Board Highlights
The Winnetka Public Schools, February 2024
Regular Board Meeting
Emily Rose, President, welcomed all to the meeting. She recongized several staff accomplishments as well as previewed the agenda for the evening, noting the positive impact of working together as a collaborative community to accomplish the District’s Strategic Plan goals, such as the adoption of a comprehensive Literacy Curriculum.
Reports on the following Committees were shared by participating Board Members:
TrueNorth Cooperative 804 Meeting
Winnetka Public Schools Foundation Meeting
Policy Subcommittee Meeting
Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent, thanked families and educators for their recent involvement in conferences. Dr. Tess recognized Dr. Luke Livingston, Crow Island Principal, for completing his doctoral research. Additionally, she shared that Ms. Denise Mathews, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Equity and Inclusion, and Ms. Michelle Cooney, The Skokie School Principal, have been recognized with the “It Takes a Village of Readers Award” by the Wilson Language Company for their leadership, commitment to professional learning and supporting the needs of students.
Additionally, she acknowledged the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation for a successful Carlson Event earlier this month.
Dr. Tess reminded families and staff about the upcoming “Coffee with Kelly” event, centering on the topic of Gathering with special guest Ms. Carly Andrews, Executive Director of The Alliance for Early Childhood This is an opportunity to converse, connect, learn, and grow together!
Guests are invited to:
Read an excerpt from Nourished: Connection, Food, and Caring for Our Kids (And Everyone Else We Love) by Deborah MacNamara PhD
and/or watch this interview with the author
and/or come as you are, excited to engage with your childrens’ teachers, your neighbors, and your school leaders!
Wednesday, February 28 from 12 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
Greeley School Resource Center,
275 Fairview Ave., Winnetka
Please RSVP by February 25, 2024
Finally, Dr. Tess encouraged families to participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. The survey is administered by the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education to inform school improvement efforts.
Painting our Portrait:
Monthly, a selection of the five District schools share a video to showcase an initiative that helps support attributes outlined in our Portrait of a Graduate: Global Citizen, Lifelong Learner, Effective Communicator, Empathetic, Resilient, Creative Problem Solver and Collaborative.
Washburne students shared brief reflections on what they value about their seventh and eighth grade experience:. What Makes Washburne Special Video.
Presentation
Mid-Year Annual Goal and District/School Improvement Plan Report
Dr.. Becky Mathison, Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Teaching and Learning, and District Principals provided an update on progress made toward the District and School Improvement Plans. A year-end update on this work will be shared at the June Board Meeting.
Informational Items
Literacy Curriculum Review Update
The literacy pilot comes to a close at the end of February. Activities this month include meeting with each publisher to have final questions answered, training from The Reading League in order to use their Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines to evaluate the foundational skills programs being piloted, and the Literacy Leadership Committee gathered to review the ISBE approved Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan.
Preliminary 2024/2025 Staffing Plan
The staffing update this month is the first preliminary staffing plan for the 2024-2025 school year. Staffing priorities include taking into account student enrollment, special education needs, programmatic reallocation, and financial commitments. Overall, the projected staffing implications show certified staff FTE (Full Time Equivalent) going up slightly by 0.5 FTE (includes both reduction/increases in staff as explained in the memo due to the above priorities), and instructional classified staff increasing by 3.5 FTE for the 2024/2025 school year. At the bottom of the memo are two additional recommendations for the Board to consider for the future.
A recommendation was shared regarding student fees for the 2024-2025 school year. This includes a slight decrease in registration fees for grades 1-8. Most fees are remaining the same with transportation and Stay & Play being the exception. The Board approved the registration fees, and will evaluate the other fees at the February 27th Committee of the Whole Meeting for approval in March.
Project Authorization Bulley & Andrews
The School Board approved the project authorization for Bulley & Andrews for their work on the referendum work for security improvements at all buildings, as well as their work for the summers of 2024 and 2025 at The Skokie School and Carleton Washburne.
Monthly Construction Update Bulley & Andrews
Bullety & Andrews shared a monthly Executive Summary on construction.
The Policy Subcommittee met February 6, 2024, to establish its recommendation for the Board to adopt policies as presented, adopt policies with District edits, or hold/not adopt at this time. Pending no changes, recommendations by the Subcommittee were approved during the consent agenda portion of the meeting.
The Consent Agenda and Following Action Items Were Approved:
Student Fees-Registration Fees only
Project Authorizations for Bulley & Andrews
To view the entire Board Packet from the February 2024 Meeting, click here.