Burr Ridge CCSD #180 Board Meeting Summary

Summary of August 11, 2008
Board of Education Meeting

The Burr Ridge C.C.S.D. 180 Board of Education held their regular meeting on Monday, August
11, 2008. The meeting was held in the Burr Ridge Middle School Multi-purpose Room.
After approval of the previous month’s minutes and expenditures and an introduction of teachers
new to the school district for the 2008-09 school year, the Board then reviewed several recent
communications. Highlighted items are included below:

• The district received notification from ISBE that there would be a delay in the release of
ISAT test scores across the state. This information was covered extensively in Chicago
newspapers.

• A copy of the beginning of the school year letter sent to local merchants regarding the start of
the school year was provided for review by board members. It is the district’s attempt to
make local businesses aware of the start of school and enlist their efforts in support of the
child safety.

The board then reviewed the Administrative reports and received some outstanding news
regarding the overall success of the district’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies)
program.

• The preliminary news regarding PBIS is that AMJES has once again been recognized as the
most outstanding PBIS elementary school in DuPage. Additionally, BRMS had been
awarded the honor for middle schools as well.

This means that both schools have been recognized as the most outstanding PBIS schools in
DuPage. At the time of the board packet, there was only preliminary information. This is
really outstanding news and well deserved as the teachers and staffs at both buildings have
done outstanding work in this area. As additional information becomes available, it will be
shared with the entire community.

From the Superintendent’s report the board learned of the following items:

A. Improving Student Achievement
B. Creating a safe and productive school climate
C. Serving the needs of all of our students

• As a district, we continue to reach out to parents and residents to be a part of our school
community. However, we also have to keep student safety in mind at all times. In keeping
with board policy 6:250 a volunteer guideline and information form, which will allow us to
help volunteers target their efforts in an appropriate manner as well as gather information for
background checks to ensure student safety, were created. A letter attempting to gently
introduce these new procedures is included as well. While we do not want to scare off any
potential volunteers, we also want to be sure that our volunteers are informed about

responsible behavior and are safe to be around our students. The district believes that most
volunteers will understand the need for this process and most parents will be thankful that
these procedures are in place. Most importantly, while we have never had the occasion to
worry about volunteers not following a proper procedure, it does put in place this protection.

D. Efficient management practices

• The student registration process appears to be working well. According to office staff, we
have had approximately 350 parents register so far (174 students at AMJES, 138 students at
BRMS, 28 new AMJES students and 17 new BRMS students). This is by far more parents
than we had last year at this time and approximately half of our overall enrollment (and this
is before our big registration night). In general, the district has received very positive feed
back from the parents and we know that this new process is saving our secretarial staff time
in updating the information in Power School (our district student data management system).

Parents have been informed of our new registration process using our Alert Now phone
calling system. As the district has already sent out two letters, we believe the calling system
is a better way to communicate with parents at this point and it is considerably cheaper in
terms of postage and secretarial time.

While the district has spent a part of the summer working through and refining the process,
we believe that no more time was spent than we would have been used under the old paper
system. While there have been a few bugs, in general, the process has been well received by
parents and staff alike.

• Dr. Schneider has been recommended by the 8002 Group’s president to lead the committee
focused on targeted lobbying efforts.

• The district continues to explore alternatives for a district phone system replacement. The
district’s current phone lease expires in November. The lease covers our routing system and
some of the phone equipment itself. Over the past several weeks, extensive study has taken
place to learn more about our phone system and the various types of phone systems and the
system that will best fit our needs. It is hoped that a new system will not only be more
reliable (particularly at AMJES) but also allow the district to save additional funds. The
district is also exploring options related to reducing mobile phone costs. One possible
alternative would reduce mobile phone costs as much as $7,000 over the next two years.

The Board of Education then opened the floor to members of the public to present comments.
Hearing none, the board then met in closed session to discuss the appointment, employment,
compensation, discipline performance or dismissal of an employee, legal counsel for the public
body, collective negotiating matters student disciplinary cases, and closed session minutes.

• Upon coming out of closed session, the board approved the Closed Session Minutes from
June 30, 2008 and that they be made open to the public as well as the destruction of tape
recordings of closed sessions from August, 2006 to January, 2007 as per state code that
authorizes the destruction of recordings older than 18 months.

Item 8

CURRENT BUSINESS

A. Improving Student Achievement
B. Creating a safe and productive school climate
C. Serving the needs of all of our students
D. Efficient management practices

• The board accepted the resignations of resignation of Maria Johnston and Jessica Torres.

• The Board approved the employment of Karen Evans, Elaine Weil, Becky Kristula, Tenika
Keys, Sarah Strothers, Jaime Wass and Rick France as Burr Ridge C.C.S.D. certified
teachers for the 2008-09 school year upon completion of background verification as
presented

• The board approved the employment of Chris Bobinsky as a summer school teacher for the
2008 summer school program.

• The board approved the employment of Creative Care Management to provide EAP services
for the 2008-09 school year.

• The board approved the renewal of the current Health and Dental Insurance Plan and
Premiums with Blue Cross/Blue Shield for FY 09.

• The board approved the tentative budget for public display and directed the superintendent to
make the necessary preparations for presentation of the final budget at the September 15,
2008 Regular Board of Education meeting. The tentative budget is available on the district’s
web site under “Other Information”.

• As a part of the district’s and Dr. LeBlanc’s community outreach activities, the district has
cultivated a contact with the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The Northern Illinois Food Bank
would like the district to partner with them in the distribution of backpacks with food items
to be distributed to students as they leave for the weekend. The school will be responsible for
reaching out to possible families in need, contacting and signing these families up for the
backpacks, storing the food and then distributing and collecting the backpacks. Undoubtedly,
there will be some district time and cost involved, however, the board felt that the benefits of
getting food to families that need it is well within the district’s overall mission and goals.
Bringing this program to the district is especially gratifying after reading some of the positive
comments that this program has had in other communities.

• The board approved the adoption of policies: 5:280 and 5:290 (the creation of ESP Aides
Categories and Positions) and Policy 6:220 regarding Library Materials Adoption as
presented.

• The board held the First Reading Policies 4:140, 2:105, 2:120, 4:20, 4:50, 4:55, 4:55E, 4:80,
4:90 and 6:20, currently available on the district website under “Board of Education”.

Item 9

BOARD MEMBER ITEMS/FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS/CALENDAR

A. August 11, 2008 Existing Student Registration 11:30-7:30PM
Board of Education Meeting—7PM
B. August 15, 2008 New Teacher Orientation—9AM
C. August 18-19, 2008 Teacher In-service
D. August 18, 2008 5th Grade Parent Meeting
E. August 20, 2008 First Day of Student Attendance
F. August 21, 2008 First Full Student Day
G. September 1, 2008 Labor Day—School/District Closed
H. September 9, 2008 AMJES Curriculum Night—6:30PM
I. September 15, 2008 Board of Education Meeting—7PM
J. September 16, 2008 BRMS Curriculum Night—6:30PM

Item 10

ADJOURNMENT