Kathleen Weiss Boyle grew up in Chicago as a second generation American, attended Chicago Public Schools, and is the youngest of six children. She resides in Skokie, Illinois with her husband of nearly 28 years, their 2 children - the youngest of which is a current Niles West student, and their rescue dog.
Kathleen has served on the PTAs at Decatur Classical School and Thorp Scholastic Academy, as well as on the local school council at Palmer Elementary School. As a devoted supporter of public education, Kathleen has co-organized fundraisers; participated in revitalizing and building new school playgrounds; supported academic, athletic, and artistic initiatives; and marched with CTU Local 1. She was an original supporter of Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education, and has travelled with them to Springfield to advocate for equitable funding for Illinois public schools. Now, Kathleen is running for District 219 school board because she believes that the district that brought her family to Skokie could still do better by its students, teachers, and overall community.
After a career in Materials Management, Kathleen chose a path that allowed her the flexibility to prioritize family life. As a real estate agent for over twenty years, she has been able to be an active participant in her children’s education and school communities, while helping other families find affordable housing, provide them resources on school districts that worked best for their families, and avoid falling victim to predatory lending and real estate practices. She considers her life’s work to be helping people find a sense of community and belonging in the place they call home. With vast experience in managing multi-million-dollar budgets and inventories, and drafting and negotiating contracts, Kathleen is also ready to get to work addressing financial issues, needs, and projects that impact District 219.
Kathleen wants to ensure that every student in the district has access to opportunities to succeed in a welcoming environment, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ability. Kathleen will advocate for differentiated physical education courses and the expansion of class offerings and available seats that will expose and prepare students for a variety of career opportunities and highly-skilled in-demand trades, as well as college.
Kathleen will press the district to promote the programs and services that support both Special Education and students whose families may be experiencing food, financial, and housing insecurity so that those students can focus on reaching their full potential.
Kathleen is committed to the development of hiring practices that continue to attract and retain top-tier talent while reflecting the demographics of the district.
Simply put: To RAISE leaders, we must BE leaders. Kathleen will work hard to build a model school district that demands equity, transparency, accountability, and integrity in our schools while promoting excellence and opportunity for everyone who lives, learns, works and grows in District 219. Because of a mutual commitment to these ideals, Kathleen has chosen to run as a member of the Progressive Slate for District 219 with Irena Petryk, an exceptionally accomplished, driven, and well-qualified woman and District 219 graduate who is wired in to our student and teacher community, and Elana Jacobs, a second-generation Skokie resident, a seasoned educator and STEM teacher, and active community leader. For more information, please visit D219Kathleen.com.
Kathleen Weiss Boyle is ready to serve, and is asking for your vote on Tuesday, April 6th.