W E D N E S D A Y
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JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
January 10, 2018 Vol. 36, No. 21 ONE DOLLAR
@oakpark @wednesdayjournal
D97 working on landmark equity policy The district plans to create an equity committee to enforce policy By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
Oak Park Elementary School District 97 officials are in the process of creating the district’s first-ever equity policy, which “seeks to disrupt societal and historical inequities and eliminate disparities based on student status [e.g. racial, socioeconomic] so that all of our students will benefit and reach their potential,” according to language in the draft. “While equity is woven into several of our existing policies, we believe this will be the first standalone policy in our district that addresses the issue in a very direct and substantive manner,” said Chris Jasculca, D97’s senior director of policy, planning and communication. District 97 Supt. Carol Kelley created an initial draft equity policy last year that district officials — particularly a threeperson policy review team — have used as a starting point and been building on since. According to a Dec. 19 memo, drafted by the policy review team — comprising See D97 EQUITY on page 13
Courtesy of US Speedskating/John Kleba
Oak Park native Emery Lehman was named to the U.S. squad as a team pursuit specialist on Jan. 7.
Lehman makes Olympic speedskating team
Oak Park native earns berth on last day of U.S. Trials By MARTY FARMER Sports Editor
Good things come to those who wait. Speedskater and Oak Park native Emery Lehman’s patience certainly paid off after the completion of the U.S. Olympic longtrack speedskating trials at the Pettit Na-
tional Ice Center in Milwaukee (Jan. 2-7). After recording a first, pair of fourth, and seventh-place finishes at the five-day event, Lehman wasn’t initially named to the U.S. team. After the conclusion of the final race (mass start), however, Lehman was notified he made the Olympics as a “team pursuit specialist.” Lehman has endured his share of tight races on the oval, but waiting for the news of whether he qualified for the Olympics was the ultimate close call. “I’ve been on pins and needles,” he said.
“You never really know until the weekend is over, especially with how racing goes. I knew I still had to come out and race really well, I had to leave it up to U.S. Speedskating to make the decision.” Lehman will be competing in the Olympics for the second time. Previously, he skated in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races in Sochi, Russia in 2014. “It’s awesome,” Lehman said about making the team again. “Definitely better the See OLYMPIAN on page 37
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