[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6220037,"mediaKeyId","3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768","parentId",3619209,"title","Board approves application seeking school calendar waiver after required public‑hearing notice","audioSeconds",186,"startMs",6554000,"endMs",6740000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768&start=6554&end=6740","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768/thumbnail_6554000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220037/Illinois/Board-approves-application-seeking-school-calendar-waiver-after-required-publichearing-notice","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220037-f1ff7985fe7588fce0722d26d5598bfc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770911594&Signature=HNwD1iHLL1uSZVWnvMSFAwyDOgtcy-xmJLhE0cxP26YPiynAZ8nqx8beORua2eOj0UudwXqNM3cd158d3I~8A8EuWy5WZuf67cwX6ld4YROur~5rV5HZrvkZKESat9NElU0fy5mSvxY2un-xjvgIa3FBXwgpDsvIaB0-rEyqyML8uY0TEzkzAxW0Lo-ZzAF2g~e-YZDxswvsbKXEXlv4uTmAzTSx7cbqf6g7Sff5JBn35busvhZ0giRAFiUUon9gsskgGg1mkdrLTGlFfPcu91lf9~zKS1RsYjwjNZ7juGcXTCYqzfuSWa-Kk0uHJIUq1bUn1YGdWiWDj9sAx1JbLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Batavia USD 101","date","2025-05-30T14:08:34Z","article","At the May 20 Batavia USD 101 Board of Education meeting, the board voted to approve an application seeking a school calendar waiver required by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Brad (district staff) explained that the state required a renewed public‑hearing notice after paperwork was revised and that the district had notified union partners; there were no public comments at the hearing. Board President Meadows then called for action.

Board member Raquel moved to approve the application; Katie seconded the motion. The board recorded a roll call vote; the members present voted yes. The clerk read the roll call as: “Jose Keith? Yes. Garros? Yes. Aralandu? Yes. Gonzales Thomas? Yes. Kilberg? Yes. Meadows? Yes. Slager? Yes.” The motion passed.

After the waiver vote the board entertained a motion to adjourn; members agreed and the meeting ended at 8:52 p.m.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Batavia Public School District 101 Board of Education Special Meeting May 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Batavia USD 101 Board of Education voted unanimously on May 20 to approve an application seeking a school calendar waiver and then adjourned the meeting.","taxTitle","Batavia USD 101, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",74132,"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},6220041,"Public commenter urges board to reject consultant approach and demand transparency",175,143000,318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768&start=143&end=318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768/thumbnail_143000.jpg","/articles/6220041/Illinois/Public-commenter-urges-board-to-reject-consultant-approach-and-demand-transparency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220041-20d499225f5705016ecee93ef038dd66/orig.mp4?Expires=1770911594&Signature=gd2JtVKxJIlhZHMr1mGo6Pz0~MfoPRpiSrSogt33eGZYe2XVLpfZZps-8qSN6pSF-aMYUcQrxZVUk0HkUWSq6uG9NR6WG~O9uKjhM4Lbvs7hbMC1M6lX~zUv69RHpuEz8McEVEIpSMzhx7AotQixPgYT6N8If~qVNMG~~0sl-9OdO0rORfJudFqKEwmNulJiDvwXNCwrNXMoe607U0iFgeqUzrj4YQugtz1g9Uduec0eIC7xxeKHUNJcSEPZTdzSmdy3Yvr3-03DIPlkt6cHNOW98S89XDzUu0pC~~wwddEtYffYFOKq7x8u0laYg3n1qJsmKDcE433pSEzr~ZS3Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public‑comment period at the Batavia USD 101 Board of Education meeting, a recent student and commenter, identified as Martin Fern, criticized the district’s approach to implementing its strategic plan and expressed distrust of an outside consultant’s role.

Martin Fern spoke during public comment and urged the board to pursue “true transformation” rather than repeat past processes. Fern said the district’s prior year commitments had not yielded perceived change and questioned the consultant-led approach. “The DMG plan represents yet another opportunity for true transformation that you are being asked to blow,” Fern said. “I have no confidence that DMG's approach will move us anywhere closer to true transformation and trust and transparency.”

Fern criticized what he described as a recurring pattern of paying an outside consultant roughly $100,000 to produce recommendations that result in small committees and “late night convoluted vague discussions” without sustained changes. He urged the board to center student voices and adopt uncomfortable, honest corrections rather than “more of the same.”

His remarks occurred during the public‑comment portion of the meeting; board members did not respond during that period. The board later proceeded to reports and school presentations.
","A public commenter at the May 20 Batavia USD 101 board meeting criticized the district's strategic plan implementation and a consultant's work, urging greater transparency and authentic change.",{"_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},6220046,"District principals report mixed gains in reading and math during school improvement presentations",4326,332000,4658000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768&start=332&end=4658","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3619209-c5f0b1e710da3c0720f8df6e70969768/thumbnail_332000.jpg","/articles/6220046/Illinois/District-principals-report-mixed-gains-in-reading-and-math-during-school-improvement-presentations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220046-5210055358750b6db1b395286eb90f9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770911594&Signature=QJZmOLqEhvF2p50oc~N2KZTbpn7oaB55Bxz5-2-PzhKsUkMRiX5zFDGKDj6uJ4eR8Yd88MK6f52MjoaNZJ~Qr-5fIDqt60jPtvCm2Wd8WxVIEdqZimcq7wu2wPf3pcyUwsHycgAWZLOY2quMelzSKKHGdEHni4Gdargzu0pMLi-FtQalUrPapGwPiphFnfYhWGiVisb7tqyCgMgyWS3Ca73kEPa8~MPnTPoQCxVkFH~ccZh1O7~nJ1KKjuHqTBUHodxKSqXR687b8fph9MWheii0vhr~vSAPvLaA0siMmyn5Y7Hp8g2hxPK670pj5bhpjNv3zK5PIPnBUYEsDEB-Hg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Batavia USD 101 principals presented school-level progress on May 20, reporting mixed results across reading, math and social-emotional indicators as the district prepares a districtwide review in June.

The presentations, delivered during a special board meeting item on school improvement plans, summarized each building's goals, outcomes and next steps under the district's strategic plan. Principals described using Panorama survey data, CHAMPS classroom-walkthroughs and early implementation of the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan to guide instruction and social-emotional work.

Kristen Stevens, principal at AGS, said the school met both its ELA proficiency and growth targets, with 78% of students at or above the 50th percentile and growth exceeding the goal by two percentile points. Stevens also reported 83% proficiency in math and said a targeted approach to decreased nurse visits — used as a proxy for belonging and emotional support — showed improvement: “97 percent of those students being tracked had less nursing visits,” she said.

At Grace McWain, Principal Jeff Monet reported high proficiency levels and year‑over‑year gains: “We had 91 of our students proficient in math on NWA MAP, and 80 percent of our students were proficient in reading,” Monet said, and added that kindergarten cohorts and specific grade bands showed notable growth.

HC Storm Principal Chris Milken said the school saw a 12 percentage‑point increase in math proficiency and subgroup gains — including a 9.5 percentage‑point increase in Black/African American students meeting projected growth — but acknowledged the building did not meet its overall ELA growth target. Milken described a series of teacher-led professional learning efforts and a pilot of the Boys & Girls Club partnership, which produced modest increases in participation when staffing stabilized.

Gina Greenwald, principal at Hoover Wood, reported the building reached 73% proficiency in reading and noted a 10 percentage‑point jump in math proficiency from fall to spring; she also described a districtwide pattern of a winter dip in Panorama belonging scores that rebounded by spring.

Nicole Prentice, principal at JV Nelson, said the school exceeded its math growth goal (about 76% meeting growth targets) while literacy growth remained short of the 60% target. Prentice described using student focus groups to diagnose social‑emotional trends and piloting lessons on neurodiversity to improve peer respect and inclusion.

At Louise White, Principal Mike Wall said the school used monthly SEL focus areas, CHAMPS alignment and a fifth‑grade service club to boost participation and belonging; the building met its targeted reduction in office referrals and saw mixed MAP growth outcomes.

Middle school leaders reported high building‑wide math proficiency but continued reading challenges. Adam Lester, filling in for RMS leadership, reported a spring proficiency of about 77% in math and said reading growth remained a priority for next year’s work on the district’s literacy shifts.

At Batavia High School, Principal Joanne Smith described two SLT goals: adapt to the state’s switch to the ACT (including a new combined ELA metric) and increase extracurricular participation among low‑income students. Smith said the school will continue targeted outreach and student interviews after conducting roughly 100 one‑on‑one interviews to learn why participation gaps exist.

Across presentations, principals described consistent next steps: deepen implementation of the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan, expand instructional rounds and PLC data work, increase student voice activities, and refine CHAMPS and Bulldog block intervention structures. Several principals noted the district is in a multi-year process to close gaps and that specific work will continue in the districtwide presentation scheduled for June.

The board heard the presentations in a special session devoted to item 3.1 and did not take any formal votes on the school improvement plans at the May 20 meeting.","At the May 20 Batavia USD 101 Board of Education meeting, principals from elementary, middle and high schools reported on school improvement plans, citing pockets of proficiency gains in math and targeted work on literacy and student belonging.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves application seeking school calendar waiver after required public‑hearing notice

Public commenter urges board to reject consultant approach and demand transparency

District principals report mixed gains in reading and math during school improvement presentations