South Cook News

Prairie Junior High School District 126 Board of Education met Sept. 10.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

The Board stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL

Present:               Marigrace Sinnott-Snooks, President 

Joe LaChica, Vice President 

Lori Pierce, Secretary 

Donna Waldrom 

Harry Tannehill 

Therese Zaker 

Kim Powers

Also Present:      Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent 

Steve Gress, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations 

Lori Connolly, Director of Teaching and Learning 

Robert Condon, Director Special Education 

Claudia Peralta, Bilingual Program Director

APPROVAL OF MINUTES 

Donna Waldrom moved, seconded by Joe LaChica, “To approve the minutes of the August 13, 2020 Regular Board Meeting”. Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: LaChica, Waldrom, Sinnott-Snooks, Tannehill, Pierce, Zaker. Nay: none. Abstain: Powers. The motion carried 7-0-1.

PUBLIC HEARING 

Therese Zaker moved, seconded by Harry Tannehill, “To open the Public Hearing on the 2020-2021 Budget as duly advertised”. Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: Powers, Waldrom, Sinnott-Snooks, Tannehill, LaChica, Pierce, Zaker Nay: none. The motion carried 7-0.

There were no questions, statements or positions by the audience or Board.

Harry Tannehill moved, seconded by Donna Waldrom, “That the Public Hearing on the 2020-2021 Budget be closed". Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: Sinnott-Snooks, Pierce, Zaker, Powers, Tannehill, LaChica, Waldrom. Nay: none. The motion carried 7-0.

FINANCIAL 

Therese Zaker moved, seconded by Harry Tannehill, “To approve the Estimate of Revenue for the Fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021." Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: Tannehill, LaChica, Waldrom, Powers, Sinnott-Snooks, Zaker, Pierce. Nay: none. The motion carried 7-0.

Harry Tannehill moved, seconded Joe LaChica, “To adopt the 2020-2021 Budget”. Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: Powers, LaChica, Waldrom, Zaker, Sinnott-Snooks, Pierce, Tannehill. Nay: none. The motion carried 7-0.

Joe LaChica moved, seconded by Therese Zaker, “To adopt the Budget Resolution for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021. Said copy to appear at the end of the Minutes.” Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: LaChica, Waldrom, Pierce, Sinnott-Snooks, Zaker, Powers, Tannehill. Nay: none. The motion carried 7-0.

Publication of legal notice of proposed Tax Levy and Publication of legal notice of Transfer Hearing Date is October 1, 2020. The proposed tax levy will be on display for 30 days.

CONSENT AGENDA 

Harry Tannehill moved, seconded by Lori Pierce, “To approve the Consent Agenda”. Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: LaChica, Powers, Waldrom, Sinnott-Snooks, Tannehill, Pierce, Zaker. Nay: none. The motion carried 7-0.

EDUCATIONAL REPORT 

Lori Connolly reported that the district restructured summer school to be held virtually the last two weeks in July. We had 165 students participate who were supported by 22 teachers. Because we had so many teachers interested in teaching the virtual summer school, we were able to keep class sizes smaller than usually, which was a great support for students. The focus was on both reading and mathematics for targeted instruction. BookNook, a virtual guided reading program, was used to bolster student reading skills and provide intensive small group instruction. MangaHigh and Happy Numbers were supplemental online programs used with our math groups to provide interactive lessons and games that students found to be engaging. Choice board activities were also provided for students to complete learning activities from. Jen Saternus, Assistant Principal of Stony Creek and Summer School Principal, successfully supported teachers, parents, and students during summer school. She surveyed teachers and students at the conclusion of summer school. Both MangaHigh and Happy Numbers programs proved to be successful in providing meaningful learning experiences. Students indicated they enjoyed the programs and teachers indicated that they would like to see these programs available to support learning in the fall, which we have done. Most students could agree that their favorite part of summer school was being able to interact live with their teacher, while their least favorite part had to wake up early. We also had a 93% overall attendance rate! Based on the surveys, student engagement, and attendance rate, it would be safe to say our first virtual summer school was a success. It may be a model for the district to consider continuing in the future.

Teaching students remotely has been a game changer for elementary school districts. Our school district is fortunate to be ahead of the curve in regards to much of the technology provided to both teachers and students. Several additional tools have been purchased this summer to support instruction and learning. Online tools such as Kami, an app that transforms a document or PDF or traditional workbook page into an interactive text, Padlet, an online virtual "bulletin” board, where students and teachers can collaborate, reflect, share links and pictures, in a secure location, and Loom, a video recording tool that allows teachers and students to record a video and then share the recording are available to support teachers with their online instruction.

StudySync, the district's 6-8 grade literacy curriculum, has created SyncStart units. SyncStart Units are 10 day units built around a grade-level text from the core curriculum providing explicit instruction on priority literacy skills and instructional routines for each grade level. The 6-8 grade ELA team spent time last week reviewing the unit, identifying priority lessons and routines, and planning for delivering the lessons remotely to students to begin the year.

Craig Gwaltney reported that total enrollment in the District was down about 70 students. 30 of those students are from the EC Center which was to be expected with remote learning in place. Others school's enrollment dropped slightly.

NEW BUSINESS 

Donna Waldrom moved, seconded by Lori Pierce, “To approve the purchase of Safeco plexiglass from Warehouse Direct in an amount not to exceed $55,00”. Upon roll call, the vote was as follows: Aye: none. Nay: Sinnott-Snooks, Powers, LaChica, Zaker, Pierce, Tannehill, Waldrom. The motion passed 7-0.

The transportation costs for remote learning discussion have been tabled to the October Board Meeting.

OLD BUSINESS 

Craig Gwaltney read aloud questions and statements that were sent in by district parents in regards to remote learning going forward in the 2020-2021 School Year. Craig and members of the board talked about moving to a hybrid method of learning if the positivity rates for our communities stay within the guidelines. The board chose to move the October 10th meeting to October 1st to discuss this in more detail and determine the possibility of a start date.

ADJOURNMENT 

Harry Tannehill moved, seconded by Lori Pierce, "To adjourn the meeting". Upon roll call, the vote as follows: Aye: Sinnott Snooks, Tannehill, Pierce, Zaker, LaChica, Waldrom. Nay: None. The motion carried 7-0 at 8:20 p.m.

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