Latest news with #U-46
Chicago Tribune
10-08-2025
- Chicago Tribune
District U-46 high school students must start scanning IDs
School District U-46 is starting a new student ID scanning system for all high school students Monday as it heads into the new school year. District officials said the system will require all high school students to scan IDs during morning entry, before lunch periods and when they go to the library. Attendance will still be taken by teachers before classes start. Students will scan their physical school ID or a digital copy of their ID from their phones or Chromebooks as they enter the building each morning and again during when they go to lunch or library. Employees will be stationed at designated scanning points to assist with and monitor the process. No scanning will be required for leaving at the usual end of the school day. If students have to leave a campus early, they must scan their physical or digital ID to do so. U-46 Executive Director of High Schools William Johnson said U-46 is putting the program in place because it's important to have accurate accountability of who is in the building and where they are at all times. The system was piloted during the 2024 – 2025 school year at Streamwood High School. Johnson said that at Streamwood, adding scans for lunch periods did not lead to any bottlenecks of students waiting to get into the cafeteria. Officials said lunches will remain free for all students across all grade levels this coming school year. At all schools, students scan their IDs after getting food so the district can keep track of how many meals have been served. 'Using two scanners, we organized the line to ensure that scanning is quick and efficient. Students had to wait a minimal amount of time to enter the cafeteria,' Streamwood Principal Paige Moran said. 'Additionally, because of scanning at the door, students grew accustomed to the setup and arrived with their IDs out and ready to be scanned. The consistent routine allowed for scanning to be efficient and also ensured safety.' Johnson said that during lunch, it is very common for students to get extra help from their teachers, go to the library or participate in an additional activity. 'In order to ensure we have an accurate record of where all students are, we need them to scan into all of these locations,' Johnson said. Moran noted that the new system is also set up to alert staff when students have arrived in case particular students need to be given reminders of things such as fines owed, detentions to be served or in cases of emergency family matters. Moran said that Bartlett High School took to the program for the second semester of last school year, but that it will now be used at the other three campuses, too. Prior to the changes, Moran said at all high schools, students who arrived late were the only ones scanning in when they arrived. Students arriving at the usual start times would show their plastic ID cards. 'Those would get lost, and we would be printing new ID cards all the time,' Moran said. No new equipment is needed for the district to adopt the process across its high school campuses. 'Schools already have barcode scanners. We simply captivated a feature of our learning management system that was previously unused. No additional equipment is needed to scan students' IDs,' Johnson said. 'This new procedure allowed us to take advantage of tools the district already possesses – barcode scanners and a feature in our learning management system.'
Chicago Tribune
05-08-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
District U-46 superintendent to be paid nearly $300,000 under new contract
District U-46 Superintendent Suzanne Johnson's base salary will be nearly $300,000 in the first year of a new 5-year contract approved Monday night by the school board. 'Over the course of the last two years, Dr. Johnson has led our district with a deep commitment to the current and future success of our students,' board President Melissa Owens said, reading from a prepared statement. Johnson has met the goals established for her by the board, Owens said, including completion of a formative data collection for the U-46 Rising initiative, revisions to a 5-year pathways plan, continuation and implementation of the district's 5-year facilities plan, and development of a new strategic plan. Under the new agreement, Johnson's goals will be to drive student attainment of literacy and math skills, develop a plan to increase attendance to 90%, enhance the climate and culture of U-46 schools, and prepare students for their lives and careers beyond school. 'We have the utmost confidence that under the terms of this contract Dr. Johnson's leadership will continue to move this district and our students forward,' Owens said. After the vote, Johnson read a prepared statement in which she thanked the board for its trust and confidence in her and for extending her contract. She also thanked the U-46 staff. 'Your trust and your support is everything as we work to move forward,' she said. As a former teacher and coach, Johnson likened working in education to taking part in the ultimate team sport. 'There is no way any of this would be possible without this extensive team of people that is so committed and passionate about what we do,' she said. Johnson has worked as an educator for nearly 30 years, and has been employed by District U-46 for her entire career. After holding a variety of jobs, she was named interim superintendent when Tony Sanders left to become state superintendent of education and was later given the job on a permanent basis in May 2023 at a salary of $282,500. Her new contract runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030 and calls for a base salary of $299,704. Depending on the board's annual review, the base will increase between 3% and 5% annually and pays Johnson's entire contribution to the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System. Johnson will have 25 days of paid vacation each year, exclusive of holidays, and can be paid for up to 10 of those she does not use, under the new contract. She has been given 15 days of sick leave per year and will be granted a one-time allotment of 100 sick days in addition to her normal annual allotment by Dec. 31. Sick days will be accumulated to a maximum of 340 days over the term of the contract. The contract also provides the same health and dental insurance to Johnson and her family that it offers other employees. In her case, though, the board covers the entire premium cost. No dollar value for the benefits was included in the documents provided at the board meeting. Outside of Chicago, U-46 is the state's largest school district. In September 2024, it had an enrollment of nearly 34,000 students, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
Chicago Tribune
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: Nancy Kimball house open Wednesday afternoons in July; Kids can play free pickleball, kickball Thursday at Meier Park
The Nancy Kimball Cobblestone House in Elgin will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday in July. In addition to learning about the historic home at 302 W. Chicago St., visitors will have a chance to view 'Erasing Borders/Borrando Fronteras,' an art exhibit celebrating the Hispanic experience. There is no admission fee. For more information, call 847-742-4248 or email museum@ Elgin Parks and Recreation Department will be holding a free pickleball and kickball play day for children ages 5 to 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at Meier Park, 3770 Gansett Parkway. Equipment to play the games will be provided, according to a social media post. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Attendees are encouraged to wear athletic shoes and to bring filled water bottles. For more information, call 847-531-7000 or email parksandrec@ The Illinois Brass Band will present a free concert at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17, on the outdoor stage at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. A selection of summer music, including pop, jazz, classical, film, Broadway, patriotic and Americana tunes, will be performed. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner and a blanket or chairs to watch the show, according to a news release. Roll N' Donuts Café will have snacks available for purchase. Culver's restaurant in Elgin will be giving away a limited number of free custard cups, available on a first-come, first-served basis, the release said. For more information, call 847-429-4597. School District U-46 is holding a hiring event to fill vacant positions from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 18, at the Family Welcome Center, 1019 E. Chicago St., Elgin. Same-day interviews will be held, according to a post on the U-46 website. Registration is required to attend and is limited to one per person. Walk-ins are not guaranteed an interview. A list of job openings, which includes administrative and teaching as well as food service, transporation, operations and other positions, can be found at which is also where applicants register for interviews. The Elgin Public Museum is holding a midsummer fundraiser from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 18, featuring writer/performer Phil Brakefield. Brakefield, author of 'The Philly Kid Chronicles: Life, Dogs and Rock & Roll,' will sing, lead singalongs and tell stories of his days in the 1960s and '70s as a concert promoter, a social media post said. Admission is $10 for museum members and $15 for nonmembers. Light refreshments will be served. The museum is located at 225 Grand Blvd. in Lords Park. For tickets, go to
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: U-46 schedules, classroom assignments available Wednesday; Family Fun Night being held Wednesday at Lions Park
Dundee Township Park District and East Dundee are holding a free Family Fun Night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at Lions Park, 570 Penny Road, East Dundee. The event will feature a magic show, balloon twisting and a climbing tree structure, according to the park district's seasonal brochure. Closed-toe shoes are required for climbing the tree. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. For more information, call District U-46 schedules for middle and high school students and teacher assignments for elementary students who have completed their 2025-26 school year registration will be available Wednesday, July 16. A complete registration includes filling out an online registration application, confirming residency and submitting paperwork to demonstrate that the necessary health requirements, which can be found at have been met, according to a U-46 newsletter. Access to information is through a special app, the Registration Checklist, which parents and guardians can access using their Infinite Campus login. To register a student, go to
Chicago Tribune
17-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
District U-46 buys cyber liability insurance, considers AI tech for teachers
District U-46 School Board members Monday approved the purchase of cyber liability insurance policy and discussed the purchase of ChatGPT Edu, an AI product that would be used by teachers, coaches and administrators. The $118,283 insurance policy with Tokio Marine HCC would run from July 1 through June 30, 2026, and comes with a $3 million limit and a $100,000 deductible, according to documents provided for the meeting. 'U-46's decision to purchase a cybersecurity insurance policy was driven by the growing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats targeting school districts nationwide,' Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Lela Majstorovic said prior to the meeting. It's become necessary, Majstorovic said, because as student and staff data systems become more interconnected, the potential financial and operational risks from a cyber incident have increased significantly. Meeting documents said that 'since 2023, 108 ransomware attacks have impacted over 1,800 schools nationwide. … According to Alliant Insurance Services, the district's insurance broker, the average ransom demand in 2024 was approximately $847,000.' 'While the district has very strong, state of the art preventive measures in place,' Majstorovic said, 'insurance offers added reassurance in managing unforeseen events. Purchasing a cybersecurity insurance policy adds a critical layer of financial protection and support in the event of an attack.' At Monday's meeting, Majstorovic and Rola Tarek Mohamed, a research and project management fellow, also continued a board discussion about whether to spend $432,000 for 4,000 educator ChatGPT Edu licenses with Open AI for the 2025-26 school year. The system will allow educators 'to use AI as a planning assistant, research partner and support tool,' Mohamed said at the meeting. The deal would include staff training on how to use the technology. ChatGPT Edu could allow users to write an email that ensures 'it's appropriate to the intended audience,' upload curriculum frameworks to create specific tasks, and check that lesson plans align with board-adopted curriculum, among other things, Majstorovic said. 'Any teacher is expected to do this level of planning on an every-single-day basis,' she said. 'Using a tool like this could really help with navigating that planning.' Time currently be used for such work can free teachers up to do other things, such as thinking about how they are giving kids that 'in-the-moment feedback so that they can continue to learn,' Majstorovic said. Mohamed told the board that related AI guidelines prohibit sharing any personal data or using it for grading. Board member Dawn Martin said she wasn't convinced the technology would be completely beneficial. 'I have a lot of concerns with this, the ethics, the integrity behind AI, the ability of it to take away critical thought, especially if we start rolling it out for students,' she said. 'Just because something exists doesn't mean embracing it is fully the way (to go).' U-46 Superintendent Suzanne Johnson said, 'I think we find ourselves in this really interesting place where we have to start to determine what are the guardrails that we can identify and create, how do we support professional learning, how do we start to do some of that — if it's sooner than later — as it's preparation for this thing that now exists.' Any proposal won't be back for discussion for at least five weeks, Johnson said, so there's time for more board input and feedback.
