dear community members, · honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed building...
TRANSCRIPT
Dear Community Members,
Thank you for interest in the proposed River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center
(ELC).
The Board of Education has adopted a resolution to issue bonds to construct a new
building that will serve students in preschool and kindergarten. This decision was made
after several months of discussion, a review of current best practices in early childhood
education, and an evaluation of nine potential facility solutions.
We anticipate that the building will open in Fall 2018. Consolidating preschool and
kindergarten students at an Early Learning Center will:
Reduce overcrowding at the other schools
Meet the educational needs of children ages 3-6
Provide opportunities for parent involvement and education
A referendum question will appear on the November 8, 2016, ballot to issue building
bonds to fund construction of the ELC. The estimated cost of the new building, including
furniture, outdoor learning spaces, and energy efficient heating and cooling, is $29
million, or an increase of $34.75 per $1,000 of your current tax bill. Below there is a link
and a calculator that will show the impact per thousand of total real estate taxes paid
annually.
I encourage you to learn more about the ELC and the impact it will have on our students
and community by attending a community meeting and reviewing the information
provided below. Additional information will be posted so please check back for updates.
Most Sincerely,
Dane A. Delli, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools
Early Learning CenterPresentation
May 3, 2016 Board Meeting
Early Learning Center Advisory CommitteeGOAL
The purpose for the River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee is to assist the school board and administration by offering honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed Building Fund referendum to construct an early learning center and to help disseminate important information to the community.
MEMBERS
Monday, May 16, 2016 6:00pm
AGENDAI. Welcome and Introductions
II. Presentation on Current Pre-School and Kindergarten Configuration and Services
III. Advisory Group Purpose
IV. Ground Rules for Operation and Governance
V. Future meeting dates
VI. Closure and “Takeaways”
Sandra Ghiorisi Sandi Karnatz Julia Nemcek Annette Russo Amy Veytsman
Bill Grimpe Gerolyn Konsewicz Ida Rodriguez Sue Stolzer Steve Wisinski
District Website
● Another circle will be added for the “Proposed Early Learning Center - Prek K & K” Live May 18, 2016
○ Fact Sheet○ Access to prior Board Presentations○ Advisory Committee Work○ Section to Submit Questions
New Resident Survey Results● New Residents from July 2014 - November 2015
● Surveys Sent: 210
● Surveys Received: 74 (35% response rate as of 5/2, potentially more incoming)
● How many children ages 0-5 are in your family YES 44 NO 30
● Is your family planning on having children that will one-day attend RTSD26YES 51 NO 23
● Families that would benefit if RTSD26 offered Early Learning ServicesYES 49 NO 25
New Resident Survey ResultsEarly Education Facilities that RTSD26 families have children 0-5 currently enrolled in:Safari Daycare 3Preschool at Prospect HS 1St. Emily’s 1Children’s Land 1Royle School 1River Trails Park District 4RTSD26 Preschool at IG 2RecPlex 1Embers Elementary 1Bright Horizons 1Parkview Montessori 1Alexander Graham Bell Montessori 1TOTAL 18
Estimated Timelines
Estimated Timelines
Estimated Pre-Referendum Costs
“thinking BIG when they are little”:
Early Childhood Programming
Board of Education MeetingJanuary 12, 2016
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Presentation Overview
● Current Early Childhood Programming and Kindergarten Overview
● Compelling Questions● What the Research Tells Us● Options for Program Improvement● Implications● Timeframes● Questions
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District 26’s Current Early Childhood and K Programming
Early Childhood (Ages 3-5)
● Three sites / 8 Sections○ 0 full-day / 8 half-day○ Euclid - Bilingual○ RTMS - ECDEC○ Indian Grove - Special Ed.
● 111 students ○ 28% Special Ed.○ 58% At-Risk (ECDEC/Bilingual)○ 14% Typically Developing (tuition)
Kindergarten (Ages 5-6)
● 2 Sites / 9 Sections○ 9 full-day / 0 half-day
● 162 students ○ 65% General Ed.○ 29% ELL○ 6 % Bilingual K
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Enrollment 2010 2016 All 1501 1485K 128 162EC 31 111
Ethnicity 2010 2015
White 53% 51%Hispanic 27% 25% Asian 15% 18%Black 3% 2%
Low Income● 34% in 2010● 40% in 2015
English Language Learners ● 16% in 2010● 19% in 2015
2nd Language Homes ● 48% in 2010● 54% in 2015
Enrollment & Demographics
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Current Kindergartner Profile
Information was gathered through a Parent Questionnaire:
Euclid: 65 /73 students have attended PK:
11 - ECDEC
11 - Bilingual PK @Euclid
43 - OTHER ( Special Education EC, daycare, private)
INDIAN GROVE: 79/89 students have attended a preschool
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Compelling QuestionsHow can we expand our Early Learning opportunities for all
of our district students (Both potential and current)?
How do we make the beliefs, vision and mission of River Trails School District 26 come alive for our earliest learners
so that we are investing in the future success of our students and ultimately our communities?
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● A recent meta- analysis of over 40 years of program evaluations, showed a gain of an additional third of a year in areas of language, math and reading for children who are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program (Yoshikawa, Weiland, et al 2013)
● Students who enter Kindergarten without any preschool experience demonstrate gaps in math and literacy and tend to widen these gaps over time (Aunola, Leskinen, Lerkkanen, & Nurmi, 2004).
● Preschool is a financial investment: Benefit cost estimates range between a savings of 3-7 dollars for every dollar spent (Yoshikawa, Weiland, et al 2013)
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
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APPLYING WHAT WE LEARNED● Expectations for Kindergarten entry have
changed - meaning we need to CHANGE
● Opportunities for parent involvement and engagement need to increase- parents who feel part of a larger preschool community are more likely to be involved in their child’s learning.
● Using a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to provide early intervention services from PK-8th grade will result in a balanced tiered framework.
● A failure to invest in our children can lead to school failure, health risks and lower achievement scores.
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Early Childhood Improvement Options
1. Consolidate existing Early Childhood classes a. Build a new siteb. Reconfigure a current site- (e.g. Parkview)c. Utilize existing spaces (status quo)
2. Consolidate Early Childhood Program to include Kindergarten
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Benefits to Consolidated Approach
○ Create spaces specifically intended for the critical early learning years
○ Provide integrated approach to Early Learning that supports our community needs
○ Maximize the parent partnership ○ More efficient & effective use of staff, space and transportation○ Allows for potential expansion of preschool opportunities to our
community.
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Implications - Space
● Current space & programming does not allow for consolidation - programs in 3 schools
● Children in current programs are not afforded the opportunity to learn from each other in a child-centered primary level environment.
● Lack of space = lack of parent involvement
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Implications - Staffing
● Early Childhood○ Assumes current staff would serve a similar enrollment, with the
possibility of some staffing efficiencies○ Additional staff would be needed to support a 1 site concept and
enrollment increases■ Principal■ Secretary■ Nurse■ Custodian■ Transportation
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Implications - Financial
ONE TIME
Early Childhood:
● $12,000,000 construction
RECURRING
Early Childhood:
● $350,000
Rent Loss
● $190,000
Total Recurring Costs
● $540,00014
Potential Financial Strategies
● Apply for interest-subsidized Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB)
● Use a portion of existing fund balances● Increase Debt Service Tax Rate
○ $0.14 for QSCB○ $0.19 for Tax-Exempt Bonds
● Issue $12 million General Obligation Limited Tax bonds for Capital Projects
● Then, continue to monitor future budgets against Fund Balance Policy
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Board Discussion Questions
● Does the information provided align with the Board’s beliefs?
● Are these improvements plausible?● What is the BOE’s level of comfort with the
improvements presented?● What additional information can we provide to the BOE?● Next steps…
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SOURCES:
● Skarda, E. (2014). Ask the Experts: how can we fix early childhood education? ● http://nationswell.com/ask-experts-can-fix-early-childhood-education/● Yoshikawa, Weiland, et al. (October 2013). Investing in our future: the
evidence base on preschool education. Accessed:http://fcd-us.org/sites/default/files/Evidence%20Base%20on%20Preschool%20Education%20FINAL.pdf
● National Education Association● National Institute for Early Education Research● Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)● Illinois Board of Higher Education- Advancing the Public Agenda Through
Early Childhood Initiatives.
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SOURCES:
● Illinois Interactive Report Card (IIRC)● National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The Science of Early
Childhood Development. (2007).● Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NREL) -Full-Day Kindergarten:
Exploring an Option for Extended Learning.● Shonkoff JP. Investment in early childhood development lays the foundation
for a prosperous and sustainable society. In: Tremblay RE, Boivin M, Peters RDeV, eds.
● Child Trends Databank - Full Day Kindergarten ● Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)● Unicef - 2013 http://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood/index_40748.html. ● Early Learning User’s Guide for Illinois School Boards from IASB.
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OTHER QUESTIONS?
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Early Childhood CenterPresentation #2
Why an Early Childhood Center?1. Currently we house 3 early childhood programs in 3 different locations; none of
which were designed for early learners. Consolidating programs leads to stronger fidelity of service delivery , creates opportunities for operational efficiencies, and helps create learning space at the two elementaries.
2. We currently serve students in kindergarten who attended some form of preschool in 58 different locations. Creating a common preschool experience helps build stronger connections to the early learning standards.
3. Our elementary schools are at capacity. There are no available classrooms for increased enrollment. Moving pre-k, and possibly kindergarten, gains classroom space that will likely be needed in years to come.
Current PercentagesMr. Miller would like to know what percent of our kindergartners are currently not obtaining the preferred prekindergarten curriculum that would have given them that advantageous prekindergarten experience? In other words, how many kids are we currently not able to provide that quality prekindergarten experience to. He would like to see how many more students we could reach by building a Early Learning Childhood Center.
While data is collected regarding where children attend prekindergarten, an opinion would need to be rendered regarding the level of quality provided by each program. For example, we know that children have come to us from the following institutions: First United Methodist Arlington Heights (AH), South Ministry Church (AH), St Peter's Lutheran, Mt. Prospect Park District, Grace Lutheran, Northwest Suburban Montessori, Safari, St. Emily’s, as well as many others. Please note - some of these programs are structured as day-care settings versus standards-based early learning environments.
However, based on staff observations and benchmark assessing of all children we can conclude that students who attend District 26 pre-k's for 2 years are very well prepared for our kindergarten program. It is always clear to our teachers and assistants which children have not attend any pre-k as well. These children don't always possess the 'soft skills' (school behaviors such as taking turns, group social skills, etc.) that are important for school success. Therefore, while it would benefit all of our families and children to attend a prekindergarten program, D26’s state certified comprehensive educational experience is the best fit as children matriculate into kindergarten at Euclid or IG.
Estimated Costs and TimelinesMrs. Nemcek would like to know what an estimated timeline would be, which goes with what Mr. Fiarito then asked. SEE NEXT SLIDE
Mr. Fiarito would like to have an estimated cost and timeline with varying building options. Meaning, what is the estimate cost and timeline if we were to build a new site, reconfigure a current site, utilizing existing spaces and size of the project. SEE NEXT SLIDE
Estimated Costs and Timelines
Estimated Costs and Timelines
Estimated Costs and Timelines
Estimated Costs and Timelines
Estimated Costs and TimelinesMr. Miller asked if we could provide the square footage of the land at the ESC. 11. 5 acres,28,739 sq. ft.
Dr. Koka asked if we have considered a second floor to the ESC. Yes, but a one story layout works better for young children.
Estimated Timelines
Estimated Timelines
Estimated Pre-Referendum Costs
Determining the Program's Success Mrs. Johnson asked what program level matrix are we going to use to determine its success. Success of a preschool program is based on several variables and goals. If one goal of the PK program is to prepare our 3 and 4 year olds for kindergarten, then we would use the Illinois Early Learning Standards (ELS) to guide instruction. Pre and Post assessments are part of the Creative Curriculum we use and are ongoing. If another component of success is number of children enrolled, we would look at attendance rates, typical student applications/waiting lists, parent surveys and needs assessments for staff. Currently we are developing an Early Childhood Report Card that is based on the Early Learning Standards. Finally, a program goal for our current blended program is to narrow the gap for children with special needs then using the Developmental Milestones as recommended by the CDC and the Early Childhood Outcome Indicators (ISBE) along with individual student IEPs.
Our CommunityMrs. Johnson also stated that community engagement is very important and would like to know how we plan on educating the community so they know why an Early Childhood Learning Center is so beneficial and what we are currently doing for our young learners.
PK Open House, district newsletters, Public Relations, social media, district website, Board meetings, Administrative presentations
Our Community
Our Community
Mrs. Beck wanted to point out that we as a District are cognizant of how the financial aspect of this potential project would impact the residents of our community.
Other ImplicationsConversations:
● Parkview Montessori - George Petkovich● River Trails Park District - David Naydenoff● Other local preschools● Relocation of ESC● Commercial Sites Investigated
Next Steps….More new questions ??
● Consensus on moving forward● Consensus on financing the project (building fund referendum)● Consensus on narrowing the facility possibilities to two (2)● Consensus on amount of building fund referendum● Consensus on time table for public question ● Consensus on creating a steering committee to provide feedback
to the board on selected options
River Trails School District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee
Monday, May 16, 2016, 6:00pm at the ESC
GOAL The purpose for the River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee is to assist the school board and administration by offering honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed Building Fund referendum to construct an early learning center and to help disseminate important information to the community.
MEMBERS
Sandra Ghiorisi Sandi Karnatz Julia Nemcek Annette Russo Amy Veytsman
Bill Grimpe Gerolyn Konsewicz
Ida Rodriguez Sue Stolzer Steve Wisinski
AGENDA I. Welcome and Introductions
II. Presentation on Current PreSchool and Kindergarten Configuration and Services
III. Advisory Group Purpose
IV. Ground Rules for Operation and Governance
V. Future meeting dates (all Mondays from 6:00 7:30pm)
A. June 6, 2016
B. June 20, 2016
C. July 18, 2016
D. August 8, 2016
E. August 22, 2016
VI. Closure and “Takeaways”
River Trails School District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee
Wednesday, June 8, 2016, 6:00pm at the ESC 1900 Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056
GOAL The purpose for the River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee is to assist the school board and administration by offering honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed Building Fund referendum to construct an early learning center and to help disseminate important information to the community.
MEMBERS
Sandra Ghiorisi Sandi Karnatz Julia Nemcek Annette Russo Amy Veytsman
Bill Grimpe Gerolyn Konsewicz
Ida Rodriguez Sue Stolzer Steve Wisinski
AGENDA I. Welcome and Introductions to any new members
II. Presentation on ELC Funding Recommendations & Tax Implications
III. Communication Coordination & Outreach
A. Website
B. Newsletter
C. Survey Development & Administration
D. Linkages to Other Information Sources
IV. Future meeting dates (all from 6:00 7:30pm)
A. June 20, 2016
B. July 18, 2016
C. August 8, 2016
D. August 17, 2016
V. Closure and “Takeaways”
River Trails School District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee
Monday, August 8, 2016, 6:00pm at the ESC
1900 Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056
GOAL
The purpose for the River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee is to assist the school board and administration by offering honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed Building Fund referendum to construct an early learning center and to help disseminate important information to the community.
MEMBERS
Sandra Ghiorisi Sandi Karnatz Julia Nemcek Annette Russo Amy Veytsman
Bill Grimpe Gerolyn Konsewicz
Ida Rodriguez Sue Stolzer Steve Wisinski
AGENDA I. Welcome/Dinner
II. Feedback on Cost Estimates
III. Next Steps with Referendum?
IV. Review Website
V. Followup on Community Survey
VI. Enlarging the group and electing a leader
VII. Last Meeting August 17, 2016
VIII. Closure and “Takeaways”
River Trails School District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee
Monday, July 18, 2016, 6:00pm at the ESC
1900 Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056
GOAL
The purpose for the River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee is to assist the school board and administration by offering honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed Building Fund referendum to construct an early learning center and to help disseminate important information to the community.
MEMBERS
Sandra Ghiorisi Sandi Karnatz Julia Nemcek Annette Russo Amy Veytsman
Bill Grimpe Gerolyn Konsewicz
Ida Rodriguez Sue Stolzer Steve Wisinski
AGENDA I. Welcome
II. ELC Renderings
III. Community Survey
IV. Review Website
V. Review Stakeholder List
VI. Schools Property Tax Values?
VII. Future meeting dates (all from 6:00 7:30pm)
A. August 8, 2016
B. August 17, 2016
VIII. Closure and “Takeaways”
River Trails School District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee
Monday, June 20, 2016, 6:00pm at the ESC
1900 Kensington Rd., Mount Prospect, IL 60056
GOAL
The purpose for the River Trails District 26 Early Learning Center Advisory Committee is to assist the school board and administration by offering honest, objective advice and suggestions regarding a proposed Building Fund referendum to construct an early learning center and to help disseminate important information to the community.
MEMBERS
Sandra Ghiorisi Sandi Karnatz Julia Nemcek Annette Russo Amy Veytsman
Bill Grimpe Gerolyn Konsewicz
Ida Rodriguez Sue Stolzer Steve Wisinski
AGENDA I. Welcome
II. Fact/Information Sheet Review
III. Community Survey Review
IV. Referendum Committee Discussion
V. Future meeting dates (all from 6:00 7:30pm)
A. July 18, 2016
B. August 8, 2016
C. August 17, 2016
VI. Closure and “Takeaways”