Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Board of Education April 2026 Meeting

001Join me 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. >> No. >> Here. >> Ross >> here. >> And Yseph S >> here. Tire >> here. Wall >> here. Do >> we have any correspondents? Here we go. >> All right. Went home a little bit more dressed up today. I know I've had questions about that. I just haven't dressed up in a while, so I was like, why not? You know, it was a little fun. Um, but today's going to be a good meeting. Two reasons. One, I'm going to make it more interactive. Two, it is still sunny outside, so that shows that we're heading in the right direction. It's not pitch black when I'm

002entering anymore, which is amazing. Um but if you remember my last meeting I talked um a lot basically by a lot I mean everything about my meet me Monday talked about the um our special education department which was a super fun meeting that I did. I really loved it and you know I want to reiterate something about that meeting about why I did that meeting and if you remember one of the conclusions I drew it was because of the student experience. You know I love I love reporting these things. I could report about the events that have happened since the you know two months since I have in in forever. I could go on forever, but the student experience is really what's important and it's really the students and the staff that make Stevenson amazing.

003And that's why I do meet Mondays in general. I do that to showcase to you things that you might not get. So, also that is going to be happening today. Just kind of reiterating that why I did that. I always wanted to drive home that main point of showing you the student experience. Um, very briefly, I know one of these slides these slides look very clustered and that is on purpose because sports something that's happening a lot. We're right in the middle of spring sports right now. There's been a lot of accomplishments. You can see uh different state things that we've won where it's, you know, in the top middle there and in the bottom right there. Like I said, very small photos because there's been a lot going on with all of our spring

004sports. And they've just been doing amazing. You know, our Patriots love getting out, getting active, doing the sports that they love. Um and that's no different than now. They're they're continuing to do that. They're continuing to be out and can just enjoying everything. Um extracurriculars. Here's some stuff that just happened very briefly. Had to give a shout out to NHS. A little two little shout outs there. In the top left, we had St. Baldick. We raised over $7,000 for cancer, which is amazing. Um, and in the bottom right, that's our kilometers for Africa. We raised over $2,000 for that. Um, so that's helping technology services in Africa. So, two things NHS did, but like I said, this is very, very short snapshot. So many things that happened with so many different clubs. I couldn't report

005all of them to you guys. It would take forever. And like I said, it's more about the student experience than just overall what's happened. It's kind of what I've always been trying to drive home. And this one, it's a little déja vu. If you remember my I've done a slide before I jam-packed a hundred things on there and was like, look how crazy this is. Same thing again, except this time it's awards and competitions because there is so much we've done, you know, whether it be FBA, HOSA, MUN, anything, any club that we've done, you know, any any sports that's won an accomplishment. Once again, a quick snapshot. And I mean, you can see it literally looks like they're throwing onto the slide because, well, because I did, but you know, they're all just on

006there and there's so much stuff that they're doing in awards, competitions, all that stuff that they're doing, which is which is amazing that they're getting out there. You know, I talked to a bunch of my FBA friends, my hosta friends, and it's busy work. I've talked about that before about that timing about like things that people do. They love doing them, but it takes a lot of time out their day. And they love doing it. And this has happened before. So, give me half a second. I will go back in it. Um, but they're they just love doing those things. They love doing the awards and the competitions. And this is actually great preparation going on the fly here. Um, I'm going to show you my intro into my Meet Me Monday is a little

007bit long. So, I was like, let me show you some two fun photos. Uh, these two fun photos. Drum roll, please. Okay. Uh, yeah. So, my intro is a little long. There's me on the right side and on the left side. So that's me when I was a kid. Um I did have eyebrows. You just can't see them because they were the same color as me. Um so they are there though. Um and then the photo on the left that happened this Friday. Uh I am the one in the blue dress. Yes. Uh this happened for Yeah, that is me. Yeah, I'm wearing a wig as well. That happened for Senior Showdown. So the my group did a Hamilton performance. Personally never watched it, but you know, I was happy to participate in it. And

008me and my other two guy friends, we were the Skyler sisters. So I was Eliza and I wore a dress. So that was exciting. Um, the whole reason I have me up there is because I am going to put you guys by you guys I mean this no in the shoes of me. Okay. So a lot of things that I'm doing in public speaking, I'm in public speaking right now. They they teach me how to keep something interactive. You know, I don't want to talk for just 10 minutes. So now I'm going to kind of pose the question over to you, Miss No. I'm going to put you in the shoes of someone I'm interviewing. Okay? So, you're going to imagine you're, you know, just obviously answer as you would answer, not as you think

009a student would, but I'm just going to ask you questions and we'll we'll see kind of where this goes. Um, Dr. Frost, I think it was you that mentioned that, you know, a lawyer might be something I might be good at because I'm well spoken. We'll see how that is because the number one rule of being a lawyer is don't ask questions you don't know the answer to. We'll see where this goes and I have to mend this presentation to which the answers you give. Um, but are you ready? >> Yes. >> Okay. What is your name? >> Amy. No. >> How do you define school spirit? How would you define school spirit as you think of Stevenson? >> Good question. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, I guess I would define it as having a

010connection feeling, you know, where where >> the school becomes kind of a part of who you are as you're here and as you leave. >> Yeah. So, that's how you define school spirit. Now, I'm going to talk to you something something else. school pride. Do you think there's a difference between school spirit and school pride? >> I guess not based on the definition that I just gave. Not >> really. >> Maybe school spirit is more how you show your pride, >> but you have to feel it, I think, to have school spirit. >> Do you think they're connected in any way? >> Yes. So, how so? How are they connected? Because I think if you don't feel pride for your school, then you're not going to have any spirit or want to show, you know,

011you're not going to want to wear the gear or do any of the things that are sort of typical school spirit. >> Yeah. There we go. That was a quick quick little interview. I know I never can take you guys. I know it was I know it was quick. >> No, usually they go on a little bit longer, but you know, for time sake, I got to keep it a little quick. But um yeah, that I know I can never get you guys in in the room when I'm interviewing, but there you go. >> Can we reverse this at graduation when I'm up there? >> Just like something like that. Yeah, you know, maybe. Um also, quick caveat, this is going to be a little bit of a thing. But the whole reason why I'm

012talking about school spirit and school pride, that's kind of if you ask, those are the two big questions. You know, when I interview people, I ask them a range of questions and I kind of have two questions that I get into. School spirit and school pride is what I did this time. And I kind of discussed the two of them being in student government. And it's something that we talk about a lot and I was like, let me share my kind of insights and ideas with this and a lot of that comes with the season of celebrate because school spirit, we have a season of spirit. I know I told you guys about that. We have a season of spirit, serve, showcase, and celebrate. And right now in the season of celebrate and um but

013I feel like school spirit directly ties to season of spirit. Makes sense. But I feel like school spirit and school pride connect to school to season of spirit. But I also feel like school pride connects to celebrate because if you want to celebrate, you got to be prideful of your school. That's kind of why I'm talking about this because there's a lot of stuff coming up. The senior boat trip, senior sunrise. Also something I want to bring out. I know in the past um at our spring fling we have burgers and hot dogs for the students to have. That's where they can come and play um different sports. They can come. We're playing yeah flag football, kickball, cricket, and volleyball this year. If any of you guys want to come out and, you know, cook

014burgers or cook hot dogs or do anything that for the students, more than welcome to. You can reach out to me or, you know, anyone and I'm more than happy. We're more than excited to have any of you out there. So if you guys want to do that, you can feel free to reach out to me. But >> you can also just ride around on a golf cart if you'd like. >> That is true as well. You can watch the students play some. There's gonna be >> I know guy who has a golf cart. >> Yeah, there's some there's some Kona Ice there if you like Kona Ice. There'll be a karaoke stage if you guys want to go up there and sing karaoke and that's all you. Yeah, you guys could do that as

015well. Well, that's not confirmed. I guess we're trying to get a karaoke stage there. Um anyway, why I'm talking about um season the different spirits is because what you said kind of ties to two different students. when I I interviewed four different students and I saw two different outcomes and I'm kind of going to share one with what your second definition was which was that school spirit is something that you showcase on the outside school pride's something more internal well that actually aligns a lot with Stuken yes Stuken he is our he's a senior he's our student co-president he was on FOD squad for FMP that's freshman orientation day um and he does a lot for Stevenson he's in he does a lot something I work with he I work with him very closely for

016student council so I like him a lot and >> you can't spell student council without stew. Yeah. Yeah. He had that was that was his campaign thing. He ran unopposed. Actually, everyone was scared of running against him. But his campaign was I put the stew in StuA. So, you know, there you go. Um but yeah, so when I when I talked to Stu, he said that school spirit is about that camaraderie and the connection that people have in the school. That is what he said, which is what you said as well. And when he talked about school pride, he said that's the tangible things that you see, which is a little bit different how he talked about it. But when I asked him the trends, I asked him the trends. I said, "Do you think

017school spirit's increasing or decreasing or staying the same? And do you think school pride's increasing, decreasing, or staying the same?" He said he thinks school spirit's decreasing, but school pride is increasing. And that's something that I saw common for a lot of people. And I'm going to kind of talk about what I think that means as we go into more. But he found that a lot. And then I talked about is this a problem? I asked him like, is that a problem that our school spirit's decreasing? He said it's not an actual bad thing because the culture is changing and the lack of school school spirit can be an identifier of what it is we can improve upon to ultimately bring these tangible things to light. And so he wants to increase school spirit. School

018spirit he sees as like you said wearing things out there. He wants people he he said that he wants to see a sea of patriot merch on Fridays because we always wear wear patriot merch on Fridays. implemented something called Patriot Fridays which is something we did where uh last Friday we randomly selected classes and we brought them donuts and if you had were wearing Stevenson merch you could get a donut and so cool way to try to increase school spirit um and it's something we are kind of playing with that are called pop-up events where we're not going to advertise them we're just going to come and it's going to be a surprise so you know communications may not like that but it's a little bit of a pop-up event that's fun so that's what

019we're doing he's trying to increase that school spirit that we talked about and he really see School Spirit as like the traditional kind of high school musical vibe, if you will, where it's like people need to like show up to football games, wear a bunch of merch, you know, go and just like scream Stephenson all out. They they he really wants to see Stevenson screamed all out. And, you know, I thought that was amazing. I I would love that, too. But then I thought there was a flip side as well, and I was kind of wondering what the students thought. So, that is Stu's interpretation, but I'm kind of going to flip that on a different student's interpretation. These are three different students. Very proud to be Stephenson students. We have Christina Fang. She's a

020senior on the state dance team. We have Auggie. She's a senior on the state winning chess team. And we have Shay Donovan. She's a senior on the Stevens on the state winning girls swim team. So all Stevens and kids. Also, when I talked to them about their favorite experience, each of them mentioned their sport. So when Christina said her favorite thing was winning state her sophomore year for dance, Auggie talked about chess. And uh Shay talked about winning her state her senior year because it was something they were taught for. So they all love Stevenson, but each of them kind of thought as pride as something else. They thought they thought school pride was something that you have. It was kind of similar to what you said, that internal feeling. And school spirit is not

021necessarily that outward feeling that you need. All three of these students, when I asked them, are you proud to be a Stevenson patriot? Are you proud to be on the dance team? Proud to be on the chess team or the swim team? Each of them said they're really, really proud. Christina said, really, I'm really proud to be on the dance team. Auggie Auggie said, "I'm super proud to be on the chess team." And Chase said, "I'm 100% yes, proud to be called a Patriot swimmer." So, all of these students and including Stu have school pride. My in my internal definition of school pride, my definition of school pride is being just I know it seems very simple. You can't use the word and the definition, but just being proud to go here. And all of

022our students are, but when I ask them what does the traditional like high school musical think of wearing school spirit? That's like, oh, wearing homecoming dress days, going to homecoming, going to our newly patriot Palooa, going to football games. Besides Christina, who is there from dance, none of the other ones really attended the football games. They didn't wear they didn't go to homecoming and they didn't wear Stevenson merch on the homecoming days. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. And because each of these students have that school pride, I kind of want to emphasize that. I don't I don't want to come out here thinking that they don't because each student at Stevenson is proud to go to Stevenson. I know this is kind of a little bit biased, but I feel like a majority

023of Stevenson students, if you ask them, are you proud to go here? They will say yes. And that's just because it's an amazing school. There's so much amazing things to do. But if you ask them about school spirit, they might not say yes. All three of them said things that school spirit is decreasing, but school pride is increasing. Augie said staying the same, but they each said school pride is increasing, which coming from a student government perspective, I think that's amazing. I think if you can have school pride, that's amazing. And I hate to leave it on a cliffhanger, but I kind of am because I'm going to ask like you guys, and very it's a rhetorical question here. The interview is over, but rhetorical question is that a bad thing? Is that a bad

024thing that our school spirit is decreasing? Because we know that culture constantly shifts. Is that a bad thing that students aren't dressing up as much as they do aren't wearing Patriot things? If they're proud to be a Stevenson patriot, is that a bad thing that they aren't outwardly showing it as much? If I talk to them, I will be. Is that a bad thing? Is that a good thing? I don't know. And I'm leaving that up to you guys. So you guys, you know, you can think about that what, you know, do with it whatever you want. But this is very much thinking about it in terms of a student government perspective about what can we do or should we do something or should we not do something? Is it fine the way we're going?

025And now we're just in a culture shift right now. You know, we we talked about Mr. Gobble talked about Patri a little bit last meeting and something that I love to do and we had that change because we kind of saw the culture changing and we wanted to change with it. We wanted to bring the students something new. So the culture we just we saw the culture was changing. Is it changing in this sense too and is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? I don't know. And I'm leaving it on a cliffhanger which may suck. I hate reading books that leave on a cliffhanger. But yes, that is what I have for you today. So thank you guys. Thank you so much. Do we have any visitor statements? >> Yes. >> Just

026ask you to keep your comments at three minutes if that's okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> I start now. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Good evening. My name is Marla Tiffen and I'm a Mongolian-American sophomore here at Stevenson and also a member of the Suburban Youth Council with the Hana Center. I'm here to today to express my strong support for the Teaching Equitable Asian-American uh community history act and its full implementation in our schools by adopting our demands. The Teach Act signed into law in 2021 and supposed to go into the curriculum in the 2022 2023 school year was meant to ensure that Asian-American history and contributions specifically in the Midwest was taught with both accuracy and depth. However, my experience as a student suggests that we're not yet meeting that goal. For much of

027my life, the only time I heard about my heritage discussed was when Genghaskhan was described as an evil dictator. That was the narrative presented to me both in classrooms and in popular culture. But in Mongolia, he is remembered very differently as a Brazilian Brazilian brilliant strategist, a unifier, and a figure of national pride. Reconciling these two vastly different portrayals forced me to question not only what was being taught to me, but also what was being left out. This experience is not unique. In school, Asian-American history is often framed primarily through hardship, through stories like Japanese internment and the Chinese Exclusion Act. While these histories are essential, they are incomplete on their own. When we focus only on oppression, we fail to recognize the leadership, innovation, and cultural contributions of Asian-American communities. We also fail to

028show students that their histories are not just defined by suffering, but by resilience, achievement, and influence. An incomplete education does more than just leave out facts. It shapes how students see themselves and how others see them. When entire communities are reduced to stereotypes or single narratives, it limits understanding and reinforces misconceptions. That is why the full implementation of the Teaching Equitable Asian-American Community History Act is so important. Adopting our demands, especially expanding curriculum to include Asian-American and cultural studies courses, would give students the opportunity to engage with history in a more reflecting, accurate, and meaningful way. It would allow students like me to see our identities reflected with dignity. complexity and would foster a deeper sense of understanding across our very diverse student community. We deserve an education that tells a full story and not

029just parts of it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um hello everyone. My name is Hannah and I'm a sophomore and a member of the Suburban Youth Council um at Hana Center, which is an immigrant justice provider that supports Asian-American communities through advocacy, education, and youth leadership. Um I'm here today to support my fellow sick members at Stevenson and to support in the um to speak in the support of the Teach Act and its full implementation in our school. I want you to imagine this. You're walking through a crowded hallway at school and you stop and ask an Asian-American student the simple question. what is your history and what is your background? Now, think about it. What are the chances they could fully answer that question if they never truly been taught their own history

030at school? And when Asian-American history is taught, it is often reduced to only a few events or stereotypes instead of the full range of experiences and achievements. Through Hana Center, I learned about the Kangja uprising where students and civilians stood up for the mil against a military dictatorship and fought for democracy and human rights. Learning about this made me realize something about my own identity. I thought I understood my Korean background and my family's history, but I realized there were so many important stories that I've never heard of or never been taught at school. It showed me how much history is missing from what students learn every day. It also made me think about um why many immigrant families including mine came to this country. They came here believing in the American dream that their

031children would have u more freedom, more opportunities and a better future through education. But when students are not taught their own histories or the communities around them, we lose a part of the opportunity. We lose the chance to fully understand ourselves, our families, and the country we live in. That is why the Teach Act matters. It ensures Asian-American histories is included in Illinois schools so students receive a more complete and accurate education that reflects on the diversity in our school. We want more Asian-American history classes and cultural class classes that allow students to deeply understand um learn about their um histories, not just brief briefly mention them. Representation matters because it helps students feel seen and connected to who they are and every student deserves that in their education. That is why I'm asking Stephvenson

032and all of you guys to take action to fully implement the Teach Act by adapting our demands and expand opportunities for Asian-American students. Students deserve to understand their identities, their histories, and their and the stories that ex that shape their families. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Andrew De Lasales and I serve as the suburban youth program coordinator at the Hana Center. As you've heard, the Hana Center is an immigrant justice and service provider based in Prospect Heights. We serve 16,000 individuals annually in Korean, English, and Spanish, and we have a wealth of community engagement programs. Uh, and the students that just spoke are members of those. At the Suburban Youth Council, this program, Asian and immigrant students from across the Northwest suburbs join twice a week to advocate for

033people who look like and sound like them. District 125 students have emerged as leaders, whether it's distributing know your rights information in freezing weather, sharing over 500 voter guides to immigrant-owned businesses, or lobbying for healthcare expansion in the Springfield. Last year, this council sought to understand their peers through a survey on food stigma. They identified that a root cause of the racist stigmatizing incidents was a lack of education on Asian culture. As the students discussed the results, I heard them realize in real time that the same mentality that renders our communities, our food, and our traditions perpetually foreign are the same ones that enable ISIS terrorism. The reason students are advocating for the Teach Act is because now more than ever we need well- educated communities. While the state passed this mandate in 2021, 5

034years later, students across the northwest suburbs, including at Stevenson, still feel like the law has not been fully implemented. I encourage you to take Hannah's question into consideration and even go beyond that and ask a young person in your life to name three Asian-American civil rights leaders. To this end, Stephvenson students identified a set of demands before you. Above all, they stressed that Asian-American contributions be made more accessible to the student body. This can be through curricular updates like increasing the number of Asian-American authors or including intentional diaspora histories that represent the full spectrum of Asian-Americ. The students also know that this can be a larger lift, especially for those who never learned Asian-American history. Fortunately, they have done their research and identified and will share free resources, including professional development, book lists, and lesson

035plans because they are deeply invested in the district's compliance with state law. The community itself looks forward to seeing the district take action. Too often, our young people graduate only knowing Asian-American history as a story of victimhood, a narrative that has only become more entrenched in the wake of CO 19 and Operation Midway Blitz. However, the student demands presented to you today is an opportunity. By listening to them and taking action, you can directly challenge the antiquated narratives and uplift marginalized voices. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> And my understanding, Wendy, is that there's already a meeting set up with Brad Smith. >> Yep. um both of Brad Smith and Kim Musaf. So both our communication arts director and our social service. >> Okay, great. Thank you very much. >> All right. Ambassador Awards. >>

036All right. Well, we have a very exciting evening of ambassador awards and usually at this point I am turning it over to Sarah Bowen. >> Sarah >> usually at this point we're >> connections. >> Oh great. Do we want to invite in all of our parents? Yeah. >> Yeah. Please. And Sarah, Mark could grab some more seats. >> Mark's grabbing a couple more chairs. All right. Well, one of our most favorite uh nights of the year uh at our board of board of education meetings are the ambassador awards that we present every year for student success story. So, thank you to Sarah and your team for being here. And at this point, I'll turn it over to you to set the stage and give us the opportunity to hear our Thank you. >> Stories of

037amazing success, but then also recognize them. >> Sure. Yeah. Thank you. And thank you all for giving us this platform. Again, this is our favorite evening. Um, as you said, Eric, because this gives us an opportunity to celebrate students for whom high school has been wonderful, you know, milestones and celebrations, but also some challenges along the way. Uh, but as we know, with challenges come opportunities to really grow and to learn how to push through things and to develop that resilience and that perseverance. Um, and I'm here to tell you everyone, those are really the life skills that will get you through um the long hall in life. And so, we're so excited that you develop develop those skills here. Uh, and we couldn't be more proud of you and are excited to share your

038stories with this group and with our board of education, too. Um, we're gonna start with Isabelle. That's okay. Mrs. Kelly and Yep. And Mrs. Van Gilardi. Um, so Isabelle, hi. Here you are. Um, Isabelle Deas. Um, Isabelle's going to share her own story and she has worked with Mrs. Megan Kelly, her counselor, and Miss Vanillardi, her social worker. You ready? Okay. Take it away. >> Yeah. Wherever you want. You want to stand? >> Yeah. >> Okay. You go right ahead. >> Good evening to the Stevenson High School Board of Education staff members and the Patriot community. My name is Isabelle Francis Deassis and I am a graduating class a graduating senior with the class of 2026. Before I begin, I'd like to thank a few people who have truly shaped my high school experience. First,

039my school counselor, Megan Kelly. Yes, she's right there. uh who has supported me in managing stress and encouraging me to advocate for myself. Also my social worker Laura Mangelardi uh who has guided me in my social, mental and emotional growth. Um intro introduced me in the BEu group, a space uh that has given me both community and the confidence to express myself. Both of them are here today and I'm incredibly grateful. I also want to thank my mom and dad who have always pushed me. That's my mom and dad over there. who have always pushed me to do my best and take opportunities that lead to growth and self-improvement. And lastly, my public speaking teacher because without her, I don't think I would have the confidence to say this speech right now. Thank you, Mr.

040Ram. It is truly an honor to accept one of Stevenson's highest recognitions, the student success story award, nominated by Mrs. Kelly and Miss Mangelerti. Today, I want to share my journey through high school and how Stephvenson's environment has allowed me to grow and prepare for what comes next. People often ask me how I'm able to confidently approach adults or speak up in class. And the truth is that confidence wasn't always there. It's just something I developed over time. As a child, I was naturally outgoing and academically strong. But during during junior high, something shifted. I began to question my place in the world and that mindset followed me into high school. I became more closed off um struggled with self-confidence and honestly didn't know how I'd fit into the expectations around me. And at times

041I felt lost and unsure of what I had to offer. What changed was being in an environment that made me feel like I was going somewhere. Through extracurriculars and support systems, I started to rebuild that sense of direction. Getting involved helped me to discover my independence while my student support team helped me take advantage of academic opportunities like summer courses that gave me flexibility during the school year. Over time, I became some sorry, I became someone more grounded, more confident, and more willing to advocate not just for myself, but for others. I went from trying to figure out every possible outcome to learning how to move forward with the ones that are meant to unfold. And while I still struggle at times with self-confidence and self-image, I've learned that growth isn't about being perfect. It's

042about continuing to move forward. One of the biggest part of that growth comes from the activities I joined. The Filipino American Student Association, Marching Band, and Latin Dance Society. These spaces gave me the opportunity to step into leadership and contribute to something bigger than myself. I went from quietly participating, often following in my siblings footsteps, to becoming an executive board in both the Filipino Club as well as in the Latin Dance Society. I've also choreographed performances for World's Fair over the past two years. Through these experiences, I've developed leadership skills that I know will stay with me long after high school. And honestly, teaching and leading a group of students is not easy. So, I have a lot of respect for teachers out there in the world, worldwide. What I've learned is this. Being pres

043being part of something is one thing, but truly making the most of it. Figuring out how your presence add value is what makes that me experience meaningful. I also want to recognize my student support team. They helped me learn to advocate for myself, not just academically, but mentally and emotionally as well. And that balance isn't often talked about, but it's incredibly important. At a school as large as Stevenson, it's easy to overlook the resources available. There are so many opportunities and supports, but you have to be the one that take that takes the first step to access them. And for me, that meant reaching out when I needed help. When working with my counselor and social worker, it allowed me to prioritize my mental and emotional support or help alongside academics, something I used to

044think had to be separate. But I wouldn't have experienced the full impact of their support if I hadn't spoken up and asked for it. Because of these supports, I've been able to grow in my confidence, become a leader in my communities, and develop the communication skills that I'll carry into the future. After high school, I plan to attend college and continue growing both creativity and academically. And I hope to carry these lessons into my career and into the personal and professional relationships that I'll build along the way. One things my parents have always told me is to find your own way of learning. And I believe that applies to life as well. Everyone has their own path and their own strengths. There are countless resources at Stevenson, more than I could possibly list today. But

045what I do know is that they they exist. They exist and they are here to help. So my message to the Patriot community is this. Advocate for yourself. Take advantage of the supports around you. It's often closer than you think. Because the moment when you feel like you don't have a space to speak is exactly when you should start reaching out. High school is often overlooked as a stepping stone, but it is a critical time for self-discovery. It's where you begin to understand who you are and build the skills that will guide you into your next chapter. And just as easily as you might go to the ILC for acade academic help, you can start a conversation with the teacher or a staff member nearby. Thank you. I don't know. >> Just picture. >> Oh,

046sorry. >> I'll do it. >> Sorry. >> That was amazing. By the way, >> they're for you. >> Great job. You need one money. We're gonna squish you with our >> So, we're gonna do one picture with the >> in the middle. >> Yep. >> Congratulations. You won with just the three. >> Great job. Thank you so much. Okay. All right. Next. Okay. Next up, we have Dianara Roland Garcia. Um, Dianara has worked with Mrs. Kelly and Miss Manialardi as well, as well as Molly Hill. Miss Hill is here tonight, too, supporting her um in special education. And I think Mrs. Kelly is going to start. >> Sure. >> In Spanish. >> Sounds fantastic. Okay, we'll continue. Hi everyone. Okay. Student success story award. Multilingual learning programmade independenc Mexicip Valentina group. resilience. I can share

047in English for us. >> I don't know who to face. I'll just corner >> Yeah. >> that way store. >> Hi everybody. Hi Okay. Dianara Roman Garcia. What a gem. Today, our student services and special education team is so excited to celebrate Dianara as the recipient of the student success story award. We are honored to share a glimpse into her experience and all the reasons this recognition is so incredibly welldeserved. Throughout her time at Stevenson High School, Dionara has grown into a confident, thoughtful, and determined young woman who consistently puts forth her best efforts and seeks out supports when needed. Her growth reflects steady and meaningful progress. Through supports such as our multilingual learning program, academic literacy, and study skills, she built a strong foundation, developed independence and self-awareness, and through her hard work, successfully

048exited both the multilingual learning program and academic literacy. These experiences served as stepping stones that have helped her move forward with confidence. As she grew, Dionara began to more fully embrace all that Stevenson has to offer. Through her involvement in the Latin American Student Organization, she found opportunities to celebrate her culture while building community with others. Her participation in World's Fair, where she performed two cultural dances, was a powerful moment, especially for those who remember her as a more reserved freshman. That willingness to step outside of her comfort zone and share her voice reflects a deep sense of courage and self-belief. Dianara also brings something truly special to the Stevenson community. She is kind, gentle, and deeply thoughtful in her interactions with others. In spaces like our support group, Beu, she leads by example, offering

049meaningful feedback, listening with care, and helping others to feel seen and valued. She has built strong, lasting friendships, and has found joy and self-expression through her engagement in the art curriculum, further enriching her high school experience. Another meaningful part of Dianara's experience has been her growing confidence in her future. What may have once felt uncertain has become a space where she now recognizes her own potential. She has taken initiative, asked important questions, and advocated for herself in ways that have helped turned her goals into reality. As her team, we feel incredibly fortunate to have supported Dionara along the way. Her story is a true reflection of what this award represents. Growth over time, resilience in the face of challenges, and the courage to keep moving forward. She has taken full advantage of the opportunities and

050the supports available to her, using them to shape her own path and create her own successes. Dianara's story is a reminder that growth does not always happen loudly, but it is no less powerful. What she has accomplished here is truly something special. Dion, we are so proud of you. It's been a privilege to witness your growth and to be a part of your story. As you move into this next chapter, we wish you continued confidence, exciting new opportunities, and meaningful milestones ahead. We have no doubt that you will continue to make a positive impact in whatever path you choose. Congratulations. This award is so welld deserved. Get everybody squeeze in. Go ahead. Get in there. >> This way just in case. >> Okay. >> Just the four and you stay. >> Awesome. Thank you. Congratulations.

051>> Thank you. >> Congratulations, Kylie. >> Okay. And then next we have Danielle Hoffman and Dr. Fiser and uh Miss Suire are going to share Danielle's story. >> Would you like to accept? >> Oh, sure. Danielle, would you like to come up now or would you like to say? >> I'll just say. >> Okay. Um, good evening. I would like to start by sharing how I first met Danielle. Um, as part of my role, I make an effort to connect with each of my incoming freshmen throughout the year who I'm aligned with as a counseling provider. I met Danielle during her freshman year. In this work, you meet many students who are kind, polite, and easy to connect with. Danielle was all of those things. She was warm, open, and engaging from the start. But

052I remember leaving that meeting thinking this felt different. As a school psychologist in my 17th year, I have had the opportunity to work with many students who demonstrate those qualities. And yet, this meeting stood out. Danielle brought something else with her. In life, you occasionally encounter people who carry something special and unique with them. It is not always something you can easily define, and it does not necessarily come from how long you have known them. It is something you feel in their presence. That is what I experienced the first time I met Danielle. >> Over the past four years, we've had the opportunity to work with Danielle as she navigated challenges related to both her mental and physical health on top of the daily stressors that we all know high schoolers tend to face. What

053stands out is not just that Danielle faced her challenges, but how she faced them with resilience, determination, and an incredible sense of self-awareness. Danielle did not shy away from support here at school. She leaned into it. She took full advantage of what was available to her at Stevenson from both an academic and social emotional lens and use those supports with intention. She took the time to understand what she needed and used that as fuel and opportunity to grow and strengthen herself over time. Her level of maturity is something that sets her apart and has impressed us time and time again. And her ability to persevere through adversity while maintaining optimism speaks volumes about her character. Danielle is also exceptional in the way that she's shows up for others. She leads with empathy, kindness, and a

054genuine desire to make a difference. Whether through participating in allied spirit, best buddy, student congress, BBYO, serving as an FMP leader, um PE leader, playing field hockey, or working three days a week at Sprag Elementary School. Danielle makes a meaningful impact in every space that she's part of. I also have had the unique opportunity to see Danielle in a different role as she works with young children in the Little Patriots preschool here at Stevenson. My son Kaden has been in the Little Patriots program for the last two years. He has always been empathetic and an old soul kind of child and he's interacted with many high school students he adores in that setting. But when I ask about his day, there's always one person he is most excited to talk about. Miss Danielle. you're going

055to make me cry. Um, as a parent, I've come to trust that instinct in him, and I truly believe he sees and feels in Danielle the same something special I recognized that very first time I met her. This speaks to her ability to connect, to make others feel safe, valued, and important. It's not something you can teach. It's something that she carries with her. As both a counselor and a Stevenson alumni myself, I'm deeply passionate about encouraging students to not simply pass through Stevenson, but to fully experience it, to immerse themselves in our culture, build meaningful connections, and do things that challenge themselves to grow. Danielle has embraced that mindset since the very beginning. After four years, it's clear she's taken full advantage of what this building has to offer, making it her own and

056leaving her mark on everything she's done. Danielle embodies the portrait of a graduate and the Stevenson spirit, and we can confidently say she's achieved the success that we all hope for each of our students. >> While Danielle often expresses gratitude for the support she has received at Stevenson along with her mom, we would like to express our gratitude to her. Danielle, you are truly someone special and Stephvenson is better because of you. >> Thank you. picture a second. >> Thank you. the handshake. >> Oh boy. Can't use my phone. >> You behind you. Sorry. >> Just stay up there. Can I get all three students up front? >> Bring your Bring your Yeah, please bring that. >> Yeah, bring that. All right, guys. >> Yep. >> Make sure they're not upside down. Somebody always Somebody

057always drops, so be careful. All right. Uh, awesome. >> There we go. Thank you. >> Everybody else, moms and dads, get a picture. Get it. Thank you very much for your time. We appreciate you. Thank you. >> Thank you. you know, we're um later on in the agenda, there's all kinds of things like treasures, bonds, and budgets and amendments and all these kind of things that are all important uh work that the board does, but I don't want to speak on behalf of the board, but I think this >> I think this is why we are all here and certainly why the board serves. Um and as much as we heard um some thanks to um the teachers and you know administrators, board members, um thank you to our students for sharing the stories because

058they're truly inspirational. So thank you all and thank you for being here. >> Thank you very much. >> Although it's important work that's coming up, it's really boring. Um, so we'll take like a two-minute pause and feel free to kind of find your way uh on to less boring things. So, thank you all for >> Oh, sorry. The band presentation will be great. >> Yeah, it'll be great. >> Are you okay? Yep. Couple more years. >> Thank you. Have a great night. >> Thanks everyone. >> Thank you. Yes. Oh, thank you. >> Thank you. I like to cry >> sometimes. A good >> exact unless you want to. >> You don't want them to stare at you. >> They could for you actually. No, it's not. >> Is there any extra Kleenex around >> always?

059>> Okay, great. >> We know that those are generally a tough act to follow, but anybody who can do it, >> we >> it is the fine arts team. >> We are so thrilled to have to share the amazing work of our band team. um always at the fronting front cutting edge of of thinking differently about how we approach our students in such large capacities. Um in the fine arts, we know this is music art, theater, dance in our music department alone. We're talking about band, we're talking about orchestra, we're talking about choir, we're talking about music production, uh guitar, it it's a massive program and and our band program is so exceptional. We're excited to share their work today. So, I'm going to pass it over to our team >> and here we go.

060>> Yeah. Well, thank you so much for having us. We're really happy to be here to share our work with you. Um, just some quick introductions. I'm Caitlyn McGovern. I'm the director of bands and I'm also the team leader. I've been at Stevenson for 16 years or no, 12 years. Oh my gosh. And I've been teaching for 16 years. This is why we have slides. >> I'm Mark Heert. I'm the associate director of bands. I've been teaching for 15 years and I'm in my sixth year at Stevenson. >> And I'm Benoit. Um, I'm the assistant director of bands. I've been teaching for eight years and this is my second year at Stevenson. Um so what you're seeing right here is a picture from our office. Uh we really like to think of our office as

061a place for generating new ideas about teaching and what band can be for our students. Um we draw inspiration from a lot of different artistic and philosophical spaces. And one particularly powerful norm for us is this idea of yes and that comes out of the improv comedy scene. Um it's this idea that when one of us has a new idea about how we want to try something or something we want to try different um we always start with yes and then we're going to build off of that idea. So we don't reject any ideas from the beginning. We always start with yes. Um so at SHS we've got four levels of band that are divided up into six different classes. Um and these are partially for like social and musical reasons. So every freshman that

062enters this uh program starts in freshman band. Um, and we do this so they're all coming from like all sorts of different feeder schools. We do this so they can all like get together, um, meet the people that they're going to be spending the next four years with, make friends, and then acclimate to our like single, uh, Stevenson band culture. Um, next, um, they can metriculate into possibly three different levels. Um, there's symphonic band, which is a mixed age group for sophomores through seniors, and this is a D-Leveled course. Um, in the past we had another level of band called concert band. But one thing that we noticed is that students in that group um tended to have limiting beliefs about themselves and their capacity for music making. So we combined that with the other

063symphonic band level to just make one symphonic band level that they can be a part of. And there's two symphonic bands. Um the other two groups are groups that um students can audition into and these are typically for our more advanced students. We've got wind symphony and wind ensemble and wind ensemble performs pretty much exclusively collegiate level repertoire. And then our co-curricular ensembles. We have we have a huge number of ensembles that students can participate in outside of the school day. We've got the athletic bands. We've got marching band and pep band to support the football and basketball team. We have three different jazz bands and a number of small ensembles that students can get like instrument specific instruction and instrument specific ensemble experience in. >> Also, that's you said who just got the >>

064Oh yeah, there she is. >> Yeah, that's just a coincidence, but that is her. forgiveness. >> All right. Um, so in all of our teaming that we do together in our Yes. Anding, um, we really spend a lot of time in the tension between the way that band or large ensemble music is traditionally taught and what we see our kids need. Um, so typically a large ensemble music experience, so band choir, orchestra, would look a lot like what you see here. Uh, the director is the keeper of the knowledge. the students job is to just receive that knowledge and apply that knowledge. Performances are considered a measurement of the director's musicianship and not necessarily the ensemble members. And there's just not a lot of space for student agency or creativity. Uh but we really find

065that we want to teach differently than we were taught. And we often are guided by questions like this one. um am I preparing kids for my past or for their future as interdependent musicians and people? Um so for all those reasons, these are the principles and pillars that we've connected with the most as a team. The mindset pillar, the wellness pillar of mindset, uh the learning principle that learning is a cycle of um reflection and trying something new based on what you've already experienced. Then the portrait of a graduate commitment to learning. Um so starting with the wellness pillar. Um so as we mentioned previously we noticed that students were making a lot of negative assumptions about themselves as musicians or learners if they weren't able to play new content the first time or they

066weren't able to get something challenging uh quickly. So in addition to deleveling a course, we also wanted to address this problem holistically through the whole band program. Um so we started making with making a shift of the way the whole um ensembles are structured all throughout the different levels. Um so rather than being achievement focused which would be like the first chair flutist is the best one and the last chair flutist is the worst one. Uh we now don't have chair placements. we just rotate parts and student leadership roles are based um around helping other students and modeling for other students and supporting other students rather than being better than other students. So that was a change we made in every band. Um and we also regularly try to use language that's meant to build

067resilience. So a common thing that our kids will hear in our classroom is that there's no easy or hard only familiar or unfamiliar which comes up quite a bit. Uh for the learning cycle principle again as I mentioned before we really connect with the idea that learning is a cycle of prior knowledge and what's working and what's not working and how we can make sense of that. Um, so we wanted to take that growth focused language that I talked about before in the previous slide and expand it into some curriculum and assessment structures. Um, so we used to for band auditions just give kids a bunch of very challenging music and say to them, "Best of luck to you. We hope this works out." Um, and obviously we found that they hit their limiting beliefs

068with that pretty quickly. So we've shifted to what we now call the prepare, perform, reflect or PPR project. And now kids are guided through that cyclical learning process um as they're preparing this pretty advanced material. So they start with a goal setting form where it's meant to activate their self-reflection to think about like last time I had a big project, how did that go for me? Um what were my habits around that? Did I plan? Did I not plan? Did I procrastinate? And so on. So just starting by orienting them to what they would typically do. And then along the way we have them do uh Whoop. Okay, targeted practice journals for each section of their audition. So, there's a lot of different content um that's part of that. So, we use these targeted journals

069to help them organize their thinking to plan around again their prior knowledge and what's going well and what's not going as well as they're working through managing this process. And then when they're done, um, they complete a reflection form where they consider, um, how it all went for them, whether they got the result they were hoping for or not in terms of their course placement. It's meant to help them focus on their growth and make meaning out of what their process was like. >> Thank you. As Caitlyn uh mentioned, we really want our kids to be responsible for their own learning and feel empowered to have some autonomy in in learning music. Um there's a lot of stuff that's inherent to teaching ensemble music that's very teacher centric. Um one of the the units that

070we really lean on is the unit of chamber music. Chamber music is when a smaller group of musicians rehearse and perform um for themselves. Um in symphonic, but we do this at the symphonic band level, the wind symphony and wind ensemble levels. At symphonic band level, we've also drawn on that structure to build more autonomy in full band by uh alternating during the the um unit between small group and large ensemble rehearsals. So students can really see the connection between their small group responsibilities and their large group sense of interdependence and that experience is also scaffolded over their experience further into the band program. Um we also give them um a list of rehearsal pro problems and solutions so that they feel empowered to be in a rehearsal role. Um these are things that we

071would be thinking about if we were rehearsing and this empowers them to do the things that we would normally be do we would normally do as teachers. Um we've collected many different um forms of data as we've engaged in this process of curricular revision and reflection and we'd like to share some of that with you now. Um this is from this spring from our freshman band level is 117 freshman band students. Freshman band by the way is just all of the freshmen in our band uh program has been mentioned earlier. Um this specifically is around classroom learning strategies and you can see over time as we've incorporated more and more of these strategies into our classroom that the graph is going up and there are increasingly more students that identify that they are responsible for

072their own learning um in the classroom. These are also from that um freshman band um class set. Um all of these are in the categories of pedagogical effectiveness and classroom learning strategies. Um you can see um how confident you are that you can choose an effective strategy to get your work in this class done well. How how do you um how well do your learning strategies help you learn the subject more effectively? How good is this teacher teaching the way you personally learn best? How often does this teacher give you feedback that helps you learn? And for this class, how clearly does the teacher present the information that you need to learn? And this is from the the uh freshman class. Um these are from our more advanced classes from the wind ensemble also from

073this spring. Um also in the category of classroom learning strategies and you can see that they are um feeling empowered by the class and the structure of the class in this way. In the fall of um 2004, we also sat down and collected personal interviews with students um about at all levels of the program regarding their experiences in the class and their self-perception of their capacity as musicians. Um these are direct quotes and you'll see that in a moment. Um direct quotes from the interview process that highlight the student voices in our program. Um we bolded some parts of this that I think really stand out. The first one, I think we're all responsible for sort of like caring each other. Like I said, direct quote. Um, in the second one, it's going to take

074time for you to work up to your craft and push yourself to improve as a person. They're they're aware of that continuous cycle of self-improvement. And, um, this third one, I think, is really stands out for us. Um, I'll read a little bit more of it. I think it gives me a different perspective than I see in other classes. I think band is the most diverse club I've ever been in. Being marching band shaped the trajectory of where I went in life and where I went in high school and the friends I made, the choices I decided to continue or start. it just changes the way I view inclusivity. So, it's a really special quote that I think represents the kind of work we're doing to connect the students in the program. Um, band is

075an elective class and our students choose to stay with us over the course of four years. Our community is very strong. Um, and our discipline requires an ongoing reflection and study. Um, because we connect students with each other and we give them the tools to learn and grow, they're willing to continue engaging with the process. We currently have 7.2% 2% of the student body is enrolled in elective band class. Um the current juniors in band, the the freshman band class of 2023, 63% of them is still in um the group. Um they were fifth graders when CO began, so just beginning on their instrument, barely started. Um and 58% of our current seniors from their freshman band have continued with us. They were sixth graders in the March of of 2020. could could imagine picking

076up a clarinet for the first time on Zoom and doing that and that was their experience in middle school and they're choosing to continue and elect and continue um with this and that concludes our portion of the presentation. What questions do you have? >> So, just real quick, I was you said 7.2% of the kids are in an elective band class. >> Yeah. Of the student body. >> So, I was just doing some quick math. So, 4,800 kids. They're >> Don't hurt yourself. >> I don't do math in public without a calculator. Okay. Yeah. So 350ish kid. I mean that's huge >> and growing. >> I mean 7% may sound like a small number but >> in the aggregate. That's a big number. >> That's amazing. >> It'll be about 380 next fall. >> Yeah.

077Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, Troy doesn't like me doing math in public, but it scares me. >> Sorry. I didn't mean to get distracted, but that's amazing. >> And they're still getting 97%. >> I know. That's what blew me away >> at 100%. >> Yeah. >> Question. Question. >> You ready? >> Okay. >> Dr. Frost. >> Uh, it's your fault. >> I'm not a doctor, but it sounds good. You are now last night. >> It's actually Eric is going to appreciate this and no one else will even everyone's going to look at me strange. The cycle um the process that you were describing in the second point with the cycle of learning and reflection was very much like one of the books that Mur has read. Do you remember the intentional practice? and >> um which

078was very interesting. Um and that that is a skill that applies in everything you do. So teaching that skill I was very impressed by the different um things that you're focusing on and I could do it. One thing I did notice I thought was very interesting each of you started teaching elsewhere for 4 to eight years. Is that typical in our in our fine arts or in in band or and how did that is that unusual school? >> I'll let John >> I mean it's always changing our hiring practices and things like this. But I think in each of these cases um each of you came in as an associate director and then have worked up to a full-time position um in this amazing team situation. So, how was how was that coming from other

079schools generally and then coming into the Stevenson PLC? What was that like for you guys? How different? I'm just curious. >> Well, between all of us, our total number of other schools we've taught at is quite high. Yeah. >> Um probably around 15 between the three of us and different ways that you can be a music teacher. Um and it really informs what we do. I think all of us in different ways. I spent time teaching in rural schools. Uh Mark spent some time in urban schools and suburban schools, Ben in mostly suburban schools. And um each of those schools of course regardless of where they are is a totally different community, totally different kids. >> Um and totally different expectations, but it's all ultimately they're all kids and they're they're all just there to

080learn whether they know that or not on any given day or any given moment. Like they're all just kids. >> So I that's something that really stood out to me when I started here. um was how the environment was dramatically different, but the kids were still kids and they still in many ways had the same needs from us. >> I also want to add that like when in urban schools where I taught in Chicago public schools or or the rural schools, you're it's less likely, not impossible, but less likely that you're going to have a ruined kid kid who comes in and can already play really well. And I think that was the the thing that inspired me to ask myself the question like what is the purpose of us teaching music to these students

081if it's not a pre-professional craft if if we're not trying to train them to go win a band job or an orchestra job or whatever like what is the thing that we want them to take away from their experience in learning music. And I think that for me really pushed me deeper into these the skills as as you pointed out and generally like how they understand music and engage with it and see it as a life um skill for themselves more so than like I can play greater in the clear. We want that also for them obviously but um that's not necessarily the focus of what we're doing. >> When a student is stuck in that dissonance space what's the like what are the levels of response? How do you help? How do you use

082the other kids to help? How does how does that >> How do you And is it different from the freshman band to the highest band? >> Yeah. And and each kid is going to experience that dissonance space for a different reason. Sometimes it's because it's just all adding up and it's a rough day. Sometimes it's because their equipment is not the right equipment and there's no way they're going to get a good sound on a bad read or something like that. >> So, um, in many cases it starts student to student. Um, and if you watch our freshman bands when we cut them off, they'll just like start talking right away and nine times out of ten they're showing each other a fingering or they're showing they're asking each other a question about the music

083and we say all the time like we're so glad you're doing that. Not right now, but like it is really cool to see them support each other and just want to share their knowledge. Um, so most of it honestly is from the kids and then um, assessments give us the opportunity to give more formal feedback. Um but they do a lot of it on their own. >> Yeah, the kid. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So just quick question. So out of my uh curiosity, so you mention you removed the um the first chair, right? >> Yeah. So you just put student on the rotation program. So how did you select student to be the first chair rotated? I mean did you open up to all students or you still select certain highskilled students to play first

084chair? So each ensemble is leveled in and of itself in its own way. And then um we do assessments all the time both formally and informally to get a good sense of where each student is and then we can assign based on their strengths. So um for example, if we're doing a piece that has notes that go to the higher range of the trumpet that we know there's only a couple kids that can hit those notes consistently, like maybe that's the one they play first on and then a different one we rotate. So, it's not at all just like a rotation based on, you know, some alphabetical order or something like that. Like, it's very much based on where the students are. And it's also rotated over a whole school year. So, um, we try

085to get everybody on a different part over a concert cycle, but we are definitely able to do it over the course of a year. I just have to chime in. She She's a grand mom, so you might have heard. >> We got concert tonight, don't we? >> I was very >> I know. I know. >> Um yeah, my kids kind of descended on fan program. Um and it's the high point of each of their days every day. And I it's cool to see the presentation and see the intention behind what we've already known and felt, which is that your approach and your process is so meaningful. Um, and it carries through into the rest of their work and the rest of their classes and the way that they see themselves and each other. It's just

086it's such a gift. So, >> Thank you. Thank you. Great job. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> I love it. >> You don't mind. >> It's up to you. >> Mark done. >> They're decal. >> It's not stickers. They're highend stickers. >> Oh, >> they're called decals. >> Okay. >> When I said that earlier, I'm like >> Okay, >> you're important. He said you're important. Take away the good. take away the good. >> At least you're not not important and boring. >> Okay. Uh, moving right along. Um, we have approval of textbook recommendations for 2627. We presented these last month as first Wait, >> we did. >> Yeah, we did. Um, got ahead of myself. Uh, last month as first readings. Tonight, we're bringing them forward to your for your approval. >> I need a

087motion to the text recommendation. Any questions? >> You please Ros. >> Hi. >> And Ysef. >> Hi. >> S. >> Hi. >> Tyer. >> Hi. >> Hy. >> Hi. >> No. >> Hi. >> Okay. Uh, next item is a first reading of 2728 curriculum letters of intent. And I apologize for the redundancy, but every year I remind you that um that the process for new courses or change to existing courses um changes to existing courses begins almost a year and a halfish ahead of time. So, uh, and they begin with letters of intent, which are simply, um, our administrative team and directors suggesting to you that these may be course proposals that they want to bring to you in the fall. Um, and what we are presenting to you tonight is a first reading, but

088in May, we will ask you for an approval, which doesn't mean you're approving the course changes yet. All it means is that you're giving permission to the departments to explore this further. Um, and you will have a chance to say yes or no again in the fall, Mark. Um, usually September at the latest, uh, where we would bring these back to you. So, tonight we're presenting a number of first readings and Mark, do you want to just do like a quick overview? >> Yeah, for applied arts, we're looking at um, bringing in a new course AP business, personal finance. Um, and then there's a few changes by title in the applied arts division. And then in um computer science, we're excited about integrating an AP cyber security course as a new course. And then spending

089a little bit of time revising other courses with the computer science um and changing credit to dual credit computer programming one. So we made a relationship with college lake county and our students would be able to get uh that credit for computer programming in fine arts. Mainly we just have some name changes um and some prerequisite changes. And then um we're looking at um changing the title for Hebrew 1 2 3 and four to beginning Hebrew, intermediate Hebrew, and advanced Hebrew. Then we're looking at building hybrid options for our AP micro and macroeconomics courses. >> This might be a premature question. No, it's >> um is the AP business with personal finance going to satisfy that graduation requirement that's that's currently either or. >> Yes. >> And is that a one semester or is that

090a year long course? >> That's one semester course. Again, not asking for approval um tonight, but we will ask you in May. But between now and then, if you have any questions, comments, wonderments, concerns, feel free to call Wendy. She'll be happy to me or me. >> I have a >> I'll take the call. >> One question. >> Yes, please. >> AP cyber security. Awesome. Love that. Seems like it's a really good area. Um, as I saw that I just went to then AP AI or LLM. But how do you guys think about that as a potential future course? >> Yeah, not AP but AI LLM. >> Yeah. >> Fair. >> I think we have to >> I'm not sure we yet have the expertise. Yeah. Um uh and the difference with the AP cyber

091course of course courses of course is that the college board kind of gives you the okay in many ways kind of gives you the curriculum and a lot of the assessment ideas and things like that. It's not plugandplay, but it's a little bit more baked than I think what >> in a course on AI or LLM would be right now. >> In that format >> as an as a college board AP course, it does not exist, right? So, we'd have to make our own and that just >> Yep. And it's changing so fast >> and it's changing. >> College board would love to make some money. So, my guess I'm >> sure it's in the works. >> That class is going to show up in so sure. I haven't seen the um kind of the

092topics or the skills on this, but I'm sure there's things on AI and all those pieces embedded into this curriculum, too. >> Okay. So, we'll bring that back to you. >> No. >> Okay. We'll bring that back to you in May. But again, please in the meantime, let Wendy know if you have any questions on that. Um also just wanted to um point out uh the personnel report. Uh all the items in there are included in consent. Ask any questions about that now or later. We will not need an executive session following this meeting. And that takes us to >> boring and important or no what is it? Boring. >> Well, I created some quadrants and um >> you can grade me later. >> Okay. All right. So, >> but I I prefer I still

093prefer ABC and not 1 2 3 4. about it. >> Uh no, thank you. Um >> very important. >> It's always it's all good. Um uh tonight, uh we do have a couple of action items u but a lot of first readings as is usually the case as we get towards the end of the year. Some of them are very uh just annual in nature. Um and and I'll explain them as we go. Um but the first one is something that we did bring to um the board uh as a first reading back in March. Um and that is the renewal of our space at the Corporate Woods uh Parkway right up in Vernon Hills next to the ELC. This is an extension of our lease that we use for in essence um a large

094amount of our storage that we need three four times a year um but then have access such as the band uniforms um and then the sizing we just don't have the space on campus to store the stuff. So uh we entered into this agreement three years ago. it is continuing to work um for us as uh a central off-site storage facility. Um and is you know if you recall back three years ago we eliminated many of the individual rentals that we were having at like a self storage or a public storage. Um so tonight um we are uh asking the board uh to approve the lease um the renewal lease for 954 corporate Woods Parkway um as it presented and you can see the cost breakdown in there. It is uh an increase of um

095CPI. They do a blended model of CPI. Um it's very standardized in all of their contracts and very similar to what's presented to the ELC. So that whole weird calculation in the fle is just basically a fancy way of calculating CPI. >> Yes. Exactly. Exactly. And in speaking with Habib, I'm like, "Yeah, you got to give me more than just the renewal. You need to do a cost breakdown." So the cost breakdown is a little easier to digest on exactly what um the lease might cost. Correct. That's how they do it. >> That's correct. Is there any chance of bringing this? >> Yes. >> Oh, we need >> Do we Let's do a motion first. Sorry. Can I get a motion to move? >> Second. >> Okay. Sorry. Go ahead. >> I was just going

096to ask, is there um a potential at the next renewal to before that to see how it gets brought in house? Um yes, uh there's always the opportunity to look at other opportunities. Um the village of Buffalo Grove did inquire. They they have a new facility and asked us to lease from them instead of from Vernon Hills. Um but on campus um short of building another storage facility, we wouldn't there is not that space here in the campus. Um, we used to keep it in little tucked off closets, if you will. Um, and we started to get, um, scrutinized by our fire department and our fire marshal for putting things in areas that they didn't belong. >> Like packrats, >> it's one way. >> Calling stuff out was a challenge, too. I've heard. >> Yes,

097it it is. I think it's one of those costs of doing business when we have a million square feet under roof and still not enough space. >> I've been to the warehouse band forms like I go at the start of every marching band season and it's a lot of space and it's really well organized. Um I think fine arts uses >> yeah there's the theat the theater we kind of have it divided there's a wall that divides it kind of in two and one half belongs to really the theater and um uh the band primarily and then on the other side is a lot of the supplies that we used to keep as much as possible in our main storage area which is commonly referred to as the tunnel. Um, but we have other things

098that need to be stored there that are used daily such as eight pallets of paper and stuff like that. So, we we just have very limited resources in terms of space on campus. But we can for sure I'll take a look at it again and and see if there's some way to do that. >> Thank you. would um if we were to build there's talk of like shed or something like that. Is that maybe what we would consider? >> It certainly is a possibility. >> Second floor. >> Absolutely. You know, we do store a lot of athletic equipment as well as all of our grounds equipment in the barn um that's out there right now. I think if we were able to or had to redesign that or build that or move it, we would

099definitely look at what would the added cost be to add additional storage on our campus. >> Any other questions? >> And Ysef, >> yes. Si Tyer, >> hi. Hi. >> No. Hi, >> Frost. Okay. Um I'll do the next couple. Uh the ne next item is the Lake County sales tax uh resolution. Um this is only a first reading. We had a chance to talk about this um in our finance meeting earlier, so we won't go into it in depth here, but again, tonight we're only putting it on as a first reading. We will be bringing this back to you in May um for your consideration. So in the meantime, feel free to reach out with any questions that you might have. Uh the next item is again a first reading. It's appointment of a

100treasurer. Um and you'll be asked uh as you are every two years to appoint a treasurer for the district. And as you would expect uh we're going to be recommending Sean Carney for that role. Um Sean would do that from July of 2026 through June 30th of 2028. Um for lots of different reasons, not only being great at what he does, but he's our school's chief CSBO. So >> correct. um something we'll bring forward to you uh next month. And then adjacent to that is uh approval of the treasures bond. Again, this is a first reading tonight. We'll bring it forward to you as for your approval in May. Um but as required by the Illinois school code, uh we'll have to purchase a treasurer's bond. Um in the past, the bond has cost a,000

101to um $1,000 per $1 million of fund balance. So estimating um Sean that >> it's going to be in that 20 to 25% range. >> Okay. Um more details >> 20 25 million, excuse me. >> Yeah. More details will uh come >> Yeah. >> between now and then. Um but uh as we always say that not only will uh Sean have a treasures bond, but we know where he lives and we can hunt him down. So >> move. >> Uh and that Sean takes us to approval of the budget. Thank you, Eric. Um, as we discussed earlier today, um, we, uh, have two budgets that, um, we need we need the board to take action. We'll talk about the, um, FY27 budget that covers the 2627 school year. Um, we presented the initial draft today

102um, by law uh, by the school code. We actually need to have a public hearing. Um, so tonight we're asking the board to set that public hearing. Um, in addition, we also have to um post the um a notice in the bond uh in the paper, excuse me. Oh my goodness. Um, a notice in the paper of the uh tenative budget for the 2627 school year. There must be 30 days in between um when the board takes action and holds the public hearing and when we um put it in the newspaper. Um so uh we are asking tonight that the board of education put the tenative um 2627 school year budget on display for viewing. Um and we will do that on Monday, May 11th of this particular year. Could I get a motion? >>

103Some move. Second. >> Any other questions? >> You please pull the board. >> We're doing the public display first, right? >> Correct. >> Okay. S >> I >> Gorson here. I don't know why I said that. Uh Tyer, >> hi. >> I hi. >> No. >> Hi. >> Frost. >> Hi. >> And Ysef. >> Hi. And then the second recommendation then would for would be for the board to set a public hearing for the purposes of reviewing the 2627 um budget and answering any questions that may arise from the public. Um and that will be scheduled on Monday, June 15th, which is our June board meeting. Kumu second. >> Any questions? Um, Tyer, >> hi. >> Aw, >> hi. >> No. >> Hi, >> Frost. >> Hi, >> Ben and Yosesef. >> Hi, >> S.

104>> Hi. >> Okay. Very similarly, um, we do need to amend the 206 budget, which is for this current school year. As you recall, um we did authorize the purchase of some property as well as we had a couple of unexpected mechanical failures that were not um in the budget. Um and since we have to amend the budget, we will also wrap in to the budget the transfers that we typically do every June, which is moving money from one fund to another fund. Um so tonight um we have the same two resolutions. The one is for putting the budget on display and then the other is to set a date for the public hearing. So uh first we'll do the um putting it on display. So we are asking the board of education to put

105the uh tenative 2526 amended budget on display for public viewing on Monday May 11. Can I get a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions about that? >> Tyer. >> Hi. >> Wall. >> Hi. >> No. >> Hi. >> Frost. >> Hi. >> And Yseph. >> Hi. >> Sa. >> Hi. >> And then the followup is uh another recommendation for the board of education to set that public hearing for the purposes of reviewing the amended 2526. um budget on Monday, May 15th. Um uh which is the date of our next board meeting as well in June. >> Monday, June 15th. >> What did I say? May >> sorry, I meant June. Yes. Thank you. Monday, June 15th. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any other questions? >> Hi. >> No. Hi. >> Ross.

106Hi. Yosfa. Hi Sao. >> Hi. >> Tyer. Hi. Okay. Um this is the next couple items are first readings. Um the first one is we are seeking to enter into an agreement um for our security systems. This is a maintenance contract. This is a new vendor um for us. This is this would be replacing um Seammens and the work that Seammens has provided in the past. we would be switching um to a company that specializes in this um at in essence the same cost. Um so we'll bringing more information in the mid meeting memo as well as to the board before we take action and that action will be in May. um annual oh sorry >> like um actual security >> this is our camera system our door locking system uh primarily as well >>

107network security >> correct thank you yes um every year we do take a look at our inventory of musical instruments um and >> can we ask a question >> sure yes um what led to the um looking at alternative >> I think we're we were looking at um getting a company whose main core business is in what we do um and some of the service issues that we have tried to ident identify as seams and that just hasn't happened over the past >> meaning educa they're primarily education based >> they're primarily spec they're specifically in hardware yes specifically in hardware and um secure video cameras combining the two together um and provide a better service for us than what we've gotten from seammens in the past. >> And from so from the cost perspective is

108more competitive than seammens >> I would say about the same. >> Yeah, it's about the same. >> Okay. But better service, more professional services. that is what the team ultimately agreed to. Yeah, we all kind of believe that >> that'll be better for our organization moving forward, >> especially when you think about what can be the complexity of tying cameras and door access systems together um operating under the same software. >> I guess that was my question is that um given the sort of hardware intensive nature of this were was much of the existing infrastructure that we have installed by Seammens. >> It was many gosh um that would really been 14 or 15 >> and is there any like need to sort of reconcile convergent and seammens or are those kind of industry standard

109like the equipment itself? >> Um so there's not going to be a ton of there won't be equipment replacement unless it's actually just at its end of life would be which we would have had to replace. So they can support everything. >> Correct. Correct. Yeah. This isn't going to lead to us have to spend several million dollars redoing our entire door access or camera systems. That's correct. >> But is the new company also manufacture about their own brand products or are they using other brands? >> They're using a lot of other brands in terms of cameras, you know, but this is their core competency if you will. >> Okay. Got it. Thank you. Mhm. Great questions. Um, music industry, uh, music inventory rather. Um, we do take a look at all of the instruments and

110their useful life. Um, what the fine arts team has, uh, provided to us as an update of those instruments that are in need of replacement. Um, we do do a bid. Um, but that is also, um, part of the budget process that we go through every year. So it fits within what we have established as a budget for this uh this equipment and um hopefully that comes in under budget. Sometimes it does um and so we we can um take advantage of that. So again more information about these specific instruments um that will be bid out um and moving forward. You'll see that in the mid meeting memo and then again in the board book. Um we also are doing a bid on our uh yearbook and photography services. Um our yearbook um contract has

111expired. Um we are seeking bids from other um from all of the players in that yearbook um realm if you will. Um what's interesting about this is we don't technically have to do a bid because this is in fact uh costneutral and revenue producing for uh the district because we don't actually spend money buying the yearbooks. Those are literally just paid for by the families that wish to purchase them. But we do feel like it's a good practice kind of bid those out and see what other firms have to offer in terms of not only producing the yearbook but then working with our um yearbook club to deter to uh on the software and how easy it is to um uh transfer pictures and names and update the yearbook. Um that is a very intensive

112process. So the better the the easier the software is to manipulate, the better I think off is the final product. We're also concerned about timelines in this as well. Uh spring sports are barely getting started as we're looking to tie up and start printing our yearbooks. So, we want to make sure that the timelines that are provided give us ample opportunity to include as many as the sports and or as many of the spring activities that occur um every year. So, that will be coming back um to the board again in May. And then lastly, um we do have um some multi-function devices. uh used to call these copers back in uh when I started, but now they're significantly more um sophisticated. Um one of the things that is um very interesting is the the

113new models of multi-function devices allow for automatic redaction. So if we were to ever get a FOYA, they can um redact easily. they can help us redact the documents that need to in fact be redacted. Um these also are um units that are at their end of life um out of lease if you will and so we are looking to do this and the quote that we got is um actually going to hopefully save us money as well. So more information >> recently do a Canon >> what's that? >> Didn't we recently approve a Canon? >> Yeah. So we we do have two multi-function providers Canon and Image Tech. It does keep both of them um and competitive in the pricing of what we do here. >> Just different machines. >> Correct. >> Yep. Different

114machines, different places. >> Okay. >> And then lastly, you will see the um we had a a little bit of a busy month in terms of foyer requests. Um this month is just as busy. Um but a couple of them are um what I would say repeat um requesters. We are starting to see more and more requesting on purchase orders and what kind of information we can get from our software. Ultimately, we believe this is an opportunity for them to try to sell us their product. Um, you can see then one was on the budget. Um we did some have some class enrollment and then um the district leadership was about um the I think that was the one that was about uh the different types of softwares that were in fact using um as

115part of that. So um all that information is there. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask. >> That's all I have tonight. >> All right. Could I get a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So moved. Second. Any questions? >> Sorry. >> Oh, consent. Sorry. Okay. Um, back to you. No. >> Uh, yes. >> Frost. >> Hi. >> S. Hi. Yes. Uh, >> Ty. Hi. Aw. Okay. >> Okay. Uh only just a couple items for tonight. Some student profiles. Thank you to Jamie and Green and their team for putting that together. Um you see a list of uh important dates there. um just kind of our usual eb and flow, but just wanted to remind the board of um kind of our very own version of um uh heck week,

116which is May 18th. Um we're like Bud's training, heck week, you know. Um May 18th is our board meeting. May 19th, we'll have exec session to review the performance of administrative team members. And then our favorite day of the year, uh, May 22nd is graduation of the opportunity to see our kiddos graduate at the Sears Center. So, three big evenings that week. Um, that's kind of the culmination of the year. So, uh, we will feed you well, we promise. Um, and we thank you for your service. So, um, and then other than that, uh, just the rest of our usual a lotment of news and information. So, prom this weekend. Anybody wants to >> prom this weekend? If you'd like to uh be a chaperon, just let Troy know. >> It's my 30th prom. >>

117Oh, I can tell. >> I still can't get a date. >> Danielle, it's too smart to go. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> All right. >> Could I get a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi.