River Forest District 90
September 18, 2017  
Upcoming Meetings
 
Roosevelt Middle School
Library Learning Center
2nd Floor

Committee of the Whole Meeting
October 3, 2017
7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting
October 16, 2017
7:00 p.m. 
Quick Links
Budget Hearing and Board of Education  Meeting Highlights

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

The Budget Hearing was called to order by Board Vice President Rich Moore at  
7:00 p.m. and adjourned at 7: 02 p.m. The Board of Education meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Roosevelt Middle School Library Learning Center.  Cal Davis, Judy Deogracias, Barb Hickey, Rich Moore, Nicole Thompson, and Stacey Williams were present. Ralph Martire was absent. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 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

Greg Kuenster read a letter to Board members regarding his request for suspension of the non-resident tuition fee.  
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 that pertained to the collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Education and the River Forest Education Association. The District responded within the legally mandated timeline.
Consent Agenda

Board members approved the Consent Agenda that included Minutes from the Board of Education Meeting and Closed Session on August 21, 2017; the Special Meeting on August 28, 2017; and the Committee of the Whole Meeting on September 5, 2017; Payrolls; Orders Relating to Payrolls; Bills; and Treasurer's Report.  
Board Committees
 
Education
Nicole Thompson reported that an Education Committee meeting is scheduled for September 21.
 
Personnel
Rich Moore reported that personnel issues would be addressed later in the meeting. 
 
Policy
Stacey Williams stated that a Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for September 21.

Finance
Cal Davis relayed that there was nothing to report. 

Equity
An Equity Committee meeting will be scheduled next week.

Facilities
Judy Deogracias reported that there was nothing to report.

Communications
Barb Hickey reported that a meeting of the Subcommittee on Collaboration is scheduled for September 20. 
District Calendar Review

Dr. Condon relayed information about the early dismissal and Teacher Institute Day scheduled for September 22. He also noted that Roosevelt's Open House will be held on September 28; the Committee of the Whole meeting  will be held October 3; the non-attendance day for Columbus Day is October 9; Roosevelt's Fall Fun Fest is on October 13; the regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on October 16; and Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for November 1 and 2. A dditional information can be viewed in the Board Packet.
Outside Organization Meetings
 
Council of Governments - Ralph Martire
The next meeting is scheduled for October 13.

OPRFHS Community Council - Rich Moore
Rich Moore relayed information about the September 14 meeting of the OPRFHS Community Council. Superintendent Joylynn Pruitt presented information about the strategic planning process, the IMAGINE Committee, the Husky Scholars program, and equity efforts. The next meeting is scheduled for October 12. 

Youth Network Council - Barb Hickey
B arb Hickey reported that several new organizations were introduced at the September 14 Youth Network Council (YNC) meeting. At the YNC meeting, she explained District 90's concerns about young people and the challenges of social media, along with the wide use of technology. Ms. Hickey informed Board members that the Network Youth Council is also interested in those issues. 

District PTO Council - Barb Hickey
Barb Hickey relayed information about the September 15 PTO Council meeting. She stated that many of the PTOs' activities and events are what makes school enjoyable for students. Ms. Hickey conveyed the Board's appreciation to the PTO Council members. The next meeting of the PTO Council is scheduled for October 20.

Inclusiveness Advisory Board - Stacey Williams 
Stacey Williams indicated that the next meeting is scheduled for September 19. 
 
River Forest Service Club - Nicole Thompson
Nicole Thompson informed Board members that the next meeting of the River Forest Service Club (RFSC) would be on September 21. She stated that several agenda items for the meeting include the RFSC's new name; RFSC partnering with District 90 on upcoming events; and the advertising of community events that benefit both the Village and the District. 
 
Citizen Corps Council - Judy Deogracias
Judy Deogracias stated that the next meeting will be September 21. She indicated that the Citizen Corps Council (CCC) is looking for new members and will continue to support community events.  

West Cook Governing Board (IASB) - Ralph Martire
The date of the next meeting is yet to be determined. 

ED-RED - Ralph Martire
Ed Condon reported that ED-RED has been reviewing SB1947 and the school financing adequacy model. He also stated that the new pension legislation will make available defined contribution plans as well as the current defined benefit plans. The next meeting is scheduled for October 6 .

Tri-Board Collaborative Committee - Ralph Martire
The next meeting will be scheduled in the fall of 2017.

River Forest Subcommittee on Collaboration - Barb Hickey 
Barb Hickey reported that the next meeting of the Subcommittee on Collaboration is scheduled for September 20.
District Meeting Agendas

PTO Council Meeting 
Dr. Condon relayed information from the September 15 PTO Council Meeting, which was the first meeting of the 2017-18 school year. He informed Board members that the PTO Council members discussed the challenges of technology and the opportunity to partner with other local organizations to help families learn more about balancing students' use of technology in a healthy way. More information is available in the  Board Packet.
Superintendent's Report
Action Items


Adopt Proposed Tentative Budget, 2017-18
Anthony Cozzi, Director of Finance and Facilities, presented the final draft of the 2017-18 District 90 budget. His budget overview included updates to the Education Fund's revenues and expenditures as well as the fiscal assumptions used to build the budget. The was some discussion by Board members regarding the amount of money District 90 will receive from the state as well as other questions about budget details. Rich Moore complimented Mr. Cozzi and Dr. Condon for maintaining stringent oversight of the District's finances. Board members approved the 2017-18 budget. It will be filed with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Clerk of Cook County. More information is available in the  Board Packet.
Superintendent's Report
Informational Items


Parent Open House Programs 
Dr. Condon congratulated both Willard and Lincoln Schools for hosting such successful Open Houses. With nearly full audiences, the evening included presentations by Principals Diane Wood and Casey Godfrey and parent visits to classrooms. Roosevelt's Open House is scheduled for September 28. 
 
Proposed Committee of the Whole Meeting Topics 2017-18 
Dr. Condon presented proposed topics for the Board of Education's Committee of the Whole (COW) meetings for the remainder of the 2017-18 school year. He relayed to Board members that the plans for the October COW meeting is to provide information about the new Power Scholars Academy partnership between the District and the West Cook YMCA.  Additional information is available in the Board Packet .

Student Enrollment/Registration Process Review
Dr. Condon explained the District's registration process for new students and acknowledged that the process can be challenging for some families. He also indicated that the process can present challenges to the District as it balances advancing inclusiveness with meeting a myriad of residency requirements. Dr. Condon stated that District administrators will be reviewing the registration process for the coming year in order to streamline procedures while maintaining the integrity of process. Additional information is available in the  Board Packet.

Standards-Based Grading Communication and Implementation Plans
Dr. Condon and Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented an overview about long-term plans to transition District 90 from the traditional grading system to a standards-based grading approach over the next several years. Dr. Hawley explained the implementation plan and rationale for the change, while Dr. Condon reviewed the communications plan that will support implementation moving forward.  Additional information is available in the  Board Packet .

District Website Transition Update
Dr. Condon updated Board members about the D90 website upgrade. He informed the Board members that website content will be streamlined, reorganized to make it more user-friendly for visitors, and adjusted to conform ADA accessibility guidelines. Dr. Condon relayed that the update will require additional time for completion. He also complimented Kevin Martin, Director of Technology, and Dawne Simmons, Communications Coordinator, for their efforts to upgrade the website.
Personnel Report

Board members approved two Independent Contractor Employment Contracts for the District's music program.