Typically, I do not respond to unfounded accusations, as doing so only feeds the need for attention to those making such allegations. However, given that Monica Sheehan is falsely accusing two District 200 employees of abusing taxpayer dollars in her July 15 opinion piece, it is important to counter this very misguided narrative.
In the spirit of transparency and to set the record straight, following is the response I sent to Ms. Sheehan in response to her email alleging a “boondoogle” by members of the D200 leadership team.
“The conference you reference, LearningSCAPES, is held by the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE), a nonprofit with a mission to improve the places where children learn. The event is education-centered and brings together educators, architects, school administrators, and designers to explore how the physical environment impacts student success and well-being. As a former member of the Imagine Work Group, which focused on student learning and equity in the context of facility impact, a key insight was just how much the spaces where our students learn matter to their academic performance and emotional well-being.
“Attending a national conference annually is part of the contract for our administrators. As with any top-tier organization, the board supports ongoing learning and growth for our district leaders. Conferences must be related to their field, and with Mr. Arbogast’s responsibilities for facilities, and Dr. Johnson’s role leading the high school, this conference was linked to district work and an appropriate use of their time and budget dollars. The board was aware of their plans to both attend and present at the 2024 conference, along with Lynne Kamenitsa and Alyson Sternquist. It is common for educators to co-present with key partners at conferences.
“Dr. Johnson and Mr. Arbogast made the decision to not submit receipts for meals as covered in Board Policy 5:60 Expenses as they felt the amounts were minor. I’ve reminded them to adhere to the expense policy, which includes submitting receipts for meals. FGMA did pay for a dinner that Greg, Tony, and several others attended. Service firms often host dinners for clients at conferences.
“The district has strong financial controls and practices, and the board does not see a need for a forensic audit. A list of vouchers for bills and expense reimbursements is included in the Check Disbursements and Financial Resolutions Report which is posted as part of the consent agenda for the Regular Board of Education meetings. D200 has been issued a clean (unmodified) opinion from our Independent Auditors for at least the past 10 years, and since FY 2002-2003 we have been rated in the highest category for the financial profile score assigned by ISBE.
“Finally, the renewal of Dr. Johnson’s contract prior to the start of the final contract year is not at all unusual. In fact, it is a widespread practice for districts that wish to retain their superintendents. Doing so provides stability and keeps the superintendents focused on student outcomes and district priorities, rather than looking for a new job or wondering throughout that final contact year whether they will be retained.
“Note that the full board is bcc’d on this message to keep everyone informed and avoid any inadvertent OMA issues.”
Audrey Williams-Lee is president of the District 200 Board of Education.