NORMAL – Normal- based Unit 5 School Board members were made aware of options available to them after hearing survey results conducted by a consulting firm during the governing body’s July 20 regularly scheduled meeting held in Normal Community West High School’s cafeteria. Collin Corbett from Libertyville-based EO Sullivan education consultants presented Board members with a trio of options the firm received regarding how the public would like the district to proceed concerning how they would like district funding to proceed. The district has been battling a deficit and is considering presenting a referendum question for the November ballot, seeking an annual tax revenue increase of roughly $14.5 million.
Board members heard about alternatives they will need to consider which were part of a survey conducted by Libertyville-based research firm EOSullivan. An executive with the firm, Collin Corbett, explained to Board members data from survey results have presented Unit 5 with three potential funding avenues to consider.
Those funding choices are: Raise district funding by about $12 million per year, allowing the district to reach a level which would help eliminate damaging effects the deficit would have on the district; Raise district funding by about $14.5 million and permit funding for specific district priorities which would include smaller class sizes, student resources and improved safety; or raise district funding by about $17 million adding expanded programs as well as technology improvements. As a result, owners of a $180,000 home would see their taxes increase between $305 and $440 per year.
Corbett said those surveyed wanted to see the district develop “a strong willingness to overcome all financial challenges.” He said the public showed interest in the district seeking out new revenue sources, although there were no specifics as to what those sources would be.
In response to a question from Board Member Alan Kalitzky asked Corbett what affect current increased costs of goods and services had on responses EO Sullivan received in surveys. Corbett explained intake of information received by researchers was gathered “weeks not months” before being presented to Board members. He added inflationary pressures from increased costs of goods have factored into some negative survey results from the public.
Corbett offset that by saying, “You’ve got a great story here because 2,500 people have had their voices heard in this community” from taking part in the survey. He added survey results do indicate some opposition to what the district wants to do and he related those to financial challenges families currently face.
Board Member Stan Gozur asked Corbett how many families polled didn’t see anything they favored among the choice Sullivan polling gave them. Corbett said there were a small number of people who may have opposed the choices given in the survey because their specific choice wasn’t among those provided. Corbett added the funding choices given were ones the public “most likely wanted to see.”
Bus Lane Work At Prairieland Elementary Discussed: Whether to use Life/Safety funds for use to create a bus lane at Prairieland Elementary School led off the meeting’s agenda, starting with a public hearing as required by State law for such potential expenditures, and during that hearing, Kalitzky said in addressing whether to spend money on repaving the bus lane that “sometimes just spending money to put patches down just isn’t enough.” He began his explanation by saying the district has done “a very good job” of maintaining its properties and that, sometimes, such upkeep and maintenance is necessary.
He added Prairieland Elementary “is a heavily used school and facility” and so it’s not just about the buses coming through, but it’s about parents picking up and dropping kids off for extracurricular activities, as well.”
No members of the public signed up to address the public hearing. No action was taken on Prairieland’s parking was taken at this session.
New Employees Introduced: District Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle introduced Board members and audience members present to three new district employees. Robin Taylor, Courtney McClure, and were introduced to Board members and audience members. Taylor is the new assistant principal at Normal Community West High School. She spent last fall as an administrative intern at both Normal West and Kingsley Junior High School. She has a decade of experience as a math teacher at KJHS. Taylor told Board members, “I’d like to thank everybody for the opportunity as I continue my educational career.”
McClure will become associate principal at Normal Community High School. A 19-year teaching veteran, she has spent eight years as a special education teacher in Champaign District #4. She has experience as an assistant principal at NCHS.
Amanda Sick was introduced as the new principal at Fairview Elementary School. A 21-year teaching veteran, Sick has previous experience in the area having taught at Bloomington District #87’s Sheridan School. Sick said she was “looking forward to the opportunity” awaiting her at Fairview Elementary.
Dr. Weikle said Taylor, McClure, and Sick are just three of a “handful of new administrators” Unit 5 has on staff beginning now and they all met in meetings earlier this month.
Superintendent Comments: A number of items topped Dr. Weikle’s Superintendent Comments, including the district having had over 700 students in summer school this year. While in class, she said, elementary students’ and junior high students’ studies centered primarily on literacy, math, and social emotional learning, while high school students’ work centered on earning credits. In addition, she said, there were an additional 275 students worked on education plans which relate to individual goals.
Currently, she said, the district now turns its attention toward preparing for the 2022-23 school year, with teachers returning to work on Monday, Aug. 15. Students in grades K-12 will begin the new school year on Wednesday, Aug. 17. Students in the district’s Early Learning program will begin their classes Thursday, Aug. 18. Dr. Weikle reminded that students who are new to Illinois, or participating in Early Learning, 6th grade, or 9th grade must have completed medical physicals and required immunizations prior to starting the school year. She added if parents are having issues getting appointments, they are welcome to call the school the child will attend to see if a local medical facility can help to get those shots administered.
She added the annual Back2School Alliance supply distribution event for specific students within grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade from Normal-based Unit 5 School District will be held Thursday, Aug. 11 from 12 Noon-6p.m. at the south parking garage of State Farm Insurance’s Corporate Headquarters at Bloomington’s south end. Eligible students for this event in Pre-K-8th grade who are registered for school by Aug. 1 will receive an invitation to this event in the mail, Dr. Weikle said. She added high school students who qualify can contact the counseling office of their school to receive needed supplies. Students who can participate in this event must be registered for school and be current on immunizations, and qualify for either a free or reduced priced lunches.
Help Wanted: Dr. Weikle said Unit 5 is “looking to fill some key positions” within the district as the coming school year approaches. In particular, she said Unit 5 is looking for special education teachers, teaching assistants, and substitute staff in all positions ranging from teachers to teaching assistants to food service and custodial staff. She welcomed those interested to check out the district website, www.unit 5.org, or to call the district office.
First Student Update Provided: Nick Sorey, senior location manager for the Cincinnati, Ohio-based First Student bus company, informed Board members there are now two safety managers on duty, as well as an additional dispatcher, making it have two on duty. He began by introducing Board members to Sheandra McCray-Sneed, who had been a dispatcher for the company and has been promoted to operations supervisor.
He recapped how First Student handled summer school explaining 67 routes were used to handle a total of 749 students on a daily basis with buses being on time more than 95 percent of the time.
In preparation for the coming school year, Sorey said there are 123 drivers scheduled to report for duty when school starts in August with another 10 in various stages of training to be added to that group. The company requires 136 drivers in order to be at full strength to run routes, he explained. Sorey added he’s scheduled to hold a meeting later this month with District Operations Director Joe Adelman and District Budget Director Marty Hickman to review all routes to be used.
Board President Barry Hitchins emphasized to Sorey how important a positive start in terms of getting students to and from school at the beginning of the new school year will be to the district’s relationship with First Student. He reminded Sorey the district will be going out for bids on transportation providers beginning this fall. Emphasizing to Sorey that what he said next to him was not a threat, Hitchins told Sorey how the beginning of the school year goes getting students to and from class “could be – could be a factor in any decisions this Board makes on” transportation contracts. Hitchins told Sorey he wanted to “remind you of the high expectations the Board has.”