The District 233 school board approved an expenditure of $26,760 for new textbooks for three classes. The action was taken at the Feb. 16 meeting.
Representatives of the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Class of 2021 want their last months of high school to feel “normal” with a prom and graduation. They petitioned the administration and school board for responses to four actions they say will have a direct impact on their last months at H-F.
“We are a group of seniors who feel strongly that our voices deserve to be heard regarding decisions that are impacting our senior year,” the petition reads.
The District 233 school board will conduct a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3. The only discussion will be on the district’s return to school plan.
The last notice to parents from the H-F administration was for students to return on a hybrid plan starting Feb. 16, if all COVID-19 numbers appeared to be in a range set by the Cook County Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Homewood-Flossmoor High School residents are encouraged to fill out an online survey by Tuesday, Jan. 19. Answers will help a search firm find a new superintendent for District 233.
The District 233 school board agreed to reduce the 2020 levy by $1.3 million in keeping with a promise board members made to share the benefits of a state grant.
While taxpayers will only see a small reduction on their property taxes, board members said they felt agreeing to abate the taxes was a fair and proper move.
The decision was made at a Finance Committee meeting Dec. 7 and forwarded to the full board for action. The board voted unanimously at its Dec. 15 meeting.
The District 233 school board hopes to name a replacement for retiring Superintendent Von Mansfield by the end of this school year. He told the board during a special meeting Monday, Nov. 30, that he will step down as superintendent at the end of his contract June 30, 2022. The meeting was called to hear a presentation by BWP & Associates search firm.
The return date for students and staff at H-F High School is unknown, but administrators and teachers continue to study possible plans.
At the Nov. 17 school board meeting, Principal Jerry Anderson said, “The goal is to transition to hybrid learning during the second semester.” Depending on COVID-19 numbers and safety protocols, students could return to campus Jan. 25 or Feb. 1. Students also will have the option of continuing on the e-learning program.
The general consensus at Homewood-Flossmoor High School is that remote learning is working for the majority of students.
Administrators reviewed data with District 233 school board members Oct. 20 that was collected through surveys with 1,226 parent responses, 922 student responses and 118 teacher responses.
District 233 Business Manager Lawrence Cook was able to save the district nearly $230,000 by renegotiating three contracts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
