Board Brief - 10/9/2024
October 9, 2024
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Stuart R. Paddock Elementary School
Principal Jason Christ of Stuart R. Paddock Elementary School proudly led the Pledge of Allegiance alongside members of the newly elected Student Council, Assistant Principal Mike Wierman, and Student Council liaisons Jenna Leone and Nicole Gavin. The SRP Student Council, made up of 12 fifth-grade students from all five of the school’s fifth-grade classrooms, were elected by their peers after submitting applications that highlighted their commitment to serving the school community.
Joining Principal Christ were the following Student Council members: Sofia, Oliver, Aadya, Annabelle, Aneri, Manik, Kailyn, Hailey, Sam, Chloe, Selia and Julia. Mr. Christ shared that these student leaders are eager to participate in meaningful initiatives such as the Thanksgiving Basket drive, leading PBIS refresher lessons, designing spirit days, and welcoming new students to the school.
We thank them, along with Assistant Principal Wierman and Student Council sponsors Jenna Leone and Nicole Gavin for leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. We look forward to seeing their positive contributions to the Paddock Panther community this year!
Student Recognition: Emiliano Cortes (John G. Conyers Learning Academy)
We are thrilled to recognize Emiliano Cortes, a 6th grader in the ABLE Program at Conyers Learning Academy, for his remarkable commitment to personal growth and resilience.
In 2018, Emiliano was diagnosed with a disorder that affects his vision and mobility, but, according to his Assistant Principal and staff at CLA, that hasn’t stopped him from embracing every challenge with courage and perseverance. Over the past two years, Emiliano has made incredible progress, learning to read and write in Braille, navigating his school environment independently, and spreading kindness wherever he goes.
One particularly inspiring project he’s had a hand in initiating is “voice banking,” where he works with his educational team to proactively record words and phrases using a communication device to ensure he can always communicate in his own voice. Ms. Loh also shared that his dedication to this project, and to his learning, is a testament to his determination and creativity.
Emiliano’s innovation and joyful spirit have made a lasting impression on everyone at CLA. Emiliano has also been named this year’s Student President of Conyers Learning Academy!
We are so proud to honor him as part of our student recognition, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things he will continue to achieve!
Above and Beyond: Emily Soenksen (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)
This month, we are delighted to honor Ms. Emily Soenksen for her remarkable contributions to District 15. Emily has earned the prestigious Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) Excellence in Middle School Mathematics Teaching Award, as a result of her dedication to fostering a student-centered learning environment as well as her leadership in advancing math education amongst her colleagues.
Ms. Soenksen, who recently moved from Carl Sandburg to Thomas Jefferson Middle School, has made an incredible impact through her creative and thoughtful approach to teaching. Her commitment to engaging students in meaningful ways has not only inspired her learners, but has also left a lasting impression on her colleagues. Emily’s active participation in district committees along with her efforts to further our educational goals continue to demonstrate the profound value she brings to our community.
We couldn’t be more proud of Emily’s achievements and are thrilled to recognize her for consistently going Above and Beyond. Congratulations, Emily—you truly make us #ProudToBe15!
Catch Up with Heinz
Location: Palatine Village Hall
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00PM
SAVE THE DATE — Upcoming Catch Up with Heinz meetings:
Rolling Meadows—January 23, 2025
Hoffman Estates—April 3, 2025
Inverness—May 1, 2025
Overview of Student Cell Phones
Presented by:
- Mrs. MJ Warden, Chief Technology Officer
At our October board meeting, the Smartphones at School Action Research Committee was introduced, marking an important step in addressing the growing challenges around smartphone use in schools. With concerns about how excessive smartphone use is impacting student mental health, focus, cyberbullying, and social-emotional growth, the district has recognized the need for deeper exploration of the issue.
Led by our administrative team, this committee will be conducting focus groups and surveys throughout the year to gather insights from students, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders. By the spring of 2025, the committee aims to present research-driven recommendations to the Board.
The goal is to create balanced policies around smartphone use that support both academic success and student well-being. We’re excited to see this important work unfold and look forward to sharing the findings next year. The committee will launch on October 31st.
You can view the information in Diligent Community or watch the presentation on Youtube.
Update on Priority 2: Staff Engagement and Retention
Presented by:
Dr. Shari Lazor, Associate Superintendent
Mrs. Lisa Nuss, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
Dr. Claire Kowalczyk, Administrator on Special Assignment
Staff engagement and retention continues to be a key priority for the district. Positive strides were highlighted, including a slight increase in first-year teacher retention, moving from 79% to 80%, and a notable improvement in retaining hard-to-fill positions, which jumped from 69% to 80%.
Additionally, efforts to boost staff diversity are paying off, with hires from underrepresented groups rising from 32% to 36.6%. As always, there are areas to keep working on. The exit survey results showed a drop in overall positive feedback, emphasizing the need for a more competitive compensation package.
A key success story has been our use of the Teacher Vacancy Grant, which has funded initiatives like raffles and luncheons to improve morale and support retention efforts. These initiatives, combined with building partnerships with diverse universities, enhancing social media outreach, and participating in job fairs, have helped to recruit and retain top talent.
One ongoing challenge has been the growing reliance on contract agencies to fill open positions, with contract staff now covering 20.9% of vacancies. While this helps in the short term, the District recognizes this is not a sustainable practice and is committed to developing internal staff to maintain stability and manage costs more effectively.
We will continue working on improving staff engagement, making sure that every step forward counts toward creating a supportive environment for our educators.
You can view this segment in Diligent Community or watch the presentation on Youtube.
Scorecard Format Updates
Presented by:
- Dr. Tom Edgar, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services
Dr. Tom Edgar presented updates to the district’s Scorecard and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) formats for the 2024-25 school year. Based on feedback from the September meeting, several improvements were made to better track progress toward district goals.
The updated Scorecard now features color-coded indicators to quickly identify areas that are on target, inconclusive, or below target. These color codings are done to look at how annual progress will eventually equate to a 5-year benchmark. Changes have also been made to our graphs to clearly display year-to-year progress, incorporate end of plan goal levels, and establish an aimline for each metric. These adjustments are intended to provide a more transparent and comprehensive view of the district’s performance and ensure that data-driven decisions are effectively guiding the district's initiatives.
Dr. Edgar emphasized that these enhancements will help the Board and the community monitor progress more accurately, making it easier to achieve long-term educational objectives.
View the information in Diligent Community or watch the presentation on Youtube.
2024 Fall Housing Report
Presented by:
Dr. Shari Lazor, Associate Superintendent
As of October 1, 2024, District 15 has seen an overall increase in enrollment, growing from 11,154 students last year to 11,274 this year. Dr. Shari Lazor stated that much of this growth stems from the introduction of full-day kindergarten, which added 137 students.
She noted the continued increase in our English Learner newcomers. Since June 2024, 359 new students have joined the district from diverse backgrounds, compared to 222 during the same time last year. Many of these students arrived from Ukraine, Mexico, Japan, India, Honduras, and Kyrgyzstan. To accommodate this growing population, we’ve expanded our bilingual programming, adding languages like Hindi, Ukrainian, and Spanish.
Building enrollment shifts were notable, with Plum Grove Middle School and Winston Campus Middle School seeing increases of 274 and 265 students respectively, while Walter R. Sundling and Conyers Learning Academy saw decreases. The district continues to monitor these trends, especially with ongoing housing developments impacting future enrollment.
In response to enrollment changes, the district added about 69 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) certified staff positions, ensuring that student needs are met across all schools.
However, staffing shortages persist, particularly in special education. As a district, we will work to ensure that we have the right people, the right number of people that are focused on the right work.
Education Research Development (ED-RED) Committee
Board Vice President Annerino shared that ED-RED is not in session yet, but is set to be back for a veto session on November 12. There will be a ED-RED kick-off meeting luncheon where they will be discussing legislative priorities, TIF reform, funding for low-income and newcomer students, and flexibility in student transportation. For more information on any of these initiatives, visit ED-RED’s website.
one-five Foundation
Board Member Taylor shared that teacher mini-grants are now open for the 2024-25 school year, and teachers and staff can apply for those mini-grants via the one-five website. The mini-grant program will be accepting applications until early November.
Finance Committee
Board Member Wang shared that the committee met on September 24, 2024 to discuss the FY25 budget.
Equity Committee
Board Member Ader shared that she and Board Member Khan will be working with Dr. Heinz to schedule school visits to see some of our programs and initiatives that are happening across the district.
9.1 Approval of New Position for Information Systems Division/Technology Department - APPROVED
- 9.2 Approval of Personnel Report: Administrative, Certified and Non-Certified Staff - APPROVED
- 9.3 Approval of Semi-Annual Review of Closed Session Minutes - APPROVED
- 9.4 Approval of Bid Award #25-003 Treated/Untreated Rock Salt and Bagged Salt - APPROVED
Next meeting of the Board of Education
The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held at Walter R. Sundling Middle School, 1100 N. Smith Street, Palatine, on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.