Schools

'An Open Letter to the Hinsdale Township High School Dist. 86 Community'

The Hinsdale High School Dist. 86 have endorsed a letter to the community articulating the the guiding principles as teacher contract negotiations and budgeting begin for the 2014-15 school year.


At the regular meeting of the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board of Education Monday evening, President Claudia Manley read and the entire Board reviewed and endorsed the following "Open Letter to the Community," which articulates the guiding principles that will frame the important work of the district in the months ahead as we continue budgeting for the 2014-2015 school year. The board and  the Hinsdale High School Teachers Association have started negotiations to secure a multiyear contract agreement that is fair to and in the best interest of all District 86 stakeholders. 

There are two important initiatives that are underway in Hinsdale 86, both of which can have significant impact on both the educational quality and the financial status of the District — now and for the future. 

As many of you are aware, the District’s contract with the Hinsdale Township High School Teachers Association (HHSTA) will expire on June 30, 2014. 

Negotiating teams representing the board and the teachers union have already begun meeting to develop a multiyear contract that will serve the best interests of ALL District 86 stakeholders. District administration is also in the process of developing our budget for the 2014-2105 school year. 

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Consistent with our district mission, this board is committed to ensuring that the environment around both budgeting and negotiations reflects our mission of academic excellence, mutual respect and responsibility. To that end, we have developed the following principles that we hope can guide our work over the coming months.

 

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  • Fairness: We are seeking to advance a budget and contract that will be fair to all District 86 stakeholders, including teachers, parents, students and all community residents.
  • Responsibility: The Board will fulfill its duty to serve as responsible stewards of both educational excellence and taxpayer resources. We will strive to make decisions in a manner that protects and advances the quality of teaching and learning, while continuously reviewing and improving efficiency and effectiveness for sustainable spending.
  • Partnership: We will work to engage all District 86 stakeholders — including our HHSTA leaders, faculty members and all staff— as partners and collaborators. We will remain focused and act in a manner that reflects our shared commitment to build and maintain a strong and sustainable learning community.

Because this Board believes that education is a shared responsibility among students, parents, the school (teachers, staff and administrators) and the community, we proactively share information to facilitate a clear and informed understanding regarding key challenges and opportunities facing the district. 

In the months ahead, all District 86 stakeholders will benefit from the insights and information we will gain from presentations at our monthly board of education meetings on important topics impacting our planning and decision-making. 

Copies of these presentations will be posted on the “Transparency” section of our District 86 website, which provides relevant public information so that all members of our community can be more fully informed about the decisions that face the Board, particularly during the budgeting and negotiations process in the months ahead. 

We hope that this communication provides the District 86 community with a clear sense of the Board’s perspective as it approaches both 2014-2015 budgeting and negotiations with HHSTA. 

With regard to negotiations, it is important to emphasize that the Board and our community respect and appreciate our teachers—their contributions to the academic achievements of our students are evidenced every day and have helped to build our reputation as one of the top high school districts in the state and nationally.

Thank you for your ongoing support of District 86 students and schools— and of our efforts to secure a fair 2014-2015 budget and multiyear contract agreement with HHSTA. 

Hinsdale Township High School District 86

Board of Education


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