Five things District 65 educators need to know from the February 9th Committee of the Whole. The board is now complete — Chris Van Nostrand was sworn in, ending months of 3-3 deadlocks. A unified transportation policy comes to a formal vote this Monday, February 23rd. Eight hundred students face a March 1st enrollment deadline — here's what families need to do and where to send them. What educators at closing schools need to know about their staffing rights. And the October Lincolnwood benchmark you should have on your radar now.

Board recap. Four minutes. Done.

DEC Signals is produced by the District 65 Educators' Council in partnership with The Signal Lab.

A busy week in District 65. Here's what educators need to know heading into February.

KINGSLEY IS FINAL
The board voted 6-0 on January 23rd to close Kingsley Elementary at the end of this school year. DEC is in ongoing conversations with the district about staffing assignments. Remember: you don't apply—placements are governed by state law, your contract, tenure, and certification.

WILLARD TWI IS NOW A BOARD DECISION
Last Monday, the board voted 5-1 to officially close the Willard TWI program. This matters—until now, the district called it an administrative decision. Parents raised questions about the magnet program classification, legal counsel reviewed, and it became a board vote. Maria Opdycke was the lone "no."

NEW BOARD MEMBER EXPECTED TODAY
February 2nd is the deadline for Regional Superintendent April Jordan to appoint the seventh board member. Chris Van Nostrand is expected. No more 3-3 deadlocks—which matters because Lincolnwood's fate gets decided in October.

COMING UP
→ Feb 4: Foster School meeting for TWI families
→ Special education audit findings were presented to the board
→ Budget gap still ~$5 million for next year

Questions about your situation? Talk to your building rep or contact DEC directly.

What do you actually get from being a DEC member? This week, we break it down: your contract, your legal protection, your professional development, and your collective voice.

DEC membership means:

• A negotiated contract with salary, benefits, and working conditions
• $1 million professional liability insurance through IEA/NEA
• Access to 300+ free professional development courses
• A seat at the table when the district makes decisions
• 750 educators standing together

This is your union. It works better when you're in it.

Kingsley is closing. Willard TWI is closing. Here's what District 65 educators need to know—and what you can actually do about it.

In this episode:

• Kingsley closure: How teacher assignments actually work (state law, contract, tenure—not applications)
• Willard TWI: Families and educators still waiting for answers
• What's quieted down and what's still coming on the budget
• Four things you can do this week

DEC is at the table fighting for you. If you have questions about your situation, talk to your building rep.