Across the Board in D303

Recommendations during Committee meetings go to the full Board for consideration, with final action taken during future Regular or Special meetings. This issue of Across the Board provides summaries from the following meetings:

• July 29 Business Services Committee

Meeting memos, presentations and other documents in BoardDocs

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Agenda items for Board discussion. There is no action taken at this time.

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Background

Annually, the Board reviews the budget at various stages throughout the development process. The Business Office worked with the Human Resources and Learning and Teaching Departments to refine the final draft for Board consideration.

Discussion

The budget process was modified for fiscal year 2025 to allow for more transparency of District department budgets, and several department budgets were restructured to improve efficiency of resources. Administration presented five-year budget projections for each department at every Business Services Committee meeting, starting in March 2024. Those presentations allowed for robust discussions regarding District practices and future plans to meet Board goals. The budgets presented at those meetings were incorporated into the tentative budget, along with all personnel expenses for the 2024-25 school year.

Budget Timeline

March - June: Department budget reports

July 29: FY25 Tentative Budget presented

Aug 5: Board establishes public hearing date/time

Sept. 9: Board holds public hearing and adopts FY25 budget

Recommendation: Administration recommends that the Board accept the tentative 2024-25 budget as presented.

Background

District 303 has been identified as the Administrative District for Mid Valley Special Education Cooperative, which includes serving as the fiscal and legal agent of the cooperative. Annually, administration from Mid Valley presents the budget in tentative form for the Board’s consideration and approval.

Recommendation: Administration recommends that the Board accept the Mid Valley 2024-25 tentative budget as presented.

This summary combines two agenda items: The District 303 Public Display and Public Hearing item, and the Mid Valley Public Display and Public Hearing item.

Background

The Board is required by statute to place the budget in tentative form on public display for 30 days, hold a Public Hearing, give notice to the public of the Public Hearing and formally adopt the budget by September 30, 2024.

Discussion

Both the FY25 budget for District 303 and the FY25 budget for Mid Valley will be available for public inspection at the Community Unit School District’s Administration Center, 201 S. 7th St., St. Charles, IL from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm beginning on August 6 for a minimum of 30 days. Separate public hearings for each budget are to be scheduled for September 9 and separate agenda items for final budget adoption are planned for the same evening.

Recommendation: Administration recommends that the Board of Education place the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Community Unit School District 303 budget and the 2024-2025 Mid Valley budget on public display and schedule public hearings for both budgets to be held on September 9, 2024, with final budget adoptions planned for the same evening.

This summary combines both agenda items for the Mid Valley financial and District 303 financial agenda items.

Administration continually monitors the actual revenues and expenditures for Mid Valley and District 303 throughout the fiscal year, and reports them to the Board on a monthly basis.

• Mid Valley: Revenue and expenditures are lower than what was received at this time last year. There are no areas of concern at this time.
• District 303: Both revenue and expenditures are trending slightly ahead of the prior year. There are no areas of concern at this time.
  

Recommendations: Administration recommends that the Board accepts the Mid Valley and CUSD 303 Financial Reports as presented.

Background

Last year, District 303 added Frontline’s Employee Evaluation Management system. By adding an evaluation management solution, we have been able to track and manage every component of the teacher evaluation process, including self-reflection and goalsetting, in-class observations, student learning objectives, and growth data so teachers and evaluators can focus on having meaningful discussions about practice. It also provides an effective way for administrators to observe and provide feedback to educators.

Discussion

The District requested a renewal contract proposal from Frontline for the Employee Evaluation Management system for the 2024-25 school year.

Recommendation: Administration recommends the Board approve the Frontline Employee Evaluation Management system at a total cost of $34,311.27.

Background

As an employer of staff eligible benefits through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), the District must have a resolution in place authorizing a qualified employee to represent the District. Kristin Brunson is currently acting in this capacity, but resigns effective August 6, 2024.

Recommendation: District 303 Administration recommends that the Board approves the IMRF authorize agent resolution appointing Laura Hannah as District 303's authorized agent and authorizes Administration to execute all required documents.

Background

Electricity for all schools within the St. Charles city limits is provided by the City of St. Charles. For all other schools, Administration regularly puts together a Request for Quotes (RFQ) to ensure competitive pricing. Our current agreement expires in December 2024.

Discussion

Our current pricing is $0.0599 per kWh, with a total estimated annual cost of $331,699. Administration is seeking approval to engage in the RFQ process and accept a contract that is deemed to be advantageous for the District, based on market conditions. Current market prices are slightly higher than the existing agreement, and Nania Energy Advisors is monitoring the market to determine the best time to engage in the RFQ process.

Recommendation: Administration recommends that the Board authorize Administration to engage in the RFQ process and execute a contract to provide electricity for schools outside the St. Charles city limits. The executed contract will be presented at the following Board meeting for formal approval.

Background

According to Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/29-3), a School Board may provide free transportation for any pupil residing within one and one-half miles from school where conditions are such that walking constitutes a serious hazard to pupils due to vehicular traffic. Students who live within these hazardous areas are claimable on the State Transportation Reimbursement Claim. The determination as to what constitutes a serious safety hazard must be made by the School Board on an annual basis, in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in consultation with the Illinois State Board of Education.

Discussion

View the previously approved hazardous routes within District here. In addition to those routes, the District 303 Transportation Department completed a study of the Fox Ridge area due to the reopening of Fox Ridge as an elementary school. The area of Kirk Road between Illinois Avenue and Tyler Road met the state's qualifications as a hazardous route within 1.5 miles of the school. As a result, administration is recommending that the Board approve this section of Kirk Road as a hazardous walking route for Fox Ridge. Following Board approval, administration will submit the application to IDOT for review.

Recommendation: Administration recommends that the Board approves the annual submission of safety hazards as presented. Administration further recommends that the Board approves the area of Kirk Road between Illinois Avenue and Tyler Road as a new hazardous walking route for Fox Ridge.

Background

Approximately $23 million in projects is occurring this summer. Major projects include reopening Fox Ridge as an elementary school, relocating the Transition Program to Lincoln School, and relocating the Early Childhood Program to the Haines Center. Other large, priority capital projects include, but are not limited to, door access control upgrades, district-wide air conditioning enhancement, parking lot and roof improvements and playground development.

Discussion

• Norton Creek Elementary School has a new, inclusive playground that's accessible to students of all physical abilities. This includes unique play areas, a rubber surface, and communication board that encourages positive student interactions on the playground.
• Staff with Early Childhood at the Haines Center are beginning to move into their offices as work progresses. Painting, cabinetry and flooring work continues inside, while parking lot improvements have been made as well.
• At Lincoln, the new home to the Transition Program and Professional Learning Center, flooring, painting and fire suppression work continues. Crews are renovating the former LRC into a Day Room, and renovating the former gym as the Professional Learning Center space and for future Board meetings.
• Air conditioniing installation continues at many District facilities as part of phase 1, with phase 2 work next summer at other facilities.
• The roof at East High School has received new coating, which adds a 20-year warranty to the roof. The coating was chosen in lieu of a full replacement to save on costs.
• Pavement improvements at both the Ferson Creek Elementary parking lot and Peck Road bus lot are expected to wrap up next week.

Recommendation: This agenda item is for discussion only. There are no recommendations at this time.

Background

School Outfitters is a vendor that specializes in furniture needs for educational environments. Staff has recently engaged in conversations with the vendor to take advantage of their pre-bid cooperative contract through the TIPS co-op pricing, specifically for student chairs and desks. As an example of the savings, purchasing through this contract typically saves the district $4-6 per chair, depending on the quantity we order, meaning lower prices when high quantities of merchandise are purchased.

Discussion

Aging furniture within our schools, paired with the moving elements within our district, presents the need for substantial furniture purchases in the upcoming years. Administration is recommending capturing the savings presented in the TIPS cooperative pricing Contract # 210902 to begin this rollout of updated, appropriate, functional furniture.

Recommendation: District 303 Administration recommends participation in the TIPS cooperative pricing Contract #210902 and approving the award of up to $75,000 to School Outfitters for furniture purchases during the 2024-25 school year.

Background

During the 2024 fiscal year, District 303 entered into an agreement with Enterprise Fleet to lease several transportation and drivers education vehicles. This relationship has been beneficial for the District, and administration has explored opportunities to utilize the services offered by Enterprise as other vehicles have required replacement.

Discussion

The fleet vans used by IT and Facilities are in need of immediate replacement, and administration solicited quotes from Enterprise for these vehicles.

Recommendation: District 303 Administration recommends that the Board approve the lease of the vehicles as described above at a total combined cost of $138,674.40, to be paid in monthly installments over 60 months.

Background

District 303 makes use of the Citrix platform to deliver software to students and staff on site and remotely. This software includes resource intensive applications needed for PLTW along with many others. The system includes licensing for up to 300 secondary students to use these applications from home on any device.

Recommendation: District 303 Administration recommends that the Board approve the items as described above at a total cost of $103,200.

The next Business Services Committee meeting will take place on Monday, August 26 at 5:30 p.m.