Dr. Kevin Anderson, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning
Highlights the Agenda.
© Oak Park Journal photo

Carolyn Newberry Schwartz, president of District 97 School
Board started the meeting around 8:08 a.m. and with the
majority of seats in the first seven rows of the auditorium
half filled.  The teachers entered the auditorium 20 minutes or
more before the start of the meeting and went first to the rear
of the auditorium.  This was the first in many years that the
Welcome back to school message was not held at the Lake theater
in Oak Park, did not have coffee and sweet rolls and did not
have a motivational speaker, and did not have the School Board
sitting together and all present.  Mr. Barber and Ms. Harton were
not present for the speakers.  This is a teacher contract negotiation
year and perhaps that was the reason some teachers chose to sit
away from the stage.  Some teachers were also upset with the
boards hiring of additional staff persons while the teaching positions  were being let go last year (Peggy Kell, the president of the Oak Park Teacher's Association felt that perhaps there were more positions consolidated in the administration-and maybe even a savings to the district).  The teachers were informed later that
the meeting was not at the Lake theater because of parking concerns with all of the construction occurring downtown and the coffee
absence was not due to budget cuts but the short notice of the
timed events.  The teachers still conversed before the meeting,
just like when they had coffee and rolls. 

Carolyn Newberry Schwartz spoke of her daughter comparing
the first day of school to the thrill of Christmas morning.  New
principals are introduced to the staff and teachers by Ms. Newberry
Schwartz.

The District's Principals sit to the right on the main stage and are introduced to the teachers.  Ms. Nimisha Kumar from Mann school
stands and is applauded.
© Oak Park Journal photo

Dr. Collins Welcomes the Audience Back to Another School Year.
© Oak Park Journal photo

Dr. Collins spoke about how children have changed since many
of the people in the audience (the teachers) were themselves
children.  She also addressed some of the concerns shown on
the projected slide.  There were teachers and unnamed principals
who took issue with children being promoted in the lower grades without passing their grade level in learning.  When Dr. Fagan
was the Superintendent children who needed help were
mandated to go to summer school to remediate their skills and
prepare them for the coming start of the school year - that has
now come to an end and is only being inforced at the Middle School
Level of elementary school.  Many teachers fail to see how that
will  help with the achievement GAP.  (Dr. Collins has her
talk in video form at the end of this article)

Peggy Kell, President of the Oak Park Teachers 
    Addresses District 97 Teacher's and Staff.
   
Dr. Connie Collins, Superintendent of District 97
    Addresses Teachers and Staff.