Elmhurst District 205 board approves instructional materials, PSRP contract, superintendent contract and hires finance chief; votes at a glance

The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board of Education on April 22 approved multiple agenda items including the adoption of instructional materials for 2025–26, a three-year collective bargaining agreement with paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, a memorandum of understanding allowing temporary external agency staff in certain high‑need programs, the hire of a new assistant superintendent for finance and operations (CSBO), and a new multi‑year contract for Superintendent Keisha Campbell.

The measures were taken during a regularly scheduled board meeting at the District 205 Center and were delivered as discrete motions with recorded votes. Most motions passed unanimously; the hire for the finance chief passed with one board member recorded as voting “present.” Joseph Blomquist, the candidate for assistant superintendent of finance and operations, addressed the board after the vote and said he was “very thrilled to embark on this journey to support and enhance excellence in education here in Elmhurst District 205.”

The board approved the recommendations the administration had brought forward earlier in the meeting. District staff described the adopted instructional materials as having been presented for public display and comment for 30 days with no public feedback received. The three‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Elmhurst paraprofessionals and school‑related personnel (PSRP) is effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028; the board also approved a related memorandum of understanding to permit temporary use of external agency personnel when there are no internal applicants for certain educational assistant vacancies in high‑need programs.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (personnel reports, financial reports, FOIA responses, PTA donations, multiple second‑read policy updates): motion carried 7–0.

- Instructional materials adoption (iCivics for social studies grades 7–8; Odell Education literacy program for grade 8 REACH ELA): motion carried 7–0.

- PSRP collective bargaining agreement (2025–2028): motion carried 7–0. The administration reported the union ratified the tentative agreement prior to board action.

- Memorandum of Understanding with PSRP (temporary external personnel for educational assistant vacancies in high‑need programs such as ABC and multi‑needs classes): motion carried 7–0.

- Hire of assistant superintendent of finance and operations (CSBO), Joseph Blomquist, starting salary $173,500, administrative contract effective July 1, 2025: motion carried (6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 present). Roll‑call reflected six “yes” votes and one “present” vote.

- Superintendent employment contract (Keisha Campbell), new multi‑year contract effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2029: motion carried 7–0. The board said the contract followed a year of planning and recognizes the superintendent’s stated progress on district goals.

- Donation from Foundation 205 to support Themes Grants, not to exceed $90,000 for approximately 19 grants: motion carried 7–0.

Board discussion and context

Most items were presented as the result of prior staff work, public display, or routine negotiation processes and drew limited debate at the meeting. Board members offered formal thanks to PSRP members and negotiators during the collective‑bargaining vote, and several trustees praised Foundation 205’s longstanding grant program when the donation was approved.

The hire of the district’s new finance chief prompted the meeting’s most substantive remarks. One board member said they had not met or interviewed the candidate and expressed reservations about voting for a person they had not previously met; that member recorded a “present” vote while other trustees voted “yes.” After the vote, Joseph Blomquist addressed the board and said he looked forward to building relationships and “delivering results for our students, our staff, and our community in Elmhurst District 205.”

Formal distinctions

- Decisions: motions approved as listed above. - Direction/assignments: none of the actions created new directed tasks requiring immediate board follow‑up beyond routine contract execution and administrative implementation. - Discussion only: the meeting included recognitions and reports not requiring board action.

Clarifying details

- CSBO hire: starting salary $173,500; administrative contract effective 07/01/2025. - PSRP CBA: three‑year contract effective 07/01/2025–06/30/2028; union ratified the tentative agreement prior to board action. - Instructional materials: iCivics (social studies grades 7–8) and Odell Education literacy program (grade 8 REACH ELA); 30‑day public display produced no public comments. - MOU scope: temporary use of external agency personnel for educational assistant vacancies with no internal applicants, primarily in ABC and multi‑needs programs. - Foundation donation: up to $90,000 to fund approximately 19 Themes Grants for 2025.

Proper names and authorities referenced

- Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 (District 205). - Elmhurst paraprofessional and school related personnel council (PSRP), Local 571 (as referenced by administration). - Foundation 205 (donor organization for Themes Grants). - Illinois Open Meetings Act citation referenced during the motion to enter closed session: 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) (as stated at the meeting).

What to watch next

The board approved the superintendent’s new contract and hired a permanent CSBO; both actions position district leadership for implementation of budget and instructional priorities in the coming school year. Any operational changes tied to the new finance chief, and the administrative implementation of the PSRP agreement and MOU, will appear in future board agendas and staff reports.

Ending

Most motions were noncontroversial and passed unanimously; the CSBO hire drew a single “present” vote but passed. No additional action was taken after the board recessed into closed session at the meeting’s end.