Unit 5 school board members are exploring alternative funding models for an anticipated $50 million in facility costs over the next five years if voters reject a 1% sales tax that would support all districts in the county.
Voters will decide the tax on the April ballot. If approved, resulting revenue would get divided among all schools in the district to be spent on facilities, safety and security, mental health and technology. The Unit 5 board is largely looking at it as an opportunity to solve its facilities' needs.
However, the district has immediate needs, from failing boilers and cooling systems to eight portable classrooms -- the equivalent of 16 district classrooms -- that will need to be replaced with permanent solutions.
At their meeting on Wednesday, board members talked about the dire situation. As Alex Williams put it, "It would be fiscally irresponsible to prolong [spending] because we know these systems are actively failing."
If funding isn't found -- and soon -- Superintendent Kristen Weikle laid out hypothetical repercussions.
"They no longer make the parts to replace the fire alarm panels that we have in place in several of our schools," she said. "Per fire code, you have to have a working, you know, fire alarm system and panel, and so theoretically, the school could be shut down."
While the sales tax dominated conversation in previous meetings, members spent more time Wednesday highlighting alternative solutions.
Unit 5 Chief Financial Officer Marty Hickman said the district already is in talks about obtaining a $15 million Health Life Safety Bond to get a jump on summer projects. It would be the fourth such bond Unit 5 has taken out in the past few years, and it would cause the district to incur debt.
He added that once -- and if -- the district accepts the bond, there's no going back. That includes if the sales tax gets approved.
"We'll be too late in the process, really, to stop the Health Life Safety Bond issue," Hickman explained after the meeting to WGLT. "However, what would happen is, if the 1% [tax] would pass, then, as part of the pledge that the board [intends] to make [next month], revenue from the 1% in future years would actually make ... payments to the Health Life Safety Bonds that we would issue."
In turn, Hickman said burdens for payment would lift off property taxpayers.
The pledge Hickman referred to was another point of discussion at Wednesday's meeting. Nearly every member expressed interest in voting on -- and approving -- a resolution at the next meeting to abate one-third of sales tax income generated over the next five years for Unit 5 to go toward bond debt if the tax moves forward.
Hickman said the board would discuss the bond and all it entails more thoroughly next month during a required hearing where amendments are expected. After that, he anticipates the board will vote on the issue in March or April.
"Really, that's the vehicle for this type of work other than the facilities tax," Hickman said during the meeting.
In good financial news, Weikle said a handful of minor facility repairs happened over winter break, including replacing two boilers at schools. And, the board approved roughly $1.7 million in life safety funds that will help replace Chiddix Junior High School's roof.
The board also heard about the proposed calendar for next school year that has a 2025 start date of Thursday, Aug. 21 for students and an end date of May 26, 2026 -- the day after Memorial Day.
Assistant superintendent Michelle Lamboley said requests from staff, families and the board were taken into account, but with required attendance days and other factors, there were limits to change.
"Sometimes ... there are things we can't implement because of the way the rules work," she said. "Or, there are things that we do implement."
On the downside for next year, she said there was no way to avoid the school year ending after Memorial Day without sacrificing days off elsewhere. That's also one of the reasons a request to take a full week off for Thanksgiving got vetoed.
However, a teacher request for a third institute day -- which was first implemented this academic year -- got approved and will allow for mental health training of staff.
School will start a week later than usual next year if the calendar is approved, Lamboley added.
During the superintendent's comments, Weikle introduced Jennifer Mangruem, who the board approved at the December meeting to lead Grove Elementary School as principal for the next school year. Mangruem has been serving as an associate principal at Bloomington Junior High School in District 87 the past several years.
"I'm just looking forward to get started, to get acclimated, to begin building those relationships with the teachers, families and students," said Mangruem. "So thank you so much. I'm just incredibly honored and humbled that I was selected"
Mangruem added the Unit 5 position was the only one she applied for when looking to take her next step.
Weikle also took time during her comments to address a small group of Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School students on their recent completion of an intro to education program in the district.
In attendance Wednesday was a cohort of NCHS and West students from the Pathway to Early Learning program.
Weikle encouraged them to apply for roles at Unit 5 once they are ready to start their careers in education, linking the program to the district's core mission: "educating each student to achieve personal excellence."
"I promise that we will at least give you an interview," she said. "Please come back and serve our school community."
And, Brigham Early Learning students, families and staff took a vote and landed on a new mascot: the bee.
"We have a fabulous bee costume that anyone besides me can wear," said principal Erin O'Grady, referencing a photo of her wearing a puffy black and yellow bumble bee suit.