Board of Education

The Deerfield Public Schools District 109 Board of Education is a governing body made up of seven locally-elected community members. Its core responsibilities include establishing district policies, hiring and evaluating the superintendent, approving the curriculum, and overseeing the annual budget. The Board serves as a bridge between the community and the District, ensuring transparency, encouraging public engagement and fostering our vision to develop each student to be emotionally resilient, socially skilled, and academically prepared. Through thoughtful governance, the Board of Education helps guide District 109 in our mission to challenge, collaborate, create.

You can reach all members of the Board of Education at boe@dps109.org; the Board President will respond on behalf of the Board. You also can contact individual members of the Board.

Ryan Kuo - President
Term Expires: 2027
ryan.kuo@dps109.org

Kelly Jakymiw - Vice President
Term Expires: 2029
kelly.jakymiw@dps109.org

Kate Joyce - Secretary
Term Expires: 2029
kate.joyce@dps109.org

Remoun Abraham
Term Expires: 2029
remoun.abraham@dps109.org

Rosie Bonar
Term Expires: 2027
rosie.bonar@dps109.org

Mitch Dornfeld
Term Expires: 2027
mitch.dornfeld@dps109.org

David Murav
Term Expires: 2029
david.murav@dps109.org

Board Meeting Information

Regular Board of Education meetings are held on Thursdays at 7:00pm at the District Office (517 Deerfield Road) unless otherwise indicated. The agenda information for Board and Committee meetings are posted no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Meeting Agendas & Minutes

For any questions regarding the Board of Education, contact Executive Assistant to the Superintendent & Board of Education Rebecca Rudd.

2024-2025 Board of Education Regular Meeting Dates

2025-2026 Board of Education Regular Meeting Dates

Meeting Recordings & Recaps

Community Participation at Board Meetings

The community is encouraged to attend Board of Education meetings, and contribute during the community participation periods. In all regular Board of Education meetings, the Board follows a set agenda that include two opportunities for community participation. Committee meetings and special meetings may have different community participation opportunities.

Meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order. Based on those rules and District 109 Board policy, here are the procedures for public comment:

Members of the community who address the Board during community participation will speak from the podium or other speaking platform provided in front of the Board. They should introduce themselves and describe their relationship with the District (e.g., “Parent of children who attend Wilmot and Caruso,” or “Community member with no children in District 109 schools.”).
Community participation is your opportunity to present information to the Board. The remainder of the meeting is for Board discussion.
You can comment once during each community participation period. During the first community participation period, please only address topics that are listed on the agenda so the Board can hear discussion about items on which they may take action during the meeting. The second community participation period, at the end of the meeting, is open to discussion of any topic. If you have questions or comments about what you heard during Board discussion in the meeting, please share it during the second community participation period.
If there are many people who would like to speak or other time considerations, the Board may choose to limit the first community participation period to 45 minutes; if there are a significant number of community members who would like to speak, the Board may also limit each individual’s comment period to two minutes in order to allow everyone an opportunity to be heard. The second community participation period will have no time limit.
The Board will offer quick answers when possible. When questions require research or longer responses, or if time gets short, the Board or administration may follow up with answers either via email or by posting information online if appropriate.

Upcoming Meetings

May 19 2025

IASB Closed Session Board Governance Workshop

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

517 Deerfield Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015, USA

Jun 17 2025

Regular Board of Education Meeting

7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Board Norms

The District 109 Board of Education has established norms to ensure responsiveness, transparency and effective operations.

Reviewed/revised: September 9, 2021; May 18, 2023; September 24, 2024

Concerns from the Community & Staff (“Customer” Concerns)

Board Members will listen carefully, remembering they are only hearing one side of the story.
Board Members will then direct that person to the person in the district most appropriate (Chain of Command) who is able to help them resolve their concern.
Board Members handling concerns in this manner will clarify that one Board Member has no individual authority to fix a problem.
Board Members will call the superintendent if they think this is an issue of concern.

Speaking with One Voice

Board Members have an obligation to express their opinions and respect others’ opinions.
Board Members understand the importance of speaking with one clear voice to both the Superintendent and the community.
The Superintendent is accountable only to the full Board of Education.
Board Members have the right to disagree with the decision of the Board, but will support the Board in its decision by abiding by the will of the majority.
No individual Board Member, other than the Board President, has the authority to act or speak on behalf of the Board without the consent of the Board.

Visiting Campuses

Board Member Use of Email

If an email is sent from a community member to the entire Board, the Board President and/or the Superintendent will respond.
If a Board Member receives an email from a community member sent to them individually, the Board Member may respond, and they may cc the Board President and/or the Superintendent.
Board Members will be judicious in their use of email and understand that most emails are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and as such can be made public.
In compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Board Members will not “reply all” to any District email.
Board Members will not email other Board Members stating their thoughts or opinions.

Communicating with Staff

Social Media

Board Committees

Committee agendas and minutes are available online.

For documents prior to 2018, visit the archive.

Executive Development Committee

Facility Development Committee

Finance Committee

Policy Committee

TrueNorth Representative

ED-RED Representative

Legislative Liaison

Joint Reduction in Force Committee

Board Policies

The Board of Education sets the policies of District 109. The online Board Policy Manual provides the Board of Education's policies and related regulations in a searchable, easy-to-use format.

Board Policy Manual

Board Member Training

All Illinois Board of Education members must receive training in professional development leadership (P.A. 97-8) and the Open Meetings Act (P.A. 97-504). Mandatory training will also be required after the new teacher evaluation requirements are implemented in each school district. For additional information, see Board policy 2:120, Board Member Development.

All of 109's Board Members have either completed these trainings (new members will complete them early in their first term):

The Basics of Governance
Open Meetings Act (OMA)
Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT)
Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members

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