[{"_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",5973170,"mediaKeyId","5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58","parentId",5846140,"title","District 57 adopts FY2025-26 budget with small surplus; referendum construction funds set aside","audioSeconds",4059,"startMs",540520,"endMs",4600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58&start=540&end=4600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58/thumbnail_540520.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973170/Illinois/District-57-adopts-FY2025-26-budget-with-small-surplus-referendum-construction-funds-set-aside","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973170-ff4cbf3dc0c107b75b631a38a50bc247/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946555&Signature=PO9EZbGnn5X-hedYscv8wQZHPVQnM~Uk1TwjfpJizAWuuIaKW9xmdPz5NIvGqZW9J6hOdKSy1ML3e~LVZwhsp9DPOXql2anf90MhnX5Ktts7sXdTF3ZTxEJBqFRmzBdhvtewVxl8VFTUw4hTJguNxrcBNnR94Q4hXIBlOGdITnwYL1uPur-3z9qY2rp~KX0NPtwLgRP8xV7z5XCmsVKHQPDyxaj2XnAE-4FP3dEdTWT9Dhu0ZwJ11CO-SVpJRgGXilyiG8VeMntW-B7xpUcSZSetwSclOFKNxlE024C1vdSnlh58STTE6u5AnEWKfVvoJbx~sixLplzgCr3IuyziWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Trier Twp HSD 203","date","2025-09-26T14:13:15Z","article","The District 57 Board of Education voted on Sept. 23 to approve the fiscal year 2025–26 budget after a public hearing and a presentation by Jason Case, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations.

Case told the board the operating revenue for the year is “just over $37,700,000” and projected expenditures are “just over $35,600,000,” not including referendum bond proceeds. He said the operating surplus—after setting aside $2,000,000 annually for capital projects—is “just over $113,000.” Case also said the district sold revenue bonds in July and expects $34,000,000 in bond proceeds that are earmarked for construction at Lincoln and Westbrook and therefore largely excluded from operating charts presented at the meeting.

Case described the budget process and assumptions: the district starts budgeting in March with staffing-plan approval, uses a largely zero-based budgeting approach each year, and separates operating funds from referendum dollars to make baseline operating decisions clearer. He noted that local revenue, principally property taxes, makes up most district funds; corporate property replacement tax and interest earnings rose in recent years but are expected to normalize.

After the public hearing, the board moved to approve the budget. The motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call of recorded “yes” votes from Member Leto, Member Nelson, Vice President Cho, Member Dorna, Member Frey, Member Quelcher and President Betty Kell.

Case said the district will reconvene its Citizen Finance Advisory Committee to craft five-year financial projections, model the impact of full-day kindergarten anticipated for 2027 and review the effect of the recent bond sale and potential additional non-referendum bonds.

The district posted a budget report in the board packet and on its website, and Case said the board would submit required financial documents to the state as part of compliance filings.

The board’s adoption of the final budget followed an earlier Aug. 21 approval of a tentative budget and the required public inspection period of at least 30 days leading up to the public hearing recorded on Sept. 23.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District 57 Board of Education Meeting 9/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The District 57 Board of Education voted on Sept. 23 to approve the fiscal year 2025–26 budget after a public hearing and a presentation by Jason Case, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations.","taxTitle","New Trier Twp HSD 203, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",74180,"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},5973175,"District 57 outlines causes and fixes after false lockdown announcement at Lincoln Middle School",71,21564,93230,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58&start=21&end=93","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58/thumbnail_21564.jpg","/articles/5973175/Illinois/District-57-outlines-causes-and-fixes-after-false-lockdown-announcement-at-Lincoln-Middle-School","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973175-e5b34eb60784855899723b2f6e7dd127/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946555&Signature=EbtwQz2JoFyyTQvbyayHlKeB~MNeGoxml~vCUCZTntfM5kOswyqaW2LEo0fwja3orpZMxZfHL6d2nQvTq4nmimaYCGGMcIyf~WCkAvsCF-U8-OUmMwC2LqbDhGuxTd3vgP606gre-r7XRoLOTLAYWF86x0teEJrXnljfwasM8D05PDQNYQ6VUKfgm3pe1VGYX4AwtQANBJE6vHEl1ElAE7lJo6cUKdBlG2qaxA9MvDQyWjQYOUEZNoz0OSS3xQcFvi5jqu7DtV8OT~rtczd44XEOf5q1pgXte4UICf3JlTrgwVT9mNdokjgYd1lwHoj299Wt3HYa4ix4GnKBpB~mQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District 57 officials told the board on Sept. 23 that a prerecorded lockdown announcement at Lincoln Middle School sounded in error on Sept. 4 after being inadvertently linked to a panic alarm at Westbrook during summer systems work. Superintendent Dr. Gore said the district has audited phones and speakers, added notification methods for large commons areas and changed the prerecorded message to include attention tones and repeated messaging.

The incident was discovered after systems testing this summer and a rollback of an update to the Revolution bell/paging software, officials said. District staff traced the immediate cause to a setting change made after the rollback that removed prior configurations; in a hurried correction, the Lincoln paging group was accidentally associated with Westbrook’s panic alarm, which produced the false announcement at Lincoln when Westbrook’s alarm was activated during a planned drill.

Student board members and Lincoln staff described fear and confusion. A student board member said: “My experience with the lockdown drill felt like an emotional roller coaster. At first my teacher barricaded the door and my classmates and I followed the procedure … Even though we did everything correctly, the situation highlighted issues with communication and how quickly information reaches students and staff.” The district said Mount Prospect police quickly confirmed there was no threat and Lincoln staff released classrooms and reassured students.

District staff described the technical sequence: a full systems test Aug. 8 showed the panic alarms, paging and dispatch notifications working. On Aug. 22 a planned lockdown drill at Lincoln did not play the prerecorded announcement when the panic alarm was pressed; dispatch was notified and the principal made a manual announcement. That event was a signal that settings had not carried over after the rollback. On Sept. 4, during a scheduled Westbrook drill, the linked Lincoln paging group caused Lincoln’s prerecorded announcement to play unexpectedly.

Officials listed corrective steps already taken and planned: revising the prerecorded announcement so it begins with a non-jarring attention tone and repeats multiple times; a room-by-room check of phones and volumes; temporary volume increases; orders placed with Valcom for additional speakers and with Heartland Business Systems for clocks with integrated “flasher” lights in common areas; and an external safety audit by West 40, with that audit to be reviewed in a closed session because it contains security-sensitive material.

Staff also said they will coordinate procedure and communications with the Mount Prospect Police Department, add new notification channels for nonclassroom spaces and retest systems after equipment installation. The district said it will update procedures to require broader retesting after future software updates to ensure configurations are preserved.

Board members and staff stressed the emotional impact on students and staff as part of the board’s public record. One board member thanked Lincoln staff and families “for their calm and cooperation” and said the incident has prompted immediate changes to reduce the risk that a similar false alarm would cause confusion or harm.

No formal vote was recorded on operational changes during the meeting; officials said some actions (the West 40 audit review) will be discussed with the board in a closed session because of security sensitivity.","A September 4 false lockdown announcement at Lincoln Middle School — triggered by an inadvertent software link to Westbrook’s panic alarm — prompted technical fixes, a safety audit and additional communications and equipment installations, district officials said.",{"_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},5973156,"Board member urges clarity on proposed NSSEO operational board; votes and timeline questioned",397,4667675,5064955,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58&start=4667&end=5064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58/thumbnail_4667675.jpg","/articles/5973156/Illinois/Board-member-urges-clarity-on-proposed-NSSEO-operational-board-votes-and-timeline-questioned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973156-ec0a408516bda501e39d2c6ab38a0ec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946555&Signature=c11X4-ySGJxQLSoxc621aU-6-2iyv7yWyoRJECNBe2sa7zcScwJ6va4HbYJVRGr-8LX6M2xOj9CaND1pDAURlRj3ShxRHly39axVBxxDGx7D0~J1jrquNJfmh8Uk7Ph2G6~aX8R7oJFSemmoB69u4YBVj1JToevjjRH7cmGU25XZOdT5pAPWpYUBDRHXmPE~bAgvoBCkOvieqcvbuJf7uD8DCpLl0cukIqYz5U9yBOlsVl0~ObPCAp3HN9vxclFlcbfEtQ3aRWmaNI-aizwuKvlwCWo7Qy-kzVNGi~ARiB0MhCSX0tSd7T8Ed8Py5Yxic3GcdSTcf64NYUcttQ33Hg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A District 57 board representative told the board Sept. 23 that they voted no at the Sept. 3 NSSEO governing-board meeting on whether to move a proposed agreement forward to create a separate operational board within NSSEO. The representative asked member-district boards to review proposed articles closely and requested clear, unambiguous language defining the operational board’s authorities and limits.

Chris (board representative) said two central concerns emerged in the governing-board discussion. First, he said member districts expressed a preference for transparent, public deliberation rather than shifting decision-making into a smaller operational board that might meet under different rules. Second, he said that decisions affecting taxpayer funds should be made by the body directly accountable to voters — the elected governing board of member districts — and that any operational board’s role must be defined to avoid ambiguity about authority over budgets and policy.

Chris said NSSEO leadership proposed a timeline to post the articles in December after a 90-day comment period, but he questioned whether that timeframe would allow adequate review by seven member-district boards and their seven-member boards. He said he would gather comments, concerns and suggested edits from District 57 colleagues and forward them to the NSSEO governing board.

The representative recommended that any final language explicitly state whether the proposed operational board would make binding budget decisions or only provide recommendations to the governing board. He said he will insist on clear delineation of authority before supporting any articles that delegate fiscal or operational control away from elected boards.

No formal District 57 vote on NSSEO’s articles was recorded at the Sept. 23 meeting; the representative said he would collect district comments and relay them to the NSSEO governing board.","A District 57 representative reported a split position at the NSSEO governing board meeting over plans for a separate operational board. The district representative said they voted no on advancing an agreement to form an operational board and asked for clearer language about authorities and public accountability before member-district boards act.",{"_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},5973160,"Summer Bridge pilot had low attendance; district proposes narrower, fee-supported model",283,3816025,4099335,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58&start=3816&end=4099","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58/thumbnail_3816025.jpg","/articles/5973160/Illinois/Summer-Bridge-pilot-had-low-attendance-district-proposes-narrower-fee-supported-model","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973160-3d92930f672d2c1b5e246bc498d81f04/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946555&Signature=IozBiUY5DDrlwYt9gT87Dhipk6i4sP~XrQLAy~Qq~DaJg01yE5yJ5ZgTNPluLWkBpaHOzBHch-i-uyHmtVftAh~tG1XvkmykeZCotcr9IKo0gURZkno71~YBJ6rMduBHH4DAQXGhiuTlApIVVOGS8NXpC9~oz~My1BxTGbJdnayeBjiN5oOSrU8Op~2zPHc9D7KUzQnhlT-FH-CeFeMtD3qo-bqvxDNp44lUP2auWrm6OuWDf~~lpMtw9vBEho7BMxttrfAiWfGsJyQKm59N3S9kHZ5KIsFbSXaSfbP4qlscMqVcCWrFD-~yZpSqHYqj0wutjMTiJdGpHXJ4fW9HAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District 57 staff presented a review of the Summer Bridge program at the Sept. 23 meeting and proposed changes after a year of pilot operation and a separate summer enrichment pilot.

Dr. Botherhan told the board the district began the Summer Bridge pilot in 2021 using federal ESSER funds; that funding has ended, and the district incurred a net cost of about $14,000 for the most recent summer when it continued both the bridge program and a fee-based enrichment program.

Participation was low: in earlier years 93 students were invited and 40 participated; this summer the district invited 40 students and 27 attended. Average daily attendance was about 70 percent, and nearly half of participants missed three or more days. Fall benchmarking data was limited: staff could analyze outcomes for only 18 students (others had moved away or lacked assessment data). Staff reported mixed academic results, with math gains appearing stronger than reading gains for participating students.

Based on the evaluation, staff recommended continuing Summer Bridge but with a more targeted design: reduce total time and focus on students prioritized for either math or reading support (rather than requiring low performance in both), keep small class sizes, make the program invitation-only, charge a program fee aligned with summer enrichment fees while providing waivers for eligible families, and blend Title I funds with enrichment revenue to sustain small classes.

Staff said they will increase earlier and clearer communications to families and refine reading instruction due to the mixed reading results. The board asked clarifying questions about historic ESSER coverage; staff confirmed ESSER previously covered the program’s full cost and that the district incurred costs in the most recent year when federal funds were no longer available.","District 57 reported that its Summer Bridge pilot (previously funded by ESSER) had low participation and mixed learning gains, and recommended a smaller, invitation-only program with a fee and fee waivers supplemented by Title I funds to sustain small class sizes.",{"_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},5973165,"Board moves forward with Lincoln, Westbrook construction: bids received; Lincoln groundbreaking set Sept. 30",306,3050105,3356700,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58&start=3050&end=3356","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5846140-f31a259c24285122c5a99cd4934a3f58/thumbnail_3050105.jpg","/articles/5973165/Illinois/Board-moves-forward-with-Lincoln-Westbrook-construction-bids-received-Lincoln-groundbreaking-set-Sept-30","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973165-0c5870f7137c02eaf62946eb377f1269/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946555&Signature=NOkdEbeWzoKhXaX-cn~lGlciM19ZnYmSX0IECYxnpXkhuI1cTY1eQP39RH-qsZ1J~RB7C4nwlnslWIEpwMHGiXukdT~oArsTRXKn24wKr9kgOWRPAyhPD3e1S5AHTVsPBM~9yfOPwCYU-njgHSxRzoXSKrWSgfNJ2MJBuFOTxwBmu4N21UwkRTFe-cnXfiY7OjtLcDCkcNA5a-Irg21oShpR6rnM24zFsnVAAr28rfGtCRLhhXN-pY3K7DbuudfEBiyChPGXGG4QneUD5O-RFtnqpWJr1ElLheXPQi19HvtGCl3j4jygQhPEq9EwHNyWXb3NYLrqtHoxi53ZyDa0ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District 57 administrators and consultants updated the board Sept. 23 on construction bidding for Lincoln Middle School and Westbrook School and asked the board to approve contract awards.

Dave Torres of Nicholas and Associates summarized the public bid process: the consultant team packaged documents into multiple prime bid packages (nine for Westbrook, 10 for Lincoln), sent roughly 100 bid invitations and held mandatory pre-bid meetings. Torres said both projects drew strong contractor interest — roughly 50 prime bid packages had responses at each site — and that several alternates were included to preserve budget flexibility.

Torres said contractors bid aggressively and that recommended low bidders were reviewed to confirm they covered the full scope. Jason Case introduced project team members from STR (Mike Henderson and Sandra Moon) and noted that Lincoln’s groundbreaking is scheduled for Sept. 30 at 3:15 p.m. with fencing to go up the week of Oct. 6 and construction starting in earnest the week of Oct. 13. Case said most heavy Westbrook work will begin the following summer, while some winter-break and spring-break tasks are planned to limit student disruption.

Board members asked about bidder experience and alternates that were left out for budget reasons. The district said all recommended contractors have relevant experience and that a small number of alternates were not recommended because the board preferred to prioritize other items within budget.

The board recorded a motion to approve the Westbrook and Lincoln construction bids. The public transcript records the motion being made but does not include a roll-call vote for the action in the public text. District leaders said they will proceed with contract awards and project mobilization; the first community celebration is the Lincoln groundbreaking on Sept. 30.","District 57 reported competitive bids for Lincoln and Westbrook construction packages, named recommended contractors, and confirmed a Lincoln groundbreaking on Sept. 30 with construction activity to ramp up in October.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District 57 adopts FY2025-26 budget with small surplus; referendum construction funds set aside

District 57 outlines causes and fixes after false lockdown announcement at Lincoln Middle School

Board member urges clarity on proposed NSSEO operational board; votes and timeline questioned

Summer Bridge pilot had low attendance; district proposes narrower, fee-supported model

Board moves forward with Lincoln, Westbrook construction: bids received; Lincoln groundbreaking set Sept. 30