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.

The Dec. 9 Board of Education meeting included several important updates and actions. In this issue, you’ll find:

• An interim superintendent leadership update, including the transition plan approved by the Board to support continuity during the superintendent search.
  
  

• An update on the superintendent search, including the status of the posting, recent focus groups, and upcoming next steps.
  
  

• An overview of Student Services and special education in District 97, highlighting how the department supports students through inclusive practices, individualized services, and collaboration with families and staff.
  
  

• A progress update on the district’s Master Facilities Plan, outlining early priorities, long-term planning considerations, and how sustainability is being embedded across future projects.

Dr. Wernet concludes her service Dec. 19; Robinson steps into co-interim role Jan. 1 as superintendent search progresses.

During its Dec. 9 business meeting, the District 97 Board of Education formally accepted the resignation of Interim Superintendent Dr. Patricia Wernet, effective Dec. 19, 2025, and approved the appointment of Patrick Robinson, assistant superintendent of elementary schools, to serve as co-interim superintendent beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Robinson will serve alongside Dr. Griff Powell, who will continue in his co-interim role.

Dr. Wernet, who has served as co-interim superintendent since September, will be stepping down in advance of a planned medical procedure. The District 97 Board expressed appreciation for her steady leadership and service during this transition period.

“We are grateful for Dr. Wernet’s thoughtful, compassionate leadership and the care she has shown our students, staff and community," Board President Cheree Moore said. “We fully support her decision to prioritize her health, and we wish her a smooth and speedy recovery.”

To support continuity across the district, the Board approved the appointment of Patrick Robinson as co-interim superintendent beginning Jan. 1. In this role, Robinson will serve full time with a five-day-a-week presence in the district, overseeing day-to-day operations, supporting staff, and ensuring stable leadership as the Board continues its superintendent search. Dr. Powell will continue serving as co-interim superintendent one day per week, with additional availability as needed.

Robinson has served in District 97 for the past seven years, including his current role as assistant superintendent of elementary schools. Prior to that, he spent five years as principal of Whittier Elementary School. He also served as acting superintendent from August to September 2025, providing consistency during the initial phase of the transition.

“Patrick’s experience and strong working relationships across our schools make him well-prepared to support the district in this interim role,” Moore said. “With him and Dr. Powell working together, we are confident the district will continue to move forward with stability and a clear focus on students.”

The Board’s search for the next permanent superintendent is underway, with community engagement and candidate recruitment continuing through December. Additional updates will be provided as the process moves forward.

For more information about District 97 Board of Education meetings, visit the Diligent platform at www.op97.org/boe.

Transformation Goal 2: We Design for ALL

During its Dec. 9 meeting, the Board of Education received an overview of the many ways District 97’s Student Services Department supports students, families and schools. The team shared updated information about the learners they serve, including multilingual students, students with disabilities, and students with 504 plans. Staff members—including special education teachers, multilingual teachers, teaching assistants, nurses, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, and psychologists—work together every day to ensure students have the supports they need to learn and thrive.

The department also highlighted its strong partnership with families through groups such as the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC), the Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee, and the Special Education Parent Support Group.

This year, Student Services is focused on five key goals:

• Helping students learn in the least restrictive environment;

• Developing strong, collaborative IEPs;

• Increasing student voice in IEP meetings;

• Supporting students in tracking their own progress; and

• Ensuring students meet their growth goals in reading and math.
  
  

The team also celebrated recent progress, including an increase in elementary co-taught classrooms, a 48% reduction in RTO (restraint and time out) incidents, and high levels of family satisfaction with IEP meetings.

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

Transformation Goal 3: We Align Resources

District 97 is taking a thoughtful, long-term look at the needs of its school buildings through the development of a new Master Facilities Plan, and on Dec. 9 Chief Operations and Technology Officer Michael Arensdorff, Senior Director of Buildings and Grounds John Pahlman, the district’s architects, and a member of the Facilities Advisory Committee shared an update on the work taking shape—a roadmap that will guide capital projects over the next decade.

The team outlined how needs across all 10 schools are being identified through facility assessments, Health and Life Safety requirements, stakeholder input, and collaboration with principals and the Facilities Advisory Committee. They also reviewed the prioritization framework, which places the most urgent items, such as roof replacements, mechanical systems at end of life, and required safety upgrades, into Priority 1.

Early recommendations call for addressing all three priority levels over a 10-year timeframe, with the most urgent needs—Priority 1—completed in the first five years (2026–2030). Sustainability considerations will be embedded throughout the plan, with each project guided by the district’s environmental and energy-efficiency goals. The plan remains a living document, updated annually as building conditions and educational needs evolve. The presentation also previewed potential future considerations, including LED lighting upgrades, classroom air conditioning, accessibility improvements, and long-term electrification strategies.

The full Master Facilities Plan draft will continue to be refined in the months ahead with ongoing input from the Board, school leaders, and community stakeholders.

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

Transformation Goal 4: We Learn Everywhere

At the Dec. 9 meeting, the district’s chief learning innovation officer, Dr. Eboney Lofton, shared an update on extracurricular and after-school programming, with a focus on middle school athletics. The presentation outlined a new, more consistent process that is being developed for observing and evaluating coaches to help ensure all student-athletes have a positive, high-quality experience. The proposed approach includes regular observations, opportunities for coach reflection and feedback, and end-of-season conversations—all designed to support continuous improvement, fairness, and alignment across programs at both middle schools.

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

The District 97 Board of Education will hold a special board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the superintendent search.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2025.

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