Highlights of the meeting include:
- Calendars for upcoming school years set - The first day of school for students in 2018-19 will be Monday, August 20, 2018. The calendar will remain in close alignment with high school District 207 holiday periods. The Board also approved a tentative calendar for 2019-20. Both may be viewed on this webpage.
- Special education parent support group to be formed; other key initiatives reviewed - The District reported on key improvement areas underway since the appointment of the Interim Director of Student Services Mike Padavic in December, which include the formation of a special education parent support group (read more here). Mr. Padavic recounted his efforts to be visible, accessible and approachable, and to meet and hear from both parents and District 64 staff members to identify common threads that can drive both short- and long-term action plans, such as increasing professional development for staff on aspects of special education. Dr. Heinz and Mr. Padavic also outlined their efforts to gather background information about how an audit could be conducted on the special education program, which would provide a valuable baseline and identify possible areas of improvement about the District's current instructional practices, standards and expectations, accountability and outcomes, parent engagement, resource allocation, and vision, among other components that may be included in such a study. They will continue providing updates on these key improvement areas at upcoming Board meetings.
- Special meeting scheduled on School Resource Officer program; draft agreements and resource materials now available - The Board at the August 28, 2017 meeting approved a one-year pilot to introduce a School Resource Officer (SRO) presence to the middle schools. Prior to the launch, D64 has been working to develop Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs) with the Village of Niles for Emerson Middle School and the City of Park Ridge for Lincoln Middle School that define and provide parameters for the SRO program. The IGAs are drafted to reflect the District's goal of creating an SRO program focused primarily on education and resource activities. At the January 22 meeting, the Board agreed to make public the draft IGAs along with a report prepared by outside counsel providing additional legal perspectives. In addition, an array of materials that offer a range of information and perspectives about SRO programs along with resources District 64 referenced in developing its draft IGAs are now available on the School Resource Officer Program webpage. Further, the Board has scheduled a special meeting on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. at Jefferson School, 8200 Greendale, Niles, to focus on the SRO topic and provide an opportunity for public comment.
- Returning family residency verification will be streamlined for 2018-19 registration - The Board approved a one-year pilot to streamline residency verification for families returning for the upcoming school year. District 64 will screen all families using a software product, called Clear, which is used by other governmental agencies and neighboring school districts, including Maine Township High School District 207. Clear aggregates public records pulled from trusted, current sources. Returning families who pass the screening will not be required to upload residency documents when registration for returning students opens on April 23. Read more here.
- Summer 2018 projects approved; financing framework updated - The Board approved roof replacements at Emerson and Franklin at a cost of almost $1.7 million and tuckpointing at Lincoln and Franklin at a cost of $175,000 being undertaken as part of the Health Life Safety (HLS) and Master Facilities Plan (MFP). These are the first in an estimated $8.4 million of summer 2018 work that the Board previously authorized for competitive bidding. The District's financing consultant also updated the Board on the financial framework put in place last year to fund capital projects. Thus far, the District has completed two of three steps: using cash available from the Operating Fund balance and issuing Debt Certificates that are being repaid from the District's existing cash flow over 15 years, both with no impact on taxpayers. The final step in the framework would be for the Board to use its authority to issue up to $20 million in working cash fund bonds, beginning in the summer of 2019 should the Board decide to move forward on future HLS/MFP projects in upcoming years.
- Carpenter HVAC remains a focus - The District confirmed that it continues to actively seek every possible way to solve and rectify ongoing HVAC issues experienced since the system's installation in 2013, and is currently exploring new options developed by the District's architects and engineering consultants.
- Budget planning for 2018-19 to begin - The annual financial cycle will officially begin as the Board authorized preparation of a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
- Employees contribute generously to Park Ridge Community Fund - Current and retired employees donated more than $11,100 to support local service agencies that improve the lives of so many in our community during the recently completed 2017 campaign.