March 11, 2014 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Description:  We have none for the March 2014 Board Meeting

Description:  In February, our Administrative Team participated in a webinar for a smartphone app called "Crisis Go".  I will be sharing the same presentation with the BOE at the meeting because we believe the "Crisis Go" app addresses a number of safety issues that have been discussed in the past.  

Description:  An application has been submitted to the Village of Woodridge by Pulte Home Builders, requesting the final plat of subdivision for Timber’s Edge, the 149 lot, single-family subdivision proposed north of 83rd Street and east of Beller Road on approximately 55 acres. In January the Woodridge Planning Commission recommended approval for the rezoning to R-3, preliminary plat of subdivision, amendment to the comprehensive plan and a building variation for height for a proposed 149 unit single-family subdivision. Pulte Homes was required to submit a final plan for Plan Commission consideration before the Village Board will consider the development requests and petition for annexation. The submittal has been distributed for the Village’s multi-department review. As required by Village Code, Pulte Homes must dedicate 11 acres per 600 residents generated by the development to Center Cass School District #66 and 48 acres per 2,300 residents generated to Community High School District #99 or the developer may pay a cash contribution in lieu of the land dedication required, in cases where the required land donation would result in a site too small to serve a functional need of the school district. The developer has agreed to make the school donation in the form of cash-in-lieu of land (in the amount of $357,773 and $167,916 respectively). Please see the attached contribution spreadsheet and plat of subdivision for the development. Prior to the Village Board meeting, the school district will need to sign the donation sheets. The final plans are currently under review with the Village. At the earliest the Village of Woodridge staff are expecting this to go to the Village Board in May, 2014.

Description:  The monthly SASED Board of Control update is provided as an information item for the Board’s review.  

Description:  Resignations/Terminations
None

New Hires
None

Positions Open:
BACC Assistant
Teacher Assistant - Lakeview JHS

I recommend that the Board of Education approve the Non-Certified Personnel Report as presented.

Description:  The Board approved the retirement of Mrs. Janeise Schultz, Principal of Prairieview Elementary School, at a meeting last year.  However, due to recent changes in TRS, Mrs. Schultz is requesting that her retirement date be changed from June 30, 2014 to June 27, 2014.  This is essentially changing her retirement date from a Monday to the prior Friday and has no negative impact on the school district.  I recommend the Board approve the change in retirement date for Mrs. Janeise Schultz from June 30, 2014 to June 27, 2014 as presented in the revised contract. 

Description:  In practice we are not reducing the number of administrators, however due to the way Illinois Labor Law is currently being interpreted, the most conservative view of reclassification of an employee from a principal to a teacher is considered to be a Reduction in Force.  Since the Board approved the reclassification of Jill Hansen from principal to teacher at a prior meeting, it is prudent to also create a Reduction in Force resolution.  The resolution is included as an attachment.   I recommend the Board approve the attached Reduction in Force Resolution for Mrs. Jill Hansen.

Description:  Attached is a Notice of Dismissal and Resolution for a Dismissal of Karen Young, who is currently a 0.7 FTE Probationary Teacher at Lakeview.  I recommend that the Board of Education approve the Notice of Dismissal and Resolution for Dismissal of Karen Young, a Probationary Teacher, as presented.

Description:  The District's transportation for students who attend special education classes outside of our district boundaries is arranged through SASED, our special education cooperative.  The current transportation provider is SEPTRAN and we have been pleased with their service.  SASED is recommending that all member districts approve a one year extension for these contractual services as provided by Illinois School Code section 5/29-6.1.  I recommend that the Board approves the extension agreement for special education transportation as presented.  

Description:  Lifetouch Photography has provided good service to the District for many years.  The agreement with the District is self-funded and incurs no District expense.  We have a contract agreement proposal included in your packet.  I recommend that the BOE approve Lifetouch as the photo service provider for the District for the 2014-15 school year and direct the Superintendent to sign the photo service agreement as presented.

Description:  Principal Hansen has provided a list of items that the Ide staff has requested.  I recommend the Board accept the donations from PTO to purchase these items.

Description:  I recommend that the Consent Agenda Items A, B, C, D, E and F be approved.

Description:  Based on our current practices with respect to paid sick leave days for IMRF employees and the challenges related to coordinating the annual school calendar with paid holidays, I recommend the Board consider three changes to policy 5:330.

1) Our current practice for establishing the annual number of paid sick leave days for various employee groups is tied to the number of days/months any given employee works.  Logically, the higher the number of days per year a member of an employee group works (teaching assistant, bus driver, BACC, building secretary,  or twelve month employee), then the higher the number of paid sick leave.  This practice does not match what is currently stated in policy and I recommend that policy be changed to reflect our current practice. 

2)  With respect to the number of unused sick leave days that an IMRF employee is allowed to accumulate, IMFR allows a maximum of 240 days, while our current board policy limits this to 180 days.  After confirming with legal counsel, I have verified that there is no negative impact to the District in allowing IMRF employees to accumulate up to the maximum of 240 days.  There is no "buy out" by the District for unused paid sick days.  Additionally this should encourage employees to not use sick days unnecessarily throughout their career.  I recommend the Board considers changing the policy to reflect a maximum of 240 accumulated sick leave days to align with IMRF rules.

3)  Because the policy identifies specific paid holidays for various employee groups and the school calendar changes from year to year, I recommend additional language to the policy clearly stating that the administration will identify substitute paid days off each year, based on the school calendar adopted by the Board.

Description:  On March 3 we received the Facility Needs Assessment from Legat Architects.  Board members have been provided copies and due to the large amount of detailed information, I recommend the Board consider creating a Facilities Committee and hold a committee meeting on March 25 to begin reviewing the results of the Facility Needs Assessment.  

Description:  Drafts of the Literacy Coach and Instructional Coach job descriptions were presented to the Board in February.  No substantive changes have been made since then, however they have been reviewed by the Steering Committee.  As we move forward with the FY 15 budget process, the actual number of positions will be brought back to the Board at a future meeting.

Recommendation:  I recommend that the Board approve the Literacy Coach and Instructional Coach job descriptions as presented.

Description:  Since I will not be able to attend the April 8 Board meeting I am requesting we change the meeting to the following week.

Recommendation:  I recommend that the Board of Education reschedule the meeting for the following week on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.