Flag Salute – Indian Trail School
Indian Trail School Student Council officers led the Board and audience in the flag salute. The Student Council includes President Dominick Passo, Vice President Ava Rizzo, Secretary Julia Frauendorff, Treasurer Patrick Laurich, Chairperson Summer Kruk and Chairperson Ella Dvoracek. They were joined by their Student Council sponsor, Fifth Grade Teacher Sandy Leff, and Principal Robin Bruebach.
The students shared a presentation on their recent projects and successes. Last fall, they held a taffy apple sale and a candy cane sale. They also open a “school store” twice per month and sell school supplies. During December, they raised $200, which they will use to create birthday boxes for the Humanitarian Service Project. This spring, they will hold a Pasta for Pennies fundraiser to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation. The Student Council also looks forward to their annual Community Day, a tradition that invites teachers and community members to teach students mini-lessons on different areas of expertise.
Indian Trail PTA co-presidents Tanya Marquez and Amy Polivka provided the Board with an overview of the school’s recent PTA activities. The PTA launched a new website and created a private Facebook page to increase engagement. They also are planning an ‘80s Trivia Night fundraiser for this March.
Spotlight on our Schools: Special Services
Assistant Superintendent for Special Services Jessica Stewart shared a spotlight on District 58’s special services with the Board.
District 58’s state-recognized special services help ensure all students have the supports they need to succeed in school, at home and in the future as adults. District 58 strategically places specialists in each building who address a variety of individual student needs. The District also offers flexible grouping and scheduling, as well as preventative services and specialized technology access to meet student needs.
While District 58 attempts to keep all students in-district, there are some students with very unique educational and health needs who require specialized instruction beyond the District’s scope. These students are outplaced into private facilities or alternative day programs, such as the SASED Cooperative and Southeast School.
Stewart noted that between 2008 and 2013, the number of students being outplaced more than doubled, as more students requiring these extra supports entered District 58. In response to this trend, the Special Services Department evaluated these students’ unique needs and developed new, highly-specialized in-district programs that could accommodate some of these students.
Thanks to these efforts, the District redesigned its Developmental Learning Program (DLP), which serves students with known or suspected intellectual and/or communication disabilities. Last school year, the District launched the Behavioral, Emotional and Social Training Program (BEST), which replaced the former Alternative Education Program. The BEST program helps students with emotional and social development disabilities. New this year, the District began the Reaching Independence through Structured Teaching, or RISE, program. This program specifically serves students with known or suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The DLP, BEST and RISE programs all employ highly-trained certified staff and specialists who work together to meet the needs of students in an individualized and inclusive environment. Since 2013, the number of students outplaced in District 58 has remained stable, decreasing for the first time in 2015.
Stewart also noted that District 58 has an organized continuum of services to ensure each student is well served in the least restrictive environment, allowing as many students as possible to still participate in general education classes.
Stewart was pleased to share that the District recently began using a new software program, called PowerIEP, to streamline student IEP information for teachers and specialists.
In the future, the Special Services Department will continue to evaluate and improve its programs to better serve students. They look forward to continued collaborations with the new PTA Building Bridges parent group. District 58 is also monitoring state initiatives and potential budget changes, as well as its possible impact on the District’s special services.
District 58 will share a more in-depth report of the District’s special programs – Grove Children’s Preschool, the DLP Program, the BEST Program and the RISE Program – at the Feb. 22 Board Curriculum Workshop.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli shared two potential 2016-17 calendar options with the Board to consider. District 58 administrators created the calendars with input from the Board, DGEEA and District 99. The Board provided feedback and direction to the administration, and is expected to vote on the calendar in March.
Dr. Cremascoli shared that she looks forward to an evening of learning and sharing at the upcoming Feb. 22 Board Curriculum Workshop.
She also reminded the Board and visitors that the Education Foundation will host its annual spring concert fundraiser on Thursday, March 10 at the Tivoli Theatre. This year’s concert features the ‘80s cover band, Sixteen Candles, and will be more affordable for parents and community members to attend. As an added bonus, a District 58 staff ‘80s-themed costume contest will take place before the concert.
She also congratulated all students, staff and families who participated in or assisted at the recent Science Fair and the ILMEA All-State Elementary Chorus.
Finally, Dr. Cremascoli informed the Board that a few parents had asked questions regarding the District’s lice protocols and holiday parties. She shared the District’s guidelines on lice, which follow the recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidelines state that District 58 will not exclude a student from school. The District will notify the child’s parents immediately and encourage them to seek treatment. In accordance with best practice recommendations, the District does not send notification to families regarding lice incidents, unless a cluster appears. Instead, schools focus on ongoing communication and education with their parent community.
Regarding Valentine’s Day parties, since the holiday falls at the end of a three-day-weekend, many schools opted to replace the Valentine’s Day class party with a Spring Fling party. Other schools decided to continue with its traditional Valentine’s Day party a few days early.
Business Report
Controller Dr. James Popernik reported that the 2015-16 District 58 budget appears to be on track. District 58 has received the State’s general state aid payments, but is still waiting on the state’s categorical payments. Education Fund expenditures are running at about $700,000 higher this year than they were at this time last year. The Medical Reserve Fund is on budget.
Like in previous years, cash flow will likely become an issue in the spring. District 58 will again request loans from its Working Cash Fund to its Education Fund.
Committee Reports
Member Elizabeth Sigale reported on the Jan. 20 Legislative Committee meeting and the Jan. 29 Legislative Breakfast.
Sigale said that the committee finalized Legislative Breakfast questions during the Jan. 20 meeting. She added that the Legislative Breakfast went quite smoothly and was very well-attended. Four legislators participated in the panel discussion, answering seven challenging questions related to potential budget cuts, unfunded mandates, possible property tax freezes and more.
The Financial Advisory Committee and Policy Committee did not meet this past month.
Discussion: OKEEP Update
District 58 provided the Board with an update and recommendation regarding the potential expansion of the Optional Kindergarten Enrichment and Enhancement Program (OKEEP).
During the past month, District 58 shared two surveys: one for current and future Lester kindergarten parents, and another for current OKEEP/Title 1 kindergarten parents. The surveys sought input regarding Lester parent kindergarten priorities and Title 1 parent kindergarten experiences. The District is using this data, in conjunction with other input and research, to guide its recommendation regarding OKEEP expansion.
District 58 recommended that OKEEP be expanded for the 2016-17 school year, giving special consideration for Lester School, which lacks space to fully implement OKEEP at the school.
The Lester survey results found that many Lester parents prioritize their child attending kindergarten at Lester, even if OKEEP is not offered. Other parents prioritized their child participating in OKEEP, even if not at Lester School.
Given this information, the administration recommends that all Lester families who prefer attending school at Lester be guaranteed a space in Lester’s traditional half-day kindergarten program. Families who prioritize OKEEP will have access to a spot in kindergarten with OKEEP at Belle Aire School, and transportation will be provided by the District.
If enough Lester families opt for OKEEP, Lester School could have space for one section of OKEEP. If this is the case, District 58 will hold a lottery to offer enrollment in the one section of OKEEP hosted at Lester. A family opting for participation in the lottery must commit to accepting placement at either Lester or Belle Aire, pending the lottery results.
The Board of Education will make its final decision regarding OKEEP expansion at the March 14 regular Board meeting.
During the meeting, the Board also:
- Listened to a mid-year update on the Strategic Goals Action Plan 2015-16; most goals are on track or completed.
- Discussed student fees for 2016-17 school year.
- Approved minutes from the Jan. 11 Regular Board Meeting, Jan. 21 Coffee with the Staff, and the Jan. 27 Lester Building Tour & PTA Meeting.
- Awarded Paper 101 the bid to provide paper for the 2016-17 school year for an estimated $51,864.03, a decrease in cost from last year.
- Adopted the SASED Member District Resolution amending the SASED Joint Agreement/Bylaws, which would restructure SASED’s legal status from a Joint Agreement to an Independent Legal Entity.
Upcoming events:
- Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 a.m.: Policy Committee Meeting at the ASC
- Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 3:45 p.m.: Legislative Committee Meeting at the ASC
- Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 a.m.: BOE Coffee with the Staff at Highland School
- Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.: Curriculum Workshop at Longfellow
- Monday, March 14 at 7 p.m.: Regular Board Meeting at Longfellow
District 58 Board of Education members include: John Cooper, president; Doug Purcell, vice president; Roberta Diehl; Christopher Heppner; Sallie Lupescu; John Miller; and Elizabeth Sigale, with Dr. Kari Cremascoli, superintendent; and Pam Osika, board secretary.