June 2025 Board of Education Report

This Board of Education meeting was held in the boardroom at 2801 York Road, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523; the regular meeting place. The public can attend Board of Education meetings in person, access an audio livestream of the meeting on the District’s website, or listen to meeting recordings that are uploaded to the District’s website within the meeting week.District Updates

New STEM/STEAM/Science and English Language Arts Resources Approved
Based on the district’s curriculum review cycle, the Board of Education approved the purchase of two core resources for implementation in the 2025-2026 school year. These resources further implement unified and consistent core competencies in all subject areas, including Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), that permeate the school community, as well as develop a districtwide process and implement two subject areas over a four-year period for K-8 curriculum and resource alignment.

The new K-8 STEM/STEAM/Science resource is called Elevate Science, which includes six years of access to teacher materials, student editions, digital access for both teachers and students, Engineering Design notebooks for grades 6-8, professional development. The 2025-2026 school year will include K-8 implementation.

Based on feedback from the Brook Forest Literacy Team, Benchmark Advance is the recommended resource for K-5 implementation. The 2025-2026 school year will be considered a pre-implementation year, during which teachers will receive professional development and a pacing guide to begin implementation.

The District has completed a tentative budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year ending June 30th. The District is budgeting $14,549,810 in operating revenue and budgeting $13,415,893 in operating expenditures. Significant costs have been saved in fiscal year 2025-26 by reducing expenses related to purchased services and supplies and by eliminating redundancies. The expected fund balance to operating budget ratio is projected at 62.3% at the end of FY 2025-26. The Public Hearing will be held on August 18, 2025 at 6:00PM, and scheduled for formal adoption.

The district maintains the Paul Butler Cultural Arts Fund that provides cultural programming to all district residents. The Board of Education approved a resolution to memorialize the funds given to the district for cultural arts benefits for the full Oak Brook community. The superintendent will form an advisory committee to research events, and appointed board member John Baar to the committee.

The Beyond the Bell Committee is a subcommittee of the Education: Committee of the Whole. Rooted in the belief that our community is one of our greatest assets, this ad hoc group seeks to tap into the incredible talent, experience, and connections of the Oak Brook community to expand and enrich student opportunities beyond the traditional school day.

The first task of the subcommittee is to explore both what is already happening in our own district and what other schools are doing to enrich student experiences. By identifying successful models and current strengths, we can look for ways to enhance or better support existing efforts. The committee will also evaluate which new ideas are easiest to implement and which may require more creativity, planning, or resources. This approach will help prioritize meaningful, sustainable initiatives that reflect student interests and district values. The Board of Education appointed Vice President Resham Mendi and Member Kavitha Neerukonda as co-chairs.

The Board of Education approved the hiring of Anna-Marie Calderon as a special education teacher, and extended the contract of Director of Student Services, Dr. LaTonya Wilks through 2028.
Further, the Board of Education annually approved the performance goals of the administrative team, which includes directors and principals. These goals are in alignment with the district’s strategic plan and Superintendent’s goals for the 2025-2026 school year.

School and Department Updates

Brook Forest Elementary completed a successful school year with the annual Exploremore Day celebration. We are grateful for all of the volunteers and coordinators who make this day as special as possible for all of our students. Congratulations to Coach Beyer for serving the school and district for 33 years! Coach Beyer has done an outstanding job by creating several healthy and fitness initiatives for all Brook Forest Elementary students.

The Brook Forest Elementary teachers have attended professional development sessions to enhance their knowledge and skills to implement social studies and literacy programs for the 2025-2026 school year with instruction teams continuing to meet to review literacy resources for full implementation. This process includes reviewing the academic schedule to ensure alignment to the resources.

Academic placement information will be shared with families on Friday, June 13th.

Butler Junior High ended the 2024–2025 school year with several memorable celebrations and meaningful learning experiences. Congratulations to the Class of 2025, who graduated on Wednesday, May 28. We wish them continued success in their next chapter!

On May 29, 6th and 7th grade students took part in outdoor education field trips where 6th graders visited the Morton Arboretum and 7th graders explored The Forge Adventure Park in Lemont. These hands-on learning experiences offered both fun and reflection as students wrapped up the school year.

Our annual Viking Day competitions took place on the final day of school, capping off the year with spirited activities and community fun. A big thank you to Mrs. Payne for her coordination and to the PTO for their ongoing support of this much-loved tradition.

As we look ahead to next year, teachers have begun planning in Professional Learning Community (PLC) teams, supported by the District’s professional development initiatives. Families of students eligible for academic advancement in the 2025–2026 school year have received placement information.

Student Services Department

The Student Services team remained focused on collaboration, student wellness, and instructional alignment throughout the 2024–2025 school year. Staff engaged in a variety of targeted professional development opportunities centered on inclusive instruction, data-driven interventions, and support strategies for diverse learners.

Training addressed phonological disorders, emotional disturbance, and literacy strategies aligned with the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan. Social workers also received training on data collection and supporting autistic students in digital environments.

Brook Forest Elementary hosted its first Special Olympics Young Athletes event on May 9, welcoming 62 students from Pre-K to 2nd grade. The event highlighted inclusion, teamwork and joy through physical activity. Based on its success, the program will expand to include students in grades 3–5 next school year.

The district proudly recognized National School Nurse Day and National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in May. Special thanks to Mrs. Julie Denson and Mrs. Rachel Seifert for their care and commitment to student health, and to Mrs. Megan Struhar and Ms. Linnea Rohrsen for their excellent work supporting student communication needs.

On June 5, the department hosted its fifth and final Parent IEP Boot Camp of the year. The session covered key elements of the IDEA process including FAPE, the Least Restrictive Environment, procedural safeguards and end-of-year IEP planning. Parents also got tips on promoting SEL at home and preparing for transitions into adulthood.

School nurses completed required state reports for dental, vision and hearing screenings. These mass screenings successfully identified students in need of supplemental support, ensuring timely interventions to improve learning access.

In preparation for the 2025–2026 school year, Special Education, ELL, and Reading Specialists collaborated to review and align intervention materials. This effort will aid in promoting consistency throughout instructional practices and improve outcomes for all learners.

The Special Education Workload Plan for SY 2025–2026 has been finalized in alignment with ISBE best practices. The plan ensures services are delivered effectively, setting specific workload limits for staff and incorporating feedback from the special education team.

Next school year, the district will implement the Signs of Suicide (SOS) Prevention Program for grades 6–8. This evidence-based program promotes mental health awareness and helps students recognize and respond to signs of depression. Parents will have the option to opt out.
Additionally, the new Butler Buddies Program will launch at Brook Forest in the 2025–2026 school year. The program nourishes peer mentorship and inclusion by pairing students across grades 3–5 in structured activities designed to build empathy, leadership and a sense of belonging.

Butler School District 53 continues to advance its strategic instructional goals with several updates and initiatives aimed at strengthening learning across all grade levels. Recommendations for adoption of new K–5 English Language Arts resources and K–8 Science, STEM, and STEAM materials are currently under review.

In alignment with the district’s commitment to meeting diverse student needs, the administrative team has received the Northwestern Advanced Learner Review. A full review and goal-setting process will take place over the summer, with a comprehensive report and recommendations to be presented at the September 8 Board of Education meeting.

Butler School District 53 will also continue its partnership with District 86 to support advanced math opportunities. For the 2025–2026 school year, four students are projected to enroll in Algebra II and one in Pre-Calculus. The total budgeted cost including course fees and transportation is estimated at $22,172.

Butler School District 53 remains committed to building unified competencies across subject areas. This includes social-emotional learning through targeted professional development and the adoption of innovative practices. A special thank-you goes out to the District Instructional Team for their work supporting these goals through mentoring, SEL, literacy, and technology leadership.

Instructional Team Recognition:

• Mentoring: Jill Vonnahme, Courtney Gurke
• Social-Emotional Learning: Nina Angelillo
• Literacy: Natalie Biancalana, Jennifer Brauer, Erin McCreary, Katie Myers, Phyllis Sutton, Renee Tomita
• Technology: Amanda Kluczny, Robbie Philipp

We appreciate their dedication to creating dynamic, future-ready learning environments for all students.

Brook Forest Elementary & Butler Junior High School

• We finished strong by helping to support BF Exploremore Day – Jamie Lock and Nicole Vlahos were extraordinary planners with Amanda Kluczny and the school. Thank you for an incredible last day!
• Graduations and Farewells
  • KG Graduation – Thank you to Mahsa Meshkat and Henna Yaqub for volunteering to decorate and put together a small gift for each child
  • 5th Grade Farewell – Thank you to the volunteers Katie Donnelly, Nomana Akhtar, and Helen Sandberg for organizing a special breakfast, memory lane and activities to make it a wonderful send off.
  • 8th Grade Graduation – Huge thank you to the 8th grade graduation committee who spent the whole year planning for the 8th graders’ amazing farewell.
• Boosters
  • Music & Drama Boosters Thank you Shika Ventrapragada (Music) and Eleni Dimitrou (Drama) and all the volunteers for supporting the Band, Choir, and the musicals at each school. Special thanks to Ms. Zarley, Mr Krejc, and Ms Marsala for an amazing year and providing these opportunities for our kids.
  • Sports Boosters Thank you Mr. Finke and Coach Beyer for a great sports season! Also, we would like to wish Coach Beyer well and congrats on his retirement.

Finally, thanks again to all the parents who volunteered in school, after school, and at D53 events. We have exceeded our goals with parent involvement, school pride, and providing support to our teachers and schools.

Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

• August 18, 2025 at 4:30PM: Policy: Committee of the Whole
• August 18, 2025 at 6:00PM: Regular Board of Education Meeting and Public Hearing