Board of Education Regular Meeting

4 Monday, February 10, 2025 Board of Education Regular Meeting Champaign Community Unit School District NO. 4, Center for Family & Community Engagement at Mellon 703 S New Street Champaign, IL 5:15 p.m. (Executive Session from 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) 1. Call to Order Subject A. Roll Call Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 1. Call to Order Type Procedural File Attachments 2. Executive Session: 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Subject A. Motion to move to Executive Session. Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 2. Executive Session: 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Type Action Recommended Action Motion to move to the Executive Session to consider one or more of the reasons listed below. A closed session in accordance with the Illinois Open Meeting Act (5 ILCS 120/2c) will be necessary to consider one or more of the following subjects including, but not limited to: 120/2(c)(1) Appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor or a volunteer of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. 120/2(c)(2) Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees. 120/2(c)(3) Selection of a person to fill a vacancy in a public office. 120/2(c)(4) Evidence or testimony presented in Open Hearing or in Closed Hearing where specifically authorized by law, to a quasi-adjudicative body, as defined in this Act, provided that the body prepares and makes available for public inspection a written decision setting forth its determinative reasoning. 120/2(c)(5) Purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body, including meetings held for the purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should be acquired. 120/2(c)(6) The setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the public body. 120/2(c)(8) Security procedures, school building safety and security, and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property. 120/2(c)(9) Student Discipline 120/2(c)(10) The placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students. 120/2(c)(11) Litigation, when an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case the basis for the finding shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed meeting. 120/2(c)(16) Self-Evaluation, practices and procedures or professional ethics when meeting with a representative of a statewide association of which the public body is a member. 120/2(c)(21) Discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed under this Act, whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes as mandated by Section 2.06. File Attachments 3. Communications Subject A. Communications Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 3. Communications Type The Board welcomes communications from a variety of internal stakeholders and community partners. Among those invited to address the Board are: the Champaign Federation of Teachers (CFT), the Champaign Educational Support Professionals (CESP), PTA Council, the C-U Schools Foundation, Chief Communications Officer, Members of the Board itself and the Superintendent. The Board President will inform the public which of these speakers will be addressing the Board at the start of each meeting. File Attachments Superintendent Slideshow Sy24-25.2-10-25.pdf (6,134 KB) 4. Public Comment Subject A. Public Comment on Agenda & Non-Agenda Items (limited to 30 minutes) Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 4. Public Comment Type File Attachments 5. Action Agenda Subject A. Administrative Appointment – Special Education Administrator (12 month): Ken Kleber Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 5. Action Agenda Type File Attachments Subject B. Administrative Appointment – Campus Level Administrator (International Prep Academy): Ken Kleber Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 5. Action Agenda Type File Attachments Subject C. American Institute for Research Contract: Christelle Harding/Dr. Cynthia Watson Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 5. Action Agenda Type TOPIC: American Institute for Research Contract Background Information: Schools receive an annual summative designation on the Illinois Report Card. The designation is based on the school’s overall data, and the data for each student group, for all of the accountability indicators. With the release of the 2024 School Report Card, Unit 4 had three newly designated comprehensive schools: Dr. Howard, Robeson, and Stratton. One of the ISBE requirements for newly designated comprehensive schools through the Title I Part A Section 1003 School Improvement Grant, is to engage in the services of the American Institute for Research (AIR) to conduct a school level needs assessment. The American Institute for Research will engage with Unit 4 during 2024-2025 to conduct a school level needs assessment for the three newly designated Comprehensive schools. AIR's school-level needs assessment is designed to provide important formative feedback to the school and district to inform each school's improvement efforts. Through the needs assessment process, AIR will help school leaders, school staff, and district staff use the results of the initial needs assessment to take stock of strengths and identify areas for improvement to develop school improvement plans and related monitoring activities. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: The Title I, Part A, Section 1003 School Improvement Grant funds are provided to the three schools to support stipends for staff engaged in the need assessment process with AIR. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The Title I, Part A, Section 1003 School Improvement Grant funds are provided to the three schools to support the contractual fees of $40,090.00 per school to engage in the needs assessment services with AIR. Champaign CUSD 4 Assessment Type Cost Dr Howard Elementary School Needs Assessment $40,090.00 Robeson Elementary School Needs Assessment $40,090.00 Stratton Elementary School Needs Assessment $40,090.00 Total Cost - $120,270.00 – Covered by School Improvement Grant ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: Upon completion of the needs assessment, AIR will provide a needs assessment report to each school and the District. RECOMMENDATION: We recommend the Board of Education a pprove the purchased services as presented with the American Institute of Research (AIR). CONTACT PERSON(S): Christelle Harding , Director of Professional Development and Library Media Services Cynthia Watson, Director of School Improvement File Attachments Champaign CUSD 4 - ISBE Needs Assessment 2.10.2025.pdf (251 KB) 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Subject A. Motion to Approve the Consent Agenda - New Business Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type File Attachments Subject B. Central High School Chess Team to State Tournament in Peoria, Illinois: Orlando Thomas Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Central High School Chess Team to State Tournament in Peoria, Illinois BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Central High School Chess Team is seeking approval to participate in the IHSA State Chess Tournament in Peoria, Illinois February 14-15, 2025. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: Aaron Hong, teacher, and Seth Chiles, aide, will chaperone the group and will be staying overnight in the same hotel as the students on February 14, 2025. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Estimated hotel and per diem costs for two adults and 12 students (5 rooms) is $1900. Additionally, transportation will be provided by a District athletic bus. Central’s athletic budget will be the funding source. ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: N/A RECOMMENDATION: It is the administration’s recommendation that the Board of Education approve the Central High School Chess Team’s participation in the IHSA State Chess Tournament on February 14-15, 2025. CONTACT PERSON(S): Orlando Thomas, Executive Director of School Supports and Student Assignment File Attachments Subject C. Edison Band Trip to Chicago, IL (March 14th - March 15th, 2025): Mike Lehr/David Reif Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type Topic : Edison Band Trip to Chicago, IL (March 14th - March 15th, 2025) Background Information: Rationale for Trip: The purpose of our 8th Grade trip is to promote comradery, inspire, and educate students on the music of the Windy City. Chicago is a hotspot for musicians and a place to experience diverse cultures and backgrounds. During our trip, students will experience a number of live jazz performances and will perform at Vandercook College, where there will be a panel of distinguished clinicians. Proposed Itinerary: Students will leave Edison @ 8:00am on Friday, March 14th, 2025 and will return to Edison @ 10:00pm on Saturday, March 15th, 2025. A detailed itinerary is provided in the attachment. Students will visit: John Hancock Center’s 360 Chicago, VanderCook College of Music, Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium & Oceanarium, & Andy’s Jazz Club. Financial Implications: Total cost of the trip is $25,907, broken down below. There will be 42 students, 1 staff member, and 5 chaperones on the trip. The cost for each student is $546 and the cost for each chaperone is $595. The Edison Band Patrons are supplementing $1,383 and providing scholarships to total $5000. Each student is responsible for paying the rest of the cost of the trip. Fundraising Opportunities may include: Fannie May Chocolate Fundraiser, Community Talent Show, Do Good Popcorn Sales, & a Bake Sale. The Band director attends for free. No district funds are being used to support this trip. List of Transportation Carriers: Peoria Charters Deluxe Motorcoach is booked through WorldStrides Educational Travel & Experiences. WorldStrides Educational Travel & Experiences 218 West Water St, Suite 400 Charlottesville, VA 22902 Proof of insurance can be found in the attachment. Staffing/Staff Development Needs: No subs will be required for this trip, since it falls on the morning of Parent Teacher Conferences. One staff member will be attending with the Edison 8th Grade students. Medication + Medical Emergency Plans The Band Director will contact the school nurse ahead of the trip to secure any medications or medical emergency plans that must be taken on the trip. Chaperone + Supervision Needs Five chaperones, who have been cleared through the district’s background process, will attend the trip. The Band director will ensure clearance of the background check before chaperones attend. A more detailed supervision plan can be found in the attachments. Superintendent's Recommendation: Administration recommends approval of the Edison Middle School 8th Grade Band trip to Chicago. File Attachments Subject D. Resolution Authorizing Sale or Disposal of District Personal Property: Dan Casillas/Mike Sanderson Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Resolution Authorizing Sale or Disposal of District Personal Property BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Illinois School Code requires the Board of Education to approve the Disposition of District Personal Property. The District has identified such personal property is no longer needed for District purposes. A board Resolution is required to sell or dispose of District Personal Property. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: N/A FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: N/A ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: N/A RECOMMENDATION: The administration recommends that the Board of Education approve the disposal/sale of personal property identified in the resolution. CONTACT PERSON(S): Dan Casillas, Executive Director of Facilities and Services Mike Sanderson, Director of Purchasing and Inventory File Attachments Disposal Resolution Attachment 2.10.25.pdf (82 KB) Subject E. Speech/Language Contractual Service: Suzanne Meislahn Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Speech/Language Contractual Services BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Currently, the District has over three vacancies for Speech/Language pathologists. The Special Education administration has reviewed speech/language caseloads and reassigned current speech/language pathologists. We continue to pursue new candidates and additional resources to provide speech/language services. The District would like to contract for Speech/Language services with Chicago Speech Steps to provide services at Central High School. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: The contractor will work virtually with students at Central High School, as needed, to provide IEP required speech/language services. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost of Services is $100 per hour. Services at Central High School will not exceed 37.5 hours per week for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year, 15 weeks. The total es timated cost of this contract is not to exceed $56,250. Local funds and, potentially, IDEA Part B Flow-Through funds will be used to pay for these contractual services. ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION : Executive Director of Special Education, or her designee, will coordinate provision of services with the contractor. RECOMMENDATION: It is the administration’s recommendation that the Board of Education approve the attached contract with Chicago Speech Steps. CONTACT PERSON(S): Suzanne L. Meislahn, Executive Director of Special Education File Attachments PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT Between Chicago Speech Steps & Champaign Unit 4 School District.docx.pdf (218 KB) Subject F. FOIA Requests Status as of February 4, 2025: Stacey Moore/Garret Hill Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: FOIA Requests Status as of February 4, 2025 BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The following Freedom of Information (FOIA) requests status as of February 4, 2025: Tormis, Angela (SteepSteel) - “Please send us copies of all active leases/licenses or management contracts for cell towers, rooftop antennas, or other wireless installations on property owned or managed by Champaign Unit 4 School District, Illinois along with 24 months of associated payment histories.” - Status: Fulfilled in full 1/28/25 Justin, Julie (DataBid) - “Central High School Masonry Repairs” RFP - Status: Pending, due 2/14/25 Caballero, Kelsey - Student records regarding communications about their children, record modifications, and paperwork filed. Policies regarding custodial rights, modifying records, and student pickup. Questions regarding the student record database. - Status: Extended 1/30/25, due 2/6/25 Spillman, Darnold - “Please send electronically the current superintendent contract and salary.” - Status: Pending, due 2/10/25 Holder, Betsy - Communications between Board Members Baker and Vazquez from their @illinois.edu email - Status: Pending, due 2/10/25 Illinois Retired Teachers - List of retirees - Status: Fulfilled in full 2/4/25 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: N/A RECOMMENDATION: Administration recommends the Board accept the January 2025 FOIA report. CONTACT PERSON(S): Stacey Moore, Chief Communications Officer Garret Hill, Director of Communications File Attachments Subject G. Bills & Treasurer's Report - January, 2025: Linda Matkowski Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type File Attachments Attorney Payment - January 2025.pdf (79 KB) Check Register - January 2025.pdf (155 KB) Revenue and Expenditure Comparison January 2024 vs January 2025.pdf (6,402 KB) District Investments - January 2025.pdf (79 KB) Subject H. Human Resource Changes: Ken Kleber Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Human Resource Changes BACKGROUND INFORMATION: There are a total of forty-eight (48) human resources changes for Board approval this evening. The specific changes are listed in the attached PDF document. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Employees are compensated in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreements with the Champaign Federation of Teachers (CFT) or Champaign Educational Support Professionals (CESP), or within guidelines previously established by the Board of Education. RECOMMENDATION: It is the administration’s recommendation that the Board of Education approve these human resources changes. The Superintendent is authorized to notify employees of this action. CONTACT PERSON(S): Ken Kleber, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources File Attachments HR Changes - 2-10-2025 (1).pdf (194 KB) Subject I. Approval of Minutes from January 13, 2025 and January 27, 2025 Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type File Attachments 7. Public Comment Subject A. Public Comment on Agenda & Non-Agenda Items Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. Public Comment Type File Attachments 8. Board Member Communications Subject A. Communications From Board Members Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 8. Board Member Communications Type File Attachments Subject B. Whom Did We Affect and Whom Do We Tell? Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 8. Board Member Communications Type File Attachments Subject C. IASB Communications Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 8. Board Member Communications Type File Attachments 9. Future Meetings Subject A. Regular Board Meeting: February 24, 2025; Finance Committee Meeting: February 25, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.; Regular Board Meeting: March 10, 2025; and Regular Board Meeting: March 24, 2025 Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 9. Future Meetings Type File Attachments 10. Executive Session Subject A. Motion to move to Executive Session. Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 10. Executive Session Type A closed session in accordance with the Illinois Open Meeting Act (5 ILCS 120/2c) will be necessary to consider one or more of the following subjects including, but not limited to: 120/2(c)(1) Appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor or a volunteer of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. 120/2(c)(2) Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees. 120/2(c)(3) Selection of a person to fill a vacancy in a public office. 120/2(c)(4) Evidence or testimony presented in Open Hearing or in Closed Hearing where specifically authorized by law, to a quasi-adjudicative body, as defined in this Act, provided that the body prepares and makes available for public inspection a written decision setting forth its determinative reasoning. 120/2(c)(5) Purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body, including meetings held for the purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should be acquired. 120/2(c)(6) The setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the public body. 120/2(c)(8) Security procedures, school building safety and security, and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property. 120/2(c)(9) Student Discipline 120/2(c)(10) The placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students. 120/2(c)(11) Litigation, when an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case the basis for the finding shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed meeting. 120/2(c)(16) Self-Evaluation, practices and procedures or professional ethics when meeting with a representative of a statewide association of which the public body is a member. 120/2(c)(21) Discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed under this Act, whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes as mandated by Section 2.06. File Attachments 11. Open Session Subject A. Reconvene in open session for possible action on items discussed in closed session. Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 11. Open Session Type Information File Attachments 12. Adjournment Subject A. Motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting Feb 10, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 12. Adjournment Type Action File Attachments