Glen Ellyn School District 41 Glen Ellyn School District 41
 

Glen Ellyn School District 41 Mission: It is the mission of District 41 to advocate for students enabling each one to optimize his/her potential within a culture of continuous improvement.

Board Members: Terra Costa Howard President | John Kenwood Vice President | Erica Nelson Secretary | Kevin Cosgrove | John Vivoda | Steven Vondrak| Robert Solak
Following is a summary of the Board of Education meeting held on March 2, 2009.   An MP3 recording of the meeting is available on www.d41.org   Minutes are posted once approved.
BEN FRANKLIN'S YOUNG "VISIONARIES"
Under the leadership of Benjamin Franklin art teacher Susan Cekay, and third grade teacher Michelle Spratt, students created an art project about what the D41 Vision means to them. Every third grader contributed to the three art books, one book on each phrase of the district Vision (Ignite passion. Inspire excellence. Imagine possibilities.). The Board of Education (BOE) was thrilled to receive these books as a gift from the third grade visionaries at Benjamin Franklin. 		UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next regular Board of Education meeting is set for Monday, March 16, 7:30 p.m. at Benjamin Franklin School, 350 Bryant Ave., Glen Ellyn. The public is always welcome and encouraged to attend Board meetings.
2008-9 CALENDAR AMENDED; 2009-10 DRAFT CALENDAR DISCUSSED
The BOE approved an amended calendar that reschedules two spring Institute Days (April 30 and May 1). These will now be held after students complete their year and students will attend school on those days. The last day of school will be June 11, if no more emergency days are used. Students will be dismissed at noon on the last day of school. If more emergency days are used, more student attendance days may be added at the end of the year. This newly amended calendar undoes some of the changes that had been adopted in December. The BOE also reviewed the proposed calendar for 2009-2010, which incorporates more full weeks for students by scheduling most Institute Days outside of the students' school year. The district will apply for a five-year waiver that would allow full-day SIP Days; however, it's unlikely this waiver would be received before January, so the current draft of the calendar shows the traditional half-day SIP Days: and a recommendation to utilize full day school improvement days will be made at a later time. The BOE expects to take action on the 2009-2010 calendar at its March 16 meeting.


HADLEY NEW HORIZONS COURSES, EXTENDED MATH APPROVED
The Board of Education approved $317,386 with an approximate recurring cost of $291,804 for implementing the HNH recommendations. The costs are associated with expanded choice courses and increasing math from 43 to 60 minutes daily. The funds will pay for curricular materials, additional math staff, and additional partial instrumental music staff. Go to HNH webpage


NO CHANGE IN CLASS-SIZE TARGETS
The BOE approved class-size targets, which remain unchanged for the coming year. These are: K-2, 20-22 students; Gr. 3, 23-25 students; Gr. 4-5, 25-27 students; and Gr. 6-8, 26-28 students. These targets are guidelines used by the district as it plans the number of sections and teachers needed for the coming year. The guidelines are flexible and other factors may influence class size and/or the addition of aides.


SOCIAL STUDIES MATERIALS ADOPTED
The BOE adopted two new Hadley social studies textbooks to replace the outdated books now being used. The books support the curriculum, which has been recently aligned with Federal, State and local learning standards. The books will be purchased with the assistance of a State program, which will provide about $30,000 toward the overall cost of $88,498.05. The book for sixth grade is "History of our World" published by Prentice Hall; the book for seventh and eighth grades is "American Journey" published by Glencoe.
 


SOFTWARE PURCHASES WOULD SUPPORT REPORTING, LIBRARY NEEDS
The BOE discussed purchasing software that will be needed for the standards-based report card that the district is planning to implement, and for upgrading the library software used to manage collections and book check-outs. Excelsior Pinnacle is a web-based, electronic, standards-based gradebook program and reporting tool that would cost a maximum of $28,338; this includes training, installation, two servers and a per pupil fee. Cost would likely be less as this software will not be fully implemented next year. The district has used Follett library management software for eight years; an upgrade of the current obsolete version would cost $21,500 with $4,050 per year for annual maintenance. The BOE is expected to take action on these recommendations at its Mar. 16 meeting.



COMMUNITY SURVEY UNDER DISCUSSION
The BOE revisited a plan it had endorsed two years ago to begin a systematic approach to collecting stakeholder satisfaction data by surveying students, staff and parents every two years, and the community every three years, budget permitting. The administration has recommended contracting with UnicomARC for a phone interview survey and analysis of 400-person random sample for $19,950. Discussion centered on balancing the need for regular satisfaction data with financial considerations, especially given the uncertain economic climate. No action was taken.



MASTER FACILITY PLAN RECOMMENDATION EXPECTED MARCH 16
Board members Bob Solak and John Kenwood provided an update on the Master Facility Plan (MFP) process. Mr. Solak and Mr. Kenwood represent the BOE on the MFP Steering Committee, which has been working since October to craft short-, mid, and long-term facility recommendations. The committee's research has convinced it that portables are not a long-term solution, partly because over time portables can cost the district as much as permanent space. The committee is looking at two approaches to bringing all children under roof and eliminating most of the 32 portable classrooms in place across the district. These approaches include building on to the existing sites, or building a new school at the vacant Spalding site, along with some work at the existing schools. Mr. Solak noted that the committee isn't getting to the level of detail needed for cost estimates to be meaningful, and that it will be the BOE's work to review the options the committee recommends, project and analyze the costs, and determine the course of action.



VILLAGE PARTICIPATION IN FRANKLIN PROJECT
Over the summer, the district will install underwater stormwater detention and renovate and expand the parking lot at Benjamin Franklin School. The Village of Glen Ellyn has agreed to pay $45,000 of the $634,999 total to offset costs for village-related stormwater detention. The BOE will take action on the intergovernmental agreement with the Village on March 16.




PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A resident presented a petition to the BOE regarding the school calendar, emphasizing that parents want fewer interruptions to the school week. A resident asked about the Master Facility Plan process relative to Special Education needs and urged the district to look at school districts that have similar issues to District 41, and suggested that the BOE consider less expensive alternatives to the UnicomARC community survey.



About the Glen Ellyn School District Board of Education
Board members are unpaid volunteers, each representing the whole district. The board is accountable to the public and makes decisions as a unit based on what is best for the whole district. The board hires the superintendent, sets instructional policy, approves the budget and ongoing expenditures, and is ultimately responsible for the performance of the district. Board meetings are working sessions held in public during which the board conducts its business, and ample time is always set aside for public participation.  
Please direct your questions or comments to our Communications Director, Julie Worthen at jworthen@d41.org.
Glen Ellyn School District 41