I was born and raised in Chicago. My parents are both immigrants from Eastern Europe. I have one brother, a Chicago Police Officer. I attended Lane Technical High School in Chicago and was the first in my family to attend college studying Mechanical Engineering.
I married my lovely wife, Graciela, a Cuban immigrant and graduate of Niles West, and we moved to Skokie in 1986. I have two amazing children, Joseph A. who recently aged out of the Bridges program at Niles North and Cosette, a graduate of Niles West.
My son is a young man with special needs that required his needs to be serviced outside of my home elementary school district, Fairview South. His needs have given me the opportunity to be involved as a parent and advocate at Julia Molloy, John Middleton, Hynes Elementary, Rutledge Hall, Clarence Culver, Niles West and finally Niles North.
I am currently the Director of Operations of a company in Chicago.
I have served on the board of Have Dreams for seven years, serving as their president for two of those. HAVE (Helping Autistic Voiced Emerge) Dreams is a Chicago-area nonprofit serving children and young adults impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am an active supporter and volunteer at Misericordia Home, a nonprofit that supports more than 600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
I have the privilege to currently serve on the board of D219. I have been on it for almost six years. The first two as an appointed member and the last four as an elected board member.
I ask you to allow me the honor to continue my work at D219. I pledge that I will continue to be a good steward of our tax dollars and a strong advocate for a fair and equitable education and environment at the amazing schools of District 219. Please vote for me, Joseph Nowik for D219 School Board on April 6, 2021.