December 8 Board Brief

December 8 Board Brief

Dear District 30 Family,

I hope this email finds you doing well! The last Board of Education Meeting included the following relevant items:

2020 Tax Levy Approved

After holding a hearing, the Board approved an estimated tax levy as part of the annual levy process. The estimated 2020 levy was approved at $25,676,238 for capped funds. As a general reminder, districts under the tax cap can raise their property tax collection by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus any new growth/construction not previously on the local tax rolls. The annual levy (what is requested) is routinely set artificially high at 10% because even though the CPI factor of 2.3% is known, the new growth/construction in a district is unknown. Once determining new growth/construction in the spring, the actual 2020 extension (what is received) will be finalized and is assumed to be approximately 3% (2.3% for CPI + 0.7% for new growth) higher than the 2019 extension.

On the district’s behalf, it was also noted that Cook County will levy a separate amount on the district’s final extension for its debt service fund requirements related to the Maple School and Elementary Capacity Projects.

Resolution Abating the Working Cash Fund Approved

Upon the issuance of General Obligation Limited Tax School Bonds in October, the bond proceeds of $14,005,085.51 were deposited into the district’s Working Cash Fund. To utilize the bond proceeds to pay for capital projects associated with the upcoming Elementary Capacity Project during the summer of 2021, the Board passed a resolution to move the proceeds to the Capital Projects Fund.

Phased Operations Update

Sincere gratitude was expressed for our educators’ commitment and care of our children, the flexibility and perseverance of our students, and the partnership of our parents. Highlighting our collaborative efforts, an adaptive pause update also reviewed several statistics that included the fact that our first-quarter attendance rate this year was 97.5% compared to last year's 97.2%. The consistency of the recent fall MAP scores as compared with those from last fall was also highlighted.

The re-registration update noted a total of 45 students shifting from full-remote to our in-person models, with 22 students moving from our in-person to our full-remote option for the 2021 portion of this school year. The following decisions were shared:

  • Due to move-ins throughout the year, one additional full-remote fifth-grade section will be introduced, allowing us to run two 4th-grade and two 5th-grade remote sections beginning after our adaptive pause. 
  • Regarding in-person sections:
    • All safety protocols will remain in place.
    • We will continue the same number of in-person sections with the same model. Our K-3 classrooms will continue to be full-time in-person sections, and our hybrid model will remain in place for grades 4 through 8.
    • Although a significant amount of consistency will occur, there will be a few changes to our K-5 student rosters. Parents changing models after our adaptive pause will be notified regarding new placements by December 11.

Elementary Capacity Project Update

The Board was reminded that the project is now out to bid. After bids are opened in late December, Board approval is anticipated in January. This essential project generates needed elementary capacity and realigns our Kindergarten program with our neighborhood school philosophy. Exterior construction will begin this spring and will be completed by the fall of 2021.  

Second Reading of New & Revised Board Policies

The Board generally revises policies twice a year. Revisions and additions occur due to new legislation and the need to ensure that our policies support and align with our practices. The Board completed the second reading of the following new and revised Board Policies: 

440 Incurring Debt Policy, 500.08 General Personnel: Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Recruitment, 520.10 Professional Personnel: Substitute Teachers, 700.01 Equal Educational Opportunities, 720.24 Student Welfare: Prevention of and Response to Bullying, and 850 Gifts to School Districts

Our next Board Meeting will be on Thursday, January 7, 2021. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Sincerely,

Dr. Brian K. Wegley
Superintendent