DATE:

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

LOCATION:

ITASCA VILLAGE HALL 100 North Walnut Street Itasca, Illinois 60143

I. President Nolte called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the following ROLL CALL:

PRESENTABSENT

Mrs. Dale
Mrs. DiCiolla
Mr. Hervas
Mrs. McDonald
Mrs. Nolte
Mr. Powers
Mrs. Zelenka (arrived after roll was called)

Also in attendance:

Dr. Kenneth Cull, Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Reinhard Nickisch, Principal, F.E. Peacock Middle School
Dr. Joanna Medwick, Principal, Elmer H. Franzen Intermediate School
Dr. Dawn Turner, Principal, Raymond Benson Primary School
Dr. Marcia Tornatore, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
Mrs. Catherine Seger, Recorder
Members of the staff and community

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

III. Mrs. Nolte welcomed visitors to the meeting.

Mr. Dennis Torii, former Board of Education member, was presented with a plaque honoring him for the his years of service to the school board and children of Itasca. President Nolte thanked him for his service. Mr. Torii thanked everyone for the opportunity to be a board member as well as for their kind thoughts and gifts during his recent illness.

IV. No communications received during the previous month.

V. No items added to the agenda.

VI. Superintendent’s Report –

Superintendent Cull reviewed his report, a copy of which is attached to these minutes. One item he emphasized was that the P-Card does not preclude the purchase order process. One other item discussed was the invitation to the feeder district board members’ meeting that Keeneyville will be hosting on August 30, 2004. He asked if anyone is interested in attending. Mrs. Nolte, Mrs. DiCiolla and Mrs. Dale and Dr. Cull will be attending as of this time.
Mr. Hervas and Mrs. McDonald will be unable to attend. Some discussion ensued regarding the P-Card

VII. Board Requested Reports:

A. N.D.S.E.C. – Since Mrs. Zelenka had not arrived, Dr. Cull reviewed the report of the previous meeting. The N.D.S.E.C. finance committee had reviewed the budget. The budget has had an increasing fund balance over the last several years and it has come to the point that N.D.S.E.C. wants to spend some of it down. District #10 is typically charged a $7.00 fee for each student per year. This year there will not be a charge. There will be no July meeting and the next meeting is scheduled for August.

B. Middle School – Dr. Nickisch, principal of F.E. Peacock Middle School, reviewed the middle school report, a copy of which is attached to these minutes. He gave an overview of what is planned for Curriculum Night at Peacock discussing changes in the program. The ESL program will begin at 6:00 p.m. and there will be a separate TAG program. Parents will also be given an opportunity to sign up for the Parent Advisory Committee. The Wall of Fame ceremony will take place again this year and the ceremony is tentatively scheduled for October 12. Members of the board will be invited. Mrs. Dale asked if all the presentations at Curriculum Night will be at the same time. Dr. Nickisch replied that they will be staggered.

C. Curriculum – Dr. Tornatore, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, reviewed her report, a copy of which is attached to these official minutes. She discussed the New Teacher Induction Program scheduled for early August. This is a time that new teachers are invited to the district office to meet with Superintendent Cull, Mr. Kapachinski and the school principals. At this time, the District has two new teachers.. Medical training will occur similar to last year. Teachers need to be well aware of any child in their classroom with special needs.

The DAC Committee will be starting to meet in the fall. The Technology Plan will be sent in September to the board. The committee will also be reviewing the writing process.

D. Technology - In the absence of Mr. Kapachinski, Director of Technology, Dr. Cull highlighted the report, a copy of which is attached. He focused on the final paragraph of the report stating that the District network has been very well protected even with the onslaught of the viruses. He explained that the networks have been shut down and teachers will be asked to have their computers on the first day of school and have them plugged in at the beginning of the day to get back on the network.

E. Park District Maintenance Agreement – Dr. Cull explained the history of the bills for maintenance initiated by the park district. Mrs. Dale distributed a background history of what services the park provides. Discussion ensued. The consensus was that Dr. Cull work with the park district director to develop a plan for these services/costs.

F. Skate Board Park – Dr. Cull displayed the Plat of Survey for Peacock indicating that the fence is on District property. Indemnification resolutions should be done by both the park district and the school district. Dr. Cull has discussed this idea with Attorney Barry Moss. He believes it’s pretty standard and a good idea and it would be the way to proceed. Discussion ensued. It was considered that the gates to the park be moved. Also, the entrance should be off of the sidewalk rather than the parking lot. Dr. Cull had spoken with the park district director who stated that the chained gate is to allow access for trucks. The double gate on the west side of the park has not been a gate for about 5-7 years. The reason was that residents living there had requested that the gate be moved.

G. Freedom of Information – None received during the previous month.

H. Opportunity for Community Input Regarding Board Requested Reports – No comments made nor questions asked.

VIII. Consent Items –

A motion was made by Mrs. McDonald and seconded by Mr. Powers that the minutes of the June 7, 2004 Special Closed Meeting, the June 9, 2004 Budget Hearing and regular meeting, the expenditures for the month of June, 2004, and the employment of Stephanie Hall and Samuela Bovelli be approved. Stephanie Hall was introduced by Dr. Nickisch. She is the new resource teacher at Peacock and Samuela Bovellie was introduced by Dr. Medwick. She will be the inclusion facilitator for both Benson and Franzen. Following the introductions and an opportunity for additional questions and discussion, the motion carried on the following ROLL CALL VOTE:

AYES	NAYS	ABSTAIN
Mr. Powers Mrs. Dale Mr. Hervas Mrs. DiCiolla Mrs. Nolte Mrs. McDonald		Mrs. Zelenka

IX. Action Items

A. Student Teacher – A motion was made by Mr. Powers and seconded by Mrs. McDonald that Barbara Rose be approved to serve as a student teacher for the fall of the 2004-2005 school year. Following an opportunity for questions, discussion and community input, the motion carried on the following VOICE VOTE: All AYES: NAYS none.

B. Board of Education Policies – A motion was made by Mrs. McDonald and seconded by Mr. Powers that Policies #2:105 – Ethics and Gift Ban; #2:220 – Board of Education Meeting Procedures; #5:120 – Ethics; #5:130 – Limitations on Accepting Gifts; and #5:190 – Teacher Qualifications be approved for first reading. Discussion ensued. Mr. Hervas suggested that the Ethics Commission not be part of Policy #2:105. Further discussion ensued. Following an opportunity for questions, discussion, and community input, the motion carried on the following VOICE VOTE: All AYES: NAYS none.

C. Resolution Declining Requests to Accept Non-Resident Choice Students - A motion was made by Mr. Hervas and seconded by Mrs. McDonald that the following resolution be adopted by the Board of Education:

WHEREAS, Schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under Section 1116 of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as added by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, must offer their students the choice of attending other schools that have not been so identified (so-called “choice students); and WHEREAS, the Itasca School District #10 may be requested by other school districts to accept and enroll students currently attending a school identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring; and WHEREAS, no school in the Itasca School District #10 has adequate resources, capacity, and/or staffing that would make it a candidate for accepting non-resident choice students from non-district schools without harming the education program it currently offers;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

1. Itasca School District #10 will not enter into intergovernmental agreement to accept non-resident students from non-District schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring;
2. Itasca School District #10 will not accept non-resident choice students for enrollment, other than pursuant to: (1) an intergovernmental or cooperative agreement that pre-existed this Resolution; (2) a binding order from a court having appropriate jurisdiction; (3) foreign exchange students accepted pursuant to District only; or (4) State or federal law requiring the District to accept non-resident students.
3. The Superintendent shall keep the Board apprised of any change in conditions that might cause the Board to reconsider this Resolution.
Following additional opportunities for questions, discussion and community, the motion carried on the following VOICE VOTE – All AYES: NAYS none.

X. Board Requests for Reports – Mrs. Dale asked for a review of the District’s procedure for students participating in potentially dangerous sport activities. This will be placed on the September agenda.

XI. Adjournment – There being no further business, President Nolte adjourned the meeting at 8:59 p.m.

__________________________ Maureen McDonald, Secretary Board of Education

__________________________ Susan Nolte, President Board of Education