Deerfield Public Schools District 109 Board of Education met Nov. 18.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
MEMBERS PRESENT: Kenneth J. Ashman, Nick Begley, Katie Bittner, Scott Kluge, Ryan Kuo, Sari Montgomery,
Andrew Morrison
ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT:
Dr. Anthony McConnell, Superintendent
Lisa Anderson, Assistant Principal of Kipling School
Danielle Arnold, Director of Learning & Innovation
Ally Baisden, District Coordinator for Student Services
Ann Buch, Principal of Kipling School
Chris Cybulski, Principal of Shepard Middle School
Marcie Faust, Co-Principal of South Park School
Dr. John Filippi, Business Manager, CSBO
Joanna Ford, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
Greg Himebaugh, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations, CSBO
Becca Latham, Director of Communications
Nashwa Mekky, Associate Principal of Caruso Middle School
Casey Moravek, District Coordinator for Student Services
Sarah Rose, Assistant Director for Student Services
Amy Rubin, Director of Learning & Growth
Megan Russell, Principal of Caruso Middle School
Heather Santella, Assistant Principal of Wilmot School
Dr. Scott Schwartz, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning, & Innovation
Dr. Dave Sherman, Principal of South Park School
Stephanie Strenger, Principal of Walden School
CALL TO ORDER
President Begley called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA - NOVEMBER 18, 2019
Ms. Montgomery moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the meeting agenda as presented. Upon a voice vote being taken, the motion was approved.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Dr. McConnell thanked coaches and staff along with Mrs. Danielle Arnold and Dr. Scott Schwartz for leading a successful ELA and Innovation in the Classroom night on November 14, 2019. Progress reports were posted for Middle Schools on November 1st, and for Elementary Schools on November 15th. He also shared that Parent Teacher Conferences are upcoming and provide a good chance for conversations between staff and parents.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION RELATIVE TO MATTERS ON THE MEETING AGENDA
President Begley announced the opportunity for the community to offer comments to the Board. He stated another opportunity to address the Board on any matter would be available later in the meeting.
The following self-identified staff members addressed the Board regarding their concerns about middle school scheduling and enrollment based staffing: Ann Blythe, Lior Tomer, Alexander Rummelhart, and Barb Mastin.
Staff Participation Summary:
● Shared that they were speaking on behalf of DEA and Caruso/Shepard Middle Schools.
● Asked the Board/Administration to reconsider the decision to move away from the current teaming model.
● Commented about the current model being the most effective way to meet student needs.
● Commented that students with IEPs and 504s will have their needs better met, as the special education and core teachers can more effectively provide support.
● Expressed concerns about a decrease in common plan time, collaboration, and alignment within subject areas if the current model is lost.
● Shared concerns about teaching assignments being adjusted to take away the ability to support differentiated instruction in one focused subject area.
● Noted concerns regarding the school climate being changed and therefore staff won’t be as effectively able to provide social-emotional support to students as they can with smaller team sizes.
● Requested that the district explore all possible solutions to see if the present issues can be solved within the current teaming model.
● In closing, the staff who spoke shared a video outlining the scheduling process with visual aides to help the audience understand the concepts.
There were community members present who signed in but did not address the Board. The following self-identified community members addressed the Board regarding their concerns about middle school scheduling and enrollment based staffing: Dana Blumberg, Lisa Brody, Kelly Jakymiw, Amy Cohen, Elizabeth Perlman and Susan Jensen.
Community Participation Summary:
● Commented regarding doing what’s best for kids, especially amidst SEL challenges that students face.
● Community members shared support for the Team Model which is currently in place at the middle school level.
● Commented about collaboration time for teachers and loss of student/teacher connections if a new model is adopted.
● Noted a loss of trust in the district and piloting too many new programs such as SEL centered lunchrooms, two tiers of middle school math, world languages, standards based grading, and dismantling the team model.
● Commented regarding strong feelings to keep current teams so that they are able to best serve students.
● Veteran teachers from other districts shared their experiences of the importance of collaboration and the fear of 109 teachers losing that time.
● Asked the Board to listen to their constituents and acknowledge that the team model is preferred to best prepare students for high school.
● Shared comments on standards based grading and the idea that it is not preparing students for high school as it should.
● Commented about salary adjustments for administrators vs. teachers and the financial position of the district.
● Commented about SEL and whether preferred class size will elicit the same quality education known in 109.
● Requested the Board give the community a true representation of next steps with full transparency.
PUBLIC HEARING - TRUTH IN TAXATION AND TAX LEVY
In October, the Finance Committee of the Board met to discuss options related to the 2019 Tax Levy. The consensus recommendation is to continue abatement of the Debt Service Fund levy—asking taxpayers to provide District 109 roughly $1.6 million less than the District’s maximum taxing authority. Payment on bond principal and interest due will be made from operating funds.
A public hearing was held in order to hear comments regarding Truth in Taxation and the Tax Levy. President Begley stated the hearing start time at 7:42 p.m. He asked for comments three times as per public hearing guidelines. No comments were shared. President Begley stated the hearing closing time at 7:42 p.m.
RECOGNITION: BOARD MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY - NOVEMBER 15, 2019
School Board Member Day was November 15, 2019. This day is officially designated each year by the Illinois Association of School Boards to thank these public servants for their commitment and contributions to our schools. Dr. McConnell and the administration recognized District 109’s Board members. President Nick Begley, Vice President Scott Kluge, Secretary Sari Montgomery, Kenneth J. Ashman, Katie Bittner, Ryan Kuo, and Andrew Morrison were thanked for their dedication, leadership, and support of quality education for all children.
ENROLLMENT BASED STAFFING BOARD DISCUSSION
The Administration noted their ongoing efforts to share enrollment projections with the community. These projections suggest that the District will experience an enrollment decline of 10% over the next five years. As a result, the Board and District have been engaged in conversations to find solutions for how to plan for the future. Our middle school teachers have been working to explore options to keep the team structure as the district works towards staffing based on enrollment. The team aspect is of high importance across the district and to parents as well. As a result, all schedule options being reviewed include teams. One of the options would retain four core teachers on two teams for each grade level.
Dr. McConnell outlined the current scheduling model at the middle school level, where each grade level has two teams of four core teachers in math, social studies, English-language arts, and science. Currently, the average ELA/social studies/science class size is 21. Math classes average 18 students each. He noted that the middle school scheduling committee will be looking at various schedule options. The committee has seven Caruso teachers, seven Shepard teachers, and four administrators. The committee will present recommendations at the January 13, 2020 Board of Education meeting.
It was noted that middle school parents will have the opportunity after Thanksgiving to participate in a survey to provide us with feedback on Standards-Based Grading and middle school math programming.
The Board and Administration thanked teachers and community members for their input. Dr. McConnell and each Board member spoke to the audience, and below is a summary of their comments:
● Thanked the teachers and community members who came out to this meeting to be heard.
● Shared that they believe we can come up with a mutual agreement that works for everyone while also recognizing that change is not easy.
● Asked the audience to realize the sincerity of the Board to maintain the high quality of the district.
● Asked the audience to note that we have to accommodate what’s coming down the road with declining enrollment. They noted that we are deliberate in our thinking to plan for the future. If we don’t, the district will end up in a place where we are deficit spending. It is not sustainable long-term and the Board is keeping all perspectives in mind.
● The Board noted that they all had/have students of their own in the district and that the quality of education for the community and for their own families is of the highest importance. It’s crucial to look at projections, finances, and the impact of tax-payer dollars to continue equitable class size while maintaining the highest of standards.
● Commented on the understanding that we are very fortunate as a community to have such dedicated teachers in our service.
● Reiterated that the community input is informative and thoughtful, which helps drive decision-making.
● Noted the importance of communicating the progress of the scheduling committee with the community. Also
recognized the expertise of our teachers.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS
The Administration is required to notify the Board of any FOIA requests. A request was received from Jonah Meadows of the Deerfield Patch on October 31, 2019. He requested all records of discipline imposed on district employee Jennifer Russell, including any letters of reprimand, as well as any written complaints from members of the public. The district responded on November 7, 2019. The costs associated will be determined upon receipt of the bill from our legal counsel.
PROPOSED DRAFT 2019-20 SCHOOL CALENDAR
Dr. Fisher outlined the proposed 2020-2021 school calendar for the Board. For comparison purposes, the District 113 calendar for the same year is also attached with a correlating comparison document. In addition, Dr. Fisher will share data received from various stakeholders regarding the proposed calendar for the Board to consider. The Board commented that it’s important to stay aligned with the high school and carefully consider which holidays to use during the year as make-up attendance days for possible emergency days. The Board will vote on the proposed calendar at the December 16, 2019 meeting.
STUDENT SERVICES REPORT
Ms. Joanna Ford provided a student services report including a breakdown of the percentage of students with IEPs in District 109 as compared to the State of Illinois. She presented the last five years of data, in which District 109 has been under the state average each year. The data was broken down further into percentages of students with IEPs in each of the following categories: Visual Impairment, Speech/Language Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Autism, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disability, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, and Other Health Impairment. Furthermore, comparisons were made to District 109’s peer districts regarding assessment data and educational environments of students with IEPs.
Staff from Shepard Middle School (David Komie, Stacey Cohen, Laura Ashman, Sam Brown, and Debbie Cohen) provided the Board with a presentation about inclusive practices to support all students. They shared background knowledge and philosophies that make their whole team approach work well to foster trust and respect for a supportive classroom environment. They stressed the importance of face-to-face collaboration time with other teachers, specialists, teaching assistants, and parents in order to support all students in the general education classroom as well as to provide supports outside the classroom. The team outlined the modifications used in class to promote an inclusive culture for all.
The Board and Administration congratulated the Shepard Team on providing such amazing work in their classrooms and for finding such innovative ways to build relationships with students and with each other.
Wilmot Elementary School Principal, Dr. Eileen Brett, and Assistant Principal, Mrs. Heather Santella, presented to the Board about creating a culture of inclusion for all students. At Wilmot, Dr. Brett and Mrs. Santella shared that all students are general education students, which came about as a result of a mindset shift where children are educated in the least restrictive environment. Wilmot has been participating in inclusion and Disabilities Awareness Week for over two decades as well as placing students in co-taught classrooms. They outlined the Guided and Stepping Stones classrooms along with the roles of Intensive Teaching Assistants to help customize instruction to meet student needs, including parallel instruction, assignment differentiation, modifications to materials/curriculum, and peer teaching. They shared a video of Wilmot’s culture of inclusion for the Board to view. The Board and Administration shared thoughts on the work going on at Wilmot and praised the staff for their commitment and dedication to inclusive practices for all students.
A Board member noted their recent visit to Caruso with Ms. Ford and witnessing the practices of NSSED as a guiding force to craft inclusive experiences for all schools.
CONSENT AGENDA
The District utilizes a Consent Agenda for various routine action items, which allows the Board to approve items in a single motion, unless the Board or the Superintendent requests otherwise.
The following items were included in the Consent Agenda for the Board’s approval.
DESTRUCTION OF CLOSED SESSION AUDIO FROM APRIL 23, 2018
Destruction of Closed Session audio from April 23, 2018 was presented for approval. State law requires closed session meetings be recorded and the audio be kept for 18 months after which, with Board approval, it can be destroyed.
PERSONNEL RESIGNATIONS/RETIREMENTS
● Resignation of Kristina Loredo, Intensive Teacher Assistant, Wilmot Elementary School, effective October 22, 2019.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
● Leave of Absence for Jessi Feld, STC Teacher, South Park Elementary School, per section 13.5.1 of the DEA CBA from 4/24/2020-5/29/2020. FMLA will run concurrently from 1/24/2020-4/23/2020 per section 13.5.3 of the DEA CBA.
● Unpaid Parental Leave of Absence for Erica O’Brien, School Counselor, Shepard Middle School, per section 13.5.4 of the DEA CBA from 4/27/2020- 5/29/2020.
EMPLOYMENT OF CERTIFIED STAFF (All data is pending background check results and transcript verification) None
EMPLOYMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF (All data is pending background check results and transcript verification)
● Employment of Jordyn Berg as a full-time Intensive Teacher Assistant, Caruso Middle School, at the hourly rate of $21.06. All data is pending background check results and transcript verification. Start date was October 28, 2019.
● Employment of Selena Ayala as a full-time Intensive Teacher Assistant, Walden Elementary School, at the hourly rate of $21.06. All data is pending background check results and transcript verification. Start date was November 4, 2019.
EMPLOYMENT OF AT-WILL STAFF
None
BILLS FOR PAYMENT
The bills for payment were presented for approval.
Ms. Montgomery moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the Consent Agenda, as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery, Morrison
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed.
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
Ms. Montgomery moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the Settlement Agreement with Delores Gibson, as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery, Morrison
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed.
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AGGREGATE LEVY FOR THE YEAR 2019
Ms. Montgomery moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the Resolution Approving the Aggregate Levy for 2019, as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery, Morrison
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING LEVY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION PURPOSES
Ms. Bittner moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the resolution authorizing the levy for special education purposes, as presented per Section 17-2.2a of the Illinois School Code. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery, Morrison
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed.
RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT OF DEBT SERVICE AND ABATING TAXES
Ms. Bittner moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the Resolution providing for the payment of debt service on the outstanding General Obligation Limited School Bonds, Series 2013, and General Obligation Limited School Bonds, Series 2013 of School District Number 109, Lake County, Illinois, and abating the taxes heretofore levied for the year 2018 for said bonds, as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery, Morrison
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
Ms. Montgomery moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes from October 21, 2019. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: Morrison
The motion passed.
Mr. Kluge moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to approve the Closed Session Meeting Minutes from October 21, 2019. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: Morrison
The motion passed.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Mr. Ashman noted that the Policy Committee would meet on December 16, 2019 and that a January meeting would also be scheduled. Ms. Montgomery also reported that the Executive Development Committee met on October 29, 2019 to discuss Administrative compensation and will meet again on January 7, 2020. Ms. Bittner reported on NSSED, sharing that finance restructuring will take some more time. She indicated an evaluation will take place for districts focusing on considerations for inclusion. Dr. McConnell shared that the district and NSSED are experiencing a great partnership.
OPEN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
President Begley announced the final opportunity for the community to offer comments to the Board, reminding the audience that comments should be limited to no more than two minutes. The following self-identified community members addressed the Board: Bonnie Block, Sander Ashman, and Patricia Reese.
Community Participation Summary:
● Comments regarding providing teachers with other avenues to have their voices heard rather than at a Board meeting
● Inquiries about how the district plans to support teachers to prepare them for possibly teaching multiple subjects, and how the whole team approach will affect students with IEPs and 504s.
● A very personal story from a former 109 student and current Deerfield high school student was shared about the importance of inclusion for special education students. This student shared his story about his own disability and the struggles that he experienced due to feeling excluded from other students. He praised his supportive teachers for encouraging him to take positive steps and shared his ideas for more inclusive schools.
● Suggestions were made to add elementary teachers to the scheduling committee.
● Encouragement was given to Administration to provide more in-depth communication around the issues being experienced in the district.
BOARD/SUPERINTENDENT OTHER
Mr. Kuo, a Westpoint graduate, shared details about his Veterans Day experience at Walden and Shepard. He also noted that one of the gentlemen who was part of the day’s events was a WWII Veteran, and it was a very impactful experience for all.
Mr. Morrison referenced what action steps will be taken after the middle school scheduling committee convenes. Mr. Cybulski commented that they are still in the research phase and are generating a list of must-haves to look at in a variety of ways. He noted that the committee will also be looking at collective bargaining agreement to be sure to stay aligned. Dr. McConnell surveyed other area superintendents on their view of how to make adjustable changes that are sustainable over time. Ms. Montgomery shared that we don’t have to start from scratch, but that we do need to make structure adjustments. Mr. Kluge concluded that the Board was looking forward to thoughtful attention and documentation of options for scheduling.
Mr. Morrison and Mr. Kuo shared dialogue regarding interpretation of test scores and how to take action to meet all students’ needs.
Mr. Ashman commended his son Sander for his comments during Open Community Participation. The Board and Dr. McConnell also commended Sander for sharing such a thoughtful, personal story.
Ms. Montgomery shared that the Board received IASB’s Governance Award again this year and commended the Board for their commitment and dedication.
ADJOURNMENT OF OPEN SESSION
President Begley asked for a motion to adjourn open session and move into Closed Session to discuss:
● The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. However, a meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the public and posted and held in accordance with this Act. (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1))
Mr. Kluge moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to move into Closed Session at 10:46 p.m. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the members voted as follows:
AYE: Ashman, Begley, Bittner, Kluge, Kuo, Montgomery, Morrison
NAY: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed.
RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
President Begley asked for a motion to adjourn closed session and return to open session. Mr. Ashman moved and Mr. Kuo seconded the motion to adjourn closed session and return to open session. Motion passed by voice vote at 11:25 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Kuo moved and Ms. Bittner seconded the motion to adjourn open session. Motion passed by voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 11:25 p.m.
https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?mk=50354990&fn=minutes.pdf
Alerts Sign-up