South West Illinois News

Addison School District 4 Board of Education met Dec. 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

President Williams called the regular meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

Roll call showed the following individuals:

PRESENT: Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams

ABSENT: None

A quorum was declared present.

Dr. Lohse led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Motion #1: Approval of Minutes

Motion by Mr. Ruffolo, second by Ms. Bollig to approve the Minutes of the Regular Session meeting of November 20, 2024, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #1 Carried.

Motion #2: Approval of Accounts Payable for the Month of December 2024

Motion by Mr. Lange, second by Mr. Frangidakis to approve the Accounts Payable for December 2024, as follows:

Education Fund $ 1,194,207.69

Operations & Maintenance Fund $ 304,921.25

Debt Fund $ 0.00

Transportation Fund $ 307,153.02

Capital Projects Fund $ 429,364.28

Working Cash Fund $ 0.00

Student Activity $ 9,140.29

Total $ 2,244,786.53

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #2 Carried.

Motion #3: Approval of Payroll for the Month of November 2024

Motion by Mr. Ruffolo, second by Mr. Lange to approve the Payroll for November 2024, as follows:

Education Fund $ 4,362,411.58

Building Fund $ 62,172.91

Transportation Fund $ 17,954.07

IMRF/Social Security Fund $ 45,953.75

Total $ 4,488,492.31

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #3 Carried.

Communications/Public Participation on Agenda Items: None

Presentations

School Improvement Plan Goal Updates – Dr. Purse, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning and School Principals

• General goals across all of the schools in the district are on targeted improvements across literacy, mathematics, behavior, safety, and family engagement in various schools, as well as use of data-driven approaches to track progress and inform instructional strategies.

• The Addison Early Learning Center is working on an increase in classification skills and behavioral expectation.

• Ardmore Elementary is focusing on Literacy and Math by initiating after-school support programs and improving student safety perceptions through implementing our PAWS program.

• Fullerton Elementary is getting ready to improve their MAPs testing scores in Reading and Math and increasing their collective responsibility when it comes to student’s safety perception in school.

• Lake Park is emphasizing oracy strategies with family involvement initiatives and engaging families through surveys and targeted activities.

• Lincoln is working on Academic Proficiency and initiating workshops to involve families in learning.

• Stone is focusing on an increase in Reading and Math scores for MAPs testing and decreasing inappropriate physical contact by implementing kindness-focused activities and reward systems.

• Wesley Elementary is working on improving in Vocabulary and Math, and goal-directed behavior with student-led conferences and goal-setting activities.

• Indian Trail is looking for IAR growth in Reading and Math and creating a more supportive environment through safety and trust between staff and students.

Ms. Bollig asked for clarity on when “at grade level” should be the goal for students to get to. Dr. Purse clarified that our goal is for students to be “at grade level” by the end of the school year. Mr. Williams asked how schools will be staffing the intervention activities after school. Mrs. Villalobos from Lake Park shared her experience with staffing after school programs and informed the board that principals will ask licensed staff members who are interested in supporting the program. They will usually choose about 4 staff members and 1 paraeducator as a support staff and title funds are used. Ms. Bollig also spotlighted Indian Trail for their decrease in referrals- particularly with bullying. Mr. Williams congratulated all the schools for the improvements that he has seen this year.

Committee Reports

Finance Committee Meeting of December 4th, 2024 – Ms. Bollig reported on the following:

• Mrs. Morgese went over the levy there will be no changes from the tentative levy. The district will be asking for $36,721,388.

• The Business Office is starting to look at next year’s budget. There is a meeting again in February to talk about what the budget is going to look like.

• We are going to be looking into the fees for the school district. We will be sending out bills to all families that have no paid fees this year. We will also be looking into fees for next year.

Mr. Frangidakis asked how many fees have not been paid this year. Mrs. Morgese responded with data that suggested it was about 50% of fees that are unpaid. Ms. Bollig weighed the pros and cons of removing school fees or continuing them for next year.

Citizen’s Advisory Committee Meeting of December 11th, 2024 – Dr. Sutton reported on the following: 

• Topics discussed this meeting focused on grading scale processes and enrichment and acceleration opportunities for students.

Nature Center Committee Meeting of December 12th, 2024 – Ms. Bollig reported on the following: 

• This is the last meeting District 4 will be attending due to the termination of the Intergovernmental Agreement by the Addison Park District.

• There was feedback that we asked for from our partners of the Intergovernmental Agreement to see what we could have done better and there wasn’t a clear response.

• The Park District was asked if it was their intention to keep the Nature Center open to the community and the answer was yes.

• Our obligation and ability to contribute to the Nature Center terminates on December 31st, 2024.

LEND Committee Meeting of December 18th, 2024 – Mr. Williams reported on the following:

• LEND is a legislative committee for board members, superintendents, and districts that make up DuPage County.

• The meeting was called to provide updates on possible legislation being made to the tier 2 TRS pension. All educators, teachers and admin, are part of the TRS tier system. Legislators are discussing lowering tier 2 retirement age and other benefits to make it like tier 1. This could influence local property tax agents.

Mr. Williams added in the financial impact this has on the school districts. Lowering the retirement age adds more cost to the school districts without increasing property taxes. The public is also not being informed on how this directly impacts schools.

Administrative Reports

Superintendent Report – Dr. Sutton reported on the following:

• I want to thank all the administrators here tonight to participate and contribute to the presentation updates on the progress of our school improvement plans at each of our buildings. This purposeful focus is based upon bringing our vision statement of continually working towards increased student achievement to fruition.

• At the annual IASB Chicago Conference, I am proud to report that the recent renovation of the library space at Indian Trail Junior High School was recognized with an honorable mention award. The renovation winners are selected by a panel of board members and administrators throughout the State. This designation is an honor for our District and community.

• I want to recognize the efforts of Keri Karpman and countless other staff members and volunteers that make the annual Elves Festival such a success. This annual event allows individuals to provide holiday gifts for families needing assistance to ensure the children of our community have a fantastic holiday experience. The 3rd annual festival was held this Monday on December 16.

• The latest installment of the annual Great Shake competition was on Friday, December 13. I want to thank all staff and community members that are involved with this. It is an outstanding event that benefits and recognizes the important of soft skills with our students.

• We have been partnering with the local PTAs to host community coffee chats in which family members can come in to engage with myself to learn more about the district or becoming involved through a school level PTA. Our next event is Friday, December 20. I think these are great opportunities for individuals to be able to interact in informal and personal ways with team members here in the district.

• We had one FOIA and Dr. Lohse has responded.

Assistant Superintendent for Business – Mrs. Melissa Morgese reported on the following:

• The annual joint review meeting was held on December 1st. There was little to report on the TIF financials, as there is no current development in the TIF district, and nothing planned in that respect. The TIF expires in 2029, thus benefitting all current taxpayers in the community.

• The Summer 2025 Capital Improvements bid on November 6th. A recommendation to the Board is in your packet and will be voted on tonight.

Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Report – Dr. Purse reported on the following:

• Attached are the mid-year updates for each school’s action plan. You will see each team’s end-of year goal and evidence of their progress toward implementing their action plan steps.

• We are excited to continue our learning during Institute Day on Monday, January 6th. Most of the feedback from November 25th’s Institute Day was favorable and we had more staff lead professional development sessions this year than in the past. In total, we were able to offer 58 sessions in the afternoon. Staff were able to choose sessions that best aligned with their job. For January, the morning sessions will focus on understanding implicit bias and disrupting deficit mindset.

• ACCESS testing begins next month. ACCESS is a K-8 assessment of students identified as English Learners (ELs) to monitor listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Ms. Jimenez has been working with building administrators to ensure teachers are certified to administer the tests and that building schedules provide the best assessment environment. One thousand eight hundred thirty five students will sit for this assessment districtwide. The results will come back in May.

• Join us for our annual ASD4/ACPTA Science Fun Night on Thursday, February 27th, at 6:00 PM at Indian Trail Junior High School! This engaging event is a celebration of science, offering students and families an opportunity to explore hands-on activities, exciting demonstrations, and more. For more details, visit our event website: Science Fun Night.

• Mark your calendars! The ASD4 Fine Arts Staff, in collaboration with the Music Boosters Association and our Education Foundation, is excited to host the first-ever Community Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, February 15th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Indian Trail School. This special event will showcase the incredible fine arts education happening in Addison and raise funds for the Diane Morrill Memorial Fund, which supports D4 Orchestra Scholarships. Attendees will enjoy live music performances and view stunning visual art and media creations from our talented students. Admission is free, but you can support the cause by purchasing concessions or participating in raffles throughout the event.

Motion #4: Approval of Personnel Report

Motion by Ms. Ruffolo, second by Mr. Lange to approve the personnel report for the following individuals:

LICENSED STAFF – EMPLOYMENT

Julia Tomal Effective Date: 01/06/2025 Position: Art Teacher School: Indian Trail

ESP STAFF – EMPLOYMENT

Nallely Acevedo Villegas Effective Date: 12/02/2024 Position: Special Ed Paraeducator School: Stone

Patricia Alvarado Effective Date: 11/20/2024 Position: Special Ed Paraeducator School: Lake Park

Leslie Avila Effective Date: 12/03/2024 Position: Special Ed Paraeducator School: Early Learning Center

Carma Close Effective Date: 12/02/2024 Position: Special Ed Paraeducator School: Lake Park

Daniela Cova Gonzalez Effective Date: 11/19/2024 Position: Special Ed Paraeducator School: Lake Park

Jacquanique Hampton Effective Date: 11/20/2024 Position: Special Ed Paraeducator School: Lake Park

ESP STAFF – RESIGNATION

Lesly Fernandez Montez Effective Date: 12/20/2024 Position: School Nurse School: Lincoln

Melisa Lee Effective Date: 12/10/2024 Position: School Nurse School: Indian Trail

Nallely Ocampo Effective Date: 11/20/2024 Position: Administrative Assistant School: Lake Park

Ashley Presa Effective Date: 12/9/2024 Position: Health Clerk School: Lincoln

LEAVE OF ABSENCE- LICENSED STAFF

Diana Mexicano Dates: Intermittent Position: Dual Language 1st Grade School: Lincoln

Anna Vavalle Dates: 11/25/2024-03/11/2025 Position: ELA School: Indian Trail

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #4 Carried.

Motion #5: Approval of Tax Levy

Motion by Mr. Lange, second by Mr. Frangidakis to approve the Tax Levy, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #5 Carried.

Motion #6: Approval of Dual Language Subcommittee

Motion by Ms. Bollig, second by Mr. Lange to approve the Dual Language Subcommittee, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #6 Carried.

Mr. Williams opened the floor to board members who would like to be a part of the subcommittee. Ms. Bollig, Mr. Castillo, and Mr. Lange volunteered to be a part of the committee.

Motion #7: Approval of School Calendar for 2025-2026

Motion by Mr. Lange, second by Mr. Triantafillos to approve the School Calendar for 2025-2026, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Williams, Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #7 Carried.

Motion #8: Approval of 24-25 CAC Members

Motion by Mr. Lange, second by Mr. Frangidakis to approve the 24-25 CAC Members, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #8 Carried.

Motion #9: Approval of Waiver of the 2nd Reading and Board Policy Updates

Motion by Mr. Ruffolo, second by Mr. Frangidakis to approve the Waiver of the 2nd Reading and Board Policy Updates, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #9 Carried.

Motion #10: Approval of 2025 Capital Improvement Bid Contracts

Motion by Mr. Frangidakis, second by Mr. Lange to approve the 2025 Capital Improvement Bid Contracts, as presented.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams, Bollig, Castillo

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #10 Carried.

Discussion Items:

• The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting will be Wednesday, January 15, 2025, and will take place at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of Indian Trail Junior High School.

• Board members shared their experiences at the Chicago Conference Training Session.

• Dr. Sutton discussed AI Usage Policies that were written for staff and students for the board to look over.

• Dr. Sutton shared updates on bussing and registration fees for 2025-2026.

• There was no communication to or from the Board.

Communications/Public Participation on Non-Agenda Items: None

Miscellaneous/Unfinished Business: None

Motion #11: Motion to Adjourn

Motion by Mr. Frangidakis, second by Ms. Bollig to adjourn the Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Board of Education meeting.

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYE: Bollig, Castillo, Frangidakis, Lange, Ruffolo, Triantafillos, Williams

ABSENT: None

NAY: None…Motion #11 Carried.

The regular Board of Education meeting adjourned at 6:14p.m.

https://4.files.edl.io/13f5/01/17/25/203524-c1c3e94c-3e7e-4529-a033-75062cd9721e.pdf