District 97 Seeking Members for Two Board Committees

District 97 is seeking dedicated individuals from the community who are interested in taking an active role in shaping the future of our schools by applying to serve in a voluntary capacity on our Finance Oversight and Review Committee (FORC) or our Committee for Legislative Action, Intervention and Monitoring (CLAIM).

FORC, which meets on a monthly basis, is comprised of members who have a wide array of interests and areas of expertise (finance, accounting, etc.). It provides the Board of Education and administration with ongoing expertise, oversight and guidance on the district’s fiscal operations. It also reviews the district’s financial performance, which includes activities such as monitoring budget projections in comparison to actual experience, examining rolling five-year projections, and reviewing and commenting on investments, budget development and the district’s annual audit. You can access additional information about FORC, including the committee charge, by visiting http://www.op97.org/board-of-education/Finance-Oversight-Review-Committee.cfm.

Through CLAIM, which typically meets on a quarterly basis, the District 97 Board of Education develops a legislative agenda to propose, support, or oppose legislation impacting board priorities. The committee is charged with:

• Annually receiving direction for a legislative agenda from the District 97 Board of Education regarding school policy and finance issues at the state level, and, as the board deems appropriate, at the county and/or federal level.

• Strengthening connections and participation with lobbying groups, especially those with whom the district currently has formal relationships, such as ED-RED and IASB.
• Identifying, partnering and leveraging organizations aligned with one or more items on the district’s legislative agenda.
• Generating informational materials to identify the impact of state, county, or federal legislative issues on District 97.
• Engaging Oak Park’s legislative delegation to keep them informed of the ways current and proposed legislation, policies and practices impact District 97.

• Seeking approval from the board to amend the committee’s scope, procedures, practices, and guiding principles.

You can access additional information about CLAIM by visiting http://www.op97.org/board-of-education/claim.cfm.