The East Aurora School District 131 Board of Education met Oct. 3 to address technology in the classroom.
Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the board:
______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 260 A regular Meeting of the Board of Education of School District Number 131, Kane County Illinois was held at the School Service Center, 417 Fifth Street, Aurora, Illinois, on Monday, the 3rd day of October 2016. The call of the meeting was sent to the residences of the Board members and posted at the School Service Center, 417 Fifth Street, Aurora, Illinois at the time and place stated in the affidavits which follow: September 28, 2016 Board of Education School District 131 Aurora, IL 60505 A Regular Meeting of the Board of Education of School District 131 will be held on Monday, October 3, 2016 at 7:00 O’clock P.M., at the School Service Center, 417 Fifth Street, Aurora, Illinois. Sincerely, Kimberly Hatchett Secretary, Board of Education I, Kimberly Hatchett, Secretary of the Board of Education of School District 131, Kane County, Illinois do hereby certify that on the 28th day of September 2016, a notice of a Regular Meeting of said Board of Education to be held at the School Service Center, 417 Fifth Street, Aurora, Illinois, on Monday, October 3, 2016, at 7:00 o’clock P.M., was placed in the United States Mail, at Aurora, Illinois. A copy of this notice appears above and was sent to each and every member of the Board of Education electronically as follows: Alex Arroyo, aarroyo@d131.org Annette Johnson, ajohnson@d131.org Kimberly Hatchett, khatchett@d131.org Richard Leonard, rleonard@d131.org Kirsten Strand, kstrand@d131.org John Laesch, jlaesch@d131.org Ken Darby, kdarby@d131.org ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 261 I further certify that a copy of the above notice of a Regular Meeting of the Board of Education was posted at the School Service Center, 417 Fifth Street, Aurora, Illinois, at 3:00 P.M., on the 28th day of September 2016 and posted on the school district website. I further certify that a copy of the above notice was posted at the School Service Center more than 48 hours prior to the time of said meeting. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal of said School District this 3rd day of October 2016. ________________________ Kimberly Hatchett Secretary, Board of Education President Annette Johnson called the Regular Meeting of October 3, 2016 to order at 7:00 P.M. and called the roll and the following answered present: Annette Johnson Kirsten Strand Kimberly Hatchett Alex Arroyo Richard Leonard Ken Darby John Laesch The following were absent: None Communication from the Superintendent Dr. McDonald stated that board members, administrators and parents of District 131 attended the LULAC banquet last week. Six of the ten students recognized at the banquet were District 131 students including our National AP Scholar. Dr. McDonald stated that the keynote speakers were both East Aurora graduates. One of the speakers is currently an undergraduate; the other is a law school graduate who is studying tax law at Northwestern. Dr. McDonald stated that District 131 was also well represented at the Habitat for Humanity Ground breaking program last week. Habitat for Humanity provides homes for persons in need; our students will actually participate in finishing the property that is being offered for a deserving family. Dr. McDonald stated that East High had a very successful homecoming dance this weekend. There were over 1,100 students that participated. ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 262 Dr. McDonald also stated that participation in the Tomcat Youth Tackle program has been exceptional and so has the level of parent involvement. Lastly, Dr. McDonald informed the board that the NJROTC formation will take place on October 4th at 7:30 a.m. at the high school. He further stated that the NJROTC program is the largest and one of the best of its kind in the country; they will receive several important awards at the formation tomorrow. Student Board Member Report Ms. Laura Guido read the following report: “Good evening everyone, once again I am beyond excited for my first solo meeting! Two weeks ago on September 24th, DECA hosted the Forgotten Teens Car Show for its fourth year. As I had explained in the last meeting, this project raises funds for low income students at East Aurora which then are used to buy gifts during Christmas. This year our main target is helping our homeless population at the school. The car show had a great turnout overall and I was very glad seeing our own EA Alumni participate in it! We held a variety of raffles and many donations were gratefully accepted. The show was very successful as we were able to raise over $1,000. This is just the beginning of the project as we further plan other fundraising events. This past week was crazy busy as it was our annual homecoming week. Being student council president, I was in charge of planning and putting together events such as the parade and the pep assembly and the homecoming dance. The high school kicked off homecoming with a parade on Tuesday in which Mayor Tom Weisner participated as our Grand Marshall. Also big shout out to our senior class and student council advisor Mr. Gerk, as he was able to find a dealership who sponsored our parade and let us borrow a convertible for the mayor to ride in. Friday was such a big day! The school day began with a traditional spirit walk in which the band along with the cheerleaders walk around the halls playing and singing our school fight song. We finished our final spirit day by wearing our school colors and showing our EA pride. I had the honor to be one of this year’s MCs for the school’s pep assembly and I really enjoyed having that opportunity to speak in front of the entire student body. As the night set in, it was time for the homecoming dance. The dance was hosted by Boom Entertainment for the second year in a row. The dance had a great turnout as many students went and had a fun a night. The following day, the homecoming game took place at Aurora Christian. The Tomcats went up against Glenbard East. Our boys had a great first half of the game as they were tied 7-7. Unfortunately the tomcats lost 7-14 but we can blame that on the rain. ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 263 Besides homecoming related things, we also had a series of events take place at our school last week. On Tuesday the 27th, the marching tomcats attended the panther review march at Oswego High School and showcased their halftime show. They did not fail to continue making a great impression on other schools and demonstrated what East Aurora is really about beyond stereotypes. On Thursday September 29 the high School hosted the Hispanic National College Fair. Students had the chance to speak with admission representatives from a variety of colleges. Another big event occurred on Tuesday during the school day. Seniors and juniors had the chance to hear and interact with keynote speaker Carlos Ojeda Jr. Ojeda is known as one of the most dynamic speakers in the country. He started Cool Speak, a youth engagement company that provides youth motivational speakers, and events designed to engage, educate and empower students to succeed by teaching them that their voice holds a power. East Aurora, being a school with a low graduation rate benefitted greatly from this. Ojeda, coming from a Hispanic background was able to connect with students and share his struggles as he faced discrimination growing up. He spoke about the hardships of his life as he fell into gangs and pushed students to try hard in school and graduate. Most importantly he motivated students to never give up and say “yes”, even when someone tells them no. This presentation left a big impact as many admitted it had changed their way of viewing things in their life. Finally, it’s almost time for that final “home far away from home” football game. This is a bittersweet moment for me because it will be my final halftime performance as well as my senior night. However, since the band is celebrating its 100th year anniversary, we are welcoming any band alumni to come and join us on Friday October 21st for a chance to perform during the pregame with the current band. Rehearsal will take place that same day at 4 PM in the high school auditorium and the performance will take place at Aurora Christian around 7 PM. Any questions please feel free to contact the band director Mr. Brian Liska”. Public Comments: Teresa Villezcas of 621 North Avenue, Aurora, IL addressed the board. Mrs. Villezcas stated that she has been a lunch supervisor and substitute custodian and had an accident last year but she is still in therapy therefore still not able to return to work. She asked that the board reconsider the decision on her employment. Brenda Gonzalez of 223 N. Sumner Avenue, Aurora, IL addressed the board. Mrs. Gonzalez shared concerns regarding the classrooms at the high school. She stated that her child states that in the summer there is no air conditioning and in the winter it is very cold. ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 264 Art Velasquez of 212 Briar Lane, North Aurora, IL addressed the board. Mr. Velasquez thanked those that attended the LULAC banquet this past weekend. He stated that for the past 21 years the LULAC organization has been able to give out $10,000 per year in scholarships to students. Mr. Velasquez stated that he would like to continue partnering with East Aurora to support the youth in the district. Michelle Gumz of 788 Morningside Avenue, Aurora, IL addressed the board. Mrs. Gumz shared concerns with the construction project at East High. She stated that student parking is an issue as students are parking in the neighborhood and on the streets. Mrs. Gumz also asked how the construction costs will be affecting their taxes. She also asked why there needs to be rezoning. Sue-z Bruno of 659 Garfield, Aurora, IL addressed the board. Mrs. Bruno thanked those that participated in the creation of hexagons. This past Sunday volunteers put up 250 hexagon in windows in downtown Aurora. These are a symbol of personal power in order to create peace within ourselves. Mrs. Bruno also stated that on March 27, 2017 there will be a Noble Peace prize winner speaking at a leadership conference for students in the district. Hilary Hawkinson of 2917 Alyssa, Plano, IL addressed the board. Ms. Hawkinson stated that she is a teacher at East High and she is organizing an international trip for students. She can be emailed if the board has questions on the proposed trip. Comments of Board Members Mrs. Kirsten Strand thanked Mr. Velasquez and LULAC for all that has been done for our students. She also thanked Ms. Hawkinson for the detailed information in the upcoming international trip. Mr. John Laesch thanked the members of the community and staff that come out to the board meetings and for being committed to this school district. Mr. Ken Darby stated that he attended the Habitat for Humanity opening last week and he stated that it was an honor to be a part of this with our students as this will be a huge learning moment for them. Mr. Darby stated that he attended several open houses in the last few weeks and he stated that there is so much good that is happening in our schools. Mr. Darby stated that one of the things that he observed was a teacher showing parents a program that grades student assignments right away and identifies those students needing additional assistance. He stated ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 265 that we have great technology tools to assist our teachers in the classroom. Mr. Darby stated that he also attended the football game and stated that they look strong as a team. He stated that the team worked together and this is a testament to the coaching staff on how well they are doing. Ms. Kimberly Hatchett stated that there is a lot of great things going on in the district and she welcomed back Mrs. Diane Argueta. Mr. Alex Arroyo thanked Mr. Tom Jackson for the video that was showcased at the LULAC banquet. He stated that it was a quality video. Ms. Annette Johnson stated that she attended many events in the last few weeks. She stated that administration has put in a lot of work helping the district get back on track. Ms. Johnson thanked administration for coming out to district events. She stated that the videos that Mr. Jackson has been putting out have created new energy in the district. She also visited the kindergarten center and the students are doing great work using technology tools. She further stated that it has been a positive start to this school year. Consent Agenda Mr. John Laesch made a Motion to Approve the Following Consent Agenda, as listed, Minus Item E (Personnel Report) which will be discussed and acted on separately: A. Board of Education Meeting Minutes of September 19, 2016 B. Executive Session Meeting Minutes of September 19, 2016 C. Executive Session Meeting Minutes of September 6, 2016 D. Monthly Financial Reports, as listed o List of Bills E. Personnel Report, as Listed: o Appointments o Adjusted Appointments o Dismissals o Leaves F. Overnight Trips, as Listed: o East High NJROTC – Area 3 Marksmanship Championship – Port Clinton, Ohio – November 4-6, 2016 o East High Students – England, Scotland and France – June 2018 o Beaupre School – 5 th Grade Loredo Taft Outdoor Education – Oregon, IL – October 5-7, 2016 ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 266 G. Approval of Settlement Agreement Between the District and Robert Green, and Authorization for Execution of the Same by Interim Superintendent Mark McDonald There being no further questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mr. Alex Arroyo and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: Annette Johnson Kimberly Hatchett Kirsten Strand Alex Arroyo Ken Darby Richard Leonard John Laesch The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None Curriculum and Programs Committee Ms. Kimberly Hatchett stated that the next committee meeting will take place on October 17th at 5:00 p.m. at the SSC Building & Grounds Committee Mr. Richard Leonard stated that the next committee meeting will take place on October 5th at 4:30 p.m. at the SSC. Finance/Personnel Committee Ms. Annette Johnson stated that the next committee meeting will take place on October 11th at 4:30 p.m. at the SSC. Ms. Kimberly Hatchett made a Motion to Approve the Preschool Grant Secretary to become a 12-Month Position: There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mrs. Kirsten Strand and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: Annette Johnson Alex Arroyo Kimberly Hatchett Kirsten Strand ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 267 Ken Darby Richard Leonard John Laesch The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None Ms. Kimberly Hatchett made a Motion to Approve the Following IASB PRESS Board Policies: a) 6:130 (Instruction - Program for Gifted) b) 6:300 (Instruction - Graduation Requirements) c) 7:150 (Students - Agency and Police Interviews) d) 7:190 (Students - Student Behavior) e) 7:190E-3 (Students - Exhibit - Memorandum of Understanding) f) 7:200 (Students - Suspension Procedures) g) 7:210 (Students - Expulsion Procedures) h) 7:220 (Students - Bus Conduct) i) 7:240 (Students - Conduct Code for Participants in Extracurricular Activities) j) 7:305 (Students - Student Athlete Concussions and Head Injuries) There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mr. Richard Leonard and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: Alex Arroyo Annette Johnson Kirsten Strand Richard Leonard Ken Darby Kimberly Hatchett John Laesch The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 268 Mr. John Laesch made a Motion to Approve the Peace Jam Agreement for 2016-2019 in the Amount of $6,000 Per Year. There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mrs. Kirsten Strand and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: Alex Arroyo John Laesch Kimberly Hatchett Richard Leonard Ken Darby Kirsten Strand Annette Johnson The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None Mr. John Laesch made a Motion to Approve the Roofing Bid to J.L. Adler Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. for Bardwell School in the Amount of $13,880. Mr. Laesch asked if this went through the building and grounds committee. Mr. Leonard stated that it did not however he was made aware of it and because of the time constraints it was pushed onto the full board for review and approval. Ms. Johnson asked why the need for the repair. Mr. Craig Welter stated that the district tried to patch this up but it did not seem to work. There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mr. Richard Leonard and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: John Laesch Annette Johnson Kirsten Strand Richard Leonard Ken Darby Alex Arroyo Kimberly Hatchett The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None Mr. Richard Leonard made a Motion to Approve the Tuck Pointing Bid to April Building Services for Bardwell School in the Amount of $38,400. Mr. Alex Arroyo asked if they were the only bidders and Mr. Welter stated that there were six bidders. There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mrs. Kirsten Strand and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 269 Alex Arroyo Annette Johnson Richard Leonard Kirsten Strand John Laesch Kimberly Hatchett Ken Darby The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None Mr. Richard Leonard made a Motion to Approve the Water Service Replacement Bid to J.L. & L. Excavating for Bardwell School in the Amount of $42,700. Mr. Arroyo asked if they were the only bidders. Mr. Welter stated that they were. He stated that they are very comfortable accepting this bid. Mr. Welter stated that there were 12 plus contractors invited to bid on the project but we only received the one. Mr. Laesch asked on the three projects where do they fall on the facilities study plan. Mr. Welter stated that the water service project was not anticipated as there was a break. The tuck pointing and roof will now be taken off of the list. There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mr. John Laesch and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: John Laesch Annette Johnson Kirsten Strand Richard Leonard Ken Darby Kimberly Hatchett The following voted nay: Alex Arroyo The following abstained: None Executive Session: Mr. John Laesch made a motion to adjourn into the Executive Session at 7:39 p.m., for the purpose of discussing Litigation, Negotiation and the Appointment, Employment and Dismissal of a Specific Employee. There being no questions or discussions, the motion was seconded by Mr. Richard Leonard and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: Richard Leonard Alex Arroyo Kimberly Hatchett Annette Johnson ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 270 Ken Darby Kirsten Strand John Laesch The following voted nay: None The President declared the motion passed. Upon the motion of Mrs. Annette Johnson and all members voting in favor thereof, the Board of Education reconvened into Open Session at 8:43 P.M. Ms. Kimberly Hatchett made a Motion to Approve the Personnel Report, as Listed. There being no questions or discussion, the motion was seconded by Mr. Richard Leonard and upon the roll call, the following voted aye: Alex Arroyo Annette Johnson Kirsten Strand Richard Leonard Ken Darby Kimberly Hatchett John Laesch The following voted nay: None The following abstained: None Personnel Report October 3, 2016 A. APPOINTMENTS NAME BUILDING/POSITION START DATE/SALARY 1 Jessica Cardoza Allen-SpEd Assistant 1:1 Eff. 10/13/16 $12.50/hour **2 Ilka Figueroa CSC-Preschool Teacher Assistant Eff. TBD ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 271 $12.50/hour **3 Adriana Francois Simmons-Bilingual Assistant Eff. TBD BS-DePaul University $12.50/hour **4 Kathryn Hodgson EHS-SpEd Teacher/Co-Teacher Eff. TBD BA-Western Illinois University $46,455.00 prorated 5 Juan Jaquez EAEC-PPA Eff. 9/28/16 $12.50/hour 6 Amtulfatima Kahan Waldo-SpEd Instructional Teacher Eff. TBD BS-Northern Illinois University $50,677.00 prorated MS-Northern Illinois University **7 Jillian Lentz Hermes-Technology Teacher Eff. TBD BA-Western Illinois University $46,049.00 prorated **8 Alyssa Parrillo Gates-SpEd Instructional Teacher Eff. TBD BS-Aurora University $45,750.00 prorated **9 Joey RodriguezStyles Beaupre-Parent Liaison Eff. TBD $12.50/hour 10 Claudia Ruiz Allen-Bilingual SpEd Teacher Assistant Eff. 10/3/16 $12.50/hour **11 Elizabeth Shields SSC-Assistant Director of Finance Eff. TBD ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 272 BBA-University of St. Francis $87,500.00 prorated MBA-University of St. Francis **12 James Simantirakis EAEC-RSSP Middle School Teacher Eff. TBD BS-DePaul University $50,477.00 prorated MEd-DePaul University **13 Christina Smith Waldo-Technology Integration Specialist Eff. TBD BA-Iowa Wesleyan College $59,751.00 prorated MA-St. Xavier University MA-St. Xavier University B. ADJUSTED APPOINTMENTS 1 Ray Moreno From: EHS-Utility Custodian Eff. 10/4/16 To: TBD-Custodian $18.06/hour pending negotiations C. DISMISSALS 1 Ramona Cabral Waldo-PPA Eff. 10/3/16 2 Alex DiMare B&G-Director of Buildings and Grounds Eff. 10/3/16 3 Tammy Jones Simmons-Teacher Assistant Eff. 10/3/16 4 Juana Martinez Bardwell-Custodian Eff. 10/3/16 5 Jose Rivera EAEC-Parent Liaison Eff. 10/3/16 6 Teresa Villezcas Gates-Custodian Eff. 10/3/16 ______________________________________________________________________________ Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 3, 2016 Members Present: Annette Johnson, Ken Darby, Kirsten Strand, John Laesch, Alex Arroyo, Kimberly Hatchett, Richard, Leonard ______________________________________________________________________________ 273 D. LEAVES 1 Martha Arciga Rollins-SpEd Assistant Eff. 9/19/16- 10/20/16 Medical Leave of Absence per CBA 5.2 ** Pending Fingerprint Background Results Adjournment: There being no further business, and upon the motion of the board members present, and those members voting in favor thereof, the Regular Meeting of October 3, 2016 adjourned at 8:44 P.M. ___________________________ Kimberly Hatchett Secretary, Board of Education School District 131 Kane County, Illinois APPROVED: ___________________________ Annette Johnson President, Board of Education
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