Prairie Hills Elementary School District 144

The agenda for this Special Meeting of the Board of Education included a Superintendent Report, followed by discussions concerning Bremen Township Policy and a resolution regarding the termination of current legal counsel and the hiring of new legal counsel. Action items covered the approval of new vendors, approval of invoices, the approval of the Markham Park Principal effective January 5, 2026, the approval of the resolution to terminate and hire new legal counsel, the approval to resend the EDI Conference Vote, and the approval to render the Tax Assistance Warrant/TAW.

The board meeting included updates from various departments, such as Curriculum Instruction and Equity, Human Resources, Specialized Services, Family and Community Engagement, and Technology. These updates covered topics ranging from summer learning series and middle school curriculum development to staffing vacancies, benefit plan changes, and the implementation of new technologies. The board also discussed and approved personnel recommendations, invoices, payroll, school improvement plans, and board retreat dates. Additionally, there was a presentation by J Therapy Group, LLC during the audience participation segment.

The meeting included a presentation on the Illinois School Report Card, a discussion regarding disparity in salaries, and personnel matters at Prairie Hills Junior High, including a resignation and concerns about a teacher's conduct. The board discussed a sick day donation for a teacher and reviewed the preliminary 2017 levy. Updates were provided on outside contracts, a Pre-K compliance visit, and Memorandums of Understanding with various organizations, including the Country Club Hills Fire Department, Bremen Township, Hazel Crest Fire Department, Acorn Public Library, and D. Randall Financial Services. The Town Hall Showcase was announced as well.

The budget includes estimated beginning and ending fund balances, receipts/revenues from local, state, and federal sources, and disbursements/expenditures for various functions such as instruction, support services, community services, and debt services. It also covers other sources/uses of funds, including transfers among funds. The budget summary details expenditures by major object, such as salaries, employee benefits, purchased services, supplies & materials, and capital outlay. Additionally, it provides a summary of cash transactions, estimated receipts/revenues, and estimated disbursements/expenditures across different funds.

The Board of Education meeting included reports and updates from various departments. The Superintendent discussed the upcoming tax levy and the timeline for filling the CSBO vacancy. The Curriculum and Instruction department shared updates on curriculum revisions. Human Resources reported on current staff vacancies. Specialized Services discussed attending a conference and preparations for cyclical monitoring. The Technology department discussed upgrading devices to Windows 11 and providing cyber awareness training for staff. Family, Community, and Business Engagement highlighted a town hall on potential SNAP benefit cuts. The board also discussed and approved a district technology need for a cafetorium sound system, the Bureau of Education & Research, Proximity Learning, invoices and supplementals, and payroll. They also addressed a FOIA request and held an executive session.