I. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by President Susan Lynch with the following ROLL CALL:

PRESENT Mr. Chuck Hervas Ms. Susan Lynch Mrs. Maureen McDonald Mr. Patrick Powers Mr. Neal Schawel (Arrived following roll call) Mr. Dennis Torii

ABSENT Mr. James McCann

Also present:

Dr. Glenn Acksel, Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Reinhard Nickisch, Principal, F.E. Peacock Middle School
Dr. Joanna Medwick, Principal, Elmer H. Franzen Intermediate School
Ms. Dawn Esposito, Principal, Raymond Benson Primary School
Dr. Marcia Tornatore, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction
Mrs. Catherine Seger, Recording Secretary
Interested citizens of the community

II. President Lynch led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance

III. President Lynch welcomed visitors to the meeting and asked for questions or comments. There were no questions or comments.

IV. Communications were tabled until after the arrival of Mr. Schawel.

V. Agenda Addendum Items – No additional items added to the agenda.

VI. Superintendent’s Report –

Dr. Acksel reviewed the Superintendent’s Report, a copy of which is attached and made a part of these minutes. He reminded everyone of the Levy Hearing scheduled to be held prior to the December Board of Education meeting. Calendar dates for the year 2001 will need to be set. He will propose the dates at the December meeting for the Board’s approval. No questions were asked nor comments made regarding the Superintendent’s Report.

Upon Mr. Schawel’s arrival, communications received during the previous month were read.

VII. Board Requested Reports:

N.D.S.E.C. – Mr. Torii, N.D.S.E.C. representative, reminded board members of the N.D.S.E.C. annual dinner meeting that is being held in the Itasca Holiday Inn on December 6th. He urged board members to attend. Mrs. McDonald, Mr. Hervas, Ms. Lynch, Mr. Torii, and Mr. Schawel will be attending the dinner meeting.

Mr. Torii also noted that there is a possible need for one or two additional classrooms in the next year and the District may be requested to find space for these students. Transportation problems are also affecting the N.D.S.E.C. students.

B. Audit – Mr. Mike Celer, District auditor, had not arrived so this item was deferred to later in the meeting.

C. Assistant Superintendent – Dr. Tornatore, Assistant Superintendent, reported that the October 23rd Teachers’ Institute Day had gone very well. Teachers liked the focus on software. She said that the direction of the district will be to have some after school classes in basic computer instruction. She then reviewed the remainder of her report, a copy of which is attached. The DAC Committee is reviewing the Technology Plan revision and teachers are expected to come back to the committee with some input.

B. Middle School – Dr. Nickisch, Middle School principal, reviewed the Middle School Report, a copy of which is attached to these official minutes. He reported that 12 teachers had attended the Middle School Conference. They wished to thank the board for allowing them to go. He also reported on plans to use new equipment in Peacock’s video studio to videotape seniors in town in an effort to develop a living history of Itasca. This is a joint effort with the Itasca Library.

Dr. Nickisch also reported that Governor Ryan will be at Peacock on Monday honoring Peacock as a National Blue Ribbon School. Board members were invited to attend the event.

E. Technology Report – In the absence of Mr. Kapachinski, Dr. Acksel reviewed this month’s Technology Report, a copy of which is attached. As of this date, Mr. Kapachinski has been unable to employ an additional technical person.

F. Park District Grant – Dr. Acksel reported that in the early part of the new year, there will be a presentation made to Pate Phillips including a discussion of the Mill Road property which is currently owned by the school district. However, there probably won’t be any word on this topic for several months.

G. Character Counts! - Mr. Schawel, Character Counts! Coalition, chairperson, reported on the meeting held earlier today. The program is still getting good support from the community, i.e., police department. Discussion centered on the 800 beanie babies that had been donated. Itasca’s Character Counts! Coalition will soon have a web page with links to other Character Counts! websites. The Village has agreed to match funds donated to Character Counts!. Mr. Schawel and Dr. Acksel have compiled a list of donations. Discussion ensued.

President Lynch congratulated Mr. Schawel for his initiation and involvement with Character Counts! as it seems to be catching on in Itasca.

H. Freedom of Information - No Freedom of Information requests during the previous month.

I. Opportunity for Community Input Regarding Board Requested Reports – No community input at this time.

VIII. Consent Items:

Motion made by Mr. Hervas and seconded by Mrs. McDonald that the minutes of the October 11, 2000 regular meeting and the October 18, 2000 special closed meeting, and the expenditures for the month of October, 2000, be approved. Following an opportunity for questions and discussion, the motion carried on the following ROLL CALL VOTE:

AYES NAYS
Mr. Hervas
Mr. Schawel
Ms. Lynch
Mr. Powers
Mrs. McDonald
Mr. Torii

IX. Action Items

A. FY 200 Audit –deferred until after the auditor’s presentation

B. Board of Education Policies –

Motion made by Mr. Hervas and seconded by Mr. Schawel that Board of Education Policies #2:70 Vacancies on School Board – Filling Vacancies; #2:220 School Board Meeting Procedure; 6:15 School Accountability; #6:170 Title I Programs; #7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities; #7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited; #8:30 Conduct on School Property; #8:50 Visitors to the Schools; #2:125 Board Member Expenses; #2:200 Types of School Board Meetings; #4:30 Revenue and Investments; #5:100 Experiments Upon or Dissection of Animals; #7:40 Nonpublic School Students Including Parochial and Home-School Students; #7:270 Administering Medicines to Students be approved for second reading. Following an opportunity for questions, discussion, and community input, the motion carried on the following VOICE VOTE: All AYES: NAYS none.


C. National School Board Conference –

Motion made by Mrs. McDonald and seconded by Mr. Powers that the request made by Susan Lynch, Dennis Torii, Maureen McDonald, and Chuck Hervas for reimbursement for attending a National Conference as per Board of Education Policy #2:125 Board Member Expenses by approved. The motion was amended to include the names of board members Patrick Powers and Neal Schawel. The amendment was seconded. Following an opportunity for further questions, discussion, and community input, the amendment and motion both carried on the following ROLL CALL VOTE:

AYES NAYS
Ms. Lynch
Mrs. McDonald
Mr. Torii
Mr. Powers
Mr. Hervas
Mr. Schawel

At this point, Mr. Mike Celer, district auditor, arrived. He distributed bar graphs of the financial records of the district and reviewed the audit, management letter, and graphs with members of the Board of Education and the audience. Discussion ensued.

Motion made by Mrs. McDonald and seconded by Mr. Torii that the FY2000 audit be approved. Following an opportunity for further discussion, questions, and community input, the motion carried on the following ROLL CALL VOTE:

AYES NAYS
Mr. Schawel
Mr. Hervas
Ms. Lynch
Mr. Powers
Mr. Torii
Mrs. McDonald

X. Board Requested Reports – None at this time.

XI. Adjournment – There being no further business, President Lynch adjourned the meeting at 8:32 p.m.

___________________________________ Neal Schawel, Secretary Board of Education

________________________________ Dennis Torii, Vice-President Board of Education