Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Want to apply for the East Maine Elementary School District 63 board? One seat is open, as John Jekot, who was elected a Village of Niles trustee, is required to step down from the school board.
John Jekot, a 14-year member of the East Maine School District 63 board, is moving on. He won the April 9 election for village of Niles trustee, and was sworn in to the village's board last week. The Illinois Attorney General's office does not permit an individual to serve on a school board and a village board at the same time, he said. As his seat becomes vacant, the district is accepting applications from individuals interested in the position, and will appoint a board member at its June 3 special meeting. That person will serve until the April 2015 election. While Jekot said he's pleased he won election to the village board, he acknowledged it's not easy leaving a school district where he has served nearly a decade and a half. Like …
Friday, May 4, 2012
One year ago, the district made drastic spending cuts. It has balanced its budget, but fears more expenses on the horizon--and less funding for them from feds and state.
When Jane Wojtkiewicz spoke Wednesday night, she had the reassurance of knowing East Maine School District had a balanced budget. That's a result of drastic spending cuts the board made one year ago. But Wojtkiewicz, the president of the district's board, also expressed uncertainty. Earlier: District 63 makes cuts "There are big unknowns that could arise," she said at the board meeting of the district, which educates students from Niles, Morton Grove, Des Plaines, Glenview and Park Ridge. So while the board made unpopular, but necessary, cuts to balance its budget a year ago, it may soon face major expenses that put it in financial trouble again. Don't miss a thing! Get Patch news in your email and Like us on Facebook! According to …
Monday, November 7, 2011
Tax cap to limit increase to 1.5 percent.
East Maine School District 63 approved a tentative 2011 tax levy of $35.4 million, which includes about $3.7 million to pay off bonds and $31.8 million to pay operating costs. The tax levy is the amount the district will ask taxpayers to provide next year. At a school board meeting Wednesday David Bein, executive director of business services, told board members the money the district is asking for in operating costs is about 3.7 percent higher than what the district collected in 2011. “This is our opportunity to officially declare, here is how much money we would like to fund our entity,” Bein said. Earlier: District 63 approves strategic plan. However, Bein said it was unlikely the district would collect everything it is asking for due …
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The district's computer system suffered a virus that shut it down in August.
Judy Satkiewicz, the technology director in East Maine Elementary District 63, said that security upgrades recommended after a virus shut down the district’s computer network in late August will cost $46,000. She can find the money by putting off some purchases that were scheduled for this year until next year. Satkiewicz shared the information with the District 63 school board at the Oct. 5 meeting as part of a report on the activities of the technology department. Earlier: More Patch coverage of East Maine Elementary District 63 Other activities include summer technology workshops for staff, increased opportunities for online technology training during the school year, added emphasis on using software that will help students acquire 21st…
Monday, August 8, 2011
After cuts, district expects a $1.6 million surplus
Maine East Elementary District 63 expects to spend about $42.9 million in the 2011-2012 fiscal year, or about $1.6 million less than it expects in revenue, according to David Bein, the executive director of business services. Bein presented the district’s tentative budget at the District 63 school board meeting Wednesday, Aug. 3. The board approved the tentative budget unanimously. It is now available for public review, and it will be the subject of a public hearing before a final vote at the Sept. 7 school board meeting. There would not be any surplus without the cost-cutting measures the district undertook earlier this year, eliminating literary specialists, social workers, gifted instructors, speech language pathologists and technology …
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Board of Education takes drastic measures to balance the budget.
East Maine School District 63's Board of Education voted to slash services, increase class size and eliminate the equivalent of 14 jobs Wednesday in an attempt to staunch its hemorrhaging budget. The board, which oversees schools in Des Plaines, Niles, Glenview and Morton Grove, also passed a resolution asking teachers to open their contracts and come to the bargaining table to negotiate future salaries. In addition, it will eliminate the gifted program and reduce the staff of social workers, psychologists, reading specialists and speech-language pathologists. As the roll call was taken, there was a flutter of activity in the full gym at Nelson School. People in the audience, many of whom were teachers, shook their heads in disbelief. …
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The school's business director presents suggestions to balance the budget.
East Maine District 63's Board of Education was confronted Wednesday with eight pages of difficult recommendations to stave off a looming deficit—but only for two more years. The tension was palpable in the gym of Nelson School at the board's "Committee of the Whole" meeting. Teachers and staff members sat forward, elbows on their knees, hands cupping their cheeks. There weren't many smiles. "This year is anything but typical, considering our financial situation," said Supt. Scott Clay. "Some of you may hear options tonight that may put your job in jeopardy. We recognize that, and I apologize to all of you who have to hear this publicly." The district's financial health is projected to continue declining over the next few years because of …
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Businesses and individuals alike decry the last-minute vote to boost income taxes.
Niles residents and business owners didn't have anything good to say about the Illinois House and Senate legislators' vote Tuesday night to raise both personal and business income taxes. The vote, which will raise personal income taxes 66 percent, from a rate of 3 to 5 percent, and business income taxes 46 percent, from a rate of 4.8 to 7 percent, after Gov. Patrick Quinn signs it, according to news reports, came just hours before legislators' terms expired at noon Wednesday. No Republicans voted in favor of it, and 10 lame-duck Democrats who did made it their last significant vote before they exited the General Assembly. The bill calls for the tax rates to drop after four years. In Niles, government agencies did not see much immediate …
Friday, October 22, 2010
When hayride wagon broke down, Maine Township subs in a truck to keep activities rolling along.
Mild weather helped set the right autumn mood Thursday evening for nearly 300 people who came out for Halloween theme fun and camaraderie during East Maine School District 63's TLC Fall Festival at Apollo School. Children wore light jackets to ward off the cool air as they waited in line for a hayride or to play carnival games. Inside the school in Des Plaines, pizza, taffy apples and hot cider were among the treats to keep families warm. Volunteers were also on hand to face paint children. "What a turnout! It's absolutely thrilling," said Pamela Surber, director of the district's Total Learning Community (TLC) after-school program. "We have well over 200--closer to 300 people--here." John Jekot, vice president of the school board, said …
Clark Kent
12:46 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
"A team of auditors..." From where? Sent by whom? Reporting to whom beside the district? What kinds of things do they examine? What's the follow-up? How often do "they" come? Required by statute or based on a complaint? Federal or state? Any penalizing situations? Rectification periods? Revisits? Applicable to all school districts? "Results of the inspection will be made public..." The actual … more ›