[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6114913,"mediaKeyId","2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8","parentId",2741029,"title","Students spotlight swim, wrestling, Special Olympics and Japanese exchange at board meeting","audioSeconds",1669,"startMs",3748000,"endMs",5417000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8&start=3748&end=5417","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8/thumbnail_3748000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6114913/Illinois/Students-spotlight-swim-wrestling-Special-Olympics-and-Japanese-exchange-at-board-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114913-d927f1b6f13c6d851fb4921314b9392e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200026&Signature=jb6WaAz3ddVlxWR7Krf5DQ0scpjp23ZMFAnGoMvFUu4trJo8~BxOFDL7a~yrklKkk17vLdlc2CzQw8-m80T1B2FkQmSPIeOI8YT2FDk~iYeab7Zj3hlGmwEqFzU8WyaOlnGJ8OeBkWz8KVJyApM3zDuGh35n3sNirfd8ciPMM-thMlU2R~i4VsvGr5R4chajmN9hmNtyBo6z2-sy2JjkUlr9D54ArDX-iPKXNgWELAd19cehHnx4EFI4DaAkhbpW5afxN~wra9gZCfdLeoM10JJSLW35Xhw76GF1zJN~BURtdDtFqvk9QwXHurX1Fpw2DYYfjKN7psiiOuV3q0XyNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oak Park - River Forest SD 200","date","2025-03-21T14:59:33Z","article","The Oak Park - River Forest School District 200 board meeting on March 20, 2025, opened its showcase segment with presentations from athletic teams and the Japanese exchange program.

Coach Clyde Bungren introduced the boys swimming and diving team and praised the student‑athletes for combining character, leadership and competitive success. Senior swimmer Will Keys described how the team “faced adversity” this year and said the experience strengthened team camaraderie. Other student speakers — including Alfonso Cides and Lucas Consillo — described the team as close and supportive; several students noted early‑morning practices and the discipline required to reach the state meet.

Representatives from Special Olympics teams and the boys wrestling program highlighted tournament results, state qualifications and individual achievements. The wrestling coach reviewed a season that included travel to out‑of‑state tournaments, regional and sectional qualifiers, and state placings; the coach named senior qualifiers and state placers and thanked returning alumni coaches for program support.

The board also heard from Japanese program students and teacher Yoko Shumeki about a sister‑school exchange with Nishiro Shoyo High School in Japan. Several students described hosting exchange visitors, cultural learning and long‑term friendships formed through the program. The district said a gift from the sister school will be displayed in the boardroom to commemorate the relationship.

Board members thanked the student groups and coaches for the presentations and noted that the showcases link school activities with community engagement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Board of Education - March 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Oak Park-River Forest High School students and coaches presented athletic season highlights and the Japanese exchange program during the board's student‑showcase segment, with coaches and students describing team culture, achievements and exchange experiences.","taxTitle","Oak Park - River Forest SD 200, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",38803,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114916,"District adopts Standard Response Protocols, plans Raptor reunification and 'Handle With Care' pilot",1796,8555000,10351000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8&start=8555&end=10351","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8/thumbnail_8555000.jpg","/articles/6114916/Illinois/District-adopts-Standard-Response-Protocols-plans-Raptor-reunification-and-Handle-With-Care-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114916-7e99542431ebac95e52a37eb3599bb7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200026&Signature=WydRHAY-JmCfkXyhQLO04KRbQiclHqaAkdEJaxEwTlWdypgUzUQSZP-4BE8ZRTD1MV-4QaSeOOStHENdj6BkMPz59t1UTxa-e-rUEtq6iEbK68OB-lWnsBQiwkb3c4G8rXiKcuXLMFzhx3hglbzNI5J1AMRBSClK6xOi-UlB-fyAa4BchFoiGmlYxIBsfwpIslz5wo-N2h3a27CpuDracBEPaRUCl1qmEukPfXu3tnceoIwStfr2JEiMsTp6j7WSNixcMf3I9ujr0R0PSalxIvUgVS1SHoS6BHz~H-KEGjAcAj6AeAzn6kEAnrCpBhYv00yBQcNlVI8XhPz35i2D8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oak Park - River Forest School District 200 presented a districtwide update on emergency response protocols and related safety measures during the March 20, 2025, board meeting.

District staff introduced the Standard Response Protocol, developed by the I Love You Guys Foundation, that uses five action commands — “hold,” “secure,” “lockdown,” “evacuate” and “shelter” — with standardized, canned language for each. Staff said the district rolled the protocol out to faculty and staff starting in January, shared information with parents, and released a student-facing video produced by district communications. Posters are being placed in classrooms and other locations and consistent language is expected to improve cross‑district coordination.

Administration reported plans to integrate the Raptor visitor management system’s emergency module and to sync Raptor with attendance records so classroom staff can record student locations during a drill or incident. That functionality, staff said, will help account for students who are temporarily located outside their home classroom during an emergency (for example, in related services or other supervised spaces).

The board heard about a planned pilot of a Handle With Care notification process with Oak Park Police that will send an email to a designated district inbox when a student experiences a traumatic event in the community. The email, staff said, will include the student’s name, parent name and incident date and will be used so teachers and counselors can be mindful of students’ needs without asking for details of the incident.

Board members asked about procedures for students stranded during drills, notification cadence for parents, special considerations for neurodivergent students, reunification planning and whether any physical modifications were required to implement the protocols. District staff said no building‑wide physical modifications are required for this rollout, though the district will reassess signage and minor control interfaces as needed, and staff will pursue a full-scale reunification exercise with partner agencies over the summer.

Several board members thanked staff for the work and asked that the student interns and participating staff provide feedback to help improve future hands‑on safety learning opportunities.","The board received a presentation on a new standard response protocol rollout, adoption of five action commands, planned Raptor emergency management integration and a pilot 'Handle With Care' notification process with Oak Park police.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114919,"District hears geothermal project progress and presents student internship program tied to work",1037,7173000,8210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8&start=7173&end=8210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8/thumbnail_7173000.jpg","/articles/6114919/Illinois/District-hears-geothermal-project-progress-and-presents-student-internship-program-tied-to-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114919-de615eb9a2ee8c29ed10bf2ba6c706b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200026&Signature=MgxD3rjyyPft0rMO3iA-ZvR6M-T8QJPnw~FLpgsc09yiDItCKmZxx6NnOfQo9fEDm1WvbTsouJC06AXnQPRjLTm-3SvSuf~GUN31SQMAixKp~gMwNHlXyKgjwS8bd7Ro1qQQ2KtehLg6weQNNTShJWAMyBuGGCDGVGAOnX2wLC8hJD1asoOsLj~-16XwS5DX3IgApajZkIHxbMrVA~X8kc-3Fs5hEMSRLcteXaIMRVK4m7fLHeDYqFFPXzWmnneFg4Wlfc1qodX2~Fa4KEBGVuqprkGy2h9xRz-S8fgzaT2Bn8N~hXLnEnpX4LpoGOOl05ezImL8CufGYCAYcyuT7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oak Park - River Forest School District 200 heard a quarterly update on its geothermal well field and a report on a related internship program during its March 20, 2025, meeting. Verity (the project contractor) reported that well drilling had accelerated with improved weather and that well‑field installation was on track for completion of the drilling phase in April with full field completion and turnover to the district expected by July.

Two student interns from Oak Park-River Forest High School described their roles with Verity. Isabella Kessel, a student in the program, said the interns had learned about construction safety and the geothermal system’s basics and added, “PPE stands for personal protection equipment,” while outlining site-protection measures the interns observed. Intern Connor Chazowski said he hopes to learn blueprint and design processes and that Verity will arrange site visits to other renewable projects so students see a range of engineering responses in the field.

Verity staff provided technical details the board asked to record: the school’s subsurface well field design includes 240 wells (each 18 inches in diameter, spaced about 20 feet apart) with an aggregate rated capacity discussed in the presentation as roughly 6,106 tons (district representatives described that as the system’s overall potential tonnage). The contractors reported 23 wells completed at the time of the presentation, with about 45 percent of the well field installed as of the meeting. During colder weather crews averaged about 18 wells per week; improved conditions increased average daily productivity.

The project team reported removal of an abandoned pipe discovered in the field; Verity absorbed the cost to remove that obstacle, project staff told the board. The schedule presented by the project manager called for drilling and messy work to finish in April, drainage restoration and turf reinstallation in May and June, with tie‑up work into early July to meet athletic-field availability needs.

The meeting included a discussion of the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax incentives. Verity and the district’s advisers described a safe‑harbor precedent under which projects that achieve specific energization and placed‑in‑service milestones during a tax year can qualify for credits. Verity said the recommended path would be to aim for partial or full system energization in February 2026 and then use the district fiscal‑year window (June–July) to file for applicable credits to accelerate receipt of incentive payments. Verity noted that tax-credit payments can have multi‑month processing (estimating a four‑to‑six‑month payment timeframe after filing), and that eligibility details continue to develop at the federal level.","Contractor Verity updated the board on the geothermal well field and introduced two student interns participating in on-site learning; the board and Verity discussed timing for well completion and how IRA tax-incentives could apply if system energizes in early 2026.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114920,"Board approves staffing changes, architect programming and several routine items; renews association membership",455,6508000,6963000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8&start=6508&end=6963","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2741029-f8367a07f6846f9919f73790556d52a8/thumbnail_6508000.jpg","/articles/6114920/Illinois/Board-approves-staffing-changes-architect-programming-and-several-routine-items-renews-association-membership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114920-5e394b4c440515e12be19d83051dc3e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200026&Signature=HU66DC~GJ2yPJHS6ultHVwbqM4IOvXpGeJKYHf4xV7CLkUoVC4Wzdvu2tZUUVXt2VMZnaRE6SeRIvQrEqvSrBBA-vyyGS4AgYjjQvXTHpLqQEkYPbHqq9hNZAhtatIiprYYp9doWgOsTJ~tlYNfXnc-srEG9p6UUdGmlUqx-ZOXhtwSzOzIeP0x1qptwxQm35q3zf9L-QRIVtrwEY7gAXioWy1WlzzTevNqRkzGP9ydkgjaK1-YFHpbUFbsD3wDcFjcRwWYL3w2a7IIuoGOl2M4XalG~FDb3DO1URmkHVHOSG~~ixYyndGt9Ot4JX-NihXcDZUh3iIs58J-HBLF4nA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oak Park - River Forest School District 200 Board of Education approved a package of personnel, contract and administrative items at its March 20, 2025, meeting, including a staffing reallocation, an authorization for project programming with FGM Architects and a series of non-reemployment resolutions.

The board approved an increase of 0.8 full-time-equivalent administrative positions at no additional cost to the district to separate the fine and applied arts division head into two roles (fine and performing arts division head; career and technical education division head) and reallocated one faculty instructional support FTE to create a special education team chair. Board members moved and seconded the motion and the roll call vote passed.

The board also approved a resolution authorizing the non-reemployment of full‑time, non‑tenured teachers not in the final year of probationary service; a separate resolution authorizing non‑reemployment of part‑time, non‑tenured and temporary contract teachers; and the approval of contract work with FGM Architects for Project 3 programming at a cost of $182,500. Each of those motions was made, seconded and approved by roll call.

On routine business, the board approved the consent agenda items that included the approval of open and closed minutes from prior meetings, personnel recommendations (hires, summer school hires, resignations and leaves of absence), an amendment to a D101 master contract with FGM Architects, the January 2025 treasurer’s report, and February–March 2025 check disbursements and financial resolutions. The board also approved renewal of Illinois High School Association (IHSA) membership for the 2025–26 school year.

Minutes show that the motions carried on roll calls recorded in the meeting; the meeting transcript records members answering “Yes” on each roll call. No member votes against any of the items listed in the meeting record portion of the transcript.

Board staff said the FGM Architects programming authorization will support Project 3 work; the $182,500 is the programming fee approved on March 20. No member requested further changes to the amounts or scope during the vote.

The actions concluded the board’s formal agenda items and the meeting moved into discussion topics, including the geothermal field update and school safety protocol rollout.","The Oak Park-River Forest School District 200 Board of Education approved multiple staffing and contract actions and routine consent items during its March 20, 2025, meeting, and unanimously approved a set of personnel and project authorizations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Students spotlight swim, wrestling, Special Olympics and Japanese exchange at board meeting

District adopts Standard Response Protocols, plans Raptor reunification and 'Handle With Care' pilot

District hears geothermal project progress and presents student internship program tied to work

Board approves staffing changes, architect programming and several routine items; renews association membership