The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Dist. U-46 Board ratifies varied expenses, bills

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 unanimously approved $744,131 in expenditure proposals at its Monday, June 1 meeting which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 shutdown.
  The costliest item approved was to purchase 100 smartboards and mounted balance boxes split between TIERNEY ($232,300) and PACE Systems, Inc. ($110,000) which will be paid through the education fund.
  “To replace failing Smartboards,” the proposal states. “In order to enable projection capability in secondary classrooms that include SmartNote software in their math curriculum, older Smartboards need to be replaced. The plan is to replace them all within the next 3 years starting with the oldest pieces of equipment. This purchase will replace 100 projectors which are10+ years old.”
  Two items are expected to be paid for by the nation’s taxpayers through the federal CARES Act. That act was meant to help businesses, including those deemed “nonessential” by the government, that have been harmed due to the shutdown, but schools are also receiving bailout funds.
  Included is $194,831 with Learning A to Z for guided reading resources, English and Spanish, as well as $40,000 with Notable, Inc. for math resources, both of which were used for distance learning.
  The board approved $102,000 (education fund) for a contract renewal with Mind Research Institute for ST math intervention resources and $65,000 (education fund) with BlueStreak Education for a math intervention to replace FASTT math.
  Also approved unanimously was a resolution regarding the Northern Kane County Regional Vocational System (NKCRVS) budget for Fiscal Year 2021 which set a budget presentation for June 15, a public hearing for July 20 and a final vote on Aug. 3. The district, however, did not present the NKCRVS budget at the June 15 meeting nor has it released the tentative budget publicly.
  The board also unanimously approved of $14.1 million in itemized bills as well as a treasurer bond calculation form to be sent to the DuPage Regional Office of Education. The bond form projects a highest fund balance of $360 million and an anticipated surety bond issue of $90 million.

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