Administer the Oath of Office to Newly Appointed Board of Education Member: Judge Arthur L. Janura, Jr., administered the "New Board Member Oath" to Gerald D. Chapman, Ed.D. Dr. Chapman will fill the seat vacated upon the passing of Richard Bokor earlier this year. Dr. Chapman was appointed to the Board on March 6 by Bruce R. Brown, Ed.D., executive director of the North Cook Intermediate Service Center, Regional Office of Education District 5, and will serve the remainder of Mr. Bokor's term, which expires in April 2017.

Dr. Chapman is a retired educator who served for more than 36 years as a teacher, administrator, and superintendent in Township High School District 211, and later as an associate dean in the College of Education at Roosevelt University from 2001-2005. A longtime resident of Palatine Township, Dr. Chapman has two grown children who attended District 15 schools, and he previously served as a member of the District 15 Board of Education from 2007-2011.
 
Student Recognition -- Special Olympics Blue Jays State Basketball Athletes: Terri Storino, coach of the District's Special Olympics team, introduced members of the Blue Jays basketball team that won the gold medal -- as well as students who excelled in individual competitions -- at the Special Olympics State Basketball Tournament held March 13-14 at Illinois State University in Bloomington.

Student Recognition -- Illinois Grade School Music Association Solo and Ensemble Contest Winners: Band, orchestra, and choir directors from across District 15 introduced the 52 music students from District 15 whose performances earned perfect ratings at the Illinois Grade School Music Association's Annual Solo and Ensemble Contest on February 21 at Northwood Junior High in Highland Park.

Superintendent's Report -- Richard L. Bokor Memorial Field and Track: Scott Thompson, Ed.D., superintendent of schools, shared with the Board his proposal to dedicate the track and field at Winston Campus in memory of Mr. Bokor. Dr. Thompson noted that Mr. Bokor was an ardent advocate for District 15's students and had a passion for running, and said Mr. Bokor became the driving force behind the track's installation after noticing Winston was the only junior high without one. So, said Dr. Thompson, it would be appropriate to name the track and field in his honor and in recognition of his many years of service in the community and on the District 15 Board of Education. Later in the meeting, the Board approved Dr. Thompson's proposal to dedicate Winston's track and field in memory of Mr. Bokor. A sign will now be installed identifying the space as the Richard Bokor Field and Track, and Mr. Bokor's family has also shared its desire to purchase some benches to enhance the space, which will be dedicated during a ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, prior to a scheduled track meet.

Superintendent's Report -- Eagle Scout -- William Brinston: Dr. Thompson introduced the Board to William Brinston, a former District 15 student who completed the rigorous requirements to earn his Eagle Scout award in part by completing a playground improvement project at Stuart R. Paddock School. Dr. Thompson also presented William, who attended Paddock, with a certification recognizing his accomplishments and thanking him for his work at his former school.

Superintendent's Report -- Center for Educational Leadership: Dr. Thompson reported that, in the consent agenda, he would be asking the Board to approve a contract for services with the Center for Educational Leadership at the University of Washington. In October, Dr. Thompson shared with the Board his interest in the Center's new coaching model for principals that is designed to help them perform their main role as instructional leaders by clearly identifying and developing the behaviors that excellent teachers exhibit. Dr. Thompson said he believed the coaching model could help the District's principals support their teachers' efforts to improve their instruction in much the same way that the District's literacy, instructional, and instructional technology coaches do now. Approving this contract, he said, would allow him to bring representatives from the Center into the District to provide professional development to two coaches. In turn, those coaches would work directly with the District's principals to improve their abilities to give teachers actionable feedback on their teaching so as to improve the quality of instruction they provide their students. Later in the meeting, the Board approved the contract with the Center for Educational Leadership within the consent agenda.

ED-RED Council/Legislation: Michael Adamczyk, chief school business official, reported the following:

• Senate Bill 100 would place prohibitions on District's using zero tolerance and exclusionary discipline policies.
• Senate Bill 1, which is the continuation of Senate Bill 16 from the General Assembly's last session, is still under consideration by the House Education Task Force. If passed, this legislation would cost the District between $9 million and $9.6 million a year.
• Legislation that would reduce the amount of categorical state aid the District would receive this year by $460,000 is also under consideration at this time.
• Gov. Bruce Rauner has established by executive order a task force on local government consolidation of unfunded mandates.
• It is anticipated that the Illinois Supreme Court will hand down a decision on pension reform prior to the General Assembly's May 31 deadline to approve legislation.

District Fifteen Educational Foundation: It was reported that the Foundation's "Black Ties and Tennies" Gala held March 14 at Concorde Banquets in Kildeer was a tremendous success. The Foundation is now set to 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 Adoption: Dr. Thompson reported that the District received no public comments on the proposed 2016-17 school calendar, which the Board approved later in the meeting. The calendar aligns with 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. 

Presentation -- FY2015 Amended Budget: Mr. Adamczyk presented an amended budget indicating that, as opposed to the $4 million deficit the District projected when the budget was originally approved in September 2014, the District now expects to run a $1.3 million deficit. Consequently, the District's fund balance is now projected to stand at approximately $54.8 million, or about 36.6 percent of the District's budget, at the end of this fiscal year rather than $52.1 million, or 34.6 percent of its budget. Later in the meeting, the Board approved the Resolution for Setting a Hearing on the 2014-15 Amended Budget, as presented. That hearing will be held during the Board's next regular meeting on Wednesday, May 13. 

 

Review of the Five-Year Financial Projections: Mr. Adamczyk presented an updated five-year forecast that indicates the District should expect to run small deficits for the next several years. Earlier this fall, projections suggested the District would run a $1.7 million deficit in 2015-16, then end each of the next three years with small surpluses totaling approximately $1.2 million. The updated calculations predict the District will instead run a $2.7 million deficit next year, and run deficits totaling $5.1 million over the subsequent three years. Whereas this fall the District projected that the 2018-19 fund balance would be $51.7 million, or 32 percent of the District's annual expenditure budget, it is now expected to stand at around $47 million, or 29 percent of the District's budget. The Board has set a fund balance target of 30 percent of the District's expenditures.  

 

Mr. Adamczyk noted, though, that this $4.7 million swing in the forecast represents only 0.6 percent of the District's total projected spending through 2018-19. Some of the major items contributing to this change are an additional $1.5 million for a potential math adoption next year, an additional $2.3 million in technology expenditures, and adjustments to other revenue and expenditure accounts. 

Mr. Adamczyk also emphasized that the state's precarious fiscal condition and its ability to honor its commitment to public education still have the potential to negatively affect the District in the future, as the passage of Senate Bill 1, alone, would cost the District between $9 million and $9.6 million a year.   

 

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

 

2014-15 School Calendar: The Board approved the Amended Official School Calendar for 2013-14, as presented. Due to snow and dangerous conditions, the District used the five emergency days built into its calendar this year. Consequently, the last day of school will remain Friday, June 12, and it will be a half-day of classes for students in Grades 1-7. Kindergarten and early childhood classes will dismiss for the summer a day earlier -- Thursday, June 11 -- and the school year will end for eighth-grade students after their respective graduation ceremonies on Thursday and Friday, June 4 and 5.