Amanda Maddalena

The Board approved the hiring of several administrative personnel: Mr. Michael Boraz as Interim Principal at Sandburg Middle School, Mr. Jeff Gail as Interim School Administrator, Mr. Joseph Gallagher as Director of Student Services for the 2026/27 school year, and Ms. Madeline Geyer as the Dean of Students. Additionally, the Board reviewed an upcoming meeting schedule.

The Board of Education recognized student achievements in the National Merit Scholarship Program, FCCLA state competition, and middle school math contests. A presentation was given on Edison Elementary School's progress, and public comments addressed screen time concerns and school landscaping issues. The Board received technology and security services updates, with plans to revisit security recommendations in a future meeting. Action items included approving a contract for school nursing services, appointing representatives to the SASED Board, updating salary plans for administrators and non-union staff, and finalizing the regular meeting calendar for the upcoming school year. Additionally, the Board heard reports on student graduation celebrations and College and Career Pathway endorsements.

The board meeting covered several significant items, including recognitions for various student athletics and the Field Elementary school community. The consent agenda included approval of personnel reports, financial and investment summaries, FOIA requests, an athletic trainer contract, and several first readings of district policy sections. Significant action items were approved, such as the ratification of amendments to SASED's joint articles of agreement, a transfer of interest funds from the Debt Service Fund to the Education Fund, the adoption of the 2026-2027 parent/student handbook, the selection of CrisisGo for district-wide security services, and the approval of a 2026-2030 collective bargaining agreement with the SEIU local union.

The meeting focused on an in-depth review of state and national assessment data, including the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and SAT scores, within the context of the district's strategic priorities for student success and learning environments. Administrators discussed the historical shift in assessment designations, the importance of freshman on-track metrics, graduation rates, and the implementation of SAT preparation tools. The presentation also addressed how school performance is evaluated through summative designations and data verification processes.

The committee held a meeting to review and update several district policies, including qualifications and duties of board officers, the committee structure, public participation protocols, succession of authority, fiscal and business management, resource conservation, pandemic preparedness, communicable disease protocols, religious holidays, and court duty. Specific decisions were made regarding maintaining one-year terms for board officers, conducting further review on committee structures, ensuring policies align with district-wide agreements, and adjusting language in various policies to better reflect current practices and compliance requirements.