Highlights of the meeting include:
- Roosevelt summer 2018 capital projects approved - Capping a process that began in September, the Board approved $2.1 million of Roosevelt School summer 2018 projects.The work will complete all remaining required Health Life Safety items identified for the school; plumbing and flooring replacement work; and a classroom/Learning Resource Center remodeling project and office relocation. When completed, Roosevelt will join Lincoln and Washington in having a secure vestibule entry.The Board requested administration to study an accelerated schedule for completing similar secured entries at the other schools in summer 2019.
- Enrollment expected to climb again in 2018-19 - Enrollment for the coming year is anticipated to climb by 73 students overall based on updated enrollment projections.To maintain the current class size guidelines, the District reported that as many as seven classroom teachers and associated staff for "special" classes (art, music, physical education, and Spanish) would be required, if projections are realized. The District will seek authorization of the 2018-19 plan at the March 12 meeting; actual hiring, however, does not occur until students are fully registered and class counts have been reverified.
- Other staff requested for 2018-19 - In addition to staff requested to keep pace with enrollment, the District also recommended the addition of one elementary school Assistant Principal. This would allow Carpenter and Franklin Schools to each have a full-time assistant administrator. The schools have experienced a 20% increase in combined enrollment over the past six years. The District also recommended adding one elementary Special Education Coordinator, which would bring the support for the elementary schools into alignment with the middle school model. The District will request Board approval at the March 12 meeting.
- Long-range financial projections remain favorable based on current assumptions - The District's five-year financial projections have been updated to reflect the continued savings from the recent contract with teachers as well as projected expenditures for facility projects, along with updates to other key variables. The staffing requests for 2018-19 also were included. Based on current assumptions, the projections indicate the District will maintain an operating fund balance above the 120-day target through at least 2021-22, extending the Board's goal further into the future.
- Plans move forward for Carpenter School HVAC repairs - The Board authorized thepreparation of construction bid documents to replace two zones of the school's HVAC system. These areas primarily serve grades 3-5 classrooms and the office, which have consistently experienced the most problems since the system was installed. Bids also will be sought to replace the lighting in these zones with high efficiency LED fixtures. In addition, the Board authorized pre-ordering up to $120,000 for mechanical units that would be installed in these classrooms, due to the longer lead time needed. The estimated $1.5 million project is expected to be completed in summer 2018, pending Board acceptance of the bids later this spring.
- New classroom inside Emerson's LRC will be designed - As reviewed with the Board at the February 20 meeting, enrollment at Emerson Middle School for 2018-19 is expected to exceed the current classroom capacity by one section. The District reported that a survey of current Carpenter 5th grade families to determine interest in attending Lincoln Middle School instead of Emerson for grades 6-8 did not yield enough students to alleviate the need for an additional classroom space at Emerson. From the array of options discussed previously, the Board decided to move forward to prepare construction bids for a single classroom to be created within a corner of the existing, large LRC.
- Board ratifies first support staff Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) - The Board ratified its first CBA with the newly formed Support Staff Council, which represents about 75 secretarial, custodial and maintenance employees organized by the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT). The three-year agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2017, with raises tied to CPI and performance.
- Work on School Resource Officer (SRO) agreement continued - The Board reached consensus to update its draft agreement to incorporate suggested revisions following an in-depth review at the February 20 meeting. The "redline" draft showing these changes and remaining areas for discussion is expected to be presented at the March 12 regular meeting. Intergovernmental Agreements are needed with both the City of Park Ridge and Village of Niles for a pilot program to place an SRO at D64 middle schools for 8-10 hours per week. Originally expected to be launched in the 2017-18 school year, the Board also discussed extending the period for a pilot program through the 2018-19 school year.
- State science assessments show high levels of D64 students are "proficient" - Due to delays in scoring by the state, D64 recently received results for both the 2016 and 2017 IL Science Assessment taken each spring by students in grades 5 and 8. The online statewide assessment is aligned with the IL Learning Standards for Science, which reflect the Next Generation Science Standards. The assessment includes items related to physical science, life science, earth/space science, and engineering, Students are scored either as "proficient" or "not proficient." From about 72% to 80% of D64 students across the two years and grades were scored as "proficient," substantially above the state results.
- Progress noted on special education initiatives - Dr. Heinz reported that interviews are underway for a new permanent Director of Student Services, with her final selection expected to be presented at the March 12 regular meeting. The multi-step interview process includes participation by Board members, special education parents, and D64 teachers, staff, and administrators. In addition, work is continuing on identifying an audit firm to provide a baseline study this spring of the District's current service delivery model to point out both strengths and opportunities for growth. She also noted that the District's new Special Education Parent Group will meet again on March 7.
- Other agreements approved - The Board approved a settlement agreement related to roofing work completed at several schools in summer 2016 to provide an extended, 15-year warranty, including maintenance. In addition, the Board approved a side letter to the 2016-20 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Park Ridge Education Association (PREA) regarding unused sick leave upon retirement.