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H-F board cancels July meeting on 4-3 vote

The Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 board kept with tradition cancelling its July meeting, despite the objections of three board members.

The Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 board kept with tradition cancelling its July meeting, despite the objections of three board members.

At the May 19 meeting, Superintendent Von Mansfield said the board has taken off in July as far as he can remember, but members Beth Larocca, Annette Bannon and Pamela Jackson wanted to schedule a meeting. Members Debbie Berman, Nathan Legardy, Gerald Pauling and board president Steve Anderson voted to cancel the meeting. 

Anderson said he would make a concerted effort to this summer hold the board retreat that has also been discussed but not scheduled.

Board members work as three-member committees for finance, personnel and planning. Each committee reports its discussions and recommendations to the other board members at regular meetings the third Tuesday of the month. A Committee of the Whole meeting would involve all members examining all issues on an agenda at one specific meeting.

Before the vote, Larocca said, “the July meeting is a perfect opportunity for a Committee of the Whole meeting.” She gave a litany of possible topics for discussion at a Committee of the Whole, including reviewing the academic supports report, examining how remote learning worked for students and faculty, and how COVID-19 was impacting the budget.

Jackson and Bannon agreed, saying the board has been talking about a Committee of the Whole meeting but never scheduled one.

Pauling said canceling a meeting “doesn’t mean that we’re not working as a board” or that district staff isn’t busy. He thought staff would be especially busy this summer in dealing with COVID-19 issues, including online summer school.

Berman agreed saying: “In July they’ll know what August looks like and may be pivoting to get us ready” for what she said “may be a very different school year.”

Pauling, Berman and Legardy said if it becomes necessary for school business, the board could call a special meeting. 

Anderson told Larocca, Bannon and Jackson: “I don’t disagree we’ve been trying for a Committee of the Whole. We had some momentum on that and then March showed up and the world changed.

“If we cancel the (July) board meeting, I’ll commit with Dr. Mansfield to see if we can get a Committee of the Whole around everybody’s schedule. We’ll do that. Just because we vote to cancel doesn’t mean we won’t endeavor to meet, including a board retreat,” Anderson said.

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