Meeting roundup

Hinsdale High School District 86 Board

Among other business March 9, board members:

• agreed they would like to hire a search firm to help find a replacement for Chris Covino, assistant superintendent of academics, who will retire at the end of the school year. They expect to review a contract with an IASB search firm at their March 23 meeting. Seventeen superintendent and assistant superintendent openings currently are posted on the Illinois job bank, Superintendent Tammy Prentiss said.

• listened to a presentation on the summer school program of studies. The two semesters will run from June 12-29 and July 5-20, with no classes June 19, July 3 or July 4. Eleven credit-bearing classes, 11 credit recovery courses, 10 enrichment classes and three workshops will be offered. Fees are $300 for semester classes, $600 for two-semester classes and $350 for driver education. Registration opens at noon April 15.

• heard a reminder from Prentiss that the 5 Essentials annual parent survey closes March 31. The district needs at least 20 percent of parents to participate in order to receive survey results from the state.

• set Wednesday, May 3, as the date of the board reorganization meeting

Community Consolidated School District 181 Board

Among other business Monday, board members:

• heard an update on full-day kindergarten, including a report on recently introduced Illinois House Bill 2396 that would require all districts to offer full-day kindergarten starting with the 2023-24 school year. Discussions are currently taking place in Springfield on possible amendments to address school district concerns over the fast timeline and the lack of funding to build new classrooms to accommodate expanded kindergarten programs. The board also discussed hiring a demographer to forecast enrollments in order to guide construction planning. An ad-hoc committee will be formed this spring to review the pros and cons of adding a full-day kindergarten option and issue a recommendation in December for a potential fall of 2025 full-day kindergarten start.

• approved the five-year purchase of Quaver Music curriculum for $57,333 to be implemented at all of the district’s elementary schools this fall

• heard a report on new curriculum for middle school World Language instruction. The Somos, Nous Sommes and Entre Cultures materials for Spanish and French instruction are available to preview at the D181 administrative office. The board will be asked to approve adoption of the $47,603 curriculum at its April 17 meeting.