001I call to order the January 7, 2026 special meeting of the board of education of Hillsdale Township High School District 86. We are meeting at the district administrative center. The time is 5:02 p.m. staff. Will you please call role? >> Member Greenspun >> here. Member Fischer >> here. >> Member Mth >> here. >> Member Aris. Member Leco. Member Satchwell >> here. >> Member Waters >> here. Please stand if you are able and join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> The board will now hear audience comments for up to a total of 45 minutes. Speakers will have three minutes to address the board.
002Board meetings are meetings of the board held in public, not open foreign town hall meetings. Board members will not engage the public during public comment. The board will keep this in mind as we conduct our meetings, allowing the public to provide input at the time allotted on the agenda to ensure that multiple voices of the community, excuse me, in four board deliberations. When the board deliberates, it will be a time for the board to listen and learn from each other, taking the public input into consideration, not a time to re-engage with the public. The board will consistently abide by a formal processes related to the issue so that all persons are treated fairly and equally. Our first speaker is Nancy Nancy. >> I appreci Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate um being heard
003and I am very respectful of your time and of the 3minut um limit. However, uh I would appreciate some leeway giving the seriousness of my concerns. First, I would like to publicly thank the board of education for affording me this opportunity to speak not only to them tonight but to the community at large. The board has demonstrated receptiveness, promptness, and responsiveness to my concerns, and I thank you for that. I would also like to thank my children, Johnny, Emily, and Bobby Ike for being with being being with me here tonight as students at Himale Central. This is >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. We're going we're in audience comments, so I apologize for interruption. >> Oh, sorry. Please. >> As students at Kingsdale Central, this affects you. As students, your job is
004to be kind, empathetic, and engaged learners who enhance the culture at Endale Central High School. And my job as a parent and an educator is to protect you and to put you in a safe environment that will nurture strong character. and I intend to do that. My name is Nancy Harper Ike. I've lived in this community for close to 30 years. My connection to this fine community and its schools run deep. I taught preschool at the Village Childc Care of Hinsdale. I did my student teaching at Oak School, Hinsdale. I taught at Hensdale Middle School and also coached basketball there. Since then, I've been honored to serve Hinsdale Central and its community for 28 years. My husband, my father was a social studies teacher who served in the Northshore Glenbrook South School District 203 for
00533 years. Together, we have a combined 61 years of teaching experience and service. the importance of ensuring that our children had access to a top-notch public education and our decision was instrumental in our decision to move to the Hinsdale Central community and raise our family here. The acceptance of any type of abuse towards our students is beyond reprehensible. I am asking this board what exactly is our policy when our students are being verbally and emotionally abused and moreover why is this pattern being allowed accepted and unchecked. Unfortunately, I was here in 2003 when abuse went unchecked at Himdale Central. Our nationally ranked school was all over the local and state news, but not for its excellence, but because of unacceptable behavior that went unchecked and unaccounted for. Sadly, poor behavior continues to be unchecked and
006unaccounted for. I want to emphasize I want to emphasize while not the norm at Hinsdale. I have personally witnessed yelling, finger wagging in the face, swearing, and the belittling of our students in what should be the safest environment of all, a classroom. Last year, I brought my concerns forward. You know what? I never had a conversation with Principal Walsh about this. Instead, my concerns were handed off to the assistant principal of building operations responsible for overseeing improvement, including new tech, desks, and lighting. So, I put that for a minute. That's where my concerns went to the assistant principal of building operations. This year, I witnessed the same behavior as last year. This year, however, I was asked and complied with composing a witness statement in November of 2025. Guess what happened with that? I had
007nothing. Not even an acknowledgment of my receipt of the witness statement. Message to me. Be quiet. Go away. It's not important. Administration on several levels just doesn't care. And we accept the unacceptable at Central. The message to the students. It's okay for teachers entrusted with their safety and education to swear, scream, yell, and belittle them. Leaders will simply switch the players around and avoid the unpleasantness. Students saw all of this. My message to the Hinsdale community, our students deserve better. We are trusting our children eight hours a day, sometimes six days a week to the care and compassion of seasoned educators. It's critical that as parents, without any doubt, we know our children are safe. We need to have a clear understanding of what our policy on verbally and emotionally abusive behavior is. I advocate
008that we move away from the policy of acceptance towards a more proactive policy of zero tolerance. On a personal note, I remain deeply saddened with this ongoing situation. I am embarrassed and ashamed for not speaking up louder and sooner. I sincerely apologize for that and I have deep regret. See something, say something. This is the rhetoric that is often told to staff and students. See something, say something. How about we take that a step further? We see something, we say something, we do something. Finally, in the Thursday, December 25th, 2025 edition of the Hins Dien, Miss Greenspan is quoted as saying, "As we move into 2026, we do so with optimism and a clear focus on supporting each learner who walks through the doors." I hope this sentiment applies to the classroom doors as well.
009I appreciate the board's time and I appreciate my chair. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Take care. Thank you. They have a motion to adjourn to close session for discussion under 5 LCS 122C1 the appointment employment compensation discipline performance or dismissal of specific employees specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park recreational or educational setting or specific volunteers of a public body or legal counsel for the public body including hearing testimony on a complaint launched against an employee a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor in a park recreational or educational setting or a volunteer with the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. However, meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to
010the local government wage increase transparency act may not be closed and shall be open to the public and posted and held in accordance with this act 5CS. Oh, with this act and file LCS122C11 litigation when an action against affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent in which case the basis for the findings shall be recorded and enter into minutes of the closed session. May I have a meet motion please? >> Second Fisher. >> Motion Leox. Second Fischer. Is there any discussion? Please call roll. >> Member Greenspun. >> Hi. >> Member Fischer. >> I. >> Member Mitha. >> Hi. >> Member Aris. >> I. Calling remotely if we're due
011to work and was on time. >> Member Leak. >> Hi. >> Member Satchwell. >> Hi. >> Member Waters. >> Hi. >> I motion carries 70. The board will now adjourn to close session. The board will now take action following the close session as detailed on our agenda. The time is 8:12 p.m. and the board now reconvenes the open session of the January 7, 2026 special meeting. With no further discussion, the January 7, 2026 special meeting is adjourned at 8:14. Thank you.