Board Highlights
Business Meeting: Aug. 13, 2024
At Tuesday’s meeting, Dr. Carmen Ayala—a consultant with the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB)—shared an update on the superintendent search process, including a summary of results from the community-wide survey conducted earlier this month. A total of 720 stakeholders participated, including staff, families, community members, students and board members.
Dr. Ayala highlighted the top leadership characteristics identified across all groups: strong communication and collaboration skills; the ability to foster a positive professional culture; a commitment to inclusive and safe learning environments; equity and cultural responsiveness; and deep expertise in curriculum and instruction. Stakeholders also expressed a strong preference for leaders with teaching experience and, ideally, principal experience.
Open-ended responses reinforced key themes, including a desire for a leader with deep knowledge of Oak Park and a long-term commitment to the community; strong communication, transparency, and visibility; support for teachers and principals; academic rigor and improved middle school performance; attention to equity, special education, and multilingual learner needs; and a steady focus on safety, SEL and behavior expectations.
Dr. Ayala shared how this feedback will shape the superintendent profile and job posting. The district and board also provided additional context and key information to IASB about the role, and board members discussed requirements they would like included for applicants.
During the Nov. 18 meeting, the board approved the academic calendar for the 2026-27 school year. The calendar was developed in alignment with Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 to support families with students in multiple districts.
Below are key highlights for 2026-27, along with a link to a PDF version of the calendar.
