District 97 Seeking Members for Board Committees

District 97 is seeking dedicated individuals from the community who are interested in taking an active role in shaping the future of our schools by applying to serve in a voluntary capacity on our Finance Oversight and Review Committee (FORC), Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC), or Committee for Legislative Action, Intervention and Monitoring (C.L.A.I.M.).

FORC, which meets four to six times per year, provides the District 97 Board of Education and administration with ongoing expertise, oversight and guidance on the district’s fiscal operations. It also reviews the district’s financial performance, which includes activities such as monitoring budget projections in comparison to actual experience, examining rolling five-year projections, and reviewing and commenting on investments, budget development and the district’s annual audit. You can access additional information about FORC, including the committee charge, by visiting http://www.op97.org/BOE/FORC.cfm.

FAC, which meets on a monthly basis during the school year, provides the District 97 Board of Education and administration with oversight and guidance on the district’s facilities and infrastructure, master facilities plan, Life Safety plans and proposed capital improvement projects. You can access additional information about FAC, including the committee charge, by visiting http://www.op97.org/BOE/Facilities-Advisory-Committee.cfm.

Through C.L.A.I.M., which also meets on a monthly basis during the school year, the District 97 Board of Education develops a legislative agenda to propose, support, oppose or monitor legislation that impacts board priorities. The committee is charged with:

• Annually receiving direction for a legislative agenda from the board regarding school policy and finance issues at the state level, as well as at the county and/or federal level as the board deems appropriate.
• Strengthening connections and participation with lobbying groups, especially those with whom the district currently has formal relationships (e.g., ED-RED, IASB, etc.).
• Identifying, partnering and leveraging organizations aligned with one or more items on the district’s legislative agenda.
• Generating informational materials to identify the impact of state, county or federal legislative issues on the district.
• Engaging Oak Park’s legislative delegation to keep them informed of the ways current and proposed legislation, policies and practices impact the district.
• Seeking board approval to amend the committee’s scope, procedures, practices and guiding principles.

You can access additional information about C.L.A.I.M. by visiting http://www.op97.org/BOE/CLAIM.cfm.

The board president is responsible for selecting the members for these committees, and is currently seeking to fill two openings on FORC, one opening on FAC and one opening on C.L.A.I.M. If you would like to be considered for membership, or need additional information about the committees, please contact Chris Jasculca by e-mailing cjasculca@op97.org.