The District 64 Board of Education held a regular meeting on Thursday, May 21, 2026. You can watch or listen to the replay of the May 21 meeting. 

Students and Staff Recognitions

Special Olympics:

We are bursting with pride as we celebrate another phenomenal season for our Special Olympics track and field team. It was amazing to see athletes from Emerson, Lincoln, Field, Franklin, Roosevelt, and Washington this year! 24 athletes took the stage at the regional games at Hoffman Estates High School in April. Their hard work resulted in an impressive medal haul for the District: 11 Gold Medals, 6 Silver Medals, and 7 Bronze Medals. Read the 2026 Special Olympics story.

Science Olympiad:

The spirit of discovery was in full force as we hosted our annual Science Olympiad for fourth and fifth-grade students. This year’s competition brought together 170 participants from across the district to engage in hands-on challenges that bridged the gap between classroom learning and real-world engineering. Read the 2026 Science Olympiad recap.

View photos from the May 21 Board Meeting.

Tenured Teachers

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Dr. Joel Martin recognized the probationary teachers from Emerson, Field, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Washington who successfully completed the rigorous evaluation process to become tenured teachers in District 64 for the upcoming school year.

Maddie Atwood, Elizabeth Ballinger, Margaret Carrabine, Mary Chapman, Michelle Choy, Kathleen Conway, Corey Davis, Julie Dorencz, Richard Drake, Kevin Garcia, Jocelyn Gillaspie, Nicole Golebiowski, Vanessa Leon, Lauren Martin, Pauline Miller, Kate O'Brien, Julie Parikh, Lori Paxson, Angela Pontikis, Cecily Roldan, Alona Sapp, Madeline Spaulding, Chloe Suhajda, Bridget Van Etten, Tricia Walton, Victoria Wilson, Jordan Ziecina.

Ratification of PREA/Board Agreement

Motion Approved

The Board voted to ratify a new five-year contract between the Park Ridge Education Association (PREA) and the Board of Education. Representatives highlighted the transparent, collaborative process that allowed a tentative agreement to be reached before the start of the school year.

Read the full story on the new teacher's contract.

McKinstry Presentation and Contract Approval

Motion Approved

The Board approved the Strategic Facility Planning Partnership proposal with McKinstry to conduct a comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment and provide access to its capital planning dashboard.

Superintendent Update

Superintendent Dr. Ben Collins provided an update on his goals and the overall state of the District. Highlights from the year included 68% of students meeting their MAP growth targets in math and 66% in reading (surpassing the 60% goal), as well as decreased student suspensions, improved labor relations, budget surpluses, and the elimination of full-day kindergarten tuition.

You can watch Dr. Collins’ update here.

Read the goals presentation here. 

Approval of the District's 2026-2030 Strategic Plan

Motion Approved

The Board approved the 2026-2030 District 64 Strategic Plan. The plan introduces a new mission, vision, and values. It will guide the District across five key goal areas: Student Learning, Student Behavior & Culture, Educator Excellence, Resource Allocation, and Community Engagement. A full rollout and explanation of the new plan will happen at the beginning of the next school year.

Watch Dr. Collins talk about the new Strategic Plan. 
Read the Strategic Plan presentation.

Consent Agenda

Motions Approved

The Board approved the following items on the Consent Agenda:

• Bills, Payroll, & Benefits
• Approval of Financial Update for the Period Ending March 31, 2026
• Approval of Recommended Personnel Report
• Second Reading And Approval of Policies from PRESS Issue 121
• Approval of Quest Contract Renewal
• Approval of Frontline Central HR Program
• Approval of Lincoln Fitness Center Equipment
• Approval of Lincoln Music Library System
• Approval of Roosevelt North Multipurpose Room HVAC
• Approval of Student Device Purchasing Plan
• Approval of Resolution #1389 Authorizing and Directing the Permanent Transfer of Money from the Operations & Maintenance Fund to the Debt Service Fund for Debt Certificates
• Approval of HD Supply Bathroom Dryers and Hygiene Dispensers
• Approval of Scaravalle Property Services Concrete Repair
• Approval of Wenger Corporation Proposal for Lincoln Music Room Items
• Approval of Wenger Corporation Proposal for Instrument Storage Cabinets at Lincoln
• Approval of Anderson Lock Proposal to Replace Cores in Existing Locksets at Roosevelt and Lincoln
• Approval of Syserco BAS Service Agreement
• Approval of KI District Office Updates
• Approval of Midwest Mechanical Doc Mod 001 Proposal
• Approval of the meeting minutes of the April 16, 2026 Regular and Closed Meeting and April 16, 2026 Committee of the Whole Meeting