Dear District 30 Family,
Our Board meeting began with a thank you all for your commitment to our students during our virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences last week! The Board of Education meeting also included the following relevant items:
Personnel Report
The Board approved two leave requests that will occur during this school year and one retirement for 2025.
2021-22 School Calendar Approved
The Board approved the 2021-22 School Calendar that provides an extended summer that supports Elementary Capacity Project’s construction schedule. Institute Days will begin on Monday, August 30, and the first day for students will be Thursday, September 2, 2021. To support this late start and end the school year on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, schools will be in attendance next year on Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and Presidents’ Day. Winter and Spring Breaks remain aligned with the other Northfield Township districts.
2020-21 Character Counts! Proclamation Approved
The Board of Education formally approved a proclamation recognizing October 19 - 23 as “Character Counts! Week” and called on our community to embrace the Six Pillars of Character Counts’ framework. The Board also thanked the District 30 Community for their contributions to our annual Food Drive that benefits the Northfield Township Food Pantry. It was noted that the Northfield Township Food Pantry would prefer the donation of canned goods and other food items over a monetary donation.
Superintendent’s Report
Principals Appreciation Week
The Board and I publicly celebrated our Principals during Principals Appreciation Week!
Phased Operations Update
The Board of Education was provided an update on our phased operations. We thanked our teachers for their commitment and hard work, our students for their engagement, and our parents for their continued partnership.
The Board was reminded that District 30 would seek parent and staff feedback with Phased Operations Surveys beginning on November 2, followed by an opportunity to reselect their in-person or full-remote learning options that will be in place from January 4 through June 2.
The Board also reviewed our Northfield Township COVID-19 Elementary School Local Public Health Dashboard that signals when there is a need for our Township to contact the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH). The discussion focused on recent rises in external metrics along with stable internal metrics.
Bonds Sold
The Board reviewed the results of the October 13 competitive bond sale in which proceeds of $14M were secured for the Elementary Capacity Project. FHN Securities purchased the bonds at a low bid rate of 2.197%. The bond issue will close, and the District will receive the funds on November 2.
Discussion/Information Items
Master Facility Planning
The Elementary Capacity Project was reviewed with the Board. The District’s architect, ARCON & Associates, and construction manager, Nicholas & Associates, highlighted the construction plans/designs, budget, and timeline.
Enrollment Projections
The Board reviewed enrollment forecasts for District 30. The District’s enrollment continued to increase this year and is predicted to continue an upward trend. This year’s 1,199 enrollment is expected to increase to 1,240 next year and 1,276 by the 2024-25 School Year. The projections do not yet incorporate potential Grainger property re-development or migration from the city, and they reinforced the need for the Elementary Capacity Project.
Board Reports
Mrs. Blonder shared highlights from our last Character Counts meeting and gave an update on the ongoing food drive and the Character Counts’ poster and video contest that begins in November. Mr. Rizki then shared a report from Northbrook’s last Economic Development Committee meeting, including ongoing discussions about the Grainger property, affordable housing, and current Village of Northbrook economic indicators.
The next Board Meeting will be on November 16, 2020. Thank you all for your continued partnership during this challenging time! Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian K. Wegley
Superintendent
