MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING OF
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
April 11, 2007 6:30 P.M. Educational
The Board of Education of the
Ms. Marianne Clancy, Board Secretary, established
a quorum and the following Members were present: Mr. John Dirks, Mr. Michael
Harrison, Mr. Keith Davis, Mrs. Millicent Roth, Mr. Joseph Butcher, Mrs. Cheryl
Jackson and Mrs. Janet Smith, Board President.
Present
from the administrative staff were Dr. Robert Nielsen, Mr. Barry Reilly, and Mrs.
Teresa Hill.
Present from the news media was Ms. Sharon Wolfe, The Pantagraph and Mr. Jesse Reeves, WJBC Radio.
Mrs. Smith presented the Minutes for approval.
It was moved by Mr. Butcher,
seconded by Mr. Harrison, that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
Board of Education held on March 14, 2007 and the Minutes of the Closed Meeting
of the Board of Education held on March 14, 2007, be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members
present voted “Aye”. Motion carried.
Ms. Deb Voorhees, BHS Science teacher and Scholastic
Bowl Coach, introduced members of the Scholastic Bowl Team. Team Members include Kristina Warren, Hunter
Fast, Michael Lieder, Keldin Sergheyev,
Calvin Quilty, Raye Lefler, Christopher Petkus, Greg
Jackson, J.D. Look, Jayanth Madheswaran,
Sarah Palmer, Amanda Landers, Jon Powell, Brian Clark, Troy Earley,
Ethan Bledsoe, Patrick Deighan, Elizabeth Graehling, B. Alex Johnson, Abhi Bhyravajjula, Ashley White, Nicholas Meyer, Bhavani Sishtla, Ben Johnson, Ben
Leifheit and Hannah Maurer. Ms. Natalie Miller, BHS History teacher,
helped Ms. Voorhees with coaching the team. The team won the Sectional
Championship on Saturday, March 10 with a 3-0 record. They finished their
season 5th in the State and ranked 19th in the Nation.
Mrs. Smith congratulated the team on all their
successes and asked them, Ms. Voorhees and any parents present to come forward
and receive personal congratulations from the Board.
Ms. Angie Lawrence, BHS
Science teacher and BHS Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Team
Coach, introduced the WYSE team for recognition. Members of the team include: Troy Earley,
Kristina Warren, Hunter Fast, Michael Parker, Jayanth
Madheswaran, Stevie Curry,
Kristy Hosack, Keldin Sergheyev and Jeff Lawson.
During the first week of
April, University of Illinois College of Engineering sponsored WYSE and hosted
students from all around the state for the 2006 State WYSE Academic Challenge.
The Academic Challenge is a competitive series of tests created and
administered by WYSE and offered to high school students in
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April 11, 2007
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The BHS team earned 11
individual medals out of 21 possible medals and placed first as a team at the
Sectional Competition Unlimited Division. The team earned first place in 5 of
the 7 test categories.
BHS individual medal winners were lead by
Troy Earley earning first place in both computer
science and physics, Kristina Warren winning first in English and third in
Chemistry, Hunter Fast earning first in Chemistry, and Michael Parker winning
first in Engineering Graphics. Other medal winners were: Jayanth
Madheswaran, third in Biology, Stevie
Curry, second in English, Kristy Hosack, third in
English, Keldin Sergheyev
earned 2nd in Physics, and Jeff Lawson earned third in Math.
Mrs. Smith congratulated the team on all their
successes and asked them, Ms. Lawrence and any parents present to come forward
and receive personal congratulations from the Board.
BHS
Biology teacher and Lead Science teacher, Ms. Diane Goerlitz,
was recognized for being selected as the 2007 winner of the Illinois Computing
Educators (ICE) “Educator of the Year Award.”
Each year ICE selects one
educator in each of two categories – one teacher and one technology
administrator, for this prestigious award. Educators are nominated for this
award by colleagues, fellow teachers, students, and school administrators who
feel that the nominee has made outstanding contributions to the integration of
technology and the improvement of teaching and learning in their school or
district. Once nominated, candidates must complete an extensive application
process, and are then reviewed, evaluated, and scored on rubrics by members of
the ICE Educator of the Year Committee. Selections are then confirmed by the
ICE Executive Board for final approval.
Ms. Goerlitz
publishes and maintains a biology website that is used on a daily basis by her
students. Her entire curriculum is posted, and when absent, her students can
find out what was completed in class that day, download the activity, do
practice quizzes, use flash cards, and catch up on the notes from the class
missed.
Ms. Goerlitz
stated that other teachers throughout the country can access her website and
use the tools she has posted for their own classes.
Ms. Goerlitz
thanked the Board for their support of technology in the District.
Mrs. Smith congratulated Ms.
Goerlitz and asked her to come forward and receive
personal congratulations from the Board.
Ms. Amanda White,
Stevenson 4th Grade teacher, was recognized for the Sesquicentennial
Video she and several students produced for the start of the Sesquicentennial
activities which kicked off on April 5, 2007. (The video was shown at this
Board Meeting.) Students involved were Aliasgher Sabir,
Jake Stille, Alexus
Long-Wyse and Izabella Carroll. The video was in a play format which summarized
the buildings in the District for the past 150 years and the history of who
they were named.
Mrs. Smith thanked the group for their efforts and asked them and any
parents present to come forward and receive Board appreciation.
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April 11, 2007
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Dr. Nielsen introduced Mrs. Danelle
Behrends-Harr to the Board, as the new Principal of
Sarah Raymond School of Early Childhood Education for the 2007-08 School Year. Mrs.
Behrends-Harr has a Master’s Degree in Educational
Administration from
Mrs. Behrends-Harr stated
that she is excited about working for the District and thanked the Board for
the opportunity.
Mrs. Smith welcomed Mrs. Behrends-Harr
to the District and asked her to come forward and receive personal
congratulations from the Board.
Mr. Davis stated he attended a Judge John M. Scott Vocational Education
Trust meeting on Monday. He stated that
the Trust has done very well this year.
Mr. Davis stated that he attended a Board of Education Policies Committee
meeting on April 9, 2007 and that the Board will receive the suggested
revisions soon.
Mrs. Roth reported that the Publicity Committee for the Sesquicentennial
of which she is a member, has several dignitary recognitions lined up. She
stated we have received a proclamation from the Governor of Illinois, a
resolution from the Illinois House of Representatives, we are getting a
certificate from the Illinois Senate and we are working on a Federal
recognition as well.
Mr. Dirks stated that he attended the Board of Education Policies
Committee meeting on April 9.
Mr. Dirks reported that the Beyond the Books Educational Foundation met
last week and reviewed the grant applications.
He stated there will be an announcement in May as to who will receive
grant monies.
Mrs. Jackson reminded the Board that the Spring Governing Meeting for the
Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) will be May 1 and encouraged the
Board Members to attend.
Mrs. Smith stated she attended the Judge John M. Scott Vocational
Education Trust meeting on Monday. She stated that Mr. David Wood will be
bringing a report on the Trust to the Board in the near future.
Mrs. Smith stated that she attended a Facilities Meeting this afternoon
and Mr. Colin Manahan, Director of Facilities Management, will be bringing bid
recommendations on the
Mrs. Jackson stated that she wanted to commend all past Board Members and
administrators. Based on the 2007 School
District Financial Profile the State Board of Education has again awarded
District 87 a Certificate of Recognition documenting the District’s excellence
in finance. She stated she specifically commends
past and present Board Members and administrators because they are the ones who
made a commitment that we will be financially
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April 11, 2007
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responsible and have made the tough cuts and
the tough policies over the years to keep this District in good financial shape
despite dyer predictions in the early ‘90s.
This certificate will be joining the other three on the wall already
that have recognized the District’s financial stability the past several
years. She stated “congratulations to
all of you”.
Mrs. Roth stated that she had a phone call from a person who was being
relocated to
Mrs. Smith reminded everyone that the Bloomington Normal Education
Association (BNEA) Minority Educator Reception is being held on Monday, April
16, 2007 at
Mrs. Smith stated that the new District 87 Sesquicentennial website is
great. Ms. Linda Aschenbrener, Public
Relations Facilitator, did a great job on developing it.
Mr. Davis stated that he too thought the new website was nice.
Dr. Nielsen reported the most recent Bus Survey Results. In summary:
Approximately
3,700 surveys were distributed to every student as they left the bus to go home
on the afternoon of Friday, March 16th. Approximately 9% (331) of those
surveyed responded. Approximately 25% of those responding indicated that they
had called about a problem during the last year.
The
most prevalent issue (approximately 25%) had to do with the bus not being on
time. Approximately 10% had issues with the driver and 8% had issues with the
behavior of other students. Of those responding, most agreed that the issue was
resolved (70% First Student and 75% District 87). However, fewer agreed that it
was resolved quickly (55% First Student and 65% District 87) Moreover, there is
some room for improvement on being helpful and courteous (average of 69% First
Student and 91% District 87). There is also room for improvement in
communicating to parents who they should contact with problems. Only 48%
"usually" or "always" knew who to contact at First Student
and only 63% at District 87. Further, only 64% reported that they were
"usually" or "always" notified of schedule changes.
In
general, a majority appear satisfied with the overall transportation system. A
majority report the bus is "usually" or "always" on time
(84%) and that their child "never" or "seldom" complains of
other student behavior (92% bus stop and 80% bus.) Few report that the driver
"never" or "seldom" controls students (12%) or treats
students appropriately (7%). Only 23% report that the bus is "usually"
or "always" too crowded. Only 5% of students are "usually"
or "always" afraid to ride the bus.
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April 11, 2007
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The
District will review the results with First Student and work to improve
communication, response time, and overall customer service. We will also
carefully review the three tier route system to see if there are ways to reduce
the number of students on each bus and to improve the percent of buses that are
on time.
Mr. Jason Sherman, First Student Contract
Manager, and Mr. Garry Tagg, First Student Finance
Manager, reported on changes First Student is continuing to make to improve
transportation services for District 87 students. They focused on four main issues:
•
Drivers
•
Three
new drivers are being trained and until they are ready to drive, 3 drivers have
been brought in from other sites.
•
This
allows the contract manager to focus on customer service and operations.
•
Passenger
Management
•
Seven to
ten new monitors
•
Assigned
elementary seats
•
Ten new
surveillance tape hard drives
•
Extreme
Weather
•
If
emergency siren sounds, immediately return bus to nearest school
•
Continue
bus route only after National Weather Service cancels the emergency
•
Driver
Judgment and Responsibility
•
Communications
•
Who to
Contact
•
Principal
meeting with Drivers and Monitors at Start of School
•
Revise
Student Handbooks and District Web Site
•
Focus
Group of Parents, Drivers and Administrators
Mrs. Smith thanked Mr. Sherman for being so receptive of the District’s
comments and concerns and she stated she can tell that strong efforts are being
made by First Student to make changes that will benefit the students on the
buses.
Dr. Nielsen reported on proposed changes
to school fees for 2007-08. Changes
proposed include the elimination of the Early Childhood registration fee of
$35.00, per request from the ISBE (loss of approximately $10,000). Increases
for breakfast and lunch are proposed to offset the cost of food and transportation.
Breakfast fees:
Elementary: from $1.25 to $1.30
BJHS: from $1.25 to $1.35
BHS: from $1.25 to $1.35
Adult: from $1.50 to $1.60
Lunch fees:
Elementary: from $1.60 to $1.65
BJHS: from $2.00 to $2.10
BHS: from $2.00 to $2.10
Adult: from $2.50 to $2.65
Dr. Nielsen stated that these fee changes
will be brought back for
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April 11, 2007
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Board consideration
at the April 25th meeting.
Mrs. Smith presented the Consent Agenda for Approval.
Dr. Nielsen asked that Consent Agenda A, Human Resources
Report, be pulled and moved to Board Action A.
It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Dirks, that the
Consent Agenda (Bills, Payroll, Treasurer’s Report, Financial Summary, BHS IHSA
Membership Renewal, BJHS Roof Flashing Bid Recommendation, Building Permit
Application and Group Medical Insurance Rates for 2007-08) be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted
“Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 4-11-07/1)
Dr.
Nielsen’s stated we are formulating our Hall of Fame induction for the
Sesquicentennial Celebration which will take place in September. We expect to have a large parade which will
take place beginning at
Dr. Nielsen stated that on the Human Resources Report, page 2,
under Resignation of Certificated Staff, Ms. Debbie Aurelius-Muir, has asked the
District to rescind her resignation.
Mrs. Smith also noted that Mr. Stan Otto, Social Science teacher
at BHS, will be resigning after 34 years in education, 22 years in District 87.
It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mrs. Jackson that the
Human Resources Report be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted
“Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 4-11-07/2)
Mrs. Vickie Slagell, Stevenson School
Principal, noted her retirement after the 2006-07 school year and wanted to
thank the Board for the support they have given her during her career in the
District. She stated she loved her job and
will miss the connection she has with the District.
Mrs. Smith stated that the papers she past
out to the Board this evening will be discussed in two weeks.
There being no further business to come before the Board, Mrs. Smith adjourned the meeting.
APPPROVED: ATTEST:
______________________ ___________________________
President Secretary