Recap of May 12 Board Meeting

Recap of May 12 Board Meeting
Posted on 05/13/2020
Action Items
-The Board of Education voted to approve the purchase of the partnership with Youth Guidance- BAM in the amount of $661,376 for the 2020-2021 SY. BAM (Becoming a Man) is a school-based counseling program that develops the social emotional competencies of students in grades 7-12, helping to ensure that young men are successful socially, emotionally, and academically and that they are prepared for life after high school. 
-The Board of Education voted to approve the contract with Powerschool in the amount of $29,767 for the 2020-2021 SY. PowerSchool is the platform that WCUSD#60 utilizes to conduct teacher and staff evaluations on an annual basis.  
-The Board of Education voted to accept the contract with Northeastern Illinois University ("NEIU") as part of the Education Innovation Research (EIR) Grant in the amount of $62,982. This contract is in connection with EIR grant project implementation.  NEIU will act as a provider of teacher professional development services in the areas of STEM and computer science.  The start date of the contract is 10/1/2019, and the end date is 12/31/2020.  NEIU is identified as a partner in the awarded grant application.
-The Board of Education voted to adopt resolution to authorize the District's treasurer to make additional inter-fund loans from the Working Cash Fund as outlined in the resolution and as authorized in the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/20-5) in order to make appropriate payments of expenditures of the School District, as required. School Districts, as authorized by 105 ILCS 5/20-5, are periodically permitted to loan monies from the Working Cash Fund to the General Fund (Education, Operations and Maintenance and Transportation Funds) to cover temporary cash shortfalls in individual funds. "Shortfalls" exist due to the timing of revenue receipts versus the payment of expenditures. This in no way means that projected positive fund balances will be negative at the end of the Fiscal Year, or that the transfers are permanent.
-The Board of Education voted to authorize, by resolution, the Superintendent to issue and sell a Tax Anticipation Promissory Note in a principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 for educational purposes and authorize the execution and delivery of a related Line of Credit Agreement. In light of COVID-19 and financial uncertainties that WPS60 may face due in large part to potential delays in local property tax receipts and state categorical aid (grant) receipts and uncertainties about what level of funding WPS60 will be allotted from Evidence Based Funding (EBF), the Administration recommends, as a precautionary measure, that WPS60 work with First Midwest Bank to issue and sell a Tax Anticipation Principal Note in a principal amount not to exceed $10M for education purposes and authorize the execution and delivery of a related Line of Credit Agreement.
-The Board of Education voted to authorize the retention of Ms. Shelli Anderson, of the Franczek law firm, to represent the Board of Education in connection with litigation captioned Ariadna Ramon Baro v. Lake County Federation of Teachers, et. al., 20 cv 2126 in the amount of $40,000. 
-The Board of Education voted to approve COVID-19 Board Resolution 4 ratifying the Superintendent's decisions regarding suspensions in certain grading practices associated with Remote Learning, necessitated by the extended school closures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
-The Board of Education voted to waive that portion of Board Policy 2105, Policy Development and Implementation, requiring two readings by the Board before adopting a policy or policy amendment, and to adopt Policy 8003-2020, Graduation Requirements, Class of 2020 as presented by the administration. The Administration is requesting that the Board approve the recommendations of the Superintendent and the academic team associated with the adjustment of graduation requirements for the graduating Class of 2020 as set forth in Board policy 8003-2020 in a single reading.  Time is of the essence in approving this policy to get notice to our families and students with senior standing as to how second semester credit and grading will be managed due to the interruption in learning arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent extended school closures and to support school personnel being able to verify student eligibility to graduate in a timely manner.

Personnel Items
-The Board of Education voted to approve Amendment No. 13 to Legal Counsel's Employment Agreement. Following a request to consider delaying his imminent retirement, Mr.  Tom Morris has indicated his willingness to postpone his retirement for up to one additional year to support the Board and the District's Legal Office through the current crisis and its legal impacts.
-The Board of Education voted to authorize all employee vacation entitlements in excess of 10 vacation days be carried over from fiscal year 2019-2020 to fiscal year 2020-2021. Due to COVID-19 and the shelter in place orders, the Administration is recommending that all district employees who currently have more than 10 vacation day entitlements be allowed to carry forward vacation balances over 10 days from school year 2019-2020 to school year 2020-2021. This recommendation impacts approximately 174 staff members, and equates to 1,246.55 vacation days valued at $461,272.10. 
-The Board of Education voted to approve the resignations, appointments and retirements of 11 employees, including the appointment of Mr. Dan Hill as Co-Principal at Waukegan High School. 
The Board of Education voted to authorize the extension of insurance coverage to Bravo Waukegan to support its virtual learning summer music program for Waukegan students and direct the administration to arrange the requested policy endorsement.

Information Items
The Board of Education reviewed a first reading of Policy 5230- Instructional Materials, as well as the 2020-2021 Parent/Student Handbook. 
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