the school week of Jan. 3-Jan. 7 and 108 average daily cases for the school week of Jan. 10-14. Cases started to decline Jan. 18-21 and continue to recede this week.
Meadowbrook Principal Search Underway 

Interviews will begin Jan. 27 to replace Meadowbrook Principal Pat Thome, who retires on June 30. Feedback collected from the Meadowbrook parent and staff surveys was compiled to create a candidate profile for the next principal of Meadowbrook.
 
A team of district administrators and school principals will interview nine semifinalists. The field will be narrowed to three or four who will then be interviewed by incoming Superintendent Dr. Jason Pearson. Finalists will be referred to group interviews by parents and MB staff. Each group will provide feedback, and then Dr. Hewitt and Dr. Pearson will present the finalist to the board at its February meeting. “The hope and the goal are that one candidate will naturally rise to the top,” Dr. Hewitt said.
Finance Report
School Fees Set for 2022-23
There will be no increase in the general curricular material fee for the coming school year. The general fee for grades K-5 will be $145 and for grades 6-8 will be $150 plus a $10 technology fee.
 
The 2022-23 fee schedule includes a 3% increase in bus fees as part of a multi-year plan to adjust for a contract increase. The cost for one rider will be $478 for the year, up from $464. Discounts are applied to multiple riders within the same family, with $372 for the second rider and $266 for the third rider, and additional riders are $10 each. Young Explorers busing fee will increase to $769 from $747. Transportation costs continue to rise higher than the fees collected due to a decline in ridership attributed to both the pandemic and increased fees. The district has been able to cut some routes but it does not equate to enough savings to absorb all of the increased contract costs.
 
Other fee adjustments for 2022-23 include:
  • Summer School classes will be $120 per class (up $10)
  • Summer School Lessons will be $28 per half-hour (up $1)
  • Young Explorers Early Childhood Program will be $4,300 per year (up $50)
  • KidCare Before and After School Program will be $69 before school/$138 after school for 3 days; $115/$230 for five days and $46 for two days of the morning session.
  • 6th Grade Outdoor Education will be $225 (up $10)
Want to Know More?
Livestream/Archive Video
The Board of Education meetings are live-streamed on the District 28's YouTube Channel. The live streams are also archived for later viewing.

Next Meeting is February 22
The Board of Education is holding in-person meetings at Northbrook Junior High in the library. The meeting will be held following health and safety protocols. The meetings will continue to be live-streamed on the District 28 YouTube channel. The next regular meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for 7 p.m. on February 22.