News from CCSD15 Board of Education

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) is an exciting program that helps middle and high school students learn how to become real and confident entrepreneurs. Through the year-long club, interested students in our junior high schools generate business ideas, conduct market research, write business plans, pitch to a panel of investors, and launch their very own companies.

We are so proud of D15 students for their hard work completing the YEA program and for the creation of their very own companies.

• Arya B. - ARYA Graphics

• Aarav B. and Tyler K. - K-6 Tutoring

• Vishvesh K. - Medicine Well

• Sanjay K. - Trade Up

• Vaishnavi L. - UpLearn

• Lukas L. - Grow Goal

• Saanvi P. - Pawships

• Krishna P. - Joybox

• Madhava R. - Box & Go

• Patrick S. - Streamy, LLC

• Aurav S. - Pesky Pest Solutions

• Marisol S. - Bike Safe

• Nathan S. - Auto Flipper

• Murari T. - Imagidesk

• Brianna W. - Canine Care and Treats Service

An additional congratulations to Patrick S. who was the top pick for the investor panel with his company Streamy, LLC, a platform that saves time by showing which streaming services carry your favorite tv shows and movies.

We are grateful to have such amazing community partners such as the Chamber of Commerce who offers the Young Entrepreneurs Academy for our students!

Mary Beth Knoeppel (bottom right of photo above), current principal of Lincoln School will be retiring at the end of the 2012-22 school year. We are excited to announce that the current Assistant Principal, Ellen Pape (bottom left of photo above), will be taking over as Lincoln’s Principal beginning July 1, 2022.

A monthly COVID update including metrics was provided to the Board of Education. The Board was informed that SHIELD Testing for students in grades 1-8, after being delayed due to logistical issues with our third party provider, will begin Monday, September 13. The District is also in conversation with SHIELD regarding the possible use of Test to Stay protocol.

Ares Dalianas, Partner, Franczek P.C., and Elizabeth Hennessy, Managing Director, Raymond James, provided the Board follow-up information regarding the Downtown Palatine TIF extension and provided the Board time to ask questions. The Board was presented with an initial draft Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) regarding the terms of the proposed extension the Village of Palatine is seeking. You can view the TIF presentation here.

District 15, in partnership with the Partners for Our Communities (POC) of Palatine, sought out and secured grant funding to bring a Parent Mentor Program to two of our schools, Jane Addams and Virginia Lake, for the 2021-22 school year. Parents who participate in the mentor program will commit to spending 100 hours where they will assist teachers, interact with students, and support instruction Monday through Thursday.

On Fridays, the parent mentor team will come together at the POC for an opportunity to ask questions, share reflections, and receive professional development in relevant educational topics as well as leadership skills. After successfully fulfilling their 100-hour commitment, a recognition ceremony will be held and parents will receive a stipend of $1,000.

Sandra Lahoz, retired District 15 bilingual teacher, will serve as the Director of this program and will be the liaison between District 15 and the POC in this joint effort.

The team hopes to begin programming in early October.

Diana McCluskey, Chief School Business Official, and Joshua Schoot, Director of Fiscal Services, presented the Board with the FY21-22 budget. The required Public Hearing was held at the Board meeting on August 11, 2021.

Revenue

FY22 Operating Funds Revenue is projected to increase approximately $15M primarily due to $12M of Federal Covid Relief Grant funds and the CPI increase in Property Taxes of $3.6M.

Expenditures

FY22 Operating Funds Expenditures are budgeted to increase $14.6M primarily due to Federal Covid Relief Grant expenses of $12M and teacher salary increases of $3M.

Fund Balance

FY22 Operating Funds surplus is projected at $1.4M and the projected June 30, 2022, Ending Operating Fund Balance is $62,457,315 or 34% of FY22 operating expenditures, maintaining the 34% Fund Balance from FY21. It is important to keep a healthy fund balance to address unforeseen, unbudgeted emergency expenditures. The fund balances that the District was able to build up over the last decade helped to pay for the unexpected costs incurred due to COVID.

The Board must adopt a balanced budget no later than September 30 of each year.

Summer 2021 Construction

Facility improvements this past summer include:

• Remodel of basement art room at Carl Sandburg Junior High

• Break out rooms at Willow Bend Elementary

• Sealcoating at Gray Sanborn Elementary, Carl Sandburg Junior High, Central Road Elementary, ESC, and patching at Pleasant Hill Elementary

• Concrete repairs at Virginia Lake Elementary, Central Road Elementary, Walter R. Sundling Elementary, Pleasant Hill Elementary, Frank C. Whiteley Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary

• Carpet and flooring at Winston Campus, Walter R. Sundling Elementary, and ESC

• Lockers refinished at Winston Campus

Life Safety improvements include HVAC replacements, new lighting, and carpet at Gray Sanborn Elementary, Kimball Hill Elementary, and Lake Louise Elementary. GMS also has 2 new bathrooms. Work continues on new classrooms in the cafeteria at Conyers Learning Academy.

You can view the budget presentation here.

James Kaplanes, Director of Facilities & Operations, worked with Mike Eichhorn of Wold Architects to develop a 5-year Facility & Maintenance Plan. The draft plan addresses the outstanding Health Life Safety (HLS) projects from the 2014 HLS survey and includes additional capital projects that require attention within the next 5 years. You can view the 5-year facility and maintenance presentation here.

As part of the next step within our Beyond Just Boundaries (BJB) work, Dr. Heinz has formed a Citizen Task Force (CTF). This representative group of community members will be charged with vetting the current Beyond Just Boundaries (BJB) proposal that was presented to the Board of Education at our Committee of the Whole meeting held on April 21, 2021. They will provide feedback and help enhance the plan before they make recommendations to Dr. Heinz and the Board of Education.

The findings from the Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment indicated no major concerns with the property the District hopes to purchase for our Technology Department. Therefore, the District will proceed with the real estate transaction for the Technology Building at 310 Colfax.

ED-RED (Board Member Frank Annerino)

Frank Annerino reviewed recently signed legislation that will impact school districts including a unit of instruction on media literacy, a unit of instruction on studying Asian American history, required playtime, sexual health education, along with many others. The District is aware of these bills and will address them as needed. You can view IASB Legislative Report 102-21 here.

one-five Foundation (Board Member James Taylor)

The one-five Foundation met last month to update its list of Board of Trustees and set its calendar for the year. The next meeting is on September 15.

Finance Committee (Board Members Wenda Hunt and Anthony Wang)

The Finance Committee met on August 24 to review the TIF information, draft FY22 budget, and the health-life safety projects that need completion.

Equity Committee (Board members Sam Ader and Zubair Khan)

The Equity Committee is meeting on Friday, September 10, to set its priorities for the year.

The following policies have been updated per administration recommendations:

• 4:180 Pandemic Preparedness; Management; and Recovery

• 7:190 Student Behavior

• 8:030 Visitors To and Conduct on School Property. The suggested policy changes were approved.

• 9.1 Personnel Report: Administration, Certified, and Non-Certified were approved

• 9.2 Approval Administrator and Teacher Salary Benefits Report approved

• 9.3 Adoption of FY21-22 Budget approved

• 9.4 Approval of Settlement for the 2008-2010 Tax Rate Objections approved

Email: CCSD15@ccsd15.net
Website: www.ccsd15.net
Location: 580 North 1st Bank Drive, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/CCSD15
Twitter: @D15Schools