[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6228483,"mediaKeyId","3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422","parentId",3473118,"title","Board approves summer renovation bids despite higher bids and late schedule; some alternates rejected","audioSeconds",468,"startMs",3618000,"endMs",4086000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422&start=3618&end=4086","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422/thumbnail_3618000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6228483/Illinois/Board-approves-summer-renovation-bids-despite-higher-bids-and-late-schedule-some-alternates-rejected","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228483-0e75fbaeefb9af9ea5db4b03940a4c02/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402249&Signature=mHSKY8nML5oCQP8NqbFHe4DqviuetTO2XbcIAGw3jjUXxC92zRmnVeWyyjISAgYZfcqmv5OM5xgT7rQQvPoH6gJDT5BBjcJu1GuDcAba8r648w0PSRt8l9OcId5-BeoI~dOsBvYVNPscd~L8nX7jAW82UOQ~eynpswCtnNryvf~HJ3QxMSqtCXyObQu9uFHalCSuvS7xWiKNg~gWAuew3PTIYAbQVM91DUabukyBP-me5VwtZoTP-9wWhQYXBXCdBK0gVZqeycH3WXcmseuhKaZ47YkzI7kcUe0RulAfaH4WQZ6qrwIf2l~7kaQ0yfKp4d0U69TN6mXTXAkXtsrTww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","DeKalb CUSD 428","date","2025-05-23T22:19:54.607Z","article","The board approved awarding the base bid and two alternates for additional renovations at Founders, Jefferson and DeKalb High School to Kirkley Construction of DeKalb for a total of $286,002.50 and rejected two other alternate bids.

Director of Facilities (presenting) explained bids were higher than budgeted because the project was bid late in the schedule, contractors were less likely to reduce prices as their summer schedules filled, and last‑minute design changes increased scope. The presenter said the Jefferson work includes enlarging an existing small bathroom in a former kindergarten classroom to meet ADA requirements and creating an adjacent sensory room; Founders required modular classroom and concrete work to support relocated special programs. The presenter said some higher costs reflect replacement cubbies with concrete bases and additional concrete work identified during final design.

Board members asked how the district will absorb a $2.2 million increase that showed up in the capital outlay for education line (the presenter said the capital concerns would largely be accounted for in next fiscal year spending because much of the work and some invoicing occur after July 1). The presenter said some project costs are front‑loaded (architect/engineer fees, equipment orders) and that projects cross fiscal years.

Board vote: The motion to award the base bid and alternates 1 and 3 and reject alternates 2 and 4 passed by roll call. Recorded votes showed the motion passed with one no vote (Trustee Ante Bynum) and the remaining trustees voting yes.

Why it matters: The awarded work supports moving special programs and creating ADA‑compliant restrooms and sensory space, but the bids arrived later and higher than anticipated, requiring the board to accept additional costs and plan for how the overage will be managed across fiscal years.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","DeKalb CUSD 428 Board Meeting 5/20/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees awarded base and select alternate bids totaling $286,002.50 to Kirkley Construction for additional renovations at Founders, Jefferson and DeKalb High School, rejected two alternates, and discussed why late bidding and design changes increased costs above initial budgets.","taxTitle","DeKalb CUSD 428, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",49811,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228486,"Board approves Shannon Armstrong as principal of Early Learning and Development Center",218,3633000,3851000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422&start=3633&end=3851","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422/thumbnail_3633000.jpg","/articles/6228486/Illinois/Board-approves-Shannon-Armstrong-as-principal-of-Early-Learning-and-Development-Center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228486-3ad0a07198f250c657e17bd84b8fb0ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402249&Signature=hdperG3HzduDr1kCUKYa5~muFsnkvDKmBHDw23mLRyLaaJJSoo7JOgsDgYd1K53Dt5IrtbYDZF6wz-vy70l5Wfq0mjhjzH-cU~e5O1s95chB-fqkuCDbXe24SJkFwISMcwDsUyp~dPBhRE2KhXELsQETzGqOMPW4wlWEFwFe5hBPGvRvmPgWMXFrNezMI3jiRvEiwgTeCudYLgQmvkMKN0G2uV9A-l-8j7zFEM3mDd4JxFgDA~bqv8yTqWYONOHioXWHyTrWiPMJsQ3r~B51sAtRWCk8cq4O~QgltLfGj2ZV-onWB1V1P33RisutdzHftNPPCMtVqmLe4I9-d5woyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The board recommended and approved an employment contract for Shannon Armstrong to serve as principal of the Early Learning and Development Center for the 2025‑26 school year.

An administrator reported that Armstrong is currently an early‑childhood teacher in another district, possesses required administrative credentials (Type 75/administrative endorsement) and an early‑childhood endorsement, and was unanimously recommended by the interview team. The interview panel included staff from the ELDC, district directors and representatives from DCTA and DFSA unions.

The administrator said the hire addresses previous audit citations because Armstrong’s credentials include the early‑childhood endorsement that some directors lacked, which helps close compliance gaps identified during the district audit.

Board vote: The board approved the contract by roll call; recorded votes on the motion showed all trustees present voting yes.

Why it matters: The appointment places an endorsed administrator in a specialized early‑childhood leadership role at a time when the district is addressing audit corrective actions and continuing its Preschool for All supports.","The DeKalb CUSD 428 board unanimously approved the employment contract for Shannon Armstrong to serve as principal of the Early Learning and Development Center for the 2025‑26 school year; administration said Armstrong holds required administrative credentials and an early‑childhood endorsement.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228492,"Board hears plan to raise some substitute rates and create annual‑employee substitute salary",543,4307000,4850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422&start=4307&end=4850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422/thumbnail_4307000.jpg","/articles/6228492/Illinois/Board-hears-plan-to-raise-some-substitute-rates-and-create-annualemployee-substitute-salary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228492-da0865c3633623374eaa74901e8bfa1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402249&Signature=aGMD82axrS5JUdgJ4~tLChS4eah85IvBVcY7fVLdb~vErv0GKTPEoMOWch4FWTUZbA0cxX55kWxnSciSOpeRkt50BrgEI4zL5VYD2Z0bIxFxSUcj4SDvU2wzL8hAAhpMfQi-55obh5VldmWZy37Pzwo32F6RiY2CcLPmowvAMeVjpASz9k5-o59ZdtfWGT-p0AucKbhsQfdk~RUdtl8qGH4SFF5fy0QBlOGhLiGRDU9bL4j6PbtG-o2TTkVvLgHSkFAc4urdzUSfZBnR6w23V54fILigGSqhrpC9RyMEngLnIGAuipwE6R5m~SGWUjbmr2H3A3QSHTiJpGO~y3dKbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District Director of Human Resources Dietra Salas presented proposed rates for substitutes for the 2025‑26 school year and described a new classification, annually employed substitutes, who would be assigned to a single building for the school year.

Salas said the district is not recommending increases for daily substitute teachers but proposed higher rates for classified substitutes to align with union contracts and local comparators. Key proposals included raising substitute instructional assistants, secretaries, custodians and cooks to $18.50 per hour; increasing substitute nurses (RNs) to $30 per hour; and raising student monitor pay from $15 to $16 per hour. Special events staff were proposed to be standardized at $28 per hour for all staff performing the role.

The largest change is a proposed annually employed substitute position: a 180‑day, school‑year appointment paid $46,213 (the District’s base teacher salary for a bachelor’s degree, zero experience), paid during the school year and with 10 sick days and individual health benefits available. Salas said the role is intended to provide continuity for buildings and to serve as a pipeline to full teaching positions; the district currently employs people in these roles and the proposal formalizes pay and benefits.

Board discussion focused on pension and benefit implications, whether TRS or IMRF contributions apply, and the district’s ability to project total cost because substitute needs vary by year. Salas said annually employed subs pay into TRS when employed in a certified role and that the district will evaluate costs at year‑end.

Next steps: Board members agreed to bring the item back for action at the next meeting; administration will provide cost projections and implementation details for the board’s consideration.","DeKalb CUSD 428 administration proposed multiple substitute pay changes including higher hourly rates for classified substitutes, a jump for substitute nurses, and a new annually employed substitute salary aligned to a beginning teacher’s base pay and benefits; board asked for further review and requested the item return for action.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228496,"Board presses for clearer purchase‑order details and plan for teacher‑vacancy grant spending",1690,274000,1964000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422&start=274&end=1964","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422/thumbnail_274000.jpg","/articles/6228496/Illinois/Board-presses-for-clearer-purchaseorder-details-and-plan-for-teachervacancy-grant-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228496-3b00be524fce7a5f6b556bf23dab53f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402249&Signature=J8vCqad4hgxYOWwp2T01MRdb1a54my3~vTzeJeIAa0YZvqFahIt5I90EHmxFDiRmSq~aJo6qWjZ96m~jBqgE9HT2kb4pVpggza1sD6MskdyesaoAvV0OnAOqedjpgfgh6tkciZmnJP8Awav94DCG5jmk7XKOwRh2gk6FMREa2JFTkx5l6ElPTmIAg624iMXT~lqGtOrj2OaWKclva70havZmyCBToHE1X8vLCr-3OuItXraMA159g1OUBKE0sPh5i2MA7ajlt11jH0Ey-MaV28ZfqxxXEAC6j7YsUkerQZnN~7KyOXBGfwaGmWkuKXZdCwsIJ~AYFf-EOh0cjjFsmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board members raised transparency and budgeting questions after reviewing the purchase order listing and recent expenditures funded by the Teacher Vacancy Grant (referred to in meeting materials as TBG or TVG).

Board member Mark Sherwood opened a broad request for improved public access to board materials and said documents should appear at the same time the agenda is published. “When a member of the public takes the time to come to a board meeting ... that individual does deserve to get an answer to their question rather than blank stares from the board or staff,” he said.

Several trustees questioned line‑items on the purchase order list that used acronyms such as “TVG,” and asked the administration to include the full fund name on documents. Board members also flagged specific items that drew scrutiny, including wellness reimbursements (massage, chiropractic) paid from TBG funds and a $27,000 Frontline subscription line labeled “July” that raised questions about whether the charge covered a month or a year.

District staff explained the Teacher Vacancy Grant is an ISBE grant awarded for three years and that the grant team and union representatives discussed allowable uses. \"Part of that grant is ... wellness,\" a district staff member said, adding that the district surveyed early‑career teachers and found health and wellness supports were a top priority. Staff said other allowable uses include tuition reimbursement, hiring bonuses and classroom reimbursements, and that the district prioritized sustainability because the grant is time‑limited.

Board members also asked for better accountability on conference attendance. Trustees asked that conference requests specify who will attend, who is presenting, and what will be reported back. Administration proposed adding brief trip reports to weekly updates or presenting results in the district’s periodic state‑of‑the‑district updates so the public can see how conference learning ties to district plans.

Why it matters: The TBG is a targeted, time‑limited state grant; trustees said they want priority and sustainability planning to favor persistent staffing needs (for example, hard‑to‑fill special education positions) before one‑time wellness reimbursements if funding must be concentrated.

Direction: Administration agreed to (1) replace unexplained acronyms with full fund names on purchase‑order listings; (2) meet with board members to discuss priorities for TBG spending and ensure a transparent allocation plan; and (3) create a mechanism for short post‑trip reports to document conference outcomes. No policy change was voted at the meeting.","Trustees pressed administration for more transparent labeling of purchase orders and a clearer priority plan for spending the three‑year Teacher Vacancy Grant (TBG/TVG), including concerns about wellness reimbursements and conference accountability.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228500,"Parent urges DeKalb school board to reinstate Westside Children’s Therapy as bus drop-off for special‑needs students",142,121000,263000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422&start=121&end=263","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3473118-615851c344aa490127b5890328f14422/thumbnail_121000.jpg","/articles/6228500/Illinois/Parent-urges-DeKalb-school-board-to-reinstate-Westside-Childrens-Therapy-as-bus-drop-off-for-specialneeds-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228500-aa1efe421f98ba1a8231d8e04e6bba80/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402249&Signature=Fgnlx7IM038d5-i8odA50YNi3Qu6ajZCscUCVLzyDczVztrXlRQyMEzd9GUYKfFAX1VqhU9BoPBfXtgf~sfMcLWhN3KXUvX4LZpZ8bQ64pPZ4bZTi03K3ekDCmjuvFQBwjPT6L8cQoLgTxZmYJm8fSVBIKUb5O~p3AXUXX5weVuDaAK4BGtStt4-4o0rvfLwlJJ484K5n6m5qXTmW6XU~d4HN4SmtBpCA8WQHab93Zx-4yp25tcLV4JVTJ1AN~wmAa7gCdJQKKqo0pDGYJruEEFPFu9vw2jk3cgTtSCuf-3ci45dlt5i0Mg273iNao-x0D8AZKvhrFn7DaT4YtaGOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeffrey Olajar, a parent of an autistic student at Gwendolyn Brooks Elementary School, told the DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education that recent busing changes have harmed students with special needs and asked the board to act.

Olajar said the district removed Westside Children’s Therapy from the list of approved bus drop-off locations “without notifying parents, effective at the end of the school year,” and that his son’s individualized education program calls for curb-to-curb bus service. “Abrupt changes are difficult for autistic children,” he said, adding the removal has forced families to “scramble for safe and appropriate care.”

The parent also reported chronic operational problems with the contracted bus service: inconsistent arrival times, unreliable GPS updates and frequent lateness that upsets students who rely on routine. “The bus’s arrival time is also inconsistent,” Olajar said.

In response, board staff asked for a follow-up. A district staff member asked Director of Student and Family Services Kyle Curtis to speak with Olajar and provide answers; the board requested staff follow up after the meeting.

Why it matters: The removal of a therapy provider used by medically or developmentally fragile students can impose safety and caregiving burdens on families and may conflict with transport provisions in students’ IEPs. Board members did not take a formal vote during the public comment period, but a staff follow-up was assigned.

The board later discussed broader transparency and policy-notice practices during the meeting; several trustees said they want improved advance notice to families when operational practices change.

Direction: District staff were directed to follow up with the parent and to review the bus company’s performance and the communication process for changes to approved drop‑off locations.

No formal policy or rule change was approved at the meeting.","A parent told the DeKalb CUSD 428 board that recent busing changes removed Westside Children’s Therapy as an approved drop-off, disrupting routines for students with developmental delays and requests the district reinstate the site, improve parent notice of changes, and review the bus contractor’s performance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves summer renovation bids despite higher bids and late schedule; some alternates rejected

Board approves Shannon Armstrong as principal of Early Learning and Development Center

Board hears plan to raise some substitute rates and create annual‑employee substitute salary

Board presses for clearer purchase‑order details and plan for teacher‑vacancy grant spending

Parent urges DeKalb school board to reinstate Westside Children’s Therapy as bus drop-off for special‑needs students