Dear Shorewood Families,
Please see below for highlights from the most recent School Board meeting and upcoming meeting reminders.
June 8th Board Meeting Highlights
Facilities Update
The District Owner’s Rep, Mike Huffman, shared a construction progress update detailing the recent work at each of the three schools. Construction and renovation projects remain on schedule at all sites. Atwater, in Phase 8 of construction, began renovations on Room 301 and the library on June 7th. Lake Bluff began construction on the EEC building on June 14th. At SHS, construction is underway in multiple administrative spaces on the 1st floor of the main building, in the basement of the SHS Arena, and in the SHS auditorium.
Project administration updates included playground planning for both Atwater and Lake Bluff. Lee Recreation finalized plans for Atwater’s east playground and renderings for the new playground will be presented in next month’s board report. Plans for Atwater’s far west and Lake Bluff’s north playgrounds are being finalized and will be presented to leadership for final approval by the end of this month. Budget/bid updates as well as a few design directives were also provided.
View the detailed progress status report, which includes a high-level mid-year project summary, here. Below are a few photos of recent construction progress at SHS.
SHS
Resolution for School Funding
The Board unanimously approved a resolution for school funding, which called on the State Legislature to support the following investments in public education:
-$200 per pupil revenue limit adjustment
-60% reimbursement for special education programs, funded as a sum sufficient allocation
-The Governor’s proposed budget in full
-The recommendations of the Speaker’s Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding
The Board also requested that the declining enrollment exemption and the hold harmless exemption carry over from the 2020-21 school year into the 2021-22 school year.
View the entire Resolution for School Funding here.
Preliminary Budget
Interim Business Services Director, Roger Dickson, discussed the proposed preliminary budget for the 2021-22 school year and provided direction for the preliminary budget to be presented for approval at the next Board meeting.
The preliminary budget includes the best estimates of expected revenue and expenditures for the upcoming school year; however, adjustments will be made throughout the summer and early fall to develop the original budget which will be approved by the Board in October.
Here are some key takeaways from the preliminary budget:
- The per pupil revenue limit increase will be $0 (down from $100 in earlier projections)
- 50% of students that left the District in 2020-21 will return in 2021-22
- Special education aid will increase from 25.5% to 30%
- 4. 82% of ESSER2 funds will be used to reimburse the district for costs already incurred, with the balance used for mental health, nursing services and to update technology infrastructure, no change from past projections
- 5. 20% of ESSER3 funds will be used to strengthen instructional gains for students that were unable to maintain progress during alternative instructional delivery models
- Automatic increases will be: Wages - 1.23%, Medical Insurance - 7.5%, Utilities - 2.5%, Property & Casualty Insurance - $20,375
View the detailed preliminary budget and the full set of assumptions here.
Upcoming Meetings
The next School Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 22, at 7 p.m. All are welcome to participate virtually and you can find all Board packets and agenda items here.
Hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Paru Shah, Shorewood School Board President
[email protected]