The seven members of the Board are responsible for setting District policy, approving the ongoing expenditures/budget/long range plan and hiring and evaluating the Superintendent. Use the links to the left to navigate this section, where you will find meeting dates, agendas, and minutes of Board public meetings, bios of all current Board members, and Board policies.

Information about School Board Meetings

What happens at these meetings?

School Board meetings are working sessions as the Board is obligated to conduct its business in full view of the public. The meeting typically begins with a quick welcome followed by the first opportunity for public comment. After an update from the Superintendent, the Board and staff discuss the business before them by agenda item. The information gathering of the meeting closes with a second opportunity for public comment, then votes are taken on specific action items, followed by quick consent items such as approval of bill payment and previous minutes. All votes are taken in public session.

The purpose of public comment is for the Board to hear directly from its constituents, be they parents, residents, or staff. The Board listens to the comments and may direct the Superintendent to follow up with the constituent as necessary or take the matter raised under advisement. The structure of public comment ranges from an informal to a more formalized process whereby recognized speakers may have time limits imposed so that all speakers receive an equitable chance to convey their opinions. The choice of structure is at the discretion of the Board member facilitating the meeting, per Board policy 2:223.

When are Board meetings?

Monthly Board meetings are held in the Carleton Washburne School Resource Center and generally take place at 7:15 P.M. the fourth Tuesday of each month. The community is welcome at all meetings and there are two opportunities for public comment during every session.

Consult the meeting schedule on this website as meeting dates or locations may change and there is typically no meeting in August.

The public session of the meeting generally concludes around 9:30 P.M., depending on that month's agenda items. Notice of the meeting and a detailed agenda is posted on each school's front doors and on this website at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

What typically occurs in a Closed or Executive Session?

Executive Session often takes place after the public session to discuss matters related to employment of personnel, student disciplinary actions, or pending legal matters. The Illinois School Code outlines a very short list of issues that may be discussed in closed session on the basis of privacy concerns. The bulk of issues that come before the School Board are discussed in public session and all official votes (actions) of the Board must be conducted in public session as well.

What happens between the monthly meetings?

This depends on the month and the responsibilities of the Board member. Board members routinely attend to subcommittee or liaison responsibilities, attending Plan Commission meetings, or researching progress on educational bills in the Illinois legislature. Several may be working on specific directives such as facilities planning, financial modeling, updating website content, or revising the Policy Manual. Board members also regularly visit the schools with the Superintendent and support Central PTA and Foundation events as much as possible. Special Board meetings in addition to the monthly business meeting are scheduled as needed, with a minimum of 48 hours notice to the public.

If I have a concern, how can I communicate it?

District 36 welcomes your concerns and suggests the following guidelines to resolve them. If you have an issue concerning your child's class or teacher, first contact the classroom teacher. From there, you should contact the building principal if the matter has not been satisfactorily resolved. Then, if you are dissatisfied with the response at the building level or if you have a District-wide concern, your contact should be the Superintendent. Matters are generally referred to the Board only after these channels are exhausted; most matters do not have policy implications requiring Board action and are resolved long before this final stage.

Write to the Board

Residents may write to Board members in care of District 36 or via email. (addresses are listed on the Members page). Please note that there is no expectation of privacy for any communication (letter, email, etc.) sent to the Board individually or collectively. It is considered part of the public record and may be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If you send letters to several or all Board members, you may receive one response, most typically from the Board President.