Improvement plans OK'd for some Valley View schools

One of the elements of the No Child Left Behind Act is that all public schools must make satisfactory improvement each year toward proficiency goals established by each state.

When Adequate Yearly Progress has not been achieved, school districts must address the issues in School Improvement Plans.

After hearing details about such plans for Hermansen, Ward, Skoff and Tibbott elementary schools earlier in the month, the Valley View School District 365U board gave its approval to the proposals at its Oct. 26 meeting.

Assistant Superintendent Faith Dahlquist explained that special education reading progress at Hermansen is being addressed. At the other three schools, English reading skills for bilingual students is the focus of the plans.

"We have a component that involves parents and we are trying to address these issues even before a student enters kindergarten," Dahlquist said.

Dahlquist also stated that the district utilizes something called the instructional decision making system. The system uses data to drive decisions about instruction, she said.

In other business, the board unanimously approved a new facility usage agreement.

Valley View administration has been working on establishing new guidelines for the use of district facilities by outside organizations. The process culminated with a workshop Oct. 9 to address specific issues in the facility use agreement.

Assistant Superintendent Gary Girzaffi said the workshop included board members, representatives of the Bolingbrook Park District and Romeoville Recreation Department, a community member and members of the district's leadership team.

"The workshop fulfilled the purpose in coming to a consensus" on final details, Grizaffi said.

Included were guidelines for use of the main gym and field houses at Bolingbrook High School and Romeoville High School. For certain organizations that benefit the community at large, there will be no charge for the use of the facilities.

Also, definition was given to "less intensive" and "more intensive" users of school facilities. For example, a smaller charitable organization that uses a facility less than once per month and for four hours or less each time, with attendance of 400 people or less, was distinguished as a "less intensive" organization.

A for-profit, frequent user for longer periods and with greater attendance was dubbed as "more intensive" use.

"We have beautiful facilities that people want to use but we also have to protect our investment in them," said school board President Steve Quigley. "This is fair and equitable access for the community and allows us to recover expenses."

The facility use agreement will become effective April 1.

Also, a long-standing relationship between the district and the PMA Financial Network Inc. was renewed for the 2009-2010 school year.

The financial consulting contract was for the amount of $8,000.

Grizaffi explained that the PMA Financial Network provides tools to help the district "in projecting its financial position over the next five years."

Grizaffi also said, "This tool will be beneficial in assisting Valley View with both current and future budget reduction processes."