River Forest District 90
October 16, 2017  
Upcoming Meetings
 
Roosevelt Middle School
7560 Oak Avenue

Committee of the Whole Meeting/Town Hall Forum
November 7, 2017
Auditorium
7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting
November 20, 2017
LLC on the 2nd Floor
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  
7:00 p.m. in the Roosevelt Middle School Library Learning Center. Cal Davis, Judy Deogracias, Barb Hickey, Ralph Martire,  Rich Moore, Nicole Thompson, and Stacey Williams were present. The meeting adjourned at 9:07 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

John Dzuryak, resident, thanked Board members for their dedication and service to the Village of River Forest. Mr. Dzuryak informed Board members that he attended the dedication of the bas-relief panel from the Washington School. Anticipating that a commemorative plaque would be placed on the panel, he again requested that a protective covering be placed over the panel. He also showed Board members historical pictures and architectural drawings of the Washington School with the bas-relief panels.

Jan Saeger, resident, complimented District 90 for taking custody of the Washington School bas-relief panel. She informed Board members that there are two panels from Washington School, and requested that the District acquire the second panel, which is still in the custody of the Village. Ms. Saeger also requested that Board members seek local landmark status for the District 90 Administration Building, which was built in 1859. 
Approval of Agenda

Board members approved the agenda.  
Communications

There were no communications.
Freedom of Information Act Request

The District received a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the American Watchdogs organization. The request pertained to several administrative items including District 90 debt, compensation records, and Board minutes and agendas. The District responded within the legally mandated timeline.
Student Presenters

Two Lincoln grade 4 students, Alex and Josie, introduced an iMovie about the exciting activities and events taking place at the school. For instance, the duo discussed the visit by author/songwriter Justin Roberts, the International Dot Day celebration, and the Lincoln Lounge where students can read and gather with peers. 

Margot,  a 7th grade student at Roosevelt, provided an  update about the classroom instruction at Roosevelt Middle School. For example, she explained that 5th grade students are studying vocabulary and parts of speech, while 6th grade students are learning reading strategies. In science, 7th grade students are learning about properties of various substances, and 8th grade students are studying the forces of change on the planet. 
Consent Agenda

Board members approved the Consent Agenda that included Minutes from the Board of Education Meeting and Budget Meeting on September 18, 2017; the Committee of the Whole Meeting and Closed Session on October 3, 2017; Payrolls; Orders Relating to Payrolls; Bills; and Treasurer's Report.  
Board Committees
 
Education
Nicole Thompson reported that the Education Committee met on September 21. An update on the math pilot would be addressed later in the meeting.
 
Personnel
 Rich Moore reported that two personnel issues would be addressed later in the meeting. 
 
Policy
Stacey Williams stated that the Policy Committee met on September 21. The first reading of several policies would be addressed later in the meeting.

Finance
Cal Davis relayed that there was nothing to report. 

Equity
An Equity Committee meeting is scheduled for October 19.

Facilities
Judy Deogracias reported that improvements at Willard were shared at the October 3 Committee of the Whole meeting. Additional information regarding the Willard improvements would be addressed later in the meeting. 

Communications
Barb Hickey reported that the Subcommittee on Collaboration met twice in October. The Subcommittee is finalizing the communication survey that will be distributed by each agency on or about November 1. 
District Calendar Review

Dr. Condon relayed information about upcoming events and activities in the District including the Lincoln Pancake Breakfast and 5K run on October 28; the Halloween Parades and Parties at Willard and Lincoln Schools on October 31; the D97 CLAIM Forum in Oak Park; Parent/Teacher conferences scheduled for November 1 and 2; the Committee of the Whole Meeting/Town Hall Forum on November 7; and the Roosevelt Band and Orchestra Concert on November 16. A dditional information can be viewed in the  Board Packet .
Outside Organization Meetings
 
Council of Governments - Ralph Martire
Ralph Martire provided information about the October 13 meeting. OPRF High School presented an update on its strategic plan. The Village of River Forest presented information about the redevelopment plan for Lake Street, North Avenue, and Lathrop Street. The River Forest Park District completed its community survey. The River Forest Community Center expressed appreciation for the partnership with D90 with the inclusive preschool. Ralph also shared that the River Forest Public Library is addressing the issue of equity and has been invited to participate in District 90's NEP training. The next Council of Governments meeting is scheduled for January 12.

OPRFHS Community Council - Rich Moore
Rich Moore relayed information from the September 14 meeting including an update of the recent news concerning the social media posting of a student in "blackface." He also shared information about student wellness, District 200's results from the Illinois Youth Survey, and the upcoming IMPACT event on November 8 called, "Sex, Drugs and Snap Chat." Rich informed Board members about the District 90 Town Hall Forum on social media that is tentatively scheduled for January. The next Community Council meeting is scheduled for November 9.

Youth Network Council - Barb Hickey
B arb Hickey shared that there was nothing to report.  
The next meeting is scheduled for November 9.

District PTO Council - Barb Hickey
Barb Hickey informed Board members that the upcoming meeting of the PTO Council would be held in just a few days on Friday, October 20. The subsequent meeting of the PTO Council is scheduled for November 17.

Inclusiveness Advisory Board (IAB) - Stacey Williams 
Stacey Williams informed Board members that the September 19 meeting welcomed several new members. The Inclusiveness Advisory Board meeting shared information about the District and equity training with the National Equity Project, the Alma Adivsory Group's report, and the results from the 2017 Inclusiveness Perception Survey. The next IAB meeting is scheduled for November 15.
 
River Forest Service Club/River Forest Civic Association - Nicole Thompson
Barb Hickey attended the September 21 meeting of the River Forest Service Club. She brought greetings from the District 90 Board of Education. Ms. Hickey also stated that the organization has changed its name to the River Forest Civic Association. The next meeting is scheduled for October 19. 
 
Citizen Corps Council - Judy Deogracias
Judy Deogracias indicated that the Citizen Corps Council (CCC) is reviewing its membership.   

West Cook Governing Board (IASB) - Ralph Martire
The date of the next meeting is March 6. 

ED-RED - Ralph Martire
Ed Condon reported that ED-RED discussed the evidence based funding model, which will be discussed more fully at the Committee of the Whole meeting in December. The next ED-RED meeting is scheduled for November 3 .

Tri-Board Collaborative Committee - Ralph Martire
Ralph Martire stated that all three Boards of Education are starting to review their work on equity to see where there are areas of common effort. Both OPRF High School and Oak Park District 97 have representatives who have joined District 90's Equity Committee. 

River Forest Subcommittee on Collaboration - Barb Hickey 
Barb Hickey stated that the Subcommittee on Collaboration will be sending a communication survey to the District's contacts on or about November 1. She reported that the next meeting of the Subcommittee on Collaboration is scheduled for December 6.
District Meeting Agendas

Superintendent's Leadership Council
Dr. Condon shared that the Superintendent's Leadership Councl (SLC) continues to work on the transition to standards-based grading. The SLC has revisited the objectives and the characteristics of the new grading protocols for the transition plan. A communication plan has been developed to share essential information about standards-based grading with staff members and parents. There will be a presentation this spring to inform families and the community about this objective and to seek feedback. More information is available in the Board Packet.  

Inclusiveness Advisory Board  
Dr. Condon relayed information from the September 19 Inclusiveness Advisory Board meeting (IAB). The meeting included discussions about the National Equity Project's training, the Alma Advisory Group's presentation to the Board of Education, and the results of the 2017 IAB Perception Survey.  More information is available in the  Board Packet.

Universal Design for Learning (formerly PDC)
Dr. Condon shared that the name for the Professional Development Council has been changed to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Committee. He informed Board members that topics at the September 26 meeting included setting goals, realigning future goals and expectations of the group, and explaining the implications for the Universal Design for Learning framework in District 90. Dr. Condon complimented Willard Principal Diane Wood; Tina Steketee, Roosevelt Assistant P rincipal; and Curriculum and Instruction Director Alison Hawley for their leadership efforts on the UDL Committee. More information is available in the Board Packet.
Superintendent's Report
Action Items

Math Resources Adoption Recommendation, Grades 6-8
Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Science Teacher Edgar Roman gave a presentation on the math resources recommendation for grades 6-8. Two math programs were considered for adoption: Pearson System of Courses and Connected Math Project 3. After reviewing the strengths and drawbacks of both resources, Alison and Edgar explained that everyone involved in the pilot (participating teachers and members of the MLT) supported the introduction of the Connected Math Project 3 as the preferred curriculum resource for grades 6-8. The next step is to develop an implementation and professional development plan to make sure that all math teachers are well-versed on the instructional components of the curriculum resource. The presenters also thanked the Roosevelt math teachers and members of the MLT for their dedicated efforts and commitment in making the recommendation. There was a robust discussion by Board members about the expected changes in math instruction and articulation with the math curriculum at OPRF High School. The Board of Education approved the recommendation to adopt Connected Math Project 3 as the curriculum resource for grades 6-8 in District 90. More information is available in the Board Packet.
Superintendent's Report
Informational Items

Policy, First Reading 
Stacey Williams introduced 6 items for first reading of the policy review. The policies under review address issues such as ADA accessibility, uniform grievance procedures, parental approval for R-rated movies, and the date by which 12-month employees must use allocated vacation days. More information is available in the Board Packet. 
 
Willard Proposed Classroom Addition
Dr. Condon shared that the District has made adjustments to the preliminary proposal for the classroom additions at Willard. He asked Board members for consensus about moving forward with the project. There was a robust discussion about the proposed project including the feasibility of air conditioning in the new space, the possible impact on enrollment during summer school, and the benefits of the school additions. Board members reached consensus that Anthony Cozzi, Director of Finance and Facilities, should move forward in soliciting bids and pursuing Village permitting for the classroom additions at Willard.  Additional information is available in the Board Packet .

Summer School Report, 2017
Summer School Principal Caitlin Collins stated that it had been a very successful summer for Summer School. Because Summer School was located at both Roosevelt and Willard Schools this year, there was enough space and rooms for a wide variety of activities. She also shared information about new classes offered during the summer including drumming, sign language, computer coding, and operating drones. Caitlin also made several recommendations for the 2018 Summer School program such as encouraging teachers to teach new classes, including photo permissions in the registration packet, and continuing to house the summer's support classes with other summer school classes. Caitlin expressed appreciation to Josephine Ribaudo, District Office Secretary; custodial staff at both schools; Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction; Dawne Simmons, Communications Coordinator; and others who helped to support the program. There was an energetic question and answer session between Board members and Ms. Collins. Additional information is available in the  Board Packet.

District 90 Stategic Plan Draft Action Objective Plans 
Dr. Condon presented the 2017-18 Strategic Plan Action Objectives, which will guide the continued implementation of the Strategic Plan. This year's action objectives represent both new and ongoing implementation efforts. Additional elements that impact implementation include inviting new faculty, staff and/or family members to volunteer for the Action Objective Teams.  Additional information is available in the  Board Packet .

D90 Principal/Administrator Appreciation
Dr. Condon informed Board members that it was Principal and Administrator Appreciation Week. He displayed the proclamation that was signed by Gov. Rauner. Dr. Condon expressed his appreciation for the efforts of D90's principals and administrators on behalf of students, faculty and staff, and families. Additional information is available in the Board Packet.
Personnel Report

Board members approved FMLA Leave for two certified employees.