Hinsdale District 86 board hears calls to restore full‑year marching band PE exemption as student‑privacy dispute and multiple contracts are approved

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 held its regular board meeting on April 24, 2025, at the Hinsdale Sound Library, where students, parents and residents urged the board to restore a full‑year marching‑band physical‑education (PE) exemption and criticized the district’s handling of a student privacy matter. The board approved several contracts and donations, including copier and lighting purchases, tuck‑pointing work and a one‑year canine weapons‑detection services contract.

Why it matters: Students and parents said the change to the marching‑band PE exemption has reduced band participation and harmed student opportunity and wellbeing; others at the meeting urged transparency and accountability over alleged violations of students’ privacy. Board votes on contracts and grants affect district budgets and begin operational steps (facility work, security services and instructional materials) that will be implemented in the coming school year.

Board action and votes: The board voted to approve multiple items on the consent and action agendas, including a 24‑month electric rate authorization, a second phase of Canon copier replacements, a DuPage County member initiative grant for a mother’s room at Hinsdale South, LED gym lighting, tuck‑pointing, a one‑year canine detection contract and several donations. The board approved the district’s final 2024‑25 school calendar (4–1) and passed the consent agenda and other procurement items (unanimous where recorded). See ‘Votes at a glance’ below for outcomes and amounts.

Marching band PE exemption: students and parents press for a full‑year exemption

Dozens of students, current and former parents, and band boosters urged the board to restore the full‑year marching‑band PE exemption that the district shortened in prior years. Multiple speakers said the seasonal exemption forced academically ambitious students to choose between band and other year‑long courses.

Elise (reading for a parent) asked the board to “maintain two full‑time band teacher positions” and to “consider PE exemptions for marching band participants,” saying reductions now ‘‘risk long term harm to a program that is home to many students.” She specifically asked the board not to cut staffing during a rebuilding phase.

Student speakers gave first‑hand testimony about scheduling constraints. Student Cooper Green, a Hinsdale South freshman and marching band member, told the board, “Band is a place where people have expressed who they are by doing something they enjoy,” and asked the board to allow the PE exemption for the full year so students can take other electives and advanced coursework. Emily Suecki, another student from Hinsdale South, said she surveyed her classmates and reported that “78 out of 78 band students” she spoke to supported reinstating a full‑year exemption.

Several parents and boosters provided enrollment data and argued the exemption change correlated with steep declines in participation. Kim Notaro cited district figures and said Central’s band enrollment dropped by 135 students (44 percent) and South’s by 84 students (51 percent) between the last year of the full exemption and 2024‑25; she urged the board to reinstate the prior exemption to reverse the trend.

The board discussed options during policy committee and at the meeting. Policy Committee Chair member James presented a proposed amendment to policy 6:3:10 to permit semester‑ or full‑year exemptions instead of the current “during football season” language. Superintendent Locke and principals recommended taking more time to define district‑level goals for music programs before changing policy across both campuses; they asked for additional study and community input to ensure any policy supports both student access and program quality.

Student privacy and governance concerns raised in public comment

Multiple speakers raised concerns about alleged failures by district leadership to protect student privacy and about the district’s handling of a 2023 communications timeline tied to the Leventhal family. Adolf Galinski and Yvonne Mayer, among others, accused the board and its leadership of failing to provide equal educational opportunities and of improperly handling communications and records. Mayer directly addressed a previously issued “litigation hold” letter and alleged broad searches of records, asserting that the searches and subsequent sharing “egregiously violated all 3 Leventhal students’ privacy rights.” She cited statutes and protections she said were implicated during the district’s review of records.

Speakers asked for transparency and action. Sonia Gilligan said, “I no longer have faith in her capabilities as president,” referencing the board’s leadership; others urged that the board provide explanations to the public where permissible and to avoid retaliation in closed‑session work. Board members acknowledged these concerns during their remarks and several said they were committed to transparency and the district’s student‑support work.

Other discussion items and superintendent report

Superintendent Locke and principals reported on several administrative proposals and operational items. Highlights included:

- Cell phones: Principals Bill Walsh and Dr. Carrie Peranto recommended that, beginning in the 2025‑26 school year, students keep cell phones and personal electronic devices “out of sight, out of mind” during instructional periods. They said this aligns with existing policy (Policy 7:190) and that the administration will provide staff training and classroom storage solutions.

- Organizational adjustments: Superintendent Locke presented proposed staff‑structure changes to centralize professional learning and align MTSS (multi‑tiered system of supports) and SEL coordination more directly with building leadership. He said the changes aim to position principals and building teams as instructional leaders and to strengthen special education and data analytics supports.

- Weapons‑detection canines: The administration proposed contracting one‑year canine detection services to have dogs on campus trained only to detect weapons; Locke said the dogs demonstrated behavior such that when they detect something, they lie down rather than behave like police patrol dogs.

Provenance: transcript excerpts supporting coverage

- Topic introduction (privacy/board conduct): "Good evening. My name is Adolf Galinski... Illinois administrative code title 23 section 1.24 a states all students within a school district must be provided equal opportunities..." (public comment, transcript block ~s=1431).

- Topic finish (band exemption/public comments summary): "Hi. I'm extremely disappointed that we just can't approve the full year exemption for PE... By depriving kids of the full year exemption for another year, we're ensuring that kids in middle school who are interested in band will not be able to take it." (public comment, transcript block ~s=9464).

Votes at a glance

- Electric contract parameters: Motion to authorize CFO to execute a 24‑month, 100% fixed electric contract at or below the target rate noted on the motion. Mover: Member Akris. Second: Member James. Outcome: Approved (motion carries reported 6–0). Note: finance committee recommended a target of 4.75–4.8¢/kWh for a 20–24 month term.

- Canon copier replacements (phase 2): Motion to approve second phase of Canon copier replacements, amount not to exceed $181,975.37. Mover: Member Cardenas (moved). Second: Member James. Outcome: Approved (motion carries reported 5–0).

- DuPage County member initiative grant (Hinsdale South mother’s room): Motion to accept a $25,000 member initiative grant for renovation of a mother’s room at Hinsdale South. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0).

- LED gym lighting (Bid 25‑009): Motion to award LED lighting replacement for Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South gymnasiums to Twin Supplies Limited for not to exceed $97,562. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0).

- Tuck‑pointing (Bid 25‑011): Motion to award base bid and alternates for tuck‑pointing to IWNG Incorporated for not to exceed $292,134. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0).

- Canine detection services (3DK9 Partners LLC): Motion to approve one‑year contract at $59.50 per hour to provide canine weapons‑detection services for both campuses for 2025‑26. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0).

- Donations: Motion to accept $2,500 donation from Rotary Club of Hinsdale Foundation for college starter kits. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0). Motion to accept donated HP network switch from Argo Community High School District 217. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0).

- 2024‑25 final calendar: Motion to approve final 2024‑25 school calendar, confirming last day of school as May 29, 2025, and moving to five unused emergency days. Outcome: Approved (motion reported 4–1; one dissent recorded).

- Consent agenda (routine items): Outcome: Approved (motion reported 5–0).

Discussion vs. decisions

Discussion points: - Restore full‑year marching‑band PE exemption vs. semester or seasonal exemption; district‑level review of music program goals and staffing. - Allegations of student privacy violations tied to district communications and a litigation‑hold letter dating to 9/26/2023. - Proposed weapons detection canine program, cell‑phone management in classrooms, and organizational staffing changes.

Directions (assignments or next steps): - Administration to gather further information and engage music department, boosters, student voice and committee processes before final policy changes; the policy committee recommended bringing proposed policy language to first read and then to the full board for further discussion. - Principals to prepare staff training and storage solutions to implement the “out of sight” expectation for cell phones in 2025‑26.

Decisions (formal board actions): - The motions listed in 'Votes at a glance' were approved by recorded board action as reported on the meeting record.

Speakers (excerpted and relevant to primary topics)

- Dr. Carrie Peranto, principal, Hinsdale South (government) - Bill Walsh, principal, Hinsdale Central (government) - Superintendent Locke (Superintendent Locke; government) - Member Greenspun (Board President; government) - Member James (Board member; government) - Member Akris (Board member; government) - Member Waters (Board member; government) - Member Cardenas (Board member; government) - Elise (speaker reading a letter on behalf of a parent; citizen) - Kara Kuo (speaker; citizen) - Kim Notaro (parent/advocate; citizen) - Cooper Green (student, Hinsdale South; citizen) - Emily Suecki (student, Hinsdale South; citizen) - Emily Gallagher (student, Hinsdale South; citizen) - Sonia Gilligan (citizen) - Adolf Galinski (citizen) - Yvonne Mayer (citizen) - Brad Warble (union steward / staff representative)

Authorities referenced in public comment or committee discussion

- Illinois Administrative Code, Title 23, Section 1.24(a) (referenced in public comment by Adolf Galinski) — type: statute; referenced_by: ["Adolf Galinski"] - References (public comment) to portions of the Illinois School Code and Illinois statutes cited by speakers (examples in comment: "105 ILCS 5" style citations and other federal statutes referenced in privacy claims such as FERPA, IDEA and HIPAA) — type: statute; referenced_by: ["Yvonne Mayer","Adolf Galinski"]. (Speakers cited these statutes during public comment; the meeting materials did not include legal opinions or board resolutions adopting a specific statutory interpretation.)

Clarifying details extracted from the meeting

- Category: band enrollment change — detail: Central band enrollment down 135 students (44%); Hinsdale South down 84 students (51%); source_speaker: Kim Notaro. - Category: student survey — detail: "78 out of 78 band students" at Hinsdale South surveyed in‑person supported full‑year PE exemption; source_speaker: Emily Suecki. - Category: grant funding — detail: DuPage County member initiative grant award: $25,000 for Hinsdale South mother’s room; source_speaker: Finance committee report. - Category: contract cost — detail: proposed canine detection services hourly rate $59.50; source_speaker: board motion text. - Category: copier replacement — detail: amount not to exceed $181,975.37 for phase 2 Canon replacement; source_speaker: motion text.

Proper names (normalized)

- Hinsdale Township High School District 86 (agency) - Hinsdale South High School (school) - Hinsdale Central High School (school) - DuPage County (government) - Rotary Club of Hinsdale Foundation (organization) - 3DK9 Partners LLC (business) - Twin Supplies Limited (business) - IWNG Incorporated (business) - Argo Community High School District 217 (school district) - Kayla Sundarind Sanhani / Keshev Sanhani (donor / honoree cited in facilities report) (person/other)

Community relevance

- Geographies affected: Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, surrounding sending districts to Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South (local impact). - Funding sources referenced: DuPage County member initiative grant ($25,000), federal grants via ISBE/IDEA/Title funds (finance committee overview), district operating budget and reserves (finance committee discussion). - Impact groups: marching band students and families, music department staff and boosters, special education families referenced in privacy comments, all students affected by cell‑phone policy and curriculum/assessment changes.

Meeting context

- Engagement level: high public engagement on marching band policy and student privacy (dozens of public commenters, multiple student speakers); multiple formal board actions and committee reports. Items_count: numerous (committee reports + 10+ action items). Duration_minutes: meeting extended several hours; closed session followed. - Implementation risk: medium (policy changes need operational plans and may affect staffing and scheduling; several contracts require execution and vendor coordination). - History: public debate and prior committee discussion about marching band PE exemption predated this meeting; speakers cited prior policy changes and past board actions dating back to 2017 and 2023.

Searchable tags:["education","Hinsdale","marching band","student privacy","contracts","facilities","DuPage County","canine detection","cell phone policy","music education"]

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