NORMAL – Following a public hearing required by the State, members of Normal-based Unit 5 School Board discussed considering a motion to submit a request to Illinois State Board of Education to renew a waiver allowing the district to maintain the fee the district charges for driver’s education courses. The hearing was part of the regularly-scheduled meeting of school board members who met in the cafeteria of Normal Community West High School on Jan. 13.
The Board’s vote on the waiver renewal will take place at a future meeting. If approved by the Board at that time, it would be sent on to Illinois General Assembly for approval, and should that governing body approve it, would last five years, expiring in spring 2026.
During discussion regarding the waiver, Board President Amy Roser explained the district wished to maintain the fee the district charges for those courses to stay at a rate not to exceed $450. By State law, Illinois school districts can charge a “reasonable fee” not to exceed $50, which can be increased to up to $250 after a public hearing. Unit 5 charges $250.
The district originally applied for the waiver five years ago, said Curt Richardson, attorney for the district, in his explanation to Board members. He said this request is different because the earlier request involved asking for a modification to the application whereas the current request was for a waiver. He said once the waiver request is received by ISBE, that body forwards such requests on to Illinois General Assembly which will vote whether or not to approve it.
The waiver, Richardson said, if passed, would allow Unit 5 to maintain the increased fee. State Statute 27-24.2 of the State School Code, allows districts to charge “a reasonable fee of up to $250” after a public hearing is held. “We don’t, actually, right now charge the total $450,” Richardson explained. “It just gives us a little room if we need to.”
In fact, Richardson said, personnel costs to operate it is what takes up 90 percent of the program’s cost. He added the requested increase “allows us to provide a quality program.” As a result, he said, the district can provide more in-car training. Without it, he said, students would have to wait longer for such training and the district would have to pay an outside firm for such training.
He said if the district had to pay extra money for the training, which might affect other courses the district could offer students. Richardson added once the five-year period ends, the district wants to be able to end it with a goal of telling the State that 85 percent of students who took the course came away with a grade of “B” or better. There were no public comments, either written or in person, before Board members voted.
Available COVID Testing Among Items In Superintendent’s Comments: District Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weichel reported to Board members students returned to school buildings on Jan.11. Dr. Weikle said she “was pleased with how well our students have acclimated getting back into the buildings and into a routine with their teachers” after months of remote learning from home via computer.
She added Unit 5 schools will receive $1 million in on-site COVID testing, thanks to two local businesses. Rivian Automotive and Reditus Laboratories have partnered to provide the service to the district. Rivian donated $500,000 to Pekin-based Reditus Laboratories for COVID testing and Reditus matched that amount. That will provide for 9,000 tests. The tests will be available specifically for Unit 5 students and staff at no cost to the district.
The logistics of the testing will be determined in the coming weeks and will be shared with district families when finalized. Dr. Weikle explained no one will be required to take a test. Testing will be done on a completely voluntary basis for students and district staff. “Such convenience and timeliness of providing on-site testing for our staff and students will help the district better monitor and control the spread of COVID in the schools,” she said.
Board Gets First Look At 2021-22 School Year Calendar: Michelle Lamboley, assistant superintendent, provided Board members with a first glance at the district’s 2021-22 school year calendar. She added the committee forming the next school year’s calendar tried to model the upcoming calendar after the one the district would have had this school year had the COVID-19 pandemic not disrupted matters. Wednesday, Aug. 18 is scheduled as the first full day of classes for the new school year.
Lamboley said, typically, a school improvement day would be scheduled for a Friday in April at the end of the month. But for the coming year, the committee opted to move it up to mid-April. Other than that, she explained, there are no major changes to the coming year.
Board Member Barry Hitchins asked that the upcoming calendar include a note that late start dates, those used by district teachers for in-service events, not apply to the district’s early learning program participants.
Board Member Alan Kalitzky said news about an upcoming calendar “is a great sign of progress that the district is planning to move forward with, what is hopefully, a traditional school year. And I am hopeful that we will see it to fruition.”
Next Board Meeting Scheduled For Feb. 10 At Normal Community West High School: This was the only meeting scheduled for the Board this month. The next Board meeting is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 10 in the cafeteria of Normal Community West High School starting at 6:30p.m.