001here is not present here. Johnson here to order have a motion to close open session. >> We already have that. >> Oh, yeah. Sorry. All right. Thank you. Uh, so public comment where public comment public participation Oh crap. Sorry. All right. Sorry about that. We actually have the uh physical education waiver. Do we have any public comment for physical education? >> We should read the motion to go into the hearing. And then at that point, >> oh, I'll I'll do that. Sorry. I move that the board of education Oak Park Elementary School District 97 move into the public hearing the kindergarten group physical education waiver request. >> Now Rosen, >> yes. >> Perez is absent. Carney, >> yes. >> Absent. Kim, >> yes. >> Johnson, >> yes. >> Motion to go to the public education.
002I don't know. There's a public comment she >> I move that the board of education of Parker School District 97 with concerns for fifth grade physical education request. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Kim, >> yes. >> Motion to close down my electronic agenda. Uh now we do public comment. So public participation is a vital part of our organization success. During a board business meeting, community members are invited to speak during the public comment period. The board welcomes participation but generally does not respond during public comment. Those who wish to speak are required to sign in the public comment sheet prior to the served meeting. Where your name is called, please step up to the podium and say your name for the record. Public comments are limited to three minutes. You're still speaking when
003we reach three minutes. Please finish your thought and conclude. If multiple individuals wish to address the board on the same subject, the group is encouraged to appoint a spokesperson. Please note that the board president reserve the right to shorten the time for each person to address the board during the public comment to conserve time and give the maximum number of people an opportunity to speak. All speakers are asked to conduct themselves with respect and civility towards others. Thank you. So tonight we're going to try to group this. Um and so the first topic is overuse of screens and Stephanie I'm sorry I can't read this corner. Thank you. >> Hi my name is Stephanie her. I am both a parent and an educator and I'm deeply concerned about the role screens are playing in our
004children's education. Across education and the professional world, we are seeing growing recognition that constant screen use comes with real costs. Just last week, my husband attended a professional development event where participants were required to handwrite notes because research shows writing improves retention and learning. Adults are rediscovering this truth while many of our children are moving further away from it every day. This year, my third grade daughter came home daily and immediately opened her iPad for homework. A few weeks ago, I discovered she no longer even had homework on her device and never told me. She became dependent on the screen. Of course, she the research on screen dependency in children is overwhelming. later will help in her study US geography but with the iPad which was the suggested study tool and used a simple states
005puzzle instead. Suddenly learning became interactive. We sat together as a family. We talked, we laughed, we created games together. I could actually see how she was thinking. My thought my daughter was doing far more than learning states names. She was building executive functioning skills, focusing attention, solving problems, practicing patience, regulating emotions, and working toward a goal. A screen delivers information instantly. A puzzle requires children to think, collaborate, remember, persist, and problem solve. Those are very the very skills children need most for success in school and in life. At a recent PTO meeting, I heard both parents and our middle school principal express concern about declining executive functioning skills in students. Those struggles do not suddenly appear in middle school. They develop over time. And this concern is especially urgent for students with ADHD and learning
006challenges because the children struggling most with focus, self-regulation, and executive functioning are often the students spending most time on the screens. As a parent choosing Oak Park School, I envision classrooms filled with collaboration, discussion, project based learning, reading groups, creativity, and hands-on experiences. I imagine my children coming home to tell me what they had built, created, delivered, discovered, and learned, maybe even with paint or marker stain still on their clothes, not simply asking for more screen time. So, I'm asking the school board three questions. What research and data are being used to justify maintaining such a large role for iPads in elementary education? Two, at the last board meeting, the total tech plan budget including included funding for technology professional development. If teachers report receiving no training, how is that funding being used and how
007is the effectiveness being evaluated? And finally, when was the last time classroom walkthroughs were conducted to specifically examine how screens are being used during instruction? From where many of us are sitting, this issue feels increasingly urgent. Our children only get one elementary school experience. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Diana Kot Harbor. I'm Diana Curtis Harour. We're having trouble hearing. Is there any way to turn the volume up if anybody? >> Oh, >> yeah. We can't hear anything back here. >> Okay. I'll speak loudly. Um so good evening uh board members and superintendent. I'm a single mother, a former higher education professional who advocated for college students with disabilities. And I'm a clinician who specializes in trauma, ADHD, and neurody diverency. Tonight I stand before you though as a mother demanding that you confront the
008systemic harm District 97 is inflicting on my three children and countless others. District 97 publicly claims to value equity. The whole child is maintaining barriers to to success. Yet for families navigating special education, those values too often amount to little more than polished language and public relations m messages. In reality, the system system operates through gatekeeping, bureaucratic exhaustion, poor communication, and barriers that force families to fight relentlessly for even the most basic educational access. For nine years, I've had to battle this desert to secure legally required supports for my children. I paid for out of pocket for private neurosych evaluations just to simply bypass the inequitable gatekeeping of the district. For one child to get a 504 plan, for one child to pass the gatekeeping, for another to get a 504 plan. One of these
009children, an academically academically advanced student with ADHD, had their growth artificially capped because of the district's refusal to provide support beyond arbitrary grade level expectations. After severe safety concerns went unrest, that same child experienced profound academic and social emotional regression. Two of my other children have specific learning disabilities and dyslexia, which this district has failed to appropriately identify and address. MTSM MTSS team fail to communicate effectively. My children have been subject subjected to rushed fragmented assessments during the qualification process. Those are not isolated mistakes. They reflect system systemic dysfunction. Now during their trial reviews, the harm and regression continue. I am repeatedly presented with inconsistent, unreliable and poorly explained data. My children have diagnosis diagnoses that are validated by districts at school psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, interventionist interventionists, case managers, all within this district.
010Yet D97 continues to refuse to conduct assessments in all areas of suspected need and disabilities despite the clear legal obligation under IDA. I've been forced to file two ISB complaints and a complaint with the US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, simply to advocate for my children's rights to free and appropriate education. No parent should have to escalate to state and federal agencies just to secure appropriate valuations for their children. The pattern is deeply concerning for families who advocate for their children. I want to be absolutely clear about something. One of my child's IEPs came from the district's inability to keep that child safe after countless assaults physically and verbally. I want this board to understand the human cost of this dysfunction. Thank you. >> I spend 20 to 30 hours I spend 20
011to 30 hours every single week fighting this district. >> Thank you, Miss Cotis. I'm almost finished. That time is stolen from my children, my career, my financial stability. My children are not thriving in their schools. They come from they come home emotionally disregulated, exhausted, anxious, and traumatized by a system that is legally and ethically required to support them. As a trauma clinician, I'm telling you directly and professionally, D97's current special education practices are causing harm to children. We are done witnessing waiting for committees promises of future equity. Stop managing legal liability and start protecting our children. Thank you. Thank you. Megan Jackson. Good evening. My name is Megan Jackson. I am a park parent and co-owner of Ken Cooperative Educational Services. and my husband Trey and I live in southeast Oak Park with our three
012children ages seven, five, and three. Unfortunately, we are unable to send our children to D97 due to concerns about their physical and psychological safety boards. I don't know if you've seen me at the black. Our son started kindergarten at Irving in the fall of 2024. He came home every day excited about his teacher, Mr. Blacka, the friends he was making, the things he was learning. He also came home three days in a row and told us because no adult did that another child had been hurting him. On the third day, that child dug his nails into our son's neck and back hard enough to draw blood. We found out from our 5-year-old because nobody called us. When we asked for documentation of all three incidents, we had asked twice only to learn that there was
013no documentation of any incidents prior to what was characterized as lacervation to my son's neck in the nurse's documentation, though she never called us herself. Our son's last day at Irving was September 16th, less than 3 weeks into kindergarten. He asked to say goodbye to everyone, and he told us he would miss his teacher. That should have been a beginning, not an ending. One of the things he asked us to send home with him that on his last day was the headphones he used with the school iPad. Our son is anxious significantly. So his preschool teachers actually worried that he was selectively mute because he wouldn't speak to them for over 6 months. This was a childbased right Oak Park school very um right uh he he was comfortable but he wouldn't speak. Children like
014him whose nervous systems work differently they need sensory tools. They need predictability. They need patient scaffolding. And those are precisely the children for whom school technology is a lifeline. Screen sense has said that students with documented needs can keep their devices. But I want this board to hear what that actually means in practice. An asterisk is not inclusion. Telling a disabled child that they are the exception makes them visible in exactly the way that children in this community work hardest to avoid. A policy that requires a diagnosis as the price of access is not a thoughtful accommodation. It is ableism with paperwork. I do want to acknowledge what Screen Sense has accomplished. The district's response was open and responsive and fast. A 10point plan in weeks. That responsiveness is real. So I'm asking this board
015to apply the same urgency that to the children that screen sense is not thinking about the nonverbal child whose iPad is their voice, right? The child with dyslexia who requires those audio books to actually engage with the classroom community. The child in an unsafe home or 10 more seconds. The child in an unsafe home for whom an online friendship is the only safe relationship they have. I want us to think about when we make these policies which ch children will bear the cost if we get it wrong. So I'll finish with this. OAR says every child belongs here. We would like to see that with the same urgency to the child who is neurode divergent, who is black, the child who is vulnerable, the child whose parents do not have the social or financial capital
016to organize a petition as it is to the child who is bored on YouTube during win time. Our son loved Irving. He loved his teacher. He asked to say goodbye. That should have been at the beginning. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um Peggy, what is your Peggy? What is your topic? >> Peggy Kell, what's your topic? There's no topic here. >> Um it will be about PE physical education. >> Oh, that section >> that No, that's not about that. It's about um Peggy Kell 815 South Humphrey No Park. A year ago um I came to speak out against the cuts to the physical education program um at the two middle schools if you'll remember. I'd like to know what or if any data has been collected as a result of this cut? Um has
017student focus on academic academic activity diminished? has moved their energy levels that monitor see benefit if there's benefit or a disadvantage to these changes, these program cuts. Has there been any thoughts on how these students would transition to OPRF high school where they will have PE every day? Um it was said that last year that this was going to be a two-year pilot program. Um and I wondered if with the changes of administration has kind of done train revisited at all. uh data should drive changes not un not unsubstantiated solutions to a school's class length schedule. The middle schools open new buildings in 2002. These buildings were built on the foundation of teams. Students in the group that have the same teachers for all four content areas. Teachers would have common planning times to ensure
018a coordinated delivery of curriculum knowing the same group of students. Is this being now aband abandoned too with some of the proposed changes to the schedule? Where is the data to support these changes to class length and subject area teaching? Where are the teachers um are the teacher faculty meetings to discuss these proposals not only in their own middle schools but as a group as two middle schools together with faculty together to voice concerns and proposals. The middle school philosophy and the building that was built to support it should continue with renewed conversations with faculty about this path forward. Our district is at a critical point in the middle school journey. Please go forward carefully and thoughtfully. Um, Rosen, sorry about that. Um, I'm Sophia. I'm >> And we're both like the from the environmental
019clubs from Julian and Rose. Um, these are just some things that we've like learned from an experiment we did in a competition that we did at both schools. So, we had a um competition about recycling and um we had people um like sort of weigh our trash and figure out who was doing the best at composting. And we learned a few things. Um first of all, people cared. Like they really did care about what we were doing and what we were saying. Um there was not much contamination in the compost and recycling bins and um the kids actually like listened to us. The kids when we were um like talking about our whole what was going on and we did trivia and stuff and they actually cared and um we think next year if we
020do this again an adult supervising be very helpful. Um, school lunch has so much plastic and tra uh trash like wrappers, forbes, bags for yogurt kits, and someone telling people where to put their trash could help a lot. Um, noise Wednesday raised awareness and people were more mindful about where they put their trash. Kids need more education about the reason about the three the three Rs in composting. Sorry. Thank you ladies so much. Um, so this is um similar thing. It's just different observations. Um, again, I'm Sophia Franco. >> I'm T. I'm >> And we're all from Julie. Um so something that we took away and learned from our experience with no Wednesday was that um influencing can change how they act and that means that because we did an assembly group we everybody to
021recycle and compost. Um after that because they knew some people were careful of what bin to throw everything in. And we think that noise is Wednesday to help people care about how they throw things away. And um I know someone who thought that who used to think that every day was trash until after No Waste Wednesday and they like learned about it, they put in with their trash. We think that No Waste Wednesday was really helpful so people would know how to recycle and compost properly. Okay. Um and like in our experience through like recycling compost and trash, we worked on a project where um well our project was like about like like nobody says. So yeah. And then some students like did listen really well, but some people like didn't and they like it
022was like hard for them because like they just like a lot of kids like did it just because like we were up there and they were just like, "Oh, I think it's funny so like let me like mess up our entire thing." But like a lot of other kids, like I noticed that the sixth graders and the seventh graders were more focused on like actually like winning the prize. And I think that the sixth graders were like in the routine of like knowing what to do. They were like more used to it because the fifth graders like already doing this routine in um elementary school, but the eighth graders were kind of just like, "Hey, let's be funny." And then the seventh graders were like they were like >> um I think that students are
023sorry. Um do you think students are more mindful about sporting when there's someone out there to guide them. And the answer to that would be I think the students are more mindful of what they're doing, but only because they're scared and embar embarrassed when they get it wrong, but not because they actually want to fix the issue of how much waste we have. Um, I also think that if we want to solve this issue, we should have a monitor up by the uh trash recycling compost bins just for like a few months or so just so they actually get used to sorting the trash in the right areas and um we can take them the monitor away after those months and then see if it actually really did work. Um, a few things we to
024note were even when we had close to zero contaminations, trash was still at least 80 pounds per lunch period. And that shows that we need to eliminate trash like sporks and plastic packaging from school lunches as much as possible. contest like 20 seconds. Um I just want to say that those um kids are from the lunch trace at Julian and it was their idea to have this competition against Brooks for Zero Waste Wednesdays and we did three Wednesdays in April and Brooks won but um but it was their idea and they were fantastic and the kids did all of this work and on top of that we also both schools received grants from the Illinois Green Schools project to do this which I don't think was publicized. guys at all. So, I just want to
025let you guys know that we did that and yeah, and it was really informative and if you guys want to know more about the system, every all the lessons we learned, um there was a lot to it. Thank you so much. All right, we have one, two, three, four, five, six comments about um eighth grade trip. Is there anyone who wants to be a representative? All right, Lynette Santos. Hello to the board and superintendent. My name is Melissa Santos. I'm a parent of both a rising eighth grader and a rising freshman in college. Uh the relevancy of my rising rising freshman to this meeting is to speak to my experience with D97 eighth grade trip. As a parent chef grown and nurse, I attended the 2022 DC trip. Though it had a ch its challenges,
026I believe those challenges were more due to timing contingency plans and um unanswered questions. The children arrived in DC despite those challenges and still had a wonderful time. The Oak Park parents, as Oak Park parents, we looked for a well-rounded experience that includes educational activities, fun memories for the amount of money that we pay. We too share the district's goals, whatever destination is chosen. Um, a survey went out, the community has spoken. We find that DC is the most favorable destination for our children. Most middle schoolers um are at somewhat of a loss of words and will not be able to verbalize what it is that they want out of a trip. I can tell you my eighth grader will say, "I don't know as long as I'm with my friends." Um let's face it,
027in their mind, a school trip means I'm not here to learn. I'm here to have fun. Um there are students however who are very serious about their learning experience and can articulate what they would like their experience to look like. So that is why choosing an itinerary that gives all students a chance to visit a place that can show a cultural representation of our students everyday lives and family past lives is key. In my opinion and the opinion of most other Oak Park parents, a trip to Smithsonian Institute and Family can teach things that they don't necessarily talk about, but will move them to deep thought and later conversations. If we are looking for a education, Philadelphia and DC has it. looking at different cultural views and education that represents the D97 community. Smithsonians offer
028that our children will get a history lesson from the beauty of Asian American Indian, American, Latino art and history while remembering and learn about the ills of the world through the Holocaust and African-American museums. Our children need to see outside their bubble. And let's face it, Oak Park is a bubble. um >> how the Americas has developed over the years so that they our future generation don't allow our country to ever go back. Visiting the Air and Space Museum gives our children a look at US history of science and space exploration. Scavenger hunts are always fun with the Smithsonian Institute. Um they'll also be educational and check all the boxes for the school district. Um I personally submitted a proposal and we just need the district to take a look at it and give some
029serious thought into helping us. We don't have access to the cont the contacts for the entire district and we don't have access to the data that the district has access to. We just need help. We have started fundraising and the ball has gotten open. >> Thank you. >> Malcolm. >> Hi, I'm Malcolm Yelen. I'm currently a freshman at OPF and I'd like to talk about last year's 8th grade trip to Springfield in St. Louis. Um, I don't think it lived up to what it should have been as an educational trip. When the trip was announced, it was presented as an educational experience, a chance to see Illinois history up close. It sounded like it was going to be something meaningful. But that's not what it felt like when we were actually there. The educational stops
030felt completely unplanned. There was very little preparation before we arrived. No background in what we were going to see, no context, nothing to get us engaged. We show up somewhere historically significant. look around for a few minutes and then leave. No guided discussion, no questions, and there it wasn't correlating to anything we had learned in our classes. Didn't feel like a planned educational visit. It felt like it didn't add to the itinerary the night before. When you compare that to how the rest of the trip was organized, for example, the Six Flags and the carnival, it it was it was like night and day. The carnival activities were scheduled out. Six Flags had an entire day dedicated to it. Those parts of the trip were clearly thought through. The educational parts felt like an afterthought.
031Let me make it clear. I'm not saying we shouldn't enjoy ourselves on a trip. But when the most organized, most timeconuming parts of the school trip are the roller coasters and the carnival games, something is off. The educational partition was treated like a checkbox and not a priority. Um, I'd also like to note that it's a lot easier for people to take a day trip to Springfield and see the capital with their children than it is for them to go to DC. Um, just simply in the name of equity, it should certainly be DC and not Springfield if we're fundraising it for everybody. Thank you. >> Amelia. >> Hi, I'm Amelia Pickle. I'm currently a sophomore at OP and I went on, I believe, the last DC trip that uh, Brooks and Julie did. So,
032and I'd like to talk about that as opposed to Malcolm's experience. My DC trip was very educationally thought through. We went to various memorials filled that question, which I will admit did not like at the time, but it did leave me with a greater understanding of how our country's history works. In particular, the moment I remember and every one of my grave members is going to the Holocaust Museum. Now, board members, I'm sure you have had the unfortunate uh experience of being in a room full of seventh graders. They are very rarely quiet. I've yet to see a room full of middle schoolers be so absolutely silent focused as I saw the Holocaust Museum. Now, I may remember now it might not be fun, but it's an important learning experience to see how our countries
033fall with fascism and how civil liberties are taken away. how humanity can do something so horrific and simply does not do that. Washington DC does. >> Thank you. >> Uh yes, thank you. Uh I'm going to feed my time to Dr. Pelquin. >> Make a good teacher. our brler sheets go and then I don't want to leave people out so thank you love it all right so good evening my name is Lisa Pelman and I'm here tonight to advocate for the eighth grade Washington DC trip and I want to start by briefly addressing some of the comments and thoughts you all shared the last time I was here and then offer a way to think about this trip and the board's role role in. So during our last meeting, you guys shared some of these
034concerns and I think you were processing and thinking out loud. So I want to kind of continue to unpack some of those ideas using um a technique we use in schools often to support kids who are learning English sentence frames. So I'm going to take some of the uh one sentence frame is therefore we should collaboratively fund raise to ensure every kid can go to DC. So some of the ideas you all raised was that some families may have financial challenges like having twins. So therefore we should collaboratively fundra to ensure every kid can go to DC. The cost of this trip would be high for the district. Therefore we should collaboratively fund raise so that every kid can go to DC. It we would like to get 85% of the class to go the
035trip. But that's difficult. Therefore we should collaboratively fund raise so every kid can go to DC. There were other concerns that you shared um that I al also want to address and that frame we're going to use there is therefore no D97 child should have the opportunity to go to DC. Here are some of those. My child chose not to go to DC. Therefore, no D97 child should have the opportunity to go to DC. I'm not sure we're clear on the purpose of this trip. Therefore, no D97 child should have the opportunity to go to DC. We're a diverse community and some people may not want to go on the strip. It may not work for everybody. Therefore, no D97 child should have the opportunity to go to DC. We would like to get 85%
036of the class to go on the trip, but that's difficult. Therefore, no D97 child should have the opportunity to go to DC. I don't think any of that sounds quite right. So, while I appreciate the thoughts and the thinking that you all were sharing at the last trip, I want you to think about these and what those comments mean and the where that takes us and whether we want to really connect to having this trip. Um, one board member also asked about liability concerns and I spoke with a lawyer who assured me that liability issues are the same in DC as they are in Springfield. So, I think that's something we can keep in mind and feel good about. Additionally, one board member asked for information about the cost of the trip and the amounts
037contributed by the district. That's the worksheet that I handed out. Um, this data comes from the district themselves and it is usually both the numbers and the demographic breakdowns that the district provides. So, just so you know where that comes from. Um, I do celebrate the slight shifts in percentages in groups attending and something we should look further into. But I would say we shouldn't be patting ourselves on the back. The drop in number across categories and of all kids overall does not mean we've increased participation or recordings. I'd like to suggest that the district sees their role this year in the trip through a lens of restorative practices. As you're probably aware, the national shift towards more equitable schools has led to many schools adopting resource a restorative justice or restorative practices approach. In
038theory, these practices are great. They focus on keeping the community strong and repairing harm when it happens. In practice, many schools struggle with implementation of restorative practices because it requires a schoolwide cultural shift with ongoing implementation support. A year ago, right now, I was defending my dissertation about a CPS school that had a teacherled restorative practices implementation. It had been a multi-year process. They had ongoing uh implementation support and the data indicated actually really significantly changed the culture of their school for the better. Like all researchers, I could talk about it forever, but I'll spare you. Let me just frame bring this back to GC. When um what I would say is when the schools and PTO ran the trips, there were structures in place to keep the cost of the trip down and then
039CO happened and the district took over the trip and those structures went away causing the cost of the trip to increase for and causing cost of the trip to increase. Julian and Brooks, we try to live by the restorative practices approach. So, let's bring that here. The harm is that the trip no longer has the structures and support to keep the cost down and ensuring every kid that wants to go can. So, let's collaboratively rebuild those structures. >> Thank you. All right. Miss Elise Coleman. >> There's Elise Coleman. Um I'm going to share a couple of proposals that I got in addition to I believe the one that was sent to you from Rogers including let's try to use before and close I think we also used who does a lot of work um doing
040programs for CPS schools question about whether it's just panel work um so let me just start uh my name is Elise Coleman And I'm here to convince you that not only is DC the preferred choice of our community, it is also a practical one and that if we wait to decide on a trip until next fall as proposed by the district, it would be too late to plan any trip effectively. Since no quantitative data was presented, I analyzed the district's survey from December. It comprises only open-ended questions, but I was able to find several relevant data points. There were 105 respondents. Without prompting, about a third wrote in favor of DC, and none were against it. Parents overwhelmingly responded that they were willing to pay more if the trip was of high value, including flights.
041Parents also responded willingly to fundra make the trip financially accessible. Additionally, Nashville was only called out as not worthwhile, and Springfield and St. Louis were repeatedly cited as boring, which is reflected in participation drops over the last couple of trips. After meeting with staff involved in planning fast trips, it turns out we are late to decision-m. Typically, a trip is usually decided by now for both pricing and time to organize. Fortunately, we have parents like myself actively willing to help plan and market this trip to students. We know some kids feel more enthusiastic than others, but we're pretty sure most kids would think seeing a pan at the National Zoo is pretty exciting. We just heard um from Lynette that Bob Rogers is offering a $1,425 itinerary. Well, I spoke with Roy who offered 1447
042a student and the Closeup Foundation who again offers a premier civics education program for about $2,000 but also offers financial aid for students who qualify. Additionally, best we have time to effectively fund raise. Both local businesses and parents have offered to help. Candy Copia has offered to donate time and supplies and local parent at Julian and DJ Noel Vasquez has offered to do a fundraising party. These are just a couple of examples we've heard from others. Significantly, we know of local community members willing to donate larger sums if the green light is given to DC. All we are asking is for the district to support a trip that already has strong backing from across our community. We'd love the talented Mr. children to help with engagement as he's clearly so good at it and district
043funding as given to programs in the past. Together we can offer an incredible opportunity to all of our eighth graders and the time to decide is now. Thank you. Thank you all for coming out tonight, especially our young people. We appreciate you uh your bravery and your advocacy. Um and this concludes our public comment for this evening. And now my superintendent Patrick Patrick Robertson forgot my last name. Um so um just wanted to say that earlier today um we had the honor of celebrating our D97 retirees. And so we were able to kind of um provide them with a district gift um and also just kind of congratulate them on their next journey, but also acknowledge the hard work that they have put in and really serving our community. >> Yes. And on behalf of
044the the board, we'd like to uh congratulate everyone who retired is such an accomplishment and wish you well in your next steps. At this time, we'd also like to um celebrate uh celebrate a not a retirement, but uh board member Dr. Becky Perez has resigned from the board um effective immediately. We want to thank her for her dedication, hard work, and thoughtful contributions to this board. Would not be where we are today without her contributions, and we appreciate her um and all that she's contributed to this board. wish her well on future endeavors. Um, feels weird to be like, no, the consent, but can I get a motion for the consent agenda? A motion. Uh, I move the board of education for elementary school 97 approve the consent agenda as second. >> Carney, >> yes.
045>> Kim, >> yes. >> Absent more. Yes. >> Absent roster. >> Yes. >> Johnson. >> Yes. Motion passed. >> 8.1 um copier RFQ contract. And there is a motion. Sorry. Uh, I move that the board of education of Park District 97 approve the 5-year contract to canon the copy here print and print shop equipment and maintenance for $749,32480 as presented and discussed on May 12, 2026. >> Second, >> yes. >> Johnson, >> yes. >> Kim, >> yes. Sperlock is absent. >> Yes. >> Absent Ro. >> All right. 8.2 may parking lot. I should have asked for her. There are any questions on this before we read the motion. No question. Can please get a motion? I move the board of education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97 approve the award of the contract to
046Chicago land paving contractors for the work that will be done in collaboration with Park District of Oak Park in the amount of $35,000. as presented and discussed on May 12, 2026 and will be fully reimbured for the park district of park. >> Second >> more. >> Yes. >> Whereas is >> yes >> is absent. Ros >> Johnson, >> yes. All right. 8.3 technology plan recommendation. Any questions? May I have a motion, please? We the board of education of Oak Park School District 97 direct the $35,000 to be included in the district 97 2026 2027 technology pen budget as presented and discussed on May 12th, 2026, which is an addition to the approved multi-year leases last year on April 22nd, 2025. >> Second more. >> Yes. >> Johnson, >> yes. >> K. >> Yes. >> Ro,
047>> yes. >> K. Yes. >> Whereas passes or luck is absent. Motion pass. 8.4 crossing our contract renewal. Any questions? >> I have a motion, please. >> I move that the board of education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97 approve administration's recommendation for a 2-year contract with Andy Frame Services Incorporated totaling $431,72 per year for the 2026 27 and 2027 28 school years. >> Second. Yes. >> Kim, >> yes. >> Is Ros, >> yes. >> Johnson, >> yes. that the board of education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97 approved the inter intergovernmental agreement IGA with Oak Park Township to support the youth engagement program at a cost of $39,637 for the 2026 27 school year and 40A 826 11 2728 school Mo, >> yes. >> Johnson, >> yes. >> Ken, >> yes. >>
048Is absent. Perez is absent. >> Yes. >> Roger. >> Yes. >> Thank you. 8.6. Resolution authorizing transfer from M fund to capital project funds. I move that the board of education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97 approve a resolution authorizing the transfer of $4 million from the operations and maintenance on M fund to the capital projects fund to support various capital improvement projects throughout the district. >> Second, >> yes. >> Where's Johnson? >> Yes. All right, we're on to 9.1 discussion action items. Um, we have KP5 physical education waiver request. We read that we met right there earlier, did we? >> That was the hearing. >> Any questions on that? That wasn't earlier. There are no questions. May I please have a motion? I move the board of education of Oak Park Elementary School
049District 97 approve the kindergarten through fifth grade Illinois state board of education physical education w for school years 2026 2027 and 2027 2028 >> second more >> yes >> her Johnson >> yes >> Kim >> yes >> is absent is absent >> yes >> 10.1 One, collaboration for early childhood education, CEC, financial contributions and review. Um, it looks like we're going to have a Q&A discussion. >> Crystal Crystal, you're presenting action on this meeting in July. >> Yes, in July. Yes. Uh, I I apologize. I thought Mary was coming to present this. Is this not >> No. >> Okay. Because I I'm not I'm not sure either of us are actually the appropriate person to present this. Sorry. This is I mean feel free to Yeah. No. Um I mean you certainly feel free to
050jump in. I in summary, we've had discussions about a collaboration agreement that we've had for many many years. Um we have a very specified calculation that we're supposed to use and over the years we have not actually increased that amount. Um recently the collaboration has brought to our attention that services and the wonderful things that they do do require us to keep in line with our agreement. And so they've asked us to revisit the agreement, look at what it costs, look at what we each proportionately as an entity bring and this cost to the revenue and as a tax body and readjust that. Um so over the last few weeks Nancy um has given her knowledge and experience with the collaborative and what we need to do to make this a continuing fundable program that
051we can afford. So we've re I personally as CFO have looked at the cost and looked at the analysis made the adjustments that they're recommending that are also in line with the agreement and I agree with that. So going forward, I think we need to just feel comfortable that the board is comfortable with these adjustments because they have not been changed for many years. But I do think they are aligned and they are adequate with the services we want to provide. And I will say many of these were presented at prior CEC trio meetings. So those are available in documentation that folks have gotten from those meetings as well. Um, but the long story short, as Crystal just very succinctly summarized, is we have not changed what we pay to CEC for services that they
052render for 10 years, I think it is. Um, there's been a bit of inflation between then and now, and we have not done anything to work with that. Um so they have proposed to start adding in um an increased amount and also look at um using what they have as their um oh my goodness. What is the fund called? Um >> their operating fund. >> Not their operating fund. The um >> Reserves. Thank you. The reserve fund. They have a reserve fund that is their reserve fund. That is done. But they also have a reserve fund that is the IG reserve fund that's from D200, D97 and um the village and they're proposing to use that to kind of ease in this change so that it's not an all at once we're raising our rates
053sort of feature. Yeah. and Crystal has also worked collaboratively with the other districts that are part of the collab and making sure that everything is in alignment. >> And and Bob, I think everyone is used to be a board member here. He was originally part of the the development of this and so he has been actively involved to give the history and to answer all my mini questions very kindly. Um so I I feel confident in what we're doing. Um and to the point of the reserves, it's also important that even though this is a wonderful partnership, we were clear that the reserves of the collaborative should not exceed our reserves because we too are working on our reserves and so we want to make sure that they're uh in alignment with what you would
054want to have for ours and not above. >> Was there a memo on this? I feel like there was, but I can't find it. >> This is where I I have to admit, and I apologize on this. I thought Mary was coming in with a fresh memo. Okay. >> But if you look back and I'll I'll take a look for it and and provide it or Mary to send it out to everybody um on from the last tri board meeting. Um I believe there was one that was >> what what's the amount and how does it compare to what we've beening? >> It's the last we were without having in front of me. We were roughly at two maybe 50 and it's going to go up to below 400s. Is that am I am I
055quoting that wrong? That's memory. >> I feel like that's for the full 5. That's not just to be clear. But >> um >> I I'm going to ask her to send those around because I want the specific numbers to be around. And I will also say Mary has um and I'm sure Crystal will also offer this if folks have questions about that. They can certainly meet with them to get answers to that and we'll have these numbers to present at the next meeting just to make sure that they're >> Yes. And I was going to say we can try and include something in the weekly update this week and maybe reach out to Mary to see if Mary can come to the >> June 10th. >> Yeah. >> June June 9th. >> June 10th is
056a Wednesday. Sorry. Are we the only um testing body that has been kind of undercontributing? >> Um well, everyone's been under contributing. >> I will to your >> point say that we are the fortunate uh group who's raised any others have not in amount but in percentage of responsibility and it's just based on our operating budgets which we've had also a couple of referendums and it's it's fair. So they do and and this is one where again um I'm going to provide the spreadsheets with this uh rather than just saying hey D97 has this full budget the village has this full budget D200 they actually look at comparable amounts from each of those um simply because for example uh the village has to fund the pension fund we only fund part of it so they
057kind of try to get apples as much as apple to apples as they can and um Crystal has done and all of the the village and the D200 um physical teams have also done a really good job of taking a look at what is apples to apples on this before we actually calculate the percentage of contribution >> and documenting future. >> Yes. And provided documentation so moving forward we'll have actual numbers. I was going to say the only other thing I was just looking at the spreadsheets now and that there's like a higher bump the first year and a half I think or so because that's they're trying to get us up to a certain percentage and so that'll be the the first year the first year and a half I think we pay will
058be kind of where we'll hit the heaviest in terms of the shift in difference um but then it'll be closer to like CPI for the increase. Okay. Uh, any more questions for Crystal Nancy? >> Right. Thank you, Chris. We'll u take action on that next board meeting. And I'm happy to create a memo for your review for the board to see that update. Thank you. >> All right. 2.2. Annual contracts exceeded 25,000. We have a memo um for that. These are things we kind of discussed before um presented in May 12th. And so there was a HR and business memo, there was a construction memo um and the spreadsheet that are linked and technology memo. It looks like we don't have any questions as of now. We won't be seeing any action until the 9th.
059So, if you haven't had a chance to full interview or if you have any additional questions, please reach out to Patrick and he will disseminate it to the appropriate person. >> And these are just our annual contracts or renewal contracts that work within each each department that are over that benchmark that requires board approval. So, instead of just coming up with individual, they're all together. So you have a chance to see those annual contracts. But if there are any questions like Sh just said, just let me know and I'll get the answers to you all before June 9th. >> All right. Uh 10.3 memorandum of understanding with OPTA for ultimate frisbee and robotics. We have two memos there. One for robotics and one for ultimate frisbee. And then a memo understanding from OPTA linked. Um
060looks like Ebony is sachet. Does anyone have any questions? Oh, and this will we will be taking action on this today. >> No, next. >> Oh, it says Oh, sorry. I was confused. It says we'll be okay. Okay. Will be presented for approval. Okay. Thanks. Um, I just have a quick question. I was like, how did this come about? Like all the things that I hear about volleyball all the time. Uh, how's it ultimate frisbee? So, probably take Mr. Semore to tell the story, but I think there just been something that he was really interested in and we brought it to the students and they have really been interested in. It's it's really um been a really cool and support. And now we've extended to Brooks. another teens. Um, and they actually have two seasons,
061which is why even though in the contract there's annual that indicates one season, we're asking, but it's kind of like a ground swell. Um, it started with a an interest. >> I haven't heard about this, but some interest games are are great. >> Anything to get our kids active on board. So the difference with ultimate from pastors is just that we're expanding to a second to Brooks as well. >> Well, there are two seasons. So um yes, we expanded to books, but there are that contract doesn't currently reflect that they play to fall in a spring season. >> Okay. And then what what are the changes to robotics from past years? >> So we're just expanding. We had um developed MLA last year. So um even though robotics is a cut sport, we wanted to
062provide to um actually put in the no cut provisions so that they can have more than 25 students. And so we tried it for one year um and we've seen over 100 students have access to robots between two schools. So um we think that it's successful enough to actually um extend that to the remainder of the contract. >> So this is a allocate money for additional coaches to accommodate. Great. Okay. Thank you. >> I was going to say, can I verify that with robotics there's still a very robust precut program >> in the fall? >> Yeah, the house leagues are very robust pre before you cut, you still get to >> compete and have good internal programs. >> Did the robots get cut? >> And and the diversity of varsity team was also one that
063there had a number of opportunities to make sure that kids had access. Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't get this question in beforehand. Crazy, but I would love to see we talk about the increase access like what does that look like some of those demographic numbers because if it's just more the same. Um, so I would love to see like if our um students of color and and especially our girls um I would love to see if those numbers have increased. And we um actually had rosters due to us on Friday. So we're in the midst of going through all the committees and assigning demographic um information. So we should have that in the next couple of weeks. Any additional questions for Dr. W? >> All right. Thank you so much. One more. >> All right.
064Say, uh, two for title policy update. >> Um, so one of the committees that came across our desk this year from is that we have um an obligation to have a district policy around parent and family engagement. We already have school compacts that address ensuring that family engagement is robust. um that we now from additional lens have to adjust this through policy. Um so these are just the things that were asked of us in terms of um inclusion policy. And so what we did was um develop some draft language in March and April on April 29th we had a policy session with um families who received title one supports for their school students. um we finalized our draft in May and along the way um the the board of policies have been involved in reviewing
065um what it is that we were putting forth and so today we're just going to um go over the draft language uh just high level overview um we have the actual language um available and then hopefully we have a vote on the 9th. So essentially um the policy requires a red line update to an existing policy um 6170 which is our title one programs and again it's a district policy in addition to the school compacts and the important part of this updating this policy is that we have to do this before we can actually um finalize and submit the consolidated district plan which allows us to actually have the money including title one. So, um it's a prerequisite for doing all of those things. And when we met with the parents, um they gave us
066a wealth of ideas around kind of involvement and some things that they'd like to see. Um but we want to commit to in policy really having regular meetings to talk to parents about what title one supports and what we're do actually doing with the funding. Um we also want to talk about having um regular meetings amongst them so that they can kind of also um chat amongst each other and again give us good ideas. um figure out by programs if there's some need agencies that we need to think about. So just not just title one, but how does it also um combine with our early childhood funding and we already have grant funding so that we actually bring those folks together to give us good ideas and that we really think critically around how we're
067using the funds. So every year um we can assess whether or not the policy is effective, how we're thinking about barriers, um and also design hopefully co-design some evidence-based strategies to ensure that we're getting the best that we're using the money in the way that makes the most sense. And then also providing assistance to our um families in terms of understanding what it is that we're doing with the funds, understanding standards, assessments, our monitoring progress, and ways that we can communicate better with um them and our educators. And that's it um in terms of high level questions, but if there are any specific policy questions, I can take those. I have a policy. Well, I don't know if it's a policy question. It's about implementation of the policy. Does that count? >> Okay. >> Um,
068regarding engaging families and having meetings with them, are you doing it individually or are you doing it on mass? So, the the meeting that we had to kind of gather information was kind of a larger meeting and we invited everyone. Um, but we're trying to figure out what the sweet spot is in terms of time. So, one of our principles, their suggestion was is we're having the school compact meetings, the district can just join us. So, I think we're going to instead of requiring parents to be in a number of different places and doing a district-wide, I think we're just going to go to where parents are and have already have the established avenues to meet by school. Um, and then kind of that will help me too um to better understand by school their
069different needs in terms of what title one supports look like. And then that'll be your baseline and then you can you can gauge engagement. >> Yes. >> And build from there. >> Yeah. And we did ask the for the you know we had we could participate virtually. We had a number of different ways. We had in the evening we provided child care and and food and it's it it we're just continually trying to figure out what the best way is. Um and so we'll continue to do that and our families gave us some good advice around that too. Can you also mark and as you're doing this because this is a really important group for us to reach >> um because it's not just one touch, it's multiple touches, maybe multiple ways, >> but you
070know, just documenting the numbers of times and or ways that you're reaching out to parents so that we can get um an idea of how to meet people where they are in a a genuine genuine way. >> Yeah, absolutely. And um in order to prepare for that meaning we did have folks reach out by phone and so we were able to actually real time even prior to the 29th understand that there are kind of just scheduling is is huge and the ease or that just their protected time with their kids. So us taking away from that you know um so we're continuing to try and kind of figure out the best way to do that. >> Okay. Thank you. And also this policy did go through the policy commitment committee. >> Yes. >> And so
071um our board policy committee members um Holly and Becky did have a chance to review it, submit um red line changes and recommend suggestions. And so all of that has been done before presenting the policy to you all. >> There are great changes to our advice just to make sure the language is as inclusive as possible. All right. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Dr. L. >> Thank you. >> And finally, 10.5 consolidated district plan. We have a memo l >> and just a quick overview. This is just an annual process in which we as a district have to go through the application process to outline how we plan to spend um federal grant dollars in regards to title one, title two, title three, and title four. Um but it requires the board approve before we
072can submit the application to um the federal government. So we're doing it now. It will be up for a vote, board approval on June 9th. All right, we have concluding items for remarks. One second here. We can hold on. I just want to get some numbers out for collaboration just so we have them. >> Oh, please. Yeah, I was gonna do a little I I wasn't able to make the retirement party, but I did want to give a little shout out to George Donovan, who's the retiring Lincoln nurse, because my kids spent a lot of time with the nurse when they were at Lincoln. Uh, and well, wishes to all the folks retiring, but when I saw her, I was or when I saw her name, I was like, oh, like I had her like
073in my phone cuz my kids were always in there for something. Um, and then just extending my gratitude for Becky, I know who wasn't able to be here tonight. Um, and her time on the board and for and that will roll I mean we'll have to make an announcement in terms of um replacing Becky so that we're back to being a board of seven. Um, so we'll figure out the communications for that. But if there are folks who are interested on being on a school board and are not uh sure about running as a position, this is a good way to get a taste of being on a school board. So yeah, but they have to run >> next year. Well, yeah, afterwards. I'm saying this is a good way to get a taste and
074then you can be incumbent. Just kidding. >> So it'll be up to you guys to make sure the bus stay. >> Any of us are I shouldn't speak for everybody. I am happy to talk to anyone who's interested in running the board who could come in and save the district and make it so much better than we have. >> I echo John's comments about both Becky but also our D97 retirees. Sorry I wasn't able to make it today. Um, retirement is a big deal and we give them our applause and our gratitude and a little bit of our jealousy. >> A lot of our jealous. >> All right. Um, Nancy, >> all right. Sorry, I couldn't get the numbers as solidly as I would like before this, but I will say um related to the
075collaboration piece of the pie. Um that the the three um fiscal agents got together and did discuss doing 8.8 doing was it back here? Um >> oh shoot. Yeah, Crystal. >> Sorry, Crystal. Yes. >> Um, can can you confirm that it was uh 8%. Is that the race that was decided upon? >> Oh, the years. >> Yes. Yeah. Um to to actually level things up. Um and also um there's one other piece on this that I was going to throw in. Um and then future races would actually be tied to um the same sort of um raises that we are allowed to do basically um basically tying it to PTEL. Um so that beyond this level up, we're not going to be doing a specific amount each year. It will actually be tied to um
076PEL with some limits on either side of it. So like we do for usual pieces >> match our levy >> to match our levy. Yeah. >> And there be a ceiling and a floor. Yeah, exactly. So, we don't go right up to the edge. Um, and then I did also just want to take a moment to say thank you to um for her year on the board. Um, it is no mean feat to serve on the board. It's a lot of time and a lot of um thought. So, um I just want to say thank you to Becky for the time that she uh spent with the board and the contributions that she made. All right. I forgot to do a shout out for Asian American month. I know. The last couple of days. I
077know. I know. It's been a month. You know what? Every day is celebrating Asian, but I felt like I had to do my two cents cuz I forgot last meeting. So, you still have a few more days to celebrate Asian. >> Thank you. Like that was so awkward. Sorry. And that not be my friend. All right. Um that Gavin >> nothing. >> I figure most of us don't have anything. Nope. Uh sustainability case. >> Uh neither one by uh we just got an update on the collab. Anything else you would like to add, Nancy, John? >> Uh, no, not at this point. >> See, Paul has not met um yet or since LA earlier this month. Um, IA so I'm going to preface this with a this is not because one is upcoming um but
078one of functions is to help the public understand the functioning of governments better as collaborative things that hit all of us. So, um, based on conversations and questions that people have been getting, uh, in the fall, we are proposing to do a what the heck is a referendum and why, and basically do a little overview, not that anyone has anything coming up, just to be clear. U, but in advance of that, just saying what are they, why would people do them, and and give uh folks a chance of the public to ask questions about them when we're not in the midst of one. um to actually learn a little bit more about how those function. >> Awesome. Yes. Um a PF um we just had a meeting last week. Uh we kind of reviewed the
079open house and kind of how the open house went and then I talked um before I did jump off. Uh oh no, this was I stayed for the whole meeting. Sorry. PE Tech and O PF are open actually we're on the same night so it's like judging between um they talk at length about the steam advisory council and they're including a number of teachers from uh the district as well so uh just in terms of informing their future programming and things like that community council >> um they canled the last meeting so no uh PTA CAC. >> Um, we reviewed the community conversation workshop we had a couple months ago and they talked about next steps. I unfortunately missed the next steps because I had to bump over to the people at the open meeting.
080So, um, I'm I'm sure there are amazing next steps, but I don't know what they are. >> Hopefully, I get an update for next time. >> And I apologize. I had one more addin for IO because it is relevant to this group. Uh, one of the pieces we did discuss also was West Sub um and how that impacts our budget. Um, township uh assessor came in to actually talk to us about what it meant and I this is a flagging heads up that it actually does impact um the amount that we are receiving from last year. It could impact the amount going forward especially if it shifts to a nonprofit which pulls it off the rolls. um it mostly impacts um taxpayers because what they're not paying gets distributed out um but that is something
081for us to be aware of is that um what is happening with West can have ramifications for what we are looking at. >> Thank you. Sorry I forgot information. >> Yeah. >> Um PLC we met earlier this month so we have not had meetings since then. I think that might have been her last meeting of the school year and then Amanda. So yeah. Um >> she's at home. >> No, no, she's busy doing important work. But yeah, I think that was the last meeting. >> No, no, you're you're totally fine. I was I was making an assumption up here to say I think that was the last meeting of the school year. >> It was. We are done. Um they uh we had a really great PTO turnout at flash to kindergarten. Um >> we
082did. >> So we're just really grateful that they all showed up and connected with families and I know they're just really excited to connect with Dr. Brezahan. Um so I told them that when we reconvene with the new school year that we'll definitely be like going to meetings but also hopefully visiting some of those schools individually. >> Awesome. Thank you, Manda. Um, Edward, >> uh, we've not had a meeting since the last time we met, uh, since our last board meeting. We have one next Friday. Uh, just and then as an FYI, there is a workshop, a webinar tomorrow on the new mandate for mental health screening. So, uh, folks are all right. Looks like that. Oh, sorry. I lied. Can I do that? Sorry. Um, there is no agenda for next time. >> Oh,
083I scroll past that so quickly. That's a good thing. >> Yeah. Next uh next board meeting is going to be Tuesday, June 9th. Proposed items preview consent agenda as district repositories and signitories approval. Action items will be the early childhood collaboration contributions sharing memorandum of understandable opt and ultimate frisbee robotics which we discussed today consolidated district plan title one policy update annual contracts exceeding 25,000. So if you want a little bit more meat in that you have those links in u the agenda. agree more about that and ask questions to Patrick and he will disseminate them to the appropriate person. >> Patrick, will that be your last meeting as interim superintendent? >> I will be the last. So, I'll bring the tissue for all of you guys. >> Lots of y >> I'm not leaving
084up here every once in a while. I think we should make him laugh. Um, all right. With that, can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> I move that we >> second.