October 26, 2021 Meeting
The District 67 Board Report is a monthly digest from the most recent Board of Education meeting to keep community members informed. Please note that these reports are not the official minutes of the Board of Education. Minutes, once approved, board agendas and videos can be found here.
President’s Report
President Justin Engelland began the Oct. 26 District 67 School Board meeting on a note of gratitude — including thanks to community residents who earlier suggested that the Board start its meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance, which it now does. President Engelland also acknowledged the Spirit of 67 Foundation for its “incredibly successful” Home Tour - Outdoor Spaces event on Sept. 30. Proceeds from the event are redistributed to District 67 schools via a variety of approved grants.  

“I believe that of all the things that differentiate District 67 schools, it’s the love and support that this community has for its children that’s the most important,” Mr. Engelland said. “It shows up in many ways, whether [through] the contributions of volunteers in the APT, room parents helping lift the spirits of teachers and students, residents engaging and sharing perspectives with the administration and Board at these meetings, or through the efforts of volunteers and donors to the Spirit of 67.” 

“Lake Forest is blessed,” he added, “with a level of engagement in its schools that I don’t think is matched by any community in the country.”


Superintendent’s Report 
Noting that it has been “a whirlwind of a fall so far,” Superintendent Dr. Matthew Montgomery, updated the Board on:

Health and Safety: With U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of vaccines for children ages 5 to 11, the District is exploring offering a vaccine clinic in partnership with the City of Lake Forest and the Village of Lake Bluff, he said. A survey will gauge parents’ and guardians’ interest in vaccines for children in that age group.

Superintendent’s Entry Plan: As he marked 100 days as superintendent, Dr. Montgomery said he is continuing one-on-one staff meetings. He added that results from the Community Satisfaction Survey would be shared with the Board in November. Recent student and staff survey results also will be shared soon, he said. 

School Highlights: Dr. Montgomery shared snapshots of school highlights including the recent Eighth Grade Community Service Walk, which raised more than $6,000 to benefit Camp Kesem, which is for children ages 6-18 affected by a parent's cancer.

A Special Thank You: Dr. Montgomery, like Mr. Engelland, complimented the Spirit of 67 Foundation on its successful Home Tour - Outdoor Spaces event and said how through such fund-raisers, the Spirit of 67 is able to provide programming via approved grants that would not otherwise be available to District students.



First Public Participation
A community member asked that spending be directed, 100%, toward classroom results and away from administrative costs.


Reports/Discussions

Education Committee
Committee Chair Suzanne Sands said at a meeting on Oct. 7, committee members heard from District 67 Director of Teaching and Learning Dr. Jeff McHugh about instructional coaching and about two curricular reviews taking place. The first is K-8 reading and the use of Units of Study and the second is sixth-through-eighth-grade math and the use of the Connected Math resource. Updates on that work will be shared at future meetings. The committee next meets Nov. 18.


Finance & Operations Committee 
Alice LeVert, who heads the committee, said the panel was to meet Oct. 27.


Policy Committee
Committee Chairman Richard Chun said the committee had not met since the last Board meeting. 


TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 Liaison
Suzanne Sands shared highlights from the TrueNorth Educational Cooperative Leadership Council’s Oct. 13 meeting including that Leadership Council Orientation workshops are focused on building a better understanding that TrueNorth is a part of each of its 18 member districts and not an entirely separate organization. The goal, she said, is to emphasize to individual districts that any decisions that would have an impact on TrueNorth should be made in partnership with the other 17 members.


Legislative Liaison
Carl Kirar led off his report with news that the Illinois Association of School Boards released its Resolutions Committee Report, with new, amended, and reaffirmed resolutions and new belief statements. A planned Board vote later in the meeting on the items as part of the Consent Agenda was tabled to allow more discussion.


Spirit of 67 Foundation Liaison
Richard Chun gave the Board an update on the “spectacular” Home Tour - Outdoor Spaces event last month that netted more than $85,000, the largest amount of any home tour in Spirit of 67 history. All money raised will be granted back into District 67 schools to enrich and enhance students' education. Mr. Chun also thanked Kimberly Carris for being “an extraordinary leader during a pandemic.” The term of Ms. Carris, who served as president of The Spirit of 67 Foundation for 2 1/2 years, ended earlier in October. Nicole Korczak is the new president.


APT Executive Board Liaison
Emily Bernahl was unable to attend the meeting but provided a written report.


Action Items

Second Public Participation    
Members of the community read a statement in support of the DeVore lawsuit which questions the interpretation of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate. The lawsuit names 145 Illinois school districts including Lake Forest Districts 67 and District 115. They also told the Board that masks are not simply, as some say, a piece of cloth, and urged the Board to push back on the current mask mandate.       
Next District 67 Board of Education Meeting
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 — 7:00 p.m.