VIEW MEETING VIDEO, AGENDA AND REPORTS HERE
Highlights of the meeting included:
Middle schools will introduce resource officers this year - District 64 will soon be welcoming a School Resource Officer (SRO) to our middle school communities. The Board of Education at the August 28, 2017 meeting approved a one-year pilot to introduce the SRO presence to both Emerson and Lincoln. "The SROs are another means to help strengthen family/community partnerships that are essential to supporting District 64’s comprehensive social emotional learning curriculum for all students addressed as part of the 2020 Vision Strategic Plan," according to Superintendent Laurie Heinz. SROs will provide guidance to students, build positive relationships between local law enforcement and students, and offer informal counseling while also serving as resource to staff at our schools, to name just a few activities. SROs already have been a part of the local high school communities for many years. Also in 2017-18, District 64 is implementing new curricular materials to support social emotional learning, called Second Step. More information about both programs for the middle schools will be presented at the Emerson and Lincoln PTO meetings in September. Read more about the pilot program here.
Lincoln unveils renovated Learning Resource Center - Board members enjoyed the opportunity to conduct their first official meeting at Lincoln's new LRC, which was fully renovated over the summer to better support future-ready learning and provide for flexible use as foreseen in the 2020 Vision Strategic Plan. The LRC can accommodate multiple configurations, including the basic library with tables and chairs; collaborative study areas for three different groups of students; and a large team instruction space. VIEW A PHOTO GALLERY HERE
Other highlights from the meeting included:
- Lincoln highlights social emotional learning activities - As the Board began its annual rotation of conducting meetings at each school during the year, Lincoln Middle School shared its work to create an academically challenging program organized around the unique learning needs of young adolescents in a positive and supportive school culture.
- Professional development focuses on increasing student engagement - The District reported on the back-to-back professional development days that immediately preceded the return of students on August 17. One day was dedicated to specific school topics, such as a review of student data from the 2016-17 school year and planning for new curriculum resources, among a range of updates.The second day brought educators together from across the District to focus on the goal linked to the 2020 Vision Strategic Plan of increasing student engagement and of strengthening connections with parents and the community.
- Student enrollment rises again - Grades K-8 enrollment for August is 4,562 students, which is an increase of 87 students from the end of the 2016-17 school year. This is the second consecutive year that enrollment has increased from the previous school year. The District added 2.93 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) staff and opened 2.5 additional sections to maintain class size guidelines: Kindergarten - 22 students; Grades 1 & 2 - 24 students; Grades 3 & 4 - 26 students; and Grades 5-8 - 28 students. The District also reviewed how and when a new section is added based on registered students.
- Impact of commercial property rezoning calculated - A fiscal impact study completed for District 64 on a proposed redevelopment of 1440 W. Higgins Road for residential and medical office space would be revenue neutral for District 64. Two alternative plans -- a commercial/retail development and a hotel -- would have much greater positive impacts on District 64. The report will now be shared with the City of Park Ridge. View a summary of the report here.
- 2016-17 fiscal year closes with positive balance - The Board reviewed the unaudited financial reports for the 2016-17 fiscal year ending June 30, which showed a positive Operating Funds balance of revenues exceeding expenditures by $2.6 million during the year just ended. The total Operating Funds balance is $45.9 million or 64.7%, which is lower than in previous years. The District has drawn down this balance by transferring $10 million over two years to the Capital Projects fund to invest in needed facilities work by using these monies on hand.
- Public hearing conducted on 2017-18 budget - Members of the community had the opportunity to present comments during the official hearing on the 2017-18 tentative budget, as the Board continues its review of spending plans and anticipated revenues for this fiscal year. The District is tightening expenditures and confirming expected state and other revenues as the budget undergoes further revisions and discussion at two September meetings. The final adoption is expected on September 25 (see meeting schedule below).
- Discussions continue on proposed salary increases - The Board continued its review of proposed salary increases for administrators and exempt personnel for 2017-18, with further discussion planned at the next meeting. Compensation for teachers and teacher assistants has already been set through their respective negotiated four-year Collective Bargaining Agreements in place; the Board is currently negotiating an agreement with members of its Support Staff Council.
- Policy revisions reviewed - The Board reviewed a set of recommended revisions to the District's Policy Manual as part of its ongoing refresh cycle. The policies will return for adoption at the next meeting.
VIEW MEETING VIDEO, AGENDA AND REPORTS HERE