On Monday, Dec. 12, Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 hosted its regularly scheduled board meeting at 7 p.m. in the sixth-grade team room at Kaneland Harter Middle School. All board members were present at the meeting except for Meg Junk. The meeting was a closed session and there were no public comments. Following the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call, the fall sports team members and coaches were invited to share highlights from their seasons.

     “We have a lot to celebrate here. We had 394 student-athletes participate in athletic activities throughout the [fall season],” Kaneland High School Principal Dr. James Horne said. 

     After KHMS Principal Brian Faulkner, KHS coaches and a few players shared highlights from their football, golf, cheer, tennis, soccer and volleyball seasons, the board moved on to new business. 

     The first topic was the public hearing and approval of the tax levy. Administrative assistant and finance manager at Northwestern Illinois Association Jennifer Eubanks presented the information on the tax levy to the board. 

     The board approved the tax levy of $54 million for the operating levy and $12,351,090 for the bond and interest levy.

     Following the approval of the tax levy, Tim Gavin, a representative from the district’s external auditing firm, Lauterbach & Amen, presented the 2021-22 audit reports for the Fox Valley Career Center (FVCC) and Kaneland district. 

     As the board reviewed the audit reports and asked questions this meeting, they did not have to approve this item under new business.

     After the board reviewed the 2021-22 audit reports for both the FVCC and the district, District Associate Superintendent Dr. Julie-Ann Fuchs gave a presentation on the five-year financial projections. 

     Fuchs gave an overview of the program, discussed revenue and expenditure assumptions and showed the projected financial results. Fuchs used the long-term financial tool 5Cast to present the data to the board. 

     As this was just a financial projections presentation, the board did not have to approve.

     The final item under new business was the discussion and approval of EOSullivan Consulting for educational community engagement. 

     As EOSullivan Consulting worked closely with the district’s facility plan referendum that will start April 2023, the recommendation is that the Board of Education directs the administration to contract with EOSullivan Consulting for $20,000 so they can consult for educational community engagement. 

     Communication and engagement have been a challenge for the district due to its large size. 

     “Kaneland will always have that challenge because we have so many different municipalities. If we were one community like Batavia or Geneva with a local newspaper in that community, it [would be] easier. The communication with the nine villages and municipalities has been our challenge,” Fuchs said.

     Following the approval of working with EOSullivan consulting for educational community engagement, student ambassador and senior Lindsay Yost and the superintendents gave their reports. 

     “For fine arts, the biggest thing coming up is the Madrigal dinner this week from Dec. 16 through Dec. 18. [The] tickets sell out fast, so if you are interested in getting them, make sure to [do it soon]. [The Madrigals also] just finished up their tour of the [schools] and performed at Holiday in the Grove,” Yost said. “On Feb. 25, [there will be a] winter dance. [We] have not had something like that [in a while because of COVID]. The skiing and snowboarding club has also started up again.” 

     Due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day being on Monday, Jan. 16, the next board meeting will be held on Wednesday, Jan 18.