Board reviews and approves curriculum renewals, textbooks and technology contracts including K12 communications tool and switch replacement plan

At the April 8, 2025 meeting the Proviso Township High School District 209 board reviewed and approved a series of curriculum, technology and instructional-material purchases and renewals intended to support classroom instruction, assessment and summer school operations.

Key approvals and proposals included: - Newsela renewal: Administration presented a one-year Newsela writing and blended-learning license package at $72,822.30, funded from general funds. The presenter said teachers across content areas use Newsela and that the vendor provides Spanish-language options and integration with Schoology.

- Renaissance Star renewal: The board approved continuing the Renaissance Star universal screener used three times annually to assess reading and math progress.

- Nearpod renewal: Nearpod usage has increased since an October teacher training. Administration recommended continuing a Nearpod license at $33,600 to build engagement, citing about 250 sessions and roughly 89 teachers using the platform district-wide.

- Physics and chemistry textbooks: Administration reported that existing science texts are 13 years old and out of print. The board approved purchases for Experience Physics (classroom sets and three-year digital licenses, including virtual professional development) at approximately $58,000 and a chemistry adoption described as “a little under $58,000.” The presenter said the new materials include EL and DL supports not present in the current texts.

- Band equipment: After an inventory at Proviso West, the board approved band-equipment purchases through Sweetwater at $56,744 to address missing or unusable instruments.

- Imagine / Edgenuity renewal: The board approved a one-year renewal of the credit-recovery platform (referred to in the packet as Imagine/Ingenuity), noting concerns about evolving technology and the potential for misuse; the renewal cost is $86,633. Administration said the district will audit options over the next year.

- E-rate switch replacement and MindSight selection: The district reported $580,000 remaining in E-rate funds for the five-year cycle and $188,000 already spent; staff recommended selecting MindSight to perform a district-wide switch replacement at $680,000 in order to prepare for a wireless upgrade.

- K12 Let’s Talk communications system: Dr. Belteris (Superintendent of Educational Services) described a proposed K12 Let’s Talk system to track incoming and outgoing communications district-wide. Belteris said, “My expectation would be that anytime that a request comes in internally or externally, that we could respond to it within 24 hours,” and outlined costs of approximately $22,500 per year with a $16,000 one-time setup fee for the first year.

- Funding and procurement notes: Several items were to be funded from the general fund, E-rate funding or local funds as noted. The Melrose Park intergovernmental agreement (approved on the consent agenda) commits the village to a $250,000 reimbursement; the IGA requires expenditures be made and submitted for reimbursement within one year of execution.

Administration emphasized that some procurements were pilot-driven or were recommended by teachers following classroom pilots. Board members asked clarifying questions about usage statistics for Nearpod and the audit plans for the credit-recovery platform; administration said it would continue monitoring and provide further details.

No individual contracts beyond those listed were executed on the record at the meeting; motions on the consent agenda bundled these approvals under a single roll-call vote.