Consolidation still a consideration

Bonnie Morris
Posted 6/29/17

MENDOTA – Consolidation of Mendota’s two school districts was not recommended by a recently completed feasibility study but Mendota High School board president Jim Lauer believes more time is needed to make a final decision on the matter.

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Consolidation still a consideration

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MENDOTA – Consolidation of Mendota’s two school districts was not recommended by a recently completed feasibility study but Mendota High School board president Jim Lauer believes more time is needed to make a final decision on the matter.

Reporting at the District 280 Board of Education meeting on June 26, Lauer said the study’s negative result was primarily based on finances. “But the majority of that expense is salaries and benefits, which we expected,” Lauer commented. “The study had $381,000 as a levy difference based on a $5.33 levy as opposed to a $5.64 levy, which we currently have. In my mind, that difference could be made up and that would be determined by future boards or a Committee of 10 if one were to develop.”

Lauer felt that compromises could be made on salaries and benefits, saying he did not assume the unions would demand the higher level on both. “It depends on what drives the motivation for consolidation,” he added. “If it’s driven by finances, that’s one thing. If it’s driven by a cohesive curriculum that would transition from 8th grade to 9th, they may think differently. I think that’s what will determine this thing.”

Lauer agreed, however, that if all employees demanded the higher salaries and benefits, then consolidation would not be a good idea. “The public can’t be expected to accept that,” he said, “but it’s to be determined yet depending on where salaries and benefits come in.”

Board member Jim Strouss pointed out that it was unlikely any state incentive money would actually be received to help offset the cost of consolidation, and Lauer agreed, saying that “relying on the state for money is probably rather naïve.”

Jason Motter, who joined the board in April, said he did not see the benefit for students. He also noted that comments he has heard from the public do not support consolidation.

Lauer replied that the advantage would be a cohesive curriculum throughout the grades with one board and one administration. “Not much else would change,” he said. “But I would like to take another month to have people contact us and express their opinion. Yes, it seems most people are entrenched one way or the other. If they’ve lived here long enough, they’ve gone through it before. We’ve had some calls but to say it’s been determined by the study that it’s not feasible, we have to look at it thoroughly before we decide. A committee could form without our knowledge or we could do it jointly with District 289 if they have interest. I need to give it more time and get more input to make a decision.”

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Chromebook distribution will begin at MHS on July 19. Principal Denise Aughenbaugh said five different dates with morning and evening hours have been scheduled for distribution of computers and parents have been reminded to sign up for one of those times. (The information is available at www.mendotahs.org.)

Superintendent Jeff Prusator said he has been overwhelmed with positive responses from parents on the 1:1 initiative. “They appreciate the board thinking forward and taking on the financial responsibility,” he commented. “Parents appreciate the fact that we’re reaching out and giving all students a Chromebook to use. I think it’s going to be very well received.”

Aughenbaugh said MHS is offering online registration this year. Parents who prefer to register in person may do so on July 26 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mr. Masini will also be available that day to process free and reduced lunch applications.

The registration fee is $90. Lab fees for art, band, industrial arts, and foods classes are $20 per class, and the driver education fee is $100. Fees must be paid before a student is permitted to attend classes.

Aughenbaugh said parents will also be asked to take a survey with registration information listed in five sections. Section 1 form completion will serve as their legal signature, and we request emergency contact and demographic information updates or changes are made through Parent Connect.

In the past, parents had to call or contact the school office to request a phone or mailing change. Parents now have the opportunity to update demographic and emergency contact information on their own. (The school office will accept the request to update information before any permanent changes are made.)

Section 2 is a welcome survey and Section 3 is the health history form. The school nurse has also updated all of the current requirements and MHS forms online at www.mendotahs.org under the nurse’s link. Section 4 references transportation. Due to the location of Mendota High School, every student is eligible to receive free bus transportation to and from school. Parents may request additional bus location information and times in this section.

Section 5 will cover the athletic registration requirements. If parents would prefer a paper copy of athletic forms, they may receive them at the parent athletic meeting on Sunday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. in the gym. The updated MHS Student Athletic handbooks and forms will be available online at www.mendotahs.org, student activities and athletic tab.

Incoming freshmen and students new to the district will receive information by mail on signing into Parent Connect to complete the registration process. (Current families who need Parent Connect login information should contact Mendota High School at (815) 539-7446, ext. 548).

Credit card payments will be accepted through www.ezschoolpay.com. Parents can pay registration fees, participation fees, any late fines, and also place money on their student’s lunch account easily at www.ezschoolpay.com.

Yearbook and student ID pictures may be taken on July 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sophomore, juniors and seniors are asked to stop in anytime during those hours to have a yearbook/ID picture taken. (Pictures will also be taken on Aug. 14 from 1-7 p.m.) Seniors need to have a photo taken by HR Imaging on this date or the make-up date in order to have their photo printed in the spring graduation newspapers.

Freshman Orientation Night will be Monday, Aug. 14 and all freshman are asked to attend. Aughenbaugh thanked Adrianne Espinoza and the School Improvement Team for coordinating the event. All freshmen are encouraged to have their ID/yearbook picture taken on Aug. l4 prior to the orientation. They should arrive anytime between 3 and 5 p.m. for pictures. Chromebook distribution will be at 5 p.m. A welcome presentation will be given in the auditorium from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for freshman and parents. Afterward, several teachers will be available for tours of classrooms from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Parents and freshman may also follow the class schedule and become comfortable with the building. The first day of school will be on Aug. 16.

Aughenbaugh reminded parents to please schedule school/sports physicals now. All freshmen need a physical exam by a licensed physician, APN or PA, on the certificate of child Health Examination form. BMI must be completed on all physicals. Freshman physicals also serve as sports physicals. Immunizations must be up to date and recorded on the 9th grade physical from medical staff.

All l0th, 11th and l2th grade students who wish to participate in fall athletics must have a current sports physical turned in to the office. If a student had a sports physical taken in May at MHS, the copy is already on record.

Athletic Parent Meeting

The annual mandatory Parent Athletic Meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6 in the gym. Steve Hanson, athletic director, will present the program for parents and students in attendance. This will also be an opportunity for all student-athletes and parents to get a handbook if they did not review an electronic form, turn in sports physicals, sign forms if they were not signed electronically and consider Booster Club membership.

Football practice may begin on Aug. 7. Girls tennis, cross country, girls volleyball, golf and boys soccer, may begin practice on Aug. 9.

Summer School Update

Credit retrieval in math, science and English and summer driver’s education classroom have all been completed. The first two sections of dual-credit IVCC speech are finished; the final section of speech runs through July 17. Aughenbaugh thanked the board for allowing room in the budget for credit retrieval and credit acceleration during the summer, saying it is very helpful to many students.

In addition, Aughenbaugh said she was proud to presented three additional graduates their diplomas after they successfully completed summer school credit remediation.

She noted that students were issued 46 credits in math, science and English, which were critical to keep the students on track to graduate. In addition, about 30 speech credits and 70 for driver’s ed were issued helping students free up their schedule for electives such as band, choir, art and industrial arts.

Prusator commended Augenbaugh, Masini and Todd Doyle saying they deserve a great deal of credit for holding summer school and helping 200-250 students who attend for four to six weeks. “Running summer school is not easy - a lot of places don’t do it – but they do it because it benefits a ton of kids,” he said. “The credit retrieval is 100 percent free to students and families. Without it, kids can’t move on to college or get their diploma. We have 40 kids now who have a chance to graduate and be successful later on.

OTHER BUSINESS

A request from two certified staff members for student tuition waivers for their children to attend MHS was not approved by the board. Lauer commented that the district really encourages staff to live locally and he was not in favor of setting a precedent.

The 38 reserved parking spots for home football games will again be available at $100 each. Prusator noted that the money from this is saved in an account for future maintenance at the football stadium.

Jim Strouss said he wanted to make a statement regarding the governor and legislature’s lack of action. “We need a budget by Friday . . . I’m sick and tired of hearing the blame game down in Springfield,” he said. “These people get paid good money and they can’t get their job done . . . Every one of them, Republicans or Democrats, vote them out because they’re not getting their jobs done. They get paid every month. They’ve got a good pension, they got better pensions, better medical than anybody out there and they’re too damn lazy to get their jobs done. Fire them all.”

PERSONNEL

The board accepted the resignations of Frank Bromenschenkel as freshman girls basketball coach, Susan Stamberger as math tutor, Lisa Stith as FACS teacher, and Sean Fox as cross country coach.

They hired Kate Hagenbuch as speech language pathologist, Melissa Sallee as FACS teacher, and Jake Guerrero as assistant freshman football coach. They renewed David Boylan as school psychologist and appointed Mike Kilmartin as volunteer assistant varsity boys basketball coach.

The next regular board of education meeting will be held at the high school on Monday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. There is no meeting in July.