Glenbard District 87 Board of Education meeting highlights (4-27-2026)

Board Highlights feature a brief description of the action items and discussion items on the meeting agenda. Board Highlights do not replace minutes. The minutes are approved by the Board and posted after the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. Present: Tod Altenburg, Jay Bastian, Margaret DeLaRosa, Hetal Lee, Martha Mueller and Pete Nolan. Absent: Jim Shannon.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:

1. Glenbard North marked an exciting milestone with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, April 14th, celebrating the start of construction on the school’s new Fine Arts wing. Students from the Fine Arts program joined Board of Education members, district leadership, faculty and staff to commemorate the occasion. The new Fine Arts wing will provide modern spaces to support student creativity and performance for years to come.
      
2. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with members of the Rotary Club of Glen Ellyn and the Rotary Club of Carol Stream to share updates on Glenbard District 87, including district goals and student achievement. At the Rotary Club of Glen Ellyn, Glenbard South Principal Sean Byrne and Glenbard West Principal Ben Peterselli joined the presentation to share highlights from their schools. Thank you to the Board of Education members and administrators who attended and supported these presentations and our continued community partnerships.
      
3. The Glenbard District 87 community newsletter will be arriving in mailboxes across our communities this week. This edition highlights important updates and celebrations across the district, including progress on construction projects, continued expansion of career exploration opportunities, student achievements and highlights from programs that support learning beyond the classroom. We encourage community members to take a few moments to review the newsletter to stay informed about the continued work happening across Glenbard District 87.
      
4. The Glenbard Transition Program will host its spring sale on May 7 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and May 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Vocational Center in Addison. Community members are invited to shop handcrafted items, visit the student-run café and browse a variety of plants, while supporting students as they build valuable vocational and life skills.
      
5. Glenbard educators recently gathered for the 12th-annual 87Fest, themed “Flight 87: Cleared for Takeoff.” The day featured collaborative learning experiences, table talks highlighting coaching partnerships across the district, and a keynote from Rachael Mann on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in education. These sessions reflected the ongoing work connected to the Profile of a Graduate and Profile of an Educator. Special thanks to our instructional coaches, instructional technology specialists and licensed staff who facilitated sessions, as well as the Teaching & Learning team for coordinating this impactful day of professional learning for Glenbard educators.
      
6. Congratulations to Glenbard South student Maddox Daniels on earning the rank of Eagle Scout. To fulfill his requirement for Eagle rank, Maddox collected and donated 570 pounds of hygiene products to fill personal hygiene kits, along with another 630 pounds of laundry detergent and dryer sheets to benefit the Glen House Food Pantry. The skills learned during scouting and his Eagle project will help him in various aspects of his life going forward.
      
7. Glenbard will host its annual INCubatoredu Final Pitch Night on May 4 at Glenbard South High School. This capstone event highlights the work of student entrepreneurs from across the district who have spent the year developing and refining original business concepts. One finalist team from each high school will advance to present their ventures to a panel of community judges, competing for seed funding to launch their business.
      
8. The Glenbard Career Exploration Internal Committee held its first meeting on Thursday, April 23, with 30 members representing schools and departments across the district. The committee reviewed feedback gathered from the recent community stakeholder forums and began discussing next steps to support the development of a comprehensive, systemwide career exploration framework. The committee will reconvene for its next meeting on May 7.
      
9. On April 16, Glenbard District 87 hosted a virtual community informational webinar to inform residents about how to participate in the bond purchase process. Community members interested in purchasing bonds can visit the district website and click Construction Updates for more information.
      
10. The district received the following donation: Anonymous, $100.00 to the boys track team at West.
       
11. We encourage community members to attend the GPS Parent Series events noted below. Details and webinar links are available at GPSparentseries.org.

• April 28 at noon and 7 p.m. – Teen Relationship Skills in the Social Media Era
• May 5 at noon and 7 p.m. – The Amazing Generation: Breaking Up with Screens and Unlocking Kids’ Potential in a Tech-Filled Environment
• May 6 at noon and 7 p.m. – early childhood event – Awe-Seeking and Mess-Making: The Science of Wonder and Sensory Play to Help Kids Thrive

THE BOARD APPROVED:

– the April 13, 2026 regular meeting minutes and closed session minutes.

– destruction of closed session audio recordings from April 8, 2024 – September 9, 2024.

– invoices for payment.
April 27, 2026
Education Fund                                     $2,990,751.35
Operations & Maintenance Fund  $    674,872.94
Debt Service                                           $                   0.00
Transportation                                        $1,281,081.57
Capital Projects                                     $3,353,418.11
IL Munic. Retire/Soc Sec.                 $       -2,069.49
Interim – Checks                                   $                  0.00
Interim – Wire Transfers                     $                  0.00
TOTAL                                                       $8,308,064.48

– the following personnel items:
LICENSED STAFF – EMPLOYMENT:
Name                               School/Position                                                FTE                  Effective Date
Glavas, Jeannine      East/School Nurse (rehire)                         90%                08/10/2026

LICENSED STAFF – SUMMER SCHOOL/ESY EMPLOYMENT:
Name                                       School/Position                                                       Term
Brouwer, Jessica              West/SS Bridge Teacher                06/08/2026-06/18/2026
Coerper, Kristian               West/SS Bridge Teacher                06/08/2026-07/16/2026
Faron, Melissa                   West/ESY Teacher                            06/04/2026-07/16/2026
Koeppen, Christopher    West/SS Bridge Teacher                06/08/2026-07/16/2026
Lickel, Kyle                           North/SS Credit Teacher                06/01/2026-07/28/2026
Meyer, Dorota                     West/SS Bridge Teacher                07/06/2026-07/16/2026
Murry, Kerrissa                   West/SS Credit Teacher                 07/06/2026-07/28/2026
Previti, Anna                       South/SS Bridge Teacher               06/08/2026-07/16/2026
Smalley, Hannah              West/ESY Teacher                             06/04/2026-07/16/2026
Wasserman, Ashley        North/ESY Teacher                           06/04/2026-07/16/2026

SUPPORT STAFF – EMPLOYMENT:
Name                             School/Position                                                FTE                  Effective Date
Blake, Antoine          DO/Building Manager – East                     100%              04/15/2026

SUPPORT STAFF – SUMMER SCHOOL/ESY EMPLOYMENT:
Name                             School/Position                                                     Term
Berger, Emily            West/ESY Assistant                         06/04/2026-07/16/2026
Bryan, Harper           Transitions/ESY Assistant            06/04/2026-07/16/2026
Doka, Sara                 West/ESY Assistant                         06/04/2026-07/16/2026
Santore, Anthony    Transitions/ESY Assistant            06/04/2026-07/16/2026
Zima, Jacob               North/ ESY Assistant                      06/04/2026-07/16/2026 

– accepting the following donations: Chicago Metal Polishing Inc., $1,000.00 for softball team bags at East. Suburban Welding & Steel, $1,000.00 for dugout benches at East.

– bid release #6 rebid. The rebid of the theater seating, theater platforms, theater lighting and power, performance A/V system, site concrete and paving, and landscaping were received on March 26, 2026.

Gilbane recommended the following based on the bid results and scope reviews:

• Six contractors for the West work in the amount of $4,527,772, plus an additional $90,072 for accepted alternates #2, #10, #12, #13 and #14 for a total of $4,617,844.
• Alternates #8, #9, and #11 were not accepted.
• We had previously budgeted these bid packages at $5,000,000, thus coming in at almost $400,000 lower than projected, with the accepted alternates.

Total bids for Gilbane recommended for approval for bid release #6 rebid is $4,617,844. Total recommended cost for bid release #6 now comes to $53,140,683.

– Glenbard West track resurfacing. Glenbard West’s track is in need of resurfacing. We have reached out to Midwest Track Builders and received a quote in the amount of $110,539.00 to install three coats of Seal-Flex mat. This price utilizes the state buying program, similar to how we received quotes for the turf work at South and East the past two years. Resurfacing of West’s track was last performed in 2022, which was only two coats. The three-coat system is expected to last an additional 5-7 years. This price is less than the three-coat system that was completed at North in 2023.

– policies & procedures for second reading & adoption. 7:150 Agency and Law Enforcement Requests (new name); 7:190 Student Behavior; 7:190-AP1 Student Handbook – Hazing Prohibited; 7:190-AP3 Guidelines for Reciprocal Reporting of Offenses Committed by Students (new name); 7:190-AP5 Use of Isolated Time Out, Time Out, and Physical Restraint; 7:190-AP8 Student Re-Engagement Guidelines; 8:30 Visitors to and Conduct on School Property; 8:30-AP1 Definition of a Child Sex Offender; 8:30-E1 Letter to Parent Regarding Visits to School by Child Sex Offenders and 8:30-E2 Child Sex Offender’s Request for Permission to Visit School Property.

– school calendar amendment 2025-26. The 2025-26 school calendar, which was adopted on October 14, 2024, had five emergency days identified as follows: Tuesday, May 26, 2026; Wednesday, May 27, 2026; Thursday, May 28, 2026; Friday, May 29, 2026; and Monday, June 1, 2026.

No emergency days were needed due to inclement weather. The 2025-26 school calendar was modified to remove the five remaining emergency days and to list the last day of the 2025-26 school year as Friday, May 22, 2026.

BOARD INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS INCLUDED:

– Livingston Human Relations Awards. Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 Livingston Human Relations Award. This award is presented annually to 10 students from each Glenbard high school who have demonstrated real concern for others and have promoted positive, caring relationships among social groups regardless of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, economic level, physical ability or academic prowess.

• Glenbard East: Isaiah Cardona, Sarah Choi, Avery Corral, Jade Dhamers, Samantha King, Hetvi Patel, Arifa Raoof, Leo Rossi, Daniel Snyder and Yusuf Syed.
• Glenbard North: Paige Anadiotis, Hayden Castillo, Ethan Davis, Isabel Duda, Mia Gana, Marcos Hernandez, Megan Reeder, Lucas Spadavecchia, Layla Trejo and Luis Trejo.
• Glenbard South: Kate Bruhl, Nichole Castillo, Luina Gjolli, PJ Lehr, Gavin Loftsgaarden, Sofia Maho, Delaney Nelson, Elizabeth Pekkarinen, Jordan Quaid-Bowman and Rumaisa Shaikh.
• Glenbard West: Sebastian Amin, Madeleine Chiang, Jack Farrell, Maeve Farrell, Jaxson Fry, Asiyah Hussain, Ezra Mezidi, Gabrielle Parke, Diana Reynaga and Cayce Westbrooks.

– Inspire … Empower … Succeed Awards. Congratulations to the North recipients of the district’s Inspire … Empower … Succeed Award: Heather Bulawa (special education teacher); Angelo D’Orio (physical education teacher); and Kelly Dailey (school counselor). The award recognizes faculty and staff members who: demonstrate exceptional levels of initiative or innovation; exceed expectations and make a positive difference for students; and demonstrate outstanding student service or achievement.

– awards & recognitions. The Board recognized the following 2025-26 Glenbard North parent leaders for their support and dedication to the district:

• Glenbard North Athletic Boosters: Klaudia Czernek (President)
• Glenbard North Music Boosters: Christine Housour (President)
• Glenbard North Theatre Boosters: Dee Byrne (Co-President) and Kristy Nascimento (Co-President)

The following North students were recognized:

• Keagan Edwards – State Champion and All-State in IHSA Girls Wrestling. Head coach is Chris Edwards.
• Joseph Fitak – All-State in IHSA Boys Wrestling. Head coach is Travis Cherry.
• Donato Gatses – All-State in IHSA Football. Head coach is Ryan Wilkens.
• Tyler Hvorcik – All-State in IHSA Football. Head coach is Ryan Wilkens.
• Matthew Welch – All-State in IHSA Boys Basketball. Head coach is Kevin Tonn.

– instructional technology program update. Instructional Technology is an integral part of teaching and learning at Glenbard. Our technology foundation remains strong, with iPads, digital books, and Schoology fully integrated into daily instruction. New this year is an AI Guidebook for Faculty to support thoughtful and effective use of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. Artificial intelligence tools, including Magic School, Perplexity, Knowt, and Gemini, are available to students and staff as supplemental resources, with opt-out options for families.

The presentation outlined the continued success of our technology professional development program and instructional technology coaching. Professional development for educators continues to emphasize both technology integration, Profile of a Graduate competencies such as Creates, and responsible AI use. Looking ahead, we are focused on continuing to leverage technology to support deep learning and further exploring the instructional potential of AI.

– new textbook adoptions 2026-27. The list of nine new textbooks and novels proposed for adoption has been reviewed and approved by the department chairs in the curricular area, the assistant principals for instruction and the principals at each building where the course will be taught. They were reviewed by the Student Performance and Achievement Committee on April 22, 2026.

There are two new textbook adoptions this year for Dual Credit World Music and AP African American Studies. Both of these early college credit courses are new additions to the Academic Program Guide and require textbooks.

For the English department, we have seven new novels. Of the seven titles, six are for student-choice units. Over the past eight years, our English department has steadily increased the opportunity for students to read high-interest novels as a part of literature circles. With literature circles, students are offered a choice of several books that all focus on a similar theme. Literature circles allow for student choice, reflect an ability to differentiate, and are designed to increase student engagement. These recommendations also fit the thematic studies connected to other units within each semester and reflect diversity in a number of areas. Purchasing these novels in OverDrive allows us to purchase titles on demand, a quick and cost-efficient process.

– Board of Education meeting calendar 2026-27. The 2026-27 Board meeting calendar has been provided to administration and to the Board for review and recommended changes.

– Freedom of Information Act requests. By School Code, a Board of Education is to be informed at its regular meeting of any requests made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the status of the district’s response. Here are the recent FOIA requests to which the district has responded:

DATE RECEIVED: 3/17/2026
REQUESTOR & COMPANY: Sonny Ellen III (LRS Recycling)
REQUESTS SUMMARY:

• Current contract for waste and recycling for the school district.
• Current contract expiration date.
• Last bid package for waste and recycling.
• Tally sheet with last bidders’ information.
• Last 6 months of invoices for waste and recycling.

   
DATE RECEIVED: 3/18/2026
REQUESTOR & COMPANY: Justin Wenig (Starbridge FOIA)
REQUESTS SUMMARY: All executed contracts, purchase agreements, and purchase orders with Professional Learning/Development services including any exhibits, addenda, or amendments that are in effect or have been in effect in the last 3 years.
For purposes of this request, professional learning or professional development services include agreements with providers, publishers, vendors, or government entities that supply:

• Professional development, training, or coaching provided by a curriculum publisher as part of, or in connection with, a curriculum or instructional materials contract.
• Professional development, training, or coaching provided by a third-party vendor or service provider supporting curriculum implementation.
• Professional development, training, or coaching related to teaching content or instructional practice that supports classroom instruction.
• Professional learning, professional development, training, or instructional services provided by state agencies, state-affiliated organizations, regional education service agencies, regional education offices, or similar regional or state entities.

This request includes agreements where professional learning or professional development services are included as part of, bundled with, or incorporated into a broader curriculum, instructional materials, or instructional services contract, including services described in scopes of work or exhibits even if such services are not the primary purpose of the agreement.

   
DATE RECEIVED: 3/27/2026
REQUESTOR & COMPANY: Molly Hudgens (SEIU Local 73)
REQUESTS SUMMARY: A list, in Microsoft Excel format, of all School District employees, current as of the receipt of this request, with the following columns:

• Employee Last Name
• Employee First Name
• Employee Middle Initial
• Job Title
• Department
• Status
• Hire Date
• Standard Hours Per Week
• Hourly Rate of Pay
• Annual Salary

   
DATE RECEIVED: 4/3/2026
REQUESTOR & COMPANY: Carla Carlos (Employee Research Data LLC)
REQUESTS SUMMARY: Specifically, I am requesting the following information for district employees:

• First and last names
• Job titles/positions
• Work email addresses
• Primary campus or department

   
DATE RECEIVED: 4/14/2026
REQUESTOR & COMPANY: Michael F. Henry
REQUESTS SUMMARY:

• The name of all law firm(s) currently providing legal services to the district, and the name of any law firm(s) that have provided legal services to the district at any time within the past eight (8) years.
• Any current engagement agreement(s), contract(s), retention agreement(s), or fee schedule(s) with legal counsel in effect at any time during the past three (3) fiscal years.
• The total amount paid to each law firm for legal services for each of the past three (3) fiscal years. This may be satisfied by invoices, payment registers, accounts payable records, or other existing financial records reflecting such payments.