School District 81 Board Meeting Report – September 19, 2012
All board members present
Payment of Bills
• $490,626.20 August bills
• $918,328.38 August Payroll
Public Participation
• Resident Louise Stompor read Board Policy 2:230-Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings and Petitions, in specific reference to civility and respect, and requested that the Board of Education enforce the policy during all board meetings.
• Teachers D.J. Narvaez and Kathy Risolvo invited all to the Project HeartWell 5K on September 30, 2012. Ms. Risolvo also announced that District 81 was awarded a NEA Student Achievement Grant for $5,000 to purchase technology equipment.
• Resident Jim DeRose asked Superintendent Boryszewski how textbooks and curriculum are selected and evaluated. Mr. DeRose asked Board President Desecki what is her biggest concern facing our schools today and how she would address it.
• Resident Terry Doody asked what benefits did the students receive for 11.5% increase in administrative salaries. Superintendent Boryszewski questioned the reference to the 11.5% increase, asking Mr. Doody if he compared last year’s compensation report to the current report, which includes different staff members. Mr Doody also stated that he did not receive satisfactory information that he had requested from the District 81 Director of Communications regarding the pension article he had read, and questions he had posed at the August 15th Board Meeting, nor was the administrators’ compensation report posted on the website when he was told it would be.
• Resident Roy McCampbell stated that radon testing is the least expensive part of the radon detection process, and that radon is an issue that should not be ignored. Mr. McCampbell also noted that Board Policy Section 6 link on the website was broken, and asked for Vendor Reports to be updated. Mr. McCampbell also asked if there was a designated annual resolution for reinvesting in the schools.
Old Business
• Discussion: President Desecki opened the floor to Superintendent Boryszewski to provide information on the holiday party. Dr. Boryszewski informed the Board that the School District 81 Holiday Party will be funded solely by the administrators in School District 81. No portion of the party will be funded by tax dollars. Board Member Delaney stated that he disagreed with this decision, that the party is a very small portion of the budget, and that the teachers, who are led by the Superintendent and administrative staff, need to be thanked and recognized for their hard work, time and commitment to District 81.
• The Board of Education approved Board Policy Update 4:60 – Purchases and Contracts.
New Business – Board approved the following items:
• 2012-2013 Official Budget as presented. No questions were asked by any Board of Education members regarding the budget at that time.
• School Emergency and Crises Response Plan as presented.
• The hiring of certified and classified employees, the termination of one
employee, and leave of absence of employees (please refer to the official Board Meeting Minutes which will be posted after approval at the October 17th meeting for a complete list of employees).
• School District 81 applied for and received an ARRA grant of $48,230 which will be used for educational technology.
Please attend the next regularly scheduled School Board Meeting: October 17, 2012 7:00 pm Lincoln Middle School
Category: Articles, Community News
