Steve Balhan

The meeting began with the pledge and a reading of the mission statement. Key agenda items included the honoring of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni, Dr. Jessica Munos and Rob Taylor, and recognition of Rachel Connect as the student of the month for her academic achievement and leadership. The Board also recognized John Chisum as the Educator of the Month and Isaac Spear as the Staff Member of the Month. During public participation, several residents voiced concerns regarding the district's continued litigation over the TIFF 2 lawsuit, urging the Board to cease appeals to the Illinois Supreme Court and focus on district metrics such as chronic absentee rates and graduation rates. In reports, the Executive Director of Business Services provided updates on the December 2025 Consumer Price Index, which affects the property tax levy, and announced the addition of a detailed Credit Card Transaction Report to the consent agenda for enhanced financial transparency. The Director of Human Services provided preliminary updates on health insurance renewals.

The meeting covered several reports and informational items. Discussions included the status of the DEOS board of directors meeting, where actions approved were a lease agreement with Glenar District 87 for their directions program, a contract with Leot Architects for a facilities assessment and master plan, and the approval of a restructuring for the administrative leadership team. The board also reviewed a dual credit memorandum of understanding renewal with the College of DuPage. Student fees for the 2026-2027 school year were discussed, with administration recommending no changes aside from an increase in adult ticket prices for drama productions. An update was provided on the annual purchase of student Chromebooks and staff laptops, noting significant price increases for Chromebooks, with a final recommendation to follow at the subsequent board meeting. The process for soliciting Requests for Proposal (RFP) for auditing services was detailed, with recommendations anticipated at the next meeting. Approval was sought for quotes regarding landscaping services from True Green and Dynasty Landscaping. Tentative licensed staffing requests for Fiscal Year 2027 were presented, showing an overall reduction of 3.5 Full-Time Equivalent Teachers managed through attrition, expected to generate significant salary and benefit savings. Finally, a first reading was conducted for Press Plus Policy 250 regarding committees, noting an error correction to restore parent teacher advisory language.

The meeting commenced with the pledge and a review of the mission statement. Board agreements regarding electronic communication and the Open Meetings Act were reviewed. Key recognitions included Nicholas Rosskilly as the December Student of the Month, highlighting his extensive achievements in academics, leadership, athletics, and the arts, and Carter Nurano as a standout student athlete, recognized for his football career statistics and character. Dan Greco was honored as the Educator of the Month for his dedication, adaptability, and servant leadership, and Vivi Koatali Kadino was named Staff Member of the Month for her professionalism and commitment over 11 years of service. Reports included an update on Vision 2030 funding, specifically concerns regarding the proration of Mandated Categoricals (MCATs) while Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) is pursued for full funding. The executive director of business services also provided updates on the auditorium renovation bid process, with an award expected in February, and noted a small donation received for the wrestling team. The interim executive director of human resources discussed ongoing job fair participation and the timeline for selecting a new Executive Director of Human Resources, aiming for a candidate presentation in February. The principal reported on classroom observation days involving middle school teachers and a successful eighth-grade open house, along with December attendance and discipline statistics, noting lower out-of-school suspensions compared to previous years. Public participation included one electronic comment concerning staff asking students politically charged questions.

The meeting commenced with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, the Mission Statement, and the Board Agreements regarding social media usage. Reports included a summary of a recent DAOES meeting, covering an audit report, the draft Technology Center of DuPage (TCD) calendar, and a proposed administrative realignment at TCD. A partnership proposal with the DuPage Regional Office of Education concerning professional development in foundational reading skills was presented, with a recommendation scheduled for a future Regular Board of Education meeting. Updates on bid results for waste disposal services, noting a 5-year contract total of $29,569.38 if Groot is selected, and the auditorium renovations bid, which requires rebidding for electrical, acoustic panels, and plaster portions, were provided. New business involved the approval of the 2025-2026 Discipline Improvement Plan for the high school and the approval to contract with Solution Tree to publish the district's strategic plan. The Board also entered a closed session to discuss personnel matters and collective negotiating issues before returning to open session and adjourning.

The meeting commenced with opening activities including the Pledge of Allegiance and reading of the Mission Statement and Board Agreements. Student Nicholas Roskilly was recognized as Student of the Month for December 2025, Carter Naranjo for being selected to the All-State Football Team, Dan Greco as Educator of the Month, and Vivi Cuautle Godinho as Staff Member of the Month. Key reports covered the status of state funding (EBF and MCATs), the upcoming bid opening for auditorium renovations, staff recruitment efforts, classroom observation days for middle school teachers, and an enrollment study projecting through the 2029-2030 school year. Committee reports included updates from LEND on proposed cell phone bans and two-year world language requirements. New Business included the second reading and approval of Press Plus Issue 120 policies, approval of Procedures for Behavioral Interventions, approval of Pearson Software contracts, approval for a future Spring Break field trip to Spain, and approval of the personnel report covering new hires and resignations. The Board also held a Closed Session to discuss collective negotiating matters.