Teachers at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South are heading into contract negotiations with the district, and the District 86 board just hired an outside labor attorney to represent it at the bargaining table.

The board appointed Himes Petrarca & Fester Chrtd as special counsel for teacher contract negotiations at its Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting at Hinsdale South's library in Darien. The firm, established more than 70 years ago, specializes in school law, collective bargaining and labor relations for Illinois districts, according to firm profiles.

The hiring marks the latest step in a process that began at least as far back as June 25, when the board approved its HHSTA negotiations representatives. No public timeline for bargaining sessions has been announced, and the current Hinsdale High School Teachers Association contract's expiration date has not been confirmed in available district records.

The board's agenda did not disclose the fee structure, scope or duration of the engagement.

Superintendent Chip Pettit, who started this summer on a three-year contract approved Feb. 4, told The Hinsdalean on Aug. 20 that he comes to the district without a preset agenda. "I come with an open mind and a passion for doing what's best for kids," Pettit said in that profile of new administrators.

Capital improvements on the horizon

The board also discussed its Long-Term Capital Improvements & Financing Strategy. Details have not been made public, but the conversation builds on the board's April 30 decision to pay district architect Wight & Company $80,000 for a comprehensive facility assessment conducted over the summer at both high schools.

That assessment is expected to inform decisions about building upgrades at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South, though no dollar figures, project lists or financing mechanisms were disclosed at the Aug. 25 meeting.

Policy changes in the pipeline

The board's Policy Committee, made up of members Baron Leacock, board president Catherine Greenspon and Jeff Waters, advanced several policy updates from its Aug. 18 meeting for first read:

  • Policy 6:40 (Curriculum Development): Would strike district-specific language detailing the curriculum adoption process in favor of standardized PRESS language. New courses would still require board approval, but the extended implementation timeline would be removed.
  • Policy 7:330 (Student Use of Buildings): A full rewrite clarifying which student-led groups can use school premises under the federal Equal Access Act.
  • Policy 6:190 (Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Activities): Updated alongside the Equal Access policy.
  • Policy 2:250 AP1 (Public Records Access): The committee recommended the full board discuss alternatives to the current FOIA log format and affirm the district's practice of redacting names of private citizens who submit FOIA requests.

Seventeen additional policies were bundled for approval on first read under the PRESS Issue 122 update, with no substantive changes.

Hinsdale education week ahead

  • Tuesday, Sept. 15 — District 86 Board of Education meeting (Board Self Evaluation). Time and location TBD.
  • Tuesday, Sept. 29 — District 86 Board of Education regular meeting. Time and location TBD.

Parents and residents who wish to address the board during public comment should check the District 86 board portal for sign-up details as meeting dates approach.