Will County Gazette

Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C Board of Education met November 28. 

Here is the minutes as provided by the board:

President Martin called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Roll call: Briner, DeFilippis, Deschaaf,

Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo and Martin were physically present.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by President Martin.

President Martin welcomed everyone in attendance. There were no requests to speak.

Superintendent, Dr. Coglianese thanked and celebrated the Board members for their commitment and

volunteer service to the students, staff and Homer community in honor of Board Member Appreciation

Day. The Board cares about students and exemplify the motto “There’s no place like Homer”. President

Martin also thanked the staff and students for the mementos and cards given to each member.

Hadley Student Council members presented a gift of $500 to the Board of Education for the Ross

School restoration project. The money was raised at a fundraiser at Family Reading Night. The students

also thanked the Board for the work they do to make the schools and the students the best they can be.

Superintendent, Dr. Coglianese also congratulated Kathleen Robinson, Assistant Superintendent for

Instruction and Melissa Onesto, Principal of Butler School, who both recently completed their

dissertations and earned their doctorate degrees.

Superintendent, Dr. Coglianese also acknowledged and welcomed Pop’s Beef in Lockport for joining

in a community partnership with the District. They have given coupons to the schools for the students

for a free hotdog and fries to help celebrate student achievement.

Member Kevin DeSchaaf reported on the recent sub-committee meeting with TRIA Architects on the

Facility Audit projects. The top priority will be focused on security and projects will be presented for

review before starting the process. The next meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2017.

Cathy Clayton, representing Homer Council, expressed gratitude to the Board of Education for their

support of the union and appreciates all the Board does with the best interests of the students in mind.

Susan Koziarski, representing the Homer Support Staff Council, reported that Local 604 is sponsoring

a food drive to support a local food bank. Boxes will be in all the schools to collect donations.

Hitzeman motioned and Marcinkewicz seconded the motion to approve the consent agenda as

presented.

The following items were approved:

• October 24, 2017 Regular meeting minutes

• Treasurer’s report as of October 2017

• Invoices payable November 2017

• Approved the resignations for non-certified staff: Gloria Powers – building and grounds

secretary at Administration – effective November 16, 2017; Eva Alvarez – lunchroom

monitor at Young School – effective November 24, 2017; John Kwit – bus driver at

Transportation – effective November 16, 2017; and Judy Stewart Shervino – custodian at

Hadley School – change in retirement effective date from June 30, 2018 to January 1, 2018

• Approved the requests for Leave of Absence (Beginning and end dates open to modification)

for certified staff: Jennifer Theissing – 3rd grade teacher at Goodings Grove School –

extension of current child care leave of absence – effective November 27, 2017 through

December 8, 2017 and will return on December 11, 2017; Allison Connolly – 8th grade

Language Arts teacher at Homer Jr. High School – FMLA leave effective April 7, 2018 until

the end of the 2017-2018 school year and will return at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school

year; Katie Farthing – 5th and 6th grade Discovery Math and Science teacher at Hadley Middle

School – FMLA leave effective March 14, 2018 until the end of the 2017-2018 school year

and will return at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year; and Mary Ann Johnson –

Family and Consumer Science teacher at Homer Jr. High School – FMLA leave effective

November 13, 2017 through December 21, 2017 and will return on January 8, 2018; and for

non-certified staff: Kathleen Negrete – bus driver at Transportation – FMLA leave effective

November 10, 2017 through January 8, 2018 and intermittently until the end of the 2017-

2018 school year; and for Jane Fiedor – custodian at Schilling School – FMLA leave effective

October 24, 2017 through November 27, 2017

• Approval of the employment recommendations for non-certified staff: Gilberto Rosales –

custodian at Hadley School – effective December 11, 2017; Shannon Greenwalt – bus driver at

Transportation – effective January 8, 2018 pending successfully completing her criminal

background checks and obtaining her CDL for driving a school bus; Timothy Gajdorus – bus

driver at Transportation – effective January 8, 2018 pending successfully completing her

criminal background checks and obtaining her CDL for driving a school; and for extracurricular:

Jared McCarthy – wrestling coach – effective for the 2017-2018 school year;

Christopher Myers – volunteer wrestling coach – effective for the 2017-2018 school year;

Anthony Storcz – volunteer wrestling coach – effective for the 2017-2018 school year; Jimmy

Roberson II – volunteer wrestling coach – effective for the 2017-2018 school year; Karen

Musial – ASTP sponsor at Homer Jr. High School – effective for the 2017-2018 school year;

and Kelly Zurek – ASTP sponsor at Homer Jr. High School – effective for the 2017-2018 school year

Roll call: DeFilippis, DeSchaaf, Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo, Briner and Martin. All yeas,

motion carried.

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Dr. Kathleen Robinson presented Student Achievement Data

from the 2017 PARCC results which indicate that 52 percent of Homer students met or exceeded

expectations for their grade levels. Homer was one of five districts in the southland area whose students

achieved more than 50 percent in reaching state goals. The state average is 32 percent. The District

Leadership Team continues to review data and work on smart goals to increase growth. Supplemental

materials for the math series have been added to fill in gap areas recognized last year and to continue

the trend of slow and steady growth. The results of students meeting state expectations for Math is 48

percent while the State average is 32 percent. State assessments are scheduled for spring 2018.

Superintendent, Dr. Coglianese reported on the proposal by the City of Lockport to reduce impact fees

by 80-90 percent as a way to attract builders. In doing so, it would put a strain on the school districts

affected by the change with increased enrollment and building space constraints. Impact fees are local

revenue from builders to help offset expenses before property taxes are received on new housing. Area

superintendents would like to counter offer at 40 percent. The Board also encouraged residents to speak

with the Lockport Council members to voice concerns before the City of Lockport Board meeting on

December 6, 2017.

Marcinkewicz motioned and DeFilippis seconded the motion to approve the resolution to Levy 2017

Property Taxes. Roll call: DeSchaaf, Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo, Briner, DeFilippis and

Martin. All yeas, motion carried.

Hitzeman motioned and Marcinkewicz seconded the motion to accept the retirement of the following

individuals subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the District’s one-time IMRF

retirement incentive program and to approve separation agreements with said employees.

Jane Fiedor – Custodian – effective June 30, 2019

Dawn Johnson – Paraprofessional – effective June 30, 2019

Laurie Moroz – Clerical Aide – effective June 30, 2019

Cheryl Neylon – Paraprofessional – effective June 30, 2020

Beth Packo – Building Secretary/Registration – effective June 30, 2019

Roll call: Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo, Briner, DeFilippis, DeSchaaf and Martin. All yeas,

motion carried.

DeFilippis motioned and Marcinkewicz seconded the motion to adopt Board policy update for policy

7:220. Roll call: Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo, Briner, DeFilippis, DeSchaaf, Hitzeman and Martin. All

yeas, motion carried.

Petrizzo motioned and DeSchaaf seconded the motion to approve the Resolution expressing official

intent regarding certain capital expenditures to be reimbursed from proceeds of an obligation to be

issued by the District. The Board discussed taking a conservative approach in completing projects

and repairs needed at District buildings siting concerns regarding Senate Bill 851 passing and the

implications if property taxes are frozen and revenue is down. The District is not committed to

borrowing a certain amount only committing to paying back the bond. Roll call: Petrizzo, Briner,

DeFilippis, DeSchaaf, Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz and Martin. All yeas, motion carried.

Hitzeman motioned and Marcinkewicz seconded the motion to approve the recommendation for

substitute custodial – summer workers rate of pay as $12.50 per hour. Roll call: Briner, DeFilippis,

DeSchaaf, Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo and Martin. All yeas, motion carried.

Marcinkewicz motioned and Briner seconded the motion to approve the reimbursement in the amount

of $159.49 to Board member Karen DeFilippis for parking, mileage and meals for the IASB IASA

IASBO Joint Annual Conference on November 17, 18, 2017. Roll call: DeFilippis, DeSchaaf,

Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo, Briner and Martin. All yeas, motion carried.

There were no items to add for discussion at a future Board meeting.

Hitzeman motioned and DeSchaaf seconded the motion to go into Closed Session for discussion of

the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific

employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a

complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body

to determine its validity. Roll call: DeSchaaf, Hitzeman, Marcinkewicz, Petrizzo, Briner, DeFilippis

and Martin. All yeas, motion carried.

The Board went into Closed Session at 8:16 p.m.

After discussion, the Board returned to open session at 12: 10 a.m. There were no action items from

Closed Session.

Briner motioned and DeSchaaf seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting. The Board all were in

favor of adjourning the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 12:11 a.m.

https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?mk=50264636&fn=minutes.pdf