001That's just for indoor recess. That's not school. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Call this meeting to order at 6:01. Roll call. >> Yes. Today's Wednesday, January 21st, 2026. 60:01 p.m. Roll call. Pinker >> here. >> Fernandez >> here. >> Oak >> here. Wymer >> here. >> Wilkins >> here. >> Anderson >> here. >> At this time, 6:01 p.m., the District 65 Board of Education pursuant to Illinois School Code will convene a public hearing on the proposed closure of Kingsley Elementary School at the end of the 2025 2026 school year. We will first have a brief presentation followed by input from the community. >> All right. So, um good evening everyone. We're going to start with just a u presentation to really ground why we're here tonight. Um tonight's public is the first public hearing of
002a series of three that we'll be having. And tonight specifically, it really is around um the potential closure of Kingsley Elementary School. And so I'm going to turn it over to members of our cabinet team that are going to walk through a few slides, give some information so that we're grounded all in the same thing, and then we can move forward with the remainder of the agenda. >> Thank you, Dr. Turner. Um, good evening. Tonight we're hearing public comment on the potential school closure of Kingsley Elementary School. This closure scenario is one of the scenarios generated and processed by the facility subcommittee during SDRP3. The summary slide that we have up has been edited to remove program placement information since tonight is focused on the Kingsley school closure. The boundaries that are being brought forward
003as part of this potential Kingsley's closure have incorporated feedback from the Kingsley community through fall survey and are designed to be similar to the previously board approved boundaries for 2627 where applicable. The goal of aligning boundaries with the previously approved board boundaries is to stay as consistent as possible with when we're considering change that some families have been planning for over the last several years. As we view the proposed boundaries with a Kingsley closure, it's important to note that the Kingsley community is divided into four different into four different receiving schools, Willard, Orington, Lincolnwood, and Foster. One of the things, two items that drove this setup was one feedback about using some of the major uh streets or hazards as dividers between school populations and to focus as our Kingsley family said that those were
004already kind of informing different communities and clusters. It's also important to know that there are changes in the boundaries for other schools that would go into effect with the with the approval of the boundaries associated with a Kingsley school closure. These boundary changes are largely included in the previously approved board boundaries but impact all schools in the Haven feeder pattern, all schools in the Nicholls feeder pattern as well as Walker in the chute feeder pattern. In some cases, the number of students impacted is small at a school, but the total impact of students receiving new school assignments is over 800 students through the Kingsley closure and the adjustment of the boundaries, including the move to previously adjusted boundaries for the approved boundaries. It's a lot of boundaries in one sentence. Um, as we zoom in
005a little bit, we are specifically looking at the Haven feeder pattern here. The black line is the overlay of Kingsley and we can see that Green Bay has become one divider. We have folks that are living east of Green Bay attending Orington. Some of these families were already at Orington, but the boundaries were moving them to Kingsley. So we look at this and say that group east of Green Bay is going to Orington. Folks north of Central would go to Willard. The remainder that are north of McCormack would be going to Lincolnwood. And then the students in the fifth ward would be attending Foster. getting even closer. We the image that will be available on the website will allow families to either bring up a Google map to see where they would be placed and
006what their potential feeder school would be or receiving school would be and be able to drill down right to the individual schools. Additionally, what we have discussed in previous board meetings is that when we go to assigning students for schools, part of adopting new boundaries is accepting is basically memorializing any exceptions that would go with those boundaries. And so this is just a note for the board that previously the board in 2022 recommended and made a commitment about a foster exception. that foster exception um essentially says folks that are in the foster boundaries could stay in their existing school if they're enrolled currently. Now, with Kingsley closing, that would not impact the Kingsley community. Additionally, this board requested that with boundary changes, there be a seventh and eighth grade legacy that if there are adjustments
007that mean that a student that currently would be in the Haven feeder pattern, actually in the Nicholls feeder pattern would be assigned to Haven. They could finish in middle school, that exception would be included with in this set of new boundaries and resolution. and the board previously voted and approved upon a Bessie roads exception and that was a 2024 resolution. So, as part of Kingsley closure and the new boundaries, we're essentially working to memorialize those exceptions. >> Let me pause you for one second. I'm sorry to interrupt. Um, we just want to assess and please charge this to our minds and not our hearts. We want to be able to assess if there's anyone here who needs translation services. >> Thank you. Can you repeat that for me? >> Sure. Lammano. Okay. >> Awesome. Thank
008you. Thank you. I'm now going to hand off to Dr. Sp who's going to speak a bit about the actions that should we move forward with the Kingsley closure, the district would be looking to make to support change. >> So, what we're doing is currently planning to support students and their families during >> Speaking into the mic, please. >> I'm gonna have to move it over. I got to look at my notes. Um what we're doing is uh work looking at ways to support families during times of transitions and these supports include working with our climate and safety team to bring the various face leaison throughout the district so students can get to know who they are. An example of this is that we have two face liaison that have been working with our foster
009transition team and they're working to go and introduce themselves and talk with students who might be attending foster. will do the same thing for other schools and well uh transitioning schools and welcoming schools. Um our multilingual and IES teams will continue their ongoing collaboration to coordinate with each other to develop student centered academic plans. And I just want to note that as the director of assistant superi assistant superintendent of academics, my team includes climate and safety, mult multilingual, IEES, schools management, programs and partnerships, curriculum of instruction and MTSS and interventions and we meet on a weekly basis. So this is the main topic of conversation for a two-hour meeting we will be having weekly and it has been consistently part of our team meeting. We'll also work to support school leaders um in developing student
010centered schedules. That means that you focus on building schedules that meet the needs of all students with a with a focus on including IIEES and multilingual students. We currently have two open houses scheduled for each of our schools. This will give students and their families opportunities to get to know their new school communities. And we're also going to work with school leaders to schedule meet and greets for new incoming families. You'll see that there is a currently a family event scheduled for foster for February 4th. We're going to be providing March of March dates for family foster events soon. Um we're also going to work with the registration team to schedule enrollment information session and support sessions. Um each receiving schools is working to have welcoming swag bags and welcome wagons for students who are
011transitioning into their new schools. Um, receiving schools will create a buddy mentoring system to welcome new students. We're continuing to build community by collaborating with various community groups such as PTA to develop outreach plans from receiving schools. And our schools will also have endofear celebrations to close one chapter and then open another. Next slide. So, this slide outlines all of our open houses. You'll see that each one of our schools has two open houses scheduled. Foster has a family engagement schedule for fe February and we're going to update the community as soon as we have other additional family engagement opportunities. It's slightly different because they don't have a building to open an host an open house but we will make sure that there's many family engagement. This will be post these are posted too on
012the website. Correct. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> All right. And I'm going to pick up a little bit here around expectations should there be a school closure. As a district, we are committing to sending a communication to for the family of every student in the district the week of February 2nd. That communication would let families know what school their student is assigned to for the upcoming school year. We are doing that districtwide. So understand you may get something and you be like, "My kids's there, they're staying there." So don't panic, but we want to make sure that people know if they're impacted by a change. So communication will go out for every student in the district the week of February 2nd. We are asking families by March 1st to open up that letter that we're
013sending you and essentially there'll be three options. One would be to accept that school assignment. You're confirming I received it and you're accepting it. A family may instead of accepting that they may want to u submit a permissive transfer. A permissive transfer is a request to attend a different school than the one in which you've been assigned based on your home address. Okay? And that would still be a neighborhood school. Those the deadline for permissive transfers is also March 1st. We're trying to be clear and consistent with deadlines so people aren't confused about which dates. You would submit a permissive transfer if you wanted to attend a different neighborhood school than the one you are assigned. We want that to happen even if it is an exception that we've articulated in a previous slide. In
014some cases, a student may be in a program in a TWE program or an ACC program or a King Arts magnet. A family could also say, I want to return to my home school and that option will also be in the communication. So when the communication comes, family will open up that communication. We will need to log into power school parent. When they do that, it's confirming receipt and the family will let us know by March 1st. Am I accepting that school assignment? Am I requesting a permissive transfer or am I asking to return to my home school? We are then going to work on processing those permissive transfers during the month of April. We will work on getting a response to families on the permissive transfers received by March 1st on a by April
0151st. Now, that response could include us accepting your permissive transfer request. It could include us declining the permissive transfer request or it could include us placing it on a wait list because if we are not certain about capacity in a building, we may need to wait list permissive transfer requests and then follow up when we know that we can honor that request. So that is kind of a timeline and expectation of the way the process would function should we move forward in this direction. And this slide just serves to close the presentation as a reminder of the upcoming public hearing date. So, in addition to tonight's, there's one tomorrow morning at 9:30 and then one tomorrow evening at 7:15 p.m. Um, following that third public hearing, a special meeting will be held by the board
016to vote on the resolution for closure. Okay, we're going to move into the public comments portion of the meeting. And I'm just going to review the guidelines uh for the public hearings on the proposed school closure. Uh will govern public comments for today's public hearing. Members of the public are welcome and invited to address the board during the public hearing. Um an individual may not sign in to speak on behalf of another person. An individual may not sign up other persons to speak. Speakers may not yield their time to another person. Stakeholders are reminded that there will be three public hearings which we just um spoke about and thus three opportunities to speak. Further, the board will collect written comments until January 22nd, 2026 at 6 pm. The number of individuals in each room will
017be limited based on room capacity. Handheld posters will not be allowed in the room during public hearing as it may obstruct the view of other audience members. When an individual is called on to speak, the individual shall proceed promptly to the microphone area while they will have three minutes to present the remarks to the board. Given the sole purpose of the public hearing is to discuss the proposed recommendation to close Kingsley Elementary School, the board expects that speakers will limit their statements to those related to the topic at hand. The board values and welcomes courteous, respectful, and civil behavior from all speakers and all individuals in attendance at the public hearing. Profane language and disruptive behavior are prohibited. Individuals who are disruptive may be given a warning and or may be removed from the public
018hearing. If there are any questions that arise as part of the comments, the board and administration will attempt to answer them in a future communication or later meeting. We will call up five people at a time to give individuals an opportunity to make their way to the podium. Okay, we'll start with Mark Bear, Lincoln Buggera, Peter Buggera, Lindseay Cash, um I believe it's Tammy Shukler. I'm here to uh speak against the closing of any school by this board, including Kingsley, where my kids went for many years. Closing a neighborhood school is a big deal. It changes so much in a neighborhood. To review all that's happened, a new board brought on a new superintendent after the other candidate suddenly and mysteriously dropped out. Devon Harris had a history of declaring bankruptcy. He was number one
019in the list of CPS employees to owe money to the city of Chicago in 2013. But the board, including Mr. Hernandez, voted for him anyways. The board then voted for a new school despite the city voting down a bond to build it. The board voted to take out a loan to pay for the school, which would burden the district with debt for many years. Then it turns out the superintendent and finance guys had lied about savings on transportation costs and quit the district for greener pastures. The super continued to use his district credit card during his move to Georgia, defaulted on paying back the district and is now said to owe up to $300,000 to the district. He was then charged with orchestrating a kickback scheme involving work done by the district. This involved the
020board voting for non-competitive bids, which Mr. Horton had solicited. Two of those board members, Mr. Hernandez and Miss Wilkins, continue on this board. Why would anyone vote for a non-competitive bid? At least one contract was voted on when the entire board wasn't even present to take money to steal money from kids education. Uh is truly truly one of the most despicable things one can do in life. One can only surmise why someone would vote for a non-competitive bid. Often it is found that there are monetary reasons for such actions. And yet, after all the tumult and massive debt that was caused by their direct actions, almost reaching the level in which the state would take over our district, they refuse to do the ethical thing and resign. And then they're allowed to vote on something
021as monumental as important as closing a school and damaging a neighborhood, a community, just as the closing uh Sorry, hold on a second here. Just as the closing of foster school caused 60 years ago, that must not be allowed to happen as they won't resign as ethics dictates, as morality dictates. You, Miss Anderson, need to be the adult in the room. You cannot let those who helped nearly bankrupt bankrupt a district then vote on closing a school. Heck, the two of them want to close two schools. If you still do call this issue to a vote. >> Thank you. >> What are the contingencies if one or both of them is sir? Thank you. >> I'm sorry. Your rules are that it's an hour and it's divided among possible. >> This person has three minutes
022and your time is >> There are not 20 people here speaking. >> We are ready for the next speaker. >> Well, I'm sorry. You stole money from my pocket and I'm not going to stop talking. >> Then I'll have to >> I still do call this issue to a vote. >> Sir, >> what are the contingencies? What if what if uh the two board members are >> asking you to leave? I'm asking to leave get charges on them. >> Escort him out of >> I hope this board knows that the board also there's an issue of race with this using race as a criteria and determination of schools is wrong. It would be shot down by the courts and you all know that. >> Please I am not finished yet. I'm going to finish what
023I >> has ended and we're moving on to the next. >> I'm not going to leave. You can drag me away for the cameras to see if you want, but I'm not going to stop talking. >> Yes, we do have kids here, and I need to finish what I have to say. >> A third matter involves the use of personnel who work closely with uh Mr. Horton. Uh some are right here. They work with them. They get to decide. They get to supply the statistics to close a school. >> Why aren't you following the rules? The rules say it's the number of speakers at over 60 minutes. That's in your rules. >> Each person has three minutes to >> That's not what it says in the rules. You're going to rules. >> Sir, we have
024other speakers and I want to hear from the whole I want to hear from everyone that's here. >> Please give me my submit. You can submit your written comments. Give me my iPad. >> You can submit your written comments so that we can see your >> Why are you going against rules, Mr. Anderson? >> You need to do you know the proper thing to do here. >> Let's go. Please submit your comments to a deal. >> You want you want to be dragged out. You want to see this on TV. >> Thank you all for your patience. Hello, my name is Lincoln Bogira and I and I am a third grade student at Kingsley. The teachers are my favorite part about Kingsley. They are kind, smart, and help and they help comfort me and they
025help me calm down. The teachers teach me math, history, and cool stuff. Special thanks to Miss Mantle, Mr. Heidi, Miss Nicholson, and Miss Prisbee, and Mr. How. I will be sad if any of them lose their job and can't find another one. I hope they feel good inside because they are great teachers. Make sure each teacher gets another job, please. My favorite place in Kingsley is the classroom because I've learned a lot there. What I understand is that Kingsley teachers and staff might all feel sad if they don't have somewhere to go. It makes me feel sad for them. I also worry about what you're planning to use the building for if you're closing Kingsley. Nobody seems to know the plan for them. Don't toss Kingsley like it's trash, please. I'm scared you might be
026going you might you're going to make Kingsley into a dump or something like that. Make something into something cooler that we can still use some somehow. Thank you. >> That's a tough one to follow. Um, I'm Peter Boggera, parent of the brave comet who spoke before me and of Kayla, our fourth grader, and Sophia, our kindergartenner. All far too familiar with D65 board meetings. My family moved to Evston from Rogers Park when I was six. I was the new kid in class, spending the last few months of kindergarten at Dawze in Miss Lee's class. I cried almost every day after my dad dropped me off. School transitions are hard. A year later in 1991, Kingsley Elementary was reopened as a neighborhood school. 7-year-old me had no idea that was happening. And now, 35 years later,
027I have three kids there, and it's about to close its doors again. But, as they say, when one door closes, the school board suggests which uh they they'll close next in a resolution. I don't mean to make light of the situation because it is truly sad. Students and staff are in a prolonged grieving process as are the parents. People are desperate for reason to hope, to have faith in this board and administration. But voting to close this school alongside Bessie Rhodess isn't simply a response to enrollment trends or deficit projections. The Kingsley community has handled these conversations with class and grace, and I'm proud to be a part of that. What follows isn't a list of demands, but what this community and the Bessie Ro roads community as well deserves right now. If you're serious
028about reducing harm rather than offering window dressing, we deserve clarity beyond a yes or no vote, including what you've learned from the Bessie Roads closure process and how the board and administration will reduce harm through concrete action, not platitudes. We deserve a responsive board liaison with a history of deep ongoing engagement with the communities that they're assigned to, which is their role. Our educators and our staff deserve early clarity about their options, a meaningful voice in this process, and prioritize placement at receiving schools where continuity matters to them and to students. And we deserve accountability for what happens to the building and for the harm caused by a process that's reduced real children and families to terms like low harm. We know that there are other ways to tackle our deficit. But if these closures
029are inevitable, then dignity, clarity, and accountability must be non-negotiable. Thank you. Hi, my name is Lindseay Cash. I am a parent of a Kingsley first and fourth grader. I may be a new face to this board, but I have followed everything that has happened in this STRP process to date. Throughout this process, there have been many extremely intelligent and loud voices who we can claim as part of our beloved Kingsley community. We've gotten to where we are right now because this board did listen to these voices. And I truly hope that you will continue to listen because for Kingsley families, there are still important details to work through. Our kids are set to be split among four schools and the discussion of boundaries has sent families into a tail spin. I hope you will reconsider
030the boundaries and put all kids west of Green Bay at Lincolnwood so that Lincolnwood has the best chance possible of hitting capacity goals required to continues to continue to stay open. Also, please prioritize permissive transfers for rising fifth graders so that friends and support systems can be kept together for their final year of elementary school. Kingsley families have sacrificed stability and comfort for the good of the district. And now we deserve some grace and some confidence that the board will do all they can to prevent Kingsley kids from suffering more from this district's grown-up problem. Thank you. My name is My name is Trini Shukla. I am a fourth grader at Kingsley. And I think we should not we should also think about our amazing teachers and staff and what will happen to them when
031our school closes. Just like us, um just like us, they are also unsure about where they will go. We should not treat our teachers this way. We are all happy where we are. So, please don't close our school. Next, we have Vipel Shukla, um Kate Morris, and then Maria Topper. Thank you board members for uh holding this public hearing. Um my name is Vipple Shukla. Um I have a fourth grader in Kingsley and uh currently a preschooler who will be going to Kingsley if it exists. Um I am a faculty at Northwestern. I teach students uh in the college and I can tell you that even for adults uh not knowing what's coming for them in the next year or so will be hard for them to kind of absorb make sense out of these
032are little kids who are basically going through this back and forth transition of whether my school is closing or not closing and closing again and not closing. So I would just say like just put some heart into the decisions that you are making and I know some of the decisions are inevitable and you are in an unenviable position you know to make those decisions but clarity is what we all ask for. I want to make like two other points. Uh we want to have trust in this board and you guys are all learned and you know educated and intellectual people but even for me it's very hard to understand what happened from December when many of you voted not to close the school come January when now this board unanimously decided to close the school.
033So what changed between like what new information were you you know presented to now somehow you know flip on this decision. U the second point that I want to make is like uh I know that after the closure of Kingsley there is a potential closure of Lincolnwood that's also you know potentially to be discussed and whatnot. These kids will have to move their school twice or many of the kids will have to uh you know go through a school uh move uh transition twice. that's not going to be easy for anybody to deal with. U and perhaps you know like all of this like like is connected to the fact that you know the initial survey that was sent out had like Kingsley and Lincolnwood listed as in the six out of the seven options
034you know of what is the preferred school closure for everybody in the district. Statistically speaking of course Kingsley and uh Lincolnwood will get the most votes if this is the most listed option. Uh so I would recommend you know you to rethink this decision and if Lincolnwood has to be closed, close it right now. Don't let them go through another agonizing process of changing their schools all over again. And last that I want to say is um I know you're trying to uh write a wrong with what happened with Foster, but please don't write a wrong by doing another wrong. And that's all I have to say. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Kate Morris and I am a member of the PTA executive board at Kingsley. We recognize that the closure of Kingsley
035is a necessary step towards a more stable financial future for D65 and for our community. This does not make the transition process any less challenging for the wonderful staff and children of Kingsley. However, we have seven months to do all that we can to ease the anxiety of this transition for the Kingsley teachers and students. During this transition period in the coming weeks and months, the PTA has four asks of the board and the district. First, we ask that the district hold an information session with Kingsley families to directly share the communication plan for how the closure will be discussed with students at the school. Second, we would also appreciate the opportunity to have two-way feedback sessions that would allow for direct engagement with the board and the district regarding the new school boundaries and
036permissive transfers to other schools. These discussions do not need to involve presentations, rather simply provide an opportunity for families to address their concerns and get questions answered. Third, the PTA asks that the district and board do all they can to support and prioritize the needs of Kingsley staff by communicating clearly and early about timelines, expectations, and available resources to them during this transition process so that they feel like valued uh participants in this process. Finally, it is our hope that the district will share a plan with Kingsley families for how to help students feel secure and welcomed in their new schools. And I did see that that was a part of the uh earlier slide. So, thank you for that. The PTAs will work together on events and efforts to connect Kingsley students to their
037new schools, but our resources are limited. Our budgets were made a long time ago, and support from the administration would be greatly appreciated. These past months have been a challenge for our community and for Kingsley students, staff, and families. Senator is our hope that a well planned and wellexecuted transition plan can replace anxiety with a sense of positive anticipation. We look forward to working with the district and board to make that happen. Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Maria Topper and I'm a parent and active member of the Kingsley community. At this point of a sad and exhausting process, my priority is to my fourth grade son. As a mother, I feel this is an appropriate time to demand that my son be able to finish his last year of elementary with his peers
038at a school of our family choosing. I ask that Kingsley incoming fifth grade families be given priority to those placements. I asked the district and school board to lessen this blow to our community by appointing a dedicated Kingsley liaison who can work with parents and creating class cohort lists immediately. Many of our families don't have the luxury of attending these hearings and an appointed person reaching out to them directly is the right thing to do. We don't want another email. We want a personal phone call. Lastly, I ask that the district have school assignments ready for us as we return from spring break. Please do not make our students leave Kingsley on the last day of school without knowing where they are going. Our family is ready for closure and would like to prepare for
039our next steps. Thank you. That is the end of the uh public comment for people who signed up. I'd like to know if there are any other people that would like to speak at this time. >> Okay. You want to come up and give us your name? >> Okay. >> Say it up there so everyone can hear you. Okay. Hi everyone. I know many of you and I appreciate all the work this has been. And as a Kingsley parent and teacher, um I just want to voice strong support for the teachers who are going to be impacted um by the school closures, I would like to echo the very very brave and wise Lincoln Bogera. Um you heard the names like he spoke those teachers names. Some of them my children had, some of them
040you all know. These are excellent educators who give blood, sweat, and tears for decades upon decades upon decades for many of them. Um, and I just want to make sure I'm also echoing my union president, Kelly Post. Um, teachers need timely clarity about their placements for next year. I know you all know that and I've been in meetings with some of you about how that will look for many. So, I appreciate that um thoughtfulness. Um, they need also meaningful input themselves to be put into how this process is going to go for them. Um, I know that the anxiety for them is building. Um, so the sooner the better. I love the dates that you are throwing out the Februaries and March and April's. I think the sooner the better. February feels really great. Um,
041so if you could help them hear about their next year's placement, um, I think that will help immensely. Teachers are going to need adequate time to pack up their classrooms. I can't imagine how long a lifetime of teaching will take some of them to pack up and to move. Um, again, I know you've been talking about this in meetings with teachers, so I appreciate that as well. Um, I'm also thinking about the Kingsley Comets who are going to be in those buildings and seeing teachers pack up at the end of the school year raises enough anxieties, right? Um, so if there's ways that we can help support teachers, um, either parents or PTA, though I know they are also going through a lot and trying to, you know, put on brave faces and help their
042kids. So, I don't know if that's something that board or district admin can help with, but ways to support them packing up even beyond like early, like soon, um, would be great so that we can really support those comments and have these celebrations and have the support of everyone. I urge the board to consider pausing formal evaluations for relocated teachers next year. Transitioning to a new school, to a new role, a new position is something that has significant weight on a teacher. Um, I think adding evaluations during that time could just add, you know, a harder lift for them. Um, supporting teachers through this transition ultimately then supports students, right? So, um, I appreciate all of you. I know you are doing the hard work. Do the right thing here for Kingsley teachers and their
043students. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other voices in the room? I want to ask the security. Did the gentleman leave? Okay. I was going to invite him back in, but hopefully he will submit his written comments. I'm sure he will. So, thank you all um for participating in tonight's public hearing. Uh the board will be voting for the closure of Kingsley Elementary School at the January 22nd, 2026 uh special board meeting. The next public hearings scheduled for the closure of Kingsley Elementary are Thursday, January 22nd at 9:30 and Thursday, January 22nd at 7:15. At this time, I move to conclude today's public hearing at 6:39. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Tinker. >> Yes. >> Hernandez. >> Yes. Yes. >> Wner. >> Yes. >> Wilkins. >> Yes. >> Anderson. >> Yes.
044>> Thank you all.