In Brief
September 25, 1997

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 25, 1997.
 

Board Actions
  •  approved the consent items: minutes of August 19, and August 28, 1997; personnel recommendations; financial reports; FDSE actions; a resolution to transfer $900,000 from the Working Cash Fund to the Education Fund for the month of August; FY ’98 FDSE Budget; 1997-98 school year activities covered under Board Policy 5132; and the 1997 summer school graduates;
  • approved the 1997-98 Assurances for District Compliance;
  • approved the IMRF resolution; and
  •  upheld the 3-day suspensions of two students; upheld the 1-day suspension for one student, expelled five students for the remainder of first semester of the 1997-98 school year; but held the expulsions in abeyance contingent on the students' enrollment and regular attendance in an Ombudsman program for first semester of the 1997-98 school year, and 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: his attendance at the Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. regarding education, and his meeting with Congressman Danny Davis regarding achievement objectives and Title I issues; OPRFHS’ 23 national merit semi-finalists, 3 semi-finalists in the National Achievement Scholarship competition, and 39 National Merit Commended Students; School Match’s identification of OPRFHS as being in the 98th percentile of school districts in the nation in test scores; the successful September 12 Spirit Assembly with Channel 5’s Jon Kelley recruited by the Math Department at OPRFHS; the German students who are participating in a three-week exchange program; Dr. Lebrecht’s and Dr. Offermann’s testimony in a hearing regarding the re-establishment of Title I funds based on OPRFHS’ current data; the highest level of interest at the Activities Fair held during lunch periods which was recommended by the CAAAC; the announcement of the Tradition of Excellence Meeting October 9; and the revised school calendar for the 1997-98 school year to be received by all those originally mailed to next week. 
 
 
Weather Tracker Site  Dr. Lebrecht reported that Oak Park and River Forest High School would be a weather tracker site for Channel 5. 
 
Achievement Initiatives The Administrators updated the Board on the accomplishments to further the Board’s goal of African-American Achievement Initiatives which included: TESA; a human relationships training program; OPRFHS’ climate; data collection; the Freshman Seminar Program and its Human Relations Training and Civility Program; the Division Heads’ progress regarding these initiatives; the Excel Program; the Parent Program; CAAAC report’s implementation; review of the grading philosophy; and Institute Days. 
 
 
Construction Report  Dr. Lebrecht reported that construction was completed in accordance with Wight Development Corp.’s contract. He estimated that the construction contract would be $86,000 under budget. 
 
Textbooks And Fees Dr. Lebrecht presented a list of the 1997-98 textbooks and reported that there are 62 different textbooks. The bookstore revenue has been $300,000 for books and $35,000 for supplies, has granted 230 students $39,000 in loans, and has given 113 students an estimated $20,000 in deferred payments. 
 
Probationary Teachers Dr. Danes informed the Board of the Probationary Teachers by Division. 
 
Tuition and Foreign Students Mr. Sye submitted the Tuition and Foreign Students report for 1997-98. Currently, there are three tuition-paying students and six foreign exchange students—three from Brazil, one from Venezuela, one from Austria, and one from Belgium. 
 
Personnel 
Certified
Appointment Deborah Pantaleo, part-time EMH Teacher in Special Education, effective 8/28/97
Resignation Edyth Young-Haywood, Reading Specialist in the English Division, effective 9/30/97 
 
Non-Certified Staff
Call Back Geraldine Nekrosis, part-time Academy Tutor 
Charlotte Neumer, part-time Academy Tutor 
Patrice Wilson, part-time Academy Tutor 
 
Continuing Employment Naomi Hildner, full-time Academy Tutor, effective 04/14/97 
Caroline Williams, part-time Academy Tutor, effective      04/22/97 
 
Appointment 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Kimberly Allison, Safe Schools Coordinator effective 10/1/97 
Andrea Bell, part-time Food Service Employee effective 8/25/97 
Wendy Barg, TEAM Teaching Assistant in Special Education   effective 9/12/97 
Tony Brantley, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97 
Jozetta Carter, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97 
Linda Carter, part-time Food Service employee effective 8/25/97 
Tina Casella, part-time Food Service employee effective 8/25/97 
Timothy Fuller, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97
Antoinette Hagins, part-time Food Service employee effective 8/25/97 
Shawn Hibbler, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97 
Paulette Littleton, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97
Ronnie McKay, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97 
Ismail Muhammad, part-time Security Monitor effective 9/15/97 
Joanne O’Reilly, Head Cook in the Food Service Program effective 8/25/97 
Hermina Saquimux, part-time Food Service Employee effective 8/25/97 
Steve Siciliani, part-time Security Monitor effective 8/28/97 
Simon Jozett, Secretary to the Applied Arts Division effective 8/26/97 
Mozellar Snowden, part-time Food Service Employee effective 8/25/97 
Apolinar Villanueva, full-time custodian in the Food Service effective 8/25/97 
Jessica Woodard, part-time Food Service Employee effective 8/25/97 
 
Early Retirement John Frank, Asst. Head Custodian in the Buildings & Grounds Dept. effective 1/30/98
Resignation  Kevin Chope, part-time Security Monitor effective 6/30/97 
Naomi Hildner, Academy Content Tutor effective 8/31/97
Terminations Daisy Acosta, TEAM Teaching Assistant in Special Education, effective 9/8/97 
LeDonna Bates, part-time cashier in Food Service Program effective 8/28/97 
Myra Johnson, part-time cashier in Food Service Program effective 8/28/97
The next regular Board Meeting will be on Thursday, October 23, 1997, at 7:30 p.m., Board Room 

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