TrueNorth’s ‘renewed vision’ prompts New Trier, other districts to stick with cooperative

Just five months after the New Trier High School School Board members voted to leave the TrueNorth Education Cooperative, they have reversed course.

The district will now remain a member after the board voted on Monday, Nov. 17, to rescind their intent to withdraw from the special-education provider.

As previously reported by The Record, New Trier officials in May recommended withdrawing from TrueNorth, which provides special education services to 18 school districts in Cook and Lake counties, for a number of reasons.

New Trier’s inclusion meant annual payments to TrueNorth totaling $1.3 million, including a $400,000 membership, and the high school saw a decreased reliance on TrueNorth’s services over the years.

New Trier wasn’t the only school district that recommended withdrawal, all of the district’s members had indicated a desire to leave the cooperative.

In the months since, Dr. Chris Johnson, New Trier’s associate superintendent, said a subgroup of the districts TrueNorth serves was formed to determine the future of TrueNorth and how collaboration between the schools and cooperative could still work.

“The outcome is that the member districts believe there is a path forward for the organization that is in the best interest of New Trier, and almost all other member districts are expected to make that choice as well,” Johnson said.

As a result of those discussions, Johnson said TrueNorth has made a number of changes to its operations. Those changes include the elimination of membership fees and shifting to a model where districts only pay for the services that they utilize from TrueNorth.

He said another change is “the implementation of a new government structure that places TrueNorth superintendents on an executive council, more closely aligning TrueNorth with the needs of the individual member districts.”

TrueNorth’s K-12 program will also center on a therapeutic day school, which Johnson wrote in his memo to the board will allow TrueNorth “to concentrate resources and expertise on students who require intensive, specialized support. This program will combine aspects of the previous programs into a unified setting that better serves students in a more efficient manner.”

“I’m pleased to say that we now believe it is in the best of New Trier and our students to remain a member,” Johnson said at the board meeting. “New Trier was a founding member of TrueNorth in 1959, and we are pleased to recommend that we continue to be a part of its next chapter.”

Board Member Avik Das, who serves as the School Board’s liaison to TrueNorth, called the changes a “renewed vision” for TrueNorth as they work together to continue serving students locally and regionally.

It also recognizes, he said, New Trier’s legacy with TrueNorth while also understanding “that what may have been good a generation or many generations ago may not be the best way forward without a conscious effort to consider what’s best, what are the best practices, how are we working as a responsible member and steward for giving the best educational experience for every student.”

Das also praised Johnson and others involved in working with TrueNorth to keep the cooperative going.

“I really appreciate and am very proud of how New Trier has shown up thoughtfully, thinking about what does withdrawal look like and why it’s in our best interest to continue to keep TrueNorth and our membership there as part of our toolkit to do the best for our students,” he said.

Dr. Joanne Panopoulos, New Trier’s assistant superintendent for special education and student services, served on the TrueNorth sub-committee and said it was “a real opportunity to take a deep look, be honest (and) open about our conversations and what we’re looking to develop,” and believes the new model will offer “our students an experience that is of high quality, but yet still meets the needs of all the districts.”

Board Member Jean Hahn commended the way New Trier and the other districts worked with TrueNorth to keep the cooperative going.

“It’s remarkable that less than six months ago, we didn’t think this had a future,” she said. “You are all to thank for it, and our students will benefit.”

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.