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Glen Ellyn School District 41 Mission: Ignite passion. Inspire excellence. Imagine possibilities.
Board Members:
Steven Vondrak President |
Robert Solak Vice President |
Erica Nelson Secretary |
Terra Costa Howard |
Drew Ellis |
Jack Kahler |
Dan Smith Jr.
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Following is a summary of the Board of Education meeting held on July 27, 2009. An MP3 recording of the meeting is available on www.d41.org Minutes are posted once approved.
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER PROGRAMS
District 41 provides a range of services to the approximately 10% of its students who are learning English (English Language Learners, or ELLs). ELL students have a wide range of needs. Some are refugees who have never been to school before. Others are students who have had an inconsistent or interrupted education and possess few literacy skills in any language. And some are students who have had an excellent education in their home country. For more than a year, Illinois Resource Center bilingual education expert Karen Beeman has been working with a District 41 committee to review the district's ELL programs and develop recommendations for improvement. Ms. Beeman, whose services have been provided at no charge to the district, noted that the most important predictor of success in learning English is the student's literacy skills in his or her home language, and that while a student may quickly learn social English, it takes years to acquire sufficient academic English to succeed in high school and beyond. In her overview of the committee's work to the Board of Education (BOE), she identified a number of existing strengths in the district's ELL programs, in particular family support and education, the Pre-Kindergarten At Risk program, and the overall level of staff commitment. She also talked about challenges, such as providing equitable programs among the schools, creating a sense of shared responsibility for ELL students, and making sure that ELL students are provided with other services as appropriate. The recommendations focus on legal compliance and alignment to best instructional practices, and the administration will create a written implementation plan for the recommendations that accommodates the unique needs of each building.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS
The BOE will conduct a retreat on Monday, Aug. 10, 5-9 p.m. Its next regular meeting is set for Monday, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m., preceded at 7:15 p.m. by a public hearing on the District 41 2009-2010 budget, followed by a public hearing on the 2009-2010 budget for the Cooperative Association for Special Education (CASE). Both meetings will be held at the Central Services Office, and the public is welcome to attend. |
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SUMMER PROJECT UPDATE
Summer maintenance, cleaning and capital projects are on or ahead of schedule. These include the parking lot and stormwater work at Benjamin Franklin and the Central Services Office; installation of new technology switching equipment and printers throughout the district, HVAC work at Hadley, Forest Glen and Churchill, and overall cleaning and maintenance work.
BOE DISCUSSES PIANO PURCHASE
The BOE discussed an administrative recommendation to accept the low bid from Heavenly Pianos, Inc. for two Yamaha pianos for a total cost of $18,300.00. The new pianos would replace aging instruments at Hadley. One piano is a baby grand, the other is an upright-both institutional-quality instruments built to take heavy school use. The purchase is part of the district's long-range age and obsolescence plan, and the BOE expects to take action on the purchase at the August 24 meeting.
BOE APPROVES PURCHASE OF TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
Consistent with the recommendations of the district's 2007 National School Safety and Security audit for improved emergency communication, the BOE approved a $26,982 purchase of two-way communication equipment from United Radio Communications. During emergencies when normal phone service may be interrupted, the system will allow communication among the district buildings, with first-responders (such as the police) and with the bus company, First Student. The system provides greater capability and reliability than the existing hand-held 2-way radios the district currently uses.
BOE APPROVES SCHOOL STORAGE PURCHASE
The BOE approved acceptance of the low bid for classroom storage equipment from DEMCO for the amount of $26,074.60. The purchase is part of the long-range age and obsolescence plan for classroom equipment.
BOE APPROVES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT DAY WAIVER APPLICATION
The BOE approved the administration's request to apply to the state for a waiver pertaining to School Improvement Days (SIP Days). SIP Days provide time for teachers to work on matters related to the School Improvement Plan. If approved by the state, the waiver would give the district the option in the future to schedule four full-day SIP Days in place of eight half-day SIP Days. The district does not expect state action on the application until January, 2010.
About the Glen Ellyn School District Board of Education
Board members are unpaid volunteers, each representing the whole district. The board is accountable to the public and makes decisions as a unit based on what is best for the whole district. The board hires the superintendent, sets instructional policy, approves the budget and ongoing expenditures, and is ultimately responsible for the performance of the district. Board meetings are working sessions held in public during which the board conducts its business, and ample time is always set aside for public participation.
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Please direct your questions or comments to our Communications Director, Julie Worthen at jworthen@d41.org. |
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