South Central Reporter

Germantown School District 60 Board of Education met Nov. 13.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Meeting called to order at 7:00pm by President Lee Deerhake with the following members present: Matt Korte, Jessica Hemker, Andrea Linders, Nicole Peters, Ashley Winter and Lee Deerhake. Also in attendance: Superintendent, Robin Becker; Assistant Principal, Trisha Weekley; SEL/RtI/SpEd Coordinator, Kristine Beer; Board Secretary, Leigh Ann Arentsen and Teacher Representative, Kayla Rutz. Board Member Terry Biggs was absent.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance.

Motion (2024/25-63) to approve agenda was made by Mrs. Peters with a second by Mrs. Winter. Motion carried (6-0).

Welcome Guests and Comments from the Public

Reports:

Assistant Principal

● Students of the Month: Congratulations to 2nd Grader, Easton Solis, and 4th Grader, Grayson Schroeder, for being recognized as our October Students of the Month. Their charities of choice were Community Link and BCMW Community Services.

● CARE Team: During the first quarter of the school year, the CARE Team provided support for 29 GES students. The team brainstorms strategies to best meet the academic, behavioral, and social emotional needs of the students. The CARE Team arranges for our younger Bulldogs to have an older mentor. The mentors/mentees meet on an as needed basis.

● 1st Quarter Discipline Data: The 1st quarter discipline data overview included the Class DoJo positive percentages by grade level as well as the Misconduct Reports issued. Overall it was a good start to the school year.

● 1st Quarter Faculty/Staff Climate Survey: The survey results were shared and overall they were very positive. Mrs. Weekley discussed the importance of the survey and how the results are used to reinforce the positive and build upon the areas of challenge.

SEL/SpEd/RtI

● Student Mentor Program: Currently, 33 students are participating in the student mentor program which partners an older student with a younger student. The mentor and mentee meet as needed, focusing on building meaningful connections and fostering motivation.

● Mindful Mornings: Mindful Morning Time is held districtwide from 8:35-9:00. During this time, the Second Step curriculum is used to teach the students valuable social-emotional learning skills such as empathy, emotion management, and problem-solving. The goal is to create a positive and focused start to the day, helping students develop tools to navigate challenges both inside and outside the classroom.

● Book Club: New this year, the district facilitated 2 book studies this fall on the 5 Languages of Children and the 5 Love Languages of Teenagers. A total of 13 parents participated in the book studies. The atmosphere was positive, and the parents expressed gratitude for gaining practical insights they can apply in their daily lives.

● Girls on the Run Program: We are planning another spring season of Girls on the Run and will be reaching out to the community, including parents and college students, for volunteers to coach or assist. GOTR provides all necessary training and materials for the season. If there is sufficient interest among grades 6–8 and enough volunteers, we will also explore adding a Heart and Sole section for older students.

Superintendent

● Gym Project: The gym project is slowly gaining some steam. After meeting with the architect to revisit the design and project expectations, it was agreed that an updated preliminary design would be provided to the district by December 11. The district will then have its oversight team analyze the plans to ensure they align with the district's needs, priorities, and budgetary considerations. This step will help confirm that the proposed design meets both functional requirements and long-term goals for the school community. Once the plans are reviewed and finalized, we will be ready to go to bid.

● Capital Campaign: Where funding the project is concerned, the Capital Campaign has been instrumental in helping to close the gap. We are continuing our efforts to raise an additional $300,000 to fully fund the project. To support this goal, we are partnering with Lakeview Consulting to identify and apply for grants that align with our vision and can help bridge the funding gap. This, in addition to returns on our investments, should get us to our goal.

● School Report Card: This year’s School Report Card has gone public, and we earned the highest summative designation of Exemplary once again. Mrs. Becker provided an overview of the Index Score Report associated with the 2024 Illinoi School Report Card.

Motion (2024/25-64) to approve the items of consent as follows was made by Mrs. Hemker with a second by Mr. Korte. Roll call vote showed the following: Korte, aye; Hemker, aye; Linders, aye; Peters, aye; Winter, aye and Deerhake, aye.

Items of Consent:

1. Approve Minutes of October 9, 2004

2. Approve Bills/Payroll for November 2024

3. Review of closed Session Minutes for Public Release – April 2024

4. Approve Destruction of Verbatim Recording of April 2023

5. Approve Financial Reports for October 2024

a. Budget

b. Balance Sheet

c. Fund Balance

d. Bulldog Activity

New Business:

Motion (2024/25-65) to set the date for Tax Levy Hearing for December 11 at 7:00pm was made by Mr. Korte with a second by Mrs. Linders. Motion carried (6-0).

Motion (2024/25-66) to enter Closed Session at 7:45pm to discuss the Appointment, Employment, Evaluation, or Dismissal of Employees and Student Discipline was made by Mrs. Peters with a second by Mrs. Winters. Motion carried (6-0).

Motion (2024/25-67) to return to Open Session at 8:20pm was made by Mrs. Winter with a second by Mrs. Peters. Motion carried (6-0).

Motion (2024/25-68) to reassign LaDawn Gebke from Kitchen Helper to Head Cook for the 2025-26 School Year was made by Mrs. Hemker with a second by Mrs. Linders. Roll call vote showed the following: Hemker, aye; Linders, aye; Peters, aye; Winter, aye; Korte, aye and Deerhake, aye.

Motion (2024/25-69) to accept the resignation of Caroline Kenow as Full Time Substitute Teacher was made by Mrs. Winter with a second by Mrs. Linders. Roll call vote showed the following: Linders, aye; Peters, aye; Winter, aye; Korte, aye; Hemker, aye and Deerhake, aye.

Motion (2024/25-70) to accept the resignation of Kaylen Fuhler as Paraprofessional was made by Mrs. Linders with a second by Mrs. Winter. Roll call vote showed the following: Peters, aye; Winter, aye; Korte, aye; Hemker, aye; Linders, aye and Deerhake, aye.

Motion (2024/25-71) to adjourn the meeting at 8:21pm was made by Mrs. Winter with a second by Mr. Korte. Motion carried (6-0).

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