A major focal point of the meeting was the proposed rescheduling of graduation dates for the class of 2026. The board considered shifting the ceremony from the traditional Saturday to a Friday, primarily due to logistical challenges posed by local events, such as a bike race that increases tourist traffic and hotel bookings over Memorial Day weekend. The proposal to move graduation to Friday aimed to ease accommodation pressures on families and provide a less congested timeframe for celebration. However, this suggestion was met with mixed reactions, as some families expressed concerns about the difficulties associated with traveling on Thursday or Friday.

The board member noted, “We’re going to have a lot of these with weird little scheduling things across programming at the school for the next couple years,” acknowledging the complexities involved in making such a change. Another board member expressed intrigue about the idea, stating, “Part of me is kind of like intrigued by the idea of Friday just ‘cause it’s like totally different,” suggesting an openness to exploring unconventional options.

Despite the interest in a potential change, there was a strong call for more comprehensive feedback from parents. A board member emphasized this need, stating, “I’d like to see more response from the parents.” The survey conducted among families of graduating seniors received limited responses, with only 15 feedback entries recorded. This prompted suggestions for additional outreach, such as class meetings and improved communication strategies, to ensure more inclusive participation from the school community.

To provide families with adequate planning time, the board aimed to finalize their decision by the September meeting. One member suggested, “If we make this if we took action on this by the September board meeting… that would give what? How many months is that? So, eight months.” This timeline was deemed reasonable to allow for family arrangements. A proposal was also made to resend the survey or use other communication methods, such as instant alerts targeted at senior class families, to increase engagement and response rates.

In addition to the graduation scheduling discussions, the meeting addressed updates to the student handbook for Cook County Middle School and High School. The primary changes included clearer definitions surrounding parking regulations and the removal of outdated language regarding behavioral intervention systems. The handbook also aimed to accommodate the increasing trend of online education by updating policies for students taking online classes. A notable proposal was that students, apart from those in the Post-Secondary Option program, should leave campus during their online class times and return for scheduled in-person classes to address behavior management issues.

The conversation further explored how other districts handle online class enrollments, with some requiring students to remain in classrooms during online class times. The proposed changes raised concerns about logistical issues for students living far from the school, with suggestions for alternative locations like local coffee shops.

Another update involved the introduction of a new harassment assessment tool in the handbook. This tool was designed to assist in discussions with students about behaviors and expectations, categorizing harassment by severity from inappropriate language to more serious offenses. The inclusion of this tool was seen as necessary to address the increasing need to tackle bullying and harassment in schools.

Additionally, the board approved the Sawtooth Elementary student handbook, which included minor changes such as revised personal technology usage rules and the removal of references to a computer lab, reflecting changes in school infrastructure.

The meeting concluded with the approval of the 2025 legislative session model policy updates, which stemmed from recent legislative actions. The updates focused on aligning transportation and discipline policies with the student handbook. The board members expressed appreciation for the cohesive policy set, leading to a successful vote to approve the updates.