River Forest School District 90 is entering a period of transition, and Katie Avalos wants to be part of it.
That’s why the incumbent ran again for the Board of Education – despite the fact that as of Wednesday, she won’t have any children in the district. Her youngest graduated from Roosevelt Middle School that day.
It’s also why she’s now board president, and she’ll lead the district’s pursuit of a new superintendent, with the retirement of Dr. Ed Condon at the conclusion of the coming school year.
“I feel like my voice is still valuable in the district,” she said. “It’s really important to have people at the table that have had different experiences in the district.
“We have amazing things happening in the district, but we have a commitment to continuous improvement. One of the things I take seriously is commitment to the community.”
Avalos, who succeeds Stacey Williams as president, will lead a board that includes newcomers Katie Bevan, Josh Ehart and Beth Vlerick, along with returning members Dr. Kristine Mackey, vice president Joseph Cortese and secretary Dr. Eric Isenberg.
Prior to running for the board her first time in 2019, she had been active in her children’s classrooms and went to board meetings on a regular basis. What impressed her was the “thoughtfulness and purposefulness of District 90.” When she joined the board in 2019, she made a personal pledge of being a conduit between the community and the district.
That carries over to the present, and the issues that the district faces, especially the imminent departure of Condon, who will have been superintendent for 15 years upon retirement.
“That transition is really important,” she said, “to do our best to do that right. Luckily, we have a lot of people who are engaged and interested in that process. That’s so foundational.”
But it’s more than that. Finances will always be a key issue, she said, being responsible for use of taxpayer dollars.
“The other is philosophical,” she said. “How are we best preparing our students for their future? What are their jobs going to look like, and how are we getting them those skills that are transferrable?”
Another issue is diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Creating an inclusive and safe environment for students and staff “remains constant,” Avalos said.
“You can’t have high-quality learning opportunities unless (staff) feel like they belong and are safe and supporting students in getting what it will take to be successful,” she said. “We’re doing the work to make sure we’re meeting the needs of all our kids. It’s meeting each student where they are.”
Like Avalos, the new board members are ready to contribute right away.
“I envision a school board that works collaboratively, engages with the broader community and partners with educators to ensure an excellent educational experience for all students in District 90,” Bevan said.
Ditto for Ehart.
“My vision is to support policies that give all kids in District 90 access to a rich, balanced education that reflects our community values and opens doors to future success,” he said.
It all started with that first board meeting, which was May 20. Avalos said her first go-round engendered some nervousness, but also excitement, too.
“I don’t mind being in charge, and I do feel lucky for the last six years, I worked under Stacey, Barb Hickey and Rich Moore,” she said.
Vlerick enjoyed her first board meeting as well.
“(It) was fun, because I got to hear my neighbor present his art project from Roosevelt,” she said. “He was proud to share it with us and it felt great to see a kid I’ve watched grow up see a familiar face at the board table, and experience what civic leadership looks like in our community.”
All three District 90 schools – Lincoln Elementary, Willard Elementary and Roosevelt – were designated Exemplary in the annual Illinois Report Card 2023-24 made public last October. Exemplary schools are those that rank in the top 10% of the state, while Commendable schools rank in the next 67%.
“I will work hard to continue the progress we’ve made in the district, which helped propel all three of our schools to receive the Exemplary designation,” Cortese said.
