Board Highlights
Summaries from the recent Board of Education meeting
Regular Meeting
August 22, 2024
This summary includes agenda items that may be of interest to the broader community. Click here for complete meeting agenda and packet. Recordings of meetings are posted on our YouTube page.
Superintendent Announcements
I’m happy to report that we’ve had a very smooth start to the school year. This year our theme is Following the Blueprint, and last Wednesday, Aug. 14, 168 of our Leadership students were wearing construction vests to welcome the Class of 2028 for our annual Huskie Kickoff Day. Classes began for all students on Aug. 15, and it’s feeling like the new year is in full swing.
I want to invite all our parents and guardians to attend our annual Back-to-School Night taking place on Thursday, Aug. 29. At 5:45 p.m., you can pick up your student’s schedule, visit the tables of our parent groups, and grab a cookie or two in the South Cafeteria. Then starting at 6:30 p.m., you’ll follow an abbreviated version of your child’s schedule so you can meet the teachers and hear a quick overview of their class. And don’t worry—we’ve made the passing periods extra long for you.
Board Briefs
Consent Agenda
Approval of the Culture, Climate, and Behavior Committee Members for 2024-2025
The Culture, Climate, and Behavior (CCB) Committee provides the Board of Education with recommendations for creating a welcoming environment where all students experience a sense of belonging and the expectation of excellence, and where student discipline rates are not predictable by race, socioeconomic factors, or special education status. The membership comprises Board members, staff, students, parents, and community members.
Returning Members
Nancy Alexander
Dr. LaTonya Applewhite (OPRFHS)
Tim Brandhorst (D200 Board/Secretary)
Cal Davis
Sonja Emerson (student)
Karin Grimes
Jessica Janning
Ambria Jones
Krista Lambe
Dr. Jonathan Livingston (D200 Board)
David Narain (OPRFHS)
Andrea Neuman (OPRFHS)
Lynda Parker (OPRFHS)
Sarah Scriber
Susan Stephens
Action
Resolution Authorizing and Providing for the Issue of Not to Exceed $46,500,000 General Obligation Debt Certificates (Limited Tax)
At its April 27, 2023, regular meeting, the Board approved a financing plan for Project 2 comprising $44.2 million from fund balance, $45.3 million in debt certificates, and $12.5 million in donations from the Imagine Foundation. Issuance of the debt certificates was tentatively planned to occur sometime in 2024, depending on the timing of construction expenditures and the interest rate market.
The Community Finance Committee (CFC) reviewed financing parameters, timelines, and market conditions at its June 11, 2024, meeting. CFC was in strong agreement to issue the debt certificates as soon as possible.
On August 13, 2024, the CFC received an updated presentation highlighting two scenarios:
- Scenario 1: Offer the full amount in one issuance.
- Scenario 2: Offer $35 million initially, and the remaining $10.28 million in September 2026.
Action taken: Approved
Discussion
Presentation of the 2024 Philander Barclay Award to Oak Park and River Forest High School
Frank Lipo, executive director of the Oak Park River Forest History Museum, presented this award to the high school for exemplifying a love of local history as represented by the example of Oak Parker Philander Barclay, an avid bicyclist, photographer, and historian of the early 1900s.
Information
2019-2024 Employee Demographics and Retention Trends
Although our faculty demographics still do not reflect the demographics of our student population, there has been consistent progress for the past five years toward reducing the gap between the two:
- Since the 2019-2020 school year, the percentage of faculty of color increased from 24% to 29%. The goal of our strategic plan is for faculty of color to represent 35% of overall faculty.
- For the 2024-2025 school year, the District hired eight faculty members of color, which is 44% of the total number of new faculty this school year.
In last year’s report, we identified an increase in turnover for support staff of color that occurred between 2019 and 2023. As a result, the retention goal in the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan has been modified to specifically focus on increasing retention rates for this group. We have seen a significant improvement in this area: As of the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, the retention rate for support staff of color is 95%, an increase of 13% compared to last year.
Our overall retention rates for all employee groups increased from 89% to 95%, with retention rates for faculty remaining high: The retention rate both for all faculty and for faculty of color increased from 94% to 96%.