Community Unit School District 200 Board of Education Committee of the Whole Met Jan. 27.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
The Committee of the Whole meeting of the Board of Education of Community Unit School District 200, DuPage County, Illinois, was called to order at the Hubble Middle School, 3S600 Herrick Rd Warrenville, IL, by Board President Brad Paulsen at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL
Upon the roll being called, the following were present:
Board Members: Mr. Brad Paulsen
Mrs. Chris Crabtree
Mr. Rob Hanlon
Mrs. Susan Booton
Mrs. Ginna Ericksen
Mr. Dave Long
Absent: Mr. Jim Mathieson
Also in Attendance: Dr. Jeff Schuler, Superintendent
Mr. Bill Farley
Dr. Charlie Kyle
Mrs. Erica Loiacono
Mr. Rodney Mack
Mrs. Melissa Murphy
Dr. Chris Silagi
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Assistant Superintendent Bill Farley led the Board and community in the Pledge of Allegiance.
SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADJOURN TO WORKSHOP SETTING
MOTION
Member Crabtree moved, Member Hanlon seconded to suspend the rules and adjourn to a workshop setting. Upon a roll call vote being taken the vote was: AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.
STATEMENT FROM BOARD PRESIDENT
This is a different kind of Board Meeting than our community has likely witnessed in the past. Five times a year we conduct a Committee of the Whole meeting that allows the District Administration to present on topics that are central to the instructional programs and overall operation of the school district. This is one of those meetings - so the agenda and format are different than the last several meetings.
Importantly tonight, we have adjusted to Tier 1 mitigations with the opportunity for some members of the public to attend in person. Public comment is typically at the end of our Committee of the Whole meetings, but we have decided to move it to the front of the meeting to not require people wishing to provide in-person public comments to wait through the whole meeting.
The focus of tonight’s meeting will be two items: First, we will hear an update on our return to in-person learning. We are excited and thankful that every one of our District 200 schools is open and complying with the mitigation strategies established for a safe learning environment for students, teachers, and staff. Next, as we do in every January’s Committee of the Whole, we hear an update of our five-year financial forecast. This is a critical step in the budgeting process and long-term financial stewardship of the school district.
PUBLIC COMMENTS – Procedures for Public Comments for January 27, 2021 Due to the ongoing pandemic, and DuPage County’s recent move back to Tier 1 mitigations that remain in place which limit the number of individuals in a space to 25, the Board again temporarily amended their public comment procedures for this meeting to allow comments to be made in person or emailed to the Board and acknowledged in the meeting at Hubble Middle School on Wednesday, January 27 at 7:00 p.m.
In accordance with Board Policy 2.230, members of the public wishing to offer public comment in person had the opportunity to do so, but only 10 members of the public were allowed in the meeting room at a given time due to the number of Board Members and staff members in the room. The school auditorium was made available with a live stream of the meeting to serve as an overflow area allowing an additional 25 community members in the building.
A public comment sign-up sheet was made available until 7:00 p.m. While only 35 community members would be able to remain at the meeting in-person, the Board Meeting was available for viewing via live stream on the District’s YouTube channel.
Per Board Policy, 30 minutes was allocated for public comments, and comments on any one subject was limited to 20 minutes. The Board may shorten the time allocation for each person to less than 3 minutes to allow the maximum number of people the opportunity to speak. To preserve confidentiality, the Board and its President requested that items relating to either personnel or students be provided to the Board privately or in writing for consideration in a future closed session, if necessary.
| Speaker: | Erin Young |
| Topic | Return to In-Person Learning |
The Board had received public comment emails from the following individuals that were specifically noted for acknowledgment during the meeting.
| Emails Sent By: | Heather Beck
Brooke Weston |
| Topic: | Reopening Plans |
Instruction
Return to In-Person Learning Update
Dr. Schuler and the Leadership Team presented an update on the Return to Learning plans for the District. This PowerPoint included the following information:
∙ Return to Learning Updates
o Elementary
o Middle School
o High School
o Athletics & Extracurriculars
o Class of 2021
o Surveillance Testing
o Vaccine Roll-Out
o Advocacy
∙ Reiteration of the Goal from the July 2020 Board Presentation to Safely Return to In Person Learning Options
∙ As Conditions Change, Plans Will Evolve:
o In-person for 2nd semester
o Impact of vaccines – school employees in Group 1B
o Changes in guidelines that will allow us to modify our mitigation strategies
o Fluctuation in community transmission
o Impact of increased testing in the community and our schools
∙ Current In-Person Learning Models
o Early Childhood (EC)
o Elementary
o Middle and High – Hybrid Model
o Transition
o Middle and High School Specialized Instructional Programs
∙ Looking Ahead … Elementary
o Continue to offer a sustainable in-person learning experience 5 days a week
▪ 77% In-person students (EC/Elementary)
▪ 23% Virtual Academy (EC/Elementary)
o Focus on engaging disconnected students
o Third-trimester transition
▪ In-person/Virtual Academy (VA)
▪ Length of in-person school day evaluation & possible expansion
∙ Looking Ahead … Middle School (MS)
o Tasks and Timelines, including:
▪ Scheduling students requesting a new learning model
▪ Live streaming/Concurrent teaching begins
▪ Resume extracurricular opportunities
▪ Remote Wednesdays – begin using a revised structure for staff/students
▪ Evaluate and expand the number of students attending 4 days a week in a strategic manner based on available space
▪ Monitor and discuss updated in-person attendance policy based on data
∙ High School (HS) Hybrid Learning Model
o The goal has been and continues to be to maximize in-person learning experiences by increasing seats through a systemic, equitable process that includes students in all course and grade levels
∙ HS In-Person Hybrid Attendance Policy
o The new in-person attendance policy will be effective February 1st
o 3 unexcused absences will result in removal from the hybrid model
o Students who are removed from hybrid will be 100% remote learners for the remainder of 2nd semester
o Communication with students and parents on 1/28 and 1/29/21
o Teachers and deans will directly contact students/parents who miss days of in person attendance once implemented
∙ Looking Ahead … High School (HS)
o Second-semester enrollment
▪ Wheaton North (WN) – 63% hybrid; 37% remote
▪ Wheaton Warrenville South (WWS) – 62% hybrid; 38% remote
o Tasks and Timelines, including:
▪ Balance room capacity and number of open seats
▪ Implement new hybrid attendance policy
▪ Staff teams begin to evaluate, based on the number of data points, the students that need to attend school in-person 4 days per week
▪ Survey seniors to identify students that want to attend school in-person 4 days per week
▪ Survey students of all grade levels to identify students that want to attend school in-person 4 days per week
▪ Identify spaces and staff for supervised virtual learning rooms
▪ Students identified by staff teams begin attending in-person 4 days per week
▪ Assign any remaining in-person seats, prioritizing seniors, to 4-days per week in-person
∙ Athletics & Extracurricular Update
o Tasks and Timelines, including:
▪ IHSA approved 6 low-risk sports to start the winter season
▪ IHSA approved all other sports to start contact days (* high-risk sports can only conduct team training with no physical contact until the state moves to phase 4)
▪ Extracurricular clubs can start meeting in-person following all safety mitigations
▪ IHSA Board Meeting for further discussions
∙ Class of 2021 Committee
o A committee composed of students, parents, staff, and administrators from WN and WWS
o Will begin meeting to discuss options for plans related to senior week, senior honor events, prom, and graduation (while not an exhaustive list, these events have been asked about frequently)
o Teams are committed to making senior year special for the Class of 2021
∙ Surveillance Testing
o As we continue to expand opportunities, surveillance testing continues to emerge as a significant mitigation strategy
o Participation allows us to continue to expand opportunities for students
o If you opt-in by February 8, testing will begin the week of March 1
∙ Vaccine Roll-Out
o A plan for a vaccine clinic offered in D200 has been completed
o Two partners have been identified and secured that can administer the vaccine as soon as supply is allocated from DuPage County Health Dept.
o Additional partnership secured with DuPage Medical Group to provide an additional opportunity for staff vaccine
o Ongoing collaboration and advocacy with the DuPage County Health Dept. as Group 1B begins
∙ Advocacy
o Through LEND and Large Unit District Association (LUDA), D200 continues to advocate for ongoing review of guidance
o School and the Path to Zero … Brown University Study
o The focus should continue to be on developing ways to measure any in-school transmission and quality of infection control
▪ Infection control (mitigations)
▪ Testing (screening or surveillance testing)
▪ Vaccines
▪ Trust and collaboration with employee groups
▪ Collaboration and advocacy with state agencies
Information was added on the following:
∙ The effort is and continues to be to create opportunities to expand the face-to-face opportunities.
∙ The February Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting will address what the District is doing to mitigate the opportunities that have been lost during this year, as well as provide an update on the District equity plan.
∙ Using our Elementary homeschool principals to assist with helping identify our VA students that are disconnected and not showing engagement. What can we do now as well as with some summer type of programming to assist with this?
∙ Preparing for a third-trimester transition in mid-March; offering an opportunity for VA students to transition to in-person learning and vice-versa.
∙ Evaluating and determining the conditions necessary to get back to that full traditional school day at the elementary level (would include art, music, lunch, recess, and PE) – important for those families considering a transition to an in-person learning environment from VA.
∙ A few more students at the MS level moved over from the hybrid model to the VA model with the most recent request for a change in the learning environment (approximately 1% change).
∙ Continuing to discuss Wednesdays and how they will operate in the upcoming semester. MS students have struggled in a fully asynchronous model on Wednesdays. The timeline for implementation of a newly revised structure is February 17, 2021.
∙ Evaluating space and number of open seats at the MS level to determine and expand the number of students that can attend more than two days per week. Hope to have that all in place by the beginning of March 2021.
∙ HS Hybrid Learning Model - Working to ensure we give offerings of open seats to those that need it and those than want it.
∙ In-person hybrid attendance policy – ensuring that those students that choose hybrid are coming to school and attending in-person. This is necessary to maximize the learning model and achieve a high-quality learning experience.
∙ When a teacher expects and plans for twelve students to be in person and only two show up, that is not a good thing for the teachers or the students.
∙ Acceptable reasons for students to attend virtually on a scheduled in-person day vs. invalid absences.
∙ Giving our HS teachers more freedom to have the ability to shut down streaming when they need to and interact with the kids in front of them. The students working remotely will be working on the same project as those in-person.
∙ The new attendance policy implementation coincides with the beginning of the second semester at the HS level.
∙ Once we get past the students that need to be in-person four days per week, will focus on senior students first, followed by other levels, to see if students want to fill open spots that are available for in-person learning more than two days per week. The timeline for implementation of this is between mid-February and the beginning of March 2021.
∙ The use of overflow rooms/spaces for classes where there is no open spot available in a student’s schedule – this may be for only one or two classes.
∙ Band starting performing indoors a few weeks ago, and choir is going to start next week.
∙ IHSA special board meeting took place today and they provided an updated sports schedule and other guidance for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.
∙ Clarification – the need to move to Phase 4 from Tier 1 before actual athletic competitions can take place for those sports that are classified as high risk.
∙ COVID numbers and transmission rates at the community level are moving in a positive direction. This will need to continue over a while before we can be moved as a region into Phase 4. Region 8 is comprised of both DuPage and Kane Counties.
∙ We are currently in the fourth week of surveillance testing (which is round two – the second opportunity for members of our school community to opt-in).
∙ Surveillance testing is significant mitigation as we look at expanding opportunities for our students at the secondary level. The District is strongly encouraging families to look at surveillance testing as we look at student participation in athletic and extracurricular opportunities.
∙ Vaccine roll-out: The District has identified two potential school locations that would work as a vaccine clinic – a high school option and an elementary school option. Important that we have options that would functionally work well, but also we know would be available at any point that we needed them to stand up as a vaccine clinic.
∙ The District advocates at a minimum weekly with DuPage County to support the effort to get D200 staff vaccinated as the flow of vaccine is going to continue to come through the county.
∙ Focus efforts on no cases of transmission within the school vs. no cases of COVID in and around the community.
∙ Physical distancing – are there paths in the future to see that shrink from the current definition of six feet that is recognized?
There were questions, comments, and/or discussion on the following:
∙ Elementary – what will move us from a four-hour in-person day to a longer in-person day? Timeline for any communication regarding the in-person learning environment to the families for them to make that choice.
∙ Any consideration to testing/piloting the longer day vs. jumping all in?
∙ Sharing what remote Wednesdays will look like at the MS level before the revised structure rollout on February 17.
∙ Discussions began regarding asynchronous Wednesdays at the HS level.
∙ Athletics and two-sport athletes – Athletic Directors (AD’s) are working on this.
∙ If conference play is not an option, is in-district competition possible?
∙ Vaccine – if the staff is vaccinated before Spring Break, does that modify the in-person learning plans?
∙ The impact of reducing the physical distancing guidelines from 6-feet minimum to 3-feet.
∙ Extracurricular activities and clubs and looking for additional opportunities for students.
∙ Performing ensembles, spring plays and finding outdoor locations for performances.
∙ The “overflow room” at the HS level – will require coordination.
∙ Surveillance testing and athletics – any discussion on making this required vs. optional?
∙ Vaccine and the willingness of the staff to participate. Interest from the survey that was sent out by the two associations was strong.
∙ References to all of the information sent to Board Members from community members regarding COVID studies, guidelines, mitigations, and recommendations.
∙ Request information on the plans, procedures, and/or guidelines to follow to keep athletes safe – how to keep those students safe and keep anything from tracking into the schools.
∙ Should the elementary day be expanded, would there be a surge in the number of families that want to come back to in-person learning? Would this require shuffling of teachers and classrooms? The need to be prepared for this.
∙ How to evaluate what a disconnected student is and how to engage these students.
∙ Will we be able to accommodate all of those staff members that want to receive vaccines?
∙ Surveillance testing and any changes in opt-in numbers from round one to two.
∙ Trimester one vs. two – the percentage of in-person numbers.
∙ Reaching out to remote students and encouraging them to participate in activities, clubs, and athletics.
Business Services
Financial Forecast
Mr. Bill Farley, Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations, provided the 5 Cast five-year financial forecast for the District. A draft of the presentation was attached to the Board report which included the following information:
∙ Fiscal Metrics
∙ 5 Cast Financial Planning Tool Uses
∙ Mid-year Revenue Analysis
o Educational/Operations and Maintenance/Transportation/IMRF/Working Cash
∙ Revenues by Fund – Budget/Projected YTD/Actual YTD
o Educational/O&M/Debt Services/Transportation/IMRF/Capital Projects/Working Cash
∙ Revenues by Source – Prior YTD/Current YTD
o Local/State/Federal/Other
∙ Mid-year Expenditure Analysis
o Educational/Operations and Maintenance/Transportation/IMRF/Working Cash
∙ Expenditures by Fund – Budget/Projected YTD/Actual YTD
o Educational/O&M/Debt Services/Transportation/IMRF/Capital Projects/Working Cash
∙ Expenditures by Object – Prior YTD/Current YTD
o Salaries/Benefits/Purchased Services/Supplies/Capital Outlay/Other Objects/Non Capital Equipment/Term. Benefits
∙ Data Elements
o Five Years of Audited Annual Financial Report – Revenues, Expenses, & Balances
o FY21 (Current Budget) General Ledger (G/L) Data
o Tax Levy/Extensions/Rates
o Equalized Assessed Valuation
o Enrollment
o District Assumptions
∙ Revenue Budget (FY 2021)
∙ Local Revenue: Tax Base Assumptions – CPI
∙ Local Revenue: Tax Base Assumptions – New EAV Growth
∙ Key Revenue Assumptions
o Other Local Revenue
o State Funding
o Federal Revenue
o Revenue – Sensitivity
▪ Tax Levy
▪ Categorical Payments
∙ Expense Budget (FY 2021)
∙ Key Expenditure Assumptions
o Salaries & Staffing FY 22-26
o Health & Dental Benefits
o Purchased Services, Supplies, Capital Outlay, Tuition
o $1M Contingency in Ed Fund Going Forward
∙ Additional Assumptions
o Capital projects
o FY23 and future years
o No legislative changes in school funding
o No change to PTELL (tax cap)
o Does not include potential TRS pension shift
o Includes known and projected retirements in future years with replacement teachers hired in at a salary of $50k
o The current FY21 budget is an accurate basis for projections
∙ Aggregate Revenue and Expenditure Projections
Information was added on the following:
∙ This is the kickoff as the District moves forward with the budgeting process.
∙ District 200’s operating expense per student ($13,407) has been historically below the state average.
∙ FY20 Fund Balance: 35.0% (which is within range of the Board policy (25-40%).
∙ Standard & Poor’s Bond Rating: AA+ (stable outlook and 2nd highest rating).
∙ FY20 State Board of Education Designation – Financial Recognition for the 5th consecutive year (highest possible).
∙ FY21 Balanced Budget – 11th consecutive year.
∙ The District received its’ second categorical payment from the State this week – that is ahead of where we were last year in terms of the timeline for receiving State payments.
∙ Revenues in transportation are a little higher than anticipated and expenditures are not as much as projected (not as many MS/HS bus routes run this year).
Open Session Minutes – January 27, 2021 Page 8
∙ The current budget is always the driver of the 5 Cast model.
∙ The assumptions being used by the District were shared with the Board Finance Committee members.
∙ Exclusion of IMRF fund in the overall operating budget – when providing aggregate reports, want to track fund balance, which excludes the IMRF fund.
∙ CPI came in at 1.4% - this will be used for the levy process in November.
∙ New growth is unknown when the levy process happens.
∙ Moving forward, anticipating a bump up in the new EAV growth – due to some growth in the south part of the district and the expiration of TIF 2 in Wheaton (in 2022).
∙ The need to monitor the state funding numbers (both Evidence-Based Funding - EBF and Categorical Grants) due to the uncertainty of modifications in Federal funding or the impact of the ESSER funds being received.
∙ ESSER money will impact the FY22 and FY23 budgets – funds are available for up to three budget years.
∙ Expenditures budget – this is the first year the model is showing moving out operational dollars towards the capital projects fund (as was recommended by the District auditors).
∙ The impact of the increases related to the minimum wage for the projections on staffing, as well as contracted services (food service, custodial, and transportation).
∙ Staffing and running both a Virtual Academy (VA) and in-person/remote learning this year.
∙ It was noted there are a significant number of retirements this year as compared to previous years.
∙ Aggregate Revenue and Expenditure Projections chart: The surplus/deficit line is one of the lines we need to take a look at to see where we are from an operational spending standpoint. The other line is the fund balance as a percentage of revenues.
∙ Overall the projections indicate the District is in a good, stable position, especially with the strong commitment of the Board to fund $7.2 capital projects annually out of the operating budget.
There were questions, comments, and/or discussion on the following:
∙ CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Funds – included in revenues by source.
∙ Capital Outlay Expenditures – has to do with the timing of payments and when buildings spend their funds.
∙ Education Fund expenditures – running lower than expected.
∙ TIF 2 expiration in 2022 – impact on EAV and levy in Nov 2022 – the importance of capturing all of the new growth.
∙ ESSER funds – when and how will it be received - process, when funds are available for use, how to use the funds; the ability of school districts to take ownership of how they are going to spend those funds. It was noted those funds have to be shared with private schools. Projection to be around $3.8M.
∙ Adhering to the Sherman Dergis policy and committing to $7.2M in building improvements annually by using operating funds and without any debt.
∙ The $1M contingency in the Education Fund going forward.
∙ The potential impact of TRS pension shift – short-term vs long-term potential scenarios.
∙ Potential revenue shortfalls in the coming years and potential solutions.
∙ Replacing the 40 teachers that are scheduled to retire; the number of teachers on one-year contracts for this year due to the unique learning environment (VA and in-person classrooms).
∙ The amount of money received from the CARES act per student in D200 vs. private schools.
∙ Assumptions used on staffing levels and expenditures in the forecasting model based on FY20.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION
There being no further business to come before the Board in Open Session, Member Long moved, Member Crabtree seconded to adjourn the meeting. Upon a voice call being taken, all were in favor and the motion carried 6-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 PM.
https://www.cusd200.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=22857&dataid=34447&FileName=Minutes%20Jan%2027%202021%20COW.pdf
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