NORMAL – Members of Normal-based Unit 5 School Board voted unanimously to start negotiations with Cincinnati, Ohio-based First Student School Bus Transportation Co. for outsourced help in transporting students. That action was preceded by a 70-minute public hearing during which Unit 5 drivers and their supporters, numbering nearly 200 people, attended in the cafeteria of Normal Community High School.
Of the 200 in attendance, 22 people addressed the Board, hoping to get Board members to reconsider approving entering into negotiations with an outside firm.
“I really don’t see the advantage to putting another layer of management between children and the drivers,” said Warren Welch, a grandfather of five, two of whom are currently in Unit 5 schools. “I think rather than there being an adversarial relationship between the district and drivers, they need to work together.”
Resident Barb Dixon pointed out that the outsourcing company would be using district buses. In that case, she asked Board members, “Who handles maintenance? Who owns the buses?” Dixon also wondered about how rising fuel costs will affect the situation.
Jeanne Calhoun, a veteran of 22 years as a Unit 5 driver, told Board members at the hearing, “Unit 5 is no longer a cohesive work environment, but a battleground between the classes.”
Another driver, Roger Lancaster, told Board members at the hearing that, “With AFSCME, drivers are becoming a smooth-running unit. Outsourcing is unnecessary.”
Resident Dr. David Gill pointedly told Board members, “You can’t turn your back on 200 people whose jobs would be jeopardized if this is approved.” Dr. Gill is currently running for office, hoping to win in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District.
Kent Beauchamp, regional director for the union that represents the drivers, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), told Board members, “Our duty is to protect the rights and interests of drivers of Unit 5.”
At both the public hearing and during the public comments section of the Board’s regular meeting, Beauchamp threatened a legal challenge if the measure to begin negotiations for outsourcing was approved by the Board.”
When Beauchamp repeated his intent at mounting a legal challenge during the regular Board session, and added he did not think the district’s transportation committee bargained in good faith, Board member Mark Pritchett took exception.
Pritchett responded to the accusation, saying, in part, “I’m a taxpayer, too, so to say that I am not concerned and to say that we are not bargaining in good faith is absolutely incorrect.” He added he found Beauchamp’s accusation offensive.
District Business Manager Erik Bush informed Board members the district received two bids for potential outsourcing services: One from First Student, who bid $18,535,951, and one from Warrenville, Ill.-based Durham School Services, who bid $21,498,877.
Curt Richardson, attorney for Unit 5, informed Board members that while entering into negotiations with First Student, the district would continue “negotiating in good faith with AFSCME.”
Northpoint’s New Principal, Normal West’s New Associate Principal: Matt Harr has been named the Principal of Northpoint Elementary School. He is currently the Associate Principal at Kingsley Junior High School, where he has worked since 2007. Harr replaces Bruce Weldy, who was named the Director of Elementary Education.
Harr is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Political Science. He also earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration at ISU, where he also received his superintendent’s endorsement.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to join the Northpoint family,” Harr said. “I look forward to building on the excellence that Northpoint is all about.” Harr and his wife, Danel, a principal in Bloomington District 87, have three children.
Wendy Davis has been named the Associate Principal at Normal Community West High School. An educator for 18 years, Davis currently is the Assistant Principal at Heyworth High School, a position she has held for the past two years. Prior to that, she spent 14 years as a business teacher at Normal Community High School and Normal West. Davis replaces David Johnson, who has been named the Principal at Normal West.
Circle Your Calendars: As part of their omnibus agenda, Board members unanimously approved Wednesday, May 23 as the last day of school of the current school year.
Laptops For District 6th Graders Discussed: In a report to the Board, Dr. Sandy Wilson, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and Loren Baele, director of technology for district, brought forth a plan for the district to purchase about 1,000 ASUS Netbook computers as part of the district’s digital conversion program. That would mean one computer for each student in all of the district’s sixth grade classes.
Wilson said that students and parents alike would receive information about how to use the computers, and that students would be allowed to take the computers home with them. She added both students and parents would need to attend an orientation before the children would be allowed to have the computers.
District Superintendent Gary Niehaus said school officials would maintain control of the laptops as a means of preventing students from gaining access to inappropriate websites. Access to such sites, he said, would be blocked.
In essence, Baele told Board members, the computers would still be considered district equipment, overseen by the district, and with the students and their parents having use of the computers but having to abide by district rules as to their use.
Niehaus explained that, at a Board Finance Committee meeting later this month, he plans to discuss specific funding for the computers. Each of the computers costs approximately between $400-$500, he said.
Niehaus added funding sources for paying for the laptops is being looked into. On that point, Board member Jay Reece said he wants digital conversion to take place within the district, but he wants to see and hear about the financial sources that the district will use for getting the conversion paid for.
CyberBullying Hotline Pilot Program Starts: As of April 12, Unit 5 became a part of a pilot program launched by SchoolReach, the company that sells and services an electronic notification system currently used by the district.
For the next six weeks, Unit 5 will have a hotline for students who are being bullied to call in seeking assistance. The system can be done with students either making a phone call or texting in to report an issue.
The hotline works this way: A student would call in or text a message to the hotline; A school official receives a message on their mobile device or by e-mail; The student receives an acknowledgement that their message was received; and an anonymous two-way dialogue starts between the student and school official.
The program is in place to assist junior high school and high school students, explained Dayna Brown, assistant to the superintendent, who addressed the Board. She said this program is aimed for use by “students who are not willing to share their problem with others.” She said the program will run throughout the summer.
The hotline will be another tool the district can use in its current anti-bullying efforts, as well as what is available through the district’s schools, explained Nancy Braun, a teacher at Brigham Elementary School, to Board members. District schools currently use the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system which is designed to encourage an “expect respect” philosophy. The hotline would be an additional tool to that, the two women explained.
Braun said whether the bullying is cyber, verbal, or physical, students can get advice and know they are being heard and that their concerns are receiving attention.
SchoolReach gives schools exclusive telephone numbers which can accept both texts and voice calls, and do it anonymously.
The program also provides schools with anti-bullying posters featuring the hotline number. Students attending Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School can call 309-285-8912. Students attending any of the district’s junior high schools — Evans, Chiddix, Parkside and Kingsley – can call 309-285-8913.
The pilot program is free to the district.
Unit 5 has had a contract with SchoolReach since the two parties first signed an agreement in November 2007, when the board approved the purchase of an electronic notification system from the Fenton, Mo.-based company.
Kingsley Junior High’s “Good News”: Board members recognized the 7th grade girls’ volleyball team from Kingsley Junior High School for winning the Illinois Elementary School Association 7th Grade 4A State Championship on March 13, 2012, at defeating Minooka in two games in the championship match by scores of 25-6 and 25-13. The championship took place at Central Junior High School in East Peoria. Winning the championship contests provided KJHS’ team with an undefeated season, finishing with a 24-0 mark. An all-school assembly was held in their honor on March 16.
This was the first state appearance for the 7th grade girls’ volleyball team in the nine years the school has been open. Members of the 7th Grade team are: Kali Maier, Heidi Zimmerman, Rachel Zimmerman, Emily Hamm, Amber Nanni, Ali Reece, Morgan Knuckey, Hannah Bach, Carly Goben, Leah Sebade, Emily Cash, Stephanie Sturm, Nicole Megles, and Dany Myers. The team’s Student Managers were Kelsey Bouwman and Kylie Hess. The 7th grade head coach is Tony Rio. His assistants are Keith Rice and high school student assistant, Bailey Kotowski.
Parkside Junior High School’s “Good News”: Parkside Junior High School staff and students were recognized for organizing a campaign to rid one word from their students’ vocabularies. Mrs. Kath O’Connell, the Parkside Junior High School Advocates Club, the school’s Physical Educ Department, and PJHS’ Special Services
Staff organized the 1st Annual Spread The Word To End The Word (R-Word) Campaign at PJHS during the week of February 27. The word staff were trying to remove is retard because students tend to use the term, sometimes in general term, sometimes specifically. The Campaign kicked off on February 22 with a special video and presentations by O’Connell, the PJHS Advocates, and students in the Special Services program.
The R-Word Campaign activities continued into the next week with students purchasing “Spread the Word to End the Word” Bracelets with all proceeds benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. Additionally, announcements were made each morning by members of the Advocate Club members from February 24 through March 2, providing students with facts on Special Olympics, Project UNIFY, the R-Word Campaign, and disability awareness. On February 28 and
March 1, Parkside students made on-line pledges during PE classes to drop the use of the R-Word from their vocabulary and sixth, seventh, and eighth graders signed banners that were put up in their respective hallways. Teacher Karen Rennels received recognition for her assistance in organizing the Advocates Club with their presentations made on February 22 and the morning announcements.
NCHS’ “Good News”: Normal Community High School seniors Spencer Smith and Jensen Roll were honored for having played lead roles for a project at NCHS to encourage students and teachers to ride their bicycles to our high school and support efforts to aid developing countries.
The project was initiated from a discussion in AP Human Geography class with teacher Kevin Suess. The unit centered on world economic development and the importance of bicycles in developing countries. For extra credit, students were encouraged to view a film at the Normal Theater titled “With My Two Wheels.” This film told a part of the story of efforts by an international organization called the World Bicycle Relief to get bicycles to individuals in developing countries. While attending the film, viewers could donate money or bicycles to assist this organization in helping people in Third World countries.
After viewing the film, Smith and Roll, along with a number of other students and staff at NCHS, used social media and direct conversation to encourage students and staff members to begin biking to school, explored ways to help support the World Bicycle Relief project, and began some discussions with the Town of Normal about their efforts and the potential to improve the infrastructure around the school.
Subsequently, a number of media stories have aired detailing the student’s efforts. There have been conversations with Mayor
Chris Koos and the Town of Normal which have produced discussion about potential improvements to roads, sidewalks, and the Constitution Trail.