December 2024 Board of Education Report

December 2024 Board of Education Report

A Board Report of the December 9, 2024 Board of Education meeting

This Board of Education meeting was held in the boardroom at 2801 York Road, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523; the regular meeting place. The public can attend Board of Education meetings in person, access an audio livestream of the meeting on the District’s website, or listen to meeting recordings that are uploaded to the District’s website within the meeting week.

District Updates

Audited Financial Statements: Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Lauterbach & Amen LLP issued an unmodified audit opinion, the highest assurance for financial statements. The Annual Financial Report (AFR), based on these statements, will be submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The management letter identified no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies.

Operating Funds Performance:

  • Revenues: $14,103,227 (exceeded budget by $186K due to higher-than-expected interest rates)
  • Expenses: $13,153,956 (exceeded budget by $991K, reflecting authorized board actions)
  • Operating Surplus: $949,271, sufficient to cover the $940,00 non-levied debt service payment.

Key Highlights:

  • As of June 30, 2024, operating fund balances totaled $11,280,577, or 79.6% of FY 25 budgeted expenditures—well above the board policy minimum of 50%.
  • Audited results affirm the district’s strong financial position.

Calendar Survey

Superintendent Dr. O’Malley will be sending out a calendar survey to families and staff to gather input on the 2025-2026 school year. With no major construction projects planned, the district can continue with the calendar start date from the past three school years or revert back to an earlier start in August. Please share your feedback and thoughts to help provide guidance.

Safety and Security Facilities Review

The Regional Office of Education conducted a facilities review, including a walkthrough, and provided exceptionally high remarks. They took into account the additional AEDs and the numbering on doors throughout the buildings—efforts we’ve made as part of our safety and security audit. We also hosted a safety and security roundtable with village employees to discuss best practices and the presence of service officers at our buildings, with great feedback. 

Superintendent's Advisory Committee: Playground

When we submitted the Capital Needs Assessment Survey (CNAS), we identified the playground at Brook Forest Elementary as a unique and highly visible feature. We see this as an opportunity to collaborate with parents and the PTO to explore ways to improve the space. Invitations will be forthcoming to join this advisory committee.

Property Tax Levy

The Board authorized to levy 2024 property taxes recommended by the Board of Education, Treasurer and Superintendent. This is a standard annual procedure. The Board adopted this resolution to help cover payments on the district’s 2020 General Obligation Limited Tax School Bonds. The resolution details levy amounts for 2027 through 2031, ensuring they remain within the district’s legal debt limits. The board followed all required procedures for transparency and public notice, in line with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, to finalize this decision.

Supplemental Tax Levy

The Board adopted a resolution that authorizes a supplemental tax levy to cover the principal and interest on the district’s limited bonds. These bonds are funded through the district’s Debt Service Extension Base (DSEB), which originates from the 1994 levy year and includes payments on bonds issued without a referendum. The DSEB adjusts annually for inflation, increasing by either 5% or the previous year’s Consumer Price Index percentage, whichever is lower.

School and Department Updates

Brook Forest Elementary

Principal Prola updated the Board on Brook Forest Elementary’s recent activities and upcoming events.

  • Winter MAP Testing: 
    • Students will complete Math and Reading assessments during the week of December 9th. 
  • Giving Tree: 
    • The Student Council is collecting toys and winter accessories for charity throughout this month. 
  • Band & Choir Concert: 
    • Evening concert on Thursday, December 13th at 7PM. 
  • Community Assembly: 
    • The school will celebrate community support with music, greeting card contest winners and fundraising results for the Hinsdale Humane Society on December 13th. 
  • Winter Parties: 
    • The PTO will host classroom celebrations on Friday, December 20th.

Butler Junior High

Principal Hamilton updated the Board on recent and upcoming events for Butler Junior High students.

  • Basketball Season: 
    • Varsity and JV boys’ teams are off to a strong start with their next game on December 11th. 
  • Winter MAP Testing: 
    • Testing was completed on December 4th and 5th. 
  • Band & Choir Concert: 
    • Rescheduled to Friday, December 13th at 6:30PM in the BJH gym, with a student/staff performance earlier at 12:20PM. 
  • Performing Arts Field Trip: 
    • Band, choir and theatre students will see The Little Mermaid at Drury Lane on December 19th.  
  • Talent Show: 
    • The annual event will showcase student performances on December 20th in the BJH gym. 

Student Services Department

There’s plenty to celebrate in the district! Megan Struhar, the Speech-Language Pathologist at Brook Forest, and Jen Vargocko, the Resource Teacher at Butler Junior High, were both honored with the “You Made a Difference Award” for their exceptional dedication to the students. 

In other news, students in grades 3-8 recently completed the BASC SWSS SEL screener, with opt-out options available. The results are now accessible through Otus, and staff will follow up with families as needed. 

The Butler team also visited Hinsdale Central to align 8th-grade placements with high school offerings, helping students prepare for their transition and post-secondary goals.

To keep parents engaged, a survey was sent out ahead of the IEP Bootcamp, with the next session scheduled for December 13th at 2 p.m. This session will focus on academic and social-emotional support strategies at home. 

As for professional development, district staff have been busy—psychologists attended training on 504 Plan legal updates and observation techniques, while special education teachers and case managers focused on autism and sensory regulation strategies. The English Language Interventionist received training on the Imagine Language and Literacy Program and also attended the Multilingual IL conference. Paraprofessionals participated in a session on modifications vs. accommodations, and the Health Services team completed vision and hearing screenings for K-3 and 8th-grade students. The district also hit an impressive 99.4% vaccine compliance rate.

Student Learning and Staff Innovation

The District Instructional Team is gearing up for a December meeting where they’ll take a close look at the results from the initial mentor surveys. The main goal is to improve the onboarding process, especially when it comes to tech support. Also, in December, teachers will have the chance to attend "Lunch and Learn" sessions focused on AI-powered tools, where they'll explore how these tools can support real-time decisions in the classroom and discuss their potential challenges.

Both schools are also jumping into the world of VR/AR to engage students in new ways, making learning even more interactive. On the literacy front, the District Literacy Team has been busy developing a common rubric for evaluating core resources, and they're planning a K-5 pilot for the 2025-2026 school year. K-5 teachers will also get some hands-on training with the myWorld Social Studies resources, and there will be district-wide writing instruction PD sessions in Winter/Spring 2025. The Social Studies curriculum for grades 2-5 is being aligned with the myWorld series, while K-8 Science and STEM teachers will meet in December to start developing their vision and reviewing resources. Curriculum teams are making sure that all the documents reflect what’s actually happening in the classroom.

PTO Updates

Brook Forest:

  • Shoutout to classroom and headroom parents for hosting amazing class parties! Special thanks to Katie Donelly, the Headroom Parent Chair. 
  • Approved and funded a $150 request for 3rd graders to enjoy a virtual tour of Historic Jamestowne.

Butler:

  • The BJH Book Fair raised $518!
  • New stage curtains were installed at BJH, funded by the PTO for $11,777. 
  • A student panel from Hinsdale Central shared valuable insights with 8th graders on navigating high school. 

District News: 

  • At the PTO General Meeting, updates were shared by the Park District, Library and Village Community Engagement Committee, along with the PTO quarterly report. 

Boosters: 

  • Drama Boosters
    • Funded $80 for BF props for the 2nd/3rd grade winter musical. 
  • Music Boosters
    • Contributed $200 to cover transportation for BJH students attending The Little Mermaid. 
    • Support the music boosters by attending Oberweis and That Burger Joint on Dec 12-13. Mention the Butler Fundraiser at checkout!

Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

February 10, 2025 at 6:30PM: Regular Board of Education Meetin