001The hour of 7 o'clock is here. We're going to um rise for the meeting. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation underath indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> We have a roll call, please. Mr. Kudo >> present. >> Mr. Derk >> here. >> Mr. Gasco >> here. >> Mr. Rusk >> here. >> Mr. Novak >> here. >> Mr. Williams >> here. Miss >> here. So, a forum being present. The first order of our business this evening is to hold a public hearing on the budget prepared in tenative form is set forth in the minutes of the meeting of the board of education held on June 10th, 2025. The tenative budget for district 208 for fiscal year beginning
002July 1, 2025 and ending June 30th, 2026 was placed on file and was conveniently available at the district's administrative offices. All persons desiring to be heard will have an opportunity to present written or oral testimony related to tonight's related to the budget. Um at this time, Dr. Smatana, it's very good to see you. It's been a bit. Um would you mind presenting and explaining the final budget? >> Yes, good evening. Um the tenative budget uh as Miss SA said was approved in June and has been adjusted through July and August based on the prior year actuals and updates to support building level uh projects and initiatives. Included in the packet is the final draft uh budget being proposed tonight for fiscal year 26. The projected deficit is $55,000 with uh due to the solar panel
003project which is budgeted for $825 uh,000 for this fiscal year. Uh the only significant change since the August board of education meeting was an addition of approximately $30,000 in revenue uh from CPPRT based upon the estimate that was released in August. Um, the tenative budget has been displayed on the district's website since June and all changes have been updated accordingly throughout the summer for public review. A hard copy was also available in the business office. Uh, we did uh give public notice of the budget hearing um more than 30 days in advance of tonight both in the suburban life and the landmark as well. Um included in the budget as always is um a summary of revenues. Um and as you can see on page eight in board book um the significant sources of revenue
004for the district are real estate taxes which are budgeted at 97% collection rate for uh this fiscal year. Evidence-based funding which is our state funding um and that uh increased significantly earlier in August. uh which is what has made uh the projected deficit go down. Um as well as as I previously mentioned CPPRT uh which has been updated. Um on the next page is a summary of significant expenditures uh for this uh district and as you can see um staffing roughly uh usually takes up about 80% of the general education budget. So there's lots of uh various line items uh for uh staffing both certified, administrative, non-certified, stipens, etc. Um and then as well as I previously mentioned another significant expense uh this year is uh for solar panels which is 825,000 out of operations
005and maintenance um plus some additional money for park improvements um little theater hback uh as well as the auto lift. And then lastly, uh, as you can see on the next page, um, board book page 10, you'll see a summary of all of the district's accounts, um, which shows the surplus and deficit projected for this fiscal year is 505,000. Um, but then on the bottom, you can also see our projected fund balances. You can see uh the projected operating fund balance um as a percent of our expenditures um including the 2.9 million million dollars in working cash which is set aside uh for land development is 63% and then without uh the 2.9 million set aside in working cash it's 5 uh5%. So what that means is by the end of this fiscal year, assuming
006the budget comes in exactly as we anticipate it to um the district would be able to operate for a little over six months without receiving any additional revenue. Um and we have had to rely on that in the past. Um so uh that's an important number that we always keep our our finger on. So related to that, do we have an estimated um release date of the property tax dollars or have you heard anything from the >> township? Um the last I heard was that they had no estimate for the actual release date. >> Okay. I think I'm cautiously optimistic it will be before the close of the fiscal year, which I think if it's not presents a whole different series of problems, but it's good to have the fund balance that we do to
007get us through this current period because we already would have been in receipt of the correct property tax dollars by now. Are there any questions from members of the board? I didn't see any submitted. We actually seen this a couple of times now, but please, let's open it up for discussion related to the 2526 budget. questions. >> We just want to make sure the board uh and public is aware like the board chose to use uh money from the fund balance to pay for that solar project instead of because we could not do grant um bonds otherwise that would violate some of the uh receiving the federal man uh grants rebates some of those things. So we had to use our own funding for that. So, uh, while we do see a small deficit, we'll
008be making some of this money back over the next several years. Is that correct to say, Dr. Smatana? >> Correct. The project should pay for itself within, um, a little over five, roughly five to six years. And this also anticipates consistent funding from the state from evidence-based funding year-over-year with a with I think a small trend increase which obviously is subject to um some of the whims of Springfield as well. Just so that we're generally aware. Any questions on the specifics? It's good to see Dr. Spat. >> So So there were really no surprises this year like nothing no wild swings or anything pretty much similar to at least what I saw. >> No, wait. I I I would say we got a little more u money in evidence-based funding than I was anticipating um
009in terms of what's budgeted for um assuming we received all of that money which um in the past we have. Outside of that uh no there were no surprises. >> So it's pretty much similar to last year. It's okay. >> When does the evidence-based funding come in? Do we have a date on that? It comes in uh so they release the estimate or the budgeted amount in August and then we receive monthly payments. Okay. Both start in September. >> Any more questions or comments? >> Seeing none, um open it up to the public for comments concerning the proposed final budget. Actually, I should ask our student board members first. I apologize to you both. >> Did you have any questions? Kind of got dump into the the deep end here on a budget. Any questions?
010It's many, many millions of dollars. Um, any public comment related to the budget. Seeing none, um, all persons desiring to have been heard or given and has have been given an opportunity to present oral or written testimony with respect to the proposed budget. And I have a motion to adjourn the hearing. The Board of Education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, moves that the public hearing on the 2025 2026 budget be adjourned. >> We have a second, please. >> Second. Thank you. We have a second from Mr. Durkin. And we do need a roll call to adjourn the hearing. >> Mr. Kudo? >> Yes. >> Mr. Durkin? >> Yes. >> Mask? >> Yes. >> Miss Ruska? >> Yes. >> Mr. Novak? >> Yes. >> Mr. Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss D? >> Yes.
011Motion carried. Hearing is adjourned. The regular meeting now proceeds. Our first item on the agenda are foyer requests. Dr. Skinkis, >> included in the board's packet are the five for foil request since your last meeting. Jacob Long, public data research, Priscilla Sentenno, uh the OM FM Law Firm, uh Justin Wang, Starbridge, um Jacob Plaza Service Employees International Local 73, and then Owen Wang. >> Do we have a foyer request related to the article that ran last week or is that still pending? >> Uh there was no foyer request related to that. >> Thank you. Um, moving on to visitor statements. Do we have I think we have people here for visitor statements this evening. >> Do you go by what's Yeah, I think if you if you've signed up, please step up. I'm going to
012read a small paragraph. There's an intro of Miss Bushio. The board of education welcomes and encourages the participation of its citizens in the business of the school district. There are two points in the meeting where visitor comments are scheduled. Citizens are welcome to raise questions or make comments at either one. Comments will be limited to three minutes per individual and cannot be combined. Please note the board of education will not answer questions or engage in dialogue during visitor comments. If a person would like additional time to address the board, such a request should be submitted in writing 48 hours before the meeting to the superintendent. So I think Dr. Skinis will keep time. >> At 30 seconds, I usually raise my hand seems to wrap up. Okay. >> Okay. My name is Liz Bushio. I
013live in uh Northwood and I have a senior here at RB. Um for the benefit of those who may not be aware, in 2018, a graduate from RB has filed a lawsuit against Gary Pros, the former head of RBTV and against the school, alleging that Pros had a sexual relationship with her while she was a student in his class and working at RBTV. The suit also claims that the school failed to protect her from pros and failed to properly investigate him. Now, there's a lot in this lawsuit and it's absolutely appalling. What I want to point out are a couple of blatant misses by the administration that if they had paid attention and done their duty might have avoided some of the more egregious acts charged in this case. According to the lawsuit, during her
014sophomore year, the school instituted a new policy forbidding teachers from texting students or contacting them via social media in part because they were concerned about ProS's developing relationship with this girl. That's a clear indication that the inappropriate relationship between Pros and this student was on the school's radar. Then on the night of the fall play in 2017, a student saw Croakkes and this girl hugging in an RBTV studio and reported it to the administration. School officials assigned a vice principal to conduct an investigation of the relationship between Pros and this student. At the urging of Pros, the girl told the assistant principal it was just a hug. And yet that same school year, this child had an independent study period with pros and stated that she would regularly masturbate pros at the school. So my
015questions to the administrators in charge during that time are, why wasn't the inappropriate texting and social media messages enough? Why wasn't the hugging enough? How was an independent study between pros and this girl allowed? And why did you protect the predator and not the child? And members of the board of education, are you going to hold these administrators accountable for failing to protect this girl? Thank you. [Music] My name is Joel Teik. I am a Riversider. My son recently graduated from the transition program. I'm here because I'm disgusted with what happened to Jane Doe, the alleged victim. As identified in the landmarks article of September 5th, there were many red flags and prevention programs in place and yet no one came forward or did anything to prevent this from happening. Does a culture of fear
016exist at RB? A fear of retaliation? Don't know. Sure seems like it though. So many things went wrong in this situation that could have been prevented. Why didn't the safeguards in place work to save Jane Doe's fate? As a taxpayer, I demand radical changes take place because of the incompetent leadership. Lack of follow through and superficial investigation that recently allowed not one but two sexual predators exist at RB. Think about that. I demand for the resignation of Dr. Skinis and all involved in Jane Doe's case. I demand RB to create a new comprehensive policies to prevent educator sexual misconduct. I demand that RB create new commit a new committee consisting of educators, parents, and law enforcement to create strict guidelines and enforcement of the guidelines for interactions between educators and students. guidelines that are required
017to be included in yearly trainings and educator handbooks, policies created to be put in place on how to handle and document boundary crossing or grooming behaviors. I demand that more thorough investigations be conducted before hiring staff that will have any interactions with students. I'm not naive. I realize that there's many sexual misconduct cases on the rise at schools everywhere, but this doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye, be numb, or think it's normal. Some people may think it's bound to happen. >> 30 seconds. >> Some kids Some people may think it's bound to happen to some kids along the way. That's the breaks, right? as long as it's not my kid. Well, that's not good enough. We must use this opportunity to build a new better system with a zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.
018Thank you. I am a resident of Brookfield. Um I have a student who just graduated. >> Say your name. I'm sorry. >> Oh, my name is Bridget Jacubak. I have a student who just graduated um in the spring and now I have another student just starting as a freshman. Um, I'm also deeply disgusted and concerned that yet again an RB teacher, the fourth time in five years, has been accused of very serious allegations in the newspaper. Four times in five years. I need the board, I appreciate that you guys have legal and other matters you got to take into account here, but I need you to look at this as a pattern, not a one-off. because it's happened four times in the last five years. Serious allegations. Teachers have been fired. They've been disciplined. They've
019been arrested. And now we have another law. Stax players are facing a serious lawsuit. We need to get beyond looking at these as oneoffs or just he said, she said. We need to get a deep dive. The board needs to take a deep dive at the culture and the administration and how serious allegations are being dealt with in this school. The I would encourage all of you to read the National Academy of Sciences NE 2018 report on sexual harassment in academia. Though it focuses on higher ed, I think there's concepts that this school needs to really get and understand. When there's a serious allegation like we saw in the newspaper last week, that's just the tip of the iceberg. and the iceberg hit us. That means the report lays out how often there's so much
020happening below the surface that is not getting caught, that is going under the radar. The snide comments, sexist remarks, students sexually harassing each other in the locker rooms. Teachers making racist, sexist comments in the classrooms. And it doesn't get reported because teachers, students, and parents are afraid of retaliation. We need to deal with the culture. And I know we're up to the task. We have a great principal who's always respecting students and pushing a more positive approach. But we got to deal with the stuff that's happening in our culture. Students need to know that they're going to be respected in the classroom regardless of who they are. And that's just not happening right now. I would really encourage you to create a pathway for people to report allegations of sexual, racial, or other types of
021abuse to one person rather than having it spread throughout the school so that somebody can pick up on the patterns of behavior that are happening. Thank you. Good evening. Uh, my name is Trek James Ketchmark. Uh, I'm a 2015 RBHS alum. Um, I I love this school. I love this community. I met my wife at this school. Um, and in uh 2021, my wife and I moved back to Brookfield because we love the community so much. Uh I put on two fundraisers fundraisers for the RBEF uh last year and the year before and hope to do another in November. Um but I'm here to talk about not about any of that. I'm here to talk about my experience as a student of Gary Pros. I had Gary Pros. I took his his freshman introduction program
022in the summer. I plan to take RB four years. I wanted to go to Colombia to take TV to to continue my education and pursue this as a profession. Two and a half years into taking TV, I dropped out of RBTV because of Mr. Propes's unbelievable behavior. I watched him time and time again belittle students, bring them to tears. He would be inappropriate. Every inappropriate comment you can think of, he would make. The man would would would have sexual comments. He would touch people inappropriately. He would Snapchat students. There were a period in my life where he would probably send me 15 to 20 Snapchats a day as a student and I was done with it. I couldn't handle him as a teacher. He was a horrible teacher, but I loved the program still. So
023I I after I dropped his class, I told him why I dropped his class and that I didn't agree with his teaching style at all. Um I he he made my my wife cry when she was um his student as well. Um there was always sexual comments. There were always jokes. Um he would he would regularly joke about he would ask us how how quickly we could get him drugs on his desk. This is who this was. This man should never have been teaching here. He did not act like a teacher at any point. He acted like a child all of the time. And the reason I'm here is because this is not the first time. Time and time again over the past 14-1 15 years I've seen multiple issues of this as a student
024we knew about these things we would talk about these things would talk about these things with us I I remember discussing discussing the case of Dallas Hill with Gary Pros that was in 2012 2013 we I knew as a student then what what our teachers were getting away with. I dropped his class. I continued to aid in the for the AV department and I uh >> I saw all the behavior I was around in school when Jane Doe was in school. Um the behavior that I read about in the lawsuit is disgusting. I think we shouldn't be learning about these things from the landmark. We need to be learning about these things from the board. If you get a serious allegation like that, you need to present that to the community. You need to let
025them know this happened, that this was accused, and that you're going to investigate it. Because right now, I'm here as a 28-year-old, and I'm here to tell you that this is serious and this needs to stop. And I'm worried that this administration is going to continue to let it happen. I think the only way forward is a change. Thank you so much. Hi, my name is Colleen Knee. I have a senior here at RB. Um, I am basically here because awareness needs to be shared and things need to be taken more serious. On Thursday, my son's friends and my son were a part of a school threat. The boy was going to come shoot them at school. Um I understand that there's not a lot of you can do between um minor to minor. I
026have taken every step along with a few other parents in this room with me today. Um we are not okay with this. Uh this has not been told to any teachers for safety purposes for the kids' mental health. Nobody has been talked to. Parents do not know. Um there were racial um slurs in there against every different kind of race. So more than just a school shooting, it is now a race issue. Um we just don't think that there's um a pro a proper um punishment in line. Our children fear are fearing to come back to school here. Um I moved to this neighborhood and bought a home here to so my son can get the best education. And until last Thursday, I talked so greatly of this school hearing about the sexual assault being
027hidden or not addressed, let me not say, not addressed properly. This has not been addressed at all. The police department has been no help. We have gone to court two days in a row to get restraining orders against the boy that will not be given to us. The school's making it seem like the safety plan is the boy will come back and we the kids will be followed from class to class is ridiculous. the boy should not be here and we would all just like to see him get some help with his mental health. Um the kids do say that he's had issues in the past of doing very bizarre behaviors. The school is aware. Um and nothing is being done about it. We're scared in our home. How does this boy if he knows
028where we live? We are getting nothing. And our children need to be safe. I keep hearing here in this building is safe. This building is safe. The building might be safe but the children inside are no longer safe. I don't think that the boy should go to prison or be anything like that. I think he needs some help. I think the parents need to be looked at and there needs to be a deeper investigation. He threatened it this time. What's next? He's going to shoot the school. He's going to come to my home. This is our senior year of our boys high school. They are good kids. They've never been in trouble. They've never bullied. They are not even the type of children to do these things. And I'm not saying it's because my own
029kid, but there's just nothing being done. There's no safety plan that they're sharing with us. Everything has to be a secret, and I don't want it to be a secret anymore. Everyone needs to be aware. And I'm not going to stop till I get to the top. And I thank you for listening. >> Thank you. She helped me to translate. Thank >> my name is Marggo Samura, a mother from Alexis Bon. He's a senior here at the high school and he received this picture from one mission uh tried to kill him and right now we have and my family very stressed. I have a two daughters and a special needs. The the the oldest she listen somebody tried to kill his brother and she's afraid. She's at home. We cannot sleep in the school. They
030don't give me to me and my my son Alex one plan to save. They don't give it to us too much information. And can I ask please? I can tell with the principal because I don't tell with the principal yet. I ask and I and ask and I don't receive any information. >> How are you? >> Okay. So, Alexis is a senior here and that's her son. He was um threatened by the kid the person who talked previously. Um there was a Snapchat roaming around that he was going to kill him and any of his friends that were with him. Um she's uh we had several conversations before this meeting. She says she's been trying to facilitate uh a meeting with uh the principal and that has not been done and if you uh the
031members of the board can facilitate a meeting with her to see what is the safety protocol where her son uh will feel safe to come into school on Monday as the kid has been suspended and will return to school Monday. Um, so she wants a plan uh written on the safety for her son and the plan for the kid returning to school. Is his bag going to be checked every morning? Um, will her son be um safe in the cafeteria between periods in the morning after school? She wants a safety plan written for her, her son, and for the other child. What type of uh safety measures will be taken? her son is afraid. Um when he missed school last week after the incident, his teachers did ask him uh when uh why were you
032missing? And he said you didn't know. So he feels that all his teachers need to be informed of uh what happened so he can feel safe inside a classroom. He does not want to return on Monday because he feels unsafe. >> Thank you. [Music] >> Any additional public comment this evening? Thank you everyone for your uh thoughtful comments. [Music] Under consent agenda, we do have action item approval of minutes. Miss Gaska, the board of education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, takes the following action on the listed consent agenda items. Approves minutes from the meetings held on August 12th, 2025, open and closed as presented in the September 9, 2025 board agenda packet. We have a second, please. >> Second from Mr. Durkin. All in favor? I. >> Any objections? Motion carries. Moving
033on to old business, life safety, capital improvement, sustainability. I don't think we have anything this evening. >> No update. >> Um the the main item um for discussion is the final budget. We had the public hearing earlier this evening. Is there anything additional to report? >> Seeing none, I think we can take a motion to approve the final budget, please. this basket. Whereas the board of education of township high school district 208 um high school district number 208 Cook County of Cook State of Illinois cost to be prepared in tentative form of budget and the secretary of this board has made the same conven conveniently available to the public for inspection for at least 30 days prior to final action thereon. Whereas a public hearing was held as to such budget on the 9th day
034of September, 2025, notice of set hearing was given at least 30 days prior. There too is required by law and all other legal requirements have been complied with. Now therefore, be it resolved by the board of education of set district as follows. Section one, that the fiscal year of this school district be and the same hereby is fixed and declared to be beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026. Section two, that the following budget containing an estimate of amounts available in each fund separately and of expenditures from each B and the same is hereby adopted as the budget of the school district for said fiscal year. We have a second for the budget, please. >> Second from Miss Ruska. And we do need a roll call. >> Mr. Durkin. >> Yes. >> Miss
035Gasca? >> Yes. >> Miss Ruska? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roback? >> Yes. >> Mr. Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss? >> Yes. >> Mr. Kudo? >> Yes. >> We do have um press plus policy issue 119 that was discussed uh has it been in the board agenda for a couple of meetings, Dr. Skinkis? Yeah, the four or five policies that we're recommending some minor changes to were included in the board packet and highlighted in blue are the recommended changes. I did not receive any comments or questions on the updated policies and the recommendation is to approve and amend the remainder of issue 119 as presented by the ISB and the um policies that are attached tonight with the recommended changes. Are there any any comments from anyone on the board this evening related to the policies?
036I know Mr. Williams and I did go over them. Anyone? Okay, we can move ahead, please. >> The Board of Education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois approves press plus policy issue 119 as presented in the September 9, 2025 board agenda packet. >> And we need a second. >> Second from Mr. Williams. Uh all in favor I >> any objections? Motion carries. Under new business we do have payment of bills. >> Dr. Correct. >> There were no questions. >> The board of education Township High School District 208 Cook County Illinois approves the payment of bills as presented in the September 9th 2025 board agenda packet. >> So moved. We need a second. >> Second from Mr. Durkin. And uh roll call, please. >> Mr. Novak, >> yes. >> Mr. Williams, >> yes. >>
037Miss, >> yes. >> Mr. Caputo, >> yes. >> Mr. Durkin, >> yes. >> Miss Gasa, >> yes. >> Miss Resca, >> yes. >> Uh, we have as a first read the proposed curriculum guide changes. I'm not sure who's presenting. >> So, we're going to uh Dr. Fy, there was one question submitted by Mr. Williams. He'll touch on that. Uh, and the course fees uh, which I believe are next, correct? Um, Miss Linquist and the administration are here next week to do their annual report on school benchmarks on the 23rd for the committee of the whole. And so at that time, we'll address the actual curriculum guide. What you're seeing tonight as a first read are the course changes that were submitted by staff last spring and reviewed by the curriculum advisory council in May. Uh,
038this is a first read. So, the board approves any course changes or new courses. Uh and then I will also have a summary provided from Miss Linquist next weekend just to kind of refresh look a revised look of the curriculum guide uh at the September 23rd meeting. So Dr. Freredus will address Mr. Williams question about the uh new class in regards like robotics and the opportunities affiliated with those new classes and then when we move on to the next agenda and we can address fees. Correct. >> Yep. Good evening honorable board members. So the question was related to um you know new courses and how we partner with businesses in general. So in CTE courses, career tech education courses specifically within the career pathways there's team based challenges component and workbased learning component necessary for
039the student to earn college and career pathway endorsement. Right? There's like an internship kind of experience in those specific areas as mandated by law. In order for a student to get the credit, they have to have work experience. In proposing a new CTE course, it's important to consider the approach of how we make those connections necessary in order to meet the criteria. You know, pathways that require, you know, work-based experiences in our uh agriculture and food, architecture, arts and visual technology, similar to what we see tonight, many of our students in IBTV, right? They record meeting that is a work-based experience. you know, government, hospitality, as you could think of our culinary arts program, right? You know, baking, you know, we welcomed Dr. Sander from the state board a week ago, right? Baking and and
040and selling or giving right of goods, you know, so all those career pathways in hospitality marketing require that um you know, does that happen for every class proposed? Well, for T CT ctees and for other classes, they've developed organically with the teacher connecting with outside business, but the administration is always willing to support, you know, those relationships, you know. So, we're willing to work with the teachers, you know, but those relationships outside of C classes have developed organically. >> So, it's coming from the teacher. It's not coming from any the the teacher would propose partnering with a business or a university or >> Yeah. and and the and the and the conversation can come from a teacher from an administrator correct but for CTE I mean what's required in order for kids to get the
041endorsement is that work experience so that's uh that's fundamental to that program all the courses relationships have developed organically coming from the teacher or from the collective team >> are we making connections outsides are we getting some internships how how do we solicit solicit those opportunities >> sure I mean every year we have a trades fair right where you know we have all the trades has come plumbing, electrical construction. They've come here. I believe I've seen many of your board members, they're present at the trade fair as well, you know. Um I mean we have we have a partnership with the plumbers union as well. So our student services uh counselors, our assistant president Augustine has developed a lot of those relationships. We post a lot of the information internships available on our website. Counselors
042engage the students who may be interested. So we definitely bring the information back home. is posted on our website and we engage students with those opportunities. >> One thing I'm concerned about is that we've seen some uh scholarships that were available that didn't get taken advantage of and I was just wondering if there was any coordination between the counselors and the teachers of the said classes so to make sure that everybody's aware that these things are available. Is there >> the relationship is existent? You know, I I see that as a missed opportunity and we definitely have to do better try to engage. I mean our counselors and staff they they engage the students you know they share the opportunities. >> Sure. I just if I I guess I'm I'm just wondering if there can
043be a more you know explicitly this is we have this meeting once a year with with the counselors to make sure that they're aware of all of these things all of these opportunities that are available for students that sadly go unused >> and you know those conversation I mean I want to say the counseling department they meet they meet weekly they talk about career how students are doing so those conversations do happen frequently here >> you're talking specifically in the in the food track. But that was one of them. I'm just saying I'm just saying in general I think these opport I mean >> maybe it's because I'm staring down the barrel of college education for my own daughter. But the idea that we're leaving money on the table as a community where the where
044students that show show promise in any one of these fields that where it what I'm I guess what I'm asking for is a coordination between these knowledge of these opportunities and making sure that the teachers are aware of them. Making sure that the students that show promise in those areas are aware. >> You want to make sure they've crosswalked all of the >> Yeah. >> options. Yeah. And that seems like a a reasonable request and perhaps when um Kylie is here next meeting. >> Yeah, I definitely was going to plan on asking her too. >> Actually, Miss and when Dr. Freighus is done, maybe we can ask our student advisors here uh some of your experiences learning about scholarships, how you know they're there, >> and you know, at what point are you >> Well,
045they're just starting their senior year. I think they're just starting. >> Well, but but you should be coach probably junior year. So I that would be my expert. >> Well, don't put that pressure on me. >> Well, I'm sure you have friends in that. So, >> well, we could even ask now. Dr. Fred, I'm so sorry. We we hijacked you at >> at what point how how are you introduced to some of these scholarships or are you encouraged that hey if you take this class this might work out as a scholarship for you or >> I mean with our like counselor meetings we were told that there's like a list of scholarships in the RB website but as a junior it wasn't really that like pushed out to me so >> I didn't really know
046but as a senior I'm like trying to tell my sister like go and do these scholarships Yeah, the information is on the website. I think it was like recently updated um with some more up-to-date things. But for more like I personally um use like I use chat GPT to look up like scholarships >> um like I feel like that's a great way of using that to come up with things. But I feel like um if it's more available to students and more pushed it'll definitely be a lot more beneficial because it's kind of like hidden in the um in a tab on the website. So you have to go out and look for it and it's there but it's not really some of the some of the links are kind of like not up to
047date or some of them aren't there's no like um anything like super like there's like big scholarships like the Coca-Cola scholarship and things like that >> which is not RB specific >> which isn't RB specific but it's still it would still be great if like we could have those pushed out there and then also the smaller local scholarships as important as well. So, can we ask Miss Augustine when she's here in in two weeks to address this and kind of talk about how it populates the the the curriculum guide? I mean, there there's somewhat different issues. The curriculum guide is the the subject, but I think your issue is is regular, right? Um, so I think we need to address it a bit comprehensively. >> And just to add to the board, you know, I
048want to say regularly we have, you know, college and career nights. You know, there was one there was one this evening. >> So, we have those meetings. We do communicate. I mean I can there's an opportunity to you know to grow of course you know >> and thank you and now that we're getting daily talk about >> sorry >> now it's too much >> it's daily we run the risk of people not paying attention I know I don't pay like I I catch up every other day it's a lot is there a way in the platform where you could push it out to senior families I pay like you know senior specific information or even juniors and seniors so that um juniors can start to get prepped for that because I think that we now
049have the vehicle. Let's use it, right? I I' like to be able to be aware of that. >> That's an easy way. Yes. >> It's already set up. Mhm. >> Some of the best information that that I got early on when when my daughter was a freshman at the end of that year, they had we went to one of the college nights, but the best information was coming from one of the seniors who had done all of the research on her own, which is great. She was fantastic and I think she got all of her college paid for. But uh I think to rely on a on a 18-year-old to do it is while she was fantastic and we've got a lot of information from her. I think we as a community can support that
050as best we can and I'm all for it. >> Agreed. >> Yeah. I So I'm going to ask our students again because you're getting information from new places like Chad PT, >> new places that we haven't in the past. Where would you be looking for this information at this point in 2025? Where do you expect to hear it from? Do you expect to hear it from your teacher in class? Do you expect it to come through like an extra uh email or >> um I would say it would probably be most beneficial if it was like um even just on the RB website just like a link like right there um that's really accessible. Um, I'm not really sure like the nitty-gritty of it, but if it's just more out if it's more accessible than
051it is currently. And I mean, it's it really isn't too too difficult to find this information on your own. And a lot of times like we do have to find things on our own because there's a lot of money out there. It just you have to look for it. So, um, yeah, just more accessible than it is because like it's not there. >> I'm sorry to interrupt you. I think I mean right now it's under the college and career readiness home but I'm hearing a couple different threats that maybe we can ask our communications team and Dr. afraid to ask to give a little more thoughtfulness around where it's available so that there's no no stones unturned is what you're asking for, right? Um, >> which is a little bit different than the curriculum guide
052changes, but I think it's to your point it's related. >> Well, it came up because of the the emphasis of the robotics class was talking about the internships, scholarships, mentors, >> and that's part of the CTE requirements, right? Okay. >> Which I think is a great idea for almost all of our classes mostly. if there's scholarships related to them, we should be know we should know about them and the kids should know about them. >> But we also use um our positive pride weekly and quarterly reports to communicate some of these opportunity. I believe many of you are many of you all receive >> the correspondence. >> Well, and I think the FCCLA, is that how you say it? I think >> FCCLA, >> there's a lot of grant money through those programs. I mean,
053at least one of my daughters got some significant money through that and they're seems to me talking about that more frequently also because they're competing every year and so they see their peers earning scholarship some significant money towards different programs. So maybe there's other programs that are talking about scholarships all along through the competitions that they're doing even through the clubs. >> Mhm. I mean, several of the kids when, you know, my oldest went through received $20,000 to Kendall through the competitions to the FCCLA. >> So, for the curriculum changes, are we going to have both Miss Augustine and Miss Linquist here? >> The whole administration team is here. >> I think that that would be helpful to have the full team. >> Absolutely. >> And we'll see um the broader changes to the curriculum
054guide, not just these. >> Right. There's a curriculum advisory council I think is set up for the 18th and then >> Okay. >> Uh they'll review it for just to make sure we're ready for that presentation on the 23rd. >> Okay. So, we'll get something beforehand that we can comment and >> be in the packet before. Yes. >> And we're it's a first read at the next meeting then the full >> the board does not need to approve the curriculum guys just to show you that we've made some revisions and try to make it more user friendly some of those things. >> Okay. So, we want people to submit questions beforehand so that the team can be >> ready to answer. >> Correct. Perfect. Um, proposed course fees. I believe this is also a first
055read. >> Yes. Dr. Freredus, you want to address the questions on the course? >> Yes. So, there was a question concerning whether fees have doubled or tripled in some cases. Well, honorable board members, things have gotten more expensive, you know, and when I when when I think of our construction plans, our pre-architecture engineering, I mean, you know, culinary arts, right? Career safe OSHA 10-hour industry training cards have gone up. Project leads have gone up. Glow Forge premium subscription has gone up. All the materials used in a construction pre-architecture has everything has gone up, you know. So we we unfortunately have to, you know, raise those fees in order to have the materials. We have more kids are doing things that are hands-on and with tangible materials, we're going to spend more money. So I know
056we don't, maybe it's not the best raising, but we have to in order to give those kids an opportunity, you know, to work with tangible product. I mean all the materials are pretty much >> I the I agree it was my question my my question is just where's the backup right to ask for that kind of an increase there has to be some type of a someone did the calculation just would like to and I think the on the list you have honors dance had had some itemized reasons this is going up that's going up correct the other ones didn't have that type of itemization so I it was it was my question just looking for some more detail is before we go to 100% increase in something I I trust that the work has
057been done. Just include the work in the board packet. >> Yes. Yes, madam president. Yes. >> That was that was my request. I don't think anyone had any other comments that request. >> Um so do we want to talk about those or we're going to actually bring them to the next meeting? >> I'll have Dr. Freigher update those. >> Okay, let's let's >> I mean again for the one like the cost of lumber has increased. The cost of lumber lumber 3D printing supply. We'll add those in the in the description just as >> D. Thank you. Appreciate it. Um, next item. Is this a This is also a first read. Uh, outofstate overnight field trips. I think there's three listed, >> correct? I always leave the option to the board on these, but these are
058the overnight trips that are slated to occur um primarily through February. You have the Illinois Theater Fest in Bloomington. The varsity Palms team has qualified to uh compete at the national uh school spirit championships in Orlando, Florida. This is not >> to them. >> They did a great job this summer. This is not a school sponsor uh trip to school sponsors and covers costs related to only the state competition. So, this is something that they're looking to fund raise and attend on their own. Uh and then you have the ski and snowboard club with their three planned trips. So, two of those are um overnight or excuse me, out of state and the third, the Galino one is more than 200 miles. The Palm strip is overnight and out of state, so it would still
059require board approval. And then the theater is overnight. >> So, I will say I appreciated the detail. I know in the past some of the details have been um insufficient in my estimation, but in this case, all three I think really show the the breakdown of cost. So, I appreciate that. Were there any questions from anyone on the board? >> No questions were submitted on on the field trips. >> Do we have any objection to approving them this evening in the interest of letting people begin their fundraising? >> Yeah, let's do it. >> Fine. Okay. Thanks. The board of education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, approves the outofstate and or overnight trip requests for theater, varsity ponds, and the ski and snowboard club as presented in the September 9, 2025 board agenda
060packet. We have a second, please. >> Second. >> You have a second from Mr. Durkin. And I believe we need a roll call. >> Mr. Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Alis? >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Derkin? >> Yes. >> Miss Gascott? >> Yes. >> Miss Rascott? >> Yes. >> Mr. Novak? >> Yes. >> Uh, second opportunity for visitor statement. If anyone didn't speak previously, would like to speak now, you're welcome to do so. girls in the back. I wasn't sure if you guys wanted to speak. No. Okay, just checking. I wasn't sure if you were getting ready to come up or not. Um, board of education discussion items. Uh, does anyone on the board of education have a request to add an additional discussion item for this evening? Not seeing any. We
061usually bundle this with items for future meetings. Uh, we do next Tuesday have the IASB workshop. Um, I did reach out to everyone. Um, it's a it's a two-part workshop. If you go to the IASB website, you'll see that we um cover both uh our rules of operation as well as um using the IASB facilitator to work through the various district goals. Um so, if we could all give some thought to those as they're laid out and we can have a pretty robust discussion next Tuesday. Um the the first portion will be in close session just so everyone from the public understands. Um and it'll be a working meeting where I'd like to uh you know really have some some some good discussion internally. >> I'll send the packet on Friday. Tammy will send the
062packet on Thursday or Friday with a history of the goals and uh any documents related to the activities the IASB facilitator has planned >> and the facilitator is Lori. Um what I'm miss >> Hines is it >> Grant Lori Grant >> Lori Grant she is the IASB facilitator who worked with us Lori I remember on the the mission statement and when we did the public meeting about mission statement about six years ago so she's got some some good background on on the district which I think will be helpful um matters for close session we do have appointment employment compensation discipline performance or dismissal of specific employees of the public body student discipline individual ual student matters, purchase, sale, or lease of real property, probable imminent or pending litigation, collective negotiations, as well as school safety.
063Miss Gaska, the Board of Education, Township High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, enters close session for the purpose of considering the closed session matters as presented in the September 9, 2025 board agenda packet. >> We have a second, please. >> Second. >> Thank you. Second for Mr. Durkin. And we had a roll call to go into closed. >> Mr. Cutoo, >> yes. >> Mr. Derk, >> yes. >> Miss Gaska, >> yes. >> Miss Russa, >> yes. >> Mr. Novak, yes. Mr. Williams, yes. Miss, >> yes. Okay. The