Hawthorn Board Highlights

The Hawthorn District 73 Board of Education met on January 11, 2024. Board members Joel Finfer, Michael Engle, Julie Clifford, George Fievet, Wes Polen, and Robin Cleek were present. Also in attendance were Asst. Supt. of Finance & Business Operations Ms. LeeAnn Taylor; Asst. Supt. of Teaching, Learning & Innovation Dr. Allison Stein; Asst. Supt. of Student Services Ms. Alicia Corrigan; Asst. Supt. of Innovative Learning Dr. Karen Maturo; Asst. Supt. for Human Resources Mr. Adam Palmer; and Superintendent Dr. Pete Hannigan. Board member Karl Borchers was absent.

Hawthorn Board of Education's Recognition Committee proudly acknowledged the achievements of Megan Faith, Aspen Elementary's Building Assistant Supervisor.

The Hawthorn Recognition Committee is eager to celebrate the outstanding efforts of our staff and students. Whether it's a teacher going the extra mile or a student showing remarkable leadership, every effort counts. Let's come together to shine a light on these Eagles! Visit our Recognition Page and nominate a deserving individual today. Celebrate the greatness within our district!

There was nothing new to report this evening.

In the Sedol Report, Mr. Michael Engle recapped that the last executive board meeting took place on December 14 and the last governing board meeting was on December 6. The executive board has recommended accepting Superintendent Donnan's retirement, effective June 30, 2024, which will be presented to the governing board on March 6. The board is considering hiring an interim superintendent or multiple interims for the upcoming year and is in the process of identifying potential candidates with the desired qualities, skills, and experiences. The executive board aims to propose a candidate or candidates for approval at the next governing board meeting, also scheduled for March 6. Concurrently, a plan is being formulated to outline the work to be undertaken in the next year.

There was nothing new to report this evening.

There was nothing new to report this evening.

Superintendent Dr. Peter Hannigan welcomed everyone back. He extended a special thank you to Middle North, Middle South, and Elementary South for accommodating the district office staff over the past months. Dr. Hannigan mentioned that the relocation process back to the original offices has begun, noting that they have fully vacated Elementary South and anticipate completing the move out of Middle North and Middle South by the end of the following week. He expressed gratitude to the schools for their support during this transitional period.

There were no presentations this evening.

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Mr. Adam Palmer, presented a resolution for the board's consideration, authorizing the superintendent to hire qualified applicants before the board officially acts on the personnel report. The current procedure requires prospective employees to wait until the next Board of Education meeting for approval before starting employment, often leading to a few weeks' delay from the initial job offer. This delay can result in candidates choosing positions elsewhere. The proposed resolution would allow the superintendent to expedite hiring while maintaining the board's right to formally approve all personnel hires. The employment of any individual hired by the superintendent would still require formal approval by the Board of Education.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, Ms. LeeAnn Taylor, presented an overview of the 2024-2025 student fees, highlighting the district's efforts to simplify and align fees per grade level, ensuring clarity and consistency for parents. She detailed the successful implementation of an early registration discount introduced last year, with a significant majority of families taking advantage of the savings. Looking ahead, Ms. Taylor outlined a revised, more proportional discount structure for early registration, reflecting the district's commitment to financial transparency and efficiency. Additionally, she provided a historical perspective on fee adjustments, ensuring that the district's fees remain competitive and aligned with technological and logistical needs.

Ms. LeeAnn Taylor discussed the 2024 Summer School Fees, stating that no fee increase is proposed for the Hawthorn Enrichment Institute (HEI) and music programs, maintaining the longstanding rate of $7 per hour. She explained that the primary expense for summer school is licensed staffing, and since there hasn't been a recent increase in the staffing pay rate of $41 per hour, the business office doesn't recommend raising summer school fees at this time. However, Ms. Taylor suggested that any future adjustments to summer school fees could be considered in tandem with changes in staff compensation, as negotiated in the HEA contract, since staffing costs represent the majority of the summer school expenses.

APPROVED

Superintendent Dr. Peter Hannigan discussed the proposed student calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. He noted that the calendar committee established the schedule, which includes 176 student attendance days and four teacher institute days. According to the proposed calendar, staff attendance begins on Wednesday, August 14, with students starting on Monday, August 19. The tentative last day for students is set for Wednesday, May 28, assuming no days are lost to inclement weather. Dr. Hannigan reminded everyone to avoid planning vacations until after June 4 to accommodate any potential schedule adjustments. Additionally, he noted that the district is coordinating with the tri-district regarding Lincoln screening days, and once those dates are finalized, they will be communicated to both staff and families.

APPROVED

The next action item addressed by Superintendent Dr. Peter Hannigan was the Data Sharing Agreement involving Districts 73, 75, and 79, particularly concerning the Lincoln Early Learning Center operations. The agreement aims to formalize and align with current practices where employees from each participating district access confidential student data as part of their roles in the program. This new agreement is introduced to fill gaps in the existing Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), providing necessary legal clarity and standing concerning the sharing and handling of this sensitive data.

APPROVED

Ms. LeeAnn Taylor presented the bid results for the building automation upgrades scheduled for Summer 2024/2025 at Aspen, District Office, Townline, and Middle North. She noted that Tom McGrath from Lamp previously shared details of the two received bids, with Applied Controls being the lower bidder. Applied Controls, currently working at EN, is a vendor the district is confident in. Ms. Taylor requested board approval for the bid, reminding that the project aligns with the district's annual capital project planning and has been discussed and vetted at the site and facilities committee level.

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on February 8, 2024.