Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

The meeting commenced with a continuation of the previous session following a closed session concerning an individual student and the approval of prior minutes. Key discussions included public comments regarding the field school situation and subsequent thank you notes to the Board and administration. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the annual Property Management and Analysis (PMA) projections, outlining assumptions for the 2016 budget, including tax cap limitations based on CPI, new property assessments (EAV), and projections for General State Aid funding, noting anticipated future deficits if expenditures continue to outpace revenue growth. The Board also addressed several action items, notably approving the creation of an additional extra duty position for a Math Lab Tutor at York High School, with discussion focused on establishing the correct rate of pay aligned with tutoring duties rather than supervision, and addressed initial considerations regarding the administration of the ACT with writing.

This document records a continuation of the April 24th Board of Education meeting, which had previously been in closed session discussing employment, compensation, discipline, and litigation matters, including approval of the April 11, 2017, closed session minutes. Key agenda items covered included public comments regarding world language task force decisions and the role of school secretaries. The board approved the appointment of Nikita Moreau as Director of Illiteracy, approved minutes from March 21, April 3, and April 11, 2017 meetings, and recognized a departing board member, Emily Bastida, for her service and contributions. The meeting proceeded with the reorganization of the Board of Education, including administering the oath to the newly elected member, Kiriko Cafaro, and electing new officers (President Shannon Edna, Vice President Margaret Harrell, Secretary Karen Deufen). Board committee appointments were finalized, noting changes for the Learning and Teaching and Policy Committees due to the departure of a member. A presentation on bond options was given, outlining various scenarios based on the current municipal bond market and interest rate fluctuations.

The meeting commenced following a closed session concerning the appointment, employment compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, and collective negotiation matters. Following the pledge of allegiance, there was a segment for public comments, specifically hearing from a resident regarding parent-teacher conferences at Sandberg Middle School, suggesting that replacing them with student presentations might jeopardize the crucial parent involvement aspect of student success. The agenda then moved to reports, including two shining star recognitions for staff members Donna Lynch and Vicki Cet, highlighting their dedication and exemplary work. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on instructional rounds, where principals from middle and high schools discussed how this practice, modeled after medical rounds, helps establish a shared definition of high-quality instruction, specifically focusing on learning targets, rigor, and student engagement across the district's schools. Data collection procedures, ensuring teacher anonymity, and the utilization of findings for professional development were detailed. Feedback from teachers regarding the visibility of administrators in classrooms was also shared.

The board meeting commenced following a closed session concerning personnel matters and student placements in special education programs. Key agenda items included a recognition for the York Community High School boys volleyball team for achieving the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Academic Team honor for the sixth consecutive year, highlighted by their 3.81 cumulative GPA. Student achievement reports covered the latest ACT graduating class data, which set a new historical high score of 24.7, representing a significant increase over the previous year while state and national scores remained flat. The report also noted York High School's recognition in Newsweek's top 500 public high schools list (186th overall and 188th on the 'Beating the Odds' list). Furthermore, administrators presented on aligning instructional priorities with Student Achievement Objectives, specifically detailing the Rigor and Relevance Framework to move instruction toward higher-order thinking skills, emphasizing application to real-world situations (Quadrants B and D) over simple recall (Quadrant A). Initial professional development work focused on balanced assessment and student engagement within this framework.

The meeting included reports and presentations, primarily focusing on professional development following the Model Schools conference attended by district leaders and principals. Discussions emphasized the commitment to professional learning, often conducted in teams. Key takeaways from the conference included focusing on culture trumping strategy, the importance of rigor, relevance, and relationships, and fostering shared ownership over students. Specific topics included integrating personal skills like compassion and perseverance for future-ready students, implementing the standards-based report card and the Fontas & Pinnell leveling system for enhanced data tracking, and utilizing Wii surveys to assess culture alongside achievement data. Furthermore, the importance of proactively telling the district's story through various communication channels, such as social media using the hashtag #IgniteD205, was highlighted to counter negative rhetoric.