001We can come back down. >> I'll be typing the whole time properly. So to turn it off, I just push it. >> Yep. Okay. >> Yeah. But you would just need to remember to turn it back every time you spoke. I think you'll be okay. It really it shouldn't be that tap. >> Okay. That would then be like more. So don't for >> Okay. Yeah. Why don't we give it a >> It's a typical typing volume. Angry type. >> Got to grease those keys. >> Burn them out. >> Are we good? >> Is that not an issue? >> Awesome. Yeah, I couldn't hear it at all. Oh, >> Shannon's in Atlanta. >> Yes, someone responded. >> Uh, but she's deciding to work on her vacation. >> Yeah, she responded. Yeah. >> Okay, cool. I didn't
002say she responded, so I was like, "Well, at least I'll let you know." >> No, I appreciate that. Nope. She said, "Tell me a time." I said, "Yep." >> Yeah. I looked at the camera. I was like, "It's open." Exactly. >> Yeah. And I texted her about our trivia. >> Oh, yeah. >> Oh, she didn't tell you. Well, for Laura and I. >> I don't think we're gonna be able to do it this year for you. I know. >> I'll fit it in. I'll do it. >> You should. And you you should. Um and I can help you. I can help you out a little brighten it. We're having our first kid in uh You don't know this either? >> In September. >> No. >> Yeah. Wait, how do I not know? >> Shannon doesn't
003tell you. Shannon doesn't tell you anything. >> Well, no. >> Thank you. >> Boy, girl, do you know what? >> So, yeah. I I guess I figured when I texted Shannon this stuff, you would hear. I'll make sure I'll include a little instructions. >> Yeah, the communication row to row. Let's just do that. Especially for things that aren't related to the business. >> Yeah, I got you. >> It's water in case anyone wants any. I think I think Alex brought it. >> Secretary, >> I just wish that we had a little bit bigger of a room. We've got an overflow room set up. >> Well, that's good. >> Yeah. often at the middle often at the middle school, sometimes at the administrative building and sometimes at the high school. Uh the middle school is has
004a little bit bigger of an area, but this meeting probably would have been held at the admin building. So, >> this is the inaugural meeting at this building. In fact, Oh, thanks. It's peeking out. Is there a signup sheet circulating? >> Is it Is it all filled out? >> Okay, thanks. It's 6 o'clock. Like to call the meeting to order. Please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Alex, would you call the role? >> Mr. Mr. Deito >> here. >> Myself is present. Mr. Zantanut >> present. >> Mr. Rnner >> present. >> Miss Evans >> here. >> Miss Tomlinson >> present. >> Mr.
005Kppel. Mr. Kppel is absent. A quorum is established. >> As a general reminder, our board governs by policy aligned with state law. These policies are not just guidelines. They're legal and ethical obligations that ensure transparency, accountability, and consistent leadership. When policies no longer meet the district's needs, it's our responsibility to amend them within the bounds of the law to better serve our community. The board acts only as a whole in duly convened public meetings with a core and present. Outside of this structure, no individual member has authority. Adherence to policy protects the district from risk and ensures that all decisions are fair, lawful, and aligned with our strategic goals. Our mission is to empower all learners to succeed in their world. And our vision is to provide an ideal learning experience where students and staff
006are engaged and want to come back the next day. Our board policies and actions should reflect that mission and vision. I want to take a moment to thank all of the staff who put together this space for us. I know that it was a huge lift and you guys did an incredible job and hopefully uh everyone is um patient with some of the nuances to this new system as we go through it. Um for the audience to visitor section, there is a second room downstairs that has attendees with a live stream to be respectful of their right to public comment. Once we're finished with public comment in this room, we'll confirm that there are no other attendees who'd like to make public comment. Then we'll proceed with the remainder of the agenda. If you wish
007to address the board this evening, uh please raise your hand at this time. When called upon, kindly state your name and address and limit your comments to three minutes. In accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the board cannot engage in deliberative discussions or take immediate action on items not listed on the agenda. However, we want to ensure that your comments uh are heard and I want you to know that they are important to us and will be taken into consideration. For a maximum of 30 minutes during each regular and special open meeting of the board, members of the public and district employees may comment to ask questions of the board subject to reasonable constraints established and recorded in policy 2230. The time limit for public participation at a meeting may be extended upon the
008majority vote of the board members at the regular special meeting. Uh the board listens to comments or questions during public participation. Responses to comments to or questions of the board are most often managed through policy 33 or 330, the chain of command. The individuals appearing before the board are expected to follow the following guidelines. Address the board only at the appropriate time as indicated on the agenda and when recognized by the board president. This includes following the directives of the board president to maintain order and decorum for all. Use a sign-in sheet if possible. identify oneself by name and address and be brief. Ordinarily, comments should be limited to the three minutes and in unusual circumstances when an individual has made a request in advance, uh, speaking may extend past that. Uh, if multiple individuals
009wish to address the board on the same subject, a group is encouraged to appoint a spokesperson. Uh, members of the public are not allowed to seed time to other persons wishing to make public comments. Members of the public and or groups or other organizations are not allowed to seed time to other persons and/or groups or organizations in accordance with board policy 2220 meeting procedures guided by Robert's rules of order. This time would anyone like to address the board? >> Lisa Smith and you need an address. >> A name and address would be great. >> 1364 Axel Lane. >> Thank you. >> All right. I'm going to start a timer here so it's just easy for us. Yeah, of course. Sure. [Applause] >> Ready? >> Go for it. >> Hi everyone. I want to take you
010back to um February of 24. I don't know how many of you remember Steven Jamrod. He was hired by the high school to supervise the Spartan TV program and he was um eventually charged with six counts of aggravate aggravated battery against the students. Um so what happened was the police investigation started on 211 of last year. on 212 he was in the high school and I have talked to a uh a policeman friend of mine and I said is it normal policy to um tell a possible um perpetrator not to contact the victims in this case and they said he told me yes it is usual policy. Well, the problem with this is my daughter, he was in the building. My daughter texted me, she was 16 years old, and she said, "Jamro's in the
011building." And she said, "It's scary." And then she said, "Um, I can't believe they let a sexual assaulter in here." She was one of the girls that was the six counts. So, what she went to the office and she was told Jamrog was not in the building. I called the office and I was told by one of the admins that Jamrog was not in the building. So Lauren texted me again and I called again and I said, "I want to know what's going on at school right now." And then was finally told he was in the building from um a text one of the girls sent. It was at least 15 minutes he was in the building. They had no knowledge of it. He got in through the um TV station door and yet it's
012a regular key and um again they did not know he was there. The kicker is the next day Lauren was I didn't want to say her name. Um my daughter was interviewed by a detective at the Sycamore Police Department and I was talking to the detective afterwards. The police were not called at all at this time. Not at all. the police had no knowledge that he was in the building and the detective was was mad. Um, and I also uh, you know, in talking to the detective, I also need to just tell you that I have a master's degree from U of I and counseling. I have worked with sexual assault v victims. I have worked very closely with the Aurora police, went to trainings with them. I I know a lot about this subject
013and and this is what happened with this kid. And he was a kid. He was 20 years old when he was hired. The first year he was throwing parties for the girls, for the boys and girls. They had a prom because they were all 15 and 16. They all loved him. The next year the shenanigan started until it finally got to the point where one girl reported him. Okay, so he was charged on um 227, I believe. I I don't have that date down, but anyway, he was charged at some point. six points, six counts of aggre aggravated battery, which is punishable after three years in prison. Come forward to 215, which by the way, the paper did not support this. >> I appreciate your comment, but we have to stop so we can allow
014time for other public speakers, but thank you. >> That's three minutes already. >> It is. >> Oh my god, that's only half of it. >> You move to extend that. >> I mean, there is a it's it's complex. >> Is there a motion to extend? >> I would move to extend her time. >> I'll second it. Thank you. >> Second. All in favor? >> I >> We'll add another three minutes. >> That should be enough. Um the problem is you had an administrator in the office at the high school saying he wasn't in the building. How what's the first thought that comes to everybody's mind? The first thought that came to my mind was he could have gone in there with a gun or a knife and they all would have been dead. All of
015them. Because nobody knew he was there and then they did not act on it. The police should have been immediately called and they should have locked down the school. Okay, that's last year. 215 of this year, he gets sentenced. A group of the kids go. I could not be there, but a group of the kids go. He got sentenced to 10 months of counseling, $3,200 of restitution, and um he will have six felony charges reduced to one battery charge, which is a misdemeanor, which will be taken off his record if he completes the counseling and behaves himself. So he could conceivably go into another school and do this again cuz he will have a clean record. So I had talked to the state's attorney that was on the case, Joe Hatter, and I also had
016a long call with Riley Anen, and both of them told me that. I said, "We knew nothing. Got a notice a couple days before they were going to sentence him. There was nothing in the paper." I said, "What you know, how did you come to this sentence?" and he said, "We met with school school officials and it was decided that he was a weird and awkward kid, but there was no sexual component to his behavior." Okay, I know what happened to those girls. And I'll tell you one of the lesser things. He would take a six-year-old girl, hold her onto his lap, and hold her there. Now, what part of that doesn't say sexual component, but says weird and awkward and the school officials had a point in deciding that this was what he was.
017And I would also state he was hired at the middle school before he worked at the high school. He came to the high school when he was 20 or 21. If he was weird and awkward, why was he put in a position to have control and power over a group of younger children? He should not have been in that. Plus, I I don't know what kind of education he had. the man that's in that position now has a four-year degree in in TV production or whatever, why they hired him or what he did, but it was seems to me very very bad judgment. So, that pretty much is what I wanted to say. I think we need to to think about what kind of people administrators we have in the schools. I think they missed
018it every part of the way. I think they brushed this business with he getting in the building under the cover, under the blanket, and hoping it would go away. And um it's not and I can't tell you how angry I am that they made this decision that he was weird and awkward and he is going to go free with a clean record in another year. That's it. Thank you >> very much. Appreciate your comments. >> Thank you. >> Is there anyone else from the public would like to address the board? >> Yes, please. Would you please state your name and address? Um Marvin Barnes 1549 Daniel Court. >> Thank you. >> Would you like to approach the board or are you comfortable there? >> Oh, okay. Great. >> Yep. Oh, of course. Absolutely. >> Good
019evening. My name is Marvin Barnes and lifetime resident of Sycamore graduate of Sycamore High School. um raised four boys, all graduate of Sycamore. And I just want to I'm just here kind of as a cheerleader for for those of you who are sitting in this position here because and many years ago I sat in your position. I was a school board member and I was also president of the school board. So um we went through some it was the late 80s early 90s. We had been through some difficult times. So, I normally don't come to the schoolboard meetings as you probably know, but I I came here tonight only because there's um an emergency or what I would term special meeting uh called and I have no idea what's going on and I have you
020know feelings maybe I don't know but I am here to say you know thank you for what you do. It's and especially there's some new board members on here. Um, and we have a relatively new school board president. I've been in your seat. I've been in Michael's seat for several years. And and it's a it's a it's a very, very rewarding job. It's not really a job. You're all volunteers. 90% of the people in Sycamore don't realize that you don't you don't get paid. It's volunteer only. And uh and I just want to say thank you to each of you. Whatever comes out of tonight, whatever decisions you make, remember there's strength in unity and a strength a strong board is a good perception to the community. So I'm just here to say thank you
021for what you do. >> Much appreciate your public comment. Is there anyone else from the public who would like to address the board at this time? >> Hi, good evening. My name is David Olsen. I live at 305 Grant Street here in Sycamore. I am a longtime community member. Um, and I'm here to speak based off of months and years of reading through minutes since I departed the district, stayed current in it because I live here, because I love education. So I'm here to speak on what appears to be a total dismantling of this institution by seven board members sitting in front of us and to ask the board if they have forgotten their why. The students as the district's missions or the students or as the district mission states the learners the ones you
022all are supposed to be empowering all of them to succeed in their world. as an individual who worked in this district for nearly 15 years and is a product of this school district just like at least se five of you are also um it is unfortunate to see what you are doing to this institution um I was fortunate to work alongside our previous superintendent during the last update of the strategic plan during that time I learned uh and was shared lots of information how our mission was chosen why it is who we are um and that mission statement was meant uh for them to the students and heard from prior sorry it came down to the fact that this community cares about the education of our students. I also listened to this repeatedly as I
023would give tours of Sycamore High School graduate classes during their class reunions uh class reunion weekend. Somehow I was an official tour guide of that. Um in recent months this board has worked diligently to erase the work of the board members who came before you. The ones that are listed on those plaques right there. Um and again five of you um those members have volunteered their time so the school system would fulfill its mission to be successful in our world. Um having attended numerous board meetings for nearly the last 20 years. The spider sense immediately is alerted when your regular board meeting in June was canceled within two days of the window of the agenda being posted and the date of the meeting. and then this week announcing a special board meeting on a Friday
024at 6:00 p.m. with a single nonconsent action item related to the employment contract of the superintendent 3 weeks before school starts. You are failing this community, this staff, and the learners of this community you serve. >> Thank you very much for your public comments. Appreciate it. Is there anyone else from the public who'd like to address the board at this time? Would you please state your name and address? Mason Dukes, president of 1719 Street in >> Thank you, Mason. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Mason Dukes, and I'm a proud graduate of Sycamore High School, class of 2021. I've always taken great pride in saying I'm a product of Sycamore schools. This district shaped me not just academically, but as a person. It gave me opportunities, lifelong mentors, and a strong sense
025of community. Over the years, I've had my share of agreements and disagreements with the decisions made by Sycamore's leadership and then its board. But even in moments of disagreement, I felt a sense of mutual respect and an underlying commitment to do right by our students and staff. That trust in Sycamore's values is what led me to return, not as an alum, but as an employee. I loved this district enough to come back and work for it for the past two and a half years as the communication specialist, a role that I have recently left. That's why it is beyond disappointing now to watch the same district I believed in and worked for be pulled into a downward spiral. A spiral driven not by necessity by by po poor decision-making and individuals chasing authority at the
026expense of this community, its dedicated faculty, and its students. It's frankly disheartening to witness a board that ran on promises of transparency and fiscal responsibility call a meeting with zero public announcement until it was called upon them by the members of the community. From a communications perspective, my area of expertise, this is an unprofessional, tonedeaf, and nearly impossible to explain to the public in good faith. This isn't how responsible governance looks. It's a communications nightmare. And more than that, it's a betrayal of trust in this community that has placed it in you. Though I may no longer be a true resident of Sycamore as I have now moved on to bigger and better things with school in Chicago and I may not be serving as your communication specialist, I will always care about this district.
027This community raised me. The school system laid the foundation for everything I've worked for and achieved. And to see it now reduced to something resembling a fiery car crash you can't look away from. It's both painful and maddening. The truth is what's happening here isn't just disappointing. It's disgraceful. The choices being made by this board are reckless, self- serving, and deeply harmful. You are not leading. you are eroding eroding trust, eroding morale, and eroding the reputation of a district that once stood for excellence. If this is what leadership looks like now, chaotic and unaccountable, then I want no part of it, and neither should anyone who actually gives a damn about Sycamore. Thank you. >> Thank you very much for your public comment. Is there anyone else from the audience who'd like to address the
028board at this time? All right, seeing no one in this room, we're going to close this audience participation. I'm going to go check downstairs. So, if you wouldn't mind just briefly. Thank you guys for your patience. It's just not bad. Take it all down. Yes, we have one speaker from downstairs who'd like to address the board. Kindly, would you state your name and address? >> Greg Dario, 1040 Samok. >> Thank you very much. >> I've been to a lot of these meetings over the last seven or eight years. Uh I've been to a lot of meetings in my time in the community. I've watched the board turn over entirely from the board that was constituted when I got here 11 years ago. Uh, and just hearing this idea of this board not being transparent, this
029board leading us down a downward spiral just kind of hit me where I live in a way I I don't speak at these things. I I never do. And I just I don't know. The actions this board has taken show more transparency than any board that I've witnessed in my time here. There are community members and school teachers that are involved in subcommittees. Uh agendas have the policies that are connected to action items stated on them. The documents for the the um meetings are posted after the fact where you can actually look at them. Uh there seems to be way more transparency than I've ever seen before uh in my time in this district. And it is disheartening to hear people come up here and say that bad things are happening and horrible things are
030occurring when in my mind and to the actions that I've witnessed uh since this board has uh come into its current constitution has been the exact opposite. Every board member has had meetings with sea members and leadership to open lines of communication. Uh they have been willing to listen to the things that we are saying uh and trying to understand where we're coming from. Uh and that in my mind doesn't speak to a lack of transparency. Uh it speaks to more transparency than I've seen in the past uh from this institution. So thank you. >> Thank you very much for your public comment. We appreciate it. >> Is there anyone else from the audience who'd like to address the board at this time? >> Seeing no further members, we will move on to the next
031item on the agenda. The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda composed of item 4.01 bills payable and 4.02 personnel report. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as proposed? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? >> Seeing no discussion, Alex, would you call the role, please? Sure. >> Mr. Deito. Yes, >> myself. Yes, >> Mr. Xanu. >> Yes, >> Mr. Rnnery. >> Yes, >> Miss Evans. >> Yes, >> Miss Tomlinson. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> The next item on the agenda is item 5.01, approval of the superintendent amended employment agreement. Is there a motion to approve the superintendent amended employment agreement as proposed? Some moved. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Seeing no discussion, Alex, would you call the role? >> Mr.
032Devito, >> yes. >> Myself, yay. Mr. Zanut, >> yes. >> Mr. Rnnery, >> yes. >> Miss Evans, >> yes. >> Miss Tomlinson, >> yes. >> Motion carried. >> Board of Education and Mr. Wilder have reached a mutual agreement regarding a leadership transition and consequently Mr. Wilder will conclude his service as superintendent effective at the close of business on March 31st, 2026. The board thanks Mr. Wilder for exemplary service to the district and wishes him well in his future endeavors. The board emphasizes a collaborative and transparent approach, one that truly values the perspectives of our dedicated teachers, administrators, building leadership, the superintendent, and the entire district 427 community. With this in mind, the board is pleased to outline the following interim arrangements. Consistent with the district's succession plan, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Educational Programs,
033Nick Ronic, will serve as the acting superintendent. The board of education will collaborate closely with the Illinois Association of School Boards to facilitate the interview and hiring process for the next superintendent, incorporating input from students, teachers, administration, and the 427 community. As we navigate this period of transition, we respectfully request the patience and understanding of our administration, staff, educators, students, and the broader 427 community. We're steadfast in our commitment to address any concerns and ensure a seamless changeover. >> Is there a motion to go into executive session for the following exemp exemptions? Exemption 12c8, security procedures, school building safety and security, and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property. Uh, exemption 2C10,
034the placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students. Exemption 2C1, the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or other dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors uh in an educational setting. >> So moved. >> Seconded. >> Been seconded. Alex, did you call the role? >> Mr. Devito? >> Yes. >> Myself? >> Yes. Mr. Zanu? >> Yes. >> Mr. Regary? >> Yes. >> Miss Evans? >> Yes. >> Miss Tomlinson? >> Yes. >> Motion carried. Thank you all for coming out. Yeah, I don't think I signed reset the room. I know. So, we are live. >> Yeah, we got back on the charger just >> thank We're back in open session. This meeting stands adjourned. >> All right.