Finances 

  Strategic Plan

Board Highlights are timely recaps of School Board meetings. They are emailed to staff, parents, and interested community members before the official minutes are approved and posted. 

 

Links to pertinent memos and presentations from the Board packet are highlighted in green. Board packets are posted the day before regularly scheduled Board meetings.

 

Meeting podcasts, packets, and Board information can be accessed using the links on the left. 


Regular Meeting

Board President, Kendra Wallace, called the meeting to order.  Superintendent, Trisha Kocanda,  
shared highlights from the District schools and discussed upcoming Winnetka Parent Institute events. She also wished everyone a safe and relaxing spring break.


Presentations


Daniel Ryan, Principal, Hubbard Woods School, shared an update on the Winnetka University (WU)  implementation, including the spring 2016 course schedule and WU Committee goals for 2016-2017. Winnetka University is a new professional learning program for District teachers developed in partnership with administration and the Winnetka Education Association.

Greg Kurr, Chief Financial Officer, provided an overview of abatement and return options, following a reduction of the 2015 Levy Request from 5.95% to 1.87% at the December Board Meeting. Later in the evening, the School Board approved to abate, or not collect, $1.1 million in taxes.  


Informational Memos


The Winnetka Public Schools will administer the PARCC Assessment for the second time in April 2016.  In terms of test preparation, teachers will be familiarizing students with the testing platform and expectations to ensure students feel comfortable in the testing environment and understand the nature of the questions that will be presented on the exam.


  
3. Kindergarten Day Study Update

The Kindergarten Committee continues to consider implementation options for offering an extended day kindergarten program beginning in 2017-2018.  Multiple options for program location and overarching programmatic questions were shared.  The topic will be revisited at a work session on April 19, 2016, with an anticipated School Board decision in May 2016.

Student fees are an important source of revenue for public school districts and are evaluated and adjusted annually.  Administration made recommendations for 2016-2017 student fees later approved by the Board, including discontinuing the elementary lunch supervision fee.


The process and rationale for recommending the installation of two temporary classrooms (one unit) at Crow Island School in summer 2016 was revisited and later approved by the School Board. A special Board meeting on March 31, 2016, will be held to approve bids for the project, and the Village of Winnetka will vote on the proposal on April 5, 2016.


The Bullying Response Plan, in accordance with District policy, was shared.  A representative committee of parents, staff, students, and administrators developed the plan that is now undergoing implementation.  


Eleven updated or new School Board policies were recommended by the policy subcommittee for approval.


Action Items

The Consent Agenda and the following action items were approved.

1. STEAM Initiative Expansion
2. 2015 Tax Resolution ($1.1 Million abatement for taxpayers)
3. Crow Island Temporary Classrooms (Phase 1)
4. FY17 Student fees
5. Intra-District Student Transfer Request


The Complete Board Packet for the March 15, 2016, School Board Meeting, containing all Memos and Presentations, is here.
Upcoming Regular Meeting Dates
April 19, 2016
May 17, 2016
June 8, 2016
Regular meetings are open to the public and will be held in The Skokie School Resource Center. Regular meetings begin at 7:15 P.M. Work sessions are also open to the public and may be scheduled at the discretion of the Board. Discussion topics and times for work sessions will be posted on the District website 24 hours in advance.
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