Quincy Reporter

Community Unit School District 200 Board of Education met Aug. 13.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The first regular meeting of the month of August of the Board of Education of Community Unit School District 200, DuPage County, Illinois, was called to order at the School Service Center, 130 W Park Ave., Wheaton, IL, by Board Vice President Julie Kulovits, on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 7:00 PM.

ROLL CALL

Upon the roll being called, the following were present:

Board Members: Ms. Julie Kulovits

Mr. Dave Long

Ms. Angela Blatner

Ms. Katy Ebbesen

Mr. Erik Hjerpe

Mr. John Rutledge

Absent: Mr. Rob Hanlon

Also in Attendance: Dr. Jeff Schuler, Superintendent

Ms. Faith Behr

Mr. Matt Biscan

Ms. Melissa Murphy

Dr. Brian O’Keeffe

Dr. Chris Silagi

Mr. Jason Spencer

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Board Member Erik Hjerpe led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance.

PUBLIC HEARING

Approval to Open the Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget

The Board of Education must hold a Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget.

MOTION

Member Hjerpe moved, Member Long seconded to open the Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget. Upon a roll call being taken, the vote was: AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

PUBLIC COMMENTS ON HEARING

None

Approval to Close the Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget

The Board of Education must approve closing the Public Hearing at the conclusion of comments. Open Session Minutes – August 13, 2025 Page 1

MOTION

Member Rutledge moved, Member Ebbesen seconded to close the Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget. Upon a roll call being taken, the vote was: AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA

None

RECOGNITIONS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Dr. Schuler and the Board recognized the following students:

● First Place Athletes at the 2025 Special Olympics Illinois 2025 Summer Games ○ WNHS - Chase Ewoldt, Mini Javelin

○ WWSHS - Arianna Giampaoli-Martinez, Mini Javelin

PUBLIC COMMENTS – Agenda Items & Non-Agenda Items

None

SUPERINTENDENT REPORT

Dr. Schuler provided the following updates:

● The new high school student ambassadors were introduced: Yafet Asaye, Gavin Arena, and Ema Eissler from Wheaton North, as well as Emily Fahrman and Anaanya Kharbanda from Wheaton Warrenville South. (Cameron Miller from WWS was not able to attend the meeting.) They reported on their schools’ activities, athletics, and events leading to the start of the school year.

● Dr. Schuler thanked Student Ambassadors Gavin and Emily, who helped welcome approximately 80 new staff members to District 200 last week. The initiative allowing new staff to hear directly from some of our students was introduced last year. The students reflected on memorable teacher experiences they have had in D200 that have anchored learning experiences for them.

● Accepting gifts totaling just over $82,000 on tonight’s agenda - Thank you to PTAs, other organizations, and everyone who supports the district.

● Attended ribbon cuttings in the last few days for the new playgrounds at both Whittier and Wiesbrook. Both were amazing and fun to watch.

● Construction update - we have reached substantial completion dates for our summer construction work. This included work at several locations, the renovation launch at Monroe (30 renovated classrooms), and the launch of new additions at Monroe and Franklin. Thank you to the staff and our construction partners. The punch list is still being addressed for the middle school projects, and we have two busy summers of construction ahead.

● We are grateful for our relationships with our first responders. Thank you to the Wheaton Police Department for providing us with a detailed school safety operation plan at the start of each school year. Some joint communications have outlined how they will support our district, and they have encouraged their officers to visit our buildings to introduce themselves.

● We welcomed our teachers back today at all of our sites, and tomorrow will be dedicated to final preparations of classrooms and spaces for students. A big thank you to our principals who do a fantastic job preparing them to welcome students on Friday.

CONSENT AGENDA

1. Acceptance of Gifts from Lincoln Elementary School PTA – Recommend acceptance of gifts from Lincoln PTA as presented.

2. Acceptance of Gifts from Pleasant Hill Elementary School PTA – Recommend acceptance of gifts from Pleasant Hill PTA as presented.

3. Acceptance of Gift to Wheaton North High School - Performing Arts Department– Recommend acceptance of gifts to WNHS Performing Arts Department as presented.

4. Approval of Resolution Approving Travel, Meal, and Lodging Expenses – Recommend approval of the resolution approving travel, meal, and lodging expenses as presented.

5. Approval of Bills Payable and Payroll – Recommend approval of bills payable and payroll as presented.

6. Approval of Minutes - July 9, 2025, Regular Meeting, Open and Closed and Approval to Destroy Recordings of Closed Sessions Prior to March 2024 As Allowable by Law - Recommend approval of the minutes as presented and approve the destruction of recordings of closed sessions prior to March 2024 as allowable by law.

7. Approval of Personnel Report to Include Employment, Resignation, Retirement, and Leave of Absence of Administrative, Certified, Classified, and Non-Union Staff – Recommend approval of the personnel report as presented.

There were no comments and/or questions on the items.

MOTION

Member Rutledge moved, Member Long seconded to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the vote was: AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

FACILITIES APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA

1. Approval of Statements of Completion from the Regional Office of Education for Hubble Middle School, Johnson, Madison, Sandburg, Washington and Wiesbrook Elementary Schools, and Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South High Schools – Recommend approval of statements of completion from the ROE as presented.

2. Approval of First Amendment to the Commercial Lease Agreement with DuPage Technology Center for the Transition Program at 100 Bridge Street, Wheaton, Illinois – Recommend approval of the first amendment to the commercial lease agreement between CUSD 200 and DuPage Technology Center, LLC as presented.

3. Approval of Capital Projects - Summer 2026 - Recommend approval of the capital projects for summer 2026 as presented.

There was additional information/comments provided on the following:

● # 1 is recognizing the completed work done this summer, #2 is recognizing the growth of the Transition program and expansion of the space, and #3 is looking ahead to the summer of 2026 and the regular Sherman Dergis policy commitment to maintaining our buildings.

● Mr. Long, Chair of the Board Facilities Committee, provided an update on #3, which was discussed at the August 6 committee meeting. Major items include roofing at Lowell (half to be completed in summer 2026 and the rest the following year), two significant HVAC projects—one at Whittier (which will span two years) and the School Service Center (due to the risk of catastrophic failure from aging equipment). Additional planned work includes lighting and draperies for both high school auditoriums, as well as paving and concrete work at WNHS. The estimated total cost for the capital projects and the two playground replacements at Emerson and Washington is approximately $7.9 million.

MOTION

Member Long moved, Member Rutledge seconded to approve the Facilities Approval Consent Agenda as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the vote was: AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

POLICY APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA

1. Approval of Revised Policy 2:260 Uniform Grievance Procedure – Recommend approval of revised policy 2:260 as presented.

2. Approval of Revised Policy 5:60 Expenses – Recommend approval of revised policy 5:60 as presented.

3. Approval of Revised Policy 5:100 Staff Development Program – Recommend approval of revised policy 5:100 as presented.

4. Approval of Revised Policy 6:235 Access to Electronic Networks – Recommend approval of revised policy 6:235 as presented.

5. Approval of Revised Policy 7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:10 as presented.

6. Approval of Revised Policy 7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:20 as presented.

7. Approval of Revised Policy 7:60 Residence – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:60 as presented.

8. Approval of Revised Policy 7:70 Attendance and Truancy – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:70 as presented.

9. Approval of Revised Policy 7:200 Suspension Procedures – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:200 as presented.

10. Approval of Revised Policy 7:250 Student Support Services – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:250 as presented.

11. Approval of Revised Policy 7:340 Student Records – Recommend approval of revised policy 7:340 as presented.

12. Approval of New Policy 7:255 Students Who are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence – Recommend approval of new policy 7:255 as presented.

Additional information/comments were provided on the following:

● #4 - Policy 6:235 Access to Electronic Networks: additions regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled tools and whether this will require substantial changes to any administrative procedures. This was discussed at the HR/Policy committee and noted as complementary work. The steps listed in the policy are already in place. This is an evolving area related to Generative AI, but we are currently in a good space.

MOTION

Member Ebbesen moved, Member Rutledge seconded to approve the Policy Approval Consent Agenda as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the vote was: AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

ACTION ITEMS

#1 - Approval of Vision 2026 Work Plan Priorities for 2025-2026

District 200 has utilized strategic planning as a tool to guide the work of the District and School Board. Our current strategic planning effort, Vision 2026, started with the development of our Portrait of a Graduate. That work involved two rounds of community input, and the work of a design team that developed the Portrait based on the input and community engagement sessions. The Portrait was presented to the Board of Education in January of 2022, and launched the development of our Vision 2026 Plan. Each school year, the metrics identified on the Vision 2026 Dashboard are monitored, and results are reported to the Board of Education throughout the year at the Committee of the Whole and Regular Board of Education Meetings. Additionally, specific work plans or improvement strategies are identified each year to address the areas of priority in the Vision 2026 Plan or the results on the Vision 2026 Dashboard. Each summer, the Board of Education reviews and provides input on the Strategies for the upcoming school year. Once approved, the work plans support the development of School Improvement Plans and work plans for the upcoming school year.

The Vision 2026 Dashboard includes both the metrics monitored by the Board of Education each school year and specific strategies aligned to the areas of priority in the Vision 2026 Plan, or the results on the Vision 2026 Dashboard. The Board reviewed the draft of the strategies for the 2025-2026 School Year via an oral report at the July meeting, intending to bring the strategies to the August Board Meeting for proposed action and approval.

There was additional information on the following:

● The three essential components of the district's strategic work plan are: a visioning element (Portrait of a Graduate), a mission statement, and a set of key performance indicators/metrics (District Dashboard), along with the strategies or work plans.

● At the beginning of the strategic plan, we identified the main areas of work, but each year we review them with the Board to determine the work priorities for the upcoming year. They are usually aligned with those.

● It is hard to precisely predict what four years will entail at the beginning of a four-year strategic plan. In the beginning, we identified work related to blended learning courses. However, the pandemic and global events changed the landscape, and this has not been a major focus in the plan as we initially expected. As a result, we haven't seen many annual work plan strategies related to that.

● Include developing a new strategic plan in our work plan for this year. We are in the final year of a four-year plan, and we will need to allocate time—especially in the second half of this year—to work with the Board, the administrative team, and some of our advisory committees within the district on a new process.

● It is not a formal requirement for the Board to approve the work plans annually, but doing so helps ensure complete clarity about what will be worked on during the year.

There were comments and/or questions on the following:

● Since the indicators show how we measure our performance, the challenge as it relates to the state testing change from SAT to ACT, and the pause in the PSAT to SAT growth indicator. Due to this, we are not seeing progress across a broader continuum of time; ways to do some equalization or normalization of SAT vs. ACT scores to continue to measure progress. It was noted that there will be a growth metric this year at the high school level. The state is introducing a growth metric tied to ACT for the first time this year.

● Do we know if the state growth metric or categories include proficient or excels? Noted the change in the state cut scores. The cut scores primarily indicate proficiency, while a growth score reflects how much a student’s scale scores increase year-over-year compared to others who took the same test and started at the same level. The proficiency categories don't relate to growth.

Open Session Minutes – August 13, 2025 Page 5

● When we discuss proficiency at the high school level, there is a clear definition of what demonstrates proficiency in ELA and math. There are several ways a high school student can show proficiency - through a test score, successful completion of an early college course, passing a designated math course that counts as a proficiency course, or through the new transitional courses (English or Math) introduced in partnership with College of DuPage. This approach is different from a single test score that determines proficiency.

● The Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) will still be administered in fifth and eighth grades.

● The proficiency cut scores are changing this year. This change in proficiency cut scores will not impact the growth metrics.

● Appreciate the ideas discussed at the board table throughout the year that are included in the work plans for the upcoming year.

It was recommended that the Board of Education approve the Vision 2026 Work Plan Priorities for 2025-26 as presented.

MOTION

Member Hjerpe moved, Member Long seconded that the Board approve the Vision 2026 work plan priorities as presented. Upon a roll call vote being taken, the vote was AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried 6-0.

ORAL REPORTS

Vision 2026 Special Education Work Plan

During the 2024-25 school year, Alexis Hanson, Executive Director for Special Education, undertook a stakeholder engagement process for reviewing special education. This included a survey provided to all parents and staff, along with opportunities for staff and parents to participate in listening sessions. The findings were reported to the Board of Education at the October Committee of the Whole Meeting.

During the meeting, Ms. Alexis Hanson provided an overview of the items on the Vision 2026 work plan and how these are connected to the stakeholder engagement report. The PowerPoint, Special Education Highlights: Progress and Priorities, included information on the following:

● Agenda Items for Today’s Update

○ Listening & Learning: Insights from Stakeholder Engagement - Summary of feedback from parents, staff, and community; Key trends guiding special education priorities

○ Vision 2026: Strategic Work Plan for Special Education - Progress on multi-year initiatives; Alignment with district strategic goals

● What We Heard: Top Trends from Stakeholder Engagement

○ Top Trends for both Parents and Staff included: Improve Communication & Collaboration, Increase Training/Support Needs, Inclusion Opportunities (including staffing for), Address the Aide Shortage

○ Top Trends for Parents included: Increase Parent Engagement in the IEP Process

○ Top Trends for Staff included: Time Management & Workload, Curriculum &

○ Instruction

● Priorities Identified for the 2024-25 School Year

○ Instructional Program Work (items already decided to have on the work plan) - Launch review of Elementary Resource, PISA programming (students who are significantly behind academically), and intervention resources; Expand inclusive electives for middle school Essentials; Support implementation of Enhanced Core Reading Instruction for Bookworms (supporting how we can enhance that core through differentiation and reading instruction for students in the classroom). 

○ Systems & Community Focus (added from the conversations heard from staff) - Strengthen transitions across building levels; Scale professional learning organization-wide; Increase school & community engagement for in and out of district students (students may access instructional programs not at their home school, and some students access out of district programming)

● Priorities for Future Years (2025 - Beyond) - Identified from stakeholder engagement 

○ Professional Learning (PL) & Staff Support - Expand PL opportunities; Review staffing and workload; Conduct IEP training

○ Communication -Department communication framework; Increase Multilingual partnerships

○ Family & Community Engagement - Form a Parent Advisory Council; Increase community awareness of programming

○ Program & Process Improvements - Enhance transition process; Create program guides; Improve the website

● From Planning to Progress: Department Milestones (2024-25) - Actions Already Taken Toward Strategic Priorities

○ Instructional Improvements - Jan 6: Bookworms Enhanced Training for all Staff; Jan 30: Universal Design for Learning within IM Training; Feb 28: Professional Learning (PL) for General Education Teachers

○ Family & Community Engagement - Shared PTA Accessibility Brochure; Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meetings Started (two meetings last year); Out-of-District Picture Day

○ Systems & Operations - Resource Committee Meetings (monthly); Bridge Meeting Process Shifts; Dates for PL Established

● Vision 2026 Work Plan for 2025-26

○ Engage in a program review of Special Education Resource and the PISA Instructional Program in grades K-5

○ Expand Professional Learning opportunities on evidence-based practices for Students with Disabilities

○ Develop comprehensive program guides for Special Education Instructional Programs

○ Conduct a comprehensive study on staffing levels for students receiving services through an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

● Additional Focus Area: IEP Compliance

○ Why It Matters - Ensures legal compliance and procedural integrity; Supports quality, student-centered IEPs; Strengthens staff knowledge and consistency

There was additional information on the following:

● Parents want to make sure they are heard at the IEP table and are able to participate in that process.

● Strengthen transitions across building levels - as students bridge from Early Childhood to Kindergarten, from fifth to sixth grade, and from eighth to ninth grade - want to be sure we are supporting that process.

● Providing and increasing professional learning opportunities for all staff on special education topics.

● Creating program guides for our instructional programs that will help explain the student profile would be most effective within each individual program.

● The February Professional Learning for General Education Teachers was for grades K-2 and focused on regulation for students within the classroom and looked at executive functioning skills to help support students in the general education environment.

● The Elementary Resource Committee monthly meetings - those who signed up know this is a two-year commitment.

● Expanding professional learning opportunities on evidence-based practices for students with disabilities includes not only reaching the general education staff through the cyclical process on institute days, but also increasing the professional learning we provide to our special education teachers by increasing the frequency of department meetings and making sure we are continuing to build capacity and knowledge to best support students.

● Ensuring we are allocating FTE’s in the places they are needed to best meet the needs of the students in their IEPs. This includes special education teachers, related service providers, and teaching assistants.

There were comments and/or questions on the following:

● IEP vs. 504 components - currently focusing on the IEP portion for staff when considering allocations. The state is expected to release new regulations for Section 504 that will help address this moving forward.

● Resource allocation work and FTE allocation - should include looking at comparable districts as part of the process. Noted, it doesn't have to be a zero-sum game - if additional resources are needed based on our internal needs assessment or benchmarking, the board would like to understand that.

● School and community engagement, and what that could look like for outplaced students. Noted is the importance of making sure the student and family are invited to some of the events that take place or extracurriculars so they can feel connected to the district.

● Passed along a community member's suggestion to create a “Who to Contact” guide for special education families, similar to the one for general topics, and possibly offer a “Special Ed 101” class for families.

● Highlights from last year's two SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) meetings included developing the mission and vision for what the group members wanted the committee to become. Some of the Special Education Directors offered professional development to parents. Focus on sharing knowledge with them, as well as gathering feedback.

● The SEPAC council will meet quarterly. The length of time for members to serve on the committee has not yet been decided.

● Addressing the aide shortage - will be included in the comprehensive staffing study.

● IEP compliance process and incorporation of parent engagement into the discussion, so parents feel like they are a part of that dialogue.

● The cadence of professional learning will always include a component where special education topics are presented to general education staff.

● The idea to have our staff collaborate with nearby districts to share and discuss ideas. Providing the special education staff with as much support as possible.

● The decision to outplace students is based on individual IEP conversations and team decisions driven by data. It also considers the special education continuum of services, which ranges from the least restrictive to the most restrictive environment. Our goal is to ensure students access their personal least restrictive environment. We review students' progress on their IEP goals and adjust services or placements as needed. This process is discussed and reviewed during annual student IEP meetings.

● IEP meetings - in person versus virtual in CUSD 200. Parental preference and the need for flexibility. In-person meetings remain the preferred option.

● Parent advisory councils and how to create space for new families to participate. Ensuring we have representation from all buildings, levels, and programs, and that the committee size is manageable for effective work.

● Impressed with the work that has already been done, especially with the picture day for outplaced students. Encouraged the department to continue finding small ways to foster connectivity and inclusion with special education families.

● Compliance versus getting the job done for students - is there any discrepancy? Ensuring everyone operates with the best intentions for students. The need to constantly review practices and procedures because the state sometimes changes regulations, and we need to ensure we have the most up-to-date information to work effectively.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

CAC and Advisory Committee Agenda Topics

The CAC Bylaws include language relating to the establishment of agenda topics for the year. The agenda for each meeting is established by the Chair and Vice-Chair during monthly planning meetings with the Superintendent. Agenda topics can come at the request of the Board of Education, or through committee member requests or feedback. Board Members were asked to bring any feedback on potential CAC Agenda items to the meeting discussion. The feedback from the Board, along with feedback from CAC Members, will help to frame a discussion at the first CAC Meeting to prioritize topics for the 2025-2026 year. We are also starting three new community advisory committees this year, including School Safety/Student Wellness, Technology Education, and Career Pathways. This is in addition to the Special Education and Bilingual Parent Advisory Committees already in existence. Board input on potential agenda items for those committees was welcome during this discussion as well.

There was additional information on the following:

● This is not a one-time discussion. If something arises later in the year, the topic can be considered by one of the committees. Want to make sure that anything of high interest to the board is known.

There were suggestions for the committees to address the following topics:

● School Safety/Student Wellness Committee - What are the main concerns from the committee’s perspective? How can we best share the District’s story and message with our community, especially regarding safety? Also, there should be a discussion on bullying and establishing consistency across our buildings on how it is addressed.

● Technology Education Committee - the impact of the changes made regarding devices; Artificial Intelligence (AI) should remain an ongoing discussion, as it is advancing quickly. We need to focus on educating our community and parents about AI and how to integrate it into our students' learning.

● Career Pathways - identify perceived gaps and the programs students seek; guide families on the return on investment for specific career paths that provide a living wage; determine what presentation or information would benefit parents and students as we help students match a career path aligned with their skills, passions, and a living wage; gather community input for our Portrait of a Graduate as the labor market evolves, noting the impact of AI; consider which jobs will be important in four years; seek student input on potential missing pathways; connect to the “why" — helping students navigate college with less debt; brainstorm ways to leverage community partners for student internships; and ensure students have a strong academic foundation amid ongoing changes.

● Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) - community perspectives on school start times and the complexities and costs involved in making a change.

● More broadly, when we consider any of these ideas—the concept of student voice and involving students in community committees that have traditionally excluded them - using our student ambassadors to explore specific topics would be a valuable addition.

BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

Board Facilities Committee

The Board Facilities Committee met on August 6, 2025. The meeting notes were attached to the agenda item. There was additional information on the following:

● Member Long addressed the Summer 2026 capital projects during the discussion of the facilities consent agenda.

● Other items discussed included the final bid package for the middle school capital projects (Issuance 3), which are scheduled to be released to the public in late October. Bids will be due around the third week of November, with recommendations scheduled to be presented to the Board for approval in December.

● There was also discussion about high school athletics, including recarpeting the football fields and the potential for using turf in other areas of the athletic fields. The idea of exploring an outdoor activity assessment (master site plan analysis) to evaluate all outdoor spaces at both high schools was also considered. There are benefits to doing this. More information on this will be gathered and brought back to the committee.

REPORTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS

Board members noted visits to and participation in the following:

● Visits to Monroe, Wheaton North, and the Wiesbrook playground over the last week highlighted how some facility enhancements can definitely create a more positive learning environment, how classrooms will become more functional and have a more direct impact on education. Exciting to start seeing this come to life.

● Visits to Wiesbrook and Lowell - great to see the excitement, energy, and engagement in the buildings.

● Wiesbrook's new flooring and lighting bring a lot of life to the building.

WRITTEN REPORTS

Monthly Financial Reports

FOIA Report

Board Communication Log

TOPICS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION

FY26 Final Budget

Middle School Capital Projects Update

● Request to add the following topics for future discussion:

○ Scheduling a Board session with IASB for this year.

○ Sponsorships and how to address this in the future.

○ Tracking of topics for future discussion - noted the process and the spreadsheet. This will be recirculated to the Board.

NEXT REGULAR MEETING

September 10, 2025, 7:00 PM, Whittier Elementary School

ANNOUNCEMENTS

September 13, 2025 - Coffee with the Board, 9:00 AM, School Service Center

September 24, 2025 - Committee of the Whole, 7:00 PM, School Service Center

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION

There being no further business to come before the Board in Open Session, Member Long moved, Member Ebbesen seconded to adjourn the meeting. Upon a voice call being taken, all were in favor. The motion carried 6-0.

https://files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3696/Cusd200/3af2cd88-7cda-4877-b422-d7d3b5098110/Minutes-8.13.25.docx.pdf?disposition=inline