A Board Report of the August 14, 2023 Board of Education meeting
This Board of Education meeting was held in the boardroom at 2801 York Road, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523; the regular meeting place. The public can attend Board of Education meetings in person, access an audio livestream of the meeting on the District’s website, or listen to meeting recordings that are uploaded to the District’s website within the meeting week.
District Updates
The District is looking forward to the seamless transition from construction to teaching and learning. Students will be welcomed back for the first day of school on Tuesday, September 5.
In addition, the District is excited to welcome students back to an increasingly safe learning environment. Last year, the District had one police officer split between both schools. However, over the summer, the District and the Oak Brook Police agreed to bring another police officer into the District to monitor threats. Expanding the police presence so that each school has an officer present on a daily basis adds to the multitude of safety measures that are already present in the schools.
Busing Service Gearing Up for a Successful School Year
John Hamilton, Assistant Principal at Butler Junior High, spoke to the Board about student transportation and busing services in the upcoming school year. The District’s busing volume will remain the same as in the latter half of the 2022-23 school year, with three buses servicing Butler Junior High, and four buses servicing Brook Forest Elementary.
Kindergarten students will still be picked up at their homes, but only when feasible. For example, students who live in cul-de-sacs, for example, will not be picked up at their home because it’s not safe for buses to navigate such a space. Students beyond first grade will continue to meet the bus at designated stops, which are chosen based on their safety and efficiency. Parents can track their bus using the real-time tracking feature implemented last spring.
First Student, the District’s busing provider, created their initial routes accommodating students who have registered for busing services on August 5. Since then, drivers have started taking ‘dry runs’ of their routes, accompanied by Mr. Hamilton, to identify any potential challenges or safety issues. Students who have not yet registered for busing will have the option to do so in early September.
Public Hearing - FY24 Tentative Budget
The Finance Committee has reviewed the FY24 Tentative Budget. Notice was given that the Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the FY24 Tentative Budget at 6:30PM on September 11, 2023 at the beginning of the regularly scheduled school board meeting. The tentative budget can be viewed in BoardDocs (August 11 Finance Committee agenda, and Library), or by contacting the district office.
Committee Meetings
The Board of Education approved committee meeting schedules, topics of discussion, and committee purpose for all committees as presented by the committee chairs.
District Welcomes New Staff Members
The District would like to welcome Jennifer Taylor, special education teacher, and Nesreen Ghawi, classroom teacher to Brook Forest Elementary School. New to Butler Junior High School we welcome Earl Jackson, and Jennifer Milligan, math teachers; Erik Hansen, physical education teacher; and Trudy Tosch, administrative secretary. Current Brook Forest Elementary School classroom teacher Beth Mouw has been approved to carry the additional role of part-time assistant principal at the school. Congratulations to all.
School Updates and Student Welcome Information
Brook Forest Elementary:
Brook Forest Elementary will hold an Open House dedicated to welcoming the newest additions to our student body. Join us on Thursday, August 31st, between 3:30 and 4:45 PM, as we eagerly anticipate the presence of our incoming Kindergarten families as well as new students. During this event, students and families will have the opportunity to get acquainted with Principal Prola and a diverse array of staff members.
Additionally, Brook Forest welcomes all families to the school for a first-day-of-school welcome on September 5 at 8:20 A.M., and for Curriculum Night on September 21, from 5:30-8:25 P.M.
Students at Brook Forest will complete NWEA MAP assessments shortly after the beginning of the school year. Students in grades 2-5 will take both math and reading assessments on September 12-13, while students in grade 1 will only take the math assessment. Kindergarteners, meanwhile, will complete the math assessment at a yet-to-be-determined date.
Butler Junior High:
Principal Zaniewski will send a message to all Butler Junior High families on Friday, August 18, relaying important back to school information. Student class schedules will become available on PowerSchool during the week of August 28.
Finally, students and families will be welcomed back to school for building tours and the PTO ice cream social on August 31, with building tours taking place from 1:00 to 2:00 P.M., with the ice cream social following at 2:00-3:00 P.M.
Student Services Department:
The Student Services Department (SSD) is excited to welcome back 87 Butler 53 students and families for the 2023-24 school year. Over the summer, the SSD has welcomed a full-time EL teacher, two Brook Forest special education teachers, an occupational therapist, and a physical therapist to the team that now includes over 30 skill professionals.
Capital Improvements Vision and Construction Updates
Construction is well underway at both schools, with improvements being made at a rapid rate. Some of the most notable changes that students will see this year include:
Brook Forest Elementary:
- New, larger Kindergarten classrooms, with private restrooms
- A brand new library, media, and art room
- A new hallway that improves student circulation through the building
- Additional restrooms
Butler Junior High:
- New roof for the gym (goodbye, leaks!)
- A new band room with sound-dampening private practice spaces
- A brand new art room with a new kiln room for ceramic works
In addition to making outstanding progress, Phase II of the Capital Improvements Vision project is much more closely aligned to the expected budget. Phase I uncovered various setbacks, which caused the District to incur a higher cost than originally anticipated. However, Phase II has not seen such issues and has been running smoothly.
Board of Education and Oak Brook Education Association Reach Tentative Agreement
The Board of Education and the Oak Brook Education Association (OBEA) are pleased to announce that the parties’ negotiating teams have reached a final, tentative agreement for a new three-year teacher contract.
The teams engaged in an interest-based bargaining process with the assistance of an FMCF facilitator. The bargaining process involved a full and open discussion of the parties economic and non-economic issues, interests, and options, and encouraged creative problem solving to resolve the various negotiation issues.
The bargaining teams engaged in extensive preparation for negotiation sessions, worked collaboratively and efficiently during the three hour sessions, and were able to reach a final, tentative agreement after only one interest-based training session and board negotiation session.
The OBEA plans to review the specific terms of the tentative agreement with its membership and vote to ratify the agreement within the next several weeks. After the OBEA ratification, this Board plans to approve the new three-year contract at an upcoming meeting.
The parties have both agreed that no details regarding the specific terms of the agreement will be disclosed pending ratification and approval of the contract.
PTO Welcomes Students and Parents Back For Another Great Year
Vice President of Brook Forest Kaarina D’Andrea updated the Board on the PTO’s plans for the upcoming year and how parents can get involved. Parents who have yet to register with the PTO are encouraged to do so. The dues of just $35 allow families to access PTO events, volunteer opportunities, and online school directory access.
To kick the year off, the PTO will be hosting two back-to-school programs.
Brook Forest Elementary: The PTO will host a welcome back social for Brook Forest parents on Tuesday, Sept. 5, from 8:35-9:30 A.M.
Butler Junior High: The PTO will hold an ice cream social at Butler Junior High on August 31 from 2:00-3:00 P.M.
Parents interested in joining or learning more about the PTO can stop by the PTO table on Curriculum Night, or email the PTO at butler53pto@gmail.com.
Upcoming Board of Education, and Committee Meetings
Infrastructure Committee - September 7, 2023 at 9:00AM
Policy: Committee of the Whole - September 11, 2023 at 4:30PM
Public Hearing/Regular Board of Education - September 11, 2023 at 6:30PM