12/14/16

Looking ahead and future facilities planning

A big THANK YOU to each and every Oak Park and River Forest resident who voted on the referendum question. The referendum was defeated.

What's next? Trust must be built. Transparency must be apparent. True LONG TERM PLANNING must take place thats meet the needs of the many, not the wants of a few. 

At a special meeting held on Tuesday, December 13,  the BOE approved a Resolution for the school administrators to create a plan for a revised and improved stakeholder committee consisting of OPRFHS staff and administrators, community thought leaders, but NOT hired consultants, architects, etc. The discussion must revolve around Those Things That are Best (for the students). 

A non-partisan professional facilitator will be hired to create and guide the committee. The details are to be announced at an upcoming BOE meeting. 

The high school issued a statement on December 15 that was sent to families and the community via Huskie e-mail.  Read the full statement HERE.  It says, in part: 
What happens next? In the past five years, the district has led two long-term facilities planning committees and multiple pool committees, as well as a strategic planning process. With the community at an impasse regarding facilities issues, district administrators have recommended initiating a different process, one that includes pools, locker rooms, performing arts classrooms, etc., but goes even further to ask: What are the instructional needs of the next generation of learners, and how should the high school’s facilities be altered to meet those needs... .
..Administrators are planning to make recommendations to the Board in January regarding creating the committee.
(post updated December 17)