Development News for Des Plaines, Illinois

Board of Education Addresses Key Financial, Operational, and Personnel Matters in May Meeting

The Board of Education held its annual reorganization, electing officers and appointing liaisons and representatives. The board reviewed and approved proposed changes to the District 62 Student Handbook, focusing on user-friendliness and updated sections on behavior, safety, and purposeful play related to full-day kindergarten. An end-of-year strategic plan report was presented, detailing progress in goal areas including high-quality instruction, inclusive learning environments, staff engagement, community involvement, and resource utilization. Key initiatives highlighted were the transition to full-day kindergarten, improvements in literacy instruction, refined multilingual evaluation practices, expansion of specialized services, student-centered scheduling, and enhanced social-emotional learning supports. The board also reviewed the 2026-2027 developmental budget, with key highlights including a 2.8% CPI assumption, no changes to student fees, and expected constant federal funding despite prorationing of state funding. Expense projections noted salary increases tied to collective bargaining agreements, anticipated increases in health insurance and transportation costs, and inclusion of capital projects for full-day kindergarten completion. The board reviewed proposed revisions to board policies, specifically focusing on Title 1 programs, and approved the revisions after removing a specific dollar amount from the policy. Closed session minutes from April 20th, 2026, were approved. The consent agenda, including personnel reports, consolidated district plan, Title 1 waivers, purchase orders, contract approvals, and financial summaries, was approved. Communications from the board included updates on legislation, the upcoming data center event, and a series on domestic violence. The Superintendent's report covered suspensions, traffic issues near North School, Special Olympics success, class size balancing, updates on full-day kindergarten construction and accessible play spaces, the potential introduction of middle school soccer, and eighth-grade promotion ceremonies. Financial updates included good news regarding county investments and anticipated revenue, but noted ongoing issues with the county's computer system. A decline in free/reduced lunch numbers and its potential impact on Title 1 funding and CEP school eligibility was discussed. The board mourned the passing of Alan Aronovitz, lead architect for SCR Architects, highlighting his significant contributions to district projects, particularly water management at North School. Board member Stephanie Duckman was congratulated on earning her Master's degree in Film Graphic Studies. A dashboard report on employee wellness screenings indicated similar results to the previous year, with stress remaining a key area of focus. The Treasurer's summary reported new investments totaling $20.6 million in April with a return rate of 3.84%. FOIA requests and their fulfillment status were noted. Finally, the board moved into closed session to discuss personnel matters, litigation, audits, superintendent evaluation, and school building safety.

District Enhances Health Services and Social-Emotional Learning Programs

Updates were provided on Health Services and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). For Health Services, the district began a phase replacement plan for Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), installing eight new units and planning to replace the remaining older units. CPR and AED certifications were expanded to include all building administrators. The district purchased and began using the Spot Vision Screener to identify vision concerns in children, which has been particularly beneficial for preschoolers and students with complex needs. The concussion protocol was reviewed and updated to align with the Heads Up Concussion Program for safe return-to-learn and return-to-play practices. For SEL, the district focused on developing layered supports. Tier 1 work included differentiated professional development and coaching for site-level systems. Tier 2 introduced the 'check-in, check-out' intervention, pairing students with trusted adults and increasing feedback opportunities. Data management for decision-making was improved by consolidating information from multiple sources into one spot. Updates also included a first year with an updated threat and risk assessment process, a revamp of community partnership connections to support families, and the use of Stronger Connections grant funds for the ALOP program partnership with North Cook.

District Presents End-of-Year Strategic Plan Report Highlighting Progress Across Key Goals

The Board of Education received an end-of-year report on the district's five-year strategic plan. Progress was highlighted across several goal areas: Goal 1 (High-Quality Instruction) focused on preparing for full-day kindergarten, selecting new ELA resources, and improving literacy instruction. Goal 2 (Learning Environment) emphasized strengthening systems for inclusivity, refining multilingual evaluation practices, expanding specialized services, enhancing social-emotional learning, and increasing student voice and choice through expanded encore offerings and Special Olympics. Goal 3 (Engaged Workforce) focused on staff feedback, professional development, and strategic recruitment. Goal 4 (Community Engagement) involved website ADA compliance, community partnerships, and preparations for full-day kindergarten. Goal 5 (Resource Utilization) addressed full-day kindergarten implementation progress, boundary recommendation reviews, health insurance cooperatives, security system updates, and early artificial intelligence rollout.

District Student Handbook Updated for Full-Day Kindergarten and Enhanced User-Friendliness

The board reviewed and approved proposed changes to the District 62 Student Handbook. The most significant changes include the integration of a section on purposeful play into the handbook, replacing the separate kindergarten handbook due to the transition to full-day kindergarten. Additionally, the section on behavior and safety was reworked for user-friendliness based on feedback from the parent teacher advisory committee, although the content itself did not change. The board also approved revisions to board policy, specifically concerning Title 1 programs, by removing a specific dollar amount from the policy to allow for flexibility in procedures.