McHenry Times

Fox River Grove Consolidated School District 3 Board met March 19.

Here is the minutes provided by the Board:

I. Call To Order And Pledge Of Allegiance

Board President Devin Bright called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

II. Roll Call

Members present were Steve Pickering, Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester, Devin Bright and Laura Byrd. Absent were Board members Sara Brubacher and Gerry Blohm. Also present were Superintendent Dr. Tim Mahaffy, Principals Dr. Sandy Ozimek and Mr. Eric Runck and Director of Special Education, Mrs. Heather Trom.

III. Welcome To Visitors, Guests, Comments & Questions

Audience members included Jessica McKenzie, Ted Holtz, Marge Tietz, Kathy Gira, Angela Nollet and Theresa Meshes. All were welcomed to the meeting.

No one signed in to address the Board.

IV. Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Steve Pickering to approve the consent agenda, approve and open to the public the regular minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of February 26, 2018 and approve the closed minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of February 26, 2018, approve the February, 2018 Treasurer’s Report, approve the bills and payroll from February 23, 2018 through March 16, 2018 and approve the February 2018 Activity Accounts Report. Tom Mollet seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester, Devin Bright, Laura Byrd and Steve Pickering. Voting nay – None. Motion approved.

V. Request For Records Under The Freedom Of Information Act

None.

VI. Old Business

Coaches/Sponsors for 2017-2018 School Year -- A motion to approve the updated volunteer coach/sponsor list for FY 18 – Arik Mistak for boys track, Steve Green and David Karnoscak for girls track, Steve Bond and Heather Bond for the MS Play/Musical and removing Alyssa Klusek and Kari Radaios from the MS Play/Musical list – was made by Laura Byrd and seconded by Kristine Hester. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Kristine Hester, Devin Bright, Laura Byrd, Steve Pickering and Tom Mollet. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

Dr. Mahaffy stated that for the new assistants on the list, he will email Mr. Pickering as soon as their background checks come back.

VII. New Business

Class Size Update – Dr. Mahaffy presented an update on the current enrollment and FY19 sheet that was included in the Board packets. The only change on the sheet is that there are currently 39 students expected for Kindergarten at this time and this number usually increases to 40 or more before school begins in the fall.

Dr. Mahaffy stated that they visited a couple of schools today and that enrollment for K-3 they average 24 students per class and for 4th-5th they average 25 to 26 students per class. They also have double rooms with two teachers with 48 to 52 students. Dr. Mahaffy stated that the classroom they were in had 56 students in it. It was a double classroom with the middle wall removed. It was full but not crowded. This was at the Fremont School.

Dr. Mahaffy stated that one of the last things that needs to be done after successfully presenting our comprehensive plan with the ISAC committee at the Illinois State Board of Education regarding the withdrawal from SEDOM is to approve a Resolution appointing Mrs. Heather Trom as our State-approved Director of Special Education for School District 3. This is a required resolution that needs to be submitted to the ISBE. A paper copy of the “Resolution Appointment State-Approved Director of Special Education” was included in all Board packets.

A motion to approve the Resolution to Appoint State-Approved Director of Special Education as presented was made by Steve Pickering and seconded by Laura Byrd. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Devin Bright, Laura Byrd, Steve Pickering, Tom Mollet and Kristine Hester. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

Dr. Mahaffy reviewed the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) of services for special education students. The District has had a Region IV agreement with the surrounding elementary schools for years. This new agreement is much like the current IGA but now encompasses District 155 and Huntley District 158 who have all agreed to work together regarding special education services. This agreement allows the Administration to place a student in another program in a neighboring district within the Intergovernmental Agreement and would no longer need to come to the Board for approval. This allows our directors to work as one unit to look at the special education programming for our students. There is no commitment but just opens the lines of communication.

A motion to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement of Services for Special Education Students was made by Devin Bright and seconded by Steve Pickering. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Laura Byrd, Steve Pickering, Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester and Devin Bright. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

A motion to approve the IESA membership for the 2018-2019 school year was made by Kristine Hester and seconded by Tom Mollet. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Steve Pickering, Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester, Devin Bright and Laura Byrd. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

Dr. Mahaffy reviewed the three year (April 1, 2018 to March 30, 2021) property maintenance contract with Ringers Landscape Services, Inc. The contract is for a 3.9% increase for next year with a 0% increase for years 2 and 3. We did not have a contract for last year so there was no increase. Dr. Mahaffy feels this is a very fair contract and is recommending approval. Landscape projects are brought to the Board in April. No required bidding is needed for maintenance.

A motion to approve the property maintenance contract with Ringers Landscape Services, Inc. from April 1, 2018 to March 30, 2021 was made by Steve Pickering and seconded by Tom Mollet. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester, Devin Bright, Laura Byrd and Steve Pickering. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

VIII. Policy -- None.

IX. Administrative Report

Board Dashboard – Dr. Mahaffy briefly reviewed the Board of Education Dashboard. Upcoming agenda items for April include non-certified wages for 2018-2019, summer maintenance and capital outlay plans, approve District Preferred Plan (DPP) for health insurance and approve staff for FY19. Other items that are covered from February to April include summer maintenance, capital outlay, curriculum adoption and technology. The levy is at 2.1. The District is currently at 40.5 FTE licensed staff and 31.22 FTE non-licensed staff.

Dr. Mahaffy stated that today a team went to the Fremont School and to Gurnee Viking Middle School to look at both elementary and middle school spaces. The schools took their current space and turned them into more educational space for Maker Spaces, Stem Labs as well as other unique ways to instruct students in flexible or movable spaces and different furniture. Dr. Mahaffy stated that it was a unique way of educating students without adding curricula. The modified space enhanced what they were already doing to meet the State Standards. Teachers could use this modified space instead of their regular classroom. Every classroom, over the summer, will be redone with new flexible furniture at the middle school in Fremont. Our architects will have a couple of plans on what can be done at both of our buildings in May as well as some more schools to visit.

In the area of technology, the district’s Motorola wireless system is getting outdated. Dr. Mahaffy stated that we will be going out to RFP for E-rate dollars to look at replacing the wireless system in both schools. This would be summer capital for either this year or next year depending on cost.

Dr. Mahaffy gave an update on the hard to fill positions in our district. The Association did not want to do a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to try to allow us to fill those positions. We had another interview today. She will let us know on Monday. We will probably lose her as well since we cannot give her any more pay than what the contract says. The worst case scenario is that we will need to go to a third party vendor and pay two to three times more than we normally would. Four candidates have turned the position down so far. Three candidates are right out of college and are being offered more than what we can offer per the contract. Dr. Mahaffy did some research and found that many districts have in their contract or MOU’s, that indicate they can 1) hire what you need to do for hard to fill positions or 2) hire up to a certain amount above and beyond what the contract says. Dr. Mahaffy is afraid we may be wasting additional money for a candidate we may or may not want from a third party vendor. School psychologists are in high demand.

Dr. Mahaffy also reviewed the Post-Issuance Tax Compliance Report with the Board. This is an annual requirement regarding our outstanding bonds. This is an annual notification to the Board that basically indicates that the District is in compliance with the annual review of all our bonds and all the documents within those bonds. This annual review was done with both PMA and Chapman & Cutler. There is a checklist for each bond (2009 are direct dollars, and the 2009 and 2014 are refunding bonds). This checklist must be completed and presented to the Board annually until the bond dollars are spent out plus three years. This began in 2015.

Building Principals – Mr. Runck gave kudos to Mrs. O’Mara along with 17 students who attended the University of Illinois Middle School Design Competition. We had a team win first place for enthusiasm. This team won first place last year for a bridge competition. Those participants were Jared Bright, Mia Nollet, Kelsey Bowen and Disha Dureja. Also, kudos to Mark Gonzalez, a runner up in the regional spelling bee and competed at McHenry County College for the county tournament which went 31 rounds. PARRC Assessment is April 4th through the 13th. There will be a Scholastic Bowl versus parents at the MS tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Third quarter report cards will be online on April 4th. Mr. Runck will be taking two 8th grade students – Mia Nollet and Leo Najar – to the Principals Leadership breakfast in Crystal Lake on April 11th.

Dr. Ozimek stated that elections will be held in the building tomorrow and they will be following election protocol with recess being inside. The end of the quarter is March 21st. PARRC testing will begin on April 3rd. Parent/teacher conferences will be held on April 6th in the afternoon. Matt Benrus and Melissa Arnold, our two art teachers, will be hosting an art show at the Fox River Grove Library on April 4th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Director of Special Education – Nothing to report at this time.

X. Committee Reports

SEDOM Governing Board -- Mr. Blohm shared with Dr. Mahaffy that at the meeting held earlier this month SEDOM continues to plan forward. SEDOM continues to engage with all districts in the area of professional development. Dr. Mahaffy wanted to share an email from Mrs. Lea Damisch, Superintendent of District 165 in Marengo-Union, thanking Board member Blohm for speaking with her SEDOM Governing Board member explaining why District 3 is pulling out of SEDOM (distance for students, having students on buses 45 minutes or more, etc.). Thank you to Mr. Blohm for representing District 3.

XI. Announcements, Notices And Communications

An invitation from Mr. Benrus and Ms. Arnold regarding the Art Show at the library was shared with the Board.

XII. Executive Session

A motion to adjourn from the regular session of the March 19, 2018 Board Meeting and go to executive session at 7:29 p.m. to consider information regarding the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of the District was made by Steve Pickering and seconded by Laura Byrd. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Kristine Hester, Devin Bright, Laura Byrd, Steve Pickering and Tom Mollet. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

XIII. Action Following Executive Session

A motion to return from executive session to open session of the March 19, 2018 Board Meeting at 7:41 p.m. was made by Steve Pickering and seconded by Tom Mollet. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Laura Byrd, Steve Pickering, Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester and Devin Bright. Voting nay – none. Motion approved.

A motion to approve the resignation of special education teacher, Denise Walsh, at the end of the 2017-2018 school year was made by Tom Mollet and seconded by Kristine Hester. A roll call vote was taken. Voting aye – Steve Pickering, Tom Mollet, Kristine Hester, Devin Bright and Laura Byrd. Voting nay. None. Motion approved.

XIV. Adjournment

A motion to adjourn the meeting of March 19, 2018 at 7:42 p.m. was made by Steve Pickering and seconded by Tom Mollet. A voice vote was taken. Voting aye – All ayes. Voting nay – None. Motion approved.

XV. Next Regular Meeting – April 16, 2018

https://www.dist3.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=697&dataid=770&FileName=BOARDMIN-3-19-18.pdf