Community High School District 128 Committee of the Whole of the Board of Education met July 13.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
The Board of Education of Community High School District 128, 50 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 101, Vernon Hills, Illinois, 60061, Lake County, convened as a Committee of the Whole as a virtual meeting on Zoom. The meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.m. by Board President Pat Groody followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and a review of the agenda.
The following Board members were noted present: Jim Batson, Don Carmichael, Pat Groody, Lisa Hessel, Kevin Huber, Karin Lundstedt, and Casey Rooney.
Absent: None.
Also present: Prentiss Lea, superintendent; Briant Kelly, associate superintendent; Rita Fischer, assistant superintendent for curriculum & instruction; Dan Stanley, assistant superintendent for finance; Kelli Hartweg, special services director; Mary Todoric, communications director; Mick Torres, educational technology director; Tom Koulentes, LHS principal; Jon Guillaume, VHHS principal; and Carol Szkodyn, recording secretary.
President Groody noted that conducting meetings virtually provides an opportunity for many more citizens to view the meeting which could not happen if the Board met in person under the current restrictions. A return to in-person meetings will occur when practical.
Public Comment An invitation for public comment was publicized through the Committee of the Whole Notice, Agenda, District 128 social media, email, and on the website requesting that comments be emailed prior to the Board meeting to be read aloud at the meeting. The following comments were received and read by Superintendent Prentiss Lea.
Eileen Baranyk, D128 teacher, voiced concern for the safety of students and staff and urged the Board to begin the school year in remote learning.
Ross Caton, D128 teacher, is not in favor of in-person learning and expressed concern with the spread of COVID-19 and people not following state guidelines.
Julie Wagner urged the Board to open school in remote learning until there is a vaccine.
Pete M. prefers remote learning under the current circumstances.
Matt Clifford, D128 teacher, is not in favor of returning to in-person learning.
Stephanie Mistari urged the Board to open school in remote learning given current circumstances.
Lisa Jay is not in favor of a return to in-person school, but would support student participation in extracurricular activities for their emotional and physical well being.
Robert Wilson, D128 teacher, is not in favor of in-person learning until it is safer to do so.
Mike Belmont noted the difficulty of a return to in-person learning under current conditions and prefers remote learning.
David Rucker inquired why school opening plans under consideration haven’t been made public and suggested that the Board seek input from local physicians.
Comments that were submitted on behalf of numerous D128 teachers: they understand the concerns and anxiety of returning to in-person school and appreciate that the District is interested in receiving staff feedback. They expressed concern for the health and safety of all and urged the Board to open school remotely.
School Reopening Scenarios Overview, Review, and Discussion Superintendent Lea provided an overview of the framework that was established and the planning work that followed on transitioning to the 2020-2021 school year. He reiterated that the Governor will make the decision whether or not to open schools and ISBE and IDPH will provide the parameters and conditions for the opening scenarios. He also noted that any reopening scenario is subject to collective bargaining with the Union.
Superintendent Lea summarized the results of the initial sense of preference survey that was developed and distributed several weeks ago using the guidelines available at that time and completed by parents, students and staff. The survey showed that the majority of parents/guardians and students preferred a normal school opening with adaptations while the majority of staff preferred the hybrid (blended) option. The least favored option was eSchool.
A slide presentation provided a review of the planning work that began with the establishment of a Core Planning Group. This group included District and building administrators that were responsible for the coordination and facilitation of the overall planning work. A Task Force of about 50 administrators, staff, parents, and students was formed to define the needs and challenges and brainstorm solutions to various school opening scenarios within eight subgroups: 1. Teaching & Learning; 2. Scheduling; 3. Health & Safety; 4. Extra-Curricular Activities, Rentals & Community Education; 5. Human Resources; 6. Distance Learning; 7. Communication; 8. Special Services (specific logistics for individualized needs).
Superintendent Lea reviewed the redefined school opening scenarios:
1. Adapted In-Person Opening - Back to normal with physical adaptations, such as temperature checks, masks, social distancing, etc.
2. Hybrid (Blended) Opening - Teaching and learning adaptations combined with physical adaptations noted above
3. Enhanced Remote Opening - eSchool Principals Jon Guillaume (VHHS) and Tom Koulentes (LHS) explained the unique difficulties and challenges of social distancing within the in-person learning scenarios. Under the current guidelines, finding ways to maintain social distancing and limiting numbers of students in the cafeteria, hallways and classrooms is extremely problematic.
District administrators provided an in-depth review of the work of the task force work groups related to the various opening scenarios.
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Rita Fischer reported on the teaching and learning work group. This group focused on designing an eSchool model that is adaptable to any type of eLearning that may be required throughout the 2020-2021 school year. The intent of eSchool is to be fully prepared for the school year whether in person, blended, or remote. Teaching and learning strategies were developed for synchronous (students and teachers are all together whether in school or at home) and asynchronous (students are not with their teachers and are using independent learning and applications) learning.
Assistant Superintendent Fischer noted that the scheduling work group developed schedules for the hybrid (blended), fully remote, and emergency school scenarios incorporating synchronous and asynchronous learning. The hybrid schedule divides the student population in half, 2 in-person days per week for all periods, 3 days of eSchool, all-student asynchronous day to schedule virtual meetings and support. The extended eSchool schedule is a block schedule of 4 periods per day, has 2 scheduled synchronous meetings per class per week, a daily lunch and resource period, and an asynchronous day to schedule virtual meetings and support. The emergency schedule is a short-term schedule for single-day emergencies like snow days (or eSchool may be used), teachers provide a daily assignment through Google classroom, and students work independently on all courses.
Principal Guillaume reported on the progress of the extracurricular work group. Their task was to develop a plan to offer student athletics and extracurricular programs in a safe and authentic manner. He noted that the plan is based on guidance from the CDC, IDPH, ISBE and IHSA. District sports summer camps have begun and safety precautions include temperature checks, masks, social distancing, no physical contact, and no live action for contact sports. The District is awaiting guidance from IHSA regarding fall sports.
Principal Koulentes provided information on extracurricular activities. He noted that all fine arts curricular programs during the school day will run in any form of learning the District is in anytime during the school year. Staff is preparing for adaptations to their programs. Extracurricular fine arts and clubs will continue to meet if possible either virtually or in-person and follow state guidelines.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Dan Stanley reported on the ongoing work of the health and safety work group. Their task was to define ways to mitigate transmission of COVID-19 in the blended and in-person scenarios based on guidance from the CDC, IDPH and ISBE. The main 3 topics of discussion and strategies were: face coverings (masks will be required and enforced); face shields (may be use in conjunction with a mask); social distancing of 6 feet apart (difficult to maintain in both scenarios); and room capacity of no more than 50 (seating is difficult in both scenarios). State guidance on the ability to divide large spaces is forthcoming.
The group discussed at-home screening to prevent symptomatic people from coming to the buildings. In the buildings, temperature checks will occur at the entrance and random checks during the day in the building. In the classrooms, desks should face in one direction, there should be assigned seating, intermittent cleaning should occur during the day, a staggered release of students into the hall to avoid bottlenecks at the classroom door, and install hands- free hand sanitizer dispensers.
Those who have symptoms must stay at home and cannot come to the building for 72 hours following resolution of a fever with medication and 10 days from when symptoms first appear. Those who develop symptoms in the building must be promptly removed from the area and sent home. The affected area of the building must be closed and then cleaned and disinfected.
Other miscellaneous recommendations: visitors will not be allowed in the buildings except for essential in-person meetings; students and staff will be encouraged to bring their own lunch and water bottles; physical barriers at reception desks; floor guides in hallways; and frequent communication is important.
Special Services Director Kelli Hartweg reported on the work being done by the distance learning work group. Their task was to design distance learning options for those who cannot return to in-person learning that are based on effective, nimble & adaptable instructional strategies. Director Hartweg defined distance learning as a situation where the instructor and learner cannot physically be together and noted that it will occur in conjunction with adapted in-person, hybrid (blended), and/or remote learning. Two categories of distance learners are semester-based distance learners (will most likely be a distance learner for the full school year or when the state moves to Phase 5) and temporary distance learners (students who will engage in distance learning for a short period of time due to medical need).
Director Hartweg reviewed the ISBE requirements for the subgroups of semester-based distance learners defined as students or students with family members with underlying medical conditions that place them at higher risk of severe illness if exposed and students who gained employment to financially support their family. They are working to find creative opportunities to provide the best learning for distance learners.
Associate Superintendent Briant Kelly reported on the human resources work group. They discussed how to allocate and care for District personnel in all school scenarios, mainly focusing on the in-person or hybrid opening scenarios. They discussed strategies for staff members with medical issues or child care issues and are unable to work in person; accommodations for staff members while at school; and providing professional learning support in the different scenarios. Other strategies discussed were the need to identify all substitute teacher candidates (internal and external) that are interested in substituting during the year, and how to support our teachers, support staff, and administrators during a shift in the school scenario. Once an opening school scenario has been established, the group can then narrow their strategy focus.
President Groody requested comments from Board members on the presentation and which scenario they may support. Understanding the importance of the health and safety of students and staff and noting that infection rates are now rising among young people, most Board members were not comfortable with the full in-person learning scenario. There was concern about ensuring a high quality education for all students in the hybrid and remote learning scenarios. At this point, most Board members were leaning toward the remote learning option.
Due to the lengthy committee meeting, the Board was in consensus to not convene in closed session.
Adjournment It was moved by Member Hessel and seconded by Member Batson to adjourn the Committee of the Whole Meeting at 10:11 p.m.
On a roll call vote: AYE: Batson, Carmichael, Groody, Hessel, Huber, Lundstedt, and Rooney. NAY: None. Absent: None. The motion carried.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bZAKfK6WurkOeYUDXmy8aexq1xm2xQnr
Alerts Sign-up