The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board held a regular meeting on July 23 at the District 205 Center, 162 S. York St.
Two board members—board president Athena Arvanitis and Courtenae Trautmann—were absent from the meeting.
There were no public comments during the meeting.
Update on 2024 summer programming
Patrick Baker, the district’s director of arts, physical education and health, spoke during the meeting to give a recap of the district’s 2024 summer programming. Baker stated that while some of the district’s athletic camps were still going, most of the summer programs had concluded.
Baker said the district offers a robust slate of academic, athletic and arts opportunities to its students each summer. He said the district had a total of 3,899 enrollments this summer, which marked an increase of 115 enrollments from the summer of 2023.
Baker reported that of the district’s 3,899 summer enrollments this year, 2,117 were in athletic camps. There were 492 enrollments in York Summer School, 433 enrollments in Summer Acceleration and 330 enrollments in fine arts programs.
Baker added that the district has already begun preparing for its programs in the summer of 2025.
The district has launched its updated website
The July 23 board meeting included a presentation about the district’s new website. In January, board members voted unanimously to approve a contract with Apptegy to serve as the new host for the district’s website—elmhurst205.org.
Tonya Daniels, the district’s chief of staff and communications, reported during the July 23 board meeting that the district recently conducted a thorough review of the inventory and content on its website, and analyzed the website’s most frequently used web pages. She described the website as one of the district’s most important communication tools.
Daniels said the district’s new website had a soft launch on July 1. She related that the homepage of each district school includes its attendance line phone number and school supply list, along with a link to apply for a job with the district. Each school’s homepage also includes a Parent Links tab. Clicking that tab opens a page that provides links to information on several details, including the school’s bus schedules and lunch menus.
The district’s updated website now includes a full athletics website dedicated solely to York High School athletics. That site is accessible from the main website by clicking on the Schools link and clicking on Athletics, under Athletics Homepage.
The York High School athletics website, which has an address of elmhurst205.org/o/athletics, provides information about all of the school’s athletic programs. There is also a directory of York’s athletic staff, and a link to the York Athletics Boosters Board.
District amends contract for athletic trainers at York
Board members voted unanimously during the meeting to amend the district’s contract with Rush Physical Therapy for athletic training services at York High School. According to the district, it is necessary to increase the hourly rate for athletic training services at York to be in alignment with anticipated changes to labor laws that begin Jan. 1, 2025.
According to the district, the hourly rate for athletic trainers who provided training services at York High School was $22.72 during the 2023-24 school year. The hourly rate was initially proposed to increase to $23.42 during the 2024-25 school year. Under the amended contract, the hourly rate will rise to $27.28 as of Jan. 1, 2025, with up to 5,720 contract hours, for an annual amount of up to about $145,000.
During the 2023-24 school year, there were up to three athletic trainers at York during the busiest times of the week. Two trainers worked 40 hours per week, while one trainer worked 30 hours per week.
Capital projects update
Christopher Whelton, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations, provided an update during the July 23 meeting about the district’s summer capital projects. Whelton referred to the projects that were part of the final phase of work related to the referendum of 2018. The referendum-related projects that are taking place this summer include the auditorium addition and interior renovations at Churchville Middle School, as well as interior renovations at Hawthorne Elementary School.
Whelton said that another referendum-related project—renovations at Madison Early Childhood Center—had begun. He said that was a 14-month project that should be completed before the start of the 2025-26 school year.
Another project related to the final phase of 2018 referendum work is the roof replacement at York High School’s kitchen and receiving area.
Whelton said that all of the referendum-related projects are progressing on schedule.
Whelton added that there are also several capital maintenance projects taking place this summer, including updated flooring in the cafeteria and some hallways of York High School. There are also renovations to York’s technology department offices, music rooms, athletic offices and special education classrooms.
Other 2024 summer capital projects include new flooring in the cafeteria at Bryan Middle School, and painting, lighting and flooring improvements at the gymnasium at Jefferson Elementary School. This year’s summer projects also include new roofs at Jefferson and Jackson elementary schools.
York’s new stadium scoreboard won’t be in place for the start of the upcoming school year; district plans to re-install the old scoreboard
Near the end of the meeting, board member Kara Caforio mentioned that the scoreboard at York’s stadium was down. She asked Whelton for an update on the installation of the new stadium scoreboard.
In March, board members voted unanimously to approve the installation of a new scoreboard at York, at a cost of about $260,000.
The new scoreboard includes an LED video display that’s about 13 feet high and 25 feet wide. The district plans to sell advertising on the new scoreboard.
According to Whelton, District 205 has taken steps to re-install the old scoreboard at York before the start of the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
Responding to Caforio’s question, Whelton stated that the district has been working diligently to receive the required approvals from the City of Elmhurst to install the new scoreboard. He said the district was prepared to meet with the city’s planning and zoning commission in May, but that meeting was postponed to June 18. District 205 officials attended the commission’s June 18 meeting and gave a presentation. The commission then asked for additional information, which the district provided at the commission’s July 16 meeting.
Whelton said that the city had additional questions about the new scoreboard after the planning and zoning commission’s July 16 meeting. Those concerns will reportedly be addressed at the commission’s Aug. 20 meeting.
Whelton said that the district ultimately needs approval from the Elmhurst City Council to install the new scoreboard at York’s stadium. He said at that approval would not be possible until after the start of York’s 2024-25 school year, and its fall athletic seasons.
York’s boys soccer team is scheduled to open its 2024 season with home matches on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29. York’s football team will kick off its 2024 season with an Aug. 30 home game against Glenbrook South.
Whelton said that the district’s contractor is on standby to install the new scoreboard as soon as possible if the district receives final approval from the Elmhurst City Council.
Board member Jim Collins asked Whelton for an estimate of what it will cost to re-install the old scoreboard at York’s stadium. Whelton said the district did not yet have an estimate.
The District 205 Board will hold its next regular meeting on Aug. 20.
