The District 64 Board of Education held a regular meeting on Thursday, October 16. You can watch or listen to a replay of the meeting on our YouTube page.
D64 Shining Stars
- Washington Elementary: Principal Angie Brito honored Charlie Nye for embodying courage and kindness and serving as a helpful role model. School Psychologist Julie Dorencz was recognized for her commitment, initiative, empathy, and support for students, staff, and families. You can read more about Nye and Dorencz here.
- Lincoln Middle School: Principal David Szwed recognized the eighth-grade student WEB Leaders for their role in helping sixth graders transition into middle school and supporting various school events. He also expressed gratitude to the Lincoln front office secretaries — Colleen Hogan, Shannon Wicks, and Deb Nowak — for their vital role in the school’s daily operations and culture. You can read more about the Lincoln D64 Shining Stars here.
Principal Appreciation Month
October is Principal Appreciation Month! Superintendent Dr. Ben Collins acknowledged all of our District Principals for their hard work, dedication, and leadership in navigating the complexities of their roles and improving student and staff experiences daily.
Financial Projections Discussion
Assistant Superintendent for Business Operations Brian Harlan and Rob Grossi from Illuminate presented an analysis of our finances. You can read the presentation here. This discussion can be viewed by clicking here.
Some historical context includes that the District has generally run structural surpluses over the past nine years, with revenues growing slightly faster than expenditures (excluding major capital projects). Fund balances remained relatively stable despite significant capital investments, partially funded by reserves. Current fund balance reserves (approx. 161 days, which is above the Board Policy—required 108 days) are healthy but below the 180 days recommended by ISBE for the highest financial profile score.
The recommendations from Grossi included making financial decisions to ensure annual revenues exceed annual expenditures and determining how much to commit to major capital projects. Additionally, the District should gradually increase its savings in the fund balance reserve. The aim would be to eventually have enough reserves to cover about 180 days of operating costs if no new money came in. Finally, the District should continue using and regularly updating these kinds of long-term financial forecasts when making budget decisions. This would help us stay financially healthy and stable for years to come.
Superintendent Update
- Presentations: Dr. Collins noted recent and upcoming presentations by District leaders at the Illinois Association of School Administrators and Illinois Principals Association conferences.
- Bond Advisors: Financial advisors Liz Hennessy and Tammie Beckwith Schallmo will attend the November Board meeting to discuss the District’s debt profile and bond market conditions.
- 2026-2027 Calendar: Following discussion, the Board and Admin decided that the Calendar Committee will come together in the spring to bring a recommendation for the 2026-27 school year and, potentially, the 2027-28 school year, and that those recommendations will be brought to the Board by the April or May 2026 meeting. This would allow families more planning time around the construction-adjusted schedule.
- Strategic Plan: Dr. Collins provided an update on the strategic planning process, outlining the draft timeline involving a steering committee, focus groups, community engagement evenings, and surveys. He emphasized the importance of dedicating sufficient time to strategy decisions before moving to detailed planning to ensure alignment and avoid conflicting priorities.
- Transportation: Brian Harlan reported on the ongoing challenges with our bus provider, including an average of 3-4 sub drivers a day, which are impacting route familiarity and timeliness. He also noted there are still some communication gaps with Safeway regarding delays. Harlan acknowledged each school’s front office staff and District transportation assistant, Dru Sabres, for their efforts to get information out to families every day.
Consent Agenda
Motions Pass
- Bills, Payroll and Benefits
- Approval of Financial Update for the Period Ending August 31, 2025
- Approval of Personnel Report
- Approval of Minutes of the Closed Meeting September 18, 2025 and Regular Meeting September 18, 2025
Construction Update
Michael Browning, Director of Facility Management, led the School Board on a tour of Lincoln Middle School and Washington Elementary School to see some of the upgrades and improvements from the referendum construction. You can view some photos of the tour here.