|
VILLAGE OF
OLYMPIA FIELDS
COOK
COUNTY, ILLINOIS
______________________________________________________________________________
AN
ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OLYMPIA FIELDS VILLAGE
CODE TO CREATE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO BE
KNOWN AS THE "EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION"
WHEREAS, the Village of Olympia Fields is located within
Elementary School Districts 161, 162, and 170, and High School Districts
206, 227, and 233; and
WHEREAS, both the educational quality and financial health of these
School Districts are matters of vital concern to the residents of Olympia
Fields; and
WHEREAS, the Corporate Authorities of the Village of Olympia Fields are
vitally interested in the educational quality and financial health of the
School District serving the Village; and
WHEREAS, the continued growth and stability of the Village itself are
related to the quality of educational services provided to our residents;
and
WHEREAS, the Village is fortunate to have many residents with particular
expertise in areas related to the operation and management of educational
institutions, and/or interest; and
WHEREAS, the President and Board of Trustees have determined that
harnessing these skills and talents by the creation of an Educational
Commission will further the goals of providing valuable analysis,
information and advice to municipal and educational leaders in the Village,
including those leaders in District 161, 162, and 170 and District 206, 227,
and 233; and
WHEREAS, the President and Board of Trustees recognize that the
governance of the School District is left to the discretion of the elected
members of the respective School Boards and nothing in the functioning of
the Commission created pursuant to this Ordinance is intended in any way to
interfere with such lawful authority;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED BY THE PRESIDENT AND
BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE VILLAGE OF OLYMPIA FIELDS, COUNTY OF COOK,
ILLINOIS, as follows:
Back to Top
Section 1: Chapter 2 of the Olympia Fields
Village Code, "Administration," is hereby
amended by adding the following Sections 2-207 – 2-210, "Educational Policy
Commission":
Section 2-207. Establishment; Appointment; Term; Liaison.
(a) The
Educational Commission is established. The Commission shall consist of
fifteen (15) standing members appointed by the Village President with the
consent of the Board of Trustees. In addition the Commission shall include
six (6) ex-officio members representing each of the six school districts
operating within the corporate boundaries of Olympia Fields, with members
appointed by the respective school districts. Eight (8) members of the
initial commission shall be appointed for a two-year term and the remaining
seven (7) members appointed for a one-year term. Thereafter, all
appointments shall be for a two-year term. Ex-officio members shall serve at
the discretion of the respective school districts.
(b) The
fifteen (15) member Commission shall be composed of
representatives with background and experience from the following
categories: one (1) member shall be selected from a standing member of the
Village Board of Trustees; one (1) member with background in law
enforcement; one (1) member with a background in law preferably with legal
experience in municipal or school district representation; two (2) regional
representatives with experience in primary/secondary education; two (2)
student representatives; two (2) PTO members with residency in Olympia
Fields; two (2) parent representatives with children attending school in the
district and residing in Olympia Fields; one (1) representative from the
Chicago Southland Business Community; three (3) at-large Olympia Fields
resident members.
(c) Priority
will be given to candidates for appointment to the Commission with
particular regard to their expertise in areas such as educational
administration, public finance and teaching.
Section 2-208. Chair and Secretary of Commission.
(a) The
Village President shall appoint one member of the Commission to
serve as chairperson. The remaining members shall select one of
their
members to serve as Secretary. The Village Administrator shall serve
as Staff Coordinator to the Commission. The Commission shall
conduct its meetings and maintain its minutes in accordance with the
Illinois Open Meetings Act.
(b)
The Commission shall meet quarterly and provide for additional
special meetings, forums or field activities as they deem necessary, to
fulfill the mission and charges set forth by the board of trustees.
The Commission may appoint subcommittees to perform particular functions and
study particular issues.
Section 2.209. Mission and Charges
for the Commission
(A)
The mission for the Olympia Fields Educational Commission shall be
“to promote education excellence of the primary and secondary school
systems that serves the residents of Olympia Fields.”
Back to Top
(B)
The Commission will foster and facilitate the following operational
goals and objectives:
a.
To develop an Olympia Fields Educational Marketing Program outlining
success stories, accomplishments and achievements from the various school
districts that service our community. Marketing programs should highlight
positive aspects of our local schools to impact perception of our school
district.
b.
To provide input to the various school districts that will service
the Village providing recommendations to the governing authorities on
policies and programs to promote educational excellence.
c.
To facilitate open communications with the School Administration,
teachers and parents, on a clear and shared focus to achieve adopted
educational goals and objectives.
d.
To maximize parental involvement with the school system through the
establishment of educational forums, creation of special Ad-Hoc Committees,
letter writing campaigns, parent/teacher conference participation as well as
instituting mechanisms to increase the regular participation with the
various school boards that service the district.
e.
As an on-going core principle; to review all-school facilities and
standards that serve students within each of Olympia Fields respective
school districts in the areas of capacity, operation and maintenance,
capital improvements, code violations and the identification of any
facilities that require renovation, repair or remediation.
f.
To utilize community and political influence to leverage positive
change promoting educational excellence for the respective school districts
that serve the Village.
g.
To promote local support of state, regional, county and local
initiatives that will enhance the mission of the school district that
service our community. This support may include grassroots campaigns to
foster local referendums, state legislative amendments, creation of local
policy and programs, initiatives for school financing reform and other
activities that would enhance the mission of the school district community.
h.
To benchmark the local schools that serve our residents against
schools from other districts to encourage new ideas, program initiatives,
improve the overall performance of the school district and promote
individual achievement of our students.
i. To
review the strategic plans published for each of the school systems serving
the
Village identifying strengths and weaknesses in accomplishing the goal for
educational
excellence, improve test scores, overall performance of the students and any
corrective a
actions instituted by the South Cook Intermediate Service District.
j.
To provide information to the Village of Olympia Fields Board of
Trustees on an array of scholastic demographics and data reflecting the
district’s accomplishments in meeting their respective strategic plans
including but not limited to, standardized test scores, curriculum, extra
curricular activities, changes in district policy and programs, scope
facilities and finance and budgetary matters.
k.
To provide forums for potential school board candidates and union
leadership affording opportunities for citizen evaluation.
l. To
act as a resource for community school-based groups focused on quality
education.
m.
Foster and promote mechanisms to create a strong sense of teamwork
among teachers and staff across all grades and all schools within and
between respective districts. Encourage the involvement and conductivity to
each other, including parents and members of the community for the
identification of problems constraining progress and the opportunities to
creatively explore and work on solutions that will facilitate a culture of
educational excellence.
Section 2.210. Duties and Authority.
Back to Top
The Commission
shall have the following duties and authority:
(a) To
examine the performance of public schools serving residents of the
Village of Olympia Fields.
(b) To examine the financial status of such schools.
(b) To
evaluate the performance of such schools in relation to the
performance of schools statewide and, in particular, schools within
the
Chicago South Suburban Region.
(c) To
evaluate the effectiveness of current educational policies regarding
such matters as student performance, attendance and discipline.
(e) To study whether financial resources are being appropriately
allocated.
(f) To
advise the Board of Trustees with respect to any future requests for
referendum approval.
(g) To
determine whether Village resources may be appropriately devoted
to assisting such educational institutions.
(h) To attend
School Board meetings and otherwise participate in activities of the school
districts on an on-going basis.
(i) To
undertake such tasks as may be assigned from time to time by the
Village President and Board of Trustees.
Section 2-210. Periodic Reports.
(a) The Commission shall annually on or about July 1 of each
year submit a formal written report to the President and Board of Trustees.
The annual report shall be reviewed at a meeting of the Board of Trustees.
The annual report shall set forth the findings and recommendations of the
commission with respect to any matters analyzed or studied during the
pervious year. The Commission shall at its discretion submit reports to the
President and Board of Trustees throughout the year on matters of particular
interest or importance to the community.
(b) It is the intent of the President and the Board of Trustees
to support this Commission with an annual allocation from the Village’s
General Fund and/or other revenues received from Federal, State and/or
Foundation support. To this objective, the Commission shall prepare a
proposed annual budget complete with a formal request for funding
accompanied with supporting documentation no later than January 15th
of each year to afford review by the Village Administrator, Finance
Director, Finance Committee as well as the Village President and the Board
of Trustees. A budget allocation will be formally considered by the
President and the Board of Trustees and appropriated consistent with
availability of budgetary resources.
Section 2: Limitation. Nothing
in this Ordinance is intended to interfere with or encroach upon the lawful
authority of any of the School Districts or their respective Board of
Education Members. The Educational Commission's mission is fact finding and
advisory only in the interests of the overall growth and well being of the
Village of Olympia Fields.
Section 3: Effective Date. This
Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and
approval, and shall subsequently be published in pamphlet form as provided
by law.
THIS ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED AND APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT AND
VILLAGE BOARD OF THE VILLAGE OF OLYMPIA FIELDS THIS
DAY OF , 2006.
PASSED on first reading (and tabled to next meeting) this
day of __________, 2006.
VILLAGE CLERK
Back to Top
|
