Letters to the Editor – June

| June 1, 2013

Dear Editor:

Until we are able to develop a mechanism for informing the public about matters considered and acted upon by the new Board of Education for School District 81, we will be sharing highlights from our meetings with you.  We appreciate your cooperation in helping us convey information as we work through this transition period.

  • Since  the April, 2013 election, the Board has held a Regular Board meeting (April 17, 2013) and 3 Special Board meetings.  The agendas and minutes of these Board      meetings are posted on the District website (www.sd81.org).  Use the left menu to find information  under “Board of Education.”
  • The  1st Special Meeting of the Board of Education resulted in the  election of the following Board Officers:  President, David C. Stachura; Vice-President, Pat Godziszewski;  Secretary, Tina Ewanio.  A variety  of committee appointments were made.
  • The  2nd Special Meeting of the Board resulted in setting meeting  dates for the New Year, appointment of new legal counsel to represent and      advise the Board on legal matters, and action to change some procedures at  the District.
  • The 3rd Special Meeting of the Board resulted in the appointment of  Special Legal Counsel for an ongoing matter from the previous Board.
  • The  District is also seeking to fill the position of CFO and Business Manager  due to the resignation of the current CFO and Business Manager.
  • It  should also be noted that there have been several residents in attendance at each of the Board meetings who have addressed their questions, comments and concerns to the Board and Administration.  It is evident from some of these remarks that politics/misinformation is alive and well in our community!

The Board is looking forward to our annual Board Retreat scheduled for mid-June when a facilitator from the Illinois Association of School Boards will be in attendance.   This event is closed to the public.

We look forward to developing District goals at the Retreat as well as orienting new members (they have already attended new Board member workshops to accelerate the process!).   Within the scope of the new school year, we will review our policies and procedures within the District and require compliance.  We will scrutinize the budget plans of the Administration and ensure that tax dollars are spent prudently.  We will draw back the curtain to let the sun shine on a transparent agenda and actively and properly share information with the community.   We will authorize the Administration to work toward achieving District goals and will monitor performance regularly.

I would simply like to thank the voters again for placing your trust in us to carry out the important work of the Board.  It is with your ongoing support that we can continue to offer a high quality education to the children of the District without causing undue hardship to the taxpayers.

Sincerely,
David C. Stachura
President, School District 81 School Board

Dear Editor,

Frankly, I think we need to hear more about funding for classroom programs and renovation, teacher salaries and experienced new hires, library book buys, computer-lab upgrades and educational outings…instead of some questionable “beautiful memorial garden” that as I see it few, if any, tax-paying residents requested, asked for, demanded.

The pricey, 4-color, slick, 4-page flyer that recently came in the mail announcing this boondoggle of a memorial project (partially paid for by the sale of sponsored walkway bricks) surely shows Ridgewood High Schools’ budget is bursting at the seams.

Expensive, new-and-improved baseball fields along with full fencing and landscaping, new football surroundings including field, scoreboard, stands and track, new school air conditioning, building add-ons, extensions and face-lifts, etc. all suggest they’ve got more money than they need. And, in a said cost-cutting measure, how many teachers were let go just several years ago?

Norridge-Harwood Heights residents ought to view some of these meaningless expenditures with a curious eye. Since RHS is a school (not a lively student social association), perhaps instead of educationally-challenged, dollar-draining sports accommodations and schoolyard gardens, smaller class-sizes, for one, ought to be the primary focus for the future.

And we thought there was a “times-are-hard” recession going on – Silly us.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Charles Dennisson, Norridge

 

 

Category: Letters to the Editor, Opinions

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