HINSDALE TOWNSHIP
High School District 86
Board Briefs Logo
May 13, 2021
Committee of the Whole Meeting
Good News
The board recognized the following individuals during the Good News portion of the meeting.

  • Crystal Club inductees for 2021 - 15 years of service
  1. Linda Bronsteader, administrative assistant for several departments at Hinsdale Central
  2. Tricia Mcilwee, administrative assistant for the activities departments at Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central
  3. Donna Plahm, administrative assistant for the dean's office at Hinsdale South
  4. Julie Van Ness, administrative assistant for the assistant principal for operations at Hinsdale Central

  • Quarter Century Club inductees for 2021 - 25 years of service
  1. Maria Conyer, science teacher at Hinsdale South
  2. Nancy Harper, special education teacher at Hinsdale Central
  3. Johanna Jurgens, world languages teacher at Hinsdale Central
  4. Mary Kay Doorhy, math teacher at Hinsdale Central

  • Certified staff who earned tenure during the 2020-21 school year
  1. Aaron Beale, math teacher at Hinsdale South
  2. Sean Beesley, technology education teacher at Hinsdale South
  3. Ryan Maita, assistant principal for operations at Hinsdale Central
  4. Lance Martin, social worker at Hinsdale South
  5. Jake McClintock, speech language pathologist at Hinsdale Central
  6. Jason Rehfeldt, student services coordinator for Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central
  7. Brigid Walsh, science teacher at Hinsdale Central

  • Certified and support staff who are retiring at the end of the 2020-21 school year
  1. David Anderson, chair of the English department at Hinsdale South
  2. Julia Baker, science teacher at Hinsdale Central
  3. Nancy Betker, social worker at Hinsdale South
  4. Christine Billie, English teacher at Hinsdale Central
  5. Cecilia Cheng, paraprofessional in the special education department at Hinsdale South
  6. Laura Giuntoli, specialized aide at Hinsdale Central
  7. Steven Gross, social studies teacher at Hinsdale Central
  8. Paul Hoel, teacher and former chair of the physical education department at Hinsdale South
  9. Martha Maggiore, who held several different support positions across the district
  10. Nijole Nichols, paraprofessional in the English Language Learners department at Hinsdale Central
  11. Edward Olsowka, chief engineer in the buildings and grounds department at Hinsdale South
  12. Patrick Richards, physical education teacher at Hinsdale Central
  13. Candace Robbins, paraprofessional in the special education department at Hinsdale Central
  14. Irene Rulka, custodian in the buildings and grounds department at Hinsdale South
  15. Paula Tregler, student supervisor at Hinsdale South
  16. Donald Vanerka, maintenance technician in the buildings and grounds department at Hinsdale South
  17. Karen Zahara, who held several different support positions in the business office and human resources department

The board also recognized Carson Kotecki from Hinsdale South and Heather Raslan from Hinsdale Central, who served as the board liaisons during the 2020-21 school year; and welcomed Jennifer Pantoni from Hinsdale South and Christine Leung from Hinsdale Central, who will serve as the board liaisons during the 2021-22 school year.

After the recognitions, Principal Arwen Pokorny Lyp from Hinsdale South provided the board with the following information from her report.

  • Student journalists from Hinsdale South took eighth place overall at the state competition held on April 24, with several of them finishing in the top five in their individual events.

  • AP Environmental Science student Joyce Ebikhumi won best in state in the World of 7 Billion student video contest for her entry titled "Cleaning up Brownfields."

  • The boys gymnastics team came in fourth place at the sectional tournament, and senior Henry Mihindou qualified for state after taking second place on the still rings and third place on vault. In addition, sophomore Grant Balsys won an individual championship on floor, took second place on vault and finished in fifth place on the still rings at the conference tournament, which resulted in him earning third place in the Conference All Around.

  • Several members of the National Art Honor Society and AP Studio Artists from Hinsdale South competed in the annual Illinois High School Art Exhibition.

  • Five students from Hinsdale South were recognized by the DuPage County Illinois Principals Association for outstanding achievement, making positive contributions to their schools and communities, showing strength of character and achieving high academic standards.

  • Hinsdale South inducted new members into its chapter of the National Honor Society on April 29, and recently recognized its Breakfast Club winners for the fourth quarter.

  • A number of students from Hinsdale South were named 2021-22 State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

You can access Principal Pokorny Lyp's report by visiting https://bit.ly/3vZNGDg.

In his report to the board, Principal Bill Walsh recognized the students from Hinsdale Central who were named 2021-22 State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. He also congratulated Christine Leung on being selected to serve as the school's board liaison for the 2021-22 school year.

You can access Principal Walsh's report by visiting https://bit.ly/3ob4CUB.

Return to School Update
The administration provided the board with an update on the district’s return to school plan. Below is the information that was added or revised following the update on April 22 (https://bit.ly/2PhyhyD). Details about grades, learning recovery and graduation have also been included as a reminder.

  • COVID-19 data for the district and the communities we serve. As of May 7, there were nine confirmed positive cases in the district, 34 people in isolation and 121 people in quarantine. There have also been a total of 390 positive cases in the district since the start of the 2020-21 school year.

  • Close contact and quarantining
  1. Since social distancing in the academic setting can be less than 6 feet, we are not allowed to use the 10-day option for quarantining that is featured in the decision tree created by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
  2. Superintendent Prentiss and her peers throughout DuPage County sent a letter to Deputy Governor Jess Ruiz requesting that the state review and reconsider the guidelines for social distancing and quarantining in schools.

  • Number and percentage of students who are currently in person or learning from home
  1. In person - 1,840 students at Hinsdale Central (71% of the school's total enrollment) and 908 at Hinsdale South (67% of the school's total enrollment).
  2. Remote/learning from home - 737 students at Hinsdale Central (29% of the school's total enrollment) and 436 at Hinsdale South (33% of the school's total enrollment).

  • Vaccination events for students
  1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have authorized the Pfizer vaccine for use in people ages 12 to 15.
  2. Based on the change in eligibility, we are inviting the following groups to participate in the vaccination events on May 20 and 26 - freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors from our district and several of our peer districts in DuPage County; eligible students from our feeder districts; and, the children of employees from our district and our feeder districts who are 12 or older.
  3. Updated information about these events, and the links that can be used to sign up for appointments, have been shared with the families and employees from District 86, our feeder districts and peer districts such as Community High School District 99.

  • Plans for the 2021-22 school year
  1. Currently planning for a traditional school year - in-person instruction five days per week that follows the normal bell schedule; no hybrid/Zoom classes.
  2. Provide a remote learning option for students who have verified medical documentation. The tentative plan is to offer this option in partnership with the Illinois Virtual School (IVS) - all courses are fully accredited and count toward graduation requirements; IVS provides certified/licensed instructors to facilitate courses; commitment will be for first semester, with a chance to reevaluate in January prior to the start of second semester; students enrolled in IVS will not have access to classes offered by District 86.
  3. Survey being administered to families prior to the end of the school year to determine the potential need for/interest in remote learning and IVS.


  • Learning recovery for spring 2021
  1. Student services and academic course teams have been identifying students who need targeted academic and SEL support.
  2. After-school learning opportunities are available for students in need of extra support. Interventionists and SS team members are available to help students during the school day.
  3. Students experiencing significant academic struggles are being shifted to a credit recovery model for graduation requirements. Seniors are the focus of these efforts.
  4. NG (No Grade) remains an option for students who have fallen so far behind that they cannot recover before the end of the school year.
  5. Communicating with feeder schools to develop collaborative plans and help our district identify and prioritize learning recovery.
  6. ESSER funds will be used to support the credit recovery program.

  • Learning recovery for summer 2021
  1. At the end of second semester, students with NGs will be assigned to credit recovery courses offered through Edgenuity that they will need to complete by June 18. Those who need more time or have issues with multiple courses may receive an extension until July 23.
  2. Summer school opportunities will be available for advancement/enrichment.
  3. Incompletes will be communicated to students/families by the end of the school year. Students will have the opportunity to complete assigned work throughout the summer. This work will be assessed in August.
  4. Conduct a formal review of academic, behavior, attendance and intervention data during the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee meeting on July 19. Findings will be used to drive school improvement planning and inform strategic plan work.

  • Learning recovery for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years
  1. Use funds available through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to support learning recovery plans.
  2. Purchase the entire SAT Assessment Suite to measure student growth and diagnose academic gaps.
  3. Hire grant-funded personnel (e.g., student success coordinators, clinician interventionists, paraprofessionals, and an assessment and data coordinator) to work directly with students who are identified as having academic and/or SEL needs.

  • Graduation and quarantining
  1. Bridge Phase in Illinois begins on May 14.
  2. Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South will be hosting in-person graduation ceremonies in their stadiums on Monday, May 17 (rain date on May 18). South's ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. and Central's will take place at 7:30 p.m. Mandatory practice will be held during the day on May 17.
  3. Four guest tickets will be issued to each student.
  4. Students will be seated 6 feet apart.
  5. Masks will still be required in accordance with the governor's executive order.
  6. Senior Awards Ceremony will take place on May 18.

  • Next steps
  1. Continue to monitor guidance from DCHD, IDPH and ISBE.
  2. Continue to advocate for a review of the IDPH guidance based on school data.
  3. Disseminate information and manage logistics for the student vaccination events on May 20 and 26.
  4. Continue to provide updates on learning recovery plans.
  5. Calendar for the 2021-22 school year (board approval scheduled to take place in May).
  6. R3 Committee meetings.

You can access the update by visiting https://bit.ly/33GDLXa.

Renovation of Existing Pool Space at Hinsdale Central
The board continued discussing the potential renovation of the existing pool space at Hinsdale Central. Below is the information that the board received about this topic during the meeting.

  • Scope of the work
  1. Infill the pool vessel.
  2. Decommission the pool mechanical equipment.
  3. Create two accessible entrances from the west corridor.
  4. Install resilient flooring.
  5. Replace air handling units.

  • Cost and timeline
  1. Estimated cost of the project is $870,000. The final amount will be determined when bids are opened.
  2. Administration recommends funding the project with budget favorability from the current fiscal year.
  3. Board would award bids during its meeting on June 23.
  4. Project would be completed by mid-October.

  • Project rationale
  1. When the Dectron unit (dehumidifier) fails, the pool will need to be drained and abandoned.
  2. If the pool is turned into a flexible space, it can be used during the 2021-22 school year for lunch, student testing, credit recovery courses, academic interventions, physical education, athletics and collaboration.
  3. Long term utilization of the space (i.e., 2023 and beyond) could include creating a permanent venue for gymnastics or wrestling (would require an additional investment to fund the creation of locker rooms, restrooms, spectator seating, etc.). If this occurs, the current space for gymnastics or wrestling could be converted to instructional space.

  • Instructional space utilization
  1. Having flexible learning space will help support the adoption of innovative instructional practices (i.e., intervention and differentiation) that are reflected in Goals 1 and 2 of the strategic plan.
  2. Project will create equitable access (Goal 5 of the strategic plan) to the type of flexible learning space that is currently available at Hinsdale South.

You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting https://bit.ly/3xi50VC.

Committee Reports
Members of the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC) provided the board with a report from their meeting on April 29. During this meeting, the committee:

  • Performed its annual review of concussion, attendance and discipline data, and discussed potential updates to the discipline procedures that are featured in the student handbook.

  • Reviewed and discussed the various supports that the district currently has in place for students (e.g., Tip Line, Student Success Center, social work services, Excel program, credit recovery, etc.); and provided feedback on how these supports could be tailored going into the 2021-22 school year to make them more accessible and best meet the needs of all students.

You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting https://bit.ly/3tKDc9d, and view the video from the PTAC meeting by visiting https://vimeo.com/543655866

In addition to receiving the report, the board voted to release the draft minutes from this meeting as part of the consent agenda.

Consent Agenda
The board approved the consent agenda as presented. The consent agenda includes personnel, stipends, board bills and meeting minutes. Please visit https://bit.ly/2RhXBVY to access the consent agenda items beginning under number nine.

Approve Director of Instructional Equity
The board approved the appointment of Dr. Patrice Payne to the position of director of instructional equity. Payne received a one-year contract that will begin on July 1, 2021.

You can access the district's announcement about Payne's appointment by visiting https://conta.cc/3fwqndV.

Approve Treasurer's Bond for Fiscal Year 2022
The board approved the renewal of the treasurer's bond for fiscal year 2022. You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting https://bit.ly/2SDrmAY.

Approve Revisions to the Calendar for the 2021-22 School Year
The board approved a revised version of the calendar for the 2021-22 school year that features dates for the following events and activities:

  • Late Start Days
  • Flex Learning Days
  • Assessment Days (PSAT / SAT)
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Curriculum Night (Open House)

You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting https://bit.ly/33GDkvW.

Approve Agreement with Panorama Education, Inc.
The board approved a one-year agreement with Panorama Education, Inc. for an amount totaling $17,750. This agreement will give the district access to the following resources, which will be used to advance the work of the strategic plan and aid the board’s proposed community engagement plan.

  • Full access to Panorama’s platform and support, which includes survey administration (student, faculty/staff, families and community), analysis and reporting
  • Technical and product support
  • Access to client-only training sessions and webinars, newsletters, etc.
  • Professional development, including a custom designed and facilitated virtual session for up to 50 participants, unlimited access to Panorama Academy for on-demand tutorials and training, and opportunities to participate in professional development events

You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting https://bit.ly/3uXhQXX.

Board Organization
The board did the following during the portion of the meeting dedicated to board organization.

  1. Cynthia Hanson - chair of the Human Resources Committee and Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee; member of the Policy Committee
  2. Erik Held - chair of the Finance Committee and Insurance and Deferred Compensation Committee; member of the Closed Session Review Committee
  3. Kathleen Hirsman - chair of the Policy Committee and Closed Session Review Committee; member of the Human Resources Committee, Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee and Facilities Committee
  4. Peggy James - chair of the Security and Technology Committee; member of the Policy Committee, Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee, and Insurance and Deferred Compensation Committee
  5. Debbie Levinthal - member of the Finance Committee, Closed Session Review Committee, and Insurance and Deferred Compensation Committee
  6. Terri Walker - chair of the Special Committee for Community Engagement with Construction; member of the Human Resources Committee
  7. Jeff Waters - chair of the Facilities Committee; member of the Finance Committee, Special Committee for Community Engagement with Construction, and Security and Technology Committee




Board President’s Report
Board President Terri Walker thanked Superintendent Tammy Prentiss for organizing the vaccination events for students ages 12 and older that are being held at Hinsdale Central on May 20 and Downers Grove South on May 26.

Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Tammy Prentiss introduced Dr. Patrice Payne and welcomed her to the district.

Superintendent Prentiss shared that she recently conducted walkthroughs in English classes at Hinsdale Central and special education classes at Hinsdale South.

Superintendent Prentiss talked about the student focus group held on May 13. This session, which served as a follow-up to the focus group held in March, featured a discussion about the return to five days of in-person instruction and plans for the 2021-22 school year.

Superintendent Prentiss mentioned the vaccination events that are being held on May 20 and 26, and said that feeder districts and peer districts from DuPage County have been invited to participate now that the Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use in people who are 12 or older.

Superintendent Prentiss also thanked the students and staff for their hard work and dedication this year, especially in the face of the challenges created by the pandemic.

Operational Calendar and Future Agenda Items
The board reviewed and discussed its operational calendar for the year and possible agenda items for future meetings. You can access additional information about this agenda item by visiting https://bit.ly/3y7EwGO.

The meeting adjourned at 9:27 p.m. The video for this meeting will be available in the next day or two at https://d86.hinsdale86.org/Page/556.
Future Board Meetings*
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 6 p.m. 
Regular Action Meeting
Hinsdale South Library

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 6 p.m. 
Regular Action Meeting
Hinsdale South Library

*The board will be holding a special meeting in June that will feature a discussion about the district's science program. The two dates that are currently being considered are June 9 and 16. We will share the date, time and location for this meeting as soon as they are available.