McHenry District 15 board approves staffing plan for 2025–26, cites roughly $800,000 in savings

The McHenry Elementary District 15 Board of Education voted unanimously Feb. 11 to approve staffing recommendations for the 2025–26 school year that reallocate staff across the district, create new positions and reduce overall full-time equivalent (FTE) positions by about six.

The move includes adding two sections at Riverwood and one at Hilltop, an additional art teacher to equalize specials minutes at Riverwood and Valley View, an additional bilingual resource teacher and one ELD (English language development) FTE at McHenry Middle School to align dual programming across town. The district also plans to add a third multilingual coach, increase interventionist staffing (two elementary and one middle-school math interventionist), and create a new “balanced wellness” special teacher to standardize specials to one 45-minute special per day.

Dr. Kalinski, presenting the recommendations, summarized the districtwide effect: “We're still looking at an overall reduction in FTE at this time of about 6 FTE and overall cost savings measures to districts from that reallocation of staff.” Asked for a dollar estimate, Dr. Kalinski said, “We are looking at around $800,000.”

The board voted on a motion to approve the staffing recommendations; the roll call recorded all members present voting Yes. The motion carried.

Board members discussed no amendments on the floor before the vote. The staffing plan also reallocates administrative FTE within the student services department by separating the Edgebrook prekindergarten program into its own state entity code. One student services coordinator will focus exclusively on the Edgebrook pre-K program and another coordinator position will be converted to a 12-month assistant director position; the district will backfill the vacated coordinator duties.

District leaders said the staffing changes aim to equalize instructional minutes across schools, strengthen multilingual supports, expand intervention services and provide teachers more common planning time. The action follows a staffing presentation to the board at a prior meeting and was included on the meeting’s consent and action agenda.

The board’s approval allows administration to implement the reallocation ahead of the 2025–26 school year; no disciplinary or personnel names were discussed in public. The board did not attach additional conditions to the motion.