April 26th Board Meeting -- Ch-ch-ch-changes

Top of last night's Board Meeting was the adjournment of the existing Board and the seating of the new Board. Bob Nunamaker, Pat Hughes, and President Paula Zasadil continued with the Board, Vice-President Don Rose retired, and Steve Knar joined the new Board. Rose and Kay Laube, who resigned from the Board during the Executive Session of the meeting, were presented with plaques to honor their service to the district.

After the current Board was adjourned, Supt. Hill presided over the balance of the meeting, which saw the swearing-in of the new Board members and the election of new officers. The new Board unanimously elected Zasadil as President and Doris Sadik as Vice-President of the new Board. Both were nominated without opposition. The Board also approved Bob Blumberg and Lois Bowman to continue as Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.

A reception followed the seating of the new Board. Cake, punch, and coffee were served.

The Board issued a Press Release later in the meeting to announce the procedures for filling the vacancy left by Kay Laube. It reads as follows:
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The Board of Education of Fox River Grove School District 3 announces a vacancy due to the recent resignation of Kay Laube, who was recently elected village president. The vacancy will be filled by School Board appointment until the regular school board election in April 2007. Persons interested in filling this vacancy will be interviewed by the current School Board on Monday, May 16th. Any individuals interested please contact Board Secretary, Lois Bowman, at the District Office at 403 Orchard Street to receive an application to be filled out and returned by Monday, May 9th. After that date, candidates will be notified to arrange an interview time.

If you have questions regarding this process, please call Superintendent John Hill at the District Office (847) 516-5100.
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The newly appointed Board member will be seated at the May 23rd Board meeting.

Preview of Tonight's Meeting

Tonight, District 3 will see the seating of Steve Knar as a Board Member, the retirement of Don Rose from the board, the election of School Board officers, and, after Executive Session, the resignation of Kay Laube from the board and the procedures for appointing her successor.

Also, there will be business to discuss.

You can see the agenda for tonight's meeting here. I will be there to follow the action. Questions and comments are encouraged; if you can't make it to the meeting, send them in. If you can make it to the meeting, I'll see you there!

Vote April 5th

Remember, April 5th is Election Day in Fox River Grove. While there aren't any contested School Board races in District 3, there are races for Village President, Village Trustee, School Board 155 (Cary-Grove High School), and MCC. Be sure to vote Tuesday and make your voice heard!

March 21 Board Meeting - Getting Personnel

There were some personnel announcements made at the March 21 Board meeting. Beth Diller resigned as part-time Special Education Teacher Aide, but will remain as part-time Reading Lab teacher.

The following tenured teachers were officially re-employed for the 2005-2006 school year:

ARS
Beth Achey, Special Education
Jennie Bebber, 2nd Grade
Mary Ellen Bebber, Art
Pat Beebe, 3rd Grade
Kathleen Cooker, 1st Grade
Rick Knapp, 2nd Grade
Lora LeGrand, Kindergarten
Erin Lopez, Special Education
Sharon McAtee, Physical Education
Paulette Nichols, 1st Grade
Bonny Patterson, 3rd Grade
Debbie Randall-Hayes, Kindergarten
Laura Richards, Library/Computers
Barb Savage, 3rd Grade
Shirley Slater, Kindergarten
Donna Stick, 4th Grade
Marge Tietz, 2nd Grade
Kathy Wagner, 1st Grade
Debra Yester, Title I Reading

FRGMS
Stephanie Barham, 5th Grade
John Danley, 7th/8th Grade Social Studies
Betty Foley, 5th Grade
Jackie Grosse, 7th/8th Grade Science
Rob Holton, 6th Grade Math; 6th/7th/8th Grade Computers
Greg King, 6th/8th Grade Reading/Social Studies
Don Lewan, Physical Education
Larry Merkel, 7th/8th Grade Language/Reading
Mary Beth Miller, 6th/7th Grade Science Health
Cindy Shaw, Special Education
Jane Szybowicz, 5th Grade
Debbie Wagner, 7th/8th Grade Math
Dave Warwak, Art

The following non-tenured teachers were re-employed and granted tenure:

ARS
Karen Shallcross, 4th Grade

FRGMS
Alisa Bruns, 6th/7th Language/Reading

The following non-tenured teachers were re-employed:

ARS
Beth Diller, part-time Reading Lab Teacher
Kim Scherzer, ECE

FRGMS
Rachel Prucnell, Special Education

ARS & FRGMS
Katrina O'Reilly-Greene, Chorus/Music/Drama
Brian Wetherbee, Band/Music

Rachel Bell was dismissed due to reduction in workforce for non-tenured faculty.

The following non-certified employees were re-employed:

ARS
Renee Baniqued, Teacher Aide
Jorge Brockhoeft, Custodian
Ilona Buetsch, Teacher Aide
Kelly Ford, Food Service/Custodian
Kathy Gira, Teacher Aide
Suzanne Grochecki, Lunchroom Supervisor
Carol Kregel, Teacher Aide
Beth Lombardino, Teacher Aide
Sue Roche, Teacher Aide
Terrie Smialek, Secretary
John Tekempe, Food Service
Vickie Walton, Head Custodian
There is one open position for a Lunchroom Supervisor

FRGMS
Linda Barham, Head Custodian
Evelyn Blau, Teacher Aide
Lori Brinkman, Teacher Aide
Gerry Cappellania, Food Service Director/Custodian
Penny Cole, Library Aide
Susan Hoffman, Teacher Aide
Janet Mollet, Food Service
Susan Pettigrew, Teacher Aide
Denise Rose, Secretary
Jana Still, Teacher Aide
Sue Winterton, Custodian
Ellen Zintl, Food Service
There is one open position for a Teacher Aide

District 3
Lois Bowman, Adm. Assistant/Board Secretary
Deb Fruhauff, Bus Driver
Sarah Ireland, Bookkeeper
Chris Jacob, Head Bus Driver
Rick Miller, Maintenance Director
Destiny Sadoski, Nurse
Brian Sawyer, Network Specialist
Marge Stefani, Bus Driver

March 21 Board Meeting - Q&A

Finally, I have a little time to write about what happened at the March 21 Board meeting. I thank you all for your patience.

The meeting's public comment section had one speaker, Tim Kassel, who spoke about the increased teacher workload, and that this workload increase was due to budget constraints made by the Board. At the same time, Mr. Kassel noted that the Board is continuing with three administrators (one full-time superintendent and two full-time principals), and that the district can't afford and doesn't need three administrators. The Board thanked him without further comment.

Personally, I was very happy that Mr. Kassel came to the meeting and made these comments. I have made similar comments, both in Public Comment and with individual Board members, and I usually got the impression from the Board that they thought that this idea (that District 3 should have strongly considered having two administrators) was mine alone, even though I told them that this was a sentiment that was out in the community. My point then, and is now, that, if the Board did consider having only two administrators, they need to be openly and repeatedly telling the community why the idea wouldn't work; and if they did not consider the idea, they need to be openly and repeatedly telling the community why it was not considered.

I remember, in the days leading up to the referendum vote, a number of people mentioning that one of the budget cuts that would be made was that the district would go from three to two administrators when Supt. Hill left. There was a real disappointment from many in the community when this did not happen. Personally, I heard this from many people in the community, and it was one of the reasons that led to the creation of Partnership for Schools. I am very glad that Mr. Kassel came and shared his comments with the Board, and remind them that the concerns raised are not individual concerns, but concerns throughout the community.