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Evergreen Park board adopts 2026–29 strategic plan, approves policies, fees and donations
Summary
At its Feb. 18 meeting the Evergreen Park ESD 124 board unanimously adopted the 2026–29 strategic plan, approved multiple revised policies recommended by the Illinois Association of School Boards, set 2026–27 school fees, and approved a $2,450 donation to Evergreen Reads; the board also approved a year‑two tax abatement aligned with a property tax relief grant.
The Evergreen Park ESD 124 Board of Education on Feb. 18 adopted a new strategic plan for 2026–29 and approved several policy and financial items presented as action items on the consent and regular agendas.
In a roll call vote the board approved the strategic plan (Item B) after presentations on the plan’s three pillars — curriculum and instruction, student services, and culture — and cross‑cutting commitments to communication, collaboration and belonging. The plan sets numeric targets cited in the presentation, including a target to increase student belonging by 5% over the plan period and a goal to increase the district’s collaborative‑teacher rating by at least 3% as measured by the 5 Essentials survey.
The board also approved a set of revised policies recommended by the Illinois Association of School Boards (first and second readings where noted), adopting the policy changes by roll call vote. In addition the board approved school registration fees for 2026–27: early childhood $20; kindergarten $50; grades 1–5 $130; and grades 6–8 $140.
On donations and scholarships the giving committee’s recommendation passed: the board approved a donation not to exceed $2,450 to Evergreen Reads for the purchase of PECS curriculum items (Sarah Pennypacker named as purchaser). The board discussed a newly formed board giving committee that will offer two board giving opportunities — a $150 annual booster club donation for recognized booster organizations and a new board activity scholarship for non‑athletic enrichment — and clarified distribution rules for an existing Mulcrone scholarship.
Eric Christie, reporting on finance, told the board the district had begun receiving some revenues from Cook County but that earlier estimates were inaccurate; he said the district had received about 34% of fall tax collections so far and expected fund balances to improve as additional payments arrive.
Finally, the board approved a year‑two tax abatement aligned with the property tax relief grant and then recessed to closed session to discuss personnel and student matters as allowed under Illinois statute.
