Board approves textbooks, Carnegie waiver, budget preparer and a personnel dismissal resolution

The St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 board approved several action items at its Feb. 9 meeting, including curriculum, administrative assignments and a personnel resolution.

Textbook adoption: The board voted to adopt Savvas enVision Algebra 2 for use in regular and honors Algebra 2 courses after a motion, second and roll-call vote recorded by the clerk. The motion passed with a roll-call result recorded as "Motion passes 6 2 0." The administration had recommended the adoption after Learning Services' review.

Carnegie waiver: The board approved the renewal application for Compass Academy's Carnegie unit waiver covering the 2027 through 2031 school years. The public hearing on the waiver opened and closed at 6:02 PM with no public testimony recorded; the approval passed by roll call (recorded as "Motion passes 6 2 0").

Budget designation: The board designated Jennifer Porter to prepare the district's fiscal year 2026–2027 budget; the motion passed on roll call (recorded "Motion passes 6 2 0").

Personnel resolution: The board approved a resolution to dismiss tenured teacher Lauren Baratta Cooper and to suspend without pay pending a formal Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) dismissal hearing. The motion passed on roll call (recorded as "The motion passes 6 to 0"). The resolution was introduced and seconded; no additional details about the allegations or charges were discussed in public session.

Procedural items: The board approved the consent agenda items 5a–5l by roll call (recorded as "Motion passes 6 2 0"). Earlier in the meeting, the board also approved a motion to allow board member Joe Lackner to attend remotely under policy 2.22; that motion was recorded as passing with a roll-call notation of "4 2 0." Board members then adjourned into closed session at 6:56 PM for personnel matters.