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6 | April 26, 2018 | The New Lenox Patriot News
newlenoxpatriot.com
Don’t think about it, just send your best vacation photo
Deadline for
Vacation Photo
Contest noon on
Friday, May 4
Bill Jones, Managing Editor
Ever just jump in a car
and hit the open road? Without
meticulously planning
every last detail of the trip
with a strict itinerary? Sans
direct course from Point A
to Point B? Without figuring
out where you’re going
to stay on a night-to-night
basis? Without the comforts
of home? A true getaway?
Some trips require planning
to get the most out of
your time and money. But
there is something exhilarating
about just winging
it. Nothing can get in the
way of following whims.
There is no need to be
somewhere else in a few
hours. It is exploration and
discovery and freedom and
folly at its best.
That is our focus for 22nd
Century Media Southwest
Chicago’s 2018 Vacation
Photo Contest. And we’re
not giving you much time
to think about it. We just
want you to grab a photo,
short notice, and send it our
way by noon Friday, May 4.
And while the details in
between are up for grabs,
the destination in this
case is clear: 22nd Century
Media’s annual Summer
Fun Guide, which is
set to be published in the
May 17 issue of The New
Lenox Patriot. As always,
we will publish the area’s
best vacation photo — as
determined by the publisher’s
staff — on its
cover.
This year’s theme is “road
trips and winging it,” and
we want to see photos from
your favorite road trips and
spur-of-the-moment, (almost)
planless travels. We
want to hear about what
made them special, too.
We still want you to send
to us your absolute best
summer vacation photos —
whether you have a special
road trip memory or not —
but we will be giving bonus
points in judging to photos
that depict travels on the
open roads and fun discoveries
along the way. Please
include just a few sentences
to give us some context for
the photo, if needed.
Again, our deadline is
noon Friday, May 4.
Please see Vacation, 7
Grand Prize Package
• Gift cards valued at $200 for Gizmos Fun Factory, 66
Orland Square Drive, Suite D, in Orland Park
• A gift certificate for two hours of bowling and shoe
rentals for up to six people on a lane at Laraway Lanes,
1009 W. Laraway Road in New Lenox. The certificate also
includes one 12-inch pizza and one pitcher of pop.
• Four passes, each good for 13 entries for one session
for one child at Mokena Community Park District’s Yunker
Farm Splash Park, 10824 LaPorte Road in Mokena
• A gift certificate for a 45-minute salt cave session
at Royal Salt Cave & Spa, 20881 S. LaGrange Road in
Frankfort
• A gift certificate valued at $25 for Rubi Agave, 12622
W. 159th St. in Homer Glen
• A gift certificate valued at $25 for Odyssey Fun World,
19111 Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park
• Six $5 gift certificates from Dairy Queen, 950 E. 9th St.
in Lockport
D122 Board of Education
Board discusses options to restructure debt payment
Tia Carol Jones
Freelance Reporter
New Lenox School District
122 voted to present a
resolution on a plan to restructure
debt. The first phase
of the plan would include the
refund of three bonds to pay
off debt.
The plan was presented at
the board meeting on April
18 by Raymond James, a
wealth management company,
with the goal to level
interest payments.
Robert Groos, D122’s
business manager, worked
with Raymond James to
come up with options to present
to the board.
“What Raymond James
did was truly identifying each
taxable status of each bond to
make sure they have the exact
call dates,” he said.
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Because the debt is being
paid off faster, the payments
would be lower and more
stable, Groos added.
Superintendent Peggy Manville
said the board reviews
the debt structure every six
months. That way, it is aware
of current callable bonds that
might be paid early.
“It is important to review
the schedule of debt payments
to monitor how it affects the
homeowner each year,” she
said. “We are always looking
for ways to minimize impact
on the homeowner.
According to Manville, the
current debt structure is designed
to have all of the district’s
debt paid off in 2031.
She said the first phase of the
plan will provide a savings of
$1.7 million to the taxpayers.
“This to us seems like a
really good compromise,”
Manville said. “It will still hit
a little but not as high. It will
help the homeowner.”
The district’s goal is to pay
the debt off as soon as possible
without the homeowner’s
being impacted by large
spike in payments, Manville
added.
“This is really good. I like
that it only extends for five
years,” said Board Member
Al Haring. “I like what
it would do to taxes for the
homeowner.”
Manville said the plan is
one the district can revisit
throughout the next four
years.
“After this first phase, the
board will continue to review
future phases in an effort
to minimize any large
increases to the homeowners’
annual payment,” she said.
“Our hope is that with the
future growth in the community
that the tax rates will decrease
and no extension will
be necessary. Therefore, the
long-range plan will continue
to be reviewed to assess our
needs.”
The resolution will be presented
at the board meeting
on Wednesday, May 23.
Loss of title funding
Manville also discussed
the loss of money in Title II
and IV funding and its impact
on the district. According to
Manville, the Trump Administration
budget cut the funds
for the schools.
In fiscal year 2018 the
district received more than
$94,000 for Title II, supporting
effective instruction. It
used the money for professional
development.
The district also received
$10,000 for Title IV, students
success and academic enrichment.
It used the money for
Google Bootcamp Training.
“We have relied on this
federal money for more than
30 years,” Manville said.
The loss of the money
might reduce the amount of
training the district is able
to provide for the teachers,
Manville added. She said the
district will have to use local
funds to support teacher
training.
“It has definitely been an
asset to the district and has
provided a wealth of opportunities
for our teachers,”
Manville said. “At this
point, the administration and
teachers will work to create a
plan representative of the decreased
funding.”
The Title I, $213,000 received
this year, will remain.
New principal
It also was announced that
Deidre Scott would be the
principal of Spencer Trail
School. Scott will replace
Lori Motsch who has been
promoted to director of personnel.
Scott has been part of
the district for 20 years and
served as assistant principal
and a kindergarten teacher.
“She understands the role
of teachers,” Manville said.
“She is a nurturing and kind
person.”
Scott is an exceptional educator
who is dedicated to the
community, Manville said.
“Her experience as a kindergarten
teacher, her vision,
as well as her leadership skills
will ensure that Spencer Trail
continues its tradition of providing
outstanding educational
experiences for our first
time learners,” she said.