District 103 seeks your input

Giving them the chance to review the district's finances and how well they're kept informed, citizens spoke positively about the work done within Lincolnshire-Prairie View District 103.

Members of its finance and communications citizens action committees summarized their research and what the district continues to do.

The committees were formed about 1½ years ago after the district successfully got its tax rate increase approved in March 2007 but heard citizens wanted to learn more about the district. Each committee is made up of board members, administrators and district residents.

Summarizing its findings, Deborah Ponce de Leon, who led the finance committee, said, "Relative to the peer group, District 103 provides an excellent education based on the money we are spending."

The committee studied academic quality by referring to ISAT scores and financial health related to the tax rate and dollars spent per pupil. The data was compared to a peer group, a list of 10 school districts, including Aptakisic-Tripp District 102 and Kildeer Countryside District 96, which also feed into Stevenson High School.

Academically, District 103 shows 96.3 percent of students meet or exceed state standards, surpassing the state average of 73.8 percent. Ponce de Leon said ISAT scores also were 1.5 percentage points above the peer group average.

Financially, District 103 falls within the middle of the peer group. The peer group's total operating cost per student ranges from $7,813 to $15,292. District 103 is at $12,723.

The district plans to study its financial standings among the peer groups each year.

The communication committee's focus was to develop and foster two-way communication between the district and communities it serves, said Melissa Brotz, who led the group.

Conducting a three-month communications audit, which included a phone survey and focus groups, Brotz said one common theme was noted improvement to listen to community concerns over the last 1½ years.

The district is making improvements following committee suggestions. Most recently, the district has hired Kim Sylvan as a district community ambassador to help foster two-way communication.

Superintendent Larry Fleming said Sylvan has been contracted to work 200 days, meaning she will be there every day students are in class. And hiring her by contract is financially sound.

"We will pay less than half of what the individual would cost if she were a full-time employee," he said adding the position may some day evolve into full time.

Board president David Panitch said he also now posts on the Web site a recap to what was discussed at each board meeting.

The district also has expanded its monthly newsletter by creating a 103 weekly bulletin on the Web site. And the district plans to create a family database where families can receive district updates to their e-mail address.

Fleming said he thinks the people now are satisfied with how the district operates.

"If we are not hearing from critics, we are doing something right," he said.