District 211 board adopts resolution for part-time teacher reductions, approves multiple purchases and appointments

The Township High School District 211 Board of Education at its meeting adopted a resolution authorizing a reduction in force of all part‑time, non‑tenured teachers and approved a series of purchases, change orders and personnel appointments.

The board voted to adopt the reduction‑in‑force resolution after opening a public hearing on the proposal; no members of the public signed up to speak during the hearing. The motion to authorize the reduction in force carried by roll call.

Board members also approved contracts and purchases on the consent and new‑business portions of the agenda, including conversion vans, iPads and AppleCare, tennis‑court change orders, and two dump trucks. The board voted to accept several staff retirements and to appoint three administrators and a grounds manager. Trustees approved a 3.9% overall salary allocation for a set of nonunion staff groups after board discussion and a roll call vote.

"Based on the most recent projections provided at the February 20 meeting, the district recommendation at this level would not be fiscally responsible. I recommend that the board vote this recommendation down and vote a lower percentage increase for the district nonunion groups," Board member Peter Dombrowski said during the salary allocation discussion; his statement was recorded during roll call debate before the final vote.

Votes at a glance

- Adopt public hearing and proposal to conduct a reduction in force of teaching positions (motion to open public hearing): carried (roll call recorded as unanimous Aye). - Motion to conduct the proposed reduction in force of teaching positions: carried (unanimous Aye). - Resolution authorizing reduction in force of all part‑time non‑tenured teachers: carried (unanimous Aye). - Purchase of five 10‑passenger conversion vans from Olathe Ford Sales Inc. through the Sourcewell cooperative for $322,015: approved (unanimous Aye). - Change order of $40,955 to Chicagoland Paving Contractors, Inc., for tennis court improvements at William Fremd High School: approved (unanimous Aye). - Purchase of 4,500 iPads from Apple for $1,458,000, 4,830 cases from UZBL for $106,798.50 and AppleCare OS Preferred support for $13,596 to support the 1:1 learning program for 2025–26: approved (unanimous Aye). - Purchase of two 2026 dump trucks from Rush Truck Centers of Illinois, Inc., using the Illinois joint purchasing master contract for $401,926: approved (unanimous Aye). - Acceptance of retirements (Carla Liwer, Theresa Marquis, Sandra Prokuski with effective dates as listed in the record): approved (unanimous Aye). - Appointments: Megan Mikes, human resources administrator (effective 04/21/2025) at $115,000 prorated; Thomas Smith, building and grounds manager at Conant High School (effective 07/01/2025) at $115,000; Louis Ray Ramos, building and grounds manager at Schaumburg High School (effective 03/21/2025) at $119,000 prorated: all approved (unanimous Aye). - Salary allocation for technology, transportation, safety and security personnel, clerical exempt, and management employees (3.9% overall increase effective 07/01/2025): approved (yes 4, no 1; Board member Dombrowski recorded a Nay). - Motion to enter closed session later in the meeting (to discuss matters permitted under the Open Meetings Act): failed (roll call recorded as No from each board member). The board record shows the motion failed by roll call.

What the board said and did

Board discussion on purchases was generally brief and procedural; staff described that many of the capital and equipment bids were previously approved in planning and that the purchases were scheduled for summer 2025 completion. On the dump‑truck purchase a board member asked how the district would dispose of old trucks; facilities staff said they "will either be surplused or scrapped depending on their value and condition" and that any surplus recommendation would return to the board for approval.

Personnel motions included acceptance of several retirements and the approval of three administrator appointments; the motions carried by roll call.

Legal and procedural context

The meeting record shows the board opened and closed a public hearing before voting on a reduction in force and then adopted a separate resolution implementing reductions for part‑time, non‑tenured teachers. The agenda and motions cite district policy review and the routines required by the Open Meetings Act when discussing closed‑session business.

Ending

The board adjourned after completing action on the agenda. Multiple items discussed at the meeting — including facility bids and the district capital plan — are scheduled for ongoing implementation in the coming months and summers, and several purchases approved tonight were described by staff as part of multi‑year projects already budgeted in the district's financial projection.