Monday, April 1, 2013
District 308 dropped from the "review" to the "early warning" list, according to Illinois State Board of Education financial rankings.
Oswego District 308 fell a notch on the Illinois State Board of Education’s annual Financial Profile this year. The district dropped from "review" to the the "Early Warning" category, which is the second highest-risk category, according to the ISBE document. Meanwhile, nearby Plainfield School District 202 dropped from "Early Warning to "Financial Watch." "Early Warning" means the ISBE "will be monitoring these districts closely and offering proactive technical assistance (e.g., financial projections and cash flow analysis, etc.,)" according to ISBE. The Financial Profile provides a snapshot that helps the ISBE gauge school districts’ financial condition based on five indicators of financial performance: fund-balance-to-revenue ratio, …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Take a look at how parents are reacting to Thursday's news of rumors of a violent threat at District 308 schools.
The news today that Oswego District 308 officials are taking very seriously the rumors of planned school violence to coincide with the Dec. 21 end of the world date set by the Mayan calendar has Oswego Patch Facebook friends talking. Here’s a sampling of what some, including parents, are saying: Brian G. Shaking my head at you paranoid parents... relax. If you believe in any of this hype as well as the exaggeration of teens and such, you seriously need a reality check. Ashley H. Brian, I bet that's what the parents of Columbine thought and look where it got them. Reality check to you, this stuff does happen and should be taken seriously. Id rather be safe and over cautious than lose my child when it easily could have been prevented. Coleen…
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
District will delay in hiring of some staff and delay purchase of new textbooks.
Four weeks ago the Oswego School District 308 Board released a budget for Fiscal Year 2013 that contained a $5.5 million deficit. That amount has been narrowed to $3.8 million, Superintendent Matthew Wendt announced at Monday night's board meeting. In fact, Wendt said the budget deficit had actually started at just over $7.5 million, but several weeks of effort in July and August had decreased it to the $5.5 million presented in the original draft. Wendt said “bold moves” were made to decrease the budget by $1.7 million. “We’re really doing a great job of cutting where we need to, but not affecting the classroom, which is key,” he said. The cuts include: “Not to say we don’t need new textbooks,” said Wendt, “but we need also understand …
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis reminds board that there are both criminal and civil remedies to enforce provisions of the Open Meetings Act.
The Oswego District 308 School Board has received an official response from Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis over violations of the Open Meetings Act from this spring. The board reported to Weis in April that it had neglected to tape record five closed session meetings held April 14, 16, 19, 20 and 21 to hire new district administrators. The Illinois Open Meetings Act requires public bodies to audiotape or videotape all closed meetings. Weis wrote in the letter released Thursday that the state must now determine what, if any, legal action should be taken for noncompliance. He did note that the board self-reported the violations once realized and that the purpose of the closed meetings was permitted under the Act. Weis also wrote …
Named for an Oswego Civil War hero, Murphy Junior High School opened to fanfare on Wednesday.
It was an exciting first day of school for students at Murphy Junior High School Wednesday. Students and parents celebrated the school’s grand opening, an event that was four years in the making, according to Principal Brent Anderson. Last winter, Oswego District 308 Board of Education voted to open the Plainfield campus to ease overcrowding at Bednarcik Junior High. The school is located at 26923 Grande Park Blvd. “Who’s ready to open this school?” Anderson asked, drawing cheers from the students during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and balloon launch at the new campus Wednesday. The school is named for Robinson B. Murphy, a Civil War hero from who is the only person from Oswego — or even Kendall County — to receive the presitigious Medal of …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Amanda Rider and Ashley Meyers begin their new positions at Southbury Elementary and Plank Junior High, respectively.
Editor's Note: The following is taken from a press release provided by Oswego School District 308. Monday night, the District 308 Board of Education filled two assistant principal positions, including one internal promotion. Both Amanda Rider and Ashley Meyers began their administrative positions with the school district on August 14. “We had many great applicants for the assistant principal positions that were filled on Monday night,” said Executive Director of Administrative Services John Sparlin. “Both Amanda and Ashley possess leadership qualities associated with highly effective people. They both are student centered, knowledgeable and passionate educators who will be effective leaders in District 308.” Of the 78 applicants for the…
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis has laid out a plan of corrective measures after spring recording errors.
The Oswego District 308 School Board recently has been in negotiations with Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis over violations of the Open Meetings Act from this spring. The board reported to Weis in April that it had neglected to tape record five closed session meetings held April 14, 16, 19, 20 and 21 to hire new district administrators. District attorney Karl Ottosen reported to the board Monday night that he and board president Bill Walsh recently had met with Weis to discuss the violations and a further course of action. The Illinois Open Meetings Act requires public bodies to audiotape or videotape all closed meetings. Ottosen revealed the April 14 meeting went unrecorded because a recorder was not at all present. At the …
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Board working to replace spring/summer resignations.
Oswego School District 308 has made a dent in replacing several administrators who have left the district in the past few months. The School Board unanimously approved the hiring of six administrators at a special meeting Monday night, including a new director of business services and a principal for Plank Junior High. Sharon Hassberger takes over the business services position left vacant by Angie Smith, who left the district for Plainfield Consolidated Unit School District 202. Hassberger comes to District 308 from Big Hollow School District in Ingleside, where she served as business manager. Jamie Max will take over the principal position at Plank Junior High in the new school year. Max worked from 2005-08 at The Rose Academies in …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
The Ankeny, Iowa school board voted 6-0 Monday night to hire a law firm to see if the district has any legal basis to stop former superintendent Matthew Wendt from receiving a $175,000 transition allowance, according to the Des Moines Register.
The Ankeny, Iowa school district fomerly headed by new Oswego School District 308 Superintendent Matthew Wendt has hired a law firm to see if the district can legally do anything to stop him from receiving a $175,000 transition allowance. According to Sara Sleyster of the Des Moines Register, the board voted 6-0 following a closed session Monday night to hire Ahlers and Cooney Law Firm to represent the district in the investigation. Representatives from the law firm will present their findings to the board in a closed session scheduled for July 16, the article said. Wendt's last day with the district was June 30. At a special meeting May 28, the school board voted 5-2 to accept Wendt's resignation. Prior to the vote, the board offered …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Board President Bill Walsh said the meetings will be rescheduled for next week.
After hearing complaints from constituents, the Oswego District 308 board canceled two meetings this week to interview two final candidates to replace Superintendent Dan O’Donnell. Board President Bill Walsh said Tuesday evening he had several calls asking why the board scheduled the meetings at Biaggi’s Italian restaurant in Naperville. The meetings were to be held Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. “We have spoken to our finalists and decided to reschedule for next week,” Walsh said. Walsh also said the rescheduled meetings will take place within the district and may even occur in a district-owned facility.
russ harrison
9:45 am on Wednesday, April 3, 2013
ayar, Good points. Please take a moment to read my Patch blog called " Politics, Boobies and Beer" and see if I left anyone out of the line up. more ›