Kankakee Times

Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School District 307 Board of Education met Sept. 14.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

Meeting was Called to Order in the BBCHS Auditorium at 6:00 p.m. by Board President, Justin Caldwell.

Pledge of Allegiance

Present at Roll Call: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, Patterson, and Caldwell. O’Gorman arrived at 6:12 pm.

Individuals present at Roll Call in the BBCHS Auditorium: Superintendent Wakeley, Brian Wright, Chris Hammond, Tiffany Kohl, Kate Lippoldt, Robert White, Candace Wells, Evan Tingley, Callie Kant, Mike Kohl and David Williams of BBCHS, Marissa Anderson, Heather Kuntz, Kelly McCully, Lisa Johnson, Devan Gonzalez, Melissa Fischer and Amy Burn from the Bradley-Bourbonnais community and Ms. S. Markham of the Daily Journal.

Absent at Roll Call: Student Representative, Thomas Musgrave.

Public Comments – Kelly McCully, Marissa Anderson, Melissa Fischer and Amy Burn spoke for 3 minutes each sharing their concerns with remote and blended learning and their desire for BBCHS to return to in-person learning as close to full-time as possible.

Introductions – None.

Mr. O’Gorman asked for Consent Agenda item 2.7.1. be removed before approval of the Consent Agenda.

Mr. Mann motioned to approve the Consent Agenda, with the removal of 2.7.1.:

Minutes from Regular Board Meeting August 10, 2020

Minutes from Closed Session Meeting, August 10, 2020

Minutes from Special Board Meeting, September 8, 2020

Bills

Financial Report

Hires:

Della Ritter, Athletic Trainer

Kevin Baker, Volunteer Golf Coach

Tina Most, Part-Time Custodian

2020-21 Winter/Spring Coaching Recommendations

Resignations:

Sarah Zarnowski, Science Teacher

Jose Roman, Security

Amy Nehls, Spring 2021 Track & Cross Country Coach

Robin Ferro, Cafeteria Server

Kimberly Birge, Cafeteria Server

Tina Most, Cafeteria Server

Katie Lindo, Badminton Coach

Diane Buckles, Cafeteria Server

Mr. Kuntz seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

Presentations – None.

Committee Reports –

Student Report – None.

Student Success & Learning Culture Committee – The committee met to discuss remote and blended learning, the possible school website provider change from SOCS to Blackboard, improvements for the softball fields, and the football turf project.

Professional Culture & Family and Community Partnerships Committee – The committee focused the majority of the meeting on blended learning. They also discussed the turf project, BBYSL softball field upgrades and a new provider/platform for the school website.

Finance and Operations & Optimal Facilities Committee- The committee met to discuss a new website provider, additional FY21 projects: turf replacement for the football field, the BBYSL contract & softball field improvements, the property across from BBCHS for additional guest parking, and a new position for a full-time Substitute. The 1.6M FY21 budget deficit, which will be reduced by half if Tier funding is received, was discussed. The challenges of returning to school full days, a daily rotating schedule for a third of the student body and alternating days with half of the student body was discussed.

KARVES – The committee did not meet.

IASB – The committee did not meet.

The following committees did not meet: KARVES, and IASB

Correspondence and/or Superintendent’s Comments – None.

Unfinished Business –

Mr. Hammond presented the bid for softball field improvements at BBYSL. The bid estimate increase of $300,000 was due to the complexities of the project. District funds have not been spent on this site in the last 20 years.

Mr. Kuntz motioned to approve the low bid for the softball field improvements.

Mrs. Brezinski seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

Mr. Kuntz motioned to adopt the FY21 Budget as presented during the Budget Hearing.

Mrs. Brezinski seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

Dr. Wakeley expressed his appreciation for the parents’ feedback during Public Comment regarding the remote and blended learning plan. Dr. Wakeley, the Administration and BBEA have been working together on the framework for the metrics to return to school in 2020-21. He acknowledged the best remote learning plan could not replace in-person learning. It is important to listen to the teachers who are on the front line. We recognize everyone’s job is significantly harder. Full day in-school with the A,B,C schedule would present challenges with time for intervention with 2/3rds of the students who are learning remotely. He cited challenges with 6 ft. social distancing and contact tracing as some of the limitations from the guidelines that are out of the district’s control. Rules change daily. It like we are building a plane while it is in the air. We want our students back in school but staff and student safety are BBCHS’ first priority.

Dr. Wright initially presented four options for returning to school to the Board of Education. Option 3 with 1/3 of the students receiving in-person instruction began on September 14. Teachers are navigating new platforms daily to enhance instruction in a COVID world over the last 3 ½ weeks with the new blended learning model. The goal is to provide the same learning experience for all students with teachers recording live lessons daily to make learning available 24/7 for in-person and remote learners. Thirty-minute periods make maintaining the rigor of the course curriculum challenging. Teachers are working together with their teams to overcome this challenge. Student attendance expectations are the same for in-person and remote student, students are present daily during their class period.

Teachers are transforming lessons normally taught in person to new platforms to provide instruction digitally/virtually, analyzing the work that was done and finding ways to improve the lessons, and learning different tools to improve teaching in the electronic Covid world during the afternoons when students attend school in-person from 8-noon. Interventions with remote learners, small group work with students, and sharing teaching strategies at department team meetings consume the teachers’ afternoons.

Mr. Tingley reported on student engagement and attendance. During the second week of remote learning 99% of the students were engaged in at least one course. The Student Support team made over 1,000 phone calls and knocked on 400 doors to check on disengaged students. All but 19 students were contacted. Classroom space for up to forty-five students is available at BBCHS for students in need of internet access and/or a quiet space for remote learning. The Problem Solving team reaches out to students who are struggling in school and offer this alternative for a learning space. Reservations are not needed

The Student Support team are creating a dashboard with measurable metrics for student success and learning. The Board asked the metrics include the following:

Engagement: what are students producing?

Reference Standards

Expectations: what are they in a virtual world?

Learning: What does it look like compared to learning last year?

Attendance: How does it compare to last year’s 92% attendance?

Engagement: How are you measuring it on a daily basis? With teachers? With peers?

How are we interacting with struggling and/or model students? Data needed

Data from the first four days of Red/White hybrid learning, two weeks of remote learning and four weeks of A/B/C learning will be shared at the next School Board meeting on October 12th.

Mrs. Brezinski asked if students are required to log-in? Yes Is on-site learning available to all students? Forty-five slots are currently available, the Problem Solving team contacts students whose grades are in jeopardy and offers the space for daily learning.

Mr. Kuntz asked Dr. Wright if there anything we could do for the mental health of the students. He expressed concerns about full remote by choice vs virtual learning, as it is not the same. Now students are only in-person once every three days. Dr. Wright advised teachers’ utilized SEL techniques during Boiler Block that they now use at the end of each class period to try to engage students. Mrs. Lippoldt said counselors and social workers are meeting with students by appointments made through Google. Mr. Kohl offered weightlifting through APT as a positive form of SEL. BB has the best APT around with over 700 kids participating. There is room for more students to attend.

Dr. Wells spoke about the self-contained students who attend school 5 days a week.

Dr. Caldwell expressed understanding the need for time for the teachers, administrators and the Board to work together to create a sustainable plan. He apologized to the teaching staff; it was not the Board’s intent to offend. We need healthy, regular discussions and weekly updates. The next phase of returning to school is a work in progress without a definitive date. It is more important to be right at the end of the meeting vs the beginning of the meeting. Key metrics needed include data points to see where the students are in the learning process and measurable success points. How do we hit the targets set and how we are doing at achieving them? The Board will look for presentations at the Board committee meetings scheduled September 30, October 1 and 2. A presentation of the plan and implementation schedule will be provided at the October 12 Board meeting.

Mrs. Edmonds motioned to continue the alternating schedule of half-day in-person instruction for one third of the students until further notice. A stipulation of the motion was the teachers and administrators will work together to prepare a plan with an implementation timeline for the return to in-person instruction that will be presented at the next School Board meeting, scheduled October 12th.

Mr. Patterson seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: O’Gorman.

New Business: -

Ms. Kant presented the need and benefits for the new website platform, Blackboard.

Mr. Kuntz motioned to approve the website platform change as presented.

Mrs. Edmonds seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

Dr. Wright presented 1945 as the 2020-21 school year enrollment for BBCHS. BBCHS is the second largest high school in the county.

The item 2.7.1., Della Ritter, Athletic Trainer, was discussed. Ms. Ritter will be working with BBCHS athletes under BBCHS’ multi-year contract with ATI.

Mr. Mann motioned to approve item 2.7.1. Hire, Della Ritter, Athletic Trainer, as presented. The item was removed earlier from the Consent Agenda.

Mr. Kuntz seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

During committee meetings, the need for a Full-Time substitute position was discussed.

Mr. Mann motioned to approve the Full-Time Substitute position.

Mr. Patterson seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

Mrs. Edmonds motioned to place the Policies presented on 30-day review.

Mr. Kuntz seconded the motion.

Yeas: Brezinski, Edmonds, Kuntz, Mann, O’Gorman, Patterson and Caldwell.

Nays: None.

With no Other Business, Mr. Mann motioned to Adjourn at 8:14 p.m.

Mr. Kuntz seconded the motion.

Voice vote:

Carried: 7

Defeated: 0

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/bbchs/Board.nsf/public