Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | November 20, 2025

The Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education held a busy meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025, taking several key financial actions. The board unanimously approved a tentative 2025 tax levy that projects a 4.57% increase in operating revenue, with most of the new funds coming from new construction. For a detailed breakdown, see the full story on the tax levy. In another major move, the board authorized the purchase of 31 new school buses through a finance-to-own model expected to save over $250,000 annually compared to leasing. This purchase will be funded by issuing up to $4.85 million in debt certificates. More information is available in the standalone article on the bus purchase.

The board also heard the results of its annual audit, which yielded a clean opinion, though its state financial profile score was downgraded due to an accounting technicality related to the bus purchase. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to public comments from support staff who are currently working without a contract and urged the board for fair wages and benefits. Additionally, the board approved a new 3.5-year athletic apparel contract, switching its primary provider from Nike to Under Armour. For more details on these topics, please refer to the full-length articles.

Bills and Payrolls Approved:
The board approved the payment of invoices totaling $5,321,327.04 for the period of October 17 through November 20, 2025. Also approved were three payrolls dated October 20, November 5, and November 20, 2025, with totals of $3,495,082.67, $3,538,201.69, and $4,518,254.57, respectively.

Personnel Actions Taken:
The board approved its consent agenda, which included a personnel report detailing several staff changes. The report accepted the retirements of Lincoln-Way West Principal Theodore Robbins, effective June 30, 2026, as well as Social Science Teacher Ryan McAllister and Media Center Coordinator Jennifer Siemann, both effective at the end of the 2029-2030 school year. The board also approved 15 new full-time hires, including several bus drivers and paraprofessionals.

Out-of-State Travel Approved:
The board approved several out-of-state travel requests for student groups. Trips include the Lincoln-Way Central Girls Wrestling team to Coralville, Iowa, in December 2025; the Lincoln-Way Marching Band to Orlando, Florida, for the Thanksgiving Parade of Bands in November 2026; the Lincoln-Way West Baseball team to Emerson, Georgia, in spring 2026; the Lincoln-Way East Softball team to Evansville, Indiana, in spring 2026; and the Lincoln-Way East Ski and Snowboard Club for trips to Wisconsin and Galena, IL, in 2026.

New E-Sports Account for Central:
As part of the Student Activities Report, the board approved the creation of a new activity account for the E-Sports team at Lincoln-Way Central. The club, which has seen increased membership, will use the account to fundraise for additional equipment and supplies needed to compete in area, state, and virtual competitions.

Student Accomplishments Highlighted:
Student Council Presidents from Lincoln-Way West, Central, and East provided updates on a successful fall semester. Highlights included multiple athletic teams advancing to state competitions in cross country, golf, and swimming; successful community service projects like food drives and donations to local shelters; and leadership development opportunities at the recent SWSC student council conference. Two Lincoln-Way East students, Jackson Poots and Matthew Jensen, were also recognized for achieving perfect scores of 36 on the ACT.