• Joanne Fiene, fifth grade teacher, Hillcrest, 41 years
• Janice Baum, resource teacher, O'Neill Middle School, 36 years
• Glen Sorgatz, music teacher, O'Neill Middle School, 33 years
• Rich Kasper, night custodian, Lester, 30 years 
• Jeanne Smith, P.E. teacher, Henry Puffer/Whittier, 27 years
• Christine Gregoire, LRC teacher, Whittier, 26 years
• Patricia Brown, P.E. teacher, Lester, 25 years
• Debra Truskey, speech therapist, Indian Trail/Highland, 24 years
• Elaine Crawford, fourth grade teacher, Whittier, 23 years
• Nancy Babel, sixth grade teacher, Hillcrest, 22 years
• Kathy Pauss, personnel secretary, ASC, 22 years
• Nancy Schneider, third grade teacher, Indian Trail, 22 years
• Laura Brennan, fourth grade teacher, Lester, 21 years
• Mary Eagan, second grade teacher, Pierce Downer, 21 years
• Julianne Haeger, kindergarten teacher, El Sierra, 21 years
• Kathy Hebert, resource teacher, Whittier, 21 years
• Patti Tully, resource teacher, Lester, 21 years
• Sandra Bruns, first grade teacher, Kingsley, 20 years
• Nancy Herkes, social worker, El Sierra/Highland, 20 years
• MaryAnn Staroscik, curriculum secretary, ASC/Longfellow, 19 years (retired in December 2013) 
• Cindy Szwed, ELL teacher, El Sierra, 17 years
• Ginny Lauterbach, gifted teacher, Whittier/Herrick/O'Neill, 16 years
• Donna Amidon, second grade teacher, Hillcrest, 15 years
• Susan Cantore, instructional assistant, Lester, 15 years
• Pat MacIntosh, P.E. teacher, Fairmount/Hillcrest, 13 years
• Terrence Martin, Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, 10 years
• Jean McJoynt, kindergarten teacher, Pierce Downer, 10 years
• Lucille Carney, principal, El Sierra, 9 years

District 58 continues with planned facilities projects

  District 58's ongoing facilities improvement plans continue to ensure safe, nurturing, child-centered environments for all students, while also protecting the community's investment in the District's buildings.

Capital projects completed during summer 2013 and targeted for completion in 2014 include much-needed asbestos abatement, carpet/tile replacement, asphalt projects, fire alarm and HVAC upgrades and security upgrades to buildings throughout the District, as well as a three-classroom addition. The District received two $50,000 state grants to help pay for fire alarm upgrades at the middle schools. The capital projects are the result of years of careful planning and needs assessments, and have contributed substantially to addressing the highest priority needs identified within a comprehensive facilities study by Wight and Co. The District also has completed some minor renovations at the Administrative Service Center and Longfellow Center, and continues to explore options for the highest and best use of both buildings.

"The projects completed in our District over the past two years and planned for the upcoming summer have addressed many of the highest priority needs of our facilities, as well as many of the projects that had been deferred due to budget constraints previously," said Superintendent Kari Cremascoli. "We are in a very good position now with regard to the overall condition of our facilities. The key at this point will be to continue to carefully plan for ongoing maintenance and facility projects in ways that ensure the safety and well-being of our students while protecting the community's investment in the District's buildings for the future."

Projects planned for this summer include:

• Replace old carpet with new floor tile in classrooms at Herrick, Highland and Whittier 
• Replace rooftop HVAC units at Belle Aire, El Sierra, Henry Puffer and Herrick 
• Install new fire alarm systems at nine schools, and new kitchen fire doors at Herrick and O'Neill 
• Install new boilers at Henry Puffer School
• Install new gym ventilation unit and three new classroom unit heaters, and tuckpoint two masonry walls at Whittier

• Was led in the flag salute by representatives from the Belle Aire School student council
• Heard from Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli a preview of the work that will be accomplished in District 58 over the summer, including facilities improvements, curriculum projects and educational opportunities for students, staff and parents

• Formally recognized those students who served as Safety Patrols at their schools during the 2013-14 school year, as well as those students who earned Presidential Academic Fitness Awards, Illinois Math League Awards and Citizenship Awards.

• Heard from Dr. Matt Rich, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, the third and final update for 2013-14 regarding students' academic achievement and growth as assessed by the Measures of Academic Progress test. MAP is administered to K-8 students three times per year in Reading, Language Usage and Mathematics. This was the first school year in which all schools participated in MAP, and Dr. Rich reported that student growth over the course of the year was higher than expected.

• Heard from Controller James Popernik that District 58 received the first $14 million in early taxes from the 2014 levy last week, and anticipates receiving another $11 to $12 million on June 15. Popernik also reported that a bill currently under discussion to shift state aid to districts with more high-needs students would result in a loss of approximately $2 million for District 58.

• Approved proceeding with plans to fundraise, purchase and install a handicapped accessible/full inclusive playground at Hillcrest as presented by Margaret Chaidez per plans and specifications provided.

• Approved a resolution ascertaining prevailing rate of wages for laborers, workers and mechanics employed on public works of District 58, that the resolution be filed with the Secretary of State and the Department of Labor of the State of Illinois, and that a notice of the resolution be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area.

• Approved the second year renewal contract for food service management with Aramark for the 2014-15 school year for the estimated cost of $415,000.

• Awarded the bid for custodial supplies for the 2014-15 school year to Ramrod Distributors for $75,991.80 and Metro Professional for $33,586.76

• Rejected all bids received for ink cartridges, drums and printheads; the purchase will be rebid with revised language.

• Rejected all bids received for 2,300 iPad sleeves; the purchase will be rebid with revised language.

• Awarded the bid for painting miscellaneous areas of six schools to the lowest responsible bidder, G.P. Maintenance, for the cost of $38,500

• Awarded the bid for the Whittier masonry repair project to the low bidder meeting all specifications, Southwest Masonry, Inc., for the cost of $49,500

• Approved the resolution transferring interest earned in the amount of $18,235 from the Working Cash Fund to the Sinking Fund

• Approved various property and liability insurance coverages for 2014-15, with premiums totaling $385,030, as well as a separate Corporate Identity Protection Policy for $6,102

• Adopted revisions to Policy #8244 regarding determining agenda

• Adopted the resolution regarding Honorable Dismissal of Educational Support Personnel Employees