Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District 214 highlights attendance interventions, teacher-salary survey and a $10,000 Japan Foundation grant
Summary
Superintendent Dr. R updated the board on attendance interventions (newsletters, home visits, counseling groups, 'one trusted adult' in Infinite Campus), noted the annual teacher salary-survey will post Oct. 1, and announced a $10,000 grant from the Japan Foundation of Los Angeles to support the district's 35-year Japanese exchange program.
Superintendent Dr. R told the board the district is intensifying attendance efforts and listed several measures now in use, including monthly family newsletters that compare an individual student's attendance to the district average, targeted in-school lessons, automated absence calls and push notifications through Infinite Campus, home visits to engage families and small counseling groups for students with attendance challenges.
"We increase awareness around the importance of attendance in a monthly newsletter to families," Dr. R said, describing additional strategies such as signage, incentives at some schools and a 'one trusted adult' assignment in Infinite Campus to identify a go-to staff member for each student.
Dr. R also reminded the board that the annual teacher salary survey report will be posted on the district website on Oct. 1 and said the district will update the board periodically on attendance metrics. He recognized the board for being honored by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) for governance and leadership.
Separately, staff noted the district's 35th anniversary of its Japanese exchange program and announced a $10,000 grant from the Japan Foundation of Los Angeles that "is really going to enable us to send kids to Japan," increasing accessibility for participating students.
The superintendent's presentation included a construction update stating crews are finishing interior finishes and that the district hopes construction will be complete by the end of July so that technology and furniture can be delivered for an early-August occupancy target. No specific budget line items or contract awards were discussed in detail at the meeting; those finance items remained on the consent agenda and were voted separately.
Board members asked clarifying questions about camp capacity and other program details; staff said roughly 70 students can serve as camp counselors and that the Oasis summer-camp internships provide practical leadership experience.
