The District 58 Board of Education held a regular business meeting on Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. View the agenda and presentation links. Click here to access meeting video and audio. Highlights from the meeting include:
Highland Spotlight:
The Highland Student Council shared how they build school community through their spirit days, school fundraiser events and annual school gift project. They also lead several service projects, including a giving tree collection benefitting the Humanitarian Service Project and a household goods collection to support the Fisher House, which serves veterans in need. View their presentation.
Highland’s Broadcast Club produces a weekly YouTube program called the “Highland Scoop.” The students created a special edition show specifically for the School Board. The student reporters interviewed their Highland peers about creative technology use, innovative classroom projects and fun extracurriculars. A student reporter interviewed Principal Zac Craft about the school’s academic performance and MAP test data. Mr. Craft shared that Highland fell just short of the District’s MAP goals last year. He explained that Highland developed a school improvement plan with a strong focus on student growth, curricular review and staff professional development, with the goal of improving the school’s MAP scores. View the video.
PTA President Rachel Upton shared some of the ways the Highland PTA supports their school, including hosting educational student events and programs, providing grants for teacher supplies, and organizing fun family engagement events.
Spotlight on our Schools: School Report Card Review
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Justin Sisul reviewed this year’s recently-released 2019 Illinois Report Card for District 58. The report card evaluated District 58’s academic proficiency and growth using results from the 2019 Illinois Assessment of Readiness, which is the test students in grades 3-8 took last spring. For the past two years, District 58 has worked collaboratively with students, staff and parents to foster a more positive approach to this exam and to better prepare students for the test’s format. For the second straight year, District 58’s results improved, and its participation rate increased.
The percentage of students who met or exceeded English-Language Arts standards improved from 39.3% in 2017 to 48.8% in 2018 to 49.5% in 2019.
Students who met or exceeded Math standards improved from 37.9% in 2017 to 46.7% in 2018 to 48.2% in 2019.
State average is 37.4% for English-Language Arts and 32.0% for Math. When comparing year-to-year growth, the Report Card also found that District 58 students exhibited more annual academic growth than state average.
The Illinois Report Card also awarded designations — or ratings — to each school, based on eight indicators, which include academic growth, proficiency and absenteeism. ISBE used data from these indicators to give each school a summative designation in one of four tiers. The tiers are:
- Exemplary (Tier 1): Schools performing in the top 10% of schools statewide, with no underperforming student groups.
- Commendable (Tier 2): A school that has no underperforming student groups and whose performance is not in the top 10% of school statewide.
- Underperforming (Tier 3): A school in which one or more student groups is performing at or below the level of the “all students” group in the lowest performing 5% of schools.
- Lowest Performing (Tier 4): A school that is in the lowest performing 5% of schools in Illinois.
District 58 is very proud to announce that seven schools earned an Exemplary rating and six schools earned a Commendable rating!
- Belle Aire: Commendable
- El Sierra: Commendable
- Fairmount: Exemplary
- Henry Puffer: Exemplary
- Highland: Commendable
- Hillcrest: Exemplary
- Indian Trail: Commendable
- Kingsley: Exemplary
- Lester: Exemplary
- Pierce Downer: Exemplary
- Whittier: Exemplary
- Herrick: Commendable
- O’Neill: Commendable
Sisul also shared that new this year, the Illinois Report Card included site-based expenditures. District 58 spends an average of $14,373 per student, with a range of $13,296 -$15,333 across all schools. Individual school spending can vary for a few reasons, the primary reason being variances among staff salaries. Schools with more experienced teachers spend more since experienced teachers yield a higher salary.
Sisul noted that District 58 has seen tremendous improvements on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness over the past two years, but in order to achieve its strategic goals regarding learning, the District must continue to focus on student growth. The District will continue to expose students to the Illinois Assessment of Readiness platform to better prepare them for the test. The District will also continue to take an enthusiastic “can-do” approach to state assessments and evaluate the frequency that students currently demonstrate their knowledge in a similar manner to the Illinois Assessment of Readiness model.
Board members thanked Sisul for his presentation and shared concerns regarding the wide range of Illinois Assessment of Readiness average achievement and growth scores among schools. The administration agreed that there is more work to be done to close performance gaps amongst the schools. Dr. Russell shared that two concrete steps the District is taking to help in this area is a revamping of the school improvement process and completing the curriculum renewal process called for in the Strategic Plan. Action planning on the student level in conjunction with a guaranteed viable curriculum across the District is essential in closing a wide ranges of scores.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell provided the Board with information and updates, including:
- Curriculum and Instruction: Every school is hosting a parent meeting to discuss the school’s report card and academic performance. Learn more. Last Tuesday, the Herrick PTA hosted a viewing of “Screenagers: The Next Chapter,” followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Russell and other community leaders. The documentary pointed out how anxiety and depression are on the rise with teenagers. It is essential that community groups continue to work with the District to meet the needs of all students.
- Finance: The Health and Wellness Committee and Group Alternatives have hosted many meetings to educate staff regarding their insurance benefits.
- Facilities: The District has been in contact with various parent groups raising funds for playgrounds, as well as Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, who allocated state funds for playground improvements at most schools. These funds have not been received, and there is no timeline for their disbursement.
- Public Relations: The District is assembling a Citizen Task Force to help the Board finalize the DRAFT Master Facility Plan. In addition, this week, the District 58 administration will have its twice-annual meeting with the PTA Council. This meeting is a great opportunity for administrators and PTA leaders to collaborate!
- Personnel: Congratulations to Director of Buildings and Grounds Kevin Barto for becoming a Certified Professional Supervisor. This certification ensures that Kevin possesses the professional expertise and knowledge required to successfully perform plant and facilities supervisory activities.
- Technology: The District has heard parent concerns regarding student device security and content filtering at home. The District thanks the parents for sharing these concerns. District 58 is piloting new software that will allow for increased device filtering at home.
- Veterans Day: Happy Veterans Day to all District 58 vets! Dr. Russell had the honor of attending the Belle Aire Veterans Day assembly. “While many schools are off for Veterans Day, I am grateful that our students were in attendance. We are honored to use this day as a way to teach students about the sacrifices the men and women of our armed services have made so we can enjoy freedom. Thank you, veterans!” said Dr. Russell.
- Triple I Conference: School Board members and District administrators will attend the State’s Triple I Conference later this month. This conference provides valuable professional development and learning opportunities for administrators and Board members alike.
- Happy Thanksgiving!: Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. There is no student attendance the week of Thanksgiving. District offices (ASC and Longfellow) will be open on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.
- Thank You, School Board!: School Board Members Day is Friday, Nov. 15. Thank you, District 58 School Board members, for your tireless service to our school district!
Business Report
Assistant Superintendent for Business Todd Drafall reported that it is open enrollment season for District 58 employees. The District aims to better educate staff regarding their health insurance options and hosted open enrollment meetings, which were attended by 85% of staff.
He added that the District’s revenues and expenditures are trending as expected.
Committee Reports
Board President Darren Hughes reported on the Nov. 8 Financial Advisory Committee meeting. The committee reviewed the year-to-date finance report and noted that the medical reserve fund is in a stronger position. They discussed the District’s cash flow and working cash, which reaches its low point each May. They considered implementing a fund balance policy, pointing out how even if the District has a balanced budget, it isn’t really balanced if the fund balance dips too low.
The District Leadership Team, Health and Wellness Committee, Legislative Committee and Policy Committee have not met since the last Board meeting.
IASB Resolutions
Board Member Kirat Doshi worked with the Legislative Committee and the District 58 administration to review proposal recommendations set forth by the Illinois Association of School Board (IASB) in the 2019 Resolutions Committee Report. Doshi will serve as the District 58 delegate when the IASB membership votes on these recommendations during the Joint Annual Conference this month. Doshi asked the Board to openly discuss these proposals, along with the positions that the Legislative Committee and District administration recommended the Board take.
The Board reviewed a proposed new resolution that would allow school employees to voluntarily carry a concealed firearm on school property. The Legislative Committee and District administration both recommended the Board not support this proposal. The Board of Education concurred with this recommendation. After a thoughtful discussion on this proposal and other proposals, the Board approved the Legislative Committee and District administration’s recommendations and directed Doshi to cast his vote accordingly on behalf of District 58.
View a memo regarding these recommendations.
During the Meeting, the Board Also:
- Publicly recognized the 2019-20 Student Council officers.
- Approved minutes from the Oct. 7 special meeting, Oct. 16 regular meeting and Oct. 28 curriculum workshop.
- Approved all items presented in the consent agenda.
- Adopted a resolution honoring American Education Week on Nov. 18-22.
- Adopted the 2019 Certificate of Levy in the amount of $58,735,000. Read the memo. Learn about property tax terminology.
- Approved second readings on two revised policies: #1150 – Citizen Communication to the Board, and #8244 – Determining Agenda.
- Approved a recommendation to adopt the IASB Policy Manual via the policy customization process, subscribe to PRESS Plus and implement the online policy manual.
Upcoming Events
- Monday, Nov. 18 at 3:45 p.m.: District Leadership Team at El Sierra
- Monday, Nov. 18 at 6:15 p.m.: Staff Meet & Greet at El Sierra
- Monday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.: Financial Workshop at El Sierra
- Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 7 a.m.: Policy Committee Meeting at the ASC
- Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 3:45 p.m.: Legislative Committee Meeting at the ASC
- Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m.: PTA Meeting/Building Tour at Lester
District 58 Board of Education members are: Darren Hughes, president; Greg Harris, vice president; Kirat Doshi, Emily Hanus, Steven Olczyk, Jill Samonte and Tracy Weiner, with Dr. Kevin Russell, superintendent; and Melissa Jerves, board secretary.