NORMAL – Normal-based Unit 5 School District received an update concerning its financial status and the latest update from a local legislator as the clock continues to tick toward what both educators and legislators hope will not be a third consecutive year without a State budget. State Sen. Jason Barickman (R – 53rd) sat before members of the Board of Education and pointed the finger for why Springfield hasn’t produced a budget currently in the direction of Chicago Public Schools.
“The State is on autopilot,†Barickman told Board members. He said something that most people sitting at kitchen tables know full well: When spending exceeds money coming in, then a payment delay is the result. The State is behind on Transportation and Special Education reimbursements to Unit 5.
Before Barickman spoke to Board members, the Board heard from District Business Manager Marty Hickman, who informed them Springfield owes the district debt totaling $8.1 million for those two kinds of payments, also sometimes referred to as categioricals. Hickman said if the fourth of the five payments due the district were to arrive on or before the June 30 deadline, the last day of the current fiscal year, Unit 5 would have a balanced budget in both transportation and Special Education. If the district were to receive a fifth payment from Springfield, the district would have surplus funds when fiscal year 2017-18 began.
Hickman said there are two variables which the district needs to concern itself as the new fiscal year approaches: If actual property tax payment amounts turn out to be different than anticipated and If categorical payments arrive from the capitol.
Board Member Mike Trask said special needs students, their families, and the staff who work with them are the ones the budget problems have had the most effect on. He said the situation may prompt the district to borrow from its working cash fund, but there isn’t a great amount to work with there. Barickman chimed in on this discussion saying, “We need to help and I don’t know where we go from here.â€
Barickman said Chicago Public Schools receive 30 to 40 percent in mandated categoricals because of a block grant.
Multiple “Good News†Items Were Presented: As far as good news reports the Board heard, they were plentiful, starting with the “Not In Our School†initiative and concluding with details on winners of a trip to the nation’s capitol for two students who attend Bloomington Area Career Center.
“Good News†From Not In Our Schoolsâ€: Camille Taylor, a retired Unit 5 teacher, now co-chairs the “Not In Our Schools†initiative and presented Board members an update on what the schools involved in the initiative have done as the school year progressed to promote inclusiveness. Currently seven of the 18 schools in the district are involved with “Not In Our School.†Among those items mentioned were: At Cedar Ridge Elementary, fifth grade students have a “Leave A Positive Footprint†program; At Eugene Field Elementary, Principal Jane Collins held an in-service with all staff that centered on diversity, cooperation, and acceptance; Fox Creek Elementary kicked off this school year with an all-school assembly revolving around the subject; At Hudson Elementary, students designed bulletin boards and wrote and made announcements: Glenn Elementary Schools students all took a pledge against bullying; Normal Community West High students held a cultural showcase showing the diversity of the student body; Normal Community High School students held a cultural fair and held a post-election unity discussion.
Fairview Elementary’s “Good News: Board members heard from Amy McKuhen, Youth Market Director for the local office of the American Heart Association, who introduced Joan Everson, a teacher at Fairview Elementary School, who, for the 35 years she has taught there, has tried to keep kids active. Everson has made keeping kids healthy a priority in all her time at the school. AHA, through McKuhen, wanted to make sure Everson was honored as she prepares to retire from teaching after 35 years. McKuhen credited Everson for her efforts in trying to keep kids healthy, which included reinforcing the message to kids they should get 60 minutes of exercise daily, and to make sure they eat a fruit and a vegetable at every meal, and to resist using tobacco.
This year, Fairview students responded by donating $7,500 to the American Heart Association. As a result of doing that, Fairview Elementary received $500 in certificates good for the purchase of physical education equipment from US Games. As a result of Everson’s efforts over the years, McKuhen told Board members, Fairview students are responsible for raising a total of $116,731.87 for AHA in those years. Of Everson, McKuhen said, “Her commitment to our mission has changed the lives of so many. Thank you doesn’t seem like nearly enough.â€
Parkside Junior High School’s “Good Newsâ€: Jennifer McCoy, athletic director at Parkside Junior High School announced to Board members that 11 girls qualified for the 7th Grade 33rd AA Series Illinois Elementary School Association Track and Field State Championship held on May 19 and 20, 2017. The athletes, their events, and how they finished were:
Averie Hernandez placed 2nd in the High Jump, and 39th in the 100 meter run; as well as participated in both the 4 x 100; and 4 x 400 relays. Lilian Lay finished 40th in the 100 meter dash, and was part of both 4 x 100; and 4 x 400 relays. Taylor Yaklich placed 6th in the 800 meter run, — missing setting a school record by less than two seconds; and placed 5th in the 1600meter run, and served as an alternate for the school’s 4×400 team. Sixth grader Alex Reinhart placed fifth in the 400 meter run, and was part of the school team that ran both the 4 x 100; and 4 x 400.
The school’s relay teams put up a good showing, too, with the school’s 4 x 200 meter team of Carly Donalson, Sophie Kurdys, Miya Webb, Brianna Wright, and alternate, Ashleigh Horton finishing 27th in the event.
In the 4 x 100 meter, PJHS’ team of Averie Hernandez, Lilian Lay, Alex Reinhart, and Naomi Elliott with Sydnee Scott as the alternate) took 2nd Place. This was the same relay team that broke the school record at sectionals two weeks ago with an amazing time of 53:12. While they did not break this time at State, they came close, finishing with a time of 53:23.
In the 4 x 400 relay, PJHS’ team of Hernandez, Lay, Reinhart, and Elliott with Yaklich as the alternate, learned that they would need to shave an additional 6 seconds off of their previous record to contend for first or second place in the event, and they did, with a time of 4:19:03, they shattered their previous record.
PJHS doubled up on good news as the school’s principal, Ryan Weichman, presented a report to Board members concerning a project the school had been working on which finally was dedicated earlier this month. With the help of school parent Ryan Scritchlow and his company, Scritchlow Enterprises, the school now has a walkway which makes the grounds accessible to all of its students. The school had a workday where a number of the school’s parents pitched in complete the job. The pathway around the school will mean increased participation for the school’s disabled students, Weichman explained in his memo to district superintendent Dr. Mark Daniel and Board members. Weichman’s report included a slideshow of the parents in action as the walkway came together.
Kingsley Junior High’s “Good Newsâ€: Board members were introduced to Janel Sebeny, who is the English Language Arts building chair at the school. Prinicipal Shelly J. Erickson credited Sebeny for activities she participated in numerous organizations that help students. Sebeny is president-elect of the Illinois Reading Council and is Grants Committee Chair for MID-State Reading Council. “Janel is a valuable resource for other teachers,†Erickson reported. She also mentioned Sebeny is also past president of the Illinois Reading Conference, a function at which 3,500 people were present. “We just want to say thank you for all you do,†Erickson told Sebeny.
Normal Community West High School Doubles “Good News†Items: Like PJHS, Normal Community West High School presented two “good news†items in its presentation to the Board, with Principal Dave Johnson making the presentation. First, senior Ben Zinn, a cross country and track athlete was recognized, as he was recently named the State of Illinois’ male recipient of the National Intercollegiate Athletic Administrators Association’s Scholar Athlete Essay Award at the Illinois Athletic Directors Association state conference on Sunday, May 7, where Zinn read his award-winning essay at the state conference. He also read his essay to Board members and those assembled for the meeting, and it was well-received. Zinn is a three-year letter winner in both cross country and track and a member of the National English, Spanish, Math, and Social Studies Honor Societies. He will be attending the University of Illinois next fall and majoring in computer science.
The school also honored four Biological Engineering students, presenting to the Board Emily Johnson, Madison Miko, John Sherman, and Nick Watson. This quartet, while being in the school’s Biological Engineering Class, participated in EnergizeME Infographic Challenge, sponsored by U. S. Department of Energy. The purpose of the challenge is to enhance knowledge and foundational knowledge of Bioenergy. The Challenge is also designed to encourage creativity and engagement through arts-based learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, or STEM.
During the program, students conducted a laboratory investigation to study ways to optimize producing biodiesel fuels from algae. A project Sherman and Watson collaborated on, “Hydrothermal Liquidification of Algae†was selected as the competition’s overall winner. Sherman and Watson will make a presentation concerning their project at a conference at the Department of Energy in Washington, D. C. and receive a tour there of various facilities.
Bloomington Area Career Center’s “Good Newsâ€: Nikki Meyer, a coordinator at Bloomington Area Career Center, introduced Board members to five students who were among 72 students who competed at the SkillUSA State Competition in April. There were over 2,000 competitors who took part from Illinois. BACC had 11 students who qualified and five of them placed in their specific category. The student, their school, their category, and how they placed are: Cara Logan, Normal Community High School, 1st place in Emergency Medical Technician; Emma Brown, NCHS, 2nd place in Nurse Assisting; Bryce Carlisle, NCHS, 2nd place in Technical Computer Applications; Cheyenne Broquarsd, NCHS, 3rd place in Job Skill Demonstration; and Michaela Goodman, Normal West, 3rd place in Nurse Assisting.