Concerned community stakeholders filled up the public comment section of a recent special meeting of the District 113 School Board’s special meeting to voice frustrations over major changes that could be on the horizon for Focus on the Arts, a biennial festival in Highland Park that dates back to the 1960s.
After the May resignation of longtime Focus on the Arts coordinator Jody Weinberg and the extensive planning required for the event, which has traditionally taken place at Highland Park High School, the time frame for the 2023 iteration is still to be decided.
Usually taking place in April, the event has regularly attracted big-time talents in art, music and other creative industries to Highland Park.
Highland Park High School alums Rachel Brosnahan, who won an Emmy for her starring role in the Amazon Prime series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Chicago P.D.” actress Melissa Carlson and David Rudman, a writer and producer who voices Cookie Monster on Sesame Street are a few among scores of prestigious names to have appeared at the event.
In an interview with the News-Sun, Superintendent Bruce Law said rumors circling on social media or among residents that District 113 administration officials had considered canceling the event are not true.
Security concerns, however, have made District 113 uncomfortable with opening Focus to the public during the school day, as it traditionally has.
“There is a concern (about security), and we are not going to open up our school so that anyone from the outside can come in,” Law said. “That said, there will be a community event because we know that this is really important for the community, so there will be opportunities for the community to be part of Focus on the Arts.
“But we’re not going to open the school so that anyone can walk in and be in the school among our students all day long.” he said.
He added that District 113 officials are planning to alter the format of the event to include Deerfield High School, which is also in the district, and that Weinberg’s resignation creates a large void of expertise and connections in putting on the event successfully.
The form that expansion takes is “another question,” Law said, which is still under consideration.
“One point in the discussion came up (on Aug. 29) that the plan was for this to be a capacity building year,” Law said. “That was before the current coordinator resigned her position. Now that we know we’re going to have a new coordinator in that role, it can’t be the same event that she’s been putting on for 12 years because no one has that knowledge and experience with Focus that she has.”
Gerry Keane, who said she was a member of Highland Park High School’s Class of 1963 and had previously volunteered at the event, commented during that meeting that she was worried that students might not get the opportunity to fully enjoy Focus in the Arts after a traumatizing summer and the pandemic.
“These kids did not get Focus two years ago,” Keane said. “These seniors deserve to have a special time, we all deserve to have a special time and you guys do as well.”
” (There is) a devoted group of parents that have worked on Focus for free, who have coordinated everything, who haven given two years of their life to plan it,” Keane added. “We have had staff who have done a yeoman’s job handling their own classroom, as well as supporting Focus. It’s like a family. It’s like a community working together. It’s more than just an arts program.”
Law said he understands the concern from participants in Focus on the Arts, and emphasized that the district is planning to continue to invest resources in the event. He added that the district has spent tons of time it normally would planning Focus on responding to the tragic Fourth of July parade shooting earlier this summer.
The fourth-year superintendent added that a new coordinator could be approved by the school board at its next regular meeting on Sept. 13.
“That’s our intention,” he said.
Highland Park junior Kai Haggerty spoke about a discussion her English class is having over the book, “Educated” by Tara Westover, and how she thought Focus is “really important.”
“I think our biggest discussion we’ve been having in class is, being educated is not just something you read in a book; it’s not just what you learn in school,” Haggerty said. “It’s about the meaningful experiences, and what inspires curiosity and what enriches you. That’s what makes you educated, that’s what makes you become a learner.”
“So much of school is just the daily grind of getting your work done, and there’s not many things that inspire curiosity,” Haggerty said. “I think that Focus is a thing that does that. I think it’s a thing that’s unique and it’s different. I grew up going to Focus, some of my best memories are from Focus, and I’ve always wanted to be a part of it.”
Another public commenter, Elisa Drake, said she graduated from Highland Park High School in 1987 and was heavily involved with Focus on the Arts as a student.
“It’s learning how to put something together. It’s the business of it. It’s the reward of it, when you’re done with it,” Drake said.
Drake welcomed the idea of including Deerfield High School in the event, but was worried about possible changes for this school year.
“There is so much work that has been done, and it has been done for decades,” Drake said. “Maybe there are some changes to be made, but maybe this isn’t the year to make them. Maybe we do what we’ve always done, have a huge, successful event and then make some changes.”
She said major changes to the event would not take into account the excitement for the event that has built up for students and community members while it has been on hold.
Weinberg also publicly commented about how she had been working to continue planning the event until the effective date of her resignation at the end of August.
“I believe (Law) asked people to not respond to my inquiries, and he did not respond to most of them,” Weinberg said.
She said she believes Law handled the situation “poorly and unprofessionally” and that Law, who joined the district in 2019, “does not lead with grace and transparency, but is manipulative and deceitful.”
“I cannot even imagine why our superintendent, who is responsible for thousands of students, hundreds of employees, two school buildings and athletic facilities is micromanaging Focus on the Arts.”
The board did not mute Weinberg’s comment, but as she continued over the allotted three-minute period, a message that read, “BIG TIMER” flashed across the screen.
“I am not looking for apologies or excuses,” Weinberg said, “but rather, I am asking you to take a step back, allow our students the Focus they were looking forward to and need now more than ever.”
