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School Board News Bulletin
August 1998

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School board election is April 13

State Superintendent Spagnolo resigns, effective August 31

Now accepting nominations and applications for Illinois State Superintendent of Education

Illinois State Board of Education holds focus groups around state

State Board initiates search, appoints interim State Superintendent

Districts must name ethics officer

Violent tendencies indicated by risk factors

Help homeless children and youth get to school

RESEARCH REPORTS

Study suggests why Japanese schools succeed

Students may benefit from sleeping in

Education is voters' top priority

Education leaders make human relations errors most often

Teens want to help others

TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Free resource teaches about conversing with the deaf

Spirit of Community Awards planned

New directory of social service grants is published

Lincoln Trails Libraries awarded grant for Illinois Parent Information Network

THE NATIONAL SCENE

Board members may join discussion group

Districts roll out the red carpet for prospective teachers

WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

"Briefing for decision makers" scheduled

Illinois ASCD fall conferences set

NEWS FROM IASB

IASB fall division dinner meetings—1998

DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL LAW

Recent mailings from IASB

Classified Ads

School board members—and board secretaries, in particular—need to reorient themselves. School board elections previously held in the fall will now be held in the spring. And election duties conducted in the spring are now shifted to the fall.

Legislation enacted last year abolished the nonpartisan election in November of odd-numbered years, which has been the normal time for electing school board members. Starting in 1999, Illinois school board elections will be held at the consolidated election, which ordinarily is the first Tuesday in April of odd-numbered years. However, the consolidated election in 1999 will be on the second Tuesday in April, because the first Tuesday conflicts with Passover.

Among other things, the shift in election dates means candidates must gather signatures on their nominating petitions in the winter and early spring rather than in the summer.

It also means candidates, including board members running for re-election, must file their 1999 Statement of Economic Interests with the county clerk no later than February 1, which is the last day for filing nominating papers with the school board secretary. Nominating papers must include a county clerk's receipt for the economic interests statement.

The shift in election dates also requires a reduction in the length of terms for board members elected in 1999 and 2001. Board members who were previously elected to four-year terms in 1995 must be allowed to serve until November, 1999. Members elected in April, 1999, will not be seated on the board until November. The same scenario recurs in 2001 to accommodate board members elected in 1997.

Board members elected in 1999 and 2001 will have terms of less than four years, therefore. They will be seated in November and their terms will expire in April approximately 3 years and 5 months later.

Also, school boards will need to meet twice in connection with the election—once in April to canvass returns and declare winners and once in November to seat new members and reorganize.

IASB will be sending packets of election information to school districts in early October, which should be of particular help to the board secretary. In the meantime, here is a calendar for general planning purposes:

November 3 - First day to circulate candidate nominating petitions.

January 25 - First day to file nominating papers with the board secretary.

February 1 - Last day to file nominating papers with the board secretary.

February 7 - Last day for school board to adopt a resolution putting a public policy proposition on the ballot.

February 11 - Last day for board secretary to certify board candidates and public policy proposition to the election authority.

April 13 - Election day

April 20 - Last day for the school board to meet, canvass election returns and declare winners.

November 3-9 - Time period during which school board must meet, seat members elected in April, and reorganize by electing officers and setting a time and place for regular meetings.

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State Superintendent Spagnolo resigns, effective August 31

State Superintendent Joseph Spagnolo submitted his resignation to the Illinois State Board of Education in mid-July, effective August 31, 1998.

"I have accomplished what I was hired to do, to set the Illinois education system on a course of change and reform that would result in improved student achievement," Spagnolo said.

"The State Board brought Joe Spagnolo to Illinois to make changes in the schools and in the agency. He is a visionary and his ability to transform vision into reality has restored Illinois' place as a leader in school reform and renewed our emphasis on teaching and learning," said State Board Chair Louis Mervis of Danville.

"In light of Joe's personal wish to seek new challenges, we mutually agreed this was the right time to make a change," Mervis said. "The board is ready to move ahead with new energy to finish the work he has begun."

Since he became Illinois' fifth appointed State Superintendent in June, 1994, Spagnolo has led efforts to establish the Illinois Learning Standards as the academic target for all students and to design a state testing program, the Illinois Standards Achievement Test. This test directly measures how well students are progressing toward the state standards. Spagnolo's leadership was instrumental, as well, in helping successfully integrate technology into the classroom in a growing number of schools.

Spagnolo also has pushed to improve the teaching profession by strengthening teacher training, creating a new certification system and requirements, establishing teacher standards, and expanding and redesigning continuing professional development for all educators. And he initiated programs aimed at improving reading, and mathematics and science.

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Now accepting nominations and applications for Illinois State Superintendent of Education

The Illinois State Board of Education is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Illinois State Superintendent of Education. Anyone who meets the desired qualifications or knows someone who does is urged to apply or nominate a qualified candidate. Nominations and applications will be accepted until the close of business on September 18, 1998. To get a list of qualifications or submit an application or nomination, write to: The Bickert Group, Ltd., 1340 Wilmot Road, Deerfield, Illinois 60015.

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Illinois State Board of Education holds focus groups around state

During the last two weeks of July the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) held regional focus groups throughout the state to discuss objectives for hiring a new state superintendent. These groups were facilitated by the Regional Office of Education and IASB. A cross-section of citizens in various areas came together to respond to questions posed by the ISBE prior to the start of a formal state superintendent search.

Each group met and brainstormed on four basic questions:

* What challenges will the Illinois State Board of Education face in the next several years?

* What skills and competencies will the leader of the ISBE need to lead the agency in meeting these challenges?

* What are the performance expectations to meet these challenges?

* How can we make the job attractive enough to draw a strong pool of candidates?

Among the constituents represented were superintendents, board members, parents, business officials, legislators, principals, IASB, teachers, Regional Offices of Education, higher education, business and civic groups, diversity advocates, the PTA, special education, the Alliance, and other interest groups.

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State Board initiates search, appoints interim State Superintendent

A new State Superintendent of Education could be selected by October 22 as the result of action taken July 17 by the State Board of Education (ISBE). The board also appointed Robert Mandeville as Interim State Superintendent to begin running the agency September 1 and serve until the new leader is on board. Mandeville headed the bureau of the budget under Governors Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar.

The board voted to accept the resignation of State Superintendent Joseph Spagnolo. The Board put out a call for bids to hire a professional search firm and approved a search schedule that begins immediately and would conclude in October unless a suitable candidate cannot be found during that period.

In addition to appointing Mandeville, the board also appointed an Interim Management Team. The team will report to Mandeville and, together with him, will be responsible for managing the work of the agency and carrying out Board policies and directives. The team is comprised of Lynne Haeffele, Lee Patton, Michael Hernandez and Kim Knauer, who will act as the special spokesperson for the board.

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Districts must name ethics officer

Recently approved H.B. 672 (Cross, R., Yorkville) contains significant campaign and ethics reform language that affects all state elected officials, including school board members. One provision requires the school district to designate an ethics officer to provide guidance and to review statements of economic interests and provide guidance to members, officers and employees in the interpretation of the Act. The bill also creates the State Gift Ban Act for all elected officials, which generally prohibits them from receiving gifts.

The bill also provides that school board members may only accept gifts from employees. School boards must prohibit the solicitation and acceptance of gifts in accordance with the Act and adopt policies within six months of the Act becoming law. The governor is expected to sign the bill.

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Violent tendencies indicated by risk factors

Certain risk factors offer strong evidence that children are at risk of committing violent or delinquent acts. Thus school staff members should keep their antennae up when they patrol school corridors for signs of students in distress and should refer students to mental health services if emotional problems are found.

But just what are the risk factors to look for? The following information is excerpted, with permission, from Helping Children at Home and School: Handouts from Your School Psychologist, from the National Association of School Psychologists.

* One of the strongest predictors of delinquency and antisocial behavior during adolescence is aggression; it signals criminal behavior in adulthood.

* In recent years there has been an increase in verbal disrespect by children of all ages in society. When children do not have effective skills for coping with verbal aggression, they may respond in ways that increase interpersonal conflict and perhaps even endanger their safety. Some young people may physically fight back, resulting in injury and the possibility of revenge and more fighting at a later time. Verbal aggression increases at middle school level because many children react to the stress of greater peer pressure and confusion about their identity by taking their anger out on others.

* Stress in children is also a sign of potential problems. In young children it may be difficult to distinguish from symptoms of minor illness. Be alert for signs of irritability, nervousness, inattention, fearfulness, difficulties in adapting to change in routine, etc.

* Depression and the associated risk of suicide increase significantly during adolescence. When depression is severe, it interferes significantly with life activities (school, social life, family relations, etc.) Symptoms of depression vary based both on the individual personality of the child and on the child's developmental state. Be aware that most of the following symptoms of depression are also characteristic of other types of problems: depressed or irritable mood, with symptoms such as frequent crying; loss of interest or inability to experience pleasure; physical complaints, such as change in body weight or lack of appropriate weight gain or growth; social withdrawal; agitation; misbehavior and discipline problems; low self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness; difficulty in sleeping or excessive sleep or fatigue; feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness; suicide attempts, talk of suicide or self-injurious behavior; difficulty concentrating.

* Poor self-esteem has been associated with depression, suicidal ideas, low academic achievement, susceptibility to peer pressure and delinquency. Some classroom behaviors indicative of low self-esteem are: reluctance or inability to start new tasks independently; resisting more challenging work or setting low achievement goals; frequent negative self-statements; excessive criticism of others or possibly downplaying the achievements of classmates; reactivity and dependence on external cues; easily influenced by peers; very reactive to ups and downs of daily life. Failure can be devastating, even on minor projects.

For more information, contact the National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814; phone 301/657-0270. Or contact the National School Safety Center, 4165 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 290, Westlake Village, CA 91362; phone 805/373-9977; website http://www.nssc.org.

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Help homeless children and youth get to school

Many homeless children are denied access to public education because of a lack of school records, immunizations, proof of residency, or transportation. This violates federal and state laws that protect the rights of homeless children. You can help homeless families in your community become aware of their children's rights to a public education. For a packet of informational materials, including the Illinois law, awareness posters, and tips for helping homeless children succeed in school, please contact:

Opening Doors: Statewide Access to Education for Homeless Children and Youth, 1855 Mt. Prospect Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018, Phone: 847/803-3535, Fax: 847/803-3231, E-mail: kconrad@irc-desplaines.org, Web Site: http://www.lth3.k12.il.us/ openingdoors

Opening Doors is a statewide awareness initiative coordinated by the Adult Learning Resource Center in partnership with Urbana School District 116 and Regional Office of Education 26, funded by the Illinois State Board of Education under the Stewart B. McKinney Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program.

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RESEARCH REPORTS

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Study suggests why Japanese schools succeed

Why do Japanese students tend to outperform U.S. students in math and science? The Third International Mathematics and Science Study undertook a case study of Japanese schools and published its findings in June.

Among the key elements of the Japanese education system:

* The nation's Ministry of Education, Science and Culture produces national curriculum guidelines that serve as a national standard.

* Teachers are generally required to be at school for at least eight hours a day.

* Elementary classrooms stress individual enrichment work through non-academic subjects along with math and science lessons that emphasize thinking and discovery. Students spend much time on art, music, physical education, and schoolwide events.

* Teachers believe all students are capable of succeeding and attribute differences in achievement to family background and upbringing, not to innate ability.

* Highly competitive entrance exams stratify high school students into rigid structures that determine their future career paths.

The full report, The Educational System in Japan: Case Study Findings, is available on the Education Department's Web page: www.ed.gov

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Students may benefit from sleeping in

Initial results from the nation's largest experiment in basing school start times on sleep research are promising.

Last year, the Minneapolis school board approved a plan to change the start time for its high schools from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m.

The change was based on sleep research conducted at Brown University, which found that teenagers who don't get enough sleep "are more irritable and are more prone to depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and sexual activity," says University of Minnesota professor Kyla Wahlstrom.

She notes that, before the start times were pushed back, high school teachers in Minneapolis reported as many as 25 percent of students slept through their first two classes.

Wahlstrom's preliminary findings show that the 8:30 a.m. start time for high school was pretty well received by students and parents. Those least in favor of the change were coaches and students involved in sports and other after-school activities.

The final study will examine whether the later start time had an effect on student achievement.

To accommodate the district's busing system, starting high school later led to less favorable start times for other schools. All middle schools and some elementary schools started at 9:40 a.m., which meant some young, early-rising children "ended up watching three hours of TV every morning and were already tired when they got to school."

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Education is voters' top priority

The issue of most concern to U.S. voters is "improving education and the schools," according to the results of a Washington Post-ABC News poll announced July 14. When asked to assess the importance of various issues likely to influence the November mid-term elections, 77 percent of those polled rated education as "very important."

Among other issues of concern to voters, protecting the Social Security system was cited as very important by 68 percent, handling the crime problem was cited by 68 percent, overhauling the nation's tax system by 66 percent, and handling the nation's economy by 65 percent.

When asked which party they trust to do a better job in improving education, 52 percent said Democrats, and 33 percent said Republicans. The rest do not think either party has an edge or do not have an opinion.

Source: NSBA News Service, July 21, 1998.

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Education leaders make human relations errors most often

A study highlighted in ERIC Digest in June says most of the errors school administrators make fall under the general heading of bad human relations. Researchers in the study asked 375 Georgia students enrolled in graduate education programs to list and rank the kinds of errors their administrators made.

Fifteen kinds of mistakes were uncovered: "poor human-relations skills, poor interpersonal communication skills, a lack of vision, failure to lead, avoidance of conflict, lack of knowledge about instruction/curriculum, a control orientation, lack of ethics or character, forgetting what it is like to be a teacher, inconsistency, showing favoritism, failure to hold staff accountable, failure to follow through, snap judgements, and interrupting instruction with public-address-system announcements."

Lack of trust and an uncaring attitude were the behaviors most commonly associated with poor human relations, researchers found. These two behaviors, furthermore, are said to be related. In other words, if an individual believes that a supervisor doesn't care, a lack of trust is probably present also.

The study, Mistakes Educational Leaders Make (1997), was conducted by Clete Bulach, Winston Pickett, and Diane Boothe, associate professors at the State University of West Georgia.

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Teens want to help others

The largest factor that will guide teenagers' working lives is "to help others who need help," according to teens contacted in a new national survey.

That finding and other insights on today's teenagers are part of a national study of 2,000 high school students completed by Drexel University and reported by American Demographics. Other findings:

* Thirty-nine percent of 15-to-17-year-olds say that becoming financially successful is extremely important.

* More than half feel it is extremely important to be able to get along well with other people at work, and 51 percent agree that it is extremely important to work well as part of a team.

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TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

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Free resource teaches about conversing with the deaf

A new classroom resource from the Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation (ITAC) can be used to teach students how people who are deaf can talk with other people over telephone lines.

Students in grades K-3 can also learn how to have phone conversations with people who are deaf.

"Kids Talk" is a free resource for Illinois teachers that describes two ITAC programs—a TTY Distribution Program and the Illinois Relay Service. "Kids Talk" shows how students can use the phone services to talk with neighbors and classmates who are deaf through an activity book, instructions for hands-on and small-group exercises and fun, colorful school items.

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Spirit of Community Awards planned

Each year the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards provide a unique opportunity for young people to be recognized for community service. Sponsored by the Prudential Insurance Company of America and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the program was created to encourage volunteerism by identifying and rewarding young role models.

Top high school and middle-school volunteers will be selected from every state, with state winners receiving $1,000, plus a silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC next May.

For further information, please visit the websites of the sponsoring organizations at http://www. prudential.com/community or http://www.nassp.org:80/services.

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New directory of social service grants is published

Government cutbacks and changes in the welfare system have increased the demand for more nonprofit support of social services. Schools and nonprofit organizations of all kinds can help meet the demand.

That's where the Directory of Social Service Grants comes in handy, with roughly 1,100 foundation profiles. Each profile identifies verified areas of support, geographic restrictions, grant range, and previously awarded grants. The book features a state-by-state arrangement of foundations.

The cost of the Second Edition is $59.50 per copy plus $6 for shipping and handling. The Directory can be ordered from the publisher: Research Grant Guides, Inc., Dept. 3A, P.O. Box 1214, Loxahatchee, Florida 33470; phone 561/795-6129.

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Lincoln Trails Libraries awarded grant for Illinois Parent Information Network

The Lincoln Trail Libraries System (LTLS) has been awarded a $65,000 grant to build the Illinois Parent Information Network (NPIN Illinois). Funding will be provided by the Illinois State Library, using federal Library Services and Technology Act funding.

LTLS reportedly is working on this project with the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education's National Parent Information Network (NPIN). NPIN Illinois will add to NPIN's extensive resource collection on parenting and parental involvement in education by building a separate Web site with resources specific to the interests of Illinois families.

For more information, contact Project Director Brenda Pacey at Lincoln Trail Libraries System, 217/352-0047 (ext. 211), e-mail bpacey@ltnet.ltls.org.

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Workshops & Meetings

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"Briefing for decision makers" scheduled

The National School Boards Association's Institute for the Transfer of Technology to Education (ITTE) has announced "A briefing for decision makers" workshop to be held February 5-7, 1999 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The workshop helps school administrators, board members and other school leaders get up to speed on technology's role in schools and consider the plans they need to reap technology's benefits for education.

The faculty for the event is led by Bob Hughes, a former executive with the Boeing Company and a veteran school board member of Lake Washington public schools, in the state of Washington. Registration information will be available in the months ahead from ITTE and on the Web at http://www.nsba.org/itte.

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Illinois ASCD fall conferences set

The Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (Illinois ASCD) has announced plans for two skill-building fall conferences for Illinois educators.

"Action Research As A Vehicle For Educational Change" is the theme of one conference to be held October 2 in Naperville. The Illinois ASCD annual fall conference will follow October 7-9 in Springfield, featuring the theme "Whose Standards? Whose Changes? — Stakeholders, Schooling, and Standards in Illinois."

The "Action Research" conference will feature Richard Sagor and Andy Hargreaves, two international educational leaders, who will explain how to renew schools through action research.

The Illinois ASCD's fall conference will feature pre-conference professional development workshops, and keynote and breakout sessions on local, state, and national standards—and their impact on our classrooms and communities.

For more information on either conference contact the Illinois ASCD, 800 Porter Street, Lemont, IL 60439 or phone 630/243-9860.

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THE NATIONAL SCENE

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Board members may join discussion group

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is now offering the School Boards of Tomorrow (SBOT) e-mail discussion group, which lets school board members across the nation share stories, concerns, solutions, comments and advice about education and boardsmanship issues. School board members may join the SBOT e-mail group by signing on through NSBA's web site at www.nsba.org/sbot or by e-mailing a request to Hilary LaMonte, resource exchange network manager, at hlamonte@nsba.org.

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Districts roll out the red carpet for prospective teachers

As the pool of available teachers dries up, school districts are increasingly using creative approaches to try to attract and keep qualified teachers.

That word comes from NSBA staff writer Carol Chmelynski, assistant managing editor of School Board News. Chmelynski cites the case of the Massachusetts legislature's proposed $20,000 signing bonus for top teachers. The bonus was proposed after 59 percent of the state's prospective public school teachers failed a state-mandated exam to gain certification to teach.

"This is an effort to level the playing field a little bit so teaching will not be the profession of last resort," said Massachusetts Senate President Thomas F. Birmingham.

Although no one else is offering bonuses on the scale proposed in Massachusetts, some school districts around the nation are using bonuses as part of their teacher recruitment strategies:

* The Detroit school system offers $3,000 bonuses to new teachers, and Dallas schools offer $1,500.

* New teachers in Baltimore can receive housing bonuses of $5,000 plus an additional $5,000 if they are willing to teach in "high-impact" areas.

* The Fort Worth, Texas, school district offers a $2,000 bonus for special education teachers certified to teach the severely disabled, profoundly retarded, or emotionally disturbed.

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Two named to leadership of NSBA's Council of School Attorneys

Two attorneys from Illinois are represented on the 1998-99 NSBA Council of School Attorneys Board of Directors. Those so honored are:

* Anthony G. Scariano, of the law firm Scariano, Kula, Ellch & Himes, Chicago; and

* Nancy Fredman Krent, of Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn, Arlington Heights.

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NEA delegates reject merger with AFT

The National Education Association (NEA) representative assembly voted in July to reject a merger with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Yet the delegates voted to approve a new business item directing NEA to continue working with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in the pursuit of unity between the nation's top two teacher unions.

For more information, see the NEA website at: http://www.nea. org/nr/nr980706a.html.

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NEWS FROM IASB

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IASB fall division dinner meetings—1998

Fall division meetings of the Illinois Association of School Boards are scheduled as follows:

Watch your mail for details about the dinner meeting in your division. For information about the meeting in any other division, call Field Services at the IASB office nearest you: Springfield, 217/528-9688 or Lombard, 708/629-3776.

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DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL LAW

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Teacher-to-student sexual harassment:
The Supreme Court decides when a school district is liable

Judicial restraint and common sense led the U.S. Supreme Court to limit when school districts are liable for damage awards for an employee's sexual harassment of a student. A school district will be liable only when a district official who, at a minimum, has authority to institute corrective action, has actual notice of and is deliberately indifferent to the employee's misconduct. Although the Court was silent on whether this standard for imposing liability will apply to student-to-student sexual harassment cases, the decision's rationale supports such an application.

Mr. Waldrop, a high school teacher, made sexually suggestive comments to a student, Alida, during class; he later initiated sexual contact with her. Meanwhile, parents of two other students complained to the high school principal about Mr. Waldrop's remarks in class. The principal advised Mr. Waldrop to be careful about his classroom comments. Several months later, a police officer discovered Mr. Waldrop and Alida engaging in sexual conduct and arrested Mr. Waldrop. The school district terminated his employment. The district did not have a procedure for making sexual harassment complaints; nor did it have a formal anti-harassment policy.

Alida and her mother sought damages from the school district under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The district court rejected their claim because school administrators were not aware of the sexual harassment. This decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court granted certciori in order to address when a district is liable for a teacher's sexual harassment of a student.

Alida argued that she was entitled to recovery because the district should be responsible for its employees' acts. This argument is supported by the U.S. Department of Education's "policy guidance" on Title IX's sexual harassment prohibition. The guidance states that a school district is liable for damages whenever a teacher's authority over a student facilitates the harassment. This rule imposes liability even when school officials had no knowledge of the harassment.

If this strict liability standard were rejected, Alida argued that, at a minimum, the district should be liable for damages based on a theory of constructive notice. This standard would hold the district liable if district officials knew or "should have known" about harassment but failed to uncover and eliminate it. 

Under either standard proposed by Alida, an educational fund recipient could face a damage award despite being unaware of the discrimination. Thus, the Supreme Court rejected these arguments opting instead to shape a sensible remedial scheme that complies with Title IX's legislative purpose. A damage remedy will not lie under Title IX unless an official, with authority to stop and correct the discrimination, is actually aware of the discrimination and fails to adequately respond. A response will be inadequate only if it amounts to a deliberate indifference to the discrimination, in other words, a refusal to take action. Here, the principal's knowledge of the teacher's suggestive comments was insufficient to show "actual knowledge" of sexual harassment.

While the district's failure to adopt and publish grievance procedures and an anti-harassment policy violates the U.S. Department of Education's regulations, it does not establish actual notice of harassment and deliberate indifference. The failure to promulgate a grievance procedure does not itself constitute discrimination under Title IX although the Department of Education could enforce the requirement administratively. Title IX does not, however, allow damages for violation of administrative requirements.

While this decision is good news for school officials, the growth of reported sexual harassment cases in schools is deeply troubling. School officials' initiatives to eradicate sexual harassment must continue. This decision, however, means that funds for ending sex discrimination in educational programs will not be used for damage awards when district officials had no knowledge of the discrimination and thus no opportunity to eliminate it. Gebster v. Lago Vista Independent School District (U.S. Sup. Ct., June 22, 1998) __ U.S. __.

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Recent mailings from IASB

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Not all IASB mailings are sent to all school board members. For speed or economy, some mailings are sent only to the board president or district superintendent. Here is a list of such items mailed recently. For more information about any item, contact your board president or district superintendent or get in touch with IASB.

July 15: Performance-Based Superintendent Employment Contracts: A "How To" Guide, new IASB pamphlet, mailed to board presidents and district superintendents.

July 23: Closing the Gap: Insuring Children in Illinois, a Voices for Illinois Children pamphlet, to board presidents and district superintendents.

July 29: Announcement of Chicago schools tour event at Joint Annual Conference, to board presidents and district superintendents.

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Classified ads

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FOR SALE: 130 student desks & chairs (combination), blue chrome. $5 each. Please call Colette Ford, Business Manager at Lake Villa School District 41, phone 847/356-2385.

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Illinois Association of School Boards

2921 Baker Drive
Springfield, Illinois 62703