River Forest District 90
February 19, 2018  
Upcoming Meetings
 
Roosevelt Middle School
7560 Oak Avenue
Library Learning Center

Committee of the Whole Meeting
March 6, 2018
7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting
March 19, 2018
7:00 p.m. 


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Board of Education  Meeting Highlights

Presented by: 
Mr. Ralph Martire, District 90 Board President
Dr. Edward Condon, Superintendent

The Board of Education meeting was called to order by Board President Ralph Martire at  
7:01 p.m. in the Roosevelt Middle School Library Learning Center. Cal Davis, Judy Deogracias, Barb Hickey, Ralph Martire, and  Rich Moore were present. Absent Board members were Nicole Thompson and Stacey Williams. The meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m.

Below is a summary of the Board of Education meeting highlights. Board Packets containing meeting details are posted on the  District 90 website prior to each meeting. Full meeting minutes will be posted on the website once approved.
Recognize Visitors and Public Comments

Denise Matthews, the recommended finalist for the pending vacancy of Director of Special Education, expressed her appreciation for being selected to fill the position. She also  conveyed her enthusiasm about joining District 90 and the opportunity to get to know students and their families.  
Approval of Agenda

Board members approved the agenda.  
Communications

There were no communications to the Board of Education.
Freedom of Information Act Request

The District received three Freedom of Information Act Requests over the course of the last month. Steve Lefko requested information from 2008 - 2017 regarding the number, placement, and costs of crossing guards deployed in the Village of River Forest. The response to this request was supplied within the mandated timeline.

The Illinois Retired Teachers Association requested the contact information for any teacher or administrator planning to retire in 2018. The District responded to this request within the mandated timeline.

The Prairie State Wire requested information about the District's collective bargaining agreements and the employees covered under such agreements. The District responded to this request within the mandated timeline.
Student Presenters

Daaniyah, a 7th grade student at Roosevelt, provided an overview of classroom activities at the school. She shared that 5th grade students are learning to adopt sound research skills and applying those skills to persuasive writing. Fifth graders are also studying Egyptians in social studies. Sixth grade students are reading about the Chinese cultural revolution and studying how geographic variations affect weather patterns and climate change. Students in 7th grade are learning about kinetic, gravitational, and elastic energies in science. Also, 10 seventh graders submitted entries to the One Earth Young Filmmakers contest. Eighth  graders are studying memoirs and analyzing poetry, while also learning about the many factors that contributed to WWII.
Consent Agenda

Board members approved the Consent Agenda that included Minutes from the Board of Education Meeting on January 16; the Special Board Meeting on January 30; the Committee of the Whole Meeting on January 31; Payrolls; Orders Relating to Payrolls; Bills; and Treasurer's Report.
Board Committees
 
Education
There were no updates. 
 
Personnel
 Rich Moore reported that personnel matters, including the recommendation for the Special Education Director, would be addressed later in the meeting. 
 
Policy
The first and second reading of several policies would be addressed later in the meeting.

Finance
Cal Davis relayed that the topic of new software from the Township Treasurer would be addressed later in the meeting. 

Equity
Ralph Martire indicated that the Equity Committee meeting held on January 18 included discussion about how we communicate the District's equity efforts to the community at large, which should also emphasize excellence. For example, it would be beneficial to communicate how the diversity of faculty is of benefit to all students. We need to communicate that equity efforts support the District's tradition of excellence and support achievement for all learners.

Facilities
Judy Deogracias relayed that later in the week she and Dr. Condon will be attending the Historic Preservation Committee meeting at the Village to review the District's long range plans for facilities. 

Communications
Barb Hickey reported that there was nothing new to report. 

Gender Inclusion (Ad Hoc) 
Barb Hickey indicated that she, Rich Moore, and Dr. Condon had conducted a conference call regarding the composition of the Gender Inclusion Committee. Several individuals have been identified to help advance the Committee's efforts. Ms. Hickey relayed that the individuals on the Committee would soon be identified. 
District Calendar Review

Dr. Condon reported that there had been a very productive professional development event earlier that day. He also relayed that there were several upcoming activities of note including the Roosevelt musical, One Upon a Mattress, which will be performed at various times from February 22 - February 25. Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held March 1 - 2; the Casimir Pulaski Holiday will be March 5; the Committee of the Whole meeting will be March 6; and the 8th Grade Lock-in is scheduled for March 9.  A dditional information can be viewed in the  Board Packet .
Outside Organization Meetings
 
Council of Governments - Ralph Martire
Ralph Martire reported that the next Council of Governments meeting is scheduled for May 11.

OPRFHS Community Council - Rich Moore
Rich Moore reported that the February meeting was canceled due to inclement weather. The next Community Council meeting is scheduled for March 8.

Youth Network Council - Barb Hickey
B arb Hickey relayed that there was nothing new to report. She indicated that township interventionist have a larger load than is generally known.  The next meeting is scheduled for March 8.

District PTO Council - Barb Hickey
Barb Hickey relayed information about the PTO Council Meeting. She informed Board members that the next meeting of the PTO Council is scheduled for March 23.

Inclusiveness Advisory Board (IAB) - Stacey Williams 
There was nothing to report. The next IAB meeting is scheduled for March 14.
 
River Forest Civic Association - Nicole Thompson
The next meeting is scheduled for March 15.
 
Citizen Corps Council - Judy Deogracias
Judy Deogracias indicated that the Citizen Corps Council is seeking volunteers. The Council's next meeting date is still to be determined.

West Cook Governing Board (IASB) - Ralph Martire
Ralph Martire indicated that there was nothing new to report. The date of the next meeting is March 6. 

ED-RED - Ralph Martire
Rich Moore attended the January meeting, which included discussion about the state of education in Illinois and preparing students for careers in various high-paying industries. The next ED-RED meeting is scheduled for March 2 .

River Forest Subcommittee on Collaboration - Barb Hickey 
Barb Hickey stated that the Subcommittee on Collaboration is working on creating and curating a community calendar that will include information from the six taxing bodies that participate or are members of the Committee. The next meeting of the Subcommittee on Collaboration is scheduled for February 21. 
District Meeting Agendas 

Superintendent's Leadership Council 
Dr. Condon explained that the Superintendent's Leadership Council (SLC) has been investigating many aspects of standards based grading. The SLC continues to look into ways to effectively communicate the rationale for the District's adoption of this protocol as well as the link between standards based grading and equity. Additional information is available in the Board Packet.

Universal Design for Learning 
Dr. Condon relayed that the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Committee has been reviewing the intersection of UDL and the growth mindset practice.  He complimented Tina Steketee, Roosevelt Assistant Principal; Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction; and Willard Principal Diane Wood for their work on this initiative. Additional  information is available in the Board Packet.

District PTO Council 
Dr. Condon explained that the District PTO Council had discussed several items including the search for the Director of Special Education, the Mindset webinar, and the efforts the District takes to protect students with food-borne allergies. More information is available in the Board Packet.
Superintendent's Report
Action Items

Policy - Second Reading
Dr. Condon  presented the second reading of several policies that addressed numerous topics including the  uniform grievance procedures, identity protection, mandated physical education, social workers counseling D90 students, curriculum content, and other issues. There was some discussion about oversight and reports to the Board regarding the District's compliance with state mandates. Board members approved the policies covered in the second reading.  More information is available in the Board Packet.
Superintendent's Report
Informational Items

Long Range Facility Plan - 1st Draft
Anthony Cozzi, Director of Finance and Facilities, presented the first draft of the 2019-2023 Long Range Facilities Plan. He explained that the facility projects were placed in two categories. The Repair/R eplace/Prevention category represents routine projects that are required for the sustainability of buildings. The New Improvement category includes projects that represent improvements to buildings. Mr. Cozzi provided an update about the status of several of ongoing and pending projects. Ralph Martire, Judy Deogracias, and Dr. Condon complimented Mr. Cozzi for the work on the 2019-2023 Long Range Facility Plan. Additional information is available in the Board Packet.
 
Overview - Crossing Guards in River Forest
 Anthony Cozzi, Director of Finance and Facilities, reviewed the intergovernmental agreement between the District and the Village regarding the number, assignment, and payment for school crossing guards. Under the agreement, District 90 and the Village share the costs for school crossing guards. There was some discussion about recent events that returned the issue to the attention of the District and the Village. Dr. Condon provided information about the forthcoming comprehensive audit that will study traffic and pedestrian patterns as well as make recommendations to increase the safety of students while traveling to and from school. Dr. Condon also informed Board members that until the audit is completed, three additional crossing guards will be temporarily assigned to the intersections of Oak Avenue and Franklin Avenue, Oak Avenue and Park Avenue, and Oak Avenue and Ashland Avenue at the recommendation of the River Forest Police Department. Additional information is available in the  Board Packet.

Summer School 2018
Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented an overview about the plans for the 2018 Summer School. For students, Summer School will start on Thursday, June 14 and end on Friday, July 13. No classes will be held on July 4. She informed Board members that Willard teacher Caity Collins will return to serve as the principal of Summer School. All Summer School classes will be held at Lincoln and Roosevelt. Additional information is available in the Board Packet.

Board Discussion - Legislative Advocacy:  School Violence
Judy Deogracias initiated a discussion about the possible collaboration of the District 90 Board of Education with the Boards of Education for Districts 97 and 200 to voice support for meaningful legislation that addresses violence in schools and student safety. The recent tragedy in Parkland, FL initiated this discussion. There was a robust discussion by Board members on the direction of the collaborative effort. Ms. Deogracias agreed to lead an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate possible options available to the Board.   

School Board Meeting Calendar, 2018-19 - DRAFT 
Dr. Condon presented the draft of the School Board Meeting Calendar for the 2018-19 school year.  Additional information is available in the Board Packet.

Illinois Science Assessment Results 2016, 2017
Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented the results from the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) for 2016 and 2017. The results provide a high level overview of student learning in science. Board members discussed some of the results from the ISA and compared the two years of results. Additional information is available in the Board Packet.

Township School Treasurer's Office New Software Implementation
Anthony Cozzi, Director of Finance and Facilities, presented a brief overview about the new financial accounting software for Proviso Township. He provided a brief history of the Township's experience with financial accounting software and explained how the District uses this Township resource. The implementation of the new software will go into effect on July 1, 2019. Additional information is available in the Board Packet.
Closed Session 

Board members entered into closed session, pursuant to  5ILCS120/2(c) for 1) The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity.
Personnel 

Board members approved several personnel items: the FMLA leave for a certified employee, the future retirement of two certified employees, and the appointment of the forthcoming Director of Special Education.