Board of Education

To fulfill their duties, the Board of Education meets regularly on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.  All meetings of the Board of Education are open to the public and are organized in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120). 

Board meeting agendas and materials can be accessed from the school district's SchoolBoard.net meeting portal. During each meeting members of the public are invited to address the Board in accordance with Board Policy 2030.  As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Board of Education expanded access to its meetings through the implementing of live streaming via the Zoom Webinar platform.  Information regarding how to access the live streaming event is included with each Board agenda.

In addition to the regular meetings, the Board of Education has established two standing committees to facilitate the review of topics relevant to the operation of the school district.  These committees include:

• Facilities; and
• Finance

Each committee includes up to three (3) members of the Board of Education, as well as members of the District and School leadership teams (e.g., Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Principals, Associate Principals, Assistant Superintendents, Directors, Managers).  Board committees meet periodically throughout the school year and provide an opportunity to review draft proposals and recommendations from the Administration in a working group setting.  Proposals and recommendations are then revised as needed, and typically presented to the full Board at the next regular meeting.

As stated in Board Policy 1020: School Board Legal Status Authority, the major powers and duties of the Board include, but are not limited to:

1. Formulating, adopting, and modifying Board policies, at its sole discretion, subject only to mandatory collective bargaining agreements, other agreements entered into by the Board, and State and federal law.
2. Employing a Superintendent and other personnel, making employment decisions, disciplining and dismissing personnel, and establishing an equal employment opportunity policy that prohibits unlawful discrimination.
3. Through policies or directives issued by the Board, direct the Superintendent, in his or her charge of the District as the chief executive of the District.
4. Approving the annual budget, tax levies, major expenditures, payment of obligations, annual audit, and other aspects of the District’s financial operation; and making available a statement of financial affairs as provided in State law.
5. Entering into contracts including using the public bidding procedure when required.
6. Indemnifying, protecting, and insuring against any loss or liability of the District, Board members, employees, and agents as provided or authorized by State law.
7. Providing, constructing, controlling, and maintaining adequate physical facilities; making school buildings available for use as civil defense shelters; and establishing a resource conservation policy.
8. Establishing an equal educational opportunities policy that prohibits unlawful discrimination.
9. Approving the curriculum, textbooks, and educational services.
10. Evaluating the educational program and approving School Improvement and District Improvement Plans.
11. Presenting the District report card and School report card(s) to parents/guardians and the community; these documents report District, School and student performance as required by state statute.
12. Establishing and supporting student discipline policies designed to maintain an environment conducive to learning, including deciding individual student discipline brought before it.
13. Establishing attendance units (schools) within the District and assigning students to the schools.
14. Establishing the school year and calendar.
15. Requiring a moment of silence to recognize veterans during any type of school event held at a District school on November 11.
16. Entering into joint agreements with other boards and other governmental agencies to establish cooperative educational programs or to provide educational facilities.
17. Complying with requirements in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Specifically, each individual Board member must, if an allegation is raised to the member during an open or closed Board meeting that a student is an abused child as defined in the Act, bring to the attention of the Board to direct the Superintendent or other equivalent school administrator to comply with the Act’s requirements concerning the reporting of child abuse.
18. Communicating the schools’ activities and operations to the community and representing the needs and desires of the community in matters pertaining to the District.