Here’s what’s happening at District 205…
By Chris Fox
For The Elmhurst Independent
The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board held a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at the District 205 Center, 162 S. York St. Commissioner Jim Collins was absent from the meeting, which was the board’s first meeting of 2018.
Music students honored
The board recognized the district students who were selected to attend the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) Elementary and Junior High Division annual District 1 Music Festival. The event, which took place on Nov. 4 at Lincoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox, featured middle school students from more than 60 area schools. The selected students completed rigorous auditions to earn invitations to the festival. The District 205 students who were selected to perform in the festival’s concerts included students from Bryan Middle School, Churchville Middle School, and Sandburg Middle School. Three District 205 students were selected to play in the ILMEA Junior and Senior Jazz Band Festival, which took place Nov. 11 at Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing.
IPA honors Bryan Middle School Principal
The board also recognized Bryan Middle School Principal Jacquelyn Discipio during the Jan. 9 meeting. The Illinois Principals Association DuPage Region recently named Discipio its 2017-18 Middle School Principal of the Year. District 205 Superintendent David Moyer nominated Discipio for the honor. (Look for a story about Discipio receiving her award elsewhere in this issue of the Elmhurst Independent.)
CPAs present annual audit review
The meeting included a brief presentation regarding the annual audit review of the district. Klein Hall CPAs of Aurora conducted the annual audit. Andrew Mace of Klein Hall CPAs delivered the presentation about his firm’s comprehensive annual financial report of the district for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. According to the accounting firm, as of June 30, 2017, the district’s assets and deferred outflows exceeded its liabilities and deferred inflows by nearly $60 million. Of that amount, about $32.5 million may be used to meet the district’s ongoing future obligations. The audit states the district had total revenues of about $155.2 million and total expenses of about $148.5 million during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017.
The Jan. 9 board meeting also featured a short presentation about proposed summer facilities projects in the district. The proposed capital projects for the summer of 2018 are estimated to cost about $1.3 million. The projects included tuckpointing at York High School ($175,000), Emerson Elementary School ($125,000) and Jackson Elementary School ($200,000), as well as the replacement of the auditorium roof at Sandburg ($145,500), the replacement of the cafeteria roof at York ($150,000) and the replacement of the chiller at Field School ($150,000).
Dual language immersion program approved
Board members voted unanimously to approve a two-way immersion dual language program (Spanish/English), beginning with kindergarten in the 2018-19 school year. The program, which will begin at Conrad Fischer Elementary School, will roll up one year at a time, with full implementation (kindergarten through fifth grade) in the 2023-24 school year. Staff members supporting the program gave a presentation to the board at the last board meeting on Dec. 12, 2017. The two-way immersion dual language program will replace the traditional Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) program.
Speaking at the Jan. 9 meeting, Moyer described the two-way immersion program as a phenomenal enrichment opportunity. Board member John McDonough stated the two-way immersion program is transformational and “a gem of a program.” Board president Shannon Ebner said the dual-language immersion program has been discussed for many years, adding that she feels the TBE program is not working. Ebner said that there is evidence that the dual-language immersion will help both native-Spanish and native-English speakers.
A dual-immersion class would ideally include 50 percent native-English speakers and 50 percent native-Spanish speakers. Fischer students will have the priority to join the program. Students at other district schools would have a chance to opt in through a lottery. Families at Fischer and other district schools who are not interested in the immersion program will not be forced to enroll, and no students will be forced to leave their home schools.
Participation fees set for boys, girls lacrosse
The board also voted unanimously to approve that participation fees for York’s boys and girls lacrosse teams be set at $175 per student beginning with the spring 2018 season. Until this year, boys and girls students and their families have paid the full cost of participation. Beginning this year, the IHSA has given lacrosse equal standing with other high school sports. The fee of $175 is consistent with participation fees in York’s other athletic programs.
The board will hold its next meeting on Jan. 23.
