Board of Education Regular Meeting

4 Monday, March 24, 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 5:30 p.m. (Executive Session from 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) 1. Call to Order Subject A. Roll Call Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 1. Call to Order Type Procedural File Attachments 2. Executive Session: 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Subject A. Motion to move to Executive Session. Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 2. Executive Session: 5:30 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 Mar 24, 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 Sy24-25.3-24-25 (1).pdf (4,340 KB) 4. Public Comment Subject A. Public Comment on Agenda & Non-Agenda Items (limited to 30 minutes) Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 4. Public Comment Type File Attachments Policy-2230.pdf (39 KB) 5. Action Agenda: New Business Subject A. Administrative Appointments – Campus Level Administrators (Central High School): Ken Kleber Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 5. Action Agenda: New Business Type File Attachments 6. Reports: New Business Subject A. Recommendation for 6th - 12th Grade English Adoption: Mike Lehr/David Reif Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 6. Reports: New Business Type TOPIC: Recommendation for 6th - 12th Grade English Adoption BACKGROUND INFORMATION: During SY2024, teachers from the Secondary English Department conducted a program evaluation and began narrowing a list of curriculum options to pilot for our next 8-year adoption cycle. We looked for core resources that best aligns with the pillars our team identified below. We also prioritized alignment with the Science of Reading and the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan. Core Curriculum: 6th - 8th Grades For Tier 1, our 6-8 teachers reviewed many core resources and decided to pilot HMH’s Into Literature with Writable , McGraw-Hill’s StudySync and Amplify ELA . All three pilot curricula received an “all green” rating on EdReports, an independent curriculum evaluator. Based upon feedback from the 6-12 ELA Pilot Team, the Teaching and Learning department is recommending an 8-year adoption of Amplify ELA for all 6-8 students in Unit 4. Amplify ELA is a knowledge-building curriculum that ensures a focus on the rigor of grade-level standards and text complexity for all students. The ability to differentiate for students who are working below grade level or above grade level is embedded into the digital platform and unit structure. Each unit has a reading comprehension assessment and a summative writing assessment. Built into the scope and sequence every four to five lessons are Flex Days, where teachers will utilize the data in the platform to differentiate and provide small group instruction based upon each student’s need. Amplify ELA provides both print and digital resources for teachers and students, including a student workbook and writing journal, that allows teachers the flexibility to move between utilizing technology or print resources on a lesson by lesson basis. Supplemental Resource: 6th - 8th Grades As part of the pilot process, our team also identified the need for a resource to support Reading Intervention at the middle school level in providing systematic, explicit instruction in foundational literacy skills for students not yet reading and writing at the grade level expectation. After reviewing multiple options, Reading Intervention teachers piloted Lexia PowerUp, an individualized, adaptable program that assesses students in three components of literacy (word recognition, grammar, and comprehension) and provides them with instruction to close gaps in previous learning. It also provides teachers with data and lesson plans to support direct instruction for students still mastering foundational literacy skills. Due to the additional School Improvement funding received by Edison Middle School, Franklin STEAM Academy, and Jefferson Middle School, we are recommending the purchase of site-wide licenses for our traditional middle schools for the next 3 years. As part of this recommendation, we will also be purchasing licenses for 6–8 students at Garden Hills Elementary School and International Prep Academy. This ensures all 6th-8th Grade students in Unit 4 have access to a resource to meet their foundational literacy needs. Core Curriculum: 9th - 12th Grades At the high school level, after reviewing many different curricula, our 9-12 teachers piloted HMH’s Into Literature with Writable and Common Lit’s 360 curriculum. Our team, in conjunction with the 6-12 ELA Pilot Team, is recommending an adoption of Common Lit 360 for our core English classes for the next 8 years. Common Lit’s 9-12 product has not been reviewed by EdReports yet, but they are in the process of updating their 9th grade and 10th grade curriculum to align with their “all green” rated middle school program. The first two units are released with the rest of the units due to be released in Summer & Fall 2025. Their 11th Grade (American Literature) and 12th Grade (Senior Comprehensive English) courses were originally written in alignment with the middle school program and are fully released. Each year of Common Lit includes a novel study unit, a research unit, a drama unit, as well as three thematic units. Each unit includes two standards-aligned reading comprehension assessments, as well as a summative writing assessment. For College-Level Advanced Composition, our dual credit English course with Parkland, our team will continue to follow the scope and sequence of the course outline, as identified by Parkland College. There are no additional resources necessary at this time. We also reviewed resources for our Advanced Placement courses. Both courses must follow the course outline provided by College Board in their Course Exam and Description. Schools must submit their course syllabi to the College Board each year for approval. Our AP Language and Composition team reviewed two resources, both from Bedford, and recommended adopting the Ideas in Argument text. This is a 7-year adoption due to limitations of the publisher. There are no additional needs for our AP Literature and Composition course outside of refreshing our novel sets. Supplemental Resource: 9th - 12th Grades The 9-12 English Program Evaluation team identified systematic writing instruction as a priority for all students, so we also included HMH’s Writable and NoRedInk in our pilot. These two digital resources focus on supporting writing instruction, including grammar instruction and supporting students through the writing process in larger writing projects. We are recommending an adoption of NoRedInk for all 9-12 students in Unit 4 for the next 3 years. Our teacher teams will work with NoRedInk trainers to incorporate NoRedInk activities and standards into our core English curriculum to give students solid grammar instruction as well as support with essay writing. NoRedInk includes the ability to give each student a writing diagnostic to identify strengths and opportunities for growth, as well as features to support students with ACT preparation. We will reevaluate NoRedInk at the end of the 3 year contract based upon teacher feedback, student growth, as well as the technological advancements made between now and then. Pursuant to Illinois Statutes, text book selections and adoptions are exempt from public bidding requirements. Pursuant to the District's adopted SY2024-2025 Budget, funds for the purchase of the textbook adoptions will be made from the general education fund of the District. Pilot Team Members Include: Middle School: Michelle Anderson, Courtney Chancellor, Zabrina Comer, Olivia Gonzalez, Aimie Harris, Nichole Jones, Lauren Marx, Judith McDowell, Claire Reiling, Alvicia Roberts, Hideyuki Tanaka, Courtney Thorne, Briget Toney, Kelley Tonkovich, Susanna Torres, Nancy Vargas, Melony Vasquez, and Tyler Wheeler High School: Joanne Becker, Jill Cappa, Alexis Castillo, Kathy Decker, Rebecca Fundator, Amy Graziano, Jessyca Haile, Jessica Hutchinson, Greg Kneller, Dan Kuglich, Jennifer McQueen, Lindsey Moscoso-Anderson, Chuck Neitzel, Jenny Slagor, Mike Slagor, Taryn Smith, and Alex Wolfram STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: There are no additional staffing needs being proposed with this adoption. Professional learning will be part of the adoption package for each resource for a total cost of $76,100. This does not include the stipends that teachers will earn ($150/day per the negotiated contract). Professional Learning for Summer 2025 will include: Amplify ELA: 1 full day (offered twice), plus 6 ½ day sessions during the school year Lexia: 1 full day Common Lit: 2 full days NoRedInk: 1 full day, plus 2 follow up sessions during the school year Bedford: ½ day In addition to professional learning sessions offered by the various publishers, a teacher team will be hired, with representatives from each school, to continue preparing during Summer 2025 for implementation in August. During SY2026, an Implementation Team will be hired to support and monitor implementation during year 1, providing feedback and serving as liaisons between the publisher, the T&L department, and course teams. The Teaching and Learning team will also facilitate collaboration among teachers across schools to support the implementation. The district will also continue to support teachers who are new to Advanced Placement courses to attend an AP Summer Institute to learn more about the Course Exam and Description. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Core Curriculum for All 6-8 Students: Amplify ELA ($517,133.40 total) $447,975 = 8 years of digital licenses for students, student workbooks, and writing journals for all 6-8 students. Novels are included in Year 1. $2532 = 8 years of digital teacher licenses as well as teacher print editions $34,500 = Professional Learning, including one full day in summer 2025, one day of onsite coaching during SY2026, 6 half-day sessions with teacher teams during SY2026, and a half-day onsite session with school and district administrators. $32,126.40 = Shipping Supplemental Resource for All 6-8 Students: Lexia Power Up ($178,420 total) $123,600 = 3 Site-Wide Unlimited Licenses with School Success Partnership for Edison, Franklin, and Jefferson (coming from School Improvement Grant funding) $38,420 = Licenses for all 6-8 students at Garden Hills and IPA $16,400 = 1 Professional Learning Day and District Success Partnership Core Curriculum for 9-12 Students: Common Lit 360 ($104,000 total) $92,000 = 2 School Essentials PRO Plus school-wide digital licenses for 8 years (NOVAK is included for free) $12,000 = 2 Foundations Jumpstart Days of Professional Learning in June 2025 Core Curriculum for AP Language and Composition: Bedford ($55,817.42) $54,782.60 = 370 8 year digital licenses, 180 student textbooks, and 6 teacher editions and digital licenses $1034.82 = shipping $0 = Half-day of professional learning provided gratis Supplemental Resource for All 9-12 Students: NoRedInk ($107,190 total) $93,990 = 3 years of premium student licenses for all 9-12 students $13,200 = 1 full day of professional learning, 2 follow up virtual professional learning sessions, and Curriculum Alignment Guides for the first unit of all high school core English courses Novels (up to $35,000) The 9-12 English Pilot Team is also recommending up to $35,000 to purchase new copies of novels for each high school course, as outlined in the core curriculum for each course. We will purchase a novel for every student so that students can take a novel home to complete work outside of school. A final breakdown of the cost will be provided in the Board Bar for the Consent Agenda for the April meeting. Novels for 6th-8th grades are included in the cost for Amplify ELA. These funds are available in the District's adopted SY2024-2025 budget. The District will also use any potential grant allocations that may be available for the purchase of new textbook adoptions, professional development, or supplies. $123,600 of this total is coming from School Improvement funding. ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: Conducted by teachers on the Secondary ELA Pilot Team in conjunction with the Secondary Teaching and Learning Team. RECOMMENDATION: This agenda item will appear during the Consent Agenda portion of the April 28, 2025 Board of Education meeting. CONTACT PERSON(S): David Reif, Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning Mike Lehr, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning File Attachments FINAL 6-12 English Adoption 3.24.25.pdf (4,170 KB) 7. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Subject A. Motion to Approve the Consent Agenda - New Business Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type File Attachments Subject B. Central High School SkillsUSA Club to Peoria, Illinois: Orlando Thomas Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Central High School SkillsUSA Club to Peoria, Illinois BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Central High School is seeking permission to send its SkillsUSA Cub to the SkillsUSA Competition/Conference in Peoria, Illinois, April 24-26, 2025. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: Club sponsors Eric Fagerlin and Abraham Haile will act as chaperones and stay overnight in the same hotel as the students on April 24-25, 2025. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Individual out-of-pocket expenses are $45 ($15/person x 3 meals) Registration fees of $150/person and lodging fees of $246/night divided by number of people per room will be paid using SkillsUSA grant funds or CTEi funds, if available. Transportation will be provided via District bus. ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: N/A RECOMMENDATION: It is the administration’s recommendation that the Board of Education approve the Central High School SkillsUSA Club’s participation in the SkillsUSA Competition/Conference in Peoria, Illinois, April 24-26, 2025. CONTACT PERSON(S): Orlando Thomas, Executive Director of School Supports and Student Assignment File Attachments Subject C. International Prep Academy (IPA) Student Council to Springfield, Illinois: Orlando Thomas Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: International Prep Academy (IPA) Student Council to Springfield, Illinois BACKGROUND INFORMATION: IPA is seeking permission to send 11 members of its Student Council to the Illinois Association of Junior High Student Councils Convention in Springfield, Illinois, April 11-12, 2025. The convention offers students the chance to discover ways to positively influence both their school community and the broader community by learning leadership skills, team building and collaboration skills, community service, and involvement in the democratic process at a smaller scale. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: Club sponsors Leanne Knight and Marina Taylor will act as chaperones and stay overnight in the same hotel as the students on April 11, 2025. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Registration (including meals) and lodging for the students and adult chaperones in the amount of $2500 will be paid using Student Council funds. Transportation will be via District athletic bus. ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: N/A RECOMMENDATION: It is the administration’s recommendation that the Board of Education approve the IPA Student Council’s participation in the Illinois Association of Junior High Student Council Convention in Springfield, Illinois, April 11-12, 2025. CONTACT PERSON(S): Orlando Thomas, Executive Director of School Supports and Student Assignment File Attachments Subject D. Resolution Authorizing Sale or Disposal of District Personal Property: Dan Casillas/Mike Sanderson Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. 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 Disposal 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 3.26.2025.pdf (80 KB) Subject E. Non-Renewal - Final Year Probationary Teacher: Ken Kleber Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Non-Renewal: Final Year Probationary Teacher BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Board of Education is required by law to notify licensed employees via written notice on or before April 15 if they are to be removed or dismissed from employment. STAFFING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: None FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The financial implications will be determined by the salary assigned to these individual staff members and whether or not the positions assigned to these staff members are filled or eliminated. ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION: None RECOMMENDATION: It is the administration’s recommendation the attached identified licensed staff are reduced for the reasons indicated. File Attachments Canas Final Probationary Year Non-Renewal Board Documents 3-24-25.pdf (93 KB) Subject F. Human Resource Changes: Ken Kleber Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 7. Consent Agenda - New/Unfinished Business Type TOPIC: Human Resource Changes BACKGROUND INFORMATION: There are a total of fifty (50) 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 - 3-24-2025.pdf (189 KB) 8. Public Comment Subject A. Public Comment on Agenda & Non-Agenda Items Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 8. Public Comment Type File Attachments 9. Board Member Communications Subject A. Communications From Board Members Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 9. Board Member Communications Type File Attachments Subject B. IASB Communications Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 9. Board Member Communications Type File Attachments Subject C. Whom Did We Affect and Whom Do We Tell? Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 9. Board Member Communications Type File Attachments 10. Future Meetings Subject A. Regular Board Meeting: April 14, 2025 and Regular Board Meeting: April 28, 2025 Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 10. Future Meetings Type File Attachments 11. Executive Session Subject A. Motion to move to Executive Session. Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 11. 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 12. Open Session Subject A. Reconvene in open session for possible action on items discussed in closed session. Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 12. Open Session Type Information File Attachments 13. Adjournment Subject A. Motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting Mar 24, 2025 - Board of Education Regular Meeting Category 13. Adjournment Type Action File Attachments