The Health and Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, September 10, 2007 @ 6:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Robert Rosemier called the meeting to order.  Members present were Pat LaVigne, Jeff Metzger, Sr., and Paul Stoddard.  Ms. Fullerton and Mr. Osborne were absent.  Others present were Mary Ramp and Mr. Gil Morrison.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Moved by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from August 2007.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          Moved by Mr. Metzger, Sr., seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda as presented.

REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ANNUAL REPORT – GIL MORRISON

 Chairman Rosemier introduced Mr. Gil Morrison, the Regional Superintendent of Schools (ROE) for DeKalb County.   

Mr. Morrison passed out a calendar for the 2007-2008 school calendar.  He explained that the schools can hold four (4) teachers institute days, at the maximum, per school year.  The State requires that there are 180 days of school that children attend in a school year. 

Mr. Morrison also informed the committee that they are receiving the truancy grant again.  They will be able to keep all the people they have hired for truancy and they may even be able to hire another part-time person to cover the southern part of the County.

He highlighted a few items for the committee.  He stated that the Kishwaukee Intermediate Delivery System (KIDS) is the professional staff development arm of the Regional Offices of Education for DeKalb, McHenry, and Boone/Winnebago counties.  ROE’s have 5 mandated areas of professional development.  They are technology, school improvement, administrator, academies, gifted education, and fundamental learning areas.  In the 2006-2007 school year, KIDS offered 167 different professional development opportunities, in which 455 DeKalb County teachers and administrators participated.

The DeKalb County ROE has a 13-member Advisory board to advise the Regional Superintendent in the staff development service area.

Mr. Morrison said that the number of certification for teachers has gone down a little in his office because now universities can issue them.  During the 2006-2007 school year his office issued 252 new and 33 duplicate certificates, and registered or renewed 1,716 teachers’ certificates.  Many of these were for substitutes or inactive teachers.

Mr. Stoddard asked Mr. Morrison, where are our teachers mostly coming from?

Mr. Morrison said from Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University and Eastern Illinois University.

Mr. Morrison said that there is a program called Novel Program, which is a credit recovery program for high school students.  They will provide staff to train high school teachers where they can go down to their library or computer labs and work with students from 4:00pm. to 6:00p.m. They feel that kids would be less likely to drop out of school and more likely to come to school.  If a student needs 2 credits to graduate, as a junior, they can enter the Novel Program and recover some of that credit, as an example. 

Chairman Rosemier asked if the student has to attend the school?

Yes, said Mr. Morrison. They have to be in school during the regular school day and then attend the Novel Program after school for recovery.

Mr. Morrison then discussed the 2006-2007 enrollment numbers.  The school enrollments show an increase of over 1300 students since 2002, with an increase of over 300 countywide in the last year.

Mr. Morrison also wanted to briefly tell the committee that they do not know how many kids are being home schooled, however.

Ms. LaVigne congratulated Mr. Morrison and his staff on doing a really great job.

Mr. Morrison also said that it is now required by the State that he send quarterly reports to this committee. He will begin doing this for the next quarter.

FISCAL YEAR-END REPORT ON SENIOR TAX LEVY FUNDS – MARY RAMP

Ms. Mary Ramp, DeKalb County Community Services Director, passed out her 4^th Quarter Report on the Senior Services Tax Levy Fund. She said that a couple agencies were late in turning in their paperwork in July and August.  She also said that the Family Service Agency has not used up all of their funds again this year.

She said that the fiscal year budget that we are in right now for the Senior Services Tax Levy Funds, this committee agreed to commit to Opportunity House some funds for a new lift chair.  That amount for the chair, which should not cost too much, will come out of the balance.

She also informed the committee that her office is being swamped by recent flood victims.  They are taking applications from these people for help.  She has written a memo to 101 churches and service organizations throughout the County to sponsor and provide assistance for the flood victims that she is serving.  With Evergreen Village in Sycamore alone, she is helping 36 families by trying to find housing for them.

EXEMPT EMPLOYEE EVALUATION FOR MARY RAMP

The committee discussed a letter sent to them from Mr. Ray Bockman, DeKalb County Administrator regarding the evaluation of Mary Ramp.  She is eligible now for a Career Step increase in an amount to be determined by the Executive Committee as part of the budget process.

Moved by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously to concur with the recommendation from Mr. Bockman on the exempt employee evaluation of Ms. Mary Ramp and her successful completion of the Standard Work Plan.

Before adjourning Chairman Rosemier notified the committee that Mr. Marshall Hayes has resigned from Elder Care Services to accept a position at Kishwaukee College.  They have hired his replacement that held a similar position in DuPage County.  There will be a reception held next week to say goodbye to Marshall and also to welcome Ms. Zivile Sabin, the new Director from 3:00p.m. – 4:30p.m.  Invitations are in the mail, said Chairman Rosemier.

Chairman Rosemier also stated that he would like to have some discussion with one or more agencies next year regarding the homeless and hunger situation in this County.

ADJOURNMENT  

          Moved by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Mr. Metzger, Sr., and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                Respectfully submitted by,

                                                ____________________________________

                                                 Chairman Robert Rosemier

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Mary C. Supple, Secretary