In Brief
September 24, 1998

This is a summary of the actions of the Oak Park and River Forest High School Board of Education at its last meeting on Thursday, September 24, 1998.

Board Actions
  • approved the consent items: minutes of August 19, and August 27, 1998; personnel recommendations; financial reports; FDSE actions; 1998-99 school year activities covered under Board Policy 5132; and the 1998 summer school graduates;
  • approved the 1998-99 Assurances for District Compliance;
  • accepted with gratitude a donation from Ms. Roselen Murphy of a 1987 Buick Century, Vin #14AL51W7HT472661 and $50 to the auto shop;
  •  expelled one student for the remainder of first semester of the 1998-99 school year; but held the expulsion in abeyance contingent on the student’s enrollment and regular attendance in an Ombudsman program for first semester of the 1998-99 school year, in counseling via the school’s Community Support Staff and Safe Schools’ Coordinator, and meet with both the Goal-Setting Specialist and the School-to-Career Counselor.
Reports The Superintendent reported on the October 8 Tradition of Excellence Program. Three award recipients will attend and a fourth will videotape his message. They are: Richard C. Atkinson, President of the University System of California (attended 1942-44); Anthony T. Browder, founder and director of the Institute of Karmic Guidance (Class of 1969), Robert Follett, retired president and CEO of the Follett Corporation (Class of 1946), and Mr. James J. McClure, Jr., attorney (Class of 1938). 1995 Tradition of Excellence Winner and Pulitzer Prize Winner Carol Warner Shields is returning for her 45th class reunion and will be honored on September 27. Dr. Offermann noted that Dr. Casey and Mrs. Paplaczyk were invited to make an Academy program presentation at both the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children and the Joint IASB/IASA/IASBO Conferences. Twenty-four students were named as Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program, in addition to 14 students who were named Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Dr. Offermann updated the Board on the success of the athletic teams and noted that Norm Van Leer spoke at the Spirit Day Assembly. He also attended the Legislative Conference regarding education in Washington, D.C., and met with Congressman Danny Davis, Senator Richard Durbin, and Steve Collens, educational staff assistant to Carol Mosely Braun. The educational issues in Washington are: 1) vouchers--public funds being used to fund private schools; and 2) a consolidation of 32 individual areas of funding into one block grant. He noted that his plans after retirement might entail "spending more time in Washington, D.C. working for education in a different way."

Dr. Offermann presented a focus on the 1997-98 academic outcomes. Charts depicting ACT and SAT performance from 1970 to 1998 showed that in all racial and subject breakdowns, Oak Park and River Forest High School’s averages are above the state averages. Significant to note is that more and more students are taking these examinations, because now junior colleges request this testing. Dr. Danes is working on further disaggregation of the IGAP data. An area of focus will be the students who fall into the "does not meet" category. This will be discussed in depth at an upcoming Instructional Committee Meeting. 

Mr. Rich Deptuch made a presentation on the merits of using the IGAP test as a standardized test at Oak Park and River Forest High School. 

Dr. Lebrecht announced that Oak Park and River Forest High School now has title to the former Gleason property located on Lake Street! Initially this will be used as Oak Park and River Forest High School employee parking. The Board Conference Rooms should be usable by the next Board meeting.

Dr. Danes informed the Board of the probationary teachers by division.

Mr. Sye submitted the Tuition and Foreign Students report for 1998-99. Currently, there are no tuition-paying students and six foreign exchange students—two from Brazil, one from Indonesia, one from Denmark, one from Holland, and one from Germany.

The Board Members reported on their various Board Committee and liaison representative responsibilities
.

Personnel
Certified
Early 
Retirement
Richard Bonney, Math Teacher, effective 6/9/2000
Gary Olson, Physical Education and Driver Education Teacher, effective 6/9/2000
Non-Certified Staff
Appointments Myles Beckam, part-time Cook/Manager in the Food Service Program, effective 9/9/98
Rochelle Bryant, Foreign Language Computer Lab Teaching Assistant, effective 9/21/98
Olivia Diggs, part-time Food Service, effective 9/10/98
Ingrid Grins, part-time Food Service personnel, effective 9/10/98
Joseph Hallissey, Director of Auditorium/Little Theatre, effective 9/28/98
Theresa Luna, part-time Security Monitor, effective 9/10/98
Luvina Mayfield, part-time Security Monitor, effective 9/4/98
Patricia Lee-Mayfield, part-time Food Service personnel, effective 8/27/98
Margaret Mazzuca, part-time Food Service personnel, effective 9/8/98
Cynthia Quinn, part-time Academy Content Tutor in Science, effective 9/17/98
Richard Santiago, part-time Food Service personnel, effective 8/26/98
Sandra Smiley, part-time Security Monitor, effective 9/1/98
Victor Soto, Custodian in Buildings & Grounds, effective 9/14/98
Apolinar Villanueva, Custodian in Buildings & Grounds, effective 8/31/98
Advancements Deborah Guarino, In-School Suspension Coordinator, effective 9/21/98
Carmen Rosito, part-time Security Monitor, effective 9/8/98
Kimberly Walker, part-time Security Monitor, effective 9/14/98
Early Retirement Carrie Enstrom, Deans’ Secretary, effective 1/22/99
Early Retirement
Revision
R. J. Michael Nielson, Auditorium Manager, effective 9/30/99 instead of 9/20/99.
Resignation Patricia Banks, part-time Food Service Personnel, effective 8/28/98
Lee Ann Micheletti, part-time Food Service Personnel, effective 8/28/98
Jeffrey Plane, In-School Suspension Coordinator, effective 9/18/98
Hermina Squimux, part-time Food Service Personnel, effective 8/28/98
Pamela Smith, part-time Food Service Personnel, effective 8/28/98
Jessica Woodard, part-time Food Service Personnel, effective 8/28/98
The next regular Board Meeting will be on Thursday, October 22, 1998, at 7:30 p.m., Board Conference Rooms. 


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