Berwyn North School District 98 Board of Education met Sept. 24.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting began at 6:43 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Member Mounce.
COMMUNICATIONS
A. District 98 Position Surrounding Black Lives Matter:
Supreintendnet, Dr. Michelle Smith read her passionate stance on Black Lives Matter to the Board and community. She informed the community that Berwyn North Administrators and teachers will be taking training on Diversity, Race, and Culture. Dr. Smith believes that to create a society free of bias, discrimination, and racism we must first accept that there is a problem. That everyone must be willing to evaluate their own thoughts and beliefs to determine how they continue to perpetuate a system of racism and racial injustice. Dr. Smith emphasized that Breonna Taylor’s life mattered and Black Lives Matter. That now is the time to take a stance.
PUBLIC COMMENT
A. Nonestated
PUBLIC HEARING
A. Regina Johnson, Business Manager presented the Board and community with the FY21 Budget. This budget leaves a surplus of $984,000 that will be deposited into the Fund Balance with the understanding that we will be withdrawing this suplus in the next school year in order to alleiviate the possible shortage of state funding for the 21-22 school year budget.
BOARD COMMENT
A. Member Kulis-Kearns Valeriano informed the Board and community of the Desk/Chair Distribution Project from Prairie Oak Elementary School. There are still a list of families that we were not able to provide a desk/chair for. However it was a great success to those families that were able to receive one. She presented a poster of parents with their students receiving the desks and putting them into their vehicles. Parent provided Member Kulis-Kearns Valeriano with pictures of the students sitting at home in their desks.
B. Superintendent Smith presented Member Paul-Emile and Kulis-Kearns Valeriano with a Master Board Member Certificate from the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB). Member Kulis-Kearns Valeriano also received a plaque for Leader Fellow Academy.
C. Member Pabon showed his support for Superintendent Smith’s statement on Black Lives Matter. He expressed the importance of racial equity. Mr. Pabon reiterated the meaning of the three Ss: Silence, Statements, and Solidarity. He expressed the importance of creating opportunites, trainings, and education for a shared language in order to destabalize the institutions that effects our community. Member Pabon is excited to see the next steps as we move forward.
CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of Minutes
1. Regular Meeting Minutes: 8/27/2020
2. Executive Meeting Minutes: 8/27/2020
B. Approval of Personnel
1. New Hires for the 20-21 School Year:
a. Patricia Biagi, Special Education Teacher at Lincoln Middle School
b. Evelyn Mercado, Program Assistant at Lincoln Middle School
c. Adriana Viana, Program Assistant at Lincoln Middle School
2. Resignations:
a. Scott Vieu, Director of Buildings & Grounds at District Office, has submitted a Letter of Resignation effective September 30, 2020.
b. Maria Cristina Diaz, Program Assistant at Prairie Oak Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Resignation effective October 02, 2020.
3. Intent to Retire:
a. Gina Vernola, Teacher at Prairie Oak Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Intent to Retire at the end of the 2021-2022 School Year.
b. Georgine Mullen, Speech & Language Pathologist at Prairie Oak Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Intent to Retire at the end of the 2021-2022 School Year.
c. Phyllis Boemo, Teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Intent to Retire at the end of the 2022-2023 School Year.
d. Nadine Cloherty, Teacher at Havlicek Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Intent to Retire at the end of the 2023-2024 School Year.
e. Barbara Ebersold, Teacher at Havlicek Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Intent to Retire at the end of the 2023-2024 School Year.
f. Janice Brichta, Teacher at Prairie Oak Elementary School, has submitted a Letter of Intent to Retire at the end of the 2024-2025 School Year.
4. Leaves:
a. Natalie Church, Teacher at Havlicek Elementary School, has requested a 12 week FMLA Leave to begin on November 2, 2020, and returning on February 12, 2021.
b. Christine Wear, Teacher at Prairie Oak Elementary School, has requested a 12 week FMLA Leave to begin on January 4, 2021, and returning on April 8, 2021.
c. Jill Ikonnikov, Teacher at Havlicek Elementary School, has requested a 12 week FMLA Leave to begin on January 4th, 2021, and returning on April 8, 2021.
d. Ashley Para, Teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, has requested a 12 week FMLA Leave to begin on February 16, 2021, and returning on May 18, 2021.
e. Elizabeth Van, Teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, has requested a 12 week FMLA Leave to begin on February 2, 2021, and returning on May 27, 2021.
C. Approval of Authorization of next month's payroll
1. Approval of Invoices - $ 1,764,444.35
2. Approval of Monthly Payroll - $ 1,813,643.32
3. Approval of Authorization of next month's payroll - October
ACTION ITEMS
A. Approved – Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget
B. Approved – To Solicit Bids for the Lincoln-Commons Rooftop unit
C. Approved – The Update to the Regular Board Meeting Schedule
D. Approved – Settlement Agreement with Former Employee C. McCabe
E. Approved – Board Policies - Second Read
INFORMATION AND REPORTS
A. Monthly Fund Report
Regina Johnson, Business Manager, presented the monthly fund report to the Board and community.
B. Certified Staff Salaries and Benefits for 2020-2021
The Certified Staff Salaries and Benefits for 2020-2021 School Year is an annual report that is presented to the Berwyn North School Board of Education on a yearly basis. This Report will be posted on the Berwyn North School District website as required by the School Code on October 1st.
C. IMRF Employee Compensation Package - $75,000.00 and Over
IMRF Employee Compensation Package Report is presented annually to the Berwyn North School Board of Education and will be posted on the District website per the School Code on October 1st.
D. FOIA Request:
FOIA Request from Mr. Johnson
Started: 09/14/2020 and Completed: 09/17/2020
Mr. Johnson requested the 2016-2020 Teacher Union Collective Bargaining Agreement and all documents associated with the agreement, including the Admin-Teacher Compensation Report.
FOIA Request from Mr. Johnson
Started: 09/16/2020 and Completed: 09/17/2020
Mr. Johnson requested the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between Berwyn North School District 98 and the North Berwyn Program Assistants and all documents associated with the agreement.
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 25
1/2 day School Improvement Plan Day
Movie Night – Jefferson’s Soccer Field – 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
October 12
Columbus Day – No Attendance
October 29
BOE Meeting – District Office - 6:30 p.m.
Halloween Family Fun Night - Jefferson - 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
October 30
End of First Quarter
PUBLIC COMMENT
A. Marisol, parent of students at Lincoln and Prairie Oak wanted to take a moment to thank the district for the amazing job the district has done with remote learning and for making that decision in a timely manner. Ms. Marisol really appreciates that district took the safety of the students, teachers and staff into consideration when making the decision. She wanted to say thank you and how proud she is of the work the district has done and continue to do with remote learning.
BOARD COMMENT
A. Member Cuevas expressed that although the district had a rocky start, she is receiving a lot of positive feedback from the community about how well it is going now. Ms. Cuevas informed the community that the district will be using data to determine when students will return to school.
NEW BUSINESS
A. None stated
Adjourned meeting at 9:38 p.m.
https://www.bn98.org/userfiles/258/my%20files/boe%20september%20briefs.pdf?id=533
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