President’s Report
With thanks to fellow Board members for their service to the community, President Jenny Zinser started the Oct. 5 meeting by saying she was honored to serve alongside each of them. “I appreciate the time, attention, and compassion you bring to this Board and this community,” she said.
“As we’ve witnessed across the country, there is much unrest, and emotions obviously are running high for all of us,” she continued. “In some ways the pandemic has made the job of volunteering as a School Board member more challenging than ever.”
“I ask,” she added, “for this community to come together and to trust that we do strive to represent you while keeping the best interests of our students, staff, and community at the forefront of every decision we are presented.”
“As with any public body, our best efforts will not always fully align with every single stakeholder we represent. But we are hopeful that you respect and understand the ‘why’ behind our efforts,” Ms. Zinser said.
“Now more than ever, I hope that you will remember we serve as volunteers who are your friends, your neighbors, your community members,” she said. “And I hope we can work together with respect and calm as we navigate the balance of this school year.”
LFHS Student and Staff Spotlight
All In Awards, an honor launched in September to recognize Lake Forest High School students, staff, and community members for work done in the spirit of students being All In, Every Day, went to:
- The eight LFHS students named National Merit Scholar semifinalists: Kevin P. Forman, Ashwin Krishnaswamy, Chloe E. Lee, Siddhartha M. Ojha, Megan E. Parsons, Devin T. Radzely, Andrew J. Terkildsen, and Maxwell O. Yates.
- Staff and SGA students who worked on Homecoming 2021, which Ms. Zinser called “a smashing success:” Director of Student Activities Ashleigh Malec, Student Council Adviser Laura Clegg, Joey Nassar, Johnny Theodore, Christina Carris, Will Glyman, Lucy Rogers, Charlotte Andress, and Colin Martens.
Principal’s Report
Dr. Erin Lenart shared that LFHS has been selected as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School and that next month former LFHS principal, Dr. Chala Holland, who was instrumental in applying for the honor, and Director of Educational Services Patrick Sassen will go to Washington, D.C., to accept the award. She also told the Board about Homecoming and academic and sports highlights - including that the Boy’s Golf Team was going to the state tournament. Dr. Lenart also reported that 130 staff members had attended optional professional learning sessions on topics including social-emotional literacy. In addition, she said that after receiving questions about books available to LFHS students, she has begun a book reconsideration process for LFHS. That process, she said, will involve many LFHS community stakeholders. Later in her update, Dr. Lenart told the Board that the next Illinois Youth Survey update will be delivered during the 2022-2023 school year. Finally, she reminded parents concerned about reports of positive COVID-19 cases to contact the school with any questions.
Student Council Update
Student Council President Joey Nassar and Vice President Johnny Theodore told the Board that 1,150 students attended the “awesome” outdoor Homecoming dance last month and shared other updates, including that the Scouts Varsity Football team had a 5-1 record.
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Matthew Montgomery discussed:
- Health and safety: A spike of about 25 COVID-19 cases roughly two weeks after Homecoming has subsided, he said. “Of those quarantined from those cases,” he said, “no one has been identified as a close contact in our school building, which I think is an important item of note.”
- Entry Plan status: The bulk of that plan, Dr. Montgomery said, has been focused on listening, including in meetings with staff and community members. He added that the just-completed community satisfaction survey will be shared at the November Board meeting, and staff and students are now being surveyed.
- Portrait of a Graduate: This new partnership initiative for Districts 115, 67, and 65 seeks to ensure the Districts are creating an interconnected, world-class education system. With the goal of capturing community aspirations to better design instruction to meet the needs of our students, the timeline for this new effort is January to June 2022, he said.
Dr. Montgomery also credited teachers, staff, former Principal Dr. Chala Holland, and former Superintendent Michael Simeck for the work they did to achieve 2021 National Blue Ribbon status for LFHS
Public Participation About the Board’s Agenda Items
Members of the community discussed bids for items in the Facilities Master Plan and the proposed strategic communications contract.
Education Committee
Dewey Winebrenner, who chairs the committee, said the next meeting will take place Oct. 12.
Finance and Operations Committee
Committee member Sally Davis told the Board the panel will meet Oct. 13 to discuss the levy and five-year projection.
Policy Committee
Chair Sally Davis said the committee will meet before the November Board meeting.
ED-RED Legislative Update
Jenny Zinser read the report prepared by Board member John Noble, who was not at the meeting. In his report, Mr. Noble said the “upcoming veto session will have a few pieces of clean-up legislation as well as a couple potential education bills, but it is not clear how much time or focus will be given to them.” Mr. Noble will provide an update at the November Board meeting. Additionally, ED-RED set its priorities for the year. Those priorities include property tax issues.
TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 Update
John Venson said he would have TrueNorth updates at the November Board meeting.
Parent-Support Organizations
David Burns said he would get an APT update later in the week.
Action Items
Approved Approval of Raymond Moore Auditorium Lighting Partial Replacement
Approved Approval of Allerton Hill Contract
Approved Approval of PRESS Issue 107 - Second Reading PRESS Issue 107:
- 1:20 District Organization, Operations, Cooperative Agreements
- 1:30 School District Philosophy
- 2:10 School District Governance
- 2:30 School District Elections
- 2:130 Board-Superintendent Relationship
- 2:240 Board Policy Development
- 3:30 Chain of Command
- 5:10 Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Recruitment
- 6:100 Using Animals in the Educational Program
- 6:145 Migrant Students
- 6:160 English Learners
- 6:170 Title I Programs
- 6:235 Access to Electronic Networks
- 6:255 Assemblies and Ceremonies
- 7:220 Bus Conduct
- 7:230 Misconduct by Students with Disabilities
- 7:280 Communicable and Chronic Infectious Disease
- 8:90 Parent Organizations and Booster Clubs
Approved Approval of Human Resources Report
Public Participation
Community members spoke in support of the District 115 School Board, spoke out against critical race theory, and expressed concern over the Governor’s Executive Order mandating masks.
A link to this meeting agenda and related materials may be found here.
Upcoming Meeting
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021 - 7 p.m.
