Question 3

Richard Evonitz -

To serve the public good. I believe in a life of public service. I am honored and humbled to be able to serve presently, and hope that I can continue to do so.

Kathleen Weiss Boyle -

As the parent of a current District 219 student, I want my child to learn and grow in an environment that reflects and respects our diverse and ever-changing world. Our school board must adapt and commit to seeing, hearing, acknowledging, and reflecting all of the voices in our community. There are many who have not or are not being heard - some because they have been dismissed, some because their first language adds a barrier to speaking out, and some who do not speak out due to fear. This is just not acceptable. Our school board has a limited number of seats at the table, but nobody in District 219 should ever feel unrepresented.

Elana Jacobs -

By serving on the 219 School Board, I am able to implement my education background and unwavering advocacy for youth, community accessibility, criminal justice, linguistic and ethnic diversity, and coalition building. I am a second generation Skokie resident, and I know that strong schools are an essential foundation for strong communities. I am really proud of the accomplishments that have been implemented from the school districts and have a chance to impact local politics. As a teacher, I am very much aware of all the stakeholders that it takes to build a strong community

I want to learn about the complexity of Niles Township, while fiercely advocating for all of District 219 students and education staff. I want to implement education policy by working with village trustees, county, state and federal government together to maximize funding for District 219. I want to help improve the learning experience for all stakeholders in District 219.

Ross Sawyers -

I am running for School Board of District 219 because I believe in the power, value and importance of the free and open exchange of ideas and understand the importance of a high quality, well rounded education. As a college professor, I see first-hand how secondary education prepares students for success at the college level and want to contribute my experiences and expertise to this body.

Naema Abraham -

We have a large population of immigrant and low-income families who are unable to advocate for their students. Being an immigrant myself and a person of color, I strongly align with these family groups, and feel I am the ideal candidate to advocate for these silent voices.

Irena Petryk -

Whenever people ask me why I want to be a school board member, I tell them the following story.

When I was a senior at Niles West, I made it a habit to check the bulletin board outside the guidance counselor’s office to find scholarships I could apply for. One day, a specific scholarship caught my eye. It was from a local Italian American organization, and it was only open to men. When I saw that, I started flipping through the rest of the listings, and I found no equivalent scholarship for female students — so I decided to create my own. Through the organization and execution of a charity basketball tournament, I was able to grant two scholarships to two female Niles West students who were the first in their family to attend college.

This is why I want to be a school board member: The position allows me to proactively identify and address problems within the district, working toward the future that our parents, teachers, and community members want: one where all students succeed.

Joseph Nowik -

I joined the board almost six years ago because as a long time resident, I saw the issues that D219 were experiencing at that time. The Superintendent and her administration were not serving the students and community properly. Policies were being violated. The finances of the district were in disarray. Facility projects were poorly planned and improperly built. Resources were wasted. The vision and mission for the district needed an important and critical correction.

I wish to continue as a board member to strengthen and grow the corrective actions I have participated in and implemented.

I want to help the district come out of this Covid Winter and make sure that we have the best institutions for the social, emotional and educational needs of our students post this pandemic.