Student Recognition -- Spelling Bee Winners: Meg Schnoor, Ed.D., assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, introduced the spelling bee winners from each school who participated in the District 15 Spelling Bee, which was held January 22 at Walter R. Sundling Junior High.
 
Student Recognition -- Sixth-Grade Winners of Two-Ball Basketball Championship: Andrea Rodino, the District's elementary physical education facilitator, introduced students who won their divisions of the District 15 Two-Ball Competition held February 10 and 11 at the Palatine Community Center.

Recognition -- 2014 National Board Certified Teachers: Darlene von Behren, assistant superintendent for personnel and human services, introduced District 15's teachers who earned or renewed their certification this year with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. National Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential achieved upon successful completion of a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do. In 2014, one District 15 teacher earned National Board Certification and six renewed their certification. Those teachers are:

• Allison Willis, a sixth-grade teacher at Pleasant Hill School, earned her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist.
• Joanna Angelopoulos, an art teacher at Gray M. Sanborn School, renewed her certification in Early and Middle Childhood Art.
• Meegan Filosa, an eighth-grade history teacher at Plum Grove Junior High, renewed her certification in Early Adolescent Social Studies and History.
• Jonelle Johnson, a bilingual resource teacher at Thomas Jefferson School, renewed her certification in English as a New Language for Early Adolescents through Young Adults.
• Cherie Laufenberg, a speech and language pathologist at John G. Conyers Learning Academy, renewed her certification as an Early Childhood through Young Adult Exceptional Needs Specialist.
• Danyell Rector, a fifth-grade teacher at Winston Campus Elementary, renewed her certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist.
• Culleen Siebert, a reading specialist at Willow Bend School, renewed her certification in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy: Reading-Language Arts.

Preliminary Student Assignment Plan for 2015-16 School Year: Matthew Barbini, Ed.D., deputy superintendent of schools, presented the Board with the Preliminary Student Assignment Plan for 2015-16, which calls for hiring the equivalent of an additional five full-time teachers. The plan contains projected student enrollment figures and staffing levels based upon the District's current enrollment totals, the Board's class size targets, and state staffing guidelines for special education and bilingual programs.

Dr. Barbini reported that, while projected class size averages at the elementary level are all below the Board's targets, there are still 15 classes that are projected to have 30 or more students. Dr. Barbini noted that, confronted by large class sizes at a grade level, the building's administration works in conjunction with staff to provide additional assistance to those classrooms, frequently in the form of additional program assistant hours or additional resource teaching time.

However, between now and the start of the 2015-16 school year, these enrollment numbers are likely to change as more kindergarten and first-grade students enroll, and students in Grades 3-6 are selected for gifted programs. Consequently, this plan will constantly be reassessed to determine if any further staffing changes will be required prior to the start of the school year.

Superintendent's Report: Scott Thompson, Ed.D., superintendent of schools, introduced the Board to John Kemblowski, who will serve as the District's new Director of Transportation Services. Mr. Kemblowski has 14 years of experience in school transportation, and is coming to District 15 after serving for the past six years as Durham School Services' Area Manager for Human Resources and Employee Relations in District 300. He will oversee human resources and employee relations within District 15's Transportation Department while Tom Bramley will remain in his current position and oversee transportation operations.

Dr. Thompson also welcomed to the meeting a group of Boy Scouts working on the Citizenship in the Community merit badge, and offered to answer any questions they might have following the meeting.

ED-RED Council/Legislation: No update was presented.

District Fifteen Educational Foundation: It was reported that the Foundation's "Black Ties and Tennies" Gala will be held March 14 at Concorde Banquets in Kildeer. Additionally, the Foundation will participate in the 2015 "Got2Run ... for Education" Run/Walk to Benefit Wellness in School Children on Saturday, May 16, in Arlington Heights.

Communication Committee: No update was presented.

2016-17 School Calendar Discussion: The Board reviewed the proposed 2016-17 school calendar, which aligns to Township High School District 211's plans to change in 2016-17 to a collegiate calendar that begins earlier in August to allow for the first semester to be completed prior to winter break. Consequently, this calendar calls for classes to begin roughly a week earlier than normal in 2016-17. Key dates are as follows:

• Beginning of the School Year: Staff Institute Days are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, August 15 and 16. Grades 1-8 begin classes on Wednesday, August 17. Kindergarten and early childhood classes begin on Thursday, August 18.
• Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Thursday, November 24. There will be no school that week, but parent-teacher conferences will be held on Monday and Tuesday, November 21 and 22.
• Winter Break: There will be no school from Monday, December 26, through Friday, January 6, with schools reopening on Monday, January 9.
• Spring Break: There will be no school Monday, March 27, through Friday, March 31, with schools reopening Monday, April 3.
• End of the School Year: The last day of school -- including snow days -- will be Tuesday, June 6. Depending upon the number of snow days used, the last day of school will be moved back accordingly at the April 2017 Board meeting.

Citizens Address the Board: No citizens chose to address the Board.