The District 58 Board of Education held a Regular Meeting on Monday, Nov. 11 at the Downers Grove Civic Center. View the agenda for more information and links to meeting presentations. The meeting video will be posted on the District’s YouTube page.
School Report: Belle Aire School
Belle Aire School’s Student Council leaders led the Board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and shared some of the fundraisers, spirit days and service projects they coordinate. Belle Aire PTA President Amy Crowther highlighted how, despite being the District’s smallest school, the Belle Aire community comes together to support their school through the PTA’s many programs and activities. Principal Brent Borchelt shared the school’s recent assessment results and school improvement plan. Belle Aire is meeting its overall expected growth in math and reading on the MAP test, with some grade levels achieving higher and some lower than expected. When reviewing the lower-than-expected growth scores, the school found that these grade levels were already achieving at very high levels, leaving less room for significant growth. Belle Aire exceeded its projections on the spring 2024 Illinois Assessment of Readiness, with 75% of students meeting the benchmark on the ELA and math tests. Mr. Borchelt also shared the school improvement plan, which includes goals related to ELA curriculum resource implementation, Zones of Regulation social-emotional learning resource implementation, and math growth.
Spotlight on our Schools: Property Tax Levy
Assistant Superintendent for Business Todd Drafall recommended that the Board approve the 2024 Certificate of Levy in the amount of $72,770,500, which is a 4.896% increase from 2023.
The tax levy is how school districts annually request the funding they receive from property taxes. Due to a tax cap law, District 58 may only request a funding increase equal to the consumer price index (which is currently at 3.4%), plus the taxes associated with new construction and with changes in assessed property value. The tax levy request is only an estimate, as final new construction and assessed property value numbers will not be finalized until next spring. The actual tax levy will reflect the final numbers, not to exceed $72,770,500.
Later in the meeting, the Board approved the 2024 Certificate of Levy in the amount of $72,770,500.
Spotlight on our Schools: Illinois School Report Card
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Liz Ehrhart presented an overview of District 58’s performance on the 2024 Illinois Report Card. The report card shares metrics on every Illinois school, including math and English-language arts (ELA) data from the 2024 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). The IAR is the state test students in grades 3-8 took last spring. Highlights include:
- Overall, District 58 showed a strong performance on the IAR.
- All District 58 schools achieved either expected growth or higher than expected growth on both the math and ELA IAR tests.
- Overall, District 58 exceeded its own key performance indicator, or KPI, goal for achievement. When compared to all Illinois school districts, District 58’s math proficiency is in the 93rd percentile (meaning District 58 performed better than 93% of Illinois school districts) and its ELA proficiency is in the 88th percentile.
- District 58’s IAR results found that 61.2% of students are proficient (scored a four or better on a five-point scale) in ELA and 55% are proficient in math. (State average is 41.2% and 28.4%, respectively)
- District 58’s ELA and math performance exceeds its pre-COVID scores, and the District’s five-year IAR data trends are on an upward trajectory.
- District 58 is considered a large elementary school district. When compared to all 13 DuPage County large elementary school districts, District 58’s math proficiency ranks third highest, and its ELA proficiency is tied for third highest.
- District 58 is one of six elementary school districts that feed into District 99 for high school. When compared to these districts, District 58’s math proficiency ranks the highest, and its ELA proficiency is tied for the highest.
The Illinois Report Card also gives each school a summative designation, designed to help families and communities understand how well schools are serving all students. For 2024, Fairmount School and Whittier School earned an Exemplary rating, the State’s highest rating, and all other District 58 schools earned a Commendable rating, the second highest rating. The State uses a variety of data points to calculate school ratings, including academic growth and proficiency, chronic absenteeism and climate survey participation.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell provided several departmental updates, including:
Veterans Day: Dr. Russell noted that it was Veterans Day and thanked the community’s veterans for their service and sacrifice to the country.
School Board Members Day: Friday, Nov. 15 is School Board Members Day. Dr. Russell thanked the District 58 Board of Education for their dedication and hard work, and congratulated them on earning the Illinois Association of School Board’s 2024 School Board Governance Recognition.
Curriculum Office: District 58’s Outdoor Education location, Lorado Taft, is closing and cannot accommodate this school year’s program. District 58 has identified Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, Wisc., as an alternative. Outdoor Education fees will not change. The District is working on trip logistics and will share more information with schools as soon as possible.
Personnel Office: Next week is American Education Week, an occasion to celebrate public education. In addition, Wednesday, Nov. 20 is Educational Support Personnel Day. Dr. Russell thanked District 58’s nearly 175 support staff members for their service. Friday, Nov. 22 is Substitute Educators Day. Dr. Russell thanked the more than 200 subs who fill this critical role.
Business Office: District 58 held its first ever Staff Health and Financial Wellness Fair this month. Staff had the opportunity to learn more about their health and financial benefits during this event. In addition, District staff and insurance partners have been visiting schools this month to offer employees assistance with their insurance open enrollment.
Technology & Special Services Offices: District 58 schools will begin sharing student report cards electronically via the PowerSchool Parent Portal. First trimester report cards will be posted on Friday, Nov. 22. Please note, this change will not affect the delivery of IEP goal updates for families with children with IEPs.
Facilities: District 58 intends to bring summer 2025 construction bids and furniture proposals for approval during the December Board meeting.
Community Relations: The Grove Express 5K will take place on Thanksgiving Day in downtown Downers Grove, and event proceeds will support local education programs, including those in District 58. Learn more at www.groveexpress.com.
Business Report - Elementary Food Service
Manager of Business Services Michelle Kovar shared that the number of District 58 elementary students who qualify for a free or reduced lunch has increased in recent years. For a while, federal COVID relief money helped District 58 pay for these increased lunch costs. This funding source is no longer available, and District 58 currently pays for these meals without reimbursement. This is financially unsustainable for District 58. The District recommends joining the National School Lunch Program, or NSLP, in January 2025. The NSLP would provide all District 58 students the option to purchase a boxed lunch. The NSLP would also subsidize the free and reduced lunch costs, offering some financial relief to District 58. A move to the NSLP would create additional staff administrative work. District 58 is working out the logistics of this move and hopes to formally present a recommendation next month.
Business Report - Draft Capital Policy
The Board of Education has directed District 58 to create a capital policy that incorporates capital planning into its existing financial planning process. The Board’s Financial Advisory Committee has been working with the District to develop the policy.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Todd Drafall presented the draft District 58 capital policy and an update on its work. The draft policy includes a requirement to maintain an eight-year projection of capital projects with potential costs. The eight-year projection will be included with the District 58 five-year financial plan, which the Board reviews, updates and approves annually. This alignment would allow capital projects to be considered alongside all budgetary needs. Additionally, the draft policy would require an annual transfer of $750,000 per year into the capital fund, unless this transfer is deemed unnecessary or would have a significant negative impact on student needs. The initial funds saved would be used to pay for capital work in fiscal years 2028-30, after referendum work is completed. If needed, the District would also have the option to issue bonds for capital improvements.
Board feedback included the desire to have a more in-depth capital policy that could guide the District’s capital planning for future generations. The District will incorporate this feedback into its capital policy planning process. The Board also discussed a recent law change that returns greater flexibility in issuing bonds for state-approved health life safety projects to tax-capped districts, like District 58.
Committee Reports
Member Kirat Doshi reported on the Oct. 21 District Leadership Team meeting. This committee previewed the Strategic Plan progress update that was shared with the Board at the Oct. 28 Curriculum Workshop.
Discussion: Referendum Construction Update
Huffman & Keel and Forge Projects LLC serve as District 58’s owner’s representative for all referendum-related work. Forge Projects’ principal, Eric Eichler, led a discussion update on the District’s referendum projects.
All construction projects continue to be on schedule and overall on budget. District 58, with its construction partners, conducted the bid process for most Phase II/Summer 2025 construction work last month. Bids came in significantly over budget. District 58 is working closely with its construction manager, owner’s representative and architect to complete a process called value engineering, in which the team identifies areas where costs can be reduced without negatively affecting the end product. The team will also defer some previously-allocated contingency funds in order to save sufficient funding to cover any future unexpected issues. Due to this work, the team believes it will be prepared to present Phase II/Summer 2025 construction bids at the December Board meeting.
The Board shared concerns with the unexpected overage of the Phase II bids and the team’s ability to cut costs while ensuring all schools received equitable renovations. Mr. Eichler believes that the value engineering process will still allow all schools to receive equitable upgrades.
During the Meeting, the Board Also:
- Heard an update on the special education cooperative SASED.
- Approved minutes from the Oct. 16 regular meeting, Oct. 28 special meeting/curriculum workshop, and all items in the consent agenda.
- Adopted the American Education Week resolution.
- Approved 2025-26 preschool fees.
- Approved the 2023-28 Strategic Plan’s Year 2 Action Plan.
- Approved the Highland School PTA’s request to fundraise for school library enhancements.
- Designated a SmartBoard as surplus equipment, to be placed up for auction.
Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 a.m.: Policy Committee Meeting at the Downers Grove Civic Center
- Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 a.m.: Financial Advisory Committee Meeting at O’Neill Middle School
- Monday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.: Regular Board Meeting at the Downers Grove Civic Center
District 58 Board of Education members are: Darren Hughes, president; Gregory Harris, vice president; Kirat Doshi, Melissa Ellis, Emily Hanus, Steven Olczyk and Tracy Weiner, with Dr. Kevin Russell, superintendent; and Melissa Jerves, board secretary.