Education Matters

School Board Candidates and Union Money

Should school board candidates accept money from a union for their campaign? It has been a common question at candidate forums in Palatine and the answer has been a resounding "No."

Should school board candidates accept campaign contributions from unions? Every local school board candidate asked that question at recent candidate forums has emphatically announced that they will not accept donations of any kind from a union. It is one subject – whether running for Community Consolidated School District 15 or Township High School District 211 – in which they all agree. In fact at last week’s Palatine Township GOP/TOPPER sponsored candidate forum, incumbent District 15 board president Gerald Chapman went further to address the issue.  He explained that he told the district’s unions two years ago - when he was not running for re-election - that it wasn’t their responsibility to get involved in supporting candidates.  …

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D-15 Seeks Residents to Fill School Board Vacancy

Candidate Information Packets available online Thursday, Jan. 20.

Community Consolidated School District 15 determined at a meeting Jan. 19 how it will fill the school board seat left vacant by the resignation of board vice president Mark Bloom. Bloom resigned last Friday citing scheduling conflicts between his work and school board responsibilities. The school board will appoint someone to fill the remainder of Bloom's four-year term which runs to April 2013. Residents interested in applying for the position must be at least 18 years old, have lived in the district for at least one year, and be registered to vote.   Candidate applications will be forwarded to the remaining six board members for review as they are received by the district. Applications can be mailed, e-mailed, faxed or hand delivered. …

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Literacygirl

1:29 pm on Sunday, January 30, 2011

Why does "The Patch" allow Jennifer Mondy to continue her tirade against District 15? It only makes "The Patch" look like an unreputable source for news.   more ›

D-15 to Consider Budget Cuts

Community Consolidated School District 15 is facing a projected budget deficit in coming years.

Community Consolidated School District 15 school board asked Superintendent Scott Thompson to compile a list of potential budget cuts to reduce a mounting deficit. The school board made the request after a presentation by assistant superintendent for business Michael Adamczyk showed a projected $3.7 million deficit for this fiscal year and a deficit of $5.4 million for next fiscal year. "We need to look at budget reductions that will help cut into some of the red ink," board member Sue Quinn said. School board President Gerald Chapman suggested Thompson come up with a list of potential cuts and the impact the cuts would have. Thompson said the priority with any cuts would be to minimize the impact on students and class sizes. The district …

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Palatine Happenings

Education is Key in 2011

Community Consolidated School District 15, District Fifteen Educational Foundation, and PTAs work to enhance opportunities for district students.

This is the time of year when New Year's resolutions are often made. I'm not really one for making them; I find that a few weeks into the New Year, they are largely forgotten. One resolution I will make, and try to implement, however, is to become more aware of opportunities for community involvement in Community Consolidated School District 15. How will District 15 students become best prepared to lead?  How can we provide the most opportunities for all of the district's students? How can we, as members of the community, whether or not we have children who attend District 15 schools, play our part in ensuring that its students become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and are prepared to engage, and find solutions for, the challenges of …

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Six Candidates for D-15 School Board

There will be six candidates vying for three seats this April for the Community Consolidated School District 15 board.

Six candidates will compete for three spots on the Community Consolidated School District 15 board in the April election. The final day to file was Monday and two candidates waited until the final day to drop their election petitions off at the district office. The field features two incumbent school board members – board president Gerald Chapman and James Ekeberg. The four challengers are Scott Herr, Manjula Sriram, Dave Seiffert and Gerard Iannuzzelli. Incumbent Sue Quinn chose not to seek reelection. Chapman has the most experience in education. Before becoming a school board member for District 15 in 2007, Chapman worked for Township High School District 211 for 36 years, including 11 as superintendent. "Education has been my career …

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Vicki Wilson

2:17 pm on Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The only way to rebuild trust in the community is to work openly and honestly, the way Sue Quinn has tried to steer the board since she was elected. But being in the minority on the board, she can only do so much. The citizens of this district expect transparency and accountability, which is not the way Gerald Chapman has been working since he was elected. Dr. Chapman rules the majority of the …   more ›

D-15 Attorney to Look Into Minutes Issue

The Community Consolidated School District 15 board voted to have attorney Mike Loizzi look into allegations that school board President Gerald Chapman attempted to slant meeting minutes.

The Community Consolidated School District 15 attorney will look into allegations that board president Gerald Chapman attempted to manipulate meeting mintues. The school board voted 4-3 at a special meeting Nov. 30 to have attorney Mike Loizzi investigate the issue. Chapman voted in favor of the motion; board member Sue Quinn, who first raised the issue, voted against it. "Does anyone think that Dr. Chapman has done anything illegal?" Quinn asked. "This is not a legal matter." The decision to use an attorney to resolve the controversy brought strong criticism from resident Jane VanWolvelear, a frequent attendee of school board meetings. VanWolvelear confronted board member Richard Bokor, who made the motion, after the meeting. Patch has …

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D-15 Special Meeting Called for Nov. 30

The Community Consolidated School District 15 board will meet Nov. 30 to discuss Supt. Scott Thompson's contract and the board's procedures related to meeting minutes.

 The Community Consolidated School District 15 board will meet Tuesday, Nov. 30 to discuss interim Supt. Scott Thompson's contract. Public bodies such as the school board are allowed to meet privately to discuss certain topics such as personnel matters. However, any action must be taken in public. Thompson's contract is listed as a potential action item. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Walter R. Sundling Junior High School, 1100 N. Smith St. Thompson became superintendent in July, following the abrupt resignation of Daniel Lukich on June 30. The board approved a separation agreement with Lukich that will pay him $185,000 through 2011. Thompson was hired on an interim basis for the remainder of this school year. Also listed on the agenda …

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Tensions boil over at D-15

Hostility between District 15 school board members was on display during a recent meeting.

Tensions among Community Consolidated School District 15 school board members boiled over during a lengthy discussion about meeting minutes. Board member Sue Quinn at several recent meetings has raised concerns about board minutes. Quinn did so again at the Nov. 10 meeting, stating that school board president Gerald Chapman attempted to change the wording of a motion she made related to a proposed bond issue. At most governmental meetings, the approval of minutes is a routine, fairly mundane matter. However, at District 15 the discussion lasted longer than 20 minutes and concluded with board member Peggy Babcock accusing Quinn of going too far in her criticism of Chapman. Babcock said that Quinn had a "personal vendetta" against Chapman, …

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Jennifer Mondy

4:40 pm on Monday, November 15, 2010

Quinn's emails to supporters referred to by Peggy Babcock at the Nov. 10 board meeting can be found at www.spotlightontheboard.org/d15_spotlight.htm   more ›

Education Matters

Vote No to Move District 15 Forward

With Navigate15 – Charting OUR Course for Education

This Tuesday voters within Community Consolidated School District 15 boundaries have a unique opportunity to change the direction of their school district. Don't let it pass you by. Because of the efforts of your fellow citizens and 7,508 signatures on a petition, there is a referendum question on the ballot.  "Shall the Board of Education of Palatine Community Consolidated School District Number 15, Cook County, Illinois be authorized to issue $27,000,000 bonds for a working cash fund as provided for by Article 20 of the School Code?"  A "Yes" vote gives the district the authority to borrow $27 million that can be used for anything at any time in the next three years. The monies could be spent on capital projects only – and only $16 …

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D-15 Test Scores on Rise

Community Consolidated School District 15 achieved its highest scores ever on state math and reading tests.

Reading and math test scores in Community Consolidated District 15 were the highest ever for the 2009-2010 school year. In reading, 87 percent of students met or exceeded standards on the Illinois Student Achievement Test [ISAT]. In math, more than 92 percent of students met or exceeded standards. "We're very proud of these results," said Mary Zarr, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. The district is particularly pleased with improvement among students in several subgroups. Improving test scores among minority and low-income students is a key element of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In District 15, only 66 percent of black students were meeting or exceeding standards on the reading test in 2006. That improved …

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