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Board Highlights are meant to provide highlights of each Board of Education meeting, and are not intended to be an all-inclusive recap. Please click on this link to view a complete recording of the Sept. 10, 2025 Board of Education meeting.

The September 10, 2025 Board of Education meeting was hosted by Whittier Elementary School. To kick off the meeting, Principal Robert Cerny was joined by students and teachers who shared their experiences and feelings as members of the Whittier community. See a few of their quotes below. He also noted plans for the school's 100th year anniversary.

At Wheaton North, students reported on new clubs, a new sport and National Merit Semi Finalists. At Wheaton Warrenville South, students reported on school spirit activities, a new sport, the kick-off of athletics and marching band, and a host of activities and academic events. Their presentations can be viewed here. 

The Board of Education adopted the District’s FY26 budget following a series of Board reviews including a five-year financial forecast presentation in January, a public hearing last month and a display of the budget and tentative approval in July, among others. It is the 16th straight year of a balanced budget.

The budget reflects the District’s Strategic Plan’s Vision 2026. The goal of the budget is to be a responsible steward of public tax dollars, continue the priorities of the Strategic Plan, invest in students, facilities and people while being conservative in revenues and facilities. The budget is guided around three Board policies: balancing the budget, creating a target fund balance of 25-40% and saving for capital funding projects. This year’s budget does all three. Fund balances are expected to be near 30% of operating funds. The budget also commits an amount yearly – this year $7.08 million – to address maintenance and repairs of facilities in what is called the Sherman Dergis methodology.

Dr. O’Keeffe noted changes in what was presented in earlier reports to the Board, including a small dip in Fall 2025 levy collections, an increase in Illinois corporate replacement tax revenues, a small increase in interest earnings and an increase in state transportation reimbursements. On the expenditure side are increased costs in salaries and benefits, which are offset by a decrease in the cost of purchased services. For more information, here is the budget presentation.

The Board also heard an update on the middle school capital projects at Edison, Franklin and Monroe middle schools. Michael Dolter, Senior Project Architect with Perkins & Will, reviewed the summer of 2025's focus on “enabling” work. He then showed design plans for the next phase –  “Bid Issuance 3” for Edison, Franklin and Monroe, which will occur in the summer of 2026 and summer of 2027. The plan includes classroom updates, auditorium upgrades, exploratory labs and Library Learning Centers (LLC) improvements at Edison; classroom updates, LLC rebuild, auditorium upgrade and exploratory labs at Franklin; and classroom updates, Essentials upgrades, LLC improvements and exploratory labs at Monroe. The work is funded from the November 2024 referendum. 

Mr. Matt Biscan, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services, gave an overview on the Human Resources Department, including staffing numbers as well as FOIAs, retirements and graduate courses processing. He noted the extensive recruitment and selection process that includes a virtual job fair, social media campaigns, student-teacher partnerships and a CUSD 200 Introduction to Teaching Course, among other strategies. He also said that the district works hard to retain its talented staff including holding a comprehensive new hire induction program, monthly guest teacher orientations and in-district leadership training. “We have to make sure we put the right people in front of kids every single day,” said Mr. Biscan. “And, we want to make sure they keep learning after they come to us.”

At their meeting, the Board approved five revised policies to be posted. To view the revised policies, click here. Questions or comments can be directed to Mr. Matt Biscan, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services, at matthew.biscan@cusd200.org or 630-682-2015.