With less than a month before voters head to the polls, Unit 5 Superintendent Kristen Weikle addressed the school board Wednesday night, reviewing the district’s proposed tax rate increase.
Her presentation focused on the referendum question that will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.
The slideshow was similar to ones she's shared with the community over the past month, and outlines why McLean County’s largest school district isasking voters to approve an increase to the education fund tax rate.
That rate currently is $2.72 per $100 equalized assessed value (EAV).
The education fund is usually a school district's largest, as is the case for Unit 5 — and it pays for teachers and staff, and materials that supports students, Weikle told the board.
"In almost 40 years that education tax rate has only increased by 10 cents," she said.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the board OK’d plans to add a section to future student handbooks focusing on gun storage safety, and learned two district technology teachers have gained statewide recognition.
Superintendent leads referendum presentation
If the referendum to increase the education fund tax rate passes, the district would gain $20.5 million in property tax revenue, while Unit 5's overall tax rate eventually would amount to 70 cents less than it is today, say district leaders.
The proposal comes as the district faces a growing multimillion-dollar structural deficit. As part of Weikle’s 30-minute presentation, she said if the referendum doesn’t pass, the district’s projected shortfall of $11 million is expected to grow.
She said the district will face tough choices with programs, class sizes, and other factors.
Weikle will lead the referendum presentation again at 6 p.m., Oct. 25, as part of a virtual meeting. More information about that is on the district’s websitepage dedicated to referendum information.
Barry Hitchins, board president, noted he’d visited several schools’ parent-teacher organizations in recent weeks to share information about the proposal.
Student handbooks to include gun storage safety
Also Wednesday, the board voted unanimously to add a section to student handbooks about storing guns safely.
Board member Kelly Pyle was absent.
The initiative is a partnership with the Be SMART organization, said board member Jeremy DeHaai, who encouraged fellow board members to visit the group’s website.
“Firearms are the leading cause of death for American children,” said DeHaai.
According to Be SMART, safe storage means storing guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition.
Such measures significantly reduce the risk of suicide and accidental shootings, among children and teens, according to materials provided to the board.
DeHaai told the board that in most school shooting incidents, current students or recent graduates were the assailants. The majority of weapons used in those shootings came from the shooter’s homes, he added.
“Make yourself aware because one of the biggest things we do, I think — as a board and as a community — is we protect our children,” said DeHaai.
Tech teachers win statewide honors
The school board also recognized two junior high school teachers.
The Technology Education Association of Illinois named Kingsley Junior High School teacher Erik Rich its 2022 Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Rich has spent half of his two decades as an education, teaching at Kingsley.
The group also named Evans Junior High School’s Bob Scornavacco New Middle School Teacher of the Year. It’s his first year at Evans; he previously taught at Normal Community West High School.
In other business, the board:
- Approved Title 1 school plans for eight of its schools.
- Heard reminders about upcoming dates of interest. Oct. 26 is an early-release day, and early-learning students have the day off. There is no school districtwide on Nov. 7, for parent-teacher conferences.
