december 10
a recap of the december 10th board meeting
The Board Buzz is put together following District 25 School Board Meetings and serves as a recap of what occurred. For the full agenda, please click here.
This meeting was recorded and that recording can be viewed here: www.sd25.org/1210FullMeeeting.
As always, the bOARDBuzz is archived at www.sd25.org/BoardBuzz.
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 2020 TAX LEVY
INFORMATION
Assistant Superintendent for Business/CSBO, Stacey Mallek, begins her recap presentation of the 2020 Tax Levy at the :25 mark. Click here to watch the recap presentation and click here for a PDF of the recap presentation.PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING
There was a public comment submitted to be read specifically at the time of the 2020 Tax Levy Hearing. Superintendent Dr. Bein read that comment and it can be heard by clicking here and read by clicking here: www.sd25.org/1210TaxLevyComments
RECOGNITIONS AND WELCOMES
This meeting was held virtually, via Zoom and all public comments were submitted via an online Google form prior to the meeting. All comments received prior to 12 pm (noon) on Thursday, December 10, 2020 were categorized, and read aloud at the meeting. The reading of those comments begin at the 9:14 mark of the meeting and can be viewed at this direct link: www.sd25.org/1210FullMeeting.
Any public comment submitted prior to the start of the meeting at 7:30 pm on Thursday, December 10, 2020, are available in full and can be read by visiting www.sd25.org/1210Comments.
Categorized summary of public comments submitted via Email:
- Disappointed that the Board did not take an adaptive pause; do the right thing moving forward and approve an adaptive pause (18)
- Some Board members showed disrespect to teachers, administrators, and health professionals at the last meeting (2)
Using substitutes during this time is not providing a quality education (1)
I do not feel safe at work (1)
Board needs guidelines to follow to make decisions without emotion; set parameters for learning modes using science. (2)
Vote no to the tax levy. You should budget better. Why is this being proposed during this challenging time (5)
Thank you for moving forward with hybrid (5)
Please allow Kindergarten and 1st grade to be full in-person (2)
Allow parents to choose full in-person in January (5)
Concerned that D25 will lose great teachers and great substitutes due to the Board’s decision and will not be able to attract new teachers (2)
Thank you for providing more in-person for students with special needs and 504s (2)
Dr. Bein shared false information at the last meeting. Catholic schools were mandated to go remote after Christmas by the Archdiocese, they did not make the decision as individual schools. St Peter Lutheran School is open. (2)
Thank you for continuing with hybrid, and create a remote academy moving forward (1)
Return to full in-person and reduce stress on teachers by eliminating multiple learning mediums (1)
Allow our qualified and invested teachers to teach remotely. Substitutes are not adequate replacements (1)
Board cannot censor certain speech during public comment (i.e. mentioning school personnel by name) (1)
Let the superintendent make decisions about the schools (1)
Move forward will full in-person learning and report out on how you are getting more substitutes hired (1)
Petition demanding that metrics mirror the CCDPH, ISBE, and IDPH with submitter stating there are 547 signatures (1)
Have mercy on the teachers who are working too hard. The talk among the professional community is that you don’t want to work in District 25. (1)
Parents advocating for in-person learning are not looking for babysitters - those comments were a slap in the face to all educators; give parents choice for full in-person learning; consider a remote academy starting in January (1)
An increase in the levy is not necessary (1)
Approve an adaptive pause, but allow special education students to stay in person (1)
Thank you, Dr. Bein, for working for what is best for students of all ability levels and recognizing IEPs are legally binding (1)
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
superintendent report
INFORMATIONAL ITEM: Transitional Model of Reopening
A PDF of Dr. Bein's presentation can be seen by clicking here and to watch Dr. Bein's presentation, click here.
- Hiring of contact tracers
- "Transition" Motion | Increasing the number of in-person students where space allows.
- Action Items in Progress | Transitioning to 4-day hybrid
- Action Items in Progress | Transition to full in-person or full remote learning
INFORMATIONAL ITEM: Metrics Discussion
A PDF of the proposed metrics can be seen by clicking here and to watch Dr. Bein's presentation, click here.
At the Special Committee of the Whole meeting on November 29th, the Board discussed the topic of metrics, and asked Dr. Bein to provide additional metrics to consider for determining when District 25 might move from hybrid or full in-person to remote learning.
Following input from the Transition Advisory Committee, and if the District sees an increase in positive COVID-19 cases within the schools without a substantial community spread outside of the schools, Dr. Bein proposed an adjustment to metrics that now includes the following:
- If at any time, a classroom has 5 positive cases, that classroom will be considered having an outbreak and will move to remote learning for at least 14 days or the # of days recommended by the local health department
- If at any time, a grade level or middle school team has a trend of COVID-19 cases that the health department defines as an outbreak, that the grade level or team would move to remote learning for at least 14 days or the # of days recommended by the local health department
- If at any time, a school has a trend of COVID-19 cases that the health department defines as an outbreak, that school would move to remote learning for at least 14 days or the # of days recommended by the local health department
Additionally, Dr. Bein reviewed with the Board a chart created by District Administration utilizing information from the IDPH, CDC, Harvard Global Health Institute, the Board’s already determined metrics, and the District's internal challenges. This metrics chart includes a variety of internal metrics and external metrics that the District evaluates daily.
To highlight, the following 6 areas are critical to safety for students and staff or critical to providing a quality instructional experience:
- Evidence of school transmission
- Inventory of PPE/cleaning supplies
- Staffing fill rate
- Total absences
- Region 10 positivity rate
- # of cases per 100,000 in AH
business and finance
To watch the discussion about this item, click here.
SHIELD Illinois is a screening testing program and infrastructure that deploys the University of Illinois' saliva test. The test is non-invasive and does not require medically trained personnel to collect samples.
The District would be responsible for transporting/delivering the samples to a SHIELD Illinois lab, currently in either Itasca (more likely for us) or Maywood. The test cost is $20/test with a minimum commitment of 5,000 tests and the results are available within 24 hours.
As the agreement is not yet in final form or ready to be acted on, the District was only seeking Board guidance at the meeting as to what level of financial investment might be made, if any, to this type of testing.
ACTION ITEMS
business and finance
MOTION: APPROVED
That the Board of Education approve the "Memorandum of Agreement with Cook County Department of Public Health for Conducting and Interpreting BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Antigen Testing Through Standing Order and/or Extended CLIA Waiver"
To watch the presentation of this item and the Board's discussion and vote of this item, click here.
MOTION: APPROVED
That the Board of Education approve the lease agreement with Pitney Bowes for 60 months at $215.34/month
To watch the vote of this proposed motion, click here.
MOTION: APPROVED
That the Board of Education approve the "Resolution of Arlington Heights School District No. 25, Cook County, Illinois, Providing for the Levy of Taxes for the Year 2020.
To watch the vote of this proposed motion, click here.
UPCOMING BOARD MEETING
School Board Meeting
The December 17th meeting will be held at the Dunton Administration Building and community members may view the meeting via the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/IhJ094LY9sU
Governor Pritzker’s November 13 Disaster Declaration provides that, for purposes of the Open Meetings Act virtual-meeting provision, public health concerns currently render in-person attendance of more than 10 people at the regular meeting location not feasible.
Anyone who has a public comment is welcome to submit their comment using the NEW process by filling out the public comments Google Form.
Thursday, Dec 17, 2020, 07:30 PM
1200 South Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL, USA
Arlington Heights School District 25
Email: aharris@sd25.org
Website: www.sd25.org
Location: 1200 South Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL, USA
Phone: 847.758.4900
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ahsd25
Twitter: @ahsd25