[{"_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",6477867,"mediaKeyId","5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426","parentId",5711168,"title","Board approves WestEd contract, school improvement plans and new East High courses; extends McKinney‑Vento transport deal","audioSeconds",123,"startMs",1436000,"endMs",1559000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426&start=1436&end=1559","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426/thumbnail_1436000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6477867/Illinois/Board-approves-WestEd-contract-school-improvement-plans-and-new-East-High-courses-extends-McKinneyVento-transport-deal","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477867-bd0081888e39aba66453f0b194cd0360/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201604&Signature=I6BN5ATXKEViKCPNKu7glJohsadNswgbqT~A3RlzxRRAinrap0WgpzYM24S-epnCJrB6ogPdDWdKOAIt3wJQnAXjEKoQ-PDz4loy0VBK8p3UD6Nfzoj1ldMkyb7m5MmlgMWIlFRvfDPplOZxFDL8rJmkhgcfhVsBaK1EuS7Jg0bytuNqiOa8Jznd5Lim2A40J7EUPaUPh1jkWTChLhqI4Ll4ixP52b7KO~sU6cjfuQG2wKT3bG0TD5BjcJzv5XSuJFHdxx71Q-GzzEccGFGRcJSB1SqV0DtXby8Clmn4U8t0BX3svsjfiBkR1Hx6PXvYdocPyO7EtfJFm0kor3Y2dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Aurora East USD 131","date","2025-09-03T13:12:36Z","article","The Aurora East USD 131 Board of Education on Sept. 2 approved several agenda items by recorded roll call, including a $148,000 contract with WestEd to serve as a learning partner for Rollins, Waldo, Cowherd and Allen schools, approval of school improvement plans for the 2025–26 school year, new course offerings at East Aurora High School, revisions to IASB PRESS board policies, and an extension of the McKinney‑Vento transportation contract with First All (powered by First Student).

Votes at a glance

- WestEd learning partner contract (Rollins, Waldo, Cowherd, Allen) — $148,000; funding: 1,003a funds (state‑funded). Approved by roll call. (See provenance.)

- School improvement plans for 2025–26 (items 7b1a–7b1e) — approved by roll call. The board cited the State Board of Education requirement for annually adopted school improvement plans and noted Title I funding implications.

- East Aurora High School course proposals for 2026–27 (culinary arts fundamentals; forensic course; college preparation math; technical math as dual credit) — approved by roll call.

- Revisions to IASB PRESS board policies (A–O as listed on the agenda) — approved by roll call.

- Extension of the McKinney‑Vento transportation contract with First All (powered by First Student) — committee reported a 3% rate increase; extension approved by roll call.

Each motion was moved and seconded as listed on the agenda; roll calls were conducted for each approval. The board convened an executive session later in the meeting for workers’ compensation, student discipline and personnel matters; no action was announced following executive session and the meeting reconvened and adjourned.

Board members and staff did not provide extensive floor debate on the motions recorded above during the meeting; most items were presented in committee reports and approved on the consent or action agendas. The curriculum committee noted the school improvement plans are required annually by the State Board of Education and are needed to secure Title I and other state‑allocated funding. The Buildings and Grounds committee reported that the McKinney‑Vento transportation extension aligns contract terms with the district’s other transportation agreements and includes an approximate 3% increase.

The approvals keep scheduled district work moving into the 2025–26 school year: learning partnerships and school improvement planning for targeted and comprehensive schools, additions to high‑school career pathways and continuity of transportation services for students covered by McKinney‑Vento requirements.

Details of recorded roll calls and motion texts are included in the meeting record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 9 2 25","oneSentenceSummary","The Aurora East USD 131 Board of Education on Sept. 2 approved multiple contracts, school improvement plans and course proposals, and extended a McKinney‑Vento transportation contract, all by recorded roll call.","taxTitle","Aurora East USD 131, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",74116,"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},6477858,"Educational Foundation reports record fundraising and more scholarships; district honors East High alumnus and APD officer",241,274000,515000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426&start=274&end=515","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426/thumbnail_274000.jpg","/articles/6477858/Illinois/Educational-Foundation-reports-record-fundraising-and-more-scholarships-district-honors-East-High-alumnus-and-APD-officer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477858-7198beae998a328253c4f24949a8a259/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201605&Signature=VtbuhynwicRioSTw~B-sc1qiuDW6t66mG9dXxaepaeSw1ygGkwgkknpmcXkliHnmu2KBn9ZOdeeuxlFU8ar9b7BKNirlc8xNF-1gGsq4RcE61Uks5TkUOokkj~NZKjpOJpoIgG6G8WxDmpXj3XrxwCMsG4rSkkpVYuZyMDFf9InIUjF8UX45opuvaXNIOuf0GTGSYlzUiMNpIADL4eeoZN5j8ADF8~1BbzSIt7VdzGIo5gwAKTbgF0ncOAncbAItO0BJgkxsTm8960HwQ9TCDIqTmvKIqqkvq~YZslnKderR2qW8dJ1gplQeY~BUlIQOkhyvcI89rLVsXJj61xyNoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mark Mickelaney, chairperson of the East Aurora Educational Foundation, presented the foundation’s annual report during the public comment period on Sept. 2, saying the foundation recorded all‑time highs in fundraising and in scholarship awards. Mickelaney said last year the foundation awarded 33 scholarships and that the foundation expects to award 45 scholarships for 2025–26. He distributed copies of the foundation’s third annual report and thanked volunteers and longtime supporters by name.

In district communications, Britney Walker introduced Officer Gerardo Chaitas of the Aurora Police Department and presented a hometown hero award. Walker said Chaitas, an East Aurora High School alumnus and current school resource officer, intervened during a January 2024 dog attack on a young girl — applying a tourniquet and helping to save her life — and later helped a motorcycle crash victim while on vacation in Texas. Walker described Chaitas’s actions as life‑saving and welcomed his return to East Aurora High School as a school resource officer.

Superintendent Dr. Halverson (phonetic variants in the transcript) thanked Officer Chaitas and noted increased collaboration with the Aurora Police Department, including some officers patrolling on bikes near Phillips Park at the start of the school year.

Mickelaney’s public remarks emphasized the foundation’s history, volunteer support and fundraising growth; he asked board members to accept copies of the annual report. The board did not take formal action on the presentation or the award; both were presented as part of communications and public comment.

The district continues to highlight community partnerships — including the educational foundation and the Aurora Police Department — as it begins the 2025–26 school year.","Mark Mickelaney, chair of the East Aurora Educational Foundation, presented the foundation’s annual report and said fundraising and scholarships reached record levels; the board also recognized APD Officer Gerardo Chaitas as a \"hometown hero.\"",{"_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},6477862,"District reinstates Family Counseling Services partnership; 150 staff trained on risk‑of‑harm referrals",101,922000,1023000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426&start=922&end=1023","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711168-e3bbcff1cf13b3e048fd34b163928426/thumbnail_922000.jpg","/articles/6477862/Illinois/District-reinstates-Family-Counseling-Services-partnership-150-staff-trained-on-riskofharm-referrals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477862-18ef98e18c6cdcc1eb1a6aaa15f4bd49/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201605&Signature=kWZ7dC~OP5mGEKGK6nUjNLTv5v1-wEK6GjkV9sz2z9FBO9XG2nV-5ng1klWkc~v5HH~PmMgK1KoiIe1iI8GRBHvU9ChQCTK7HwqMwLy~ISiU7W7avDk5UrzKnWvE0eCi4O0mNuQU27SXmXGfjzvYFlqi-LxoZCgvR3K24APsHgsazGg~sJnI7elgeEgOul4MKHp8AYb-qiXsN3NMuyGVtyEdK7M6wTUj1zoiMnk7k9bDfEMJ7JQwC35ts~6hLo6X3yPH-7GwYMJly9bJ9wSg~bcGx7sDjznFZ1zrAp3B6xGGpv1puY5LLjiWhfAaTPTOkPH7AOrFgDEGQnCUkOyzjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Aurora East USD 131 staff told the Board of Education on Sept. 2 that the district has reinstated its partnership with Family Counseling Services (FCS) and has started operationalizing referrals for students in need of additional behavioral and mental‑health support.

Dr. Laura Arenbaugh said the district held a training day on Aug. 26 for about 150 district administrators, social workers, counselors and school psychologists to review the district’s risk‑of‑harm process and how to use the renewed FCS partnership to connect families with services. \"We did a series of trainings throughout the day where we talked with staff about our risk of harm process and combined that with our new partnership with Family Counseling Services,\" Arenbaugh said. She added that staff have already begun initiating connections to FCS and that early feedback has been positive.

District staff and the board said the partnership previously existed and has been “brought back” to provide an additional layer of counseling support. Arenbaugh said the expectation is that the FCS partnership will help reduce the need for higher levels of support when students require mental‑health services. The district also reported that the school year began Aug. 20 and, within the first week, nutrition services served more than 83,000 meals districtwide — a data point presented alongside the update.

The board did not take action on the update; staff said operational steps are underway to refer families and monitor outcomes. Dr. Arenbaugh and district leadership indicated that they will continue to report implementation progress to the board and to trained staff.","District staff told the board that Aurora East USD 131 has restored a partnership with Family Counseling Services (FCS), trained about 150 administrators, social workers, counselors and school psychologists on Aug. 26, and has begun connecting families for additional support to reduce higher levels of intervention.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves WestEd contract, school improvement plans and new East High courses; extends McKinney‑Vento transport deal

Educational Foundation reports record fundraising and more scholarships; district honors East High alumnus and APD officer

District reinstates Family Counseling Services partnership; 150 staff trained on risk‑of‑harm referrals