Summary of the Homer School District 33C
Board of Education Meeting
December 20, 2016
_____________________________________________________________________
            Barb Wilson, President      Angela Adolf, Vice President      Amy Blank, Secretary
    Deb Martin, Member    Ed Campins, Member    Elizabeth Hitzeman, Member    Russ Petrizzo, Member                                                                                       
 
 
At the December 20th Board of Education meeting:
 

  • Dan Hagan from the Homer Stallions Organization presented a plaque to the Board of Education in appreciation of the District’s support. The organization uses Homer 33C’s gymnasiums, enabling it to keep its costs down.

  • The Board recognized the 8th grade girls basketball team and Coach Melody Johnson for earning 3rd in State at the IESA State Tournament this month. The team ended the season with a record of 25 wins and 3 losses.


  • Member Petrizzo and Member Hitzeman presented an overview of the November 30th Finance & Operations Committee Meeting and announced Hitzeman will replace Angela Adolf on the Committee.

 

  • Teachers Union representative Cathy Clayton reported the full Union met Wednesday, December 14th and ratified a three-year contract agreement with the Board of Education. The contract was ratified with 71 percent of the votes. She indicated the Union is eager to close the 10-month process and thanked the teachers and parents for their support and the negotiating team for their hard work. She wished everyone a restful and safe winter break.

 

  • Support Staff Union representative Stella Kapusta congratulated the Teachers Union for reaching an agreement with the Board and wished everyone Happy Holidays.

 

  • The Board approved the following personnel recommendations:

 
Resignations

  1. Jill Maltese – lunchroom monitor, Homer Junior High School, effective November 30, 2016
  2. Nicola Carpenter – 0.5 FTE custodian, Young School, effective December 22, 2016
  3. Roger Copen – bus driver, Transportation, effective December 20, 2016

 
Leaves of Absence

  1. Sara Devenney – 7th grade Language Arts teacher, Homer Junior High School, effective March 31, 2017 through June 2, 2017 and will return for the 2017-2018 school year
  2. Lauren Wall – Speech-Language Pathologist, Butler and Schilling schools, effective April 21, 2017 through the end of the 2016-2017 school year and will return for the 2017-2018 school year
  3. Timothy Matt – 4th grade teacher, Goodings Grove School, effective February 6, 2017 through March 3, 2017 and will return on March 6, 2017
  4. Donald Emmel – head custodian, Goodings Grove School, effective December 19, 2016 through January 6, 2017
  5. Carole Costa – 4th grade Instructional Aide, Butler School, effective December 2, 2016 through January 9, 2017
  6. Tari Mitcheff – bus driver, Transportation, effective December 7, 2016 through March 7, 2017 or sooner

 
            Employment Recommendations

  1. Jill Nye – Occupational Therapist, salary increase recommendation for Doctoral degree
  2. Kari Panarici-Oprondek – lunchroom/recess monitor, Young School, effective December 21, 2016
  3. Sherri Simone – lunchroom monitor, Homer Junior High School, effective January 9, 2017
  4. Thomas Pratt – 1.0 FTE substitute bus driver, Transportation, effective December 21, 2016
  5. Elizabeth Kolada – 1.0 FTE substitute bus driver, Transportation, effective January 9, 2017
  6. John Kwit – 1.0 FTE substitute bus driver, Transportation, effective December 21, 2016

 

  • The Board reviewed and approved a revised job description for Payroll Clerk.

 

  • The Board reviewed and approved a revised job description, job title and salary adjustment for the Administrative Assistant for Business.

 

  • The Board confirmed a recommendation for Troy Mitchell, Principal of Homer Junior High School, to serve as a liaison to first responder agencies.

 

  • The Board discussed the possibility of leasing the former First Midwest Bank building on Bell Road (just south of Roberts Tire and Auto Services Center and adjacent to the Hadley Middle School parking lot), enabling it to relocate its administrative offices and free up some much needed space for classrooms at Hadley Middle School and Homer Junior High School. The District is growing, reported Superintendent Kara Coglianese, and cannot borrow the money to build additional space. It could seek voter approval for a referendum, but administrators are hesitant to propose one during these economic times. Board members instructed administrators to work with an architect and come up with some preliminary numbers showing how much it would cost to reconfigure the bank (adding cubicles and some office space) as well as the current administration center to accommodate classrooms. Administrators will return to the Board with some numbers in January.

 

  • The Board approved a three-year contract with the Homer District 33C Council of the American Federation of Teachers Local 604. The contract includes a 2.2 percent increase in salary each year. To offset rising healthcare costs, the board and teachers union have agreed to share the burden by implementing a tiered insurance plan (with new employees and employees with spousal and family coverage picking up a greater share of the cost) and introducing more affordable PPO and HSA plans.

 

  • The Board agreed to retain TRIA Architecture to provide the District with general architectural services — pending attorney review.

 

  • The Board awarded a bid to A Beep, a telecommunications products provider headquartered in Joliet, to purchase 88 portable radios that will enable building administrators to communicate with the maintenance staff and District administrators throughout the school day and during crisis situations.

 

  • The Board approved the following administrative salary increases (for employees who were not included in a two-year contract last year) and TRS contributions (if applicable):
    • Assistant Superintendent for Instruction – 2.2 percent increase in base salary and 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Hadley Middle School Dean of Students – 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Goodings Grove Principal – 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Schilling Kindergarten Principal – 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Schilling Grades 1-4 Principal – 2.2 percent increase in base salary and 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Hadley Middle School Assistant Principal – 2.2 percent increase in base salary and 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Butler School Principal – 2.2 percent increase in base salary and 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Human Resources Director – 2.2 percent increase in base salary and 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Special Services Program Coordinator – 2.2 percent increase in base salary and 1 percent contribution to TRS
    • Communications/Public Relations Manager – 3.2 percent increase in base salary
    • Technology Director – 3.2 percent increase in base salary
    • Building and Grounds Director – 3.2 percent increase in base salary

 

  • The Board approved an administrative retirement incentive for Homer Junior High School Principal Troy Mitchell who plans to retire at the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

 

  • The Board approved a two-year contract extension for the Superintendent (2017-2018 and 2018-2019) as well as a 2.2 percent increase in base salary for the 2016-2017 school year and a merit bonus of $3,500, which is in line with all administrative merit bonus programs.

 
 
The Next Regular School Board Meeting is January 31, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.
 
 

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