Board Highlights

This newsletter features highlights from District 97 Board of Education meetings.

Click here to access full meeting agendas and packets. Recordings of our meetings are also available on our YouTube page. For more about our board, visit www.op97.org/boe.

Dr. Becky Pérez is a bilingual school psychologist, educator, and parent who brings a strong commitment to educational equity and student success in District 97. A first-generation daughter of Mexican immigrants and a proud product of public schools, Dr. Pérez combines lived experience with professional expertise to inform her work on the board.

She holds a Ph.D. in school psychology, a master’s degree in educational psychology, and a minor in education policy from Indiana University Bloomington. With more than 15 years of experience in public education, Dr. Pérez has focused her career on special education, culturally-responsive instruction, multilingual learner assessment, and data-informed decision-making.

Locally, she served for six years as a school psychologist at Irving and Lincoln elementary schools, and currently works at Oak Park and River Forest High School, supporting many former District 97 students and families.

As a parent of two District 97 students, Dr. Pérez is passionate about fostering high expectations, strong literacy outcomes, and inclusive, collaborative district policies shaped by student, family, and educator voices.

Read more about our board members here.

Transformation Goal 2: We Design for All

Subgoal 2A: Elementary School Core Instruction Foundations

Holmes Elementary School: A Year of Learning

Holmes Elementary embraced the theme “A Year of Learning” for the 2024-25 school year, focusing on academic growth, cultural appreciation, and strong community connections. Key initiatives included:

• WIN Time (What I Need): Providing targeted academic support and enrichment tailored to student needs.

• Community-Building Events: Celebrating the school’s cultural diversity through events like “Taste of Holmes,” which featured food, music, and traditions.

• Focal Cohorts: Strengthening teacher-student relationships using personal insight and performance data.

The school also reported early positive outcomes from its implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and shared plans to pilot a new math curriculum in the coming year.

Principal Tamera Phillips concluded the presentation by sharing a strong guiding vision: “Collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure that we are creating the best possible learning environment for every single student who walks through the door at Holmes Elementary School.”

Mann Elementary School: Family Voice and Whole-Child Focus

This school year, Mann Elementary prioritized family input to guide its school improvement efforts. A comprehensive survey near the end of the 2023-24 school year gathered feedback in four key areas: belonging, engagement, math, and English language arts (ELA).

In response, the school focused on several key areas:

• Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Supporting students’ well-being alongside academic growth.

• Staff Professional Development: Training centered on effective teacher language and consistent classroom expectations.

• Integrated Projects: Grade-level projects that connected standards across subject areas, making learning more meaningful.

Looking ahead, Mann will continue collaborating with families, students, and staff to shape a school model—developed by the Building Leadership Team (BLT)—that reflects community input and school priorities.

To view the full update, click the following links: Recording | Slides

To view specific school portions, click the school links above.

Transformation Goal 2: We Design for ALL

When evaluating a new assessment system, the district is focused on:

• Maximizing Teaching and Learning Time: Reducing time spent on assessments so students can engage more fully in classroom instruction.
  
  

• Grade-Level Standards: Ensuring assessments align with what students are expected to know and do at each grade level.
  
  

• Personalized Learning Support: Providing tools that help teachers tailor instruction to individual student needs, including interventions and enrichments.
  
  

• Screening for Dyslexia and Social-Emotional Needs: Identifying students who need additional support early on.
  
  

• K-12 Alignment: Ensuring consistency in how students are assessed from kindergarten through high school.

These priorities reflect our commitment to creating an efficient, student-centered system that supports every learner.

After extensive review and discussion, the district is proposing a transition from MAP+ and MasteryConnect to Renaissance STAR Assessment Suite, citing its ability to simplify systems and maximize time for teaching and learning. Its benefits include:

• One centralized system for assessment data and instructional tools

• Developmentally appropriate and engaging content

• Built-in resources for small-group and personalized instruction

• Greater consistency in intervention and enrichment

• Time-saving features for both students and staff

• over $45,000 annually, with funds redirected to support classrooms and student programs.
  
  

Renaissance also helps teachers track reading progress across key areas like literature, informational text, and language skills, making it easier to support foundational reading development.

Additionally, moving to Renaissance will save the district over $45,000 annually, with funds redirected to support classrooms and student programs.

The final recommendation for this change will be shared across the district in spring 2025, and will go before the board for approval. Pending board approval, we will begin scheduling professional development sessions with Renaissance and will provide support resources to ensure a smooth and successful transition to the new system.

To view the full update, click the following links: Recording | Slides

Transformation Goal 2: We Design for ALL

At its Special Business Meeting on April 22, the Board of Education heard an update from the English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum Committee on its review process and recommendation for a new literacy curriculum: Amplify CKLA/Caminos.

On May 13, the board voted unanimously to adopt the new curriculum. The ELA Curriculum Committee will now begin developing an implementation plan to support a districtwide rollout for the 2025-26 school year.

To view a recording of the full update, click here.

Next Board Meeting

The District 97 Board of Education will hold its next regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Meeting agendas, recordings and materials can be found on our new Diligent platform: https://op97.diligent.community/Portal/