Superintendent Mike Locke outlined a plan June 26 to operationalize a "North Star" for Hinsdale Township High School District 86 and asked the board to provide direction on principles, metrics and a portrait of a graduate.

Locke said the plan includes three interlocking parts: a set of principles and commitments, a set of metrics that measure what the district values, and a portrait of a graduate that describes outcomes beyond test scores. "Once the board sets our goals, then it's my job and the team's job to figure out our plans," Locke said.

Several board members urged faster action and broader stakeholder input. One board member told Locke that the district should provide early direction rather than wait until August. Members emphasized including teacher and staff voice and asked for measurable checkpoints so the board can track year-over-year progress.

Board members discussed hiring an outside consultant to help define principles, values, commitments, and the set of metrics. A motion was not required; the board gave consensus direction. The transcript shows two board members volunteered to work with the superintendent to identify consultant firms; the board asked the superintendent to bring a recommended list of consultant options to the board in August.

Locke proposed developing a list of about 15 priority metrics the district would track and suggested the academic committee lead metric selection with board input. He also said the district had several "quick wins" already in progress (examples cited included aligning program-of-studies recommendations and building supports for students who need interventions) and that a consultant could help prioritize which actions to accelerate.

Board members also discussed the timeline for teacher and staff engagement, noting teachers are not generally available during July and that any consultant work should be designed to include educator voice when they return in mid-August. The board asked for clear, actionable deliverables from any outside firm and asked the administration to include the CFO in conversations about financial capacity for proposed plans.

The board did not vote to hire a consultant at the June 26 meeting. The board's direction was to have a small group of board members work with Superintendent Locke to produce a short list of consultant firms and a recommended scope, with the goal of presenting options to the board in August.