Glenbard News for Dec. 17, 2024

In this issue:

• Larson provides safety measures update
• Fund-raiser to benefit North Music Boosters
• Highlights of Dec. 16 board meeting

Larson provides safety measures update
Dear Glenbard Families,

I’m writing to you with an update on our safety measures. We discussed this safety update with the Board of Education at the Dec. 16 board meeting.

We continue working closely with our Threat Assessment Team and researching options for additional safety measures in our buildings. The district Threat Assessment Team is composed of school leaders and public safety experts, and the school-based teams include administrators and various staff members. Many thanks to these teams, whose work is ongoing as they discuss and identify safety measures in our schools.

Additional Safety Mitigations 

• This year, we updated our emergency operations protocols to feature Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. These protocols were developed by a national organization called the I Love U Guys Foundation. 
• As part of our ongoing commitment to improve the safety and well-being of our students and staff, we are implementing Omnilert, a comprehensive weapons identification and notification system that monitors our cameras 24/7/365. This enhanced security monitoring platform enables real-time communication from a live agent at a monitoring center if an object of concern is detected. 
• One element of our 2025 summer capital projects involves improvements to 200-plus exterior doors and locks at our buildings. This is an additional safety mitigation layer.

New Safety Measure
At the Dec. 16 Board of Education meeting, we began discussing with the board a possible addition to our safety measures: canine weapon detection. These canines are specially trained to detect a weapon and alert their handler. 

Next Steps/Ongoing Work
Additional school safety measures are ongoing work. The following are included in our construction planning process:

• Add security film to first floor windows.
• Replace interior door locks.
• Add emergency alerts.

We are seeking consultation from school safety experts for additional safety measures. We will keep you informed of ongoing work. Many thanks for your continued support.

Sincerely,
David F. Larson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Fund-raiser to benefit North Music Boosters
Glenbard North Music Boosters will host a fundraising event at Panera at 370 West Army Trail Rd, Bloomingdale on December 18 from 4:00pm – 8:00pm. Please show flier or use promo code FUND4U. Twenty-five percent of your purchase will be donated to the Glenbard North Music Boosters.

Highlights of Dec. 16 board meeting
Board Highlights feature a brief description of the action items and discussion items on the meeting agenda. Board Highlights do not replace minutes. The minutes are approved by the board and posted after the next regularly scheduled board meeting. Present: Margaret DeLaRosa, Kermit Eby, Bob Friend, Rosemarie Montanez, Martha Mueller and Jim Shannon. Absent: Hetal Lee.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:

1. The district received the following donation: Anonymous, $499.00 to the Needy Family Fund at South.

2. Our free ACT prep course for all Glenbard juniors starts the week of January 13. This prep course is provided by Academic Approach, a leading test preparation provider. Scoring well on the ACT affords students with post-secondary opportunities, including scholarships and admission to competitive colleges and universities. Based on feedback from students and families regarding conflicts with extracurriculars in the past, students now have the option of in-person or virtual instruction.

3. Winter recess begins on December 23, and classes will resume on January 7. Our buildings will be closed December 24, 25 and 31, and January 1. During the other days of winter break, we will have staff members available to assist families.

4. Our licensed staff will be involved in professional development opportunities during Institute Day on January 6. Each school has planned activities for this professional growth day. It is a nonattendance day for students.

5. We encourage community members to attend the GPS Parent Series events noted below. Links and details are available at GPSparentseries.org.

• December 17 at noon and 7 p.m. – Strengthening T(w)een Socialization Skills for Better Interpersonal Relationships
• December 19 at 6-8 p.m. – in-person B-PAC event – Strategies to Help Healthy Families and Teens Thrive
• January 9 at noon and 7 p.m. – Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less: Tools for Tackling Motivation

6. Many thanks to our fine arts departments’ faculty and staff for presenting outstanding holiday concerts. For months, our students and staff work hard to prepare for these concerts, which are a treasured part of the season for the community.

7. On November 19, 2024, the district received a Freedom of Information Act request from Anthony Wallk, requesting the documentation or email confirmation stating the awarded contractors for the “2025 Capital Improvements at All Four Township High Schools – Bid Release 1” for all trades (bid date 10/17/2024). The district has responded to this request.

8. On December 4, 2024, the district received a Freedom of Information Act request from Katherine Schlueter, requesting Glenbard West student attendance records from the past five years. The district has responded to this request.

9. Congratulations to Board of Education Parliamentarian Kermit Eby on earning his doctoral degree. His dissertation is titled Identifying and Defining Pedagogical Traditions in Education as a Transgenerational Inheritance and Responsibility. It is with the education department in curriculum and instruction at University of Illinois – Chicago.

THE BOARD APPROVED:

– administrative appointment. At the May 28th board meeting, the board saw presentations by three executive search firms. At the June 17th meeting, members of the selected firm, BWP & Associates, presented a draft timeline of the search process with the first step being community input to help develop a leadership profile for the district. Engagement for students, staff, families and other community members to give input began the week of September 9th. Engagement included an electronic survey (available in multiple languages), small group focus discussions, and both a virtual and an in-person community forum. Findings by BWP & Associates were shared with the board. Candidate interviews took place in mid-November through early December. The superintendent search process has now been completed with the appointment of Jessica Santee. She will begin her new role on July 1, 2025.

– the December 2, 2024 regular meeting minutes and December 5, 2024 closed special meeting minutes.

– the following personnel items:

LICENSED STAFF – SUMMER SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT:

Name                            School/Position                                                             Term

Jones, Caicina             South / In-School SS Principal                    11/11/2024-05/23/2025

Meister-Norton, Lauren   West / In-School SS Principal                      11/11/2024-05/23/2025

Stack, Deborah           North / In-School SS Principal                     11/11/2024-05/23/2025

SUPPORT STAFF – EMPLOYMENT:

Name                            School/Position                                         FTE          Effective Date

Avila, Valeria                East / Admin Asst – School Counseling 100%               11/20/2024

Fuentes, Roberto        North / Building Substitute Coordinator  100%               12/16/2024

Hatzos-Skintges, Catherine  East / Special Education Assistant          87.5%              12/09/2024

Lucas, Tyler                 West / Building Technical Support          100%               11/18/2024

Sweeney, George       DO / District Engineer – Electrician         100%               01/02/2024

Syracuse, Maria          South / Special Education Assistant       87.5%              12/16/2024

Thomas, Melissa         North / Special Education Assistant        87.5%              12/02/2024

LICENSED STAFF – LEAVES OF ABSENCE:

Name                            School/Position                                     Term                        Reason

Rivera, Jelisa               East / Social Worker Interv.   01/06/2025-05/23/2025       Personal

LICENSED STAFF – RESIGNATION/TERMINATIONS:

Name                            School/Position                                                           Effective Date

Wright, Evan                East / Business+Computer Sci Teacher                         01/07/2025

SUPPORT STAFF – RESIGNATION/TERMINATIONS:

Name                            School/Position                                                           Effective Date

Aranda, Veronica        East / EL Bilingual Interpreter                                           12/06/2024

Hollings, Kyerra           North / Special Education Assistant                                 11/29/2024

– accepting the following donation: First United Methodist Church of Glen Ellyn, $500.00 for theatre production items at West.

– three excursions.

– resolution abating the taxes heretofore levied for the year 2024 to pay debt service on the General Obligation School Bonds (alternate revenue source), Series 2023A and Series 2024A, of Township High School District Number 87, DuPage County, Illinois. The board issued alternate revenue source (ARS) bonds to accelerate funding for capital projects. The district was able to realize favorable interest rates by utilizing this funding instrument.

• General Obligation Bonds (ARS), Series 2023A in the amount of $13,315,000; October 3, 2023 [payments through 2039; bond abatement required]
• General Obligation Bonds (ARS), Series 2024A in the amount of $13,390,000; January 3, 2024 [payments through 2039; bond abatement required]

ARS bonds are issued with a backup pledge of a property tax levy. This pledge allowed the district to realize improved financing terms, as mentioned previously. The county clerk’s office will levy taxes to pay the General Obligation Bond (ARS) Series 2023A and Series 2024A each year through 2039. The board must approve a resolution each year to abate these dollars to ensure there is zero incremental tax impact to our residents. Glenbard’s operating budget funds the payment of principal and interest on these bonds.

We will file these documents with the DuPage County Clerk’s office following approval to abate the taxes levied for levy year 2024 to pay the Series 2023A and Series 2024A bonds in full.

– resolution transferring funds from the Education Fund of Township High School District

Number 87, DuPage County, Illinois, to the Bond Fund of said school district and abating taxes heretofore levied for the year 2024 to pay debt service on outstanding bonds of said school district. Last month, the board approved the 2024 tax levy along with an intent to abate $750,000 from the debt service levy. This process requires that a separate resolution be approved by the board and filed with DuPage County no later than March 1st.

The 2024 tax levy will be the formal request to the county that will generate a 4.76 percent year-over-year increase to the tax levy; the $750,000 abatement will reduce total impact (inclusive of the bond and interest levy) by approximately 0.5 percent. This is in line with the district’s strategy of limiting year-to-year increases to no more than 4.5 percent. This abatement will be covered by fund balance (cash reserves) and a subsequent transfer from district operating funds.

– asbestos abatement work. The summer 2025 capital projects include asbestos abatement work at Glenbard North, Glenbard East and Glenbard West.

Below is a summary of the asbestos abatement work to be done at each school:

• Glenbard North: floor adhesive and epoxy tops.
• Glenbard East: floor adhesive, flooring, epoxy tops, and caulking at the curtain wall.
• Glenbard West: floor adhesive, pipe insulation, epoxy tops and window caulking.

Weaver Consultants Group identified the lowest bids as follows:

• Glenbard North: Nationwide Environmental in the amount of $60,700, which includes two alternates.
• Glenbard East: Valor Technologies in the amount of $313,130, which includes one alternate.
• Glenbard West: Colfax Corporation in the amount of $419,130, which includes two alternates.

– policies and procedures for second reading and adoption. 4:20-AP1 Handling of Money; 4:20-AP2 Convenience and Trust Accounts; 4:90 Student Activity and Fiduciary Funds [new name]; 4:90-AP1 Student Activities – Funds and Management [new]; and 4:90-AP2 Student Activity Accounts.

BOARD INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS INCLUDED:

– master plan capital projects update. This past spring, the district received approval for a $183 million referendum. This will contribute to a total of $312 million of capital project improvements over the next decade. Since June, Gilbane and Wold Architects have led bi-weekly building meetings to get feedback from building and district administration on use and location of spaces that will be incorporated in future capital project bid specifications. Schematic design has been completed for all four schools and we are now in the design development phase of the design. Monday night’s meeting featured a quarterly design update presentation.

– school safety measures. As part of our ongoing commitment to improve the safety and well-being of our students and staff, we discussed adding canine detection as an additional safety measure.  Canine detection means a handler and a specially trained dog patrol, detect and alert staff of the existence of dangerous materials. This measure can be implemented at the four high schools, both Transition program sites, the Directions program, and the district office buildings.