District 201 Board Meeting - March 26, 2007

[Ted]

  This is a summary of the District 201 board meeting that occurred on March 26, 2007.

The meeting started at 7:15 PM and ended at 7:50 PM.

1. Get well, Pat - Pat Fortunato is still in the hospital.  Everyone on the board wished her the best in her recovery. Margaret Kelly said that Pat was in her prayers and that people who wanted to send get-well cards should send them to Karen Halla at the district office.

Pat, I hope you get well soon as well. 


2. Nowakowski contract approved - The board approved the contract of superintendent Ben Nowkowski for the school year 2007/2008.

    Joe Keating brought up a motion to table the contract. Joe stated that he believed that the contract approval should be deferred until after the new school board is elected on April 17.  Joe further stated that he fully supported Dr. Nowakowski and that his motion was not in any way meant to disrespect Dr. Nowakowski but that he (Joe Keating) felt this action should be deferred until after the new school board was elected.

  No one seconded Joe Keating's motion so the motion died for lack of a second.  Then a motion was made and seconded to approve the Nowakowski contract.  All the Cicero board members and Margaret Kelly voted AYE and Joe Keating voted NAY. Pat Fortunato was absent from the board meeting because she is still in the hospital.  After voting NAY, Joe Keating re-iterated his support for Dr. Nowakowski but re-stated his postiion that the contract approval should have been tabled until a new board was elected.

The contracts of all the Assistant Principals were also approved.

Jman, if I mistated something or you want to add something, you are more than welcome to jump in.


3. Health Clinic - Cook County currently runs a health clinic at Morton East which it was intending on closing down in mid-April. However, the Cook County board has re-considered its position and will be partially funding the clinic. Dr. Nowakowski is currently talking to MacNeil hospital about providing the rest of the funding of the clinic, including providing doctors to staff the clinic part-time. Nowakowski asked the board to allow him to conduct discussions with Cook County and with MacNeil Hospital about the arrangements. Nowakowski stated that he would bring back a proposal at the next board meeting on April 4.


4. Lobby Springfield - Dr. Nowakowski and the board discussed the fact that the tax referendum failed for a third time and that the district should participate in lobbying Springfield for more money. Nowakowski stated that there were 3 bills pending in Springfield that would help District 201 receive more funds from the state and that a rally would be held in early May to encourage state legislators to support more state funding of education.  Nowakowski asked that people write letters to their legislators and go to Springfield in early May for the rally.


5. More state aid - The board approved a payment to a firm called PAP consulting that was able to get more state aid from Springfield.  Because of property tax disputes being settled, the EAV of the district has been lowered.  Since state aid is partially based on the property tax EAV, PAP consulting has filled out the paper work with the Illinois Board of Education to correct the EAV to the new EAV following the property tax disputes.  The district will receive about $400,000 to $600,00 more in state aid because of the work of PAP consulting.  The contract with PAP consulting stipulates that PAP Consulting receives some percentage of the additional state aid.  Jerry Chlada asked what the percentage that PAP consulting would receive. Dr Nowakowski stated that he did not know the fee or percentage that would be paid to PAP Consulting.


6. Exchange program with Mexico -   The board approved a student cultural exchange program with Mexico called the Cyber Service & Youth Technology Proposal. This proposal will allow students from Mexico to come to schools in District 201 to learn about computers and technology.


7. New books - Because of a grant of $340,000 from the state, the district will be purchasing new books for science, business education, social science, visual arts, English as a Second Language and for Italian.


8. Summer time work hours - The board approved a 4-day work week for clerical staff during the summer and approved allowing janitorial staff to work earlier hours during the summer.


9. Summer school - The board approved running summer school. Again, summer school will be at the Freshman Center from mid-June to mid-July. Price per course is $125. Nowakowski stated there was no cost to the district. Nowakowski stated that, in addition to summer school being a way for failing students to take a class again, that summer school was also a way to relieve over-crowding because kids who could not get the classes they wanted during the regular year could take them in summer school.


10. Prairie State exams and ACT tests - It was stated by Morton East principal Frank Zarate that juniors have been studying for and are being "coached" on the Prairie State exams and the ACT tests. The Prairie State exams are state exams that all juniors must take. The Prairie State exams will be taken by juniors on April 25 to April 26.


11. End of Year Activities - End of year activities are being planned for Student Recognition Day at Morton West (May 2) and the prom (May 18)


12. Faculty brain-storming sessions - The faculty held a series of brain storming sessions in the last few weeks.  They brought in business leaders from the area to help with ideas for the small school implementation; the teachers had a workshop for Advanced Placement programs; there was another session on teacher collaboration and a 4th session on reading and linguistics.


13. Alternative school - It was stated that the building of the Alternative School is on schedule. The inner walls and roof are up.  The board approved a change order for the science lab.


14. Usual Business - The usual business of paying the bills and payroll; expelling students (14 this month); hirings, resignations and retirements of personnel; approval of bids; approval of staff and student travel and use of facilities. 

  The most noteworthy is that the Special Olympics will be using District 201 facilities.  Also Joe Keating made a motion to amend the travel expenses of 5 students participating in the CAD competition in Bloomington so that they are given meal money, since athletes in team sports are given meal money when they go downstate.


15. Former Grad dies in Iraq - A former 2001 graduate of Morton East was killed in Iraq.  He is the first Morton graduate to have died in this war, according to Principal Frank Zarate.

[mustang54]

Ted Dr. Nowakowski stated PAP got paid 15% of what they collected for the district.
He said some may think its a high rate but that is what they charge. Mr Chlada then stated but if they get us nothing they get paid nothing. So it is well worth it for the amount they bring in. Also the 400 to 600k is the number they think might be in addition to what they have recovered from the state so far. As of now I believe the amount they said they have gotten back for the district was 350k. (I might be wrong with 350 as my notes are in the car)
It was great to see Berwyn Patsy in attendance. It was nice to hear Mr. Zarate I believe it was said Morton has 1,000 students in Advanced Placement classes. Hmmm take them and the kids going to private schools and that = a magnet school !!

[OakParkSpartan]

I'd suspect 85% of something is > than 100% of nothing.

Net positive and 201 wasn't going to do this themselves.

Cheers,
Brian

[Berwyn Patsy]

Ted and Mustang summed the meeting up well.
I was most impressed that the meeting actually started only 12 minutes late!!  Good job board members.
You just went up a notch in my book.
I think the next regular meeting was scheduled for 4/5/07.

[Ted]

  Pat, the next board meeting will be Wednesday, April 4, not April 5.

  Ted

[shopgirl]

Anyone know why the board was in such a hurry to approve Ben Nowakowski's contract when he has been working without one for the past nine months? Why the urgency to do so right before the election? Any truth to the rumor that they also built in a parachute for him if he is let go before his contract expires?

[Berwyn Patsy]

Well, shopgirl you would know only I wonder that, but know one pays attention to me!!
So, go on, what thoughts did you think??  Don't be shy now.

[Ted]

Anyone know why the board was in such a hurry to approve Ben Nowakowski's contract when he has been working without one for the past nine months? Why the urgency to do so right before the election? Any truth to the rumor that they also built in a parachute for him if he is let go before his contract expires?

  Hmmmm.... maybe I should go into the District 201 office on Monday and file an FOIA request to get the contract.  If there is a built-in parachute for Nowakowski in case he is let go, then that would be doing a disservice to a future board.  It's one thing to approve the contract for the next year.  It is quite another to tie the hands of future board members and tie the district into a balloon payment just like Cuneen, Meis and Kurth received.

  No wonder a certain board member walked out to prevent a quorum at the last regularly scheduled board meeting!!!  I guess things haven't changed as much as we thought at District 201.

  Ted

 

[ber_native]

Anyone know why the board was in such a hurry to approve Ben Nowakowski's contract when he has been working without one for the past nine months? Why the urgency to do so right before the election? Any truth to the rumor that they also built in a parachute for him if he is let go before his contract expires?

  Hmmmm.... maybe I should go into the District 201 office on Monday and file an FOIA request to get the contract.  If there is a built-in parachute for Nowakowski in case he is let go, then that would be doing a disservice to a future board.  It's one thing to approve the contract for the next year.  It is quite another to tie the hands of future board members and tie the district into a balloon payment just like Cuneen, Meis and Kurth received.

  No wonder a certain board member walked out to prevent a quorum at the last regularly scheduled board meeting!!!  I guess things haven't changed as much as we thought at District 201.

  Ted

 

What balloon payments?  I don't remember that!!!  I'm sure Dr. Nowakowski rec'd a guarantee if he is let go.  Most CEOs do I suppose.

[mustang54]

  Ted I questioned a board member when I heard Cuneen was leaving about balloon payments. That person told me that those huge balloon payments like Kurth got can no longer be given out. I was told the state put a cap on school administrators increases. The cap if I remember correctly was 6%. No more than that for a yearly increase. That was done to put an end to the huge balloon raises for the final 2 years of employment.

[Ted]

  Ted I questioned a board member when I heard Cuneen was leaving about balloon payments. That person told me that those huge balloon payments like Kurth got can no longer be given out. I was told the state put a cap on school administrators increases. The cap if I remember correctly was 6%. No more than that for a yearly increase. That was done to put an end to the huge balloon raises for the final 2 years of employment.

  Mustang,  maybe I am using the wrong word here.  The word Shopgirl used was "parachute", not "balloon payment".  Even if it is a golden parachute clause, that would still be very disappointing to me as a potential future board member.

  One of the reasons voters voted NO overwhelmingly on the tax referendum was the issue of trust.  If the current board (specifically, Margaret Kelly and the 4 Cicero board members) voted to give Nowakowski a contract with a golden parachute 3 weeks before the election, then that will bring up images of the same types of dealings that went on with Kurth, Cuneen and Meis and re-inforce the fact that voters do not trust the current school board.

What balloon payments?  I don't remember that!!!  I'm sure Dr. Nowakowski rec'd a guarantee if he is let go.  Most CEOs do I suppose.

   Geez, another anonymous poster who seems to know more about the Nowakowski contract than the average Joe on the street (or even the average Ted running for the school board!)

   So, Ber_native, you don't remember a balloon payment in the Nowakowski contract??  Ber_native, you also seem to know a lot about the Nowakowski contract.  Tell us, does it have a golden parachute clause?  If so, for how much? 

    Even if "most" CEOs get golden parachutes, that doesn't make it good practice. Besides, Nowakowski has been on the job for only 9 months. In addition, it brings up the same images of what happened with Kurth, Cuneen and Meis, which is why voters don't trust this school board.

Ted

[Berwyn Patsy]

None of the above would surprise me.
How long would it take to get a FOIA on that contract?
Wouldn't that blow everything right out of the water??

[mustang54]

Wouldn't that blow everything right out of the water??

Patsy by your statement you are implying some sinister deed has been done. Please share your inside knowledge with us. Or are some people just on a witch hunt. Yes some people do not trust this current board but some also do not trust some people who are running even more. The person who has been trusted the most Dr Nowakowski is all of a sudden being questioned just because an election is coming. Don't think its fair.
 

[Ted]

  FYI, Joe Keating sent me the following message:

Ted,
As to the contract, it is for a 2 year duration (retro to July of 2006). If the board choses to terminate Dr. Nowkowski after June 30, 2007 it would be obligated to pay him 3 months salary or approx. $42,500. In other words, if the new board chose to replace Ben, they would have to buy out his contract for that amount. (An obligation that didn't exist prior to the contract being executed). Other than that I am not aware of any provisions that might fall under the catagory of "parachute".

  Maybe ShopGirl can explain why she thought this was a "parachute".

Ted

[Berwyn Patsy]

It is a curse, to be as suspicious as I am of other peoples motives. Sorry, just the way I am.  I know I am not on a witch hunt, as you have just implied.  I don't think asking a question can be considered a statement which is another thing you just implied.
I have no inside knowledge of anything (that's probably a blessing), what I can tell you , is my gut feeling about most things that happen in my life have usually been right on target.
Your probably right and poor Dr. Novakowski is not being treated fair, but until everything is done and the election is over with, it just goes along with the territory.
He's a smart man and will survive.

[OakParkSpartan]

One thing to keep in mind...

Dr. Nowakowski can ask for a million bucks a year.  I have no problem with that.

The school board is the group ultimately responsible for any contract, good or bad.  Don't punish the employee for trying to get the most wages for his work.

Cheers,
Brian

[Northsider--NOT Northside 7]

  This is a summary of the District 201 board meeting that occurred on March 26, 2007.

The meeting started at 7:15 PM and ended at 7:50 PM.

1. Get well, Pat - Pat Fortunato is still in the hospital.  Everyone on the board wished her the best in her recovery. Margaret Kelly said that Pat was in her prayers and that people who wanted to send get-well cards should send them to Karen Halla at the district office.

Pat, I hope you get well soon as well. 


2. Nowakowski contract approved - The board approved the contract of superintendent Ben Nowkowski for the school year 2007/2008.

    Joe Keating brought up a motion to table the contract. Joe stated that he believed that the contract approval should be deferred until after the new school board is elected on April 17.  Joe further stated that he fully supported Dr. Nowakowski and that his motion was not in any way meant to disrespect Dr. Nowakowski but that he (Joe Keating) felt this action should be deferred until after the new school board was elected.

  No one seconded Joe Keating's motion so the motion died for lack of a second.  Then a motion was made and seconded to approve the Nowakowski contract.  All the Cicero board members and Margaret Kelly voted AYE and Joe Keating voted NAY. Pat Fortunato was absent from the board meeting because she is still in the hospital.  After voting NAY, Joe Keating re-iterated his support for Dr. Nowakowski but re-stated his postiion that the contract approval should have been tabled until a new board was elected.

The contracts of all the Assistant Principals were also approved.

Jman, if I mistated something or you want to add something, you are more than welcome to jump in.


3. Health Clinic - Cook County currently runs a health clinic at Morton East which it was intending on closing down in mid-April. However, the Cook County board has re-considered its position and will be partially funding the clinic. Dr. Nowakowski is currently talking to MacNeil hospital about providing the rest of the funding of the clinic, including providing doctors to staff the clinic part-time. Nowakowski asked the board to allow him to conduct discussions with Cook County and with MacNeil Hospital about the arrangements. Nowakowski stated that he would bring back a proposal at the next board meeting on April 4.


4. Lobby Springfield - Dr. Nowakowski and the board discussed the fact that the tax referendum failed for a third time and that the district should participate in lobbying Springfield for more money. Nowakowski stated that there were 3 bills pending in Springfield that would help District 201 receive more funds from the state and that a rally would be held in early May to encourage state legislators to support more state funding of education.  Nowakowski asked that people write letters to their legislators and go to Springfield in early May for the rally.


5. More state aid - The board approved a payment to a firm called PAP consulting that was able to get more state aid from Springfield.  Because of property tax disputes being settled, the EAV of the district has been lowered.  Since state aid is partially based on the property tax EAV, PAP consulting has filled out the paper work with the Illinois Board of Education to correct the EAV to the new EAV following the property tax disputes.  The district will receive about $400,000 to $600,00 more in state aid because of the work of PAP consulting.  The contract with PAP consulting stipulates that PAP Consulting receives some percentage of the additional state aid.  Jerry Chlada asked what the percentage that PAP consulting would receive. Dr Nowakowski stated that he did not know the fee or percentage that would be paid to PAP Consulting.


6. Exchange program with Mexico -   The board approved a student cultural exchange program with Mexico called the Cyber Service & Youth Technology Proposal. This proposal will allow students from Mexico to come to schools in District 201 to learn about computers and technology.


7. New books - Because of a grant of $340,000 from the state, the district will be purchasing new books for science, business education, social science, visual arts, English as a Second Language and for Italian.


8. Summer time work hours - The board approved a 4-day work week for clerical staff during the summer and approved allowing janitorial staff to work earlier hours during the summer.


9. Summer school - The board approved running summer school. Again, summer school will be at the Freshman Center from mid-June to mid-July. Price per course is $125. Nowakowski stated there was no cost to the district. Nowakowski stated that, in addition to summer school being a way for failing students to take a class again, that summer school was also a way to relieve over-crowding because kids who could not get the classes they wanted during the regular year could take them in summer school.


10. Prairie State exams and ACT tests - It was stated by Morton East principal Frank Zarate that juniors have been studying for and are being "coached" on the Prairie State exams and the ACT tests. The Prairie State exams are state exams that all juniors must take. The Prairie State exams will be taken by juniors on April 25 to April 26.


11. End of Year Activities - End of year activities are being planned for Student Recognition Day at Morton West (May 2) and the prom (May 18)


12. Faculty brain-storming sessions - The faculty held a series of brain storming sessions in the last few weeks.  They brought in business leaders from the area to help with ideas for the small school implementation; the teachers had a workshop for Advanced Placement programs; there was another session on teacher collaboration and a 4th session on reading and linguistics.


13. Alternative school - It was stated that the building of the Alternative School is on schedule. The inner walls and roof are up.  The board approved a change order for the science lab.


14. Usual Business - The usual business of paying the bills and payroll; expelling students (14 this month); hirings, resignations and retirements of personnel; approval of bids; approval of staff and student travel and use of facilities. 

  The most noteworthy is that the Special Olympics will be using District 201 facilities.  Also Joe Keating made a motion to amend the travel expenses of 5 students participating in the CAD competition in Bloomington so that they are given meal money, since athletes in team sports are given meal money when they go downstate.


15. Former Grad dies in Iraq - A former 2001 graduate of Morton East was killed in Iraq.  He is the first Morton graduate to have died in this war, according to Principal Frank Zarate.

#6, I thought that was covered by illegal imigration and I'm not joking or being sarcastic.

[Northsider--NOT Northside 7]

Anyone know why the board was in such a hurry to approve Ben Nowakowski's contract when he has been working without one for the past nine months? Why the urgency to do so right before the election? Any truth to the rumor that they also built in a parachute for him if he is let go before his contract expires?

What's the diffence between a parachute and a pre-arranged severance package?

[ber_native]

What balloon payments?  I don't remember that!!!  I'm sure Dr. Nowakowski rec'd a guarantee if he is let go.  Most CEOs do I suppose.

   Geez, another anonymous poster who seems to know more about the Nowakowski contract than the average Joe on the street (or even the average Ted running for the school board!)

   So, Ber_native, you don't remember a balloon payment in the Nowakowski contract??  Ber_native, you also seem to know a lot about the Nowakowski contract.  Tell us, does it have a golden parachute clause?  If so, for how much? 

    Even if "most" CEOs get golden parachutes, that doesn't make it good practice. Besides, Nowakowski has been on the job for only 9 months. In addition, it brings up the same images of what happened with Kurth, Cuneen and Meis, which is why voters don't trust this school board.

Ted

Ted,

I am not privy to any information and know no more about his contract than what others on this board know.  I am purely speculating on the assumption that, as was said above, any leader of an organization would be foolish not to attempt to gain as much for his or her work as they feel is appropriate.  There have been abuses in the past and have always been to my knowledge, having lived here my whole life.  This may yet be another but it sure doesn't seem like it as compared to the past - hopefully the state legislature is looking at ways to curb it without putting off potential people who can do tremendous good for our schools and kids.  If Keating is right (and thank you for sharing that info with us), then the district is out about $50k if they dump him.  It's taxpayer money iand in a community with a sense of mistrust this agreement in itself is not healthy.  But it seems small change compared to what Nowakowski could have negotiated for himself and let's face it...whether you like him or not, he is running one of the, if not THE, biggest business in the city.  I put a question to you - who in their right mind would WANT to come in and run this district?  Look at what they would be up against with falling scores, lack of community involvement in schools, political jockeying unlike most ever seen, and apathy from the kids through to the highest reaches of the structures of the system.

The months following the elections will be very telling.  When it comes down to personnel matters, it's a public system and the public has the right to know how their money is being managed.  Congrats to Keating for being so upfront with you about the terms rather than having to go FOIA to get it. 

Now, can anyone shed light on whether that 6% cap is law?  I'd be curious to know if that is the case for ALL public education employees statewide, or just upper management of districts.  This has huge implications for future hiring.

As for the present, let's wait for 4/17 and see what happens.  We can all post our predictions for the future then!   

[Ted]

   ...  If Keating is right (and thank you for sharing that info with us), then the district is out about $50k if they dump him.  It's taxpayer money iand in a community with a sense of mistrust this agreement in itself is not healthy.  But it seems small change compared to what Nowakowski could have negotiated for himself and let's face it...whether you like him or not, he is running one of the, if not THE, biggest business in the city.  I put a question to you - who in their right mind would WANT to come in and run this district?  Look at what they would be up against with falling scores, lack of community involvement in schools, political jockeying unlike most ever seen, and apathy from the kids through to the highest reaches of the structures of the system.

  My postings were not meant to disrespect Dr. Nowakowski.  Now that I know what the agreement is, I have no problems with the agreement.  I doubt a new board would have had time to get a new superintendent in time for the school year 2007/2008 anyway and Dr. Nowakowski was just protecting himself.

  I do want to say one more thing though.  I think a lot of the problems in the past have been the result of school board members not questioning more what the previous superintendent was telling them and just doing what the previous superintendent asked them to do.

  I think a school board member should be willing to challenge things the superintendent proposes and help the superitendent come up with alternaitve ideas.  I thnk a little bit of skeptism is a good thing.

Ted

(P.S. Ber-native, why did you say  "I don't remember that!!!"   That made me think you were privy to the contract.  Why would you say that sentence if you had no knowledge of the contract?)