Illinois Valley Times

Peru Elementary School District 124 Board of Education met March 20.

Here is the minutes as provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER

The regular meeting of the month of March of the Board of Education of Peru Elementary School District 124, LaSalle County, Illinois, was called to order in the Learning Resource Center at Parkside School, 1800 Church Street, Peru, IL, by Board President Mark Lamboley, on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at 6:00 p.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

President Lamboley led the Board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL

PRESENT: Members Rob Ankiewicz, Josanne Bruins, Simon Kampwerth, Patti Leynaud, Vice President Jim Renk, and President Mark Lamboley.

OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent Mark Cross, Kim Vezzetti, Lori Madden, Sara McDonald, Melissa Bosnich, Austin Taylor, and Brynn Twait.

ABSENT: Member CG Pillai.

MOTION: Moved by Member Bruins, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve the meeting agenda of March 20, 2019. ROLL CALL, VOTING AYE: Bruins, Leynaud, Renk, Lamboley, Ankiewicz, and Kampwerth. NAYS: None. The motion carried 6-0.

PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRESPONDENCE, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mr. Cross introduced audience member Austin Taylor who is running for the School Board this April and is expected to fill member Jim Renk’s seat. Board members joined Mr. Cross in welcoming Mr. Taylor to the meeting and to the Board, and encouraged him to reach out any time with questions.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION: Moved by Member Ankiewicz, seconded by Vice President Renk, to approve the following items in the Consent Agenda:

      • February 20, 2019 Board of Education Meeting Minutes

      • February 20, 2019 Executive Session Minutes

      • March 13, 2019 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

      • Financial Reports

      • Treasurer’s Report

      • District Bills

      • Required Board and Employee Travel Expense Reimbursements

ROLL CALL, VOTING AYE: Ankiewicz, Renk, Lamboley, Bruins, Kampwerth, and Leynaud. NAYS:cNone. The motion carried 6-0.

REPORTS, UPDATES, AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

Administrators’ Reports

Mrs. McDonald reported:

      • Seventy-four students are pre-registered for Kindergarten next year. Mrs. McDonald believes there are still potentially 7 students who may be registering. These numbers are approximately the same as last year, but a larger jump in numbers is not expected at August registration this year since more incoming kindergarteners are identified through the larger preschool program.

      • Preschool screenings were held in February and will be held again in April. There are 35 three year olds returning next year and 52 on the current waiting list. A total of 10 spots are also saved for Dimmick and Dalzell students for a period of time per the grant agreement.

      • Second grade student Carter Blair is being awarded a 2019 Outstanding Student Technology Award. The celebration will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Oak Brook and is sponsored by the Southwest Infinitec Coalition. Carter will be attending with his parents, Kendra Landers and Kelly Schaefer, the teachers who nominated Carter for this award. 

Ms. Madden reported:

      • Ms. Madden commended new Parkside librarian Beth Hickey for the wonderful job of decorating the Learning Resource Center to made students feel welcome, as well as to promote reading. The result has been a significant increase in the amount of student traffic in the library.

      • Ms. Madden updated the Board on Student Improvement activities. The Parkside staff continues to work on strengthening math skills and students will participate in a “Mathtastic” event which will challenge them to complete math questions. On April 12, there will be a full day of activities for students centered on social-emotional learning called “What’s Your Legacy?” The day will end with a dance and some social game activities.

Mrs. Bosnich reported:

      • Testing of the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), which has replaced the PARCC test, is underway. She explained the tests questions are very similar to the PARCC test, but the sessions are shortened and students are doing two tests per day. The testing process has gone well so far. 

Superintendent’s Report

Mr. Cross reported:

      • After 11 years of successful implementation, the sales tax agreement with the City of Peru has netted over $20.8 million in revenue to finance the debt for Parkside School. This is just shy of $1.9 million per year, well above the $1.5 million required annually for debt service. The city maintains the surplus in the event revenues falls short in future years, but Mr. Cross stated that this is highly unlikely since 2018 was a record amount of sales tax for the city, and collections have exceeded the revenue required to retire the bonds by $5 million in the first 11 years. With the Parkside debt over halfway paid off and over three years of reserves being held by the city, Mr. Cross said this arrangement has been completely successful, and the district is well on its way to fulfilling its promise of not raising property taxes to build Parkside School.

      • Mr. Cross reviewed the personnel and staffing numbers currently planned for FY20. Due tovstudent needs and program accommodations for next school year, the district has recently hiredvan interpreter. Mr. Cross and Ms. Madden will also be recommending an additional life skillsvteacher at Parkside School later in the meeting, and Mrs. McDonald are recommending thevaddition of a first grade class next year to accommodate the large kindergarten class moving up.vThey will wait until after district registration in August before considering keeping a fifth sectionvof kindergarten next year. Mr. Cross anticipates a full-time equivalent staff of 120 next year.

      • Mr. Cross and the leadership team reviewed a draft proposal from the ECRA Group. The purpose of reviewing this platform is to assist with the management of student growth data to better allow staff to focus on using the data to help improve instruction in the classroom, while also serving as a potential tool for program evaluation. The team is still looking into this in more detail and a number of questions need to be answered before a final recommendation can be made. Mr. Cross is also hopeful that the proposed cost can be reduced. He said depending on the outcome of the research and cost, a recommendation could be ready for the April Board meeting so that the process can get started and the platform is ready for use when teachers return in August.

      • Mr. Cross reminded the Board that the Regional Office of Education Excellence in Education Banquet will be held on Thursday, May 2. Although unable to attend, Vice President Jim Renk will be recognized as a retiring board member with 16 years of service on the Board of Education.

ACTION ITEMS

Approval of the 2019-20 Student Registration Fees

MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve the 2019-20 student registration fees as presented. ROLL CALL, VOTING AYE: Kampwerth, Leynaud, Renk, Lamboley, Ankiewicz, and Bruins. NAYS: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Approval of the Final 2018-19 School District Calendar

MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Bruins, to approve the final 2018-19 school district calendar as presented. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

Establishment of Date, Time and Location for Special Board of Education Meeting for the Puprose of Post-Election Organization

MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to establish Wednesday, April 24, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. in the Parkside Choral Room, as the date, time, and location for the special Board of Education meeting for the purpose of post-election organization. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Bruins, to adjourn to Executive Session at 7:01 p.m. for the discussion of information regarding the employment, performance, or dismissal of employees or district legal counsel; discussion of information related to employee salaries, benefits, and issues related to collective bargaining; and discussion regarding security procedures and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property. ROLL CALL, VOTING AYE: Renk, Bruins, Kampwerth, Leynaud, Lamboley, and Ankiewicz. NAYS: None. The motion carried 6-0.

RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION

MOTION: Moved by Member Ankiewicz, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to return to Regular Session at 7:42 p.m. ROLL CALL, VOTING AYE: Ankiewicz, Kampwerth, Leynaud, Renk, Lamboley, and Bruins. NAYS: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Approval of Resginations

MOTION: Moved by Member Bruins, seconded by Vice President Renk, to approve the resignation of Pam Schneider as 7th grade science teacher at the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve the resignation of Sam Gondolfi as teacher aide at Northview School at the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

Employment of Recommended Personnel

MOTION: Moved by Member Leynaud, seconded by Vice President Renk, to approve the employment of Toni Moss as food service director for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year and for the 2019-20 school year. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

 MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to approve the employment of Jade Hubinsky as 7th grade science teacher for the 2019-20 school year. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve the employment of Michaela Copeland as special education teacher at Parkside School for the 2019-20 school year. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

MOTION: Moved by Member Bruins, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve Holly Buczkowski, Sharon Strauch, Sue Zeman, Lisa Tate, Sam Gondolfi, and Derek Benning as summer custodians for the summer of 2019. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

Re-employment of Recommended Non-Tenured Faculty for the 2019-20 School Term

MOTION: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to re-employ the recommended non-tenured as full-time faculty for 2019-20: Fourth Year (re-employment results in tenure): Melissa Cassidy, Steve Wasmer and Ronda Iossi. Third Year: Natalie Verucchi. Second Year: Megan Kirkman, Glenn Hall, Sally Etzenbach and Jaime Fought. First Year: Melissa Preston, Corrine Brauweiler, Matt Guenther, Jessica Urbanc and Reilly Veloria. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0. Approval of Recommended 2018-19 Non-Union Employee Salaries

MOTION: Moved by Member Leynaud, seconded by Vice President Renk, to approve the recommended 2019-20 non-union employee salaries as presented. ROLL CALL, VOTING AYE: Leynaud, Renk, Lamboley, Ankiewicz, Bruins, and Kampwerth. NAYS: None. The motion carried 6-0.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION: Moved by Vice President Renk, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to adjourn at 7:49 p.m. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

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