Friday, January 18, 2013
District says expenses growing faster than revenues, but it does not expect to go to referendum until at least 2016 at the earliest.
When District 63 board members heard a "State of the District" report at their meeting last week, they heard some cautions that most Illinois school districts are worried about, money-wise. Those include the fact that state legislators may require school districts to pay the employee pension costs that the state can't, or won't, pay. Earlier: District 63 gearing up for challenges Also, District 63 salary negotiations with the union will soon begin, and teachers, teachers' assistants, secretaries and custodians will likely seek typical salary increases. Despite these probable increases in expenses, Dr. Scott Clay, the district superintendent, says careful monitoring of the district's finances means it is not going to be asking taxpayers…
Monday, September 10, 2012
Parents in D-63 recently received letters saying 5 of 7 schools are not making 'adequate yearly progress' under the NCLB law. But educators say the schools are performing well--it's the law that's flawed.
Five of the seven schools in East Maine Elementary District 63 did not make "adequate yearly progress" last year under the federal No Child Left Behind law. In a Wednesday presentation, District 63 Superintendent Scott Clay and Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Charlene Cobb stressed that the district is nevertheless educating its students well. Cobb and Clay described NCLB as a flawed law which never got the revamping that was intended, and indicated it's not useful as a way of measuring school performance. Earlier: District 63 touts test scores “The biggest question I get is, is my child’s school failing? I would have to unequivocally say no, our schools are not failing,” Cobb told about 10 parents at the Sept. 5 school board …
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The District is currently accepting applications.
East Maine School District 63 school board member Steven Levy has resigned, and the district is accepting applications from residents interested in filling the vacancy on the board. The person the board selects will serve until the next election, in April 2013. At that time, if the person wishes to continue in the position, they will have to run for election. The qualifications listed by the district are, on the date of election: To apply, pick up an application at the district's headquarters, the Stetina Educational Service Center at 10150 Dee Road, Des Plaines. It must be turned in to Deborah Piazza, the board secretary, by Monday, June 25 before 4 p.m.
Friday, May 4, 2012
A year ago, East Maine School District cut 14 positions, killed the gifted program, increased class sizes and made other cuts. What's happening a year later?
Last March, board members in East Maine Elementary District 63, faced with too much money going out and not enough coming in, made the kind of drastic cuts many school districts are making these days. It cut the equivalent of 14 positions, increased class sizes, eliminated the gifted program, asked teachers to renegotiate their future salaries and reduced the staff of social workers, psychologists, reading specialists and speech language pathologists. After the hugs and tears, the cuts took effect for this school year. As the school year draws to a close, Patch asked Dr. Scott Clay, the district superintendent, to weigh in on their effect. Earlier: District 63 makes cuts "On class sizes, we have a building average of 28 in the …
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Superintendent says last spring's $1.6 million in cuts is keeping the budget in the black.
Superintendent Scott Clay had some good news to report in his "State of the District" presentation last week. Students in District 63 continue to show high levels of achievement and the district’s finances should remain stable for at least the next few years, Clay told the board at its monthly meeting. However, those high levels of achievement were measured in standardized tests taken last March, which was before some teachers were downsized in last spring’s $1.6 million in budget cuts. Due to the downsizing and the fact fewer teachers remain, class sizes have climbed. The district will administer this year’s tests in March. Earlier: District 63 kills gifted program Board members reacted positively to the presentation, which discussed …
Friday, December 16, 2011
Two laws will affect teacher evaluations, tenure, dismissals
East Maine Elementary District 63 is moving forward with its plans to meet the requirements of two state laws that combine to require an overhaul of how teachers are evaluated, how they can achieve tenure and how they are let go when there are layoffs. Superintendent Scott Clay reported on the reform efforts at the Dec. 7 school board meeting at Apollo School in Des Plaines. He said that one of the laws requires all Illinois school districts to use student growth as one component of teacher and principal evaluations. That law was passed as part of a push for the state to apply for federal Race to the Top education funding. While Illinois did not end up receiving Race to the Top funding from the department of education, the law stands, he …
CK
7:39 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
(To Michael Hugo- a note CK has asked me to pen so that it might be easier for you to read and presumably comprehend) Having fixed sturdy q-tips to prop up our eyelids, we read your previous posts. While you appear to be fixated on spelling and grammar we felt it imperative to remind you of your obvious inconsistencies. Among the Cardenas comments you, like your cohort Kathlyn Williams, fail to … more ›