The Geneseo Community Unit School District #228 Board of Education will meet Thursday, Sept. 10, with adoption of the district’s FY27 budget, declining enrollment and several personnel and financial matters among the items before the board.
The regular meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the District Office, 648 N. Chicago St. The board will suspend its regular meeting near the beginning of the evening to conduct a public hearing on the FY27 budget before reconvening. The budget itself is then scheduled for consideration and approval later in the meeting.
Enrollment continues downward trend
One of the notable updates accompanying this month's meeting is another decline in district enrollment.
Superintendent Dr. Laura Delgado reports fall enrollment of 2,334 students, down 35 students from 2,369 last year. Kindergarten enrollment stands at 137 students, while the district expects to graduate 184 seniors this school year. Delgado said the decline is part of a longer-term trend driven primarily by smaller incoming classes in the early grades.
Chief School Business Official Tim Gronski’s reports puts the longer trend into perspective, reporting that K-12 enrollment has fallen 18.87% since 2010.
Financial picture
The September financial report shows the district has a $47.86 million budget across its various funds for FY27. Through August, approximately $7.1 million in activity had been recorded, representing 14.83% of the budget. The Education Fund accounts for about $29.09 million of the total.
One revenue source is starting the fiscal year ahead of last year. The district received $171,517 in sales tax revenue for August, compared with $151,304 for the same month a year earlier, an increase of 13.36%.
The district is also preparing for several financial decisions later this fall. The tentative property tax levy is expected to come before the board in October, with approval of a tentative levy anticipated in November. Proposals for projects using the countywide 1% sales tax are due Oct. 1 for Buildings and Grounds Committee review, and a resolution of intent involving working cash bonds is expected in November.
At Thursday's meeting, the board is also scheduled to consider a permanent transfer of working cash and a diesel fuel bid.
District sets goals for new school year
Dr. Delgado's September report also outlines goals developed by leadership teams as part of the district's strategic plan.
At the elementary level, goals include supporting standards-based grading in math and specials, strengthening reading instruction and providing teachers with classroom-management strategies designed to maximize learning time. At Geneseo Middle School, goals include weekly Professional Learning Communities, standards-based teaching and assessment practices, data monitoring and efforts to strengthen students' sense of belonging and safety.
Geneseo High School's goals include training staff to use ECRA data to help guide instruction and ACT preparation. The high school also plans to update its policies regarding late work, missing assignments and reassessments during the first semester. Another goal calls for using student survey data to identify students who report having limited or no meaningful connection with an adult at school and intentionally building those relationships.
Other business
The board is scheduled to consider the district's annual administrator and teacher salary and benefits report, a second reading of a series of PRESS policy updates and a second reading of a resolution supporting military-connected students and families.
Delgado's report also notes that Geneseo High School was included on U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools list for the fourth consecutive year. The district report lists GHS at No. 2,282 nationally, No. 94 in Illinois and No. 2 in the Davenport metropolitan area.
Public participation is included near the beginning of Thursday's meeting, before the board moves into the FY27 budget hearing.