Valley View CUSD 365u Board Meeting 4/14/2025

001All right. All right. I don't think Here we go. All right. You guys want water? [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Good evening. Welcome to the April 14th regularly scheduled Valley View School Board meeting. I would ask that you silence your phones, rise and join us in the pledge of allegiance led by a member of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Welcome to spirit week, hence the jackets and what have you. I didn't know I could have worn my Cardinals jersey, but apparently that was the thing. So, uh, let's get down to the agenda. Board affirmation statement. Vice President Zack. Our mission is to empower every learner to be college, career, and life ready to develop,

002grow, and achieve as a productive citizen. Thank you. Agenda, Dr. Pollson. Yes. Thank you, board. Uh, PresidentWigley, tonight we are seeking your approval as the agenda is presented. So, move. Second. Motion and seconded. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. Post. Same. Sign. The eyes have it. Student staff recognition. Spotlight video. Diana Lugo, Independence Elementary, fifth grade school teacher. As the video is getting queued up, we're excited to spotlight Miss Diana Lugo at Independence Elementary, who is a fifth grade dual language teacher. When we have a 3D figure, the whole point of volume is we're trying to figure out how much we can fill or pack inside. That could be liquid. I like think of it as liquid, right? How much water can go in there?

003And our volume formula is length time width time height. The environment I'm trying to create is one that's inclusive and one that's welcoming. And I feel like that's very very important. And I also make sure that they have a lot of ownership when it comes to their learning. Now that they're fifth graders, they have more responsibility. I'm like, you can do this. You are telling me what you want. like for the lesson that we're doing for math today, it's one that we are reviewing because I noticed that um they still needed a lot of support and at the end of the day on Friday, I asked them, "What do you want to do for our lesson? What's going to help you? What's going to make you be successful? [Music] We might all be Latinos, but

004we all have sometimes different backgrounds. We all don't have the same family dynamics. So, having them come here and know like when you are here, I am here for you. Your friends are here for you. We're all here for each other. whatever else is happening out there, like you can forget about it here because right now, right here, this is all about you and this is all about you being successful. And so I always seek to make sure that they see themselves in the curriculum, that they see themselves in me, they see themselves within their books, they see themselves within their friends in order to create that environment where they feel confident, they feel welcomed, and they feel like they're included. How do you help your students become empathetic citizens? It's okay to have all

005these big emotions. Like anything that they're feeling, everything is valid. I like to tell them that like whatever you're feeling, it's okay to feel. It's normal. And whatever you're feeling, I bet you somebody else in this class is also feeling it as well. So, I'm always telling them like you have to put yourself in other people's shoes. Like, if you do this, what's going to be the effect? What effects are you going to have long lasting? Okay. So, you might think that this is a joke or you might think that this is funny, but how do you think other people feel? Would you like that? Share with us what your experience was as a student, as a multil- language learner. I had to be out of my comfort zone. I had to face a lot

006of challenges. And once I was able to do that and I was able to learn the language and get a grasp of the language, I was able to flourish. I was able to grow a lot. And so being able to go through elementary, middle school, and high school with such amazing teachers that gave me the support was what made me the student and the teacher that I am today. One, because I felt comfortable to be myself and like take risks. And two, because of them, I was able to have role models that I'm like, I want to be like that when I grow up. I want to be a teacher like that. I want to be a teacher who accepts me for my mistakes and accept and celebrates me when I make growth. As we

007look around your classroom on some days, even in your attire, we know that you are a person that is fascinated by Star Wars. Why? I love Star Wars. It was like the biggest thing for me growing up. I remember when the prequels came out when I was younger and that is literally I would watch um Revenge all the time and that's how I learned English. I would just watch the prequels over and over again and you would think that like I was out here being like a little seven-year-old and being like Anakin this is not the way of the force and everybody's like that's the things that you decide to learn for English that's the first thing but it really is such a huge thing I saw myself in it cuz I love sci-fi I

008love being the underdog I love being like oh the idea of becoming the hero even though you're the underdog and just I just loved it the the world, the world building. The the students know that I love my little Grou, my little baby Yoda, so they're always bringing me like little baby Yoda stuff. But it really is seeing myself in like, hey, like I'm also an underdog. Like, I can also be a hero. Can be a Jedi. Oh my god, I can be a Jedi. Which one of the nine episodes is the best? Oh my gosh, that's a great question. Oh, that is so hard. That is so hard. Have to pick one. I have to pick one. It has to be Revenge of the [Applause] Sith. She gets an A for enthusiasm. Uh, moving

009down the agenda, 5.2, Girls All State Romeoville High School. I think I be Are they up there? Yeah, they are. Come on down. [Applause] Good evening everyone. Uh for those who may not know who I am, my name is Devon Friend and uh I am the new head girls basketball coach here at Romeoville High School. Um I would like to first off I would like to first off start by giving a special thanks to the board for having us here uh this evening. Uh it's truly an honor to be here. Um I would also like to give a special thanks to Mike Strode um our athletic director and principal Derek Kinder uh for supporting our girls basketball program in the way that they do. Um, I would also like to give a special thanks to

010coach Devin Bates for taking me under his wing and entrusting me with the Romeoville Lady Spartans program. Uh, just to give some context everyone, last year our program had a historical season uh where we swept conference and we finished our 23-24 season uh with the record of 28 and three. [Applause] Now, I'm glad you guys are clapping because this season was a little different. Now, uh going into our 24 25 season, over 80% of our program would be freshman. So, going into this season, uh my coaching staff and myself knew that player development was going to be the primary focal point. Um, and since Kazaria was one of our returning players from the previous season, I had a one-on-one conversation with her in the very beginning of the season. Um, in this conversation, I basically

011expressed that uh this season would definitely be focused around teaching uh for our program and I informed her that her role as one of our two leaders would be crucial and extremely important for setting the tone and the standard for our younger girls in our program. Uh Kazaria of course will gladly accept her role but she would far exceed it and all the expectations we had as a coaching staff. Um Kazaria with that being said she had a tremendous 24-25 season. Uh she averaged 29 points this season. She was Max Prep's number two scorer in the state. Um, just to give some context on some of her crazy performances, uh, she had 58 points against Thornwood in the Oaklan Thanksgiving tournament. Um, she had 39 of those points at halftime. Uh, she had 46 points

012against Neapville Central, 42 points against Juliet West, 41 points against Planefield South, uh, 39 points against Asiggo, and she would also have two other 37 point games this season. Um she was ranked uh top 60 in the state according to girls prep hoops. Um she was also um nominated number one uh a first team all conference. Um she was also nominated first team all tournament in all three tournaments that we had uh this season. Uh averaging 30 points in all three tournaments. Um and uh she was also uh named Prep Girls Hoops Dr. edition national player of the week. Uh and she was a nominee for Sports Illustrated most underrated girls high school basketball players in the country. Uh [Applause] now with all that being said, she would also uh conclude this season uh of

013course making third team all state. [Applause] So, with all that being said, I'm very humbled uh to be here serving in the capacity uh of course as coach uh for our young ladies here. Uh I am also extremely proud of Kazaria Smith for being a great example of what a true student athlete uh both on and off the court looks like. Uh, I am also extremely excited for what the future of this game of basketball holds for her. Uh, I wish her nothing but the best this AAU season and I cannot wait for what is in store her 24-25 senior season. Uh, congrats Z. [Applause] All right. IESA girls volleyball state qualifier. Brooks Middle School. All right. Good evening. Good evening. Uh, thank you board presidentwigley, esteemed board members, senior leadership, and Dr. Pollson, as

014well as our community members. My name is Patrick McInness, and I am the proud principal of Brooks Middle School. Um, I'm excited to be here tonight to recognize our eighth grade girls state qualifying volleyball team. Let's give them a round of applause. [Applause] These young ladies are leaders both on the court and in the classroom. We are so proud of their accomplishments and we are excited to take time tonight to recognize their achievements. I would also like to take a moment to recognize our coaching staff, Coach Broad and Coach P. Coach P is a leader in our PE department here or at Brooks Middle School and is also a coach. He coaches three sports at Brooks and has been at Brooks for a while now. Right. Coach P has worked hard. He is now currently

015in track season. Um, and he is a leader with our staff and with our community as a whole. Um, so without further ado, Coach P to introduce our [Applause] girls. Good evening, members of the board of education, Superintendent Dr. would parents and all our guests. Um I promised Mr. McInness I'm not going to go off script. Too late. I already did. So here we go. Um first of all, thank you. Um see this is the part that stinks because I always tell my kids um men don't cry, they sweat through their eyes. Okay? So, if you ever see anybody out there and that's like, "Hey, stop sweating. It's okay. You're going to be all right." All right. Um, just a huge thank you uh first to my wife uh for putting up with me. Okay.

016Uh, three sports. That's not easy. Those of you who have spouses that are coaches, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Okay. Um, uh, next, uh, secondly, thank you to all the parents for their dedication. Um, I've had parents drive for over an hour just to get their kids to a game that was more or less meaningless, but they were at a tournament. They still wanted to make it. So, that's this is why we're here because that dedication from the parents and from the students kind of is reflected by um by everything. So, thank you so much uh to all the parents who have made all the trips uh with us. Uh finally, a few things about these girls. 3.74 [Applause] Um maybe other than the Scholastic Ball, I dare any team to beat that.

017Okay, good luck. Um this is the cumulative GPA of our team. Um six of the girls are above 4.0. [Applause] Yep. And we always talk about the definition of a student athlete. Well, there they are. Okay. Uh their grit, hard work, and class was um was perfectly matched with the same dedication on the court. All right. So, let's go ahead and meet some of the outstanding representatives or of View Brooks Middle School. First, uh I also would like to a give a good big shout out to uh Coach Broad. He's the one that coached them in seventh grade. They came one game away from being where these girls made it. And I think that made him so tough and so determined to be here this time. He's having a baby any hour, so we're gonna

018give him a break. Okay. All right. Um, so we have two athletes who were not able to make it out here, so I'm going to acknowledge them. First, um, Arya Subeti, she was our right side. And Alexis Harvin, she was also our right side. [Applause] No, I'm not nervous at all. It's okay. You guys are fine. All right, here we go. Um, starting off, I have five seventh graders. So, we might be seeing you guys again next year, so you guys got big shoes to fill. Don't disappoint. Here we go. Um, so first one, let's introduce the seventh graders who will be back. Um, our libero Ellie Rodriguez. [Applause] outside. Sierra [Applause] Younglo, our DS, Vanessa [Applause] Sprinciana, Setter, Mila Weiss, and our middle, Chloe Romero. [Applause] And now our outstanding eighth graders who are

019going to do awesome at the high school. So, Mr. Surf, you're welcome. All right. Um our outside Maya Vergara Setter Sa Middle [Applause] Reed middle Denny Ball outside one of our captains Siana Kennan Diaz Yes, Mia [Applause] Vargas all around. You need a player, put her there. Isabelle [Applause] Delator and our middle Samira [Applause] Tambajang. Thank you. [Applause] All right, moving down the agenda. Bowling state qualifiers. Humphrey Lucans Martinez Middle Schools. Hello everyone. I am Coach Martin. I am the middle school bowling coach. Um, and this is Mr. Alan Kirkland with me. Uh, last year we launched a pilot bowling program here at Lucanzik. And to our excitement, we did have two students last year who qualified for state. Building on that momentum, we did expand it to an entire district program and we have

020every middle school represented in our bowling program. So there is a child from every single middle school bowling in our program. From opening this district-wide initiative, we welcome 30 new young athletes, each proudly representing one of our five middle school middle schools. What makes our program truly special isn't just what happens on the lanes. It's the incredible support from our community. Through bowling, we've brought our district together as one unified family. Parents have been there every step of the way, showing up to practices and tournaments, ensuring their children have the right equipment, and encouraging them to thrive. But this program goes far beyond the strikes and spares. We've built a community where we share stories, triumphs, challenges, and state qualifiers. Of our 30 bowlers, half have never competed before, and many started by bowling with

021family and leagues, and learning from a parent who loved the game. There have been many athletes who grew tremendously, participating in multiple tournaments, earning scholarship money that they can use later on in their collegiate career and gaining much experience. Every athlete on our team is officially a sanctioned bowler by USBC. We practice hard. Yes, thank you. It's a huge honor for them. Um, we practice really hard, learning not just technique and lane etiquette, how to score, but how to compete with integrity. Now, it is time for me to recognize our five state qualifiers. I'm going to give you their season high, and their season high is out of 300. So, the highest score that you can get in a bowling game is 300. So, if you hear anything over a two or close to it,

022that is a phenomenal game. Um, if you if you're not an avid bowling scorer. All right, the first student today is Devin Kirkland. He has a season high of 275. You know, He is a state qualifier, a first place at homer invite two years in a row. Devon advanced to the state finals this year and that medal he is wearing was from him placing eighth overall in the entire state of Illinois. Our next athlete is Valerie K with a high game of 232. Valerie is a state qualifier. She placed fourth in the Homer invite out of 62 students and eighth in the Troy invite. She also placed eighth overall at state and earned herself an IESa medal for our district. Our next athlete is AJ Dole with a high game of 213. A state qualifier

023who placed ninth in the homer invite and eighth at the Troy invite. AJ also qualified for state finals. Our next athlete is Ariana McCallum. A high game of 203. She's a state qualifier, placed 10th at state, earning herself a medal. Ariana also placed 28th at the Troy invite and 14th at the Homer invite. She also made it to state [Applause] finals. And our last athlete here with us tonight is Brandon K. Brandon is our only he is our only fifth grader to qualify for state. Brandon has a high game of 219. He placed seventh in the homer invite, 13th in the Troy invite, and not only qualified for state, but made it to the finals as a fifth [Applause] grader. And I also want to show you what the impact of working hard and showing

024up and providing this program to our students means. We have one student, the first week of bowling, she averaged 61 as her score. At sectionals, she bowled a 151. We are incredibly proud of every one of these student athletes. Their dedication, perseverance, and love for the game have been nothing short of inspiring. With the overwhelming success of the program in such a short time, we really hope that we can work towards recognizing ISA bowling as a sport. Bowling Brook High School and Romeoville High School will be fortunate to have these athletes that stand before you today. Join me in congratulating their phenomenal efforts. [Applause] I know I couldn't vote. 203. Uh, moving down the agenda, treasures report. Mr. Renish, if you would please. Thank you. Uh the treasur's action report 6.1 for the month of

025March includes the normal schedule of financial reports, balance sheet, summary of revenue, expenditures, interim obligations, and debt service payments totaling 10,748,47163 payments for your approval. Is there a motion? Second. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, hearing none, roll call vote, please. Member Campbell, yes. Member Hy, yes. Member Sutterland, yes. Member Beduris, yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach, yes. PresidentWigley, yes. 6.2. Mr. Renich, schedule of bills for the month of April. We have seven funds totaling bills payable 5 million $34,63166 for your approval. A motion. So move. Motion seconded. Any discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. Roll call vote, please. Member Hy, yes. Member Sutherland, yes. Member Buris, yes. Member Campbell, yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach, yes. PresidentWigley, yes. Mr. Renich, 6.3. In your packet, you have

0266.3, a summary of investments uh for the month of March along with 6.4 4 state funding update 6.5 all schools trust account activity. This is anformational agenda item. As always, if you have any questions on those items, talk to Mr. Renich. Moving down the agenda, consent agenda items. Dr. Pollson. Yes. Thank you, President Quigley. Tonight, we are seeking your approval on eight consent agenda items. That is 7.1 board meeting minutes from March 24th, 2025. 7.2 2 Executive session me meeting minutes March 24th 2025 7.3 gift for Beverly Scoff Elementary School 7.4 recommendation to extend related services contract for Easter sales Joliet region 7.5 Romeoville High School trip 7.6 the gift for Jamie McGee Elementary School 7.7 gifts for Romeoville High School and 7.8 8 gifts for Avido Martinez Middle School. Is there a motion? So

027move. Motion and seconded. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Member Sutherland, yes. Member Burus, yes. Member Campbell, yes. Member Hy, yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zack, yes. PresidentWigley, yes. Uh, moving down the agenda, leazison reports. Any for my right? Any from the left? None. Uh, quick update in Springfield legislative update. Legislatively is on the Illinois General Assembly is on vacation this week. The House will return the following week and the Senate will take another week off. As I recall, they have moved about 650 pieces of legislation from one house to the next, which will start when they get back. Uh there is ongoing budget discussions about the amount of revenue the state of Illinois may have. Uh obviously if they have less money that could impact revenues for education. Uh we will

028continue to keep an eye on that as the session winds down. So that is that uh audience participation. Is anybody Oops. Oh I'm sorry. student ambassador. James Estrada, please give us what you got. Thank you. Thank you. Uh first off, good evening. Um members of the board, uh senior council, uh and to the community, thank you all for coming out. Uh first, let us start with a moment of silence to honor Mrs. Natalie White, our beloved RHS Dean of Students. Thank you. Next, welcome to our first annual VVSDwide spirit week. Make sure to follow along with the unity across the community with the hashtag VVSDU united. Not next. Thanks to the Romeoville and Bowling Brook High School staff and students for completing their first digital ACT last week. So, we can give a round of

029applause for them. Next, thank you to Vice President Zach and Secretary Sakura for their time on the board. Can we get another round of applause for them? Good luck to the Skills USA from both high schools at the state [Applause] meet. Following Skills USA, our spring sports are in full swing, so make sure to check out the school website for more details on schedules. I've heard both high schools are doing exceptionally well this year. Uh next, uh seniors, the final last six weeks of school before graduation are upon us. Let's make sure to finish our senior year strong. Next, uh talk day is going to happen at our house tomorrow on Tuesday. Make sure to pay attention to any updates for more information on what happens next. Congratulations to our younger schools for completing their

030AR state testing. We are all proud of [Applause] you. This goes out to especially community community and family. Make sure to download student square and parent square to keep up with school news. Next, BHS ambassador Jerel Tipe won first place for his short fiction story at the Southwest Prairie Conference Literary Festival. [Applause] and BHS's FCCLA or Family Career and Community Leaders of America just finished up at state and Isabelle Scott placed first in Shakuri, another one of our BHS ambassadors. Moving on to old business, BHS and RHS student ambassadors visited their own respective elementary and middle schools to take pictures with the hashtag BVSDU united. For new business sophomores, make sure to keep an eye out for applications to be sent out by your schools to become a student ambassador. And now for my final

031sign off. First, I want to say thank you to everyone who made the board ambassadors program possible. Back in December of 2023 when I first spoke in front of the board, I believed I was helping lay the groundwork for future students of EVSD. So to now be sitting here after visiting schools across the district and helping set the stage for future generations of Valley View students has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout the way. Just to name a few, the goated and honorable support of Mr. Herder, Mrs. Eman, Mrs. Gage, Mrs. Captor, Mrs. Augle, vice principles Mrs. Agizio and Mrs. Smith and Principal Kinder. And of course, thank you to my mom and dad for always supporting and challenging me to be the best I could be in

032this role. [Applause] [Music] Speak Speaking of my dad, he doesn't know this, but he inspired me to take this position with a simple phrase he's told me since I was a kid for all of my life. If it's worth doing once, it's worth doing right. With that said, I have to be honest. I didn't always live up to that saying. As I'm sure you all know, the duties of the student ambassadors shifted completely throughout the year. There were moments when instead of clear guidance and space to create ideas that could better support student life, we were left confused about what we could actually do while maintaining school support. We joined the board to help improve the district. That mission includes embracing hard conversations and acknowledging different perspectives, especially around the conditions faced by students, staff,

033and the wider community. I'm incredibly proud that we were able to move forward with the district-wide spirit week. But I'll also say this, the time and effort it took to make that even that small victory feel heavier than it should have. Speaking for myself, this year felt underwhelming in terms of what we accomplished. However, we have learned a lot. We learned that while there is a lot of unity within our community, there's still hate. We've seen students try to try to raise their voice and get targeted at board meetings. Students of different races, members of the LGBTQ plus community, and students from different economic backgrounds. To those students and to the community members affected by those comments, we know that we stand with you. And to those [Applause] Thank you. And to those who judge

034or target others for being different, I hope you take this as a chance to grow, to understand that different does not mean wrong. Many of you were here today, or many of you here today know what happened at the last board meeting, so I won't rehash it. But I will say this, the events of that evening go deeper than just that moment. Since then, the biggest request I've heard from students, faculty, and community members alike has been simple. Clarity based on facts. From what I've seen as a student ambassador, I can say this. Politics and favoritism have stirred a lot of emotions that we've seen at board meetings from the beginning of the year, even before then and still today. I'm leaving a lot out and I know some may be frustrated by what I've

035said, but I speak from my perspective and with the input of community members we were asked to listen to from day one. As we kick off our first annual district-wide spirit week, let's remember the unity and diversity that makes VVSD special [Applause] to to the community, to students, and especially my fellow ambassadors, I leave you with this. Challenge the status quo. Hear your own voice. know when to say enough is enough. Call [Applause] out Call out those who should be held accountable. So don't be afraid to be uncomfortable because if it's worth doing once, it's worth doing right. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, James. Moving down the uh agenda, audience participation. If you wish to address the board this evening, please uh just be kind to announce your name and your where you're from. Uh

036please keep your comments to five minutes or less. If you're saying something, there's a lot of people who want to speak this evening. If you're saying something's already been said, please encapsulate your comments. Uh this is not necessarily a back and forth between the board. We are here to listen to hear what you have to say and we will obviously we will observe decorum. So if people are speaking please in the audience let them speak and say their piece uh and everyone else will have you will have the same uh opportunity. So uh with that said please come on down state your name where you're from. Hello. I'll scoot over here so you all can see me. Good evening, members of the board, superintendent, and all of these amazing community members who have joined us.

037My name is Elena, and I come before you tonight both as a parent of multiple students in Valley View School District and as the founder and chair of Bowling Brook Pride. I'm here to speak in strong support of the district's inclusive, affirming policies for transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse students. There has been a recent complaint filed against this district and our um state school board asserting that policies supporting transgender students are in violation of Title 9. But let me be clear, these policies save lives. [Applause] They create safety, belonging, and dignity for every student, which is the very spirit of Title 9. This complaint weaponizes fear and misunderstanding in an attempt to roll back protections that countless students rely on to simply exist and learn without fear. But fear is not a valid legal argument,

038and it's certainly not a justification to deny any child the right to use the bathroom, join a sports team, or be addressed by the name and pronouns that reflect who they are. Our school district has done the hard work of listening, learning, and leading with compassion. Your policies acknowledge that students thrive when they are seen, heard, and affirmed. You've sent a message to every LGBTQ plus student that they matter. That message is not just brave. It's necessary. As a mother, I want all children, including mine, to grow up in a world where kindness wins over cruelty and inclusion wins over ignorance. And as someone who works every day to create a safer, stronger, more united community, I know that this district is on the right path. Please do not allow fear-based rhetoric to derail the

039incredible progress we have made. Stand firm in support of our LGBTQ plus students. Uphold these affirming policies. Let the community continue to be a place where every student, regardless of gender identity, can learn, grow, and be their authentic self. Thank you for your leadership, your courage, and your care. I encourage everyone here to stand up and applaud our wonderful district. Thank you. Thank you all for being here. [Applause] Hello, my name is Allison Wold. I'm back and just for the record, I do have stage fright and this is my third time speaking at the board meeting. So, um, so, um, I am here to speak on behalf of my long I've been a longtime LGBTQ ally and a proud parent of a trans son um that attends school here in the district at Jane Adams

040Middle School. And um without the the support of Valley View and the professionals at Jane Adams, I don't know if we would be in the place that we are. Um we they have made sure that my son is safe. If we've had concerns, they've addressed them right away. Um and so we are so very happy for Valley View and the staff that um are are with them and we really appreciate um them. they've actually kind of um a couple of staff have called us out as parents trying to move us along in the right direction. Um so thank you so much so very much for all that you do. Thank you [Applause] again. Hey there. Uh my name is Bob Scrazina. I'm a lifelong brook resident. Um, I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but then

041you went and thanked your dad, and no one ever thinks their dad, and that's awesome. So, thank you for that. We didn't give birth or nothing, but you know, we were there. Um, I'm not a public speaker at all. Um, I'm a writer, and writers hate talking out loud, but more importantly, I'm a father and if it wasn't for this school district, I don't know if my daughter would be here. My [Applause] My parents closed on their house in Bowling Brook in October of 1979 and I came along a month later. I was quite literally born into Valley View School District. I was raised in it and I thrived in it. I attended North View Elementary BJ Ward when it was still a middle school and Romeoville High School. I was readied for life beyond

042the classroom by every type of instructor and teaching method, oftentimes tailored directly to my learning style, which was always difficult. I never felt I was anything other than valued and safe. It's why I was so eager to enroll my children here. But I'm not here to talk about myself. I simply felt the fact that the individual and the unique experience is what VVSD has always valued should be kept front of mind this evening. But my kids, they're they're the reason I'm here. And my transdaughter in [Applause] particular, gender fluid and she was able to emote. My daughter has never backed down from being who she truly is. In 2018, she came back from spring uh sorry, from summer break with a new pair of gym shoes, clothes, a new backpack, and a new name and

043set of pronouns. Before the year started, I took her teacher aside to give the heads up on all the newness. I was planning on speaking to the principal next, but was assured that I had nothing to worry about, and by the next morning, everything would be just fine. as any parent would. Of course, I went right away and called the principal anyway. Before I could ask any questions though, Mr. Valencia, who was just amazing, uh, told me everything I needed to know. Everything really had been taken care of. I had nothing to worry about, and neither did my child. Any parent knows how emotional it can be to hear the words, "Your child is loved and will be protected." But when your kid is trans, there's an added weight that you can really feel. This

044protection continued throughout her time at McGee with every teacher being open to her specific situation and willing to adapt where needed, even if they didn't always quite know how. The move to Adams was smooth and she was met with an equal amount of love and understanding. And I could list the teachers who touched our lives since 2018, but I don't have enough time here. The number is great to be sure and is not limited to those who had her as a student. She's in high school now and there have been some small issues as there one anyone would expect there to be. But at the start of every year since 2018, the counselors from McGee, Adams, and BHS have reached out to me before I thought to reach out to them, checking on my daughter,

045the family, life in general when they really should have just been on summer break like everyone else. Her school is quite literally a safe space as every school in this district has proven to be. All four of my children have either been through or are currently enrolled in the district and I never hesitate to see them off in the morning or sign a permission slip. Valley View School District keeps children safe. Now I started this talk here with a personal experience and I did this because I know what I was taught then in the 80s and the 90s and I know that it's still being actioned now because I am imparting the lessons I learned here to my children today. So, please don't lose sight ever of the lifechanging and lifeaffirming impact that a loving,

046welcoming, safe environment has on a child and their parent, sis or trans, we are all just here to learn. I added a little something on the end here uh about 5 minutes after I I sat down. Um I overheard the opposing side of the issue earlier say that school administrators are too afraid to speak up on this issue. Uh I disagree. Uh, this gentleman's not even looking at me, but I I could. This is about this gentleman. I think administrators and teachers alike are showing what it means to be an educator, which is to support and respect every student. Every single [Applause] student. I've known I wanted to be a father since I was a kid myself. And I don't care if I have a boy or a girl, and I still don't. I'm just

047proud to be a dad. and I refuse to hate my kid for living their truth, unlike some other folks in this room. Thank you for your time. Man, that's a lot to follow. [Applause] Um, so my name is Lewis. Um, my wife is a staff member in the district and once again I want to thank the board for allowing the public to to speak. Um, I had a I was here last time and I just had a follow-up question. One of the things I brought up was there's not a security guard at every school and I was told that it was going to be looked into and then I was really disappointed to see it wasn't on the agenda today. So, I was just seeing what the what the board has to say. If there's

048an update on making sure every school in the district has security guard I'm going to Awesome. So, is that you're saying that every school is going to have one because I know there was more than one school. So, just to be clear, if I can interject, sir, um thank you for um reapproaching. Yes, for an update. It is posted for that school that you were talked about and every school will have um support. That's good. Right, Ray? Thank you. Sweet. Um I will give the floor back the time because that's what I want to take care of. Bless you. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] Hi there. Uh thank you for uh letting us speak tonight. Um, I am two reasons because, you know, I'm mama bear. Can you get your name in the record, please?

049I apologize. My name is Kate McConnell. Thank you. And I am a Bowling Brook resident and VBSD parent. Um, you know, when we moved here 14 years ago, we moved to Bowling Brook specifically because of its diversity. Um, and I truly believe now, as I did then, that hate and discrimination are not worthy of Bowling Brook and they're not worthy of VVSD. And so I do appreciate um the board and our schools and our um administrators and teachers following the law and protecting our kids. Um, kids should always be safe. Uh, school should be a safe place for our kids and a place where they can be themselves and focus on learning because that's what they're there for. Um, the other reason, um, I am here tonight, I'm not sure how many people know that

050April is autism awareness month. And I am a very proud mom of an amazing kid on the spectrum. Um, and so I would like to um, thank really um, he's a fifth grader at Pioneer. So I'm also a proud Pioneer Timberwolf mom. Um, and uh, he's a fifth grader. So, he's about to go to Brooks and this seems like a good time to publicly thank the people who have been instrumental in his journey um and the amazing success he's had. um starting with uh Rhonda Pulley, his second grade teacher, um who really was the driving force behind getting his 504 in place. Um advocating for him and continuing to support him even, you know, he's three years out of her class and they're still buddies. Um then he had uh Mrs. is Amy Rappel who

051uh has gone on she's back at her home school and I apologize I cannot remember which one that is but uh I think he likes her more than he likes me she um really gave him confidence and um was his first challenge teacher and really made him just feel like the amazing kid he is. Um Theres Walters and uh Mrs. Hanahan, uh, Kim Hanahan, um, for encouraging him last year to advocate for himself, um, and also gave him the space and time to give a presentation in front of both his challenge class and his regular room class about autism and to advocate for himself and other kids on the spectrum and teach his peers what autism is. Um, uh, Katrina Belloio and Danielle Nigro who are support folks at Pioneer. Um, they I I like

052to think that they they are me when I can't be there. Um, they take care of him in his most difficult moments and um, you know, I'd never gotten the sense that they don't love him like he's their own. Um, and then on top of all that is Mr. Pinciaak the principal um who has been very open um and and helpful for my husband and I as a s source of support and also obviously leading a very very great team over there at Pioneer. So thank you. Thank [Applause] you. Hold on here. Start my timer. Uh my name is Sam Arrington. Uh, I have a uh granddaughter, beautiful granddaughter, and my awesome 28-year-old daughter who grew up in 365U. It's an incredible uh system of people that that do what you guys do. We appreciate

053you. I want to go on record saying that all those bowlers up here bold higher than I ever did. I've never ever ever even broke 200. That's pretty incredible. Um, I want to address the young man that spoke earlier. You handsome dude, curly hair. Uh, you're right. Enough is enough. And, uh, we're outnumbered today a little bit. I see everyone out there with the flags and stuff. We're outnumbered. So, I'm the minority today. Uh, see, here comes the tolerance. I love it. Um, I let every one of you guys speak, so please give me my time. I want to say one thing. Silence leads to tolerance. Tolerance leads to acceptance. And your acceptance will lead to laws telling you how you have to feel and act and be in everyday society. You will lose your

054freedoms if you do not get up and start speaking. Should a diabetic go to a restaurant because they can't have sugar? Should they demand that that restaurant get rid of all sugar to accommodate that person? Should an alcoholic who suffers from alcoholism, should they walk into a bar and be like, "Hey, accommodate me. Get rid of all the alcohol in this building because I can't handle it emotionally. Is that how we're to act? We're going to let boys in the bathrooms. I want to ask all the fathers up here to claim to love their daughters. Would you be okay if if someone up here started getting naked in front of your your daughter? No. Yes, they are. If they go in the bathroom, they will get naked in front of your daughter. You are a

055liar. Hey, hey, hey, folks. Folks, folks, we're not we're not doing this. Okay, that's all I'm saying. I'm We're not doing the back and forth. These men, these boys, these biological boys, you're going to allow them to go in and get naked in front of our kids. Are we that far gone now? Where does this stop, guys? Where does this plateau? Next thing you know, we're going to be okaying pedophilia. We're already letting kids pretend to be furries. We are letting kids be furry. Silence. I request your silence. I don't care. Offensive. You know what? It's funny. All your shirts all say humble, kind, love everyone. But you don't love me right now, do you? That's right. That's right, folks. Hey, listen. Listen. There is no evidence we are doing all this. Sir, I'll give

056give me a second. Okay. You're here to address the board. You're not here to address the audience. Right. Well, I kind of got called into it, so I apologize to you. So, let me address you so I don't lose any more time. Folks out there, please let him say his piece. You're entitled to the same. This is not a back and forth debate. We're doing a lot of this, right? Cuz we don't want teen suicides. We want to prevent teen suicides. We're trying to accommodate these children. I wanted to be a dinosaur, man. Listen, let these kids get 18. Let them grow up and at 18, let them decide what they want to be. More power to you. But don't twist and manipulate their mind when they are impressionable. Leave our kids alone. Please leave

057them alone. There is no study, not one that's ever been done that WPATH, WPATH, World Professional Association of Transgender Health, set out to do a study about suicide. And did you know they could find no conclusive evidence that letting your child transition will save their life? Not one study. We are going down a path of irreversible evil and harm. We are accepting evil in 2025. This is sick. All these men getting up here speaking today. They don't have the courage to look at their kids and say, "Hey, I love you and I'm going to support you, but we're you're a boy or you're a girl. You were born in God's image." That's what men should do. That's what real men do. That's what real men of courage do. And I'll tell you what, man. One

058minute. The the amount of thunderous applause reminds me in the Bible when they all crucified Jesus, when he died, can you bring your bring your comments to a close, please? When when Jesus died, it was all when he was hung and he was speared, his his his side was speared and his swords were in his hands and his ankles. They all with thunderous applause applauded that evil. Please bring your comments to a close. Your five minutes maybe it should be buddy. Your five minutes is up. Thank you guys. Thank you. Plea, please let everybody speak their peace. Thank you. Hi. Please state your name. Where you from. Hi, my name is Cameron. I'm a Bowling Brook resident. My name is Cameron. and I'm a Bowling Brook resident and I I am a transgender man. I

059am here today. Thank you. I am here today as someone who came out and transitioned in high school and as a citizen who is concerned about current transgender youth. I came out at 16 years old in 2011. Coming out as a young person was really difficult. I lost a lot of friends. My own home felt scary and uncertain. I was suddenly forced to advocate for myself to everyone in my life for things that were given to everyone else without a second thought, like the right to have my name used and be referred to in a way that felt comfortable and right. Navigating these difficulties immediately became a significant part of my everyday life. It was exhausting and stressful. As hard as it was, I was encouraged by the forward progress I saw both locally and

060nationally. I assumed that in another decade, trans kids wouldn't have to deal with nearly as much as I did. I am devastated and deeply disappointed to tell you that the environment now for trans people, especially for trans children, is definitively worse and downright dangerous, more so than it was when I came out 14 years ago. I want to be perfectly clear here. The most distressing parts of my experience were not related to transitioning itself or to anything that was going on internally. It was dealing with the negative reactions that other people had towards me because I was trans. I was insulted, isolated, threatened, watched, and sexually assaulted on the basis of my trans identity. I was constantly asked to justify who I was to everyone around me. This isn't just my story. I have met

061and spoken with hundreds of trans people in the time since, and virtually all of them tell me the same thing. The internal experience of being trans, of having gender dysphoria, can certainly be difficult. But with the right support and resources, it is also often joyful and cathartic. But unfortunately, because of how trans people are often treated in society, we have significantly higher rates than the general population of homelessness, experiencing violence, self-injury, and suicide. This was already true when I was a teenager. Now, we have more and more high-profile stories and groups painting trans people as insidious, dangerous liars simply because we have a life experience that is not readily understood by other people. I understand that there are concerns about the validity of the identity of trans children and the idea that they will regret

062transitioning in the future. But I want you to consider two things that I almost never hear brought up when these things are talked about publicly. First, who is more likely to have insight on the long-term outcomes of trans children? Non-trans people who do not associate with and often don't even personally know any trans people, or people like me who have lived through it are coming out on the other side many years later to tell you about it. [Applause] As difficult as my experience has been, I have never for a single second regretted transitioning because through all of those adverse experiences, I was living authentically as who I am and not who others told me I had to be. Now, secondly, I want you to consider the kind of conviction that it takes for a child

063to see the way that trans people are treated. to know that it will happen to them too if they come out and still decide that the alternative of not coming out is worse. Trans kids are not confused. In fact, for many of us, transitioning is what made our lives come into focus and what gave us purpose. Being trans is not a choice. [Applause] The choice that trans people make is to live their our lives as ourselves at great personal cost. Wherever you stand on this issue, I will tell you without a doubt that isolating and excluding students from any aspect of the typical school experience on the basis of being trans will negatively impact both their mental health and academic performance. Now, ultimately, we don't want anything crazy or unreasonable. We simply want to participate

064in society the way everyone else does without a magnifying glass examining our every action. We want to be able to walk into a public restroom or locker room and not fear verbal or physical assault. 14 years into my transition, every time I go into a public bathroom, I am afraid. Every time. We want to go a single day without the news telling the public that we are nefarious crooks because we dared to live our lives in an unfamiliar manner. But because of an aspect of ourselves that we did not choose, we are treated as secondclass citizens. Now, what I've heard repeatedly from the community both inside this room and out is that Valley View School District thus far has done a fantastic job of supporting their diverse body of students. It is my sincere hope

065both as a community member and as someone who has personally experienced being a trans child that the board will not bend to intimidation and misrepresentation by a hate group that seeks to further harm children who are already incredibly vulnerable. Being a child, thank [Applause] you. Being a child is hard enough. The school's job is to make it easier and to give support to all students, whatever their struggles may entail. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to speak with me after the meeting concludes. Thank you for your time. [Applause] Hi. Hi. Please state your name, where you're from, and My name is Eric Reeb. I use he him pronouns. I no longer live in district, but I grew up in Bowling Brook and a product of the Valley View Schools. I now

066live in Oak Park. I attended Jonas Elementary, Hubert H. Humphrey Middle School, and I graduated from BHS, class of 91. First, I want to thank the board and the school board members and the staff at the schools for their service. I want to thank you for following the laws that protect our trans youth. These kids have basic human rights and the law on their side. They're going to have history on their side, too. And they're going to need you to stay on their side. If you give these bigots an inch, they'll take miles. They're just starting with the trans kids because they're the most vulnerable. Their list of demands include, and I'm not kidding you, I'm quoting these from a document posted to the Awake Illinois website. Let's see. They want the President Trump official

0672024 picture labeled President of the United States posted in every gateway of all VVSD buildings. Uh they want to take down every rainbow flag. They want to have only uh US and state flags and college banners. Uh they want to they're really obsessed with flags. They they want to they flag poles at all VVSD sites doubled in height. They want to establish a Doge manager at VVSD. And this I don't I I don't understand this part. Secret society activities should be identified and must end now. Give them nothing. They're crackpots and bigots and wannabe tyrants. [Applause] You've got a wide community here who will stand beside you to back up our trans youth. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. Hi, my name is Pat Green. I'm from Willowbrook, Illinois, but I grew up in Bowling

068Brook. I was Romeoville High School, class of 88. Before that, I went to Jane Adams. Before that, I went to Independence. And before that, I went to Valley View because there wasn't even an Independence yet. I wanted to thank you for the progress that you've made. One of the most amazing things about growing up in Bowling Brook that I didn't understand that I had until I grew up older was how beautiful the diversity was and how mixed and accepting and diverse we were. When I found out I was going to be a parent, my ex-wife and I, who graduated from Romeville High School, class of 91, decided that we were going to move to Bowling Brook. This is where we were going to raise our child so that they could have those same experiences. Unfortunately,

069weren't as evolved back then when it came to LGBTQIA plus issues. When Harvey came out in 8th grade, I ended up getting a phone call was taken they were taken away by ambulance with uh four staples right on along the hairline shoved into a uh locker display. And then freshman year, the bullying started. They went to homecoming with a bunch of their friends and they didn't feel safe from some upper classmen. So, they did what they were told to. They went to an adult. The adult back then, again, this was a different time, said, "Maybe if you weren't different, this wouldn't happen." I get this call from my kid at night. If you're a parent, you know that there is the cry when they're just upset. And you know that there's the one that is

070sheer utter terror. And that sends a chill down your spine. I had to get them and their friends out of there. And the support services that we didn't have were not there. There was a different board. There was a different superintendent. And there were different principles who knew me. And they hated it when I came in. But at the end of freshman year, Harvey was having suicidal ideations. They were cutting and their grades had slipped down to next to nothing. So I had to sell so that my kid could go to Hinsdale South in a neighborhood I couldn't afford and by people that I didn't want to be around because they weren't Bowling Brook. They were just very, very freaking white and loved their lattes. And but here's the amazing thing. Sophomore year, that light

071came back. That smile came back. The grades came back. My god, with all of those AP credits, we saved money on half a semester at niu where they graduated. Suma kum lad. [Applause] And what do they do now? They work for an organization on the front lines of domestic violence and sexual assault. They used to work intake at the center for uh residents. Now they go from school district to school district to businesses and explains to them what sexual assault is, what domestic violence is, how to recognize the signs, what to do about it. They're a healer. They're making a difference. And it breaks my heart that 365U doesn't get to claim credit for it. Palatees and Lattes Hinsdale does. It cost a lot to be able to support my child through that. Legal bills,

072medical bills, psychology. My retirement plan is now going to involve the words welcome to Walmart at this rate. But it was worth it. But along the way, over the years, I worked with Elena and a lot of the other parents here because this is still my home. And I've seen the changes you've made. I hear the families of LGBTQI plus youth like mine and I just wanted to say thank you. And for God's sake, don't go backwards because I almost lost the most precious gift God ever gave me. Thank you for your time. Thank you. [Applause] talk about tough acts to follow. Um, hi, my name is Bin Bixby. I am a proud alumna of RHS, class of 96. I'm a proud big sister of a class of 99 grad, a class of 2008, class

073of 2009 grad, proud aunt of a trans niece who graduated RHS in 2022. And I have another niece and nephew who are uh attending this school here. My family is from here. I may not live here anymore, but when I heard that this was going on, I knew I had to come back to speak about this. My graduation, my my diploma does not say Bin Bixby on it. It has another name on it because I'm a transwoman and that's not the name I was allowed to have in 1996. I assure you, I knew I was trans. I knew the consequences of coming out then. And I am so amazed every single day to see how awesome and brave these kids are who are coming out in high school long before I even understood half of

074who I am. Um I volunteer with a youth organization that um uh that meet that does a drop-in center for trans youth every week. I am constantly impressed with their self-awareness, their courage, and their power. I read this nuisance complaint from Awake Illinois so that you don't have to. The bee in their bonnet. The worst thing they could find is that a trans girl used the bathroom at Bowling Brook High School for two and a half years without incident. And they think that is justification to try to trip try try to rip federal funding away from BBSD. I've been fighting this fight long enough to know that if there was any actual harm caused, they'd have called it out. Like all the rest of these parent groups, this is more grift than grief. They are

075ignorant by choice. It's not that these the existence of trans people and the reality of our lives hasn't been explained to them. It has. They don't care. This is just more pearl clutching from a Neapville busy body who has so much spare time and spare money that she thinks her obsession with teenagers genitalia is the biggest problem you face in your life. [Applause] As someone whose family still lives here, I know there are real problems facing the residents of VVSD and the existence of trans kids ain't [Applause] it. This kind of moral panic is not new. These people haven't changed their tactics, they've just changed their targets. I am so proud to see so many of you here who understand that trans people have always been a part of our society and have never been

076a threat. People who have shown up here to show these out oftowner moral panic peddlers who are carpet bagging here tonight that to tell their lies and create nonsense hysteria because they think they found a new target for their tired old playbook. The same playbook that didn't work on gay people 1970s through 2000s D and D players, heavy metal rock and rollers and daycare workers in the 1980s. Comic books in the 1950s. Long hair in the 1960s. The existence of black people 1619 to question mark. The existence of Jewish people 33 AD to question mark. The existence of every kind of immigrant 1870s through question mark. The hate and the fear are their trade in coin. Their coin and trade. That is what they need from you. They need your hate, fear, and continued ignorance.

077And I am so proud to be a graduate of VVSD youth 365U tonight to see all of you telling them that you don't have any hate, fear, and ignorance to give [Applause] them. All of their arguments are garbage and they know it, but they're banking on you not recognizing that. uh they're not banking on you recognizing it this time. Now that they're targeting a group that has always been here, but most of you are only learning about now again. I was always taught to live and left live. But they want to live and destroy anyone who doesn't live like them. Can Can you start to wrap up your comments, please? Pardon me. Can you start to wrap up your comments, please? Yes. This is the end. uh they're trying to protect a very narrow way

078of life and we're just trying to protect our lives. Thank you [Applause] all. Good evening, members of the board and community members. My name is Ree Townsend. I'm a mom of three children, a 16-year-old son, a 12-year-old stepson, and a three and a half-year-old daughter. I'm also a DuPage Township trustee. Per the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among non-heterosexual youth conducted a study and found anti-transgender laws caused up to 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender and non-binary youth. One of the reasons my husband and I purchased our first home in Bowling Brook is because this community values diversity, not just in words, but in action. It's one of the few places where inclusion is treated as a foundation, not a threat. I'm here to support Valley View School District's

079affirming policies for transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse students. These policies reflect what makes our community strong, compassion, equity, and a commitment to doing what's right for all students. That's exactly what groups like Awake Illinois want to dismantle. Awake Illinois is not a concerned parent group. It is a hate group pushing a dangerous agenda built on fear, misinformation, and bigotry. They are targeting LGBTQ plus kids and trying to roll back protections that save lives. They don't represent Bowling Brook. They don't represent Valley View School District. And they don't get to define what this community stands for. [Applause] Valley View School District has led with courage and care. Please keep standing firm. Don't let hate disguise itself as concern. Our kids deserve better and so does this community. Thank you and free Palestine. [Applause] Hello board members

080and community. My name is Barbara Parker. I am a Bowling Brook resident and my grandchildren have gone through Valley View School District and are doing very well for themselves. So I appreciate the education they got. I hope the board will continue with the process that they made going forward with these affirming actions for all of our students, but especially our trans students who sometimes get bullied in school, get bullied in the community, but they know they always have the back of the school board for them. Don't let any interloper come in here and tell us what our community needs. We know what has been working for us and we hope that you will continue on that path. Thank you and have a good [Applause] day. My My name is Charlotte Dugan and I live at

081164 Seabberry Road in Bowling Brook. I have lived in Bowling Brook for years. 60. I taught third grade at John Artilb Elementary School for 30 years. And my message is haters come and go. And this school board has always supported all kids in all ways possible. So I'm proud to be a part of this community and say keep up the good [Applause] work. My name is Peter Rivera. I'm a resident taxpayer. I'm a proud gay man standing here with my [Applause] husband. I was once a scared LGBTQ kid in a world that told me that I shouldn't exist. Now I'm a happy LGBTQ adult, but I'm also deeply concerned. It has come to my attention that several SPLC identified hate groups, including Awake Illinois and the so-called Moms for Liberty, have begun targeting school boards

082in our area for supporting LGBTQI inclusive policies. Let me tell you something. I've dealt with these monsters before, and they are monstrous when you get to know them. Last summer, Awake Illinois and Moms for Liberty hosted a conference right over in Bowling Brook promoting anti-trans hate and conversion therapy, which is just a polite term for psychological torture. They partnered with the so-called Illinois Family Institute, a group with a long disgusting track record of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. Here's who we're talking about. These are the people. This is what's in their heart. These supposed Christians, we need quote, "We need to find ways to bring back shame to those practicing homosexual behavior." That's from my former director. Quote, there was something profoundly good for society about the prior stigmatization of homosexual practice. Quote, "They weren't acquiring and raising

083children." That's their school policy advocate. That's what in that's what's in their heart. These are the kinds of people pushing this agenda. These are the voices trying to infiltrate our meetings. These groups call LGBTQ people groomers while openly quoting Adolf Hitler in their own materials. A Moms for Liberty newsletter read, and I quote, "He alone who owns the youth, owns the youth, gains the future." Let that sink in. This isn't just hateful. This is dangerous. These people don't want LGBQ kids to exist. And when forced to choose between happy queer kids and dead kids, they have made their choice. They want dead kids. They want fear in our classrooms. They want ignorance in our curriculums. They want silence where there should be support. But here's the truth. LGBTQ kids exist. They are not going away

084and they have every right to feel safe, to learn and to thrive. Valley View, I am asking you please stand firm. Expand your inclusive policies and protect your students. All of them. Children are not property, no matter what some people might think. Not of the state, not of their parents. Sure as heck, not under any of these hate groups. They have the right to know their own bodies, their own identities, their own history, and the truth about the world that they live in. This board has a moral and a civic duty to protect those rights. Do not back down. Thank you. [Applause] Good evening members of the board. My name is Jerry Rivera Bowling Brook and I stand before you today not just as a member of this community but as someone who has lived

085the weight of intolerance and survived it. In recent weeks, groups like Awake Illinois have made it their mission to attack the inclusive student- centered values upheld by this district. They claim to be defending children, but in truth their rhetoric endangers the very students they claim to protect. LGBTQ plus youth are not political pawns. They're our children, our neighbors, our students, and they deserve safety, affirmation, and the right to be themselves without fear. I'm here tonight because I know what it's like to grow up in a world that tells you be yourself. But not like that. I came out at 18 to a religious traditional household. It wasn't easy, but over time, my family chose love. And that love gave me the strength to grow, to thrive, and to become the person standing before you today,

086married, grounded, and committed to building a better future for those still struggling to find their place. Many students today are coming out earlier, not because they're confused, but because they're finally seeing visibility and support in their schools. That's something to be proud of, not something to fear. Valley View has taken steps in the right direction by creating inclusive spaces. But the fight is far from over. I urge you, stand firm in the face of hate. Do not allow fear-mongering and misinformation to undo the progress you've made. Instead, expand it. Strengthen protections for LGBTQ plus students and staff. Offer training for faculty on inclusivity and mental health support. Create forums where students can speak, be heard, and shape the policies that directly affect their lives. I'm a survivor of a school shooting. And I know firsthand

087that schools should be sanctuaries. The students in this district deserve to walk into their classrooms knowing that they'll be seen, heard, and protected, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. There are those who say that inclusion is controversial. But the truth is inclusion is essential, safety is essential, love and acceptance, those are the values that strengthen a community. Let this district be a model for others. Let Valley View show Illinois and the nation what it looks like to lead with courage and compassion. Thank you for continuing to fight for every student and thank you for your time. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Shannon Adcock and I am founder and president of Awake Illinois, a social welfare advocacy organization. Couple things I didn't expect to say, but a lot of people here are trying to

088define my organization. They're trying to define me. I'm not here to define anybody. I'm not. And I don't hate anybody. I Excuse me. I I've been very respectful. I want you to understand I don't hate anybody. I I come in here at all of these speaking engagements and I have to tell you you guys. It's not easy. I have people take one look at me and they hate me because they think that I hate them. That's that's not true. And I want to make this very clear. Please show respect. I show respect. Please reciprocate. So, I applaud everybody's First Amendment right to free speech. You're free to not like me. I I I wish I had more time to correct the lies and misinformation, but it's not easy for me to stand here. I don't

089come here as a hobby. I have to make arrangements for my children to not be home if my husband is not there because of threats. But I'm here because a man in this district, a father, approached me asking for help. I'm responding to somebody's appeal for help. And I got to tell you, in this time, you guys, it is not easy. You talk about enough is enough and rejecting the status quo. It's tough right now. But I respect everybody's first amendment right to free speech. I appreciate hearing everybody's story. Everybody has a story. and mine is that for five years full-time now, I have done my part out of conviction to do the right thing for children. It's been mentioned on April 6, we filed a federal Title 9 complaint against the school district. Our

090complaint alleges systemic violations of Title 9. And we assert that this district's failure to implement and enforce policies designating restroom facilities by biological sex, among other deficiencies, contravenes federal law. It endangers student safety and risks termination of federal financial assistance. Our complaint can be viewed at awakeil.com. There was a list of things that were mentioned. That's not our list. That is the list of a district parent and the grievance that was filed that was attached as an exhibit to be clear. So we do plan to continue filing civil rights complaints with the goal of affecting statewide policy shift. Our concern is for the nearly two million children in K through2 schools. All of these children. I would like to say I applaud this district father Jim for advocating for his daughter and for the children

091of this district. We're honored to come alongside you Jim and this community of concerned parents. So, some key facts. This hasn't been mentioned, but Title 9 mandates that no student, male or female, can be subjected to discrimination based on biological sex in any education program or activity receiving federal funds. So, Title 9 is a federal law that holds higher power than state law when federal funding is attached. That's an important nuance for a policymaking board. Number two, in January, US District Judge Reeves vacated Biden's Title 9 amendments, stating, quote, "Throwing gender identity into the mix eviscerates the statute and renders it largely meaningless." End quote. So, gender as a concept is not current federal Title 9 policy. Additionally, this month, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice formed a special task force to

092investigate the flood of Title 9 complaints that they are receiving. So, our complaint is substantiated by student and parent testimonies. It identifies multiple violations and foremost is that what it highlights is the district's failure to designate and enforce restroom facilities strictly by biological sex given the fact that biological male is being permitted to utilize female bathrooms at the high school. So, this has led to documented incidents of student discomfort and safety concerns which increases district liability. So, failure to address the Title 9 violations will invite severe repercussions, including the termination of federal funding for non-compliant institutions, which would mean $20 million in this district's case. So, I've learned over the last 5 years, government and bureaucrats care about two things. Number one, getting money, and number two, getting more money. So, our complaints are going

093to be a tool to affect swift policy change, or else you don't get the money. Let me be unequivocal. This complaint is not about subverting one student population for another. That's what they're trying to do. It is not us versus them. There is no one student population that's more important than the other. It's about upholding federal law to provide clear, safe, and consistent policies that serve all students, male and female, without ambiguity or exception. Framing this as anything else distracts from our shared obligation to protect every students rights. We must protect all children from continued exploitation. All children are vulnerable. As my friend Billboard Chris says, there are two sexes, zero genders, and infinite personalities. I celebrate every personality that this district is teaching, but we have to keep these children safe. So, I implore

094you to be compliant with the OCR or you're going to have some significant enforcement headed your way. On behalf of Awake Illinois, I'm Shannon Adcock and we cannot be cancelled. [Music] Good evening. I want to thank the board for allowing me to speak. My name is Laura Hoist. I'm a resident of Downer's Grove, a mother of four, a lawyer, and the co-chair of Awake Illinois's Downers Grove chapter. My son and I were among the 700 plaintiffs in the 2021 lawsuit that freed us all of wearing masks and uh thankfully and being and and being under quarantine during those COVID years and I I know we could all breathe easier for that. Tonight I am here to I'd like to have the floor please let him speak please. Thank you. As I said, the masks are

095off. Now it's time to get the boys out of the girls' bathrooms in our schools. I have good news, and that is in these United States of America, we have equal protection of the law. Trans individuals have the same rights as everyone else, as you or I or heterosexual. They have the same rights under the United States of America. What happens when certain classes are given preference in the case of a boy being allowed to enter a girl's bathroom is that there is favor there's favoritism being shown to that individual that enters the bathroom where the girl who is confronted with that situation it's suggested that she find another place another private bathroom to use instead of that one that is giving giving preference to one over the other and that's not what we're about

096in the United States of America. We're about equal protection of the law and everyone has equal rights. So I am here to support the father of the Valley View student who came face to face with the boy in the girl's bathroom. Our current President Trump is restoring moral values, common sense, and our freedom to speak. Folks. Hey folks, stop please. President Trump's executive order 14168 issued January 20th, 2025 clearly states that sex does not include the concept of gender identity. Yet, there are some who think that intrusion into private spaces should be allowed. I'd like to share just briefly my own personal experience in the state of Illinois. During the last two years, there have been three occasions where I have confronted a an individual who is not of the female sex in the female

097bathrooms at rest at at rest at rest stops in Illinois. Address your comments to the board, please. Rest stops and I am rest stops in Illinois where there is no security provided. In two of those three instances, the feet under the stall, which I couldn't help but see, were about 12 in long. They're size 12, 13 shoe, and I'm a small person. So, that is an uncomfortable situation that arouses fear, and I didn't find it funny when it happened to me. Just three weeks ago, I encountered a sixfoot man in the women's locker room at Downers Grove Park District facility where I had finished a class and was preparing to shower. I went to my locker room at locker at the far end of the locker room, opened up the locker, glanced to my left,

098and I saw this six-foot man there standing right next to me and uh quite a bit larger. I was shocked. My heart pounded. I couldn't believe this was happening. I had was had been preparing to take a shower, but then I realized I can't take my clothes off and go to the shower door because it's right next to him on the other side. So, I was faced with a situation where I my right to be in that locker room was being diminished by the six-foot man who decided that he must have believed he was a woman. So, he was there and prevented me from my comfort, my privacy. After some time, he turned and he walked toward the toilets, entered the handicap stall, and he remained there for quite some time because I waited because

099I was nervous. I didn't know what to do. So, I exited the locker room, waited for him to come out of the locker room and identified him politely to the front staff and said, "That gentleman dressed in that clothing is a man, and he was just in the women's locker room." In my mind, that's wrong because it affected my right to do what I needed to do. I'm a taxpayer. I'm a constituent. I am a a mom. I am a small person and it was not appropriate. So, they they did not respond and that that is my example. So, I cannot imagine being in the shoes of a student who is vulnerable, inexperienced, unprepared, uncomfortable, faced with a boy in the girl's bathroom. It just should not happen. Valuable View School District is violating Title

100N. Please wrap up your policies have caused great harm and injustice to students and parents. The district is ref has refused to accept Biden's 2024 Title 9 rule that is now dead. Please, please wrap up your comments. SB guidance allowing transgender students to enter. I I'm being interrupted so my time is well, you're to enter facilities. The the district has no stated policy allowing boy a boy or boys to enter the girl's bathroom. This is a unique situation where an IDP is involved. It's subjecting taxpayers of the district to liability for failure to comply with the law. Please conclude your comments. We're gonna have to ask you to quit with care. If you want to f if you want to give your written testimony to the clerk, we will take that. But please wrap up.

101I'm going to wrap it up. Thank you. And has not recognized the danger to the students that is caused by this situation. Stopping. Please wrap up your comments. Observe. We're trying to ask everyone give the same courtesy that everyone else. It's not being complied with. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] Wow. I had to follow that. That's crazy. Anyways, my name's Adam. I am a product of the Valley View School District graduating in 2002. Um, and so that's why I'm here. I am here because throughout the 23 years since I've graduated, I've seen this district flourish and grow uh toward acceptance. Uh, I know I couldn't come out in 2002. Uh, that was crazy. Uh, and even I thought of suicide at that point if I tried to do that. So, I just kept quiet

102until that fateful June hot day where we graduated and everything was good. Um, I just I really want to say good job. I had to deal with my brother growing up into the school system directly as I graduated high school. He came in through kindergarten and so I got to see it all grow again and it was great. Everything seemed to be on par for progress and as far as uh acceptance toward this that and the other thing. But I just want to say thank you so much and for allowing the plant to grow positively rather than negatively where you could have easily said we wash our hands a bit. We want to be this one way. will be the villain. You be the hero Sabant. And I'm just I'm just happy that you guys

103allowed for inclusion and everything as far as that for the LGBTQ community in which something I could not afford to do when I was in school here. So, thank you again and I hope everybody has a great rest of their night and I hope that [Applause] And I hope that progress continues to go toward the right way instead of the way that our president wants, which would be, you know, us not having anything at all. I mean, fiscally, he is carrying us a new one. So, I do hope that you guys don't have your budgets cut because of it. So, there have a good night. [Applause] I did not plan on being here today. I I am Eric Cornellis. I am a resident of unincorporated playingfield. I was in BBSD K through 12 and I

104was at Can you state your name, please? Erica Ornelis. Thank you. And I was here at VBSD K through 12. This very stage is where I learned to be a thespian and love acting. And this very building is where I met my first trans friend when I was only in sixth grade. We were in gym free period. And he just said, "I think I'm a guy." And you're like 11, 12. So you're just like, "Yeah, sure. What's your new name?" I helped him pick his name. And I went home. I told my parents and I had to be the one to teach them what it meant to be trans and what it meant to love trans kids. When I was only when I was only in third grade, I realized I like my best friend

105a little bit too much. And a lot of these people who are not fans of trans kids or queer kids love Christianity. I am a born and raised Catholic. My father is a Mexican Catholic, very from one of the most conservative areas in Mexico. The first person I came out to when I was nine was my priest. And he said, "That's how God made you. [Applause] I'm lucky enough to have the fight for being a queer person in my family already fought by my uncle. He passed away in 2011, but I'm still here. My family when my friend had to come out to his parents. They did not like it. We were on the verge of having to put take in a fifth kid to feed because his parents didn't understand. Even though my parents

106didn't fully understand what it meant to be trans, they were still willing to take money out of their own paychecks because somebody else didn't want to take the time to learn. Now, my parents know even the smallest bit of trans terminology. Most of my friends are trans. I I don't know why, but that's just how it is sometimes. And it's they've always been here. And no matter how much hate there is, there always will be here. A lot of people think trans is a recent thing. It is not. One of the first people to undergo gender reassignment surgery had it in 1931. People thought she died when the Nazis, you know, let their ignorance get ahead of them and burnt down an entire institute dedicated to research on queer people. She didn't. She lived to

107be 74 in 1966. Her name was Dora Richtor. The first person the first trans person to be on Vogue was not recently. It was in [Applause] 1960. Even in American history, a good friend of the controversial General Kuster was a transwoman who was known as Mrs. Nash. They have always been here. People might not have always liked them, but even in even in times where people wanted us dead, trans and queer people alike, we are still here. We will always be here. And VVSD is for every learner and that includes our trans learners. [Applause] I want to thank Elena because her daughter was the friend I liked a bit too much as a kid and made me realize I was gay. You raised a wonderful daughter and you are a wonderful mother and I consider

108you my second mother. So, when I get off this stage, I am giving you a big hug. And I just want to say for the love of God, and I will do this to my last breath, I will protect every single trans kid and adult, no matter how old they are when they come out, because they everybody deserves a shot at life. And so, help me God, so do our trans kids. Thank you so [Applause] much. Good evening, board members. My name is Tanya Lee and I'll I'll make this quick. As the parent of a trans child who has endured all sorts of attacks and bullying, I want to thank you for following the Illinois state law and showing these kids that there are still plenty of adults out there who are willing to do

109the right thing. These kids are witnessing so many people abandon their claims of wanting to save the children because when it comes to children that they apparently just don't understand, they choose to hate instead. Instead of trying to understand, they turn to attacks against these kids' very existence. During a time when attacks on trans rights ranging from locally to federally are on display constantly, I look for the good news to share with my kid. Stories like VBSD enforcing the rights of its trans and gender non-conforming students. Stories of folks showing up to all sorts of schoolboard meetings just like this to defend and support these vulnerable humans who so badly just want to exist in peace. [Applause] We need more stories like that. So again, I just want to thank you for being on the

110right side of history. These kids need your support now more than ever. Please keep it up. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Asha Mcmaher and I'm the executive director of TransUn. And even though I'm not a resident, I was my organization was invited 17 times in 30 minutes to the school board meeting after the release of this questionable organization put out their notice. On top of that, we were then contacted another 47 times by residents to show up and be here. So, we were invited here by people who are here today to come and stand with the community. Now, I haven't heard that from anybody else in this building that this group was actually invited here. However, I would like to combat some misinformation. One, Illinois Human Rights Law Act states under section 3B1 under

111restrooms that your discomfort does not supersede anyone's rights. You have the right to ask for other accommodations. If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, whether it's religion, it's bigotry, it's hatred, it's whatever you're teaching your children to be bullies, I don't know, but you have the ability to ask for other accommodations, but you don't have the right to remove someone based on their gender identity. If that doesn't work for you, you need to leave Illinois. This is a sanctuary state. [Applause] I was in Deerfield last week and unfortunately one of your people here today let us all know that they're on a schoolboard tour to torture trans kids. They're going from school district to school district specifically uninvited to spread hate. We are here today as we handed out resources. You can scan a QR

112code, learn all about studies, education, terminology, about acceptance of each other. We stand here, my organization, TransUP upfront, as well as the families and children we serve, we specifically work with trans and gender non-conforming youth from the ages of four to 25 and their parent. And the reason that we do that is that we know regardless of Trump's administration, they're the most at risk. And despite that, we heard today that there are no studies, we all know that's provably false. We know that when a trans child is affirmed, they have the ability to reach the amazing outcomes, the amazing things that they can do in their young lives. They can become productive members of society. They can be involved. They can be an attorney, hopefully not a hateful one. They can be a doctor. They

113can be an artist, right? They can be anything because trans children are just children. And also to combat since the beginning of time there were interex people. There are not two sexes. Biology says otherwise. There are chromosonal differences. So this whole rhetoric that there are only two sexes is provably false by biology. Back in the day called being a hermaphodite. Not an okay term to use anymore. These people have existed forever. Trans people have existed forever. So, I am so happy to be invited here by so many of the families here. I'm so happy I'm coming to a school board. I don't have to say, "Why are you doing the wrong things?" Because I got to do that sometimes, too. And I'm going to end this in the same way I ended Deerfield, which is

114when we come together and we're protecting trans youth, we always say, "What do we do when trans kids are under attack?" We stand up and fight back. Thank you. First of all, I want to uh say my name is Quincy Crump. I'm actually not from here. I am from Homewood and I really appreciate getting the opportunity to speak even though I'm not in this district. I want to give you the board and everyone here two lives that went two different ways. I am a transgender man and I came out in high school and I lived in a small very conservative rural Missouri town at the time and I had every bit of the support that I needed from my school. my teachers, my principal, they did not hesitate for a second to support me and

115help me as I transitioned and adopted, you know, new pronouns and to like let the teachers know that that's what should be used. I had a way easier time of it than I could even have imagined. I was ready to, you know, stomp through hell to get what I needed. But I didn't have to because of boards and principles and teachers from schools not too different from this one. And because I had that support at school and I had that support at home, I thrived. I'm doing well. I am recently I graduated from grad school and now I'm a counselor and I love my life as I have made it and I could not have made it by myself. Thank you. [Applause] And the other life I want to give you to think of today

116is one that is with me all the time even though he is not here with us on this earth anymore. A dear friend of mine in that same school who had the same support at school as I did but he did not have the same support at home. He was treated terribly by his birth family and then again his foster family and third his adopted family. All three families he had let him down. And the year after we both graduated, we're in the same year, he took his life. And now I always carry him with me because for one he was my friend and I loved him and second because I know how different it could have been for me and there by the grace of God go I. So I want to thank this

117board. Thank you. I want to thank this board and everybody who came out and all the things you do. Thank you. [Applause] Hello, I am Wyatt Miller. I am a former student of Valley View Public Schools. Bowling Brook High School graduate. Dr. Pascavage in the audience, my principal. Um I'm at Juliet Junior College now and sadly uh what is happening with this board of trustees. Uh what has happened in school boards across the country extends to community college boards too. They also struggle with a few of these special interest groups trying to come in uh challenge their Title 9 funding. Yes. Um, I would like to, while I'm here, illuminate for the board a few of the the slight of hand tricks uh that these uh hate groups uh like to play. Um, first they

118say that it's about bathrooms. They pretend it's about bathrooms. I've got a beautiful study here from UCLA School of Law that shows that when uh trans people can't go to the bathroom that they need to go to, uh guess what? 60% of them stay home. 9% of trans students forced to go uh trans people forced to go to the wrong bathroom uh face removal or verbal harassment. Uh these are people that frankly are not going to perform well in school if they're being harassed, if they can't pee. If if they're forced out of both bathrooms, they cannot pee. And that doesn't help with their math tests. And I know math scores uh reflect on school boards. Um this is not about bathrooms. This is not about women's rights. It is about removing people that other

119people don't like to see from public life. A lot of people have been up here and have said a lot of things and it might seem like we're talking in circles. Uh, but we we all have to thank the board for standing up for people the way you [Applause] have. And we all have to stand up for the people we love. That's all I had to say. Thank you. Hello, I'm Allison Humphre. I go to Bowling Brook High School and this is my friend um so Sophia Miller. Speak speak into the microphone. There you go. Pull it down if you have to. There you go. I am Allison Humphre and this is my friend Sophia Miller. We both go to Bowlingberg High School and um I mean she's just up here for support. I was

120too anxious to come up alone. And um I just know that the GSA at um Jane Adams definitely helped me. It helped me make friends when I felt completely alone. And even though I had the support of my parents and my family and every single teacher that I have come into contact with, I was still afraid. But every single piece of support matters because some people don't get that support at home. And that just makes it a much more dangerous place to live, a much more scary place to live when you can't express who you are. And that's basically all I have to say. Please, please support us. We need your help right now. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Patrick Scott and I've been a faithful educator here in value for 21 years. I'll

121let the board know you'll probably see me again because my intended message tonight was one of a more personal matter and uh more affecting um my colleagues So, I wasn't going to speak, but then I said I had to. You see, Valley View says we are committed to supporting every learner every day. And I want to let you know that your faculty and staff are standing strong to that charge. We do that every single day. Those are not just words. are not just a motto. They're encrusted in our hearts. So on behalf of myself, my colleagues, the board, and everyone in Valley View, please rest assured your children, our students belong, they are valued, and they are loved. Thank you. Hi. Um, my name is Caitlyn Wamareno. I am currently a junior at RHS and

122I am 16 years old. I have lived in Romeoville for my entire life. And it was kind of an impulse decision coming up here, but I just wanted to say that none of us are enemies in this room. And I think that that gets a lost along among a lot of people, a lot of people in this room from what I've heard with a lot of booing and yelling and lots of cheering for the side that we're obviously on. Um, which is not a bad thing, but um, I wanted to say that none of us are enemies and we're all here for a common goal, which is for protecting our children. Um, myself included. Like I said, I'm only 16 years old and I think that the best medicine is definitely kindness and that goes

123for either side. Um, I myself am a Trump supporter, although I'm not a legal voter and I know that a lot of you may disagree with that and that's okay. Like all of you have said, all of these differences are what make us unique. And it's not these differences that should be setting each other apart. These differences do definitely like empower us to speak up here. And it's something that's very important. When somebody else is speaking, nobody should be putting them down regardless of your feelings against them or what their beliefs may be. So in the future, please be respectful and kind towards everybody regardless of your orientation or your sexual preference or whatever it may be. I coming from a student and I know that this a lot from being at RHS, but to

124be honest, nobody cares. Um, nobody cares if you're trans or if you're gay or if you're black, white, pink, or even a unicorn. It does not matter. And I think that that's something that gets lost. We all need to be kind towards everybody regardless of what they believe. Like I said, I do believe I'm going to be a rep Republican when I grow up. And that's okay. You don't have to dis you don't have to agree with me and you don't have to disagree with me. And that's okay. Okay, that's your stance. But please be respectful towards everybody that's coming up here to speak tonight because it's not an easy thing to do. That's all I have. [Applause] Hi, my name is Jim Fiser. I cannot get anybody to pay to do what that lady

125in front of me just did. We are all part of the same community. I've been here when I was the only parent in the crowd. Every one of these people know who I am and how I stand. And so there's a lot of people that are guests, not being treated nicely. And there's a lot of people out there that's coming out because they believe in certain positions. So I would say the again, let's go a little more detail back to the script here. 20-y year resident of Bowling Brook. I have two sons that made it through this district and graduated. They're in college now. I have one daughter still in the district. And another thing I want to add is I know people that are speaking pro against and they're part of the community. They

126live here. So it's not just the folks that are coming in to try to state their point. Okay. So my Bible reference is John 13 25-27. Look it up. I'm not going to quote it. In speaking with Dr. Keith Woods, he shared that I say the same thing at every board meeting over the last four months over and over and over again. And so I will mix it up a bit tonight to present what I have today. Tonight's theme probably should have been Star Wars. I missed it, right? So it's Jurassic Park. I watched the movie this weekend. In the opening scene, a dinosaur eats one of the employees. Unfortunate for that man. The next scene shows a lawyer walking around saying that the family of that person that died is subject to a lawsuit

127for Jurassic Park for $20 million. Imagine that. Let me pick a part about that. $20 million is what this school district gets a year from the federal government. And in my head, maybe it's whacked. If you follow the federal government laws, then the money comes to you. But if you do not follow the federal government laws, such as taking away women's rights, then you don't get the money. 11% of the budget of this school comes from the federal government. I also want to reintroduce the people that came out here for the uh the guests I have which is Shannon. She was here in spirit three years ago when me and many other family members came to you to take the masks off our children in school. Your full response was Thank you. Your full response

128was no. Well, the parents partnered with that organization Awake Illinois al and actually sued this place and that along with 171 other districts, they lost the lawsuit. And there's a lot of board members here that have have been sued. And soon after that, the masks came off in this district. So, they're not new. They didn't just show up today. They've been here before. They've got a track record of success of protecting students. Back to Jurassic Park. Question for the students. Why can't anyone sue Jurassic Park for Title 9 violation? Pretty simple. because all the dinosaurs are female. Okay. I went to church yesterday and again John 19. Steve, can you control the audience? Thank you. John 19:25 to 27. The preacher preached about that. I'm saying it tonight because it's reflective of what we are

129doing tonight. You got to stand up sometimes for other people's rights. That's what I'm doing. That's what they're doing. You guys got to climb up with a happy medium to allow everybody to coexist at this school. You're not doing it. You're breaking the laws. Now, please bring your remarks to a close. I got And one of the things he said is sometimes you have to hear things twice and I did it twice. First, I filed a grievance against this district, and that was on March 20th. Second, me and other parents partnered with Awake Illinois to file a civil rights complaint against this district. So, plea, I'm aware. So, please I'm getting interrupted. Can you please bring your remarks, sir? So my request for or assignment with the people in this crowd is to read that

130verse and uh you know celebrate the religion for which they worship and I appreciate your time and I will expect the federal government to be involved in future discussions. Thank you. Hi. Hello. My name is Isabelle Scott. I am 17 years old. I have lived here in Bowling Brook all 17 years of my life and I am a junior at BHS. First, I would love to thank my school and my district for supporting all of me and my [Applause] friends. There is not a day that goes by in VBSD where I feel as though one of my friends is in danger because of a teacher or an administrator. They have consistently supported all of us from elementary school. One of my first teachers that has ever supported me, Mrs. Zider, my first grade teacher, who

131said that I could go ahead and be the first female president. To my teachers now who are encouraging me to speak on what I believe. My best friend in the world is trans. My sister-in-law is trans. These people have helped define who I am as a student and as a person and as a community member. Community is so insanely important in what we do here in VBSD. Everything that I do is for my community. Why I am here today, why I joined to be a student ambassador. I do it for my community. And I want to thank the community for being there for all of us. And I want to thank my friends for being there for me. We are here for education. But how can you have education when kids are fearful that their

132rights will be taken away? [Applause] And I have heard a lot of hate, not just tonight, but in general. And with my religion, I grew up Jewish. The synagogue that I was raised in never once preached hate. We preached love for everyone who was LGBTQ, for every single gay member in my synagogue, in my temple, in my community. Never once have they felt out of place, and I do thank Rabbi C for that. Thank [Applause] you. Thank you members of the board and community for giving me this opportunity to speak. My name is Sophia Velace and I am a current junior at Bowling Brook High School. I'm 17 years old and I have lived in Bowling Brook my entire life. I'm so grateful to have grown up in a place that is so diverse. My

133mother was one of three black students at a Neapville school in the 80s. So, I am deeply grateful for my experience to have a diverse community in my halls. Throughout my time in this district, I have been fortunate to be guided by incredible educators including Dr. Pollson and Dr. Pascavage who are in attendance today. Because of their support and dedication to my as my teachers, I have been able to take six advanced placement courses and four dual credit college courses that prepare me for a future in higher education. Thank you. There have been many public comments made recently, often by individuals who are not walking the same halls that we as students do every day. So, I wanted to speak as someone who has firsthand experience. From the bottom of my heart, I can confidently

134say that Dr. Pascavage and the entire BHS staff have created an environment focused on learning, not hate. So, I thank them for putting the students first. We recently took the ACT and while that might not be the most enjoyable for us students, the majority can recognize the importance of it. And we understand that having access to opportunities like college entrance exams and dual credit classes is a privilege and a crucial step towards a higher education. As a student athlete who drinks a lot of water, I find myself in the restroom fairly often. With a new with the new phone policies in place, I've observed that as expected, kids will be kids. And most of the time when students are in the bathroom, they're either talking in small groups, maybe checking their phones, or simply just

135using the restroom. It is also important to mention that the bathroom stalls now have new priv privacy blockers that eliminate gaps, helping everyone feel more safe and secure. In addition, our hallways are always actively monitored by security guards who are frequently checking the bathrooms and helping make sure that the students are returning to class quickly as education is the utmost importance at BHS. Thank you. From what I've seen and experienced firsthand, there is no widespread fear or concern among the students of sharing spaces with trans classmates. The concerns are the concerns being raised seem to come from outside voices, not from within the student body itself. We know our peers and we respect [Applause] them. At BHS, we are growing into young adults who value fairness, diversity, and empathy. These aren't just words. They are

136values reflected in our daily lives and reinforced by the example set by our teachers and staff. The culture will bu we are building reflects the best of what education can offer. An environment where all students are respected and given the opportunity to succeed. Thank you again for your time and listening to a student voice. Thank you. [Applause] Hello everybody. I am Hayden and I am a junior at BHS and a very proud Raider. I am also the product of 365 as my mother is a teacher in this district and she has taught me what education is and education is education. It should not be anything but that students are students. They are human. When we when we are cut we bleed the same blood. It's not a matter of politics or personal beliefs. It's 2

137plus two and 3+ 3. And that's where it should be. Trans people are people and that's a matter of fact and something we should all remember in these troubling times. While up here standing for who I am, I must recognize that I have some sort of privilege in this world. I and I think in a world that was created for people who look like me, we should use this privilege, this privilege to help those who are made to feel scared and feared by those who are out to get [Applause] them. Sorry, I'm very nervous. This is my first time ever doing this. It is not an indifference. The the amount of hate that has been spread in rhetoric about these people in our school community is not about a difference in appearance, favorite food or

138preference. It is about a difference in core values and idea of human and civil rights. These should not be infringed on. As I have learned in my AP US history um class, Title 9 is meant to give people all equal opportunities not on the basis of sex, but because they are human. And I think that is something we should all be remembering today. Thank you so [Applause] [Music] much. I don't know if I'm tall enough for this. Hi, my name is Kelsey Tonabi Walker. I am a uh I'm a Bowling Brook parent. Uh, I have two kids. I am not allowed to say which one of them is which about anything because of the amount of intolerance that they've already experienced in their lives. Um, I'm one of the uh original founders of Bowling Brook

139Pride. I myself am a bisexual gender fluid woman. Um, which actually I have never said out loud in front of people before. So that even that's weird, you know. So is my K so are my kids and they're having to experience these sorts of things. When I was in high school uh trying to go to homecoming, I think uh I want to say 1997 or something like that. Um me and my girlfriend were denied our tickets. We weren't allowed to get tickets. We had to uh we had to have a boy come and do and buy tickets for us. Um it was embarrassing. It was shameful. It felt terrible that my kids ever have to go through that sort of thing is horrendous. You know, we're we're Japanese. We're first I'm first generation Japanese American

140anyway. I already have to be otherred. My kids already have to be otherred. All this is is an example of forcing more excuses to other people. That doesn't help anyone. That hurts people. That makes people afraid. I am 42 years old and I just told a group of people for the first time about my gender identity. Like that should never happen. That's it's shameful that we should ever have to feel that way. No one should ever have to feel that way. That's really all I have to say up here. Thank you. [Applause] Hi, my name is Colleen Ericson. I'm a retired um teaching assistant for Valley View. I want to thank all of the board members. You have a wonderful district. It was an honor to work for this district. Wonderful teachers. Um like I

141I would just like to say I have never seen my country so divided. Never. I'm old. The past 10 years I've never seen so much division and so much hatred and so much exclusion. We can't teach DEI. We are getting rid of black history. We are getting rid of women's rights. Every day, every single day, our constitution is being violated. We are taking the rights away from our citizens. And now we want to take them from our children who have every single child in this country has the right to come to school, feel safe, and have an education. [Applause] I am just beyond in disbelief that we are making this an issue and threatening to take district funding. Oh my, I just can't believe it. You know, people coming here, I am a firm believer

142of separation of church and state. This is no place to be to be quoting the Bible. You go to church and you quote the Bible. You do not come to a public forum in a school and quote your [Applause] Bible. Every single person in this country has a right to their own religious beliefs. And I'll tell you, I'm going to quote a president, a president I really admired. He was a Southern Baptist conservative. He was a great human being. And he said, I'm going to, this is for people quote in the Bible. Trans, there was always transgender people. There was always homosexual people in the Jesus's time. There was probably who knows LGBTQ. And going back to to Moses, but did Jesus ever say one word about a trans child or a homosexual? Did he

143come out and say anything about the He did say something about divorce. He did say stuff about marriage, but he never once said anything about a poor transgender youth, child or adult or LGBT. And this country right now is going after the minorities and the most vulnerable citizens in this country. And I think you should all go home and think about how to unite instead of separate because you know what? It's taken your mind and your eyes off the real issues of what's really going on with these minor little issues. This is minor compared to what our country is going through right now. Thank you. Good evening, Board of Education. Good evening, the president, the um Dr. Um, but good evening to all of you and God bless you. Now, here I am a Christian.

144I'm saying that because I keep hearing the Bible being quoted or at least referenced and saying things about someone who I love, which is Jesus. If I'm quoting the Bible, and please excuse me for those I'm only doing this because it was quoted in different ways earlier tonight. Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Now, this is those who are believers. I do accept that. So, if you're not a believer, I'm not trying to make you into one. Believe me, not at this. That's not what the goal is. The goal is if we're quoting the scripture, let's quote the scripture. Um, I will say there are differences of beliefs. There are. There really are. And I know that there was

145a young lady who spoke earlier. I am not a Trump supporter, though I don't want that to ever be mis mis please don't mistake me. No. No. Um I'm still of the position that he's a racist rapist. But that's my own personal position. Again, I'm not pushing that on to you guys either. But that is my own personal position. Now, all of this is all my personal stuff. I think what the board of education has done with the policies it's put into place we they have actually taken the time to say every learner and that includes you whoever you are the Christian the uh neither Jew nor Greek the neither male nor female they've taken into position that every learner deserves a education and what does the actual um uh vision say for our school

146district it actually says not just that they get an education but they're prepared for life. So, we don't want to put in place policies that would lead to death. That goes against what we've already said in our mission statements. So, um there's and there's factual actual factual studies that show that. And so, we don't need to take those positions. And yes, reasonable accommodations are in the rules of the OCR. Um reasonable accommodations are in um the the way that they um implement Title 9 rules. And so if those reasonable accommodations are being made and students are being protected, I don't think we've done anything wrong. So just make sure we have the factual um and uh each each time they bring up something specific, I'm looking forward to our attorneys being able to dictate what

147we actually did and that we were standing with the law as well as with the uh the students. So thank you so much. [Applause] Hello, my name is Jessica Parks. I am a parent of two amazing VBSD students. Um, thank you so much for your uh, patience with all of us today. Um, so beautiful to hear all of these voices speak. Um, I just wanted to give a more personal experience um, to offer to you. I have two children in this district and one of them is trans and the experience that we have had all the way along. He came out when he was four years old and the teachers um didn't skip a beat. They reached out to us over summer break and made accommodations. We had a gender support plan in place. He

148started his year with his name being honored. He started his year learning how to play hopscotch and how to do math. And he did not one single day come home talking about being misnamed or mistreated. I have friends in other districts and I can tell you that is not their experience. There is something spectacular about this district and the tolerance and the acceptance that you guys support and create. Um, we are incredibly fortunate. My children are incredibly fortunate. Our children are incredibly fortunate to have all of you standing up for us. And I know it's scary when there's threats. Losing funding does affect all of our students. And I know that's scary. My child is alive and well and will continue to grow into an adult because of the policies that you support. Without you,

149without the things that you have created for your students, it doesn't matter if you have funding if you don't have students live to adulthood. And so, thank you so much. It truly has a really human impact. Hello. Um, my name is Patty Dugan. I am also a very, very longtime resident here in Bowling Brook. I am also coming up as here today as a Christian. I want to thank you young man for everything that you said at the very beginning of this meeting. I am encouraged today by hearing not only you but all of the rest of the youth in this room and all of the adults that actually get it. the stuff that the folks to my left are doing is not going to do anything but hurt the school district and the children

150in this community. I am so thankful for the board and the the way that you have handled tonight and the way that you move the school board in making sure that every single student not only gets to learn their mathematics, their English, their history, but they learn how to be critical thinkers, they learn how to respect and honor one another. I think the fact of the matter is is that when people call themselves Christians, they're forgetting a lot of things that Christianity does entail. The most important thing that God and Jesus taught us, the greatest of these is love. And unfortunately, my brothers and sisters to the left of me, they forgot that very important thing. You're not going to do anything but hurt Valley View School District and the children that are in our

151schools. I am so proud of Bowling Brook because we stood united tonight. The folks that don't even live here, the folks that don't even live here in Bowling Brook want to come and disrupt. They want to be like the man that's sitting in the Oval Office right now and disrupt. They want to hurt our children. I didn't use the word hate, but what you're going to do is hurt our children. and I'm straight and I'm still messed up with all the how to stay the stuff say the stuff correctly and I am so thankful to my brother Peter and your husband as well uh for teaching me as we go along because us old folks we're just not getting it and the fact of the matter is I am also very encouraged at the fact

152that there is so many more of us than there are of them so God bless you. Thank you for what you said, young man. I appreciate you and I truly wish that you could repeat everything that you said verbatim because and I hope that we are ready for this battle because they have President Boom boom chaa on their side, but they have not dealt with the citizens of Bowling Brook. So, I'm ready to go to battle. Thank you so much. We appreciate you guys. So, hello everyone. My name is Elanjo. First of all, thank you to the board. Thank you to the audience for your patience. I know it's 9:30 p.m. on a Monday, but just especially, I would like to say that as an RHS ambassador, as a first generation Latina, as a first

153generation child of immigrants, as a friend, as an ally of people of color, as people that are part of the LGBTQ community. I support people that support me, people that support my friends, and I support people that do not record and stare down minors, even in a public setting. Because making anyone feel uncomfortable, making anyone feel that they don't belong is not what this district is. That is not the position that the ambassadors serve. That is not what my school at Romeo High School serves. We support our people. And even if you think that you are not saying the word hate, hate is still embodying so much of what you say. Hate really is. And even as you shake your head, know hatred and trying to implement fear into people gains you nothing because it

154only motivates us more. Because as a student, even if it's a law, I'm also Catholic. This is my third year teaching second grade communion classes at St. Andrews. And everything that I do at that school is to teach my students about love. To teach my students to love all the people around them. To love people in their community. And that again emphasize what someone said earlier. Church is separate from state. That should be separate from what the state and from what law says. So even then using law to justify separation, to justify hate, again even if it's not the word that you're using, it's not right. Again, I am an immigrant. I know I'm the child of immigrants and I'm proud of that. I am an ally and I am proud of that. And all

155of that is still going to mean that I serve my people and I'm always going to do that. I know that my fellow ambassadors, I know that my friend James, that is what he does. I know that that is what the district that I serve does and that is what we were are going to do for generations. So even again the people to my left, if you want to keep coming, do that. freedom of speech, but then we will also do that. And I know that again that's right. We all have the right to do that. And as long as there is hatred in this world, we will combat that hatred. We will be here time and time again to support our people and what we are. Thank [Applause] you. Good evening. My name is

156Sean Salsbury. I've lived in the district for years. That's not a huge accomplishment. I assure you. Unfortunately, my my uh my subject is not what's been. So, I'm changing a bit as this board has known since I've shown up a few times now. Um I paid $17,87484 in taxes last time. We got another tax rate coming around. If I get assessed the 11.14% that my assessment is going up, put on my taxes, I'll be a I think $9 short of $19,000 of which 10,000 608 go here. That's one side of the coin. I will make this short since I know it's been a slog and I understand that. Um, there are two items on the agenda tonight that I would encourage you to e I would encourage you to vote them down quite frankly. Number

157one being a video board for the Bringing Brook High School and the tune of $165,000 $165,820. You get a $30,000 gift from the golf tournament that came to town. That's like giving a kid $5 and they go out and spend a hundred. Don't spend the extra 130. I would encourage you not, it's not necessary. It's not needed. One of the items on this flyer I got during election. By the way, congratulations to all the won their election. providing sound financial practices. Spending things on things spending on things that are not necessary is not sound financial practices. The second item, and I am trying to zip through this, I promise um is replacing the by my calculations 21-year-old basketball court over at Bowling Brook High School. And I'm not sure which. And by the way, the

158video board was not a bid situation. It was just one. I think you guys called a co-op. I don't know. I'm still learning your guys lingo and so forth, but I think that's how that figure came about. You're spending about the same amount of money, maybe a little bit more depending on who you choose for the new floor. It's a 21-y old floor. Surely it can't be worn out yet. I would encourage you and ask you as a board being fiscally responsible to please vote both of those items down. Thank you and have a good day. With no one else, Mr. Larry doesn't want to speak. Dr. Larry. Uh we will move down the agenda. I want to thank everyone for their comments. I particularly want to acknowledge the students that had the nerve to

159come up here and speak. As we all know, it's not easy. [Applause] So, all right, moving down the agenda, action reports, human resources, Miss Donado. Yes, thank you. Action for 10.1 is the consolidated action report for certified, classified, and administrative personnel. The administration is respectfully seeking your approval on all items as presented. Second. We have a motion and we have a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Member Vader. Yes. Member Campbell. Yes. Member Hy. Yes. Member Sutherland. Yes. Secretary Sakura? Yes. Vice President Zach? Yes. President Quigley? Yes. Job description. Action 410.2 is for a job description that was brought for review in March. Update for the director of multi-tered support and equity. The updates to this job description ensure alignment to the continued needs of our multi-tered system of supports to provide

160equitable access uh to every learner in Valley View. There motion second. Motion and seconded. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Member Stherland. Yes. Member Hy? Yes. Member Campbell? Yes. Member Badurus. Yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach, PresidentWigley, yes. Then three. Action for 10.3 is resolution number 2535, the authorization of dismissal of educational support personnel employees for reasons other than reduction in force. There motion. Motion. Motion and seconded. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. Roll call vote, please. Member Hy, yes. Member Sutherland, yes. Member Buris, yes. Member Campbell, yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach. PresidentW Quigley. Yes. Uh, Mr. section 11 fixed assets inventory 11.1 capital assets inventory the government accounting standards boards gazsby requires uh government units uh to complete a capital asset inventory at least once every two

161years to be compliant with this requirement district saw quotes for the service and determined that ITV appraisal is the most qualified to perform the necessary appraisal along with an independent appraisal the district will also need to update its policy 480 on accounting and audits to include these provisions for capitalizing its fixed assets. The administration is recommending that the board of education approve the engagement with ITV in the amount of $19,000 for a capital asset inventory as presented. There a motion move. Motion and seconded. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Member Badurus, yes. Member Campbell, yes. Member Hy, yes. Member Sutherland, yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach, yes. PresidentW Quigley, yes. Mr. Renich, Brook High School is proposing the installation of a full color video display board in the main gymnasium to enhance

162the student and spectator experience during athletic and school events. To ensure competitive pricing and compliance with procurement standards, the district solid solicited quotes through an approved purchasing cooperative. This project is being supported in part by the generous $30,000 donation from the live golf uh league. The administration is recommending that the board of education can approve a contract with Sever Electric in the amount of 1,00 $165,820 for the furnishing installation of the video board at Bowling Brook High School as presented. So motion second. We have a motion. We have a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Uh, I do have one question. Uh, I know a lot of these boards have uh ad revenue possibilities. Is that something that uh the district explored to recoup this costs? I would have to look at

163our district's policies. Some districts have policies against uh advertisement or would have to have specific requirements and um conditions on that. So, I' I'd have to take a look at that and see first of all what our board policy is. Do we allow advertising? And um we can consider that but it is something we could take a look at. Correct. Thank you very much. Motion and second. If there's no further discussion, a roll call vote, please. Member Campbell. No. Member Hy. Uh no. Member Sutherland. Yes. Member Burus. Yes. Secretary Sakura? Yes. Vice President Zack, President Quigley, yes, high school gym floor. Mr. Renich, at the February 10th, uh, 2025 board of education meeting, information report was presented outlining the need for various capital improvement projects. Um, among the identified projects was the replacement of the

164gym floor. The existing floor is 20 years old and has reached its useful life. We did do a review of the replacement or repair of that uh and compared to the cost um the cost replacement uh has been determined to be the most coste effective and sustainable long-term solution. The administration is recommending that the board of education approve the contract with Stalker Sports Floors in the amount of $159,650 to provide new uh wood floor at Bowling Brook High School Gymnasium as presented. Second. We have a motion and we have a second. Is there any discussion? I'm assuming this is a different purveyor than from RHS's. Correct. Is there any further discussion? If not, roll call vote, please. Member Hy, yes. Member Sutterland, yes. Member Vurus, yes. Member Campbell, no. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach,

165yes. President Quigley, yep. Wood View Library Renovations. Also presented at February 10th board meeting uh was the information report for the capital improvement project. The one such project is the renovation and enclosure of the library at Woodview Elementary School. Currently, the library is located in an open space environment lacking both sound and physical barriers from adjacent hallways and classrooms. This layout presents a challenge uh in delivering focused and effective instruction to students and utilizing space. The administration is recommending that the board of education approve a contract with ECC Construction in the amount of 169,000 to renovate the enclosed library at Woodview School as presented. So move second. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Member Sutherland, yes. Member Burus, yes. Member Campbell, yes. Member Hy, yes. Secretary

166Sakura, yes. Vice President Zach. Yes. President Quigley. Yes. Action. Superintendent for Educational Services. Dr. Pollson. No report. Correct. Thank you. Action report. Student discipline process D case A. Dr. Pollson. Yes. Tonight we are seeking your approval for student discipline case A as presented. There a motion. So move. Motion and seconded. There were three people. Motion for first. So, somebody make the second. Got it. Is there any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Member Vader, yes. Member Campbell, yes. Member Hy, no. Member Sutherland, yes. Secretary Sakura, yes. Vice President Zack, yes. President Quigley, yes. Superintendent's information reports, Dr. Pulson. Yes. Um excited to share with you this evening a quick um update from the superintendent's office. So starting with um as our student ambassador this evening, James Estrada shared with us that it is an e a

167week of student spiritware. So those of you that came out this evening, thank you for sharing the along with us and being sports day. Tomorrow is dress for your future day and then Wednesday is cultural fit day. And then lastly, if you could um show up on Thursday for blue and white to represent. Next in this very auditorium on Wednesday the 16th, our annual elementary battle of the books is on right here on this stage. If you haven't had a chance to see it before, it is an intense competition. Our young learners at the elementary level have been busy reading text and learning lots of facts and they will come and show what they know here on Wednesday at 6 pm in this very auditorium. And as we've shared for a few weeks, the last

168few weeks, registration is open not only for just for our kindergarten students, but all of our students. So, if you are a family that has multiple learners returning for next school year, including a kindergartenner, save some time and get everyone enrolled right now. And to share some celebrations uh from left to right that you will see our Illinois Global Scholars on the left, they did a capstone classes at both Bowling Brook High School and Romeoville High School where they donated to the community micro pantries in both the Romeoville and Bowling Brook communities. and they also packed meals for Feed My Starving Children. As in the middle, um, our superintendent, Dr. Wood, is sharing is showing off his favorite piece of literature as a kid. Um, if you recognize it, you know that it is all

169about the caterpillars. So, he had a chance to share that with some students at Independence Elementary. And then lastly, we joined forces from the human resource department um as well as transportation, facility operations, and nutritional services for a job fair at Joliet Junior College. Um we have jobs currently open in Valley View. Please check out our website and we hope that you'll look forward to joining our team soon. Some important updates coming. Our early release for our students are on April 16th and 30th. And then schools are closed for this 18th, the Friday, and this coming Monday, the 21st. And then our next board meeting is on April 28th. And lastly, as we start to close out the 2425 school year, we have lots of celebrating to do. our high school graduation um ceremonies are

170taking place on May 18th as well as our step exit ceremony on May 21st and our middle school promotion ceremony as they start their journey into our high schools will take place on May 27th and the tenative last day of school is on the May 28th and that completes the update. Thank you diligent community Dr. propolson. Yes, for information 14.2 is diligent community is an update to our current board doc software. It is um similar software but the current platform is suns setting. So it provides the same functionality for the public facing as well as for the board. Um we are looking to bring this back for action at the next board meeting um with the anticipated cost of $19,800. Thank you. Copers five-year maintenance contract. Mr. Renich, it has to be right down your

171right up my alley here. On uh July 1st, 2018, the district entered into a 5-year production copier agreement with Gordon Flesh. This agreement expired on July 1st, 2023, at which time the board approved another two-year extension to this contract. The devices are covered under this agreement and are now approaching seven years and have reached their useful life. In response, the district is currently conducting an RFP, which is a quest for proposal process to solicit and evaluate proposals for new copier agreement. This is anformational report purposes only. The administration intends to present a recommendation for the board approval at the next uh regular board meeting. Thank you. If you have questions about the copy or contract, talk to Mr. Renich. Bus le's 2025. The district's 2020 bus lease agreement with Midwest Transit Equipment uh for 63

172buses are set to expire in June 30th, 2025. Planning is under his way to renew the lease for the 63 new buses that will continue to prioritize student safety. The new fleet will include key safety and operational features such as three-point uh seat belts, two-way radio communication, GPS tracking, and a comprehensive audiovisisual coverage, including front forward- facing cameras. Additionally, special ed buses will be equipped with air conditioning. The district plans to depreciate the new lease over 5-year period with a portion of depreciation eligible for state reimbursement. This report is information purposes and administration plans to bring a formal recommendation to the board of education for approval at the next scheduled board meeting. Thank you, Mr. Renitch. And assist of technology iPads. Dr. Pson. Yes. Assist of technology iPads. This is information item as well. We're

173seeking your approval at a a future meeting related to assisted technology devices for to support communication needs for our students with special needs. As a district, we serve all learners um including those who utilize different resources for communication purposes. The request includes hardware and software to support iPads with the anticipated cost of $80,000810. And if you have any questions on that, who should somebody talk to? You. Thank you. Moving down the agenda, legal services report. Mr. Otrriscoll, the formal report. Thank you. Valley View 604. Apparently no report. Office personnel 604. Moving down the agenda. Transportation. No report. Old business before the board. Any new business before the board. As always, Freedom of Information Act requests foyer requests are with Mr. Planey in the back and on our website. Thanks, sir. Any announcements by the board?

174Any announcements by the administration? Seeing none, hearing none, a motion to adjurnn would be in order. So move. Don't everybody hit your button at once. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I. Both same sign. Have a safe evening. And thank you again for all your participation.