GROWING GROWING COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEDIA, MEDIA,NFP NFP ForestParkReview.com ForestParkReview.com Vol. Vol.103, 103,No. No.4343
$1.00 $1.00
F O R E S T PA R K
REVIEW
Village loses two longstanding businesses PAGE 4 Art studio opens on Madison Street PAGE 11
OCTOBER 21, 2020
@FP_Review@ForestParkReview @ForestParkReview @FP_Review
D209 teachers back in classrooms on Oct. 19 Teachers’ union, dozens of educators speak out, but superintendent remains firm By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
Teachers in District 209 returned to classrooms on Oct. 19, despite the Proviso Teachers’ Union and dozens of educators in the district speaking against the decision at the Oct. 13 meeting of the Proviso Township High Schools board of education. According to many of the teachers, a memo of understanding was presented to them by Superintendent James Henderson early in the school year allowing them to have the option of returning to their classrooms or teaching from home, since all education is still remote. But Henderson changed his mind and issued a directive about two weeks ago, demanding that teachers teach from the school buildings, where Promethean boards and cameras have been installed in an effort to make remote teaching more effective. It took almost 50 minutes for board member Amanda Grant to read all the letters during the meeting, letters which overwhelmingly expressed concerns about safety upon returning to the classroom when, said the teachers, at-home instruction has been working just fine. In a letter on behalf of the teachers’ union, Maggie Riley said there has been “no communication as to why teachers need to return to the respective buildings, other than the fact that technology” has been purchased. See D209 TEACHERS on page 9
SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor
Mark Maylath (left) and B.J. Reid were sworn in as lieutenants of the Forest Park Fire Department on Oct. 15.
Two new fire lieutenants sworn in
Both express confidence in strong department By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
On Oct. 15, two new fire lieutenants were sworn in at a ceremony at the fire department. Bobby “B.J.” Reid and Mark Maylath were officially promoted
IN Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 THIS Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ISSUE Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
by Mayor Rory Hoskins after selection by the Fire and Police Commission on Oct. 4. Reid and Maylath join Tim Conrad, who has been a lieutenant for about four years. They fill roles vacated by Tom “T.J.” Janopoulos and Russ Nelson, who retired this month. Reid, who just turned 44, is in his thirteenth year with the Forest Park Fire Department and worked for 4 more years at the Lisle Woodridge department before that. “My mom always said, ‘Surround
yourself with good people,’ and that’s what I’ve done here in Forest Park,” Reid said. “I work with really good people, and the residents in town really appreciate the work that we do. They say ‘thank you’ all the time. It’s so nice to be in a town where you’re appreciated.” Reid also lives in Forest Park with his wife and two young sons, who turn four and one at the end of October; with T.J. retiring, Reid is the only Forest Park firefighter who still lives in town. See FIRE LIEUTENANTS on page 9
Middle school teachers rise above challenges
Circle Avenue bridge closed till mid-November
PAGE 8
PAGE 13
Follow us Online! ForestParkReview.com