032113 - Oak Park and River Forest High School

Oak Park and River Forest High School, District 200
Board Briefs
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Board
Actions
Reports
Approval of the following action items:
Consent item:
o Check Disbursements and Financial Resolutions dated March 21, 2013;
o Monthly Financials;
o Treasurer’s Report;
o Renewal of IHSA Membership;
o Resolution to Place 2013 Amended Budget on Display;
o Athletic Uniform Bid;
o Contract with Visual Image Photograph (VIP);
o Commencement of the 2013 Audit; and
o School Calendar for the 2013-14 School Year
Release of Probationary Teachers, as recommended;
Personnel Recommendations, including callbacks, retirement requests, stipends, and leaves of
absences; and
Open Minutes and closed session minutes of February 28 and March 12 (Finance and Special) and a
declaration that the closed session audiotapes of April, May, June, and July 2011 are destroyed.
Dr. Isoye reported the following:
Spanish teacher Manuel Gonzalez and science teacher Allison Hennings had been nominated for
a Golden Apple Award. Winners will be announced in May.
The Spoken Word team came in third overall at Louder Than a Bomb; Camara Brown was
second in individual results and Natalie Richardson received the Literary Award for the bestwritten
poem of the competition.
OPRFHS and District 97 co-hosted the MSAN conference in Chicago on “Addressing
Disproportionality: Changing the Numbers by Changing Our Practices.” Mr. Prale and Ms. Hill
worked with District 97 on this event. MSAN districts from many states and some local non-
MSAN districts participated. Lisa Vincent, Kristen McKee, Carly Kaplan, Maggie Konrath, Mr.
Rouse, and Dr. Halliman also participated by presenting or moderating a presentation.
OPRFHS hosted Congressman Davis’ annual educational leadership forum, which is an
opportunity for local superintendents to discuss educational initiatives from the federal and state
governments. ISBE was also represented.
Senior Noelani Ho placed first in the Chicago Junior Science and Humanities Symposium for
engineering a design for a new ballet pointe shoe that costs less and can reduce dancers’ foot
injuries. She will travel to Dayton, Ohio, in May for the national competition;
Matthew Hennings and Rebecca Streit were chosen as two of the three semi-finalists who will
represent Illinois at the national level in the 2013 BioGENEius Competition. Matthew created a
bandage based on spider webs that kills bacteria and prevents the growth of new bacteria.
Rebecca’s research focuses on using natural compounds in spinach to convert dangerous residue
from explosives into less toxic compounds.
Senior Adrian Karkut advanced to the semi-finals in the USA Biology Olympiad (USABO. He
took the semi-finals test in an effort to become one of the 20 national finalists. The national
finalists will compete to become one of the four students representing the United States at the
International Biology Olympiad.
Science teacher Allison Hennings has received grant funding from Race to the Top to train 100
teachers from around the state on how to implement STEM programs in their schools. Hennings
will present her Investigative Research in Biomedical Innovation class as the model during a twoweek
training this summer.
1

Seventy-five students were celebrated by administrators, faculty, and staff as recipients of the
Human Relations award. The awards celebrate students who make a difference in classrooms,
hallways, teams, and activities.
Debate Team members Megan Murphy and John Martin qualified for the National Forensic
League National Tournament, which will be held in June in Birmingham, Ala.
Eight players on the combined OPRF-Fenwick Girls Hockey team will participate in the state
championship game for the Blackhawk Cup at the United Center on March 24.
One hundred sixty students participated in a lock-in last week, which had been planned by those
students who had participated in the MSAN Conference in the fall. Dr. Isoye thanked Jessica
Stovall and Tia Marr for spearheading this as well as the many students and faculty/staff
members that had volunteered their time for a great evening.
Dr. Isoye reported on the status of the Collaboration for Early Childhood Care & Education agreements.
Dr. Isoye announced that School Exec Connect had been engaged to lead the search for the District’s
chief financial officer position. The resolution to Transfer Funds from the Operations & Maintenance
Fund to the Capital Projects Fund was presented and will be approved at the regular April 25 Board of
Education meeting. Mr. Rouse presented the student discipline report for first semester. Dr. Isoye
reported on the activities of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee and Task Forces. Policy 4:20, Fund
Balance, and Policy 6:300, Graduation Requirements, were brought to the Board of Education for review.
Callbacks
Retirements
Personnel
Benjamin St. John, Latin, World Languages Division, .06 FTE
Mariangela Pezzella, Italian, World Languages Division, 0.4 FTE
Leandrew Wade, Driver Education, PE and Drivers Education Division, 0.6 FTE
Emily Steffen, English, English Division, 0.6 FTE
Ann Carlson, Librarian, Library, 2017-2018 school year
Elizabeth Ebsen, Art Teacher, Fine and Applied Arts, 2017-2018 school year
Kathryn Gargiulo, English Teacher, English, 2017-2018 school year
Barbara Harmon, Spanish Teacher, World Languages, 2017-2018 school year
James Paul Hunter, English Teacher, English, 2017-2018 school year
Lawrence Prystalski, Mathematics Teacher, Mathematics, 2017-2018 school year
Ann Slivinski, Speech Pathologist, Special Education, 2017-2018 school year
Thomas Tarrant, Special Education Teacher, Special Education, 2017-2018 school year
Stipends Lacrosse (boys) Jason Raad $2,526.50
Softball Clare O'Connor $3,103.00
Lacrosse (boys) Joseph Curtis $1,263.25
Technology/Robotics Club Douglas Allee $1,261.15
Water Polo (boys) John Rapp $7,250.00
Lacrosse (boys) Rocco Chierici $2,526.50
Lacrosse (boys) Tim Wagner $1,263.25
Volleyball (boys) Katie Prechel $7,250.00
Leave of James Curtis Williams Special Education 2013-2014 School Year (1st Year)
Absence
The next regular Board of Education Meeting will be
Thursday, April 25, 2013
6:30 p.m. closed session & 7:30 p.m. open session
Board Room
2