Round Lake Area board approves rooftop HVAC replacement, transportation software and several contracts; student ID fee to rise

The Round Lake Area School District Board of Education on March 10 approved a series of contracts and budget items, including a $328,000 rooftop HVAC replacement at Raymond Ellis Elementary School and a $181,429 purchase of Traversa (Tyler Technologies Inc.) transportation software and services.

Those approvals came during a single business session in which the board also approved its consent agenda, accepted accounts payable of $1,395,444.34, authorized a small sports-complex agreement for allied soccer, accepted an E-rate Internet-services renewal with Comcast, and adopted the district's FY26 student fee schedule that raises the student ID charge from $1 to $3 to cover a new RFID/chip-enabled card.

The rooftop unit replacement was awarded to the lowest bidder, MG Mechanical Contracting Inc., in the amount of $328,000. Board members described the unit at Ellis Elementary as "in dire need" of replacement and agreed to fund the project using district reserves; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

The board voted to contract with Tyler Technologies, Inc., for the Traversa transportation package, a move administrators said will add routing software, a parent app and GPS on buses. The professional services and installation agreement for Traversa was approved for $181,429. The transportation purchase and related device-cost questions were vetted by the finance committee; board members asked staff to clarify replacement costs for onboard devices and whether leased buses will require new device leases when the fleet changes.

Other contract actions approved by the board included:

- A 2025 sports-complex agreement for allied soccer at $2,468.75; the board said the increase from last year reflects one additional competition day.

- Comcast Internet-services renewal under the federal E-rate program for $937.20; the administration said E-rate will cover 90% of the cost and the district will pay the 10% remainder.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the accounts-payable listing totaling $1,395,444.34 and the March employment report. The board also approved minutes for prior regular and special meetings.

On administrative appointments, the board appointed T. Amsoly as district treasurer for the remainder of fiscal 2024-25, adopted a surety bond naming the treasurer at no additional district cost, and designated T. Amsoly as FY26 budget officer. Those motions passed on roll-call votes.

Separately, the board approved a districtwide wellness coach stipend plan for 2025-26 and the award to MG Mechanical for the rooftop handler at Ellis Elementary. The wellness stipends had been reviewed by the finance committee and were described by administrators as building-level liaisons between HR and each school. The motion to establish the stipends passed on a roll-call vote.

The board spent substantial time on student IDs and the FY26 student-fee schedule. Administrators told members the one-time increase in the ID fee is driven by a new ID that includes a chip used by the district's bus system and that implementation details and vendor contracts remain under review; the fee schedule itself was approved by the board.

Curriculum adoptions were discussed but not approved. District staff presented a plan to adopt i-Ready math into middle schools (K-8 vendor continuity), Savvas for high-school math, Teachers Curriculum Institute (TCI) for social studies, and Vista Higher Learning for Spanish-language arts at the middle-school level. Administrators said much of the five-year cost for those adoptions could be covered by Ill Empower grant funds; they estimated roughly $700,000 in allowable grant funding could be applied but said final approval from the state is pending. The board was told the curriculum items will be brought back for approval at a future meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve meeting agenda: Approved (roll call; motion: Mr. Jewett; second: Mrs. Klingler). - Approval of minutes (02/24/2025 regular and 02/25/2025 special): Approved (roll calls). - Consent agenda including accounts payable $1,395,444.34 and employment report (03/10/2025): Approved. - Wellness stipends for 2025-26: Approved (roll call). - Award MG Mechanical Contracting Inc. $328,000 for replacement of rooftop unit at Raymond Ellis Elementary School: Approved (roll call). - Contract award to Tyler Technologies Inc. (Traversa) for transportation software, installation and PD, $181,429: Approved (roll call). - Allied soccer sports-complex agreement, $2,468.75: Approved (roll call). - Comcast Internet-services renewal through E-rate, $937.20: Approved (roll call). - FY26 student fee schedule (student ID fee increase to $3; other fees unchanged): Approved (roll call). - Appointment of T. Amsoly as district treasurer (remainder of FY 24-25): Approved (roll call). - Adoption of surety bond in treasurer's name at no district cost: Approved (roll call). - Appointment of T. Amsoly as FY26 budget officer: Approved (roll call).

Why it matters: The contracts and budget votes commit district funds and staff time to building repairs, student transportation technology and curriculum planning that affect operations and family communications. Administrators said several items were vetted by the finance committee before the full board voted. The board deferred final action on curriculum adoptions pending formal grant-authority confirmation and a follow-up approval.

What's next: Administrators will return with final curriculum-adoption resolutions after Ill Empower grant amendments are filed and state approval is confirmed; staff will also provide requested details about device replacement costs and parent-communication options for the new transportation app.