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Action Items
2024-2025 School Year Calendar Approved
The Board conducted a 2nd Reading of the 2024-25 School Year Calendar and approved the calendar. To view the 2024-25 School Calendar, please click here.
Significant dates within the proposed 2024-25 calendar include:
- August 19, 2024 (1st Day of School)
- December 20, 2024 (Last Day of Semester 1)
- January 7, 2025 (1st Day of Semester 2)
- March 31 - April 4, 2025 (Spring Break)
- May 28, 2025 (Class of 2025 Commencement)
- May 29, 2025 (Last Day of School)
This calendar continues a weekly late start on Wednesdays and includes Final Exam days.
Board Member Participation in the Joint Annual Conference
The Board of Education approved current expenditures of $3,225 related to their attendance at the Joint Annual IASB-IASA-IASBO conference that will be held in Chicago in November. This conference is held annually and is an excellent opportunity for Board members to attend professional development sessions related to Board business and to network with other Board members from around the State of Illinois. Any additional expenses incurred by the Board members attending the conference will be approved during the regular December Board of Education meeting.
Discussion Items
Strategic Plan Goal Three Update
During the October 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting, Ed Piotrowski provided an update regarding Goal Three of the strategic plan. The update included a brief overview of the Scorecard and Action Plans for this goal. In addition to the overview, he highlighted specific areas within Goal Three. The highlights presented included updates to Hiring Practices, Expansion of Professional Development for C/NC Staff, Induction and Mentoring Program, review of Scorecard and Goal Metrics, Focus Areas for 2023-2024, Certified Professional Appraisal, Professional Development for ParaEducator Staff, and District Staff Onboarding
2023 Property Tax Levy
Director of Business Services, Brian Stachacz, shared an initial presentation regarding the 2023 Property Tax Levy.
The 2023 Levy will be presented for tentative approval in November, then presented for final approval in December.
Below are a items shared during the 2023 Tax Levy:
- The Consumer Price Index in December of 2022 was 6.5%. School Districts are capped at 5% so the increase to the total 2023 levy can be 5%.
- Including additional amounts for new property, the likely request will be an increase to the
2023 levy of 5%-7% over the 2022 levy.
- With an expected increase of over 5%, the District will hold a Truth-in-Taxation Hearing
before final adoption in December.
- A 5% increase will bring an estimated increase to the 2023 levy of $3.8 million.
Superintendent’s Report
LT Superintendent, Dr. Waterman provided the following information within his Superintendent report:
LT Community Advisory Council
Dr Waterman shared information regarding the first LT Community Advisory Council Meeting, which was held on September 13 and the topic of discussion was Technology at LT. Specifically, the Advisory Council heard a presentation that included an overview of Technology at LT. LTCAC Chair, Shelley Taylor in attendance at the October 16th meeting, shared overall community feedback from the first meeting. For more information, please visit www.lths.net/ltcac
Monthly FOIA Report
The District has received 5 FOIA requests since the September meeting.
LGBTQ+ History Month
In October, LT celebrates LGBTQ+ History Month with activities aimed at supporting and celebrating our LGBTQ students and community. LTGBTQ History Month encourages informative discussions to learn more about the leaders who continue to drive equality forward, and LT is excited to host activities throughout the upcoming weeks to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which has an overall aim of raising awareness about the impact of breast cancer. When we raise our voices together, we help spread the word about the importance of breast cancer screening and support. As always, LT will host a variety of pink outs and other events throughout the month to support Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Quarter One Student and Staff Celebrations
As part of Quarter 1 of this school year, Dr. Waterman shared several celebrations that make LT such a special place. This celebration acknowledged the dedication and hard work of remarkable students, faculty and staff who commit daily to excellence, innovation and empowerment.
Adaptive PE Leaders Program
This program, which is in its first year, had a specific goal when it was introduced into our curriculum: Create leadership opportunities for LT students as well as positive interactions between special education students and general education students. This semester-long class which is currently offered to freshman and sophomore students, has created a truly unique experience for students here at LT.
The benefits of a course like this immediately presented themselves. By creating a learning environment of combined general education students and special education students we have experienced a blended class of students thriving – General education students who, want to pursue a career in education, special education, or a helping field, or want to pursue a career in a rehabilitation setting, etc., or want to develop their leadership skills or just enjoy helping others are getting hands on experience on a daily basis. They are engaging and assisting adaptive students who cannot otherwise participate in a general PE course offering. This allows them to learn how to develop differentiated activities to meet the needs of all students, teach lessons with modifications/accommodations for all student’s needs, complete self-assessments and/or self-reflections following lessons, and the ability to provide effective peer feedback and self-reflections regarding the course and working with students who have needs different than their own.
Students with disabilities who cannot otherwise participate in one of the general PE course offerings are benefitting from peer modeling, working on social skills in addition to PE content skills, and are motivated to participate in activities with same-age peers. To learn more about this program please click here.
Dr. Waterman said we are excited to see this program expand with increased enrollment and availability at North campus hopefully starting next year. He acknowledged and thanked several people who are instrumental to the success of this program:
- Kurt Johns, Division Chair of Physical Welfare
- Melissa Moore, Division Chair of Special Education
- Kristine Vins, PE Teacher
- Gretchen Jochum, PE Teacher
Recognition LT students by College Board
Each year, LT is notified by College Board of exemplary students who are nationally recognized for their academic achievement. This year, we are proud of the 64 students recognized for National Hispanic Recognition, National African American Recognition, National Merit Commended Recognition, and National Merit Semi-Finalists Recognition. Dr. Waterman handed out awards to students who attended the October 16th meeting.
Vita Plena Award Recognition
The Vita Plena Award has been presented by the Superintendent to a deserving individual since the mid 1990’s. The award is generally presented to an individual who embodies the themes of inspiration, creativity, kindness, selflessness, and, overall, someone who goes above and beyond in service to our school community.
Dr. Waterman presented the Vita Plena Award for Quarter 1 to Samantha Zavala.
Samantha began her career at LT in 2010 after having taught art in both District U46 in Elgin and at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. During her time at LT, Samantha has taught numerous courses in both our Art Department and began teaching in our Student Services Department during the 2013-2014 school year.
Most recently, Samantha helps to oversee and coordinate our Transition Program that we offer to 8th grade students as they transition from their middle school to LT. This program has grown significantly with Samantha’s involvement, and has even resulted in the addition of several beautiful murals at both campuses, which has become a really cool feature of the program.
Samantha holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Chicago, and has continued her education through additional graduate coursework at Dominican University.
Student Representative to the Board Report
Student Representative to the Board, Sophia Szymanski, presented an update that included a variety of academic, athletic, and extra-curricular highlights.
LTEA Report
LT Education Association President Andrew Johannes shared the following report:
This past week we celebrated Homecoming. The students celebrated with different theme days, a pep rally, the Pink Out soccer game, the football game, and the dance. Andrew congratulated the student council for a successful week. A special thanks to the Homecoming event supervisors: Kathryn Pieper, Maria Ricker, Darragh Voy, Kelsey Thimmig, and Lauren Cuchna, as well as the student council advisors: Franck Pierson and Michelle Saccameno.
It is almost time for winter sports to begin their practices. The fall sports have been having successful seasons, which is a true testament to the amazing students we are so fortunate to have at LT.
Teachers are looking forward to the upcoming Parent-Teacher conferences. These meetings are a great way to strengthen the parent-teacher collaboration in helping students succeed in their classes. The format is a little different this year, but it will allow for more participation by parents. We are also using Google Meet.
The LTEA supports the proposed calendar for the 2024-25 school year.
Andrew also congratulated the many different student groups as well as the Vita Plena award winner at the October 16th meeting on behalf of the LTEA.
Public Participation
1 individual participated in public participation.
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