Meeting roundup

Hinsdale High School District 86

Among other business Sept. 22, board members:

• adopted the budget for fiscal year 2022-23 following a public hearing. The board approved an operational spending plan of $129.3 million against projected revenues of $129.4 million,

• approved a memorandum of understanding with the Hinsdale Township High School Support Staff Association regarding the creation and implementation of a retention bonus for the 2022-23 school year. This bonus, from a pool capped at $210,000, is available to paraprofessionals who are assigned to work in special education, was implemented in an effort to retain workers, who have been hard to recruit for the district amidst a widespread shortage in the field.

• approved the School Maintenance Grant Program for the upcoming fiscal year which, together with matching funds, will be used to pilot the Evolv weapons detection system at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South.

• discussed the district’s earned honors credit pilot following audience comments expressing concern that credit for the four courses that are part of the pilot will not be awarded until the end of first semester, thereby negatively impacting seniors’ transcripts submitted as part of the college application process. Chris Covino, assistant superintendent for academics, said this concern prompted the district to add a sentence to the comment box of the transcript alerting admissions departments of the courses that can be taken for the honors credit. Additional steps are also being considered.