[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6461391,"mediaKeyId","5824310-da35afbed8e82aacee3e84f752c9da67","parentId",5824310,"title","Elmhurst SD 205 board adopts FY2026 budget, approves insurance changes, working‑cash bond notice and energy procurement agreement","audioSeconds",293,"startMs",10980000,"endMs",10687000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824310-da35afbed8e82aacee3e84f752c9da67&start=10980&end=10687","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824310-da35afbed8e82aacee3e84f752c9da67/thumbnail_10980000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6461391/Illinois/Elmhurst-SD-205-board-adopts-FY2026-budget-approves-insurance-changes-workingcash-bond-notice-and-energy-procurement-agreement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461391-879d71d026aa92eccc98916fd2f2bc2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490171&Signature=YgnQ194FWOBSKV1zGJUZQKcOplphBV-xjJxbatjPIuK~Pv6hiv2zLC9XOxb9Rd1k~haW3IoqGYPDee34Azj2u9MrZErDZo7KKlW7dNOUUQ6GqnoMWTIjBLB6wSqdLKQMS2kSkyLx5l1rRUkmWZx7LbhkpmuhXQRS9skHSPPZYJQ2mi2ZPkDnhxK8Kk61m-wEYYxqX1yyjkId48nA1eOZOLT71tNF6PyBaEiz-WmG4JuCIdz9ZPLy5fCrNQ6GelEnIRvamvdz3qkx3R4ZGPZJrv6adKha6huOfCmKNjHSk3n89WwyytW-jJT-Dl8K~m8UXcKShDbLQnzNEAH56IQrGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Elmhurst SD 205","date","2025-09-24T12:45:04.727Z","article","The Elmhurst SD 205 Board of Education on Sept. 23 approved the district’s fiscal year 2026 budget and several operational measures intended to stabilize district finances and benefits costs.

Budget adoption: the board voted 6–0 (1 absent) to adopt the FY2026 budget as presented. District staff described the budget as the product of six months of planning for the fiscal year running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The district reported an unaudited FY2025 savings of about $5,000,000 compared with budget; staff said the FY25 result included an intentional $7,000,000 payment related to referendum scope and ongoing capital transfers. The administration told the board that 91% of anticipated revenues are local and that salaries and benefits account for roughly 75% of expenditures.

Insurance plan changes: the board approved recommended medical and dental plan changes (motion passed 6–0, 1 absent) that the district’s insurance committee and consultant Alliant recommended. Key elements presented by Melanie Gruss of Alliant included a pharmacy carve‑out (Vital1) for PPO and high‑deductible plan members, removal of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug coverage for certain plans effective Jan. 1, elimination of district‑funded biometric screening events, elimination of retiree dental for employees without a contractual entitlement, and plan‑design changes to the PPO and HSA/HDP plans. The committee’s cost estimate reflected an overall premium increase of about 8% effective Jan. 1, 2026; the dental premium equivalent rate increase was presented as roughly 11.5% (year two of a two‑year strategy). The district noted that industry trend estimates are nearer 11% and said the committee will continue outreach and education for staff during open enrollment in November.

Working cash bonds: the board adopted a resolution declaring its intent to issue $8,500,000 in working‑cash fund bonds and directing publication of the statutorily required notice (motion passed 6–0, 1 absent). District counsel explained that publication of the notice triggers a 30‑day petition period; if 3,423 registered voters submit a valid petition within that 30‑day window the working‑cash bond issuance would proceed to referendum (March election). If no petition is filed in that period the board may proceed to issue the bonds without referendum. A public hearing on Oct. 21 will consider both working‑cash bonds and life‑safety bonds.

Energy procurement: the board approved a master agreement with Nania Energy Advisors for procurement of natural gas (motion passed 6–0, 1 absent). District staff said the district’s existing natural gas contract had expired and that Nania would help secure a fixed‑rate agreement intended to stabilize energy costs and reduce budget volatility.

Consent agenda and other approvals: the board approved the consent agenda (6–0, 1 absent), which included the personnel report, financial report, FOIA responses, adoption of out‑of‑district meal reimbursements, compensation compliance reports, special‑education supplemental staff contracts and procurement of an Incident IQ IT and facilities work‑management platform. The board also approved the minutes from prior meetings and the agreement to move into and out of closed session earlier in the evening.

Why it matters: the FY2026 budget and the insurance plan changes set the district’s operating parameters for the coming year and affect employees’ out‑of‑pocket costs. The working‑cash bond notice begins a statutorily prescribed public process that could lead to a referendum if sufficient voters petition. The energy procurement contract is intended to limit budget exposure to market price swings.

Votes at a glance

- Adopt FY2026 budget: motion by Dr. Henry; second by Ms. Arvanites. Vote: Dr. Henry — yes; Ms. Arvanites — yes; Ms. Asif — yes; Ms. Lewinsky — yes; Mr. Bresnahan — yes; Ms. Hosler — yes; Ms. Strautman — absent. Outcome: approved (6–0, 1 absent).

- Approve 2026 medical and dental plan changes: motion by Ms. Hosler; second by Ms. Lewinsky. Vote: yes (6–0, 1 absent). Outcome: approved.

- Adopt resolution declaring intent to issue $8,500,000 working‑cash bonds and publish notice: motion by Dr. Henry; second by Ms. Asif. Vote: yes (6–0, 1 absent). Outcome: approved; starts 30‑day petition window and schedules Oct. 21 hearing.

- Approve master agreement with Nania Energy Advisors for natural gas procurement: motion by Ms. Lewinsky; second by Ms. Hosler. Vote: yes (6–0, 1 absent). Outcome: approved.

- Approve consent agenda (personnel, financial, FOIA, meal reimbursements, compensation compliance, special‑education supplemental staff contracts, Incident IQ platform): motion by Ms. Asif; second by Board member. Vote: yes (6–0, 1 absent). Outcome: approved.

Implementation notes and next steps: open enrollment for benefits will occur in November; the insurance committee scheduled follow‑up meetings and the district said it will provide staff education and benefits counseling ahead of plan changes. Publication of the working‑cash bond notice will start the 30‑day petition period; the board will hold a public hearing Oct. 21 that will also address proposed life‑safety bonds. District staff said they will return with additional budget and program details as required by the board’s finance cycle.

Ending: board members thanked committee volunteers and staff for the work that informed the recommendations and voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:41 p.m.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting - September 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Elmhurst SD 205 Board of Education on Sept. 23 approved the district’s fiscal year 2026 budget and several operational measures intended to stabilize district finances and benefits costs.","taxTitle","Elmhurst SD 205, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",74119,"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},6461396,"Elmhurst SD 205 principals describe efforts to build safe, engaging classrooms as district rolls out NextPath attendance and SEL monitoring",399,6080000,6479000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824310-da35afbed8e82aacee3e84f752c9da67&start=6080&end=6479","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824310-da35afbed8e82aacee3e84f752c9da67/thumbnail_6080000.jpg","/articles/6461396/Illinois/Elmhurst-SD-205-principals-describe-efforts-to-build-safe-engaging-classrooms-as-district-rolls-out-NextPath-attendance-and-SEL-monitoring","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461396-1a5334395e010ad05460af4ff7bea262/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490171&Signature=nRPXJBpXPhXETzdPMJZLQAPMhKHDhbel57zlZAwrHTVW9G5~wX0uM~2isvr2yAjUzcnEGeD6jlc0SoNJByrhBf3UBCsnbhJQfkjVw3a9RY2xliarMyLHMF4Ivd2AJqKwUzPIB7Gew7oDMhsXWYMIZ~WdQFybt1dqE-EGCGrOuT8CHrV2LZ48kOw2SY6~JHiMHn32fl7E-kwlBKUtr3esJZTw1~NQyssnikj9AiPmfswho5jYFkmj0Xs9MzeIFdivd4KIf2oCyxKbEQeqtlgiHfqSjc~qH3pGnL~H-XdoeYeWedSEiuX~Voo7-hDPRGutvaqWOy35yX1bvYQrHg1H1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lincoln Elementary principal Calissa Smith and Bryan Middle School principal Jackie Desipio told the Elmhurst SD 205 Board of Education on Sept. 23 that their schools are focusing on practices intended to increase students’ sense of safety, belonging and engagement.

\"99% of our students say they feel safe with their teachers. 97% say they're treated with respect, and 94% say that teachers notice each time they need help and explain things in a different way,\" Lincoln principal Calissa Smith said as she described classroom routines, calm corners and student leadership activities in the school.

The board later heard from a district staff member (presenting the learning-environment report) who described tools the district is using to monitor attendance and social-emotional learning (SEL). The district has begun using NextPath to display up-to-date attendance and academic indicators and Panorama to gather student-reported SEL measures twice a year.

Why it matters: district leaders told the board that improvements in student perceptions of school climate are associated with better attendance and academic outcomes. The district said chronic absenteeism has declined in elementary grades and improved substantially at York High School over recent years.

What principals said: Smith said Lincoln has emphasized schoolwide \"pride values,\" calm corners for emotional regulation, grade-level buddy activities, expanded co-curricular offerings with the PTA and a run club that draws more than 300 students. \"When students feel safe, connected, and supported, their personal and academic growth accelerates,\" she said.

Jackie Desipio said Bryan Middle School prioritized student-teacher trust as a targeted improvement area after analyzing 5Essentials survey data. She described reviving a student advisory committee, aligning teacher goals to the school improvement plan and focusing this year on \"interactive pedagogy\"—strategies that increase student collaboration and discussion across exploratory and core classes.

District monitoring and interventions: the staff presentation showed NextPath dashboards that district and building leaders can filter by school, grade and subgroup to identify students at risk of falling off track for attendance or academic targets. The presenter demonstrated drilling from a risk flag to an individual student’s attendance history and said NextPath updates nightly from PowerSchool and other sources.

Board questions and staff responses: board members asked how the district decides when to start interventions and how progress is measured. The staff presenter said teams use Panorama survey scores and other universal assessments (examples cited include MAP and FastBridge) to flag needs, then deploy tiered interventions and monitor progress. \"Students and their families would be engaged, really relatively quickly as soon as we notice a risk,\" the presenter said. Counselors, social workers and school psychologists meet regularly with school teams to plot supports.

Several board members asked whether the district tracks pre/post measures for small-group counseling and other SEL interventions. District staff said counselors maintain internal progress-monitoring benchmarks and that the district is in a first-year implementation phase of integrating those measures into the NextPath data walls; they said more dynamic progress indicators will be added over time.

Supporting evidence and outcomes: district staff reported that, by some measures, elementary chronic absenteeism is below pre-pandemic levels and that York High School has reduced its chronic-absence rate roughly by half over recent years. The presentation also noted that the district has added roughly 20 new clubs and activities, and that girls flag football is a newly popular sport in the district this year.

What’s next: the board was told the district will continue guided observations, professional learning on interactive pedagogy and administration of the Panorama survey (fall and spring) and the 5Essentials survey in February. The board will review state assessment report-card changes at its Oct. 21 Committee of the Whole meeting and district staff will return with year‑end analyses of how the integrated data tools affected interventions.

Ending: principals and staff said the combination of school-level culture work and new data tools is intended to let educators identify causes quickly and move to action for students who need additional supports.","Lincoln Elementary principal Calissa Smith and Bryan Middle School principal Jackie Desipio told the Elmhurst SD 205 Board of Education on Sept. 23 that their schools are focusing on practices intended to increase students’ sense of safety, belonging and engagement.","actionData","errors"]

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Elmhurst SD 205 board adopts FY2026 budget, approves insurance changes, working‑cash bond notice and energy procurement agreement

Elmhurst SD 205 principals describe efforts to build safe, engaging classrooms as district rolls out NextPath attendance and SEL monitoring