Public Notice is Hereby Given that a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education of Rochester Community Unit School District #3A is set for the (XXth) day of (Month), 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Bruce Hays Administration Building, 4 Rocket Drive, Rochester, IL 62563.
The agenda for the regular meeting is attached hereto.
Dated the (XX)th Day of (Month) 2024
At each regular and special open meeting, members of the public and District employees may comment to or ask questions of the School Board, subject to reasonable constraints. Individuals appearing before the Board are expected to follow these guidelines:
Address the Board only at the appropriate time as indicated on the agenda and when recognized by the Board President.
Identify her or himself and be brief. Ordinarily, such comments shall be limited to 5 minutes. In unusual circumstances, and when the individual has made a request in advance notice to speak for a longer period of time, the individual may be allowed to speak for more than 5 minutes.
Observe the Board President’s decision to shorten public comment to conserve time and give the maximum number of individuals an opportunity to speak.
Observe the Board President’s decision to determine procedural matters regarding public participation not otherwise covered in Board policy.
A designated spokesperson should be chosen to speak for large groups.
Conduct oneself with respect and civility toward others and otherwise abide by Board policy, 8:30, Visitors to and Conduct on School Property.
Petitions or written correspondence to the Board shall be presented to the Board in the next regular Board packet.
The Rochester Board of Education accepts, with thanks, a monetary donation from Martin Engineering for the Stem Fair.
The Rochester Board of Education accepts, with thanks, a monetary donation from Two Trees for the Stem Fair.
The District annually renews the lease agreement for the cash rent of the farmland adjacent to Rochester Intermediate School. The property consists of 39.13 tillable acres. Leach Farms, which has leased the land for several years, has expressed interest in continuing this arrangement.
Administrative reports have been included for review.
Principals
Director of Student Services
Director of Special Education
Director of Communications and Engagement
The development of the draft for the 2025-2026 school calendar, was done in a collaborative effort involving substantial input from teachers and concluding with the administration's final review. The proposed calendar adheres to all legal requirements and encompasses the requisite number of student and teacher attendance days. Noteworthy features include the start of the school year with two teacher institute days on August 12-13, students celebrating their first day on August 14th, and strategically planned breaks throughout the academic term.
Calendar Highlights
Start of School Year:
The school year is set to commence with two teacher institute days on August 12-13.
Students will officially begin the academic term with a first-day-of-school celebration on August 14th.
Fall Break:
A short fall break is scheduled to begin on November 26th.
Winter Break:
Winter break is slated to begin on Monday, December 22nd, extending through Friday, January 2rd. With a Teacher Institute day on January 5.
Spring Break:
Spring break will return to the month of March, spanning from March 23th-27th.
Last Day of School:
Without the utilization of emergency days, the last day of school is projected to be Wednesday, May 20st.
Emergency Days:
The calendar includes five emergency days at the end of the academic year.
If all five emergency days are utilized, the last day of school will be extended to Thursday, May 28th.
Calendar Development Considerations
Professional Development Days:
Considerable attention has been given to incorporating professional development days into the calendar, ensuring ongoing growth and skill enhancement for teachers/administrators and staff.
Balancing Quarters and Semesters:
The calendar has been designed to balance the days allocated for quarters and semesters, providing a structured and equitable distribution of instructional time.
Timing and Spacing of Breaks:
The timing and spacing of breaks have been thoughtfully considered to promote a well-paced and conducive learning environment throughout the academic year.
The Board's consideration of this proposed calendar is crucial as we aim to create an academic schedule that optimally serves the needs of both students and faculty.
Illinois Vision 2030 WHEREAS, public education plays a defining role in ensuring equal opportunity for children in Illinois and throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, it is our collective duty to ensure that every student, regardless of demographic or geographic identity, has equal access to a quality, public education; and
WHEREAS, we believe that strides need to be proactively made to face challenges and continually improve our public education system; and
WHEREAS, there have been three areas of prioritization identified as integral in improving our public education system: Future-Focused Learning, Shared Accountability, and Predictable Funding; and
WHEREAS, Future-Focused Learning should address: promoting future-driven skills that allow for more college and career exploration; enhancing student safety and well-being; attracting and retaining a high quality and diverse educator pipeline; and promoting curriculum and instructional flexibility to meet the unique needs of local communities; and
WHEREAS, Shared Accountability should address: reforming the Illinois assessment system to be a timely and useful measure of student proficiency and growth over time; reforming the current accountability system to provide local flexibility for identifying Sample Resolution in Support of Illinois Vision 2030 Please help fulfill the promise of public education in Illinois by placing the below resolution in support of Vision 2030 on the agenda for action at a public meeting of your board of education in December 2024/January 2025. Sample talking points for the superintendent, board president, or policy committee chair are available to introduce the resolution supporting Illinois Vision 2030. indicators that create a more holistic view of student success; and reforming the mandate process to ensure implementation procedures that promote flexibility and local decision making; and
WHEREAS, Predictable Funding should address: protecting the integrity and funding of the evidence-based funding formula; strengthening public education through pension reforms; and establishing equitable funding sources for Capital and safety needs; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that any education improvement proposal for comprehensive change must be developed and supported by not only the education community, but in collaboration with families, communities, businesses, and others whose priorities reflect the best interests of the students;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the _______________________ Board of Education joins with the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) , Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), Illinois Principals’ Association (IPA), Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO), Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS), Superintendents’ Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity (SCSDD), Illinois Alliance of Special Education Administrators (IAASE), and the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) in supporting the Vision 2030 education improvement policy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the _________________________ Board of Education urges the Illinois General Assembly to approve the necessary legislative changes to implement the recommendations under the three pillars of education improvement as contained in the Vision 2030 policy.
Each year, the District issues a Request for Proposal (RFP) for fuel services. The RFP was published in the Springfield Journal Register (SJR) on February 4, 2025. The bid opening is scheduled for 10:00 AM on February 17, 2025. For your reference, the recommended bid and the RFP are attached.
March 6, 2025, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. location is New Berlin Junior/Senior High School.
Roadmap For Construction Referendum & Community Involvement
Please join us for a panel discussion by our hosts from New Berlin CUSD 16 as they discuss the construction of their new high school, and the referendum used to fund it. They will discuss the efforts in the community used to get it passed and provide a roadmap that you can use in your district.
5:30 p.m. Check-In, School Tours & Appetizers
Closed session is a necessary aspect of board meetings as it allows for discussions regarding confidential matters, including personnel issues, litigation, and negotiations. These discussions are crucial for making informed decisions while also protecting the privacy rights of individuals involved in sensitive matters. However, it is important to limit closed session only to the items on the agenda that require confidentiality. The Open Meetings Act requires that only discussions can take place during closed session and any action taken must be limited to the announced agenda. Examples of regular and routine exceptions to the Open Meetings Act that allow for closed sessions include personnel matters, collective bargaining, litigation, sale or lease of property, and student discipline. Confidentiality is crucial during closed session, and any information shared should not be disclosed to the public. This ensures that the board can make informed decisions while protecting the privacy rights of individuals involved in sensitive matters.
The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or a volunteer of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. However, a meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the public and posted and held in accordance with this Act.