Junior Olin Wilson-Thomas was sworn in as the Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education student representative at Monday’s board meeting.
“If it’s a priority for you, it’s a priority for me,” Wilson-Thomas said, speaking about his campaign promises.
“I ran a populist campaign. I intend to run a populist student government here at ETHS for the next year,” he added. “I hope to represent each and every voice at ETHS to the best of my ability. I look forward to working with you all on this board to do just that.”
Wilson-Thomas replaced ETHS senior Eva Hansen, who will be attending Brigham Young University in the fall. In her final student board report, Hansen shared how her time as student representative has shaped her future career plans.
Hansen said that she eventually plans to attend law school and work in government, in part due to her experience with the board.
“Watching you all has taught me so much about governance and education and it has truly changed my life and the trajectory of my career,” Hansen said. “So thank you so much for everything.”
Board members Leah Piekarz and Elizabeth Rolewicz commended Hansen’s ability to seek out the voices and experiences of others when making decisions.
Board President Pat Savage-Williams was also unanimously reelected as board president for the 2026-27 school year, with Monique Parsons returning as vice president, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Pete Bavis as secretary and Chief Financial Officer Kendra Williams as treasurer.
Following up on her quarterly update at April’s board meeting, ETHS Principal Quiana McNeal delivered a presentation on the school’s evolving attendance and tardy policies.
After extensive student and staff engagement, McNeal and Director of Student Services Munirah Bolis proposed replacing ETHS’ No Credit Policy with a multitiered intervention-based support system.
Currently, if students rack up six or more unexcused absences for a class throughout the quarter, they will receive “No Credit” for the course, even if they have a passing grade.
Bolis said the No Credit Policy was “irrelevant” because 42% of students earned a failing grade in the classes they received no credit in due to absences.
Enforcement of the No Credit Policy was also inequitable, Bolis said. No white students lost credit due to the policy, while enforcement was 8% to 9% for Black and Latino students, according to Bolis.
McNeal and Bolis also proposed capping the number of tardies that “roll over” into the next school year at 11, the same number that places students on tardy probation from school activities and events.
McNeal said she hopes the change will offer students a better chance at a “fresh, manageable start to work off their tardies” through various remedial programs.
At the start of Monday’s meeting, students and board members were temporarily evacuated from the meeting room following an undisclosed interruption.
“We wanted to make sure you had no trauma this evening,” Savage-Williams told the students in attendance when they were allowed to return. “We took care of what we needed to take care of, and the police are now dealing with the situation, so we should be able to proceed with our meeting as planned.”
Once the disruption was resolved, students on ETHS’ DECA team were recognized for their success at the state competition earlier this year. DECA focuses on marketing and entrepreneurship education and hosts competitions where students showcase their business skills.
Many students placed highly across multiple categories at the state DECA conference. Two students went on to place top 10 in their respective events at the international competition.
The board also approved five new courses for the 2027-28 school year, including AP Cybersecurity, a class focusing on national leadership, a yearlong independent science research course and dual-credit psychology and oceanography courses through Oakton College.
Five foreign-exchange students briefly presented to the board about their time at ETHS. The students noted the diversity of ETHS’ student body, extracurricular opportunities and academic choices.
“Here, it’s like a big family,” a student from Italy said.
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— ETHS principal delivers quarterly update on attendance and tardiness
— Mapping Black Evanston: History Harvest unites residents, preserves collective memories
— D202 board calls for accountability following racist remark at February girls basketball game
