Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

Dear Oak Park Family,

The 2025-26 school year is officially here! We are thrilled to open our doors and welcome back our amazing students, staff, and families. We extend a warm welcome to all families joining Oak Park Schools for the very first time. Whether you’re beginning preschool, transitioning to a new building, or stepping into your senior year, this school year is filled with opportunities, growth, and unforgettable experiences, and we can’t wait to begin this journey together.

At Oak Park Schools, our top priority is your child’s success. We are committed to creating safe, supportive, and engaging learning environments where every student is encouraged to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Our educators and staff are committed to delivering exceptional instruction, fostering meaningful learning experiences, and cultivating strong partnerships with families.

This year, we will continue to hold high expectations for every student and provide the guidance and support needed to meet them. We believe in the power of education to change lives, and we are honored to work alongside you to help your child reach their fullest potential.

While there are uncertainties in education today, particularly surrounding access to free school meals, we want to reassure our families that Oak Park Schools is privileged to have secured funding that ensures free breakfast and lunch for every student for the next five years. Our students will continue to have access to the same high-quality food services they have enjoyed in previous years, allowing us to remove barriers and support student well-being and success.

As we begin this new year, we encourage families to stay connected with your child’s school, engage in open communication with teachers and staff, and take an active role in their child’s learning journey. Your involvement makes a difference, and we are honored to collaborate with you.

We can’t wait to see the incredible things our students will accomplish this year. Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your commitment to education.

Here’s to a successful and inspiring school year!

Sincerely,  

Angel Abdulahad
Superintendent
Oak Park Schools

We are incredibly proud of the trendsetting Class of 2025 at Oak Park High School! This year’s graduation ceremony, held at the iconic Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, was nothing short of stunning. From heartfelt speeches to joyful celebrations, it was a memorable evening honoring the hard work and accomplishments of our graduating seniors. Special thank you to our keynote speaker, Lt. Governor,  Garlin Gilchrist!

💐 The event was a beautiful tribute to the resilience, leadership, and spirit that define this remarkable class.

📸 Want to relive the magic? A full recap of the ceremony is available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFXl_qS6h0U, so you can experience the highlights all over again.

Congratulations, Class of 2025 — the future is yours! 💫

Dear Oak Park Schools Community,

I am excited to announce the official launch of our newly redesigned Oak Park Schools website!

Over the past five months, our team has worked tirelessly alongside our partners at Foxbright to create a digital experience that reflects the heart of our district—our values, our priorities, and the incredible offerings at each of our schools. This new website is designed to serve as a refreshed “digital front door” for our district, improving navigation for students, families, staff, and community members while also welcoming new families who want to learn more about what makes Oak Park special.

While the new site is still a work in progress, it was built with mobile users in mind. Our analytics show that most visitors access the site on a mobile device, and we’re confident you’ll notice a vastly improved experience when browsing on your phone or tablet.

Accessibility was also a top priority. We’ve worked to ensure that every member of our school community can access important information with ease and reliability.

This website launch is just the latest step in our growing digital communications strategy. In recent years, Oak Park Schools has significantly increased its social media presence to spotlight the achievements of our students and staff. We’ve also adopted a more environmentally conscious approach by replacing printed flyers with digital communication, and we’ve updated our school-to-home communication tools to ensure more efficient, two-way dialogue with families.

We’ve also developed a separate website dedicated to facility improvements across the district, providing transparent updates on the progress of our learning environments.

Tell Us What You Think!

We know the new website is still evolving, and we truly value your feedback as we reshape how we share our story with the Oak Park community. Our goal has been to create a mobile-friendly design without sacrificing the robust, desktop-friendly content our families rely on. Please share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions by submitting them through our [Website Feedback Form].

New Website Highlights:

• Truly Mobile Responsive: Enjoy a much cleaner, more intuitive experience on your mobile phone or tablet.
• Updated Navigation: A restructured menu and audience-specific landing pages make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
• New Ways to Explore: Students and families can now discover our schools and programs in ways that were not previously possible.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to create a more connected, informed, and engaged school community.

Warm regards,

Angel Abdulahad
Superintendent
Oak Park Schools

Dear Oak Park Schools Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that you had a relaxing and joyful winter break. As we begin this new year together, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued support and dedication to Oak Park Schools. It is an honor to work alongside our educators, families, and community to positively impact the lives of every student. With great Oak Park Pride, I remain committed to serving as a positive light for our district and community.

Creating a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment for our students remains our highest priority. We are dedicated to supporting their well-being and academic growth, equipping them with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive. Achieving this requires teamwork, and I encourage you to actively collaborate with us.

There are many ways for parents and community members to get involved, such as attending school and community events, joining committees, volunteering their time and skills, sharing feedback, or supporting fundraising efforts whenever possible. Staying informed through newsletters, social media, and our district website is another great way to remain engaged and connected to our shared mission.

As we resume classes, we also look ahead to the second semester, which begins in just a few weeks. This marks an important milestone—the halfway point of the school year. It is critical that students remain focused, work hard, and strive to earn passing grades and credits toward graduation. Academics continue to be a top priority in Oak Park, and our dedicated teachers are here to guide students in developing the skills they need to succeed.

I am proud to serve as your Superintendent and deeply honored by the trust you place in Oak Park Schools to educate and inspire your children. Together, let’s make 2025 a year of growth, opportunity, and achievement for every student.

Thank you for choosing Oak Park Schools. Wishing you and your family a wonderful and successful new year!

Warm regards,

Angel Abdulahad
Superintendent
Oak Park Schools

Greetings Oak Park Family,

I am humbled and honored to serve as your Superintendent. I look forward to getting to know the community and establishing meaningful relationships with each of you.

I am a proud father of four amazing children, ranging in age from 6 to 16.  I am a husband to an amazing wife for the last 17 years whose everlasting support allows me to serve the families of Oak Park.

I started my educational career as a student of Oak Park in the 80s and 90s and graduated from Oak Park High School in 1994. I then proceeded in my education career as a classroom teacher at Pontiac Northern High School, teaching Spanish. I transitioned to Madison District Public Schools in 2013, where I served as a Spanish Teacher, Building Principal, and finally as the Superintendent until 2022 when I accepted the call to return home and serve Oak Park once again.

I pride myself on being a compassionate, empathetic, and committed leader who is able to support students through their educationaljourney. Since I began my career in education, my focus has been simple, to serve all students in our care to ensure they have what is needed to reach their full potential. I am a firm believer in “Service over Self” and “to leave things better than we discover them”.

I also believe in building strong community partnerships that support staff in their ability to carry out the district’s mission, vision, and goals. To my fellow educators who are fortunate enough to work with young people every day, we must never forget to cultivate their dreams and ambitions.

I am excited to work towards our goals as a community. I assure you that I will work tirelessly to help Oak Park Schools to continue to move in a positive direction.

Educationally yours,

Angel M. Abdulahad
Oak Park School District
Superintendent