D-225 Board Considers Closing Glenbrook Evening, New Bus Contract

GLENVIEW, IL — The Glenbrook High School District 225 board met Jan. 13 in its regularly scheduled meeting. Comments from the public focused on a plan to restructure Glenbrook Evening School, but the board also discussed proposals for new academic courses, created an intergovernmental agreement with other area public bodies to secure wholesale internet pricing and prepared to put out a bid for transportation services, according to minutes from the meeting.

Glenbrook Evening School, or GBE, has been the district's alternative high school since 1975. It served all students 16 and above and any district residents over 21 without a high school diploma. According to the district, enrollment declined from more than 40 students in spring 2015 to just 10 students in fall 2019. The campus stopped accepting new students ahead of the 2019-20 school year.

According to a memo to Superintendent Charles Johns from Assistant Superintendent Rosanne Williamson, the majority of attendees at GBE are not only behind in credits, but have significant attendance problems and struggle with emotional issues such as anxiety and depression. Many also have substance use issues, she said.

"The needs of students have changed since the inception of GBE in 1975. The day schools have responded to the changing student needs by incorporating a variety of programs and supports such as a more comprehensive elective curriculum, school social workers, psychologists, and academic interventions," Williamson said. "GBE has none of these programs or supports."

Instead of a separate school, the best model is an alternative learning program designed around individual student needs, according to the memo. The projected cost of a new program would be about $170,000. That compares to more than $485,000 budgeted for GBE in the 2018-19 school year budget.

At last week's meeting, attendees who spoke during public comment expressed concerns about the closing and asked board members to consider GBE's importance to the community, according to the minutes. They shared success stories about GBE graduates, explained the benefits of the program and the sense of community it offered. The policy change eliminating the evening school program could receive final approval at the Jan. 27 meeting.

In response to questions from board members at the Jan. 13 meeting, administrators said the proposal is a starting point that will build over time, according to the draft minutes. Board members said they were looking for the best way to support students and emphasized the importance of making sure counselors are aware of all available student supports.

Next, the board voted 7-0 to approve an intergovernmental agreement with other local taxing bodies to save money on internet access.

Established in 2014, the revised Northfield Township Technology Consortium includes District 225, District 27, District 28, District 30, the Northbrook Public Library and the villages and park districts of Glenview and Northbrook, according to a memo to the board and superintendent by Assistant Superintendent R.J. Gravel.

New fiber-optic connections to the network at the Glenview Ice Center and two Glenview Fire Department stations are expected to be completed soon, requiring an update to the intergovernmental agreement, Gravel said.

The board then discussed the award of a bid for student transportation services from June 2020 to June 2023, according to the minutes. Administrators said First Student was the only bus company to bid on the contract, which reflected a steep increase in costs. According to Gravel, administrators negotiated the increase down from 69 percent in the initial proposal to just under 42 percent — which reflects an increase of $415,859 for non-chartered bus routes.

Administrators attributed the increase in cost to needed capital investment, a shortage of drivers and increases to hourly wages, signing bonuses and health insurance costs. They recommended board members sign off on the bid when presented for final approval at the board's Jan. 27 meeting.

Board members said all transportation models will be evaluated, according to the minutes. They plan to discuss cost of bus passes and parking permits at an upcoming meeting of the board's finance committee.

Following a closed session, the board voted unanimously to enter into a consulting agreement with health care consultants the Horton Group at a cost of up to $45,000, reassign an English teacher, release a paraprofessional and appoint an English instructional supervisor. No action was taken on a motion for a retirement agreement.

According to the minutes of the Jan. 13 meeting, board member Marcel Sztainberg was absent. Sonia Kim participated by phone.

District 225, unlike some other nearby high school districts, does not publicly post recordings of its board meetings.