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Board schedules Oct. 28 community "listening session" to boost engagement
Summary
The Lyons Township board set a consolidated "listening session" community chat for Oct. 28 (6:30'8 p.m.) at South Campus, with a structured format, student participation, light refreshments and targeted outreach; board members discussed outreach methods and whether invitations should be broadly distributed.
Lyons Township High School District 204 board members approved plans to hold a consolidated community chat/listening session on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 6:30'8 p.m., at South Campus (library or music spaces). The event will feature a short board presentation, structured small-group prompts, student leaders to welcome attendees, and light refreshments.
The district described the event as a shift from a general open house to a facilitated listening session intended to produce focused feedback. The proposed format includes a brief presentation by board leadership to outline priorities, table-level discussion prompts and a time for open comments or mingling. The district also proposed tote-bag giveaways and targeted outreach to encourage participation from groups traditionally underrepresented at events.
Board members discussed outreach: some urged the district to send invitations broadly while also using targeted outreach to ensure less-heard constituencies attend. The board asked staff to be mindful about outreach channels (email, phone or text) and privacy concerns. Several board members said they were willing to encourage participation through their personal networks and suggested district staff work with internal leaders to identify community groups to invite.
Logistics
Location: South Campus library or music spaces (music spaces are available; cafeteria likely not ready).
Format: Short board remarks, structured table prompts, student-led welcome, optional site tours of new music spaces.
Outreach: Public posting on the district website plus targeted invitations; staff to prepare social media and email communications and provide board members with copy they can share.
Next steps
Staff will finalize the agenda, outreach list and promotional materials and return with a plan to the board; two board members will serve as representatives at the event (members to confirm availability closer to the date).
