District 113A Board to Vote on Strategic, Financial Plans

The Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A Board of Education is expected to vote Tuesday on its five-year strategic plan and updated financial plan, which includes the hiring of 10.6 staff members for the upcoming school year.

The board will consider both plans, as well as a new mission statement, during its monthly business meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Old Quarry Middle School, 16100 W. 127th St.

District 113A has been working on its strategic plan since the fall, when administrators began holding both internal and public discussions to determine the district's goals for the next five years and the necessary steps to achieve them.

The draft presented by the administration in February, March and again on Tuesday included a comprehensive list of new resources to support District 113A's goals from 2013 through 2018, which include reducing class sizes, updating curriculum materials, improving facilities and replacing out-of-date technology in the district's three schools.

If approved, the district would put about $2.1 million toward its strategic action plan during the 2013-14 school year, including $499,000 to build reserves. 

The staffing portion for next year calls for one part-time kindergarten teacher, one second-grade teacher, one third-grade teacher, two fifth-grade teachers, one English Language Learners teacher, a middle school counselor and two part-time music teachers, in addition to two support staff members.

Following a lengthy discussion at the district's April 2 workshop meeting, the board directed the administration to add one additional certified staff member to the plan, for a total of 10.6 new positions this fall. 

District 113A Superintendent Susan Birkenmaier said the extra position will be a reading specialist at Old Quarry, which was determined to be the highest priority for student services.

With the additional teachers—taking enrollment trends into account—average class sizes are expected to reduce from:

• 27.3 to 23.9 in kindergarten;
• 26.9 to 23.9 in first grade;
• 31.3 to 23.9 in second grade;
• 31.8 to 27.8 in third grade;
• 32.7 to 28.2 in fourth grade;
• 37 to 32.7 in fifth grade;
• 35.8 to 32.4 in seventh grade.

Although the plan is set to go before the board Tuesday, it is still unclear whether a majority of the board will support it.

During the workshop meeting, Board President Dave Molitor, Vice President Kevin Doherty and Board Member Lisa Wright all voiced support for administration's original recommendation for expenditures in 2013-14, which included just 9.6 new positions and a plan to spend nearly $360,000 on "much-needed" technological upgrades and replacements.

Board Members Al Malley, Mike Aurelio and Karen Siston objected to the proposed technology expenditures due to the large amount that would be spent up front. They suggested that some of that money be used toward staffing instead.

With Secretary Cindy Kelly absent due to illness, the divided board was forced to compromise so administrators could amend both the strategic and financial plans. The updated drafts now include the hiring of one more certified staff member than was recommended using funds previously allocated for technology and curriculum.

If approved Tuesday, District 113A's financial plan will be sent to the Illinois State Board of Education for final approval. Because the state must approve the plan before the district can move forward with hiring—and because that process could take several months—Birkenmaier said she hopes to submit something as soon as possible.

"Time is becoming very critical for us to be able get something in front of the state board of education and get their approval so we can do what we need to do in terms of recruiting and getting people trained," Birkenmaier said.

Deb Vespa, ISBE Division Administrator for School Business Services, participated in part of the workshop via telephone. She said she would like to see a plan from the district by the end of May at the latest.

Despite the disagreement at the workshop, Birkenmaier said board members and administrators "are all trying to reach the same goals."

"The debate is really just about the allocation of resources and how fast we want to do things," Birkenmaier said after the meeting. "The important thing is that we're all trying to get to the same place with these goals we've laid out in the strategic plan." 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

There are plenty of ways to keep up on Lemont news:

• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news email alerts

• Like us on Facebook for a slightly different take