Glenbard News for Nov. 12, 2024

In this issue:

• Fund-raiser today to benefit West Association of Music Parents
• Highlights of Nov. 11 board meeting

Fund-raiser today to benefit West Association of Music Parents
The Association of Music Parents (AMP) at Glenbard West will host a fund-raiser at Barone’s in Glen Ellyn, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 4-9pm.  Mention the fund-raiser when ordering and 20% of your order will be donated to AMP.

Highlights of Nov. 11 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, Hetal Lee, Rosemarie Montanez, Martha Mueller and Jim Shannon.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:

1. Monday night’s 2025 summer capital improvement projects presentation and bid approval included work to improve exterior doors and locks at Glenbard buildings. Wold Architects and Gilbane Building Co. bid out a variety of projects, including hardware and security improvements to 200-plus exterior doors. This is an additional safety mitigation layer.

Our Threat Assessment Team continues researching a variety of additional safety and security initiatives for our high schools. The team’s subgroups include device detection, student items, active supervision, and personnel. Safety plans must address prevention, intervention and response. Ongoing research is necessary to determine what additional safety mitigations will be implemented in Glenbard. Recommendations and updates will be brought to the board in order for the schools to add additional layers to their existing safety plans. Additional mitigations are anticipated no later than the end of December 2024.

2. The district received the following donations: Debra L Etri, $100.00 to boys soccer at South. Lombard Juniors Philanthropic Fund, $100.00 to Best Buddies at East.

 

3. Congratulations to the following students who qualified for the IHSA boys cross country state final meet: Glenbard East student Mason Hephner. Head Coach is Andrew Adduci. Glenbard South students Lucas Galas and Tom Jochum. Head Coach is Doug Gorski. Glenbard West students Cayden Camp, Brandon Carpenter, Judah Cabral, Luke Dupuy, Ryan Fader, Graham Faris, Nathan Gissing, Liam Grady, Nathan Ho, Matt King, Jack Jenks, Elliott Locke, Keaton Peter and Sam Roser. Kurt Frazier is the head coach.

 

4. Congratulations to the following students who qualified for the IHSA girls cross country final meet: Glenbard East student Teigan O’Donnell. Head coach is Christopher Pietsch. Glenbard South student Diana Kalvelage. Head coach is Dan Bledsoe. Glenbard West students Lauren Bennett, Cece Brosdal, Ava Chase, Ella Demchinski, Shayne Dietzen, Lizzie Fischer, Mackenzie Gilbert, Maia Kaslewicz, Molly Legel, Addie Nordman, Alexa Novak, Alyssa Novak, Maya Slowikowski and Ally Stortz. Head coach is Paul Hass.

 

5. The Illinois State Board of Education updated its school report cards and released summative designations. There are four possible ratings that schools can earn: Exemplary, Commendable, Targeted Support, and Comprehensive Support. All four of our schools were rated “Commendable,” which means we have no underperforming student groups. Glenbard continues to outpace the state in both literacy and math proficiency.     

      Academic indicators include:

• English language arts proficiency
• Math proficiency
• Science proficiency
• Graduation rate
• English learner progress to proficiency

School quality and student success indicators include:

• Chronic absenteeism
• Climate survey
• 9th-graders on track to graduate

6. We encourage community members to attend the following GPS Parent Series webinars. The link to each event is available at gpsparentseries.org.

• November 7 at noon and 7 p.m. – The Price You Pay For College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make
• November 13 at 7 p.m. – In-person film screening of “Saving Superman,” An Evening with Best Buddies
• November 14 at noon and 7 p.m. – Over the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic for Teens and How to Limit its Impact
• November 20 at noon and 7 p.m. – Understanding and Preventing Addiction: Beautiful Boy

7. On October 23, 2024, the district received a Freedom of Information Act request from Dan Tutolo, requesting district records regarding the Illinois Certificate of Religious Exemption To Required Immunizations and/or Examinations Form. The district has responded to this request.

THE BOARD APPROVED:

– the October 28, 2024 regular meeting minutes and closed session minutes.

– the following personnel items:

SUPPORT STAFF – EMPLOYMENT:

Name                         School/Position                                            FTE          Effective Date

Ungaro, Steven        South / Administrative Asst for Activities  100%               11/11/2024

SUPPORT STAFF – POSITION CHANGE:

Name                         School/Position                                            FTE          Effective Date

Stout, Christian         DO / District Data Specialist                        100%               11/11/2024

SUPPORT STAFF – RESIGNATION/TERMINATIONS:

Name                         School/Position                                                              Effective Date

Dedic, Madeleine     Glenbard South / Building Registrar                                   01/31/2025

Mowinski, Michael    East / Special Education Assistant                                      10/28/2024

 – accepting the following donation: Cabinets Depot LLC, $500.00 to Best Buddies at East. Glen Ellyn Titans Foundation, $10,000.00 to various items at West.

– summer 2025 capital improvement projects. We received Gilbane’s 2025 capital improvements bid results from the previous board-approved list of projects. All projects in totality are under budget. Wold/Gilbane bid out the following projects:

Glenbard East: exterior door hardware revisions/replacement; curtain wall replacement (east elevation); science lab renovations (3); LRC renovation; classroom renovations (east side, north wing); smoke vent replacement; roofing replacement.

Glenbard North: exterior door hardware revisions/replacement; science lab renovations (3).

Glenbard South: exterior door hardware revisions/replacement; gym floor refinishing; gym bleacher replacement; major roof replacement; adding exterior windows at west elevation of tower; tennis court relocation & dugout replacements (to be bid at a later date).

Glenbard West: exterior door hardware revisions/replacement; gym floor refinishing; gym bleacher replacement; science lab renovations (4); window replacement; tuckpointing; roof replacement.

Gilbane’s budget for this work was $18,138,291. Bids came in at $13,614,754, and all the low bidders were scoped out and recommended for approval to award contracts. Gilbane’s site services budget is $650,000.

– Northern Transition site lease extension. The board last approved Glenbard’s lease for the Northern Transition site in 2019. The terms of the five-year extension (through 2028-29) were specified in the 2019 agreement and remain the same.

 – IASB resolutions committee report. The 2024 Resolutions Committee Report to the Membership will be acted upon at the annual meeting of the Illinois Association of School Board’s (IASB) Delegate Assembly on November 24, 2024. The board discussed the resolutions at the October 28, 2024 board meeting. The district’s IASB delegate, Bob Friend, will submit any suggestions or revisions to the IASB Resolutions Committee. The board reached consensus to support the Resolutions Committee’s recommendations.

Consent Agenda Resolutions – The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT.

Educational Programs

1. Dual Language – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall support legislation affirming that the attainment of the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy satisfies the Illinois world language requirement for graduation. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT.

Financing Public Education: State

2. EBF Authorized Charter School Funding – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall urge the adoption of an Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula for State Authorized Charter Schools that aligns with the funding formula used for every other public school in the state of Illinois. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT. 

Financing Public Education: Local

3. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Accountability – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall advocate for the Illinois General Assembly and Governor to enact legislation that reforms the TIF process in a manner that is sensible and responsible, keeps communities whole, and prioritizes greater accountability to taxpayers.

Specific measures include:

• Create a TIF approval process that empowers taxing bodies to ensure fairness.
• Authorize the Joint Review Board to approve or disapprove the creation of a TIF.
• Ensure the voting structure reflects the proportional impact of a proposed TIF.
• Require disclosure to taxpayers on the cost of a TIF to the community prior to its approval.
• Include information about the impact of a TIF on tax bills of all taxpayers impacted by the TIF, and
• Publish annual tax revenues from the TIF and make that information available to the community.

The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT.

Board Operations and Duties

4. Faith’s Law – Centralized State Agency for EHRs – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall request that the Illinois Legislature require the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), or another appropriate entity, create a statewide database as a means to fulfill the Employment History Review (EHR) requirement of Faith’s Law Employment History Review (EHR) (105 ILCS 5/22-94). The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT.

Board Employee Relations

5. Health Care Coverage – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall support changes that requires the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to create a unified health plan for school districts to opt into to provide equitable insurance coverage to all school staff across the state of Illinois. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT.

Resolution to Amend Existing Position Statement – The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT. 

District Organizations and Elections

6. Polling Place – Amendment to Position Statement 7.08 – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall support legislation that amends the Election Code to allow a school district to refuse to be used as a polling place during elections for student safety reasons. If a school building is used as a polling place, the safety of the children and staff should not be compromised, and voters must be physically separated from students when the school is in session. School districts should not be mandated to close on Election Day if none of the buildings used by students within the district serve as polling places. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO ADOPT. 

Resolutions Eligible for Appeal – The Resolutions Committee recommends DO NOT ADOPT. 

Board Operations and Duties

7. Cell Phone Usage – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall request that the Illinois legislature consider legislation that empowers school boards to adopt policy regarding the use of student owned wireless communications devices. Specifically, school districts will be required to create policy that states that students may not use wireless communication devices during instructional time, except in certain cases, e.g. monitoring a health condition or included in the individualized educational plan. A teacher or school administrator may designate a location for wireless devices, and such devices must be silenced and put away as directed. Legislation would allow schools to prohibit use of wireless communication devices during lunchtime and transitioning between classes. In addition, the Illinois Association of School Boards shall request that the Illinois legislature consider legislation that requires every school district to adopt a policy that prohibits and prevents student access to social media on Internet access provided by the school district and district owned devices, except when expressly directed by a teacher for educational purposes. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO NOT ADOPT.

8. Office of Inspector General – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall support, request and encourage legislation that will develop a state funded Office of Inspector General and/or expand the state or counties Office of Inspector General’s jurisdiction to investigate allegations of waste, fraud, financial mismanagement, dereliction of duty and employee misconduct in local public schools for all employees, up to and including the Superintendent and school board members. Legislation for an Office of Inspector General will support its primary functions to ensure integrity in the operations of local public school districts review of systems, practices, procedures to determine their efficacy in preventing waste, fraud, financial mismanagement, employee misconduct and dereliction of duty. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO NOT ADOPT.

Board Employee Relations

9. Faith’s Law – EHRs for Current Employees – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall request that the Illinois Legislature revise Faith’s Law (105ILCS 5/22-94) to permit individual school districts to conduct Employment History Reviews (EHRs) for current employees as well as new hires. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO NOT ADOPT.

District Organizations and Elections

10. Criminal Background Check – That the Illinois Association of School Boards shall require all school board candidates to have a criminal background check before they submit their petition. It is each candidate’s responsibility to get a criminal background check from the regional office of education (ROE). It will be the candidate’s responsibility to contact the ROE to make the appointment and acquire the paperwork needed. It is up to the regional office of education to get the results of the background check for the candidate. The background check may be emailed, picked up, or mailed to the candidate. It may be the ROE decision on how they distribute the result. It is the candidate’s responsibility to turn in the background check to their prospective clerk at the same time they turn in their signatures. It is on the prospective clerk to make sure that the candidate has no infamous crimes on their report before they are put on the ballot. Infamous crimes include felony, bribery, perjury, domestic violence, and sex offender. Now therefore it will be resolved on how criminal background checks are performed on school board members. The Resolutions Committee recommends DO NOT ADOPT.

BOARD INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS INCLUDED:

– School Board Members Day. The nearly 6,000 men and women who serve voluntarily as members of their local boards of education in Illinois serve tirelessly and willingly. Every day, our students benefit from school board members’ dedication and commitment to public education. All school board members make personal sacrifices and spend countless hours tending to board business.

November 15, 2024 is School Board Members Day in Illinois. This is a time to show our appreciation and to better understand how school board members work together to provide leadership for our schools.

– American Education Week. From November 18 through 22, we will join the country in celebrating public schools during American Education Week.

Each year, American Education Week celebrates public education and honors individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education. This weeklong celebration spotlights the myriad of people – support staff, educators, families and community members – who are key to building excellent public schools.

– 2024 tax levy hearing. The district presented a proposed tax levy that included a board resolution to abate (reduce) the tax levy by $750,000 to provide tax relief to our communities. Over the past three years, a cumulative total of $4.25 million will be achieved (last year, the board approved a $2.0 million abatement).

The result of this year’s abatement will be a shortfall in the debt service fund; which will be covered by fund balance (cash reserves). There is no impact on the operating budget and the financial profile score rating. This approach ensures that the district is able to fully fund instructional programming while ensuring that Glenbard is fiscally responsible to the community.

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 abatement will reduce total impact (inclusive of the bond and interest levy) by approximately 0.50 percent. This is in line with the district’s strategy of limiting year-to-year increases to no more than 4.5 percent.

The anticipated levy extension request to the county will be further reduced to an estimate of 4.08 percent by the DuPage County Clerk prior to the tax extension being finalized in the spring (when new construction amounts and equalized assessed valuations [EAVs] have been determined). The district anticipates issuing its approved referendum bonds in the spring of 2025, which will not go into effect until next year’s (2025) levy.

The district sets a tax levy on an annual basis, which provides Glenbard with more than 75 percent of its total revenue. The setting of the annual tax levy is governed by the Truth in Taxation Law, School Code, Property Tax Code, and Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL).

Truth in Taxation Law (the “Act”) requires that at least 20 days prior to the adoption of the levy, the school board must estimate the aggregate levy for the year through a board motion or resolution.

After experiencing hyperinflation the past two fiscal years, 2023 marked the first time the Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell below the 5 percent PTELL cap. The 2023 year-end CPI came in at 3.4 percent. This will be the maximum amount the district can raise the tax levy (excluding new property growth).

Property Tax Extension Limitation Law limits the amount the tax levy (aggregate extension) can increase over the prior year’s tax levy. Debt service levies are not included in this limitation.

Three factors determine the allowable tax growth under the PTELL laws:

• amount of the prior year’s tax extension
• the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban (CPI-U) as of December 2023 (was 3.4 percent)
• new property growth

The first two items are already known, but the new property growth will not be known until April 2025, so the district must estimate the amount of new property growth and the county clerk will adjust the tax extension once the final number is known. We have prepared two calculations to account for this projection.

Most Likely: We have calculated our most likely extension based on a 2023 calendar year CPI of 3.4 percent and an estimated new construction amount of $50,000,000. This calculation represents the total tax extension that we believe the district will most likely receive. Based on this calculation, we believe that our total property tax extension revenue will increase by $8,224,733 or 5.29 percent – year over year (3.4 percent increase due to CPI; 0.68 percent increase due to new construction and 1.21 percent in bond and interest). We have estimated an increase in property equalized assessed value (EAV) of 9.0 percent.

Manual Override/Submitted Levy: School districts generally levy a dollar amount higher than the expected or most likely amount for three primary reasons:

• Actual EAVs and new construction amounts are unknown at this time and will not be finalized until the spring of 2025.
• If the district’s levy request is lower than what the county calculates, the district is only entitled up to the amount requested (it is prudent to request a higher amount to ensure that we do not under-levy).
• At this point in time of the year, we have not finalized our required levy allocation by fund. Therefore, we intend on requesting higher amounts in each fund to make sure that when we finalize our levy allocation by fund (March/April 2025) that we have the opportunity to levy the requisite amount. 

Education fund = $121,500,000 (Most Likely); $122,310,000 (‘Override’)

Operations, Building & Maintenance fund = $25,050,000 (Most Likely); $25,200,000 (‘Override’)

Transportation fund = $8,770,000 (Most Likely); $8,800,000 (‘Override’)

IMRF fund = $720,000 (Most Likely); $730,000 (‘Override’)

Social Security & Medicare fund = $1,550,000 (Most Likely); $1,570,000 (‘Override’)

Total = $157,590,000 (Most Likely); $158,610,000 (‘Override’)

Year over year increase: 4.08 percent (Most Likely); 4.76 percent (‘Override’)

Our proposed property tax levy submission, excluding the bond and interest levy, is $158,610,000 which represents a 4.76 percent increase over the prior year’s aggregate tax extension (‘override amount’). For reasons mentioned above, it is prudent to levy a higher dollar amount than expected.

In the spring of 2025, DuPage County will calculate our actual property tax extension pursuant to the tax cap, taking into account the CPI and new construction and all approved abatements.

– policies and procedures for first reading and discussion. 4:90-AP3 Use of the Check Signing Machine [delete]; 4:90-AP4 Signing Activity and Imprest Checks [delete]; and 4:90-E1 Building Activity Account Transfer.