District 201 Board Meeting - September 13, 2006

[Ted]

 
here is a recap of the District 201 High School board meeting that occurred on September 13, 2006:


1) Alternative School Construction contract not awarded to lowest bidder!!!  - At the August 16 board meeting, the board awarded the general contract for construction of the Alternative School to a company called Happ Builders for $3,730,900;  At the time, only the amount bid by the awarded company was announced. The bids from other companies were not announced.  In the August 16 Meeting Minutes that were distributed tonight, the bids from the other companies were published.  According to the meeting minutes, another company called Nicholas and Associates actually submitted a lower bid of $3,509,200.

  No statement was given at the August board meeting as to the fact that the lowest bidder was not awarded the construction contract nor was an explanation given as to why the lowest bidder was not awarded the contract.  None of the school board members raised any issues as to the fact that the construction contract was not awarded to the lowest bidder.


2) Usual business - The usual business of approving the minutes of the last meeting, approving payroll and payables, expulsions (6 expulsions and its only one week into the school year), approval of hirings and promotions, approval of facility requests and approval of student and staff travel expenses (one teacher is getting travel money to go a bowling clinic in Milwaukee; a student science outing is going to the National Seashore at Miller Dunes).

  The most notable resignation is Peter Kelly from the janitorial staff. He was replaced by Michael Lovetere. Also, lots of hirings for security, clerical and food service positions.

   Dr. Nowokowski stated that all teacher positions have been staffed except for one full time substitute teacher position.


3) Contracts - Contracts was approved for homecoming (For a DJ, decorations, floats and "the Mad Bomber"); Another contract was approved for Laidlaw Bus Company. The amount of the contract increased by 3.5% but without a fuel escalator clause in the contract;


4) Medical/Dental renewal - The contract with Humana for medical and dental coverage was renewed. The amount of the conrtact increased by a net of 1% but the amount paid for PPO coverage decreased by 3%. It was stated that the industry average increase was 9%.  The reason given for the low increase was less benefits, a higher deductable, higher out of pocket costs and education of employees on use of medical coverage and examination of medical bills.


5) Asbestos inspection - The board approved a $4,500 contract to inspect the school buildings for absestos. Joe Keating asked why the newly built Freshman Center had to be inspected, since it had no abstestos. Dr. Nowokowski replied that state law required the inspection, even for new buildings.


6) Morton East Senior Breakfast - The Morton East Senior Breakfast will be held at Brookfield Zoo and will be a combined Senior breakfast and science outing.  Lots of jokes and giggles from board members about keeping students  "in the zoo".


7) Morton West gets a new sign - A new sign will be put up at 26th and Harlem for Morton West.  This will be a new high-tech kind of sign with messages that can be changed daily. The cost will be $17,700 and will be fully paid for by money raised by Morton West students last year. Last year, the MW students raised over $20,000 to pay for the sign from New Way Signs.

   Jerry Chlada asked why there was no sign up for the Freshman Center. He stated that people thought the new Freshman Center was a condo building, not a new school. Mr. Zlata (former principal at the Freshman Center) stated that the students has raised $4,000 for a new sign and that all that would get you was block aluminum letters.  Mr. Chlada suggested that maybe TIF district money could be used to purchase a sign, since the Freshman Center was in a TIF district and the sign would fit the criteria of money awarded by TIF districts.


8. Teacher Aide agreement - A new agreement was approved for teacher aides. The agreement is for 2 years and will increase teach aide salaries by 5%.


9) Start of school year - Each of the principals talked about the start of the school year. Morton East will have an enrollment of 3,266 students (1,231 sophomores, 1048 juniors, and 987 seniors).  Morton West will have an enrollment of 3,247, including 950 freshmen.  All students have full schedules.

   Morton West has implemented a Freshman Academy at Morton West and is currently working on the planning of the other 3 academies (an Arts and Communications Academy, a Science and Technology Academy and a Business and Social Academy).  Dr. Lucas, the principal at Morton West, stated that the Freshman Academy is located in the middle of the school and that putting all the freshmen in the middle of the school seemed to lessen foot traffic through out the school, making getting to the next class easier for all students.


10) Morton West PTO - Rita Maniotis, president of the Morton West PTO, spoke at the public forum of the meeting, stating that the board of the PTO had been elected and that the PTO would be working to re-energize Morton West. She stated that the main goal of the PTO will be to facilitate comunication between parents and the schools. She asked that a board member be present at the next PTO meeting to swear in the new PTO board.


   That's it.  The most interesting thing to me was that no mention was made of the referendum to increase the tax rate by 75 cents. The election is less than 2 months away.

[OakParkSpartan]

Ted,

1) Who is Peter Kelly?  Another family member of Margaret Kelly?

2) Does it strike anyone else as odd that TIF money would be used for a governmental project?  Oh well, it is Cicero's TIF, not ours. 

3) Regarding the enrollments, are they up or down from last year, and was anything mentioned about the new residency checks?

Thanks!
Brian

[Suzy Q]

Actually, the sign is being paid for by the classes of 2004 and 2005.   They combined their money and have been after the admin. to make the purchase.  But they kept dragging their feet.  The kids were beginning to worry that maybe that money disappeared amongst their financial problems.  Nonetheless, it's good to see our students trying to make MW better.

[Bear]

6) Morton East Senior Breakfast - The Morton East Senior Breakfast will be held at Brookfield Zoo and will be a combined Senior breakfast and science outing.  Lots of jokes and giggles from board members about keeping students  "in the zoo".

Ted...Thank you for taking the time to attend this meeting and fill us in on your re-cap.

I find it very disturbing that board members would make light of students in Item 6 above at a public board meeting. These board members were elected to protect and educate these children in the best manner possible, not "make fun" of them.

Sure hope that was documented in the minutes.

We really did not need any more nails to be placed in the coffin of this board's demise, but they sure keep handing them out.

And Halloween is still so far away.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Thanks Ted.  I agree with Bear if this was done in a mean manner it was not called for at all.  How tacky!!

[Ted]

6) Morton East Senior Breakfast - The Morton East Senior Breakfast will be held at Brookfield Zoo and will be a combined Senior breakfast and science outing.  Lots of jokes and giggles from board members about keeping students  "in the zoo".

Ted...Thank you for taking the time to attend this meeting and fill us in on your re-cap.

I find it very disturbing that board members would make light of students in Item 6 above at a public board meeting. These board members were elected to protect and educate these children in the best manner possible, not "make fun" of them.

Sure hope that was documented in the minutes.

We really did not need any more nails to be placed in the coffin of this board's demise, but they sure keep handing them out.

And Halloween is still so far away.

Bear and Pat,
 
 The school board members were not making fun of students... it's just there was a lot of giggles from some school board members when Dr. Nowokowski talked about students going to the zoo.  It wasn't as bad as my re-cap may have made it appear to be.

Ted

[Bear]

Actually, the sign is being paid for by the classes of 2004 and 2005.   They combined their money and have been after the admin. to make the purchase.  But they kept dragging their feet.  The kids were beginning to worry that maybe that money disappeared amongst their financial problems.  Nonetheless, it's good to see our students trying to make MW better.

Thank you Suzy for bringing this item up....I was so mad about the other issue I forgot to
address Nu-Way sign. They seem to have their hands in everyone's pants in Berwyn. Several years ago they did the bizarre neon signs on Ogden. At the time the owner of the company put this sign on the cover of their brochure, not because he was proud of his work, but because "I screwed them so bad on the job". They are not respected in the industry to say the least. The kids won't get much for their money.

[Bear]

Ted...I guess board members giggling at a public meeting about students going to the zoo
shows intellect, (lack thereof)

[Ted]

Ted,

1) Who is Peter Kelly?  Another family member of Margaret Kelly?

Margaret Kelly's son is/was an employee of the district and is/was employed as a janitor.  I don't know that Peter Kelly is her son but I assumed so since it was a janitorial position.  I may be wrong though.

3) Regarding the enrollments, are they up or down from last year, and was anything mentioned about the new residency checks?

Looks like enrollments at ME and MW are staying about the same... I don't have 2006 numbers but the current enrollment is down a couple hundred students from a couple of years ago (MW had over 3400 in 2004 and over 3300 in 2005).

Ted

[Suzy Q]

Bear, that is so disappoihting to hear about that sign company because I know the kids put a lot of time and effort into making this happen.  I'm sure that if it does not meet their expectations they will not hesitate to come to a board meeting to say so.  The officers from those two classes are known for speaking out when they see if something looks wrong.

[Ted]

Ted...I guess board members giggling at a public meeting about students going to the zoo
shows intellect, (lack thereof)

Bear,

 I am more concerned about the Alternative School construction contract not being awarded to the lowest bidder (the lowest bid was $200,000 less than the awarded bid).

 Does anyone know anything about Happ Construction??  Are they politically connected in Cicero??

 Just wondering.

Ted

[Berwyn Patsy]

I would like to find out more about this Peter Kelley.  If he resigned, wonder where he's going now? 
You are right in being concerned about the bidding contract.  Guess we will have to investigate that one too.  Always on our toes.

[Dancing Queen]

  If Peter Kelly is the son of the school board president, then it makes sense that he resign. After all, Angela Kelly (a.k.a. "Dr." Margaret Kelly) is up for election next spring and it would be embarrassing to admit that she used her position to get employment for both her son and her daughter.

  That's my guess as to why the son resigned.  Can't cause Momma any embarrassment during the next election.

[Dancing Queen]

3) Contracts - Contracts was approved for homecoming (For a DJ, decorations, floats and "the Mad Bomber");

The Mad Bomber ??   What- they blow up things at homecoming??

[mustang54]

  Peter is the board presidents son. He quietly stayed under the radar when he got his promotion last year while his sister took the beating from the public. I've stated many times i don't know if the daughter is qualified or not. All i know is what students told me and they said she was strict but fair. As for the son, he was as unqualified as they come. Yes even to be a groundskeeper.

[mustang54]

  Peter is the board presidents son. He quietly stayed under the radar when he got his promotion last year while his sister took the beating from the public. I've stated many times i don't know if the daughter is qualified or not. All i know is what students told me and they said she was strict but fair. As for the son, he was as unqualified as they come. Yes even to be a groundskeeper.

  Just got an update. Peter Kelly is still working at Morton. The person was hired not because he quit but because when he was promoted and transferred from the West campus a replacement was never hired.
  The Mad Bomber is a fireworks display company.

[Ted]

Just got an update. Peter Kelly is still working at Morton. The person was hired not because he quit but because when he was promoted and transferred from the West campus a replacement was never hired.
  The Mad Bomber is a fireworks display company.

  Mustang54,  Thanks for the followup and clarification.  I did not realize that Peter Kelly had been promoted.  It didn't seem that way in the way the agenda was presented, but I may have misunderstood the item on the agenda.

  I had heard some of the same things that Mustang had heard about Peter Kelly's qualifications.  If Peter Kelly was promoted, then that's a travesty.

  I think District 201 has done a lot of good things in the last few months (residency checking, starting up academies, the hiring of what appear to be very qualified people for principals, football coach and business manager) yet when I hear that Peter Kelly was promoted and that the contract for construction of the Alternative School was not awarded to the lowest bidder, it makes me wonder whether things really are ever going to change in District 201.

  Are the good things from the last few months just window dressing to get the tax referendum passed?  Or is it something more permanent that portends better things to come.  It just makes me wonder.

Ted

[Berwyn Patsy]

I had heard hearsay that the son of

[Berwyn Patsy]

I had heard hearsay that the son of Margaret Kelly was promoted more then a few months ago at a pretty hefty dollar amount.  I thought this was the same relation to Margaret.  Why did the board use the term resign?  Why did they not say he was promoted and transfered.  Then they wonder why everyon is so suspicious of every move they make.  I wonder who is all related to the new employees hired this year??
Keep wondering Ted, but it is what it is and it is so obvious it is ridiculous.

[mustang54]

  Peter Kelly was promoted under the old regime. It was effective 10/13/05 to be exact. It was voted on at the 10/12/05 meeting. And yes NO ONE abstained on their vote.