WJ Election Guide 2023

It ’s time to vote. Here’s what you need to know

All democracy is local

And as Oak Park and River Forest move toward the Spring elections for village and school leaders, library and park o ces Wednesday Journal is o ering you this Election Guide. That coverage comes in print today and, more expansively at OakPark.com.

This year we have pro led almost every candidate in a contested election, held two candidate forums -- live and recorded. One was for school board candidates at Oak Park and River Forest High School, the other, just this week, featured the candidates for the Oak Park village board. Thanks to Charlie Meyerson and Doris Davenport for moderating these discussions

We’ve also sent detailed questionnaires to every candidate in a contested race. The answers to our questions are presented here in this Election Guide which was designed by Javier Govea, our editorial design manager.

Let’s start with the candidates.

There is something brave and generous, only occasionally

ego-driven, that leads a local person to run for local o ce We’ve been watching for 43 years and our observation is that with a dud once in a while, with people we have disagreed with on policy, that in our non-partisan elections almost all candidates run because they care about the high school or the parks, have a vision for the library, are committed to better village services or holding taxes or growing equity. Or all of the above

As you read these pages of questions and answers from each of these candidates know that there is a lot on the line this year.

Your vote truly matters.

Do you plan to early vote? The details on how to do it are just below.

And don’t miss the digital version of this Election Guide on our OakPark.com website. The Q&As are there in longer versions. Thanks to Stacy Coleman, our digital manager, for building out these sites. Finally, this expanded coverage is possible because of a donation to our Growing Community Media nonpro t from

Almost time for early voting

Here’s how and when you can vote

For the April 4 Consolidated Election – school board, village boards, park and library boards -early voting starts March 20 and continues through April 3.

Courtesy of the Cook County Clerk’s o ce we have all the early voting locations in our area and the hours when you can vote

What do you need to vote early?

Voters do not need to provide an excuse or reason why they cannot vote on Election Day.

Government-issued photo ID is not required but is helpful if there is a question about the voter’s registration, address or signature. Providing an ID can also speed up the process because we have ID card readers at every check-in station.

You can also register to vote at all the early voting sites. However,

any voter who needs to register for the rst time or le an address change must present two forms of ID, one of which shows the voter’s current address.

Voting equipment

Early voting is conducted on touch screens that store every ballot style in the county, permitting any voter in suburban Cook to vote at any location. Your ballot will remain secret and securely stored.

Early voting records

The names of all early voters are available to the public and are updated each day during Early Voting. Please call (312) 603-0900 for early voting information.

In-person voting only

Voters who participate in early voting must vote in person.

the Good Heart Work Smart Foundation. It has allowed us not only to fund our election reporting and create this guide but also to widely increase our circulation for this issue of Wednesday Journal.

We are mailing a paper this week to thousands of additional apartments, condos and single-family homes across Oak Park and River Forest. These are people who do not regularly receive the paper. We hope they will be motivated to vote, and, yes, we hope they will consider subscribing to our weekly print edition or become a donor on our digital side.

This election is in your hands. Educate yourselves on the issues and the candidates. And then seize the power of your vote.

Dan Haley EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Growing Community Media

Jessica Mackinnon ELECTION COORDINATOR Wednesday Journal

EARLY VOTING LO CATIONS (APRIL 4, 2023 C ONSOLIDATED GENERAL ELECTION)

OAK PARK VILLAGE HALL 123 MADISON ST OAK PARK, IL 60302 Monday-Friday

MAYWOOD COURTHOUSE ( WHITCOMB BUILDING), ROOM 104 1311 MAYBROOK SQUARE MAYWOOD, IL 60153

BERWYN CITY HALL 6700 W. 26TH ST BERWYN, IL 60402 Monday-Friday

ELMWOOD PARK VILLAGE HALL 11 W. CONTI PARKWAY ELMWOOD PARK, IL 60707

Monday-Friday

Why we no longer endorse candidates

Since 2020 Growing Community Media has been a nonpro t news organization. Because of that change we operate under regulations set by the Internal Revenue Service. Among those IRS require-

ments is the rule that as a nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonpro t that we are no longer permitted to endorse speci c candidates for o ce

That ended our long-standing process of interviewing all local can-

didates and o ering endorsements. In lieu of that we have stepped up our information gathering and reporting on the candidates and are presenting that to voters in this Election Guide.

SEE COMPLETE ELECTION GUIDE ONLINE

The early voting locations listed here are for Suburban Cook County voters only. If you live in the City of Chicago please visit chicagoelections.gov for their Early Voting locations

How would you de ne the role and responsibilities of village trustee?

The role and responsibilities of a village trustee are di cult understand for many members of the public and some trustees even after years of board ser

The village board oversees village manager, discusses and determines policy, discusses and determines budget priorities and the amount of the tax levy, passes laws and approves expenditures of > $25,000. Village trustees should not act in a supervisory manner to village sta ; the village manager is their supervisor and is responsible to the board for all of his/her employees

What do you believe is the most pressing issue facing Oak Park and how do you intend to address it?

The most pressing issue facing Oak Park is the same existential crisis that threatens the entire planet: climate change. No other issue has the potential to change our lives to the same degree. Even though the Great Lakes area is not experiencing increased hurricanes, tornados, and forest res, the recurrent deadly heatwaves, ozone action days, increased asthma rates, and ooding are just the tip of the iceberg of how our lives will change if climate change continues unchecked.

I want to do everything I can in my position as a trustee to make sure Oak Park village government is leading in climate change mitigation and prevention. The list below highlights what I’ve done so far and what I hope to do in my next term:

■ Created ad hoc Sustainability group - I became frustrated with the lack of action within village government to spend the village’s Sustainability Fund on projects that lower Oak Park’s greenhouse gas emissions, so I helped create an ad hoc sustainability group recognized by the village board and sta This group of local sustainability experts developed recommendations to

OA K PARK VILL AG E BOARD (5 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

the village board for the use of the Sustainability Fund. The recommendations passed unanimously in March 2021. Successfully advocated or funding development of Climate Action Plan, energy ciency and solar grants, and second sustainability coordinaor - As a result of the ad hoc group’s recommendations, a greenhouse gas inventory was completed, a consultant was hired to create our Climate Action Plan, and we o er energy e ciency retro t grants to low-income households and solar panel rebates.

■ Stimulated sustainable development - As the village board liaison to the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, I created expectations from developers to include sustainability elements in their buildings, resulting in solar panels, electrication, green roofs, and native plantings.

Our village government has come a long way in the past two years, but it is extremely important that we continue to move forward toward our goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. To assure that the climate action plan doesn’t sit on a shelf, trustees must lead in both policy and budgeting. We must have speci c plans for promoting and funding energy e ciency retro ts for all buildings, change our zoning code to require electri cation of all new construction, apply for grant programs to pay for solar and geothermal incentives, and develop innovative methods to o er EV charging for residents of multi-unit buildings, among many other initiatives that we simply must implement if we are going to meet our mitigation goals. I will advocate for regular reporting to the village board so we can hold village sta accountable to our climate action plan.

As a village trustee, how do you plan to tackle the grow ing rate of gun violence in Oak Park?

Gun violence is a national regional and a local problem. There is no magic answer Scholars identify a “crime triangle.” This consists of: 1) a desir of a criminal to commit a crime; 2) a target of the criminal’s desire; and 3) the opportunity for the crime to be committed. The Village should remove the opportunity as much as possible Individuals should be educated on how to stay safe. A more visible police presence would help deter crime. Studies show that criminals are more deterred by the risk of being caught than by the potential consequences. I will prioritize lling vacancies in the police department with top quality candidates who embrace our community policing model

SIMONE M. BOUTET

Because of the racial wealth gap, Oak Park’s racial diversity depends on a ordability. In my previous term, I advocated for and passed the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. The funds collected under this ordinance have paid for the creation of low-income housing, and funded programs that address the housing needs of the most vulnerable. I will continue to focus on housing a ordability in my next term. I also advocated to change zoning laws so that homeowners can create accessory dwelling units on their property This provides additional housing options

What areas did you nd most compelling about the results of the police department assessment and what still needs to be changed?

Crime and policing need to be addressed with a comprehensive strategy. Hiring and police presence is only one part of the equation. I will prioritize the following:

■ Collecting and reporting impartial policing data to build trust and accountability.

■ Providing a civilian response to non-emergency calls for service to reduce the use of sworn personnel. This is cost-effective and it matches the need for service

■ Enhancing the role of the Citizen’s Police Oversight Committee to be more effective accountability partners to the Village board.

■ Training 911 personnel in how to engage with callers who report a “suspicious person” to ensure they are reporting suspicious activity and not just a person.

■ Finding a location for and building a new police station.

How will you work with your fellow board members to ensure Oak Park’s affordability and diversity?

In my previous term, I voted to keep levy increases to a maximum of 3% per year. I will continue to do that to manage the tax burden in Oak Park. I will also look for grants to fund our social goals like the climate plan and examine every expenditure to ensure it efciently uses taxpayer funds to accomplish our goals.

What do you believe is the most pressing issue facing Oak Park and how do you intend to address it?

With four murders in eight months and reports of shootings becoming common, community safety is our top priority. Living a life free from crime is a human right. It is the duty of the Village to create a safe community for all who live here. This requires a multi-faceted approach – both short term and long term crime deterrence and prevention strategies. We have an excellent police department, but there is still a lot to do

I would like to build a regional intergovernmental and community-based safety collaborative. The goal would be to address the root causes of crime, determine which agencies are provide services and where the challenges lie, with the goal of assisting young people to make positive life choices and avoid a life of crime

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

SUSAN BUCHANAN

OA K PARK VILL AG E BOARD (5 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

Oak Park has received the results of a months-long police department assessment. What areas did you nd most compelling and what still needs to be changed?

■ Of the kids (age 18 or less) stopped by police from January 2015 to June 2020, 97% of them were Black. That’s a red ag indicator of bias and this needs to be addressed immediately

■ The OPPD su ers from several technology issues that would help us solve cases better, deploy resources more e ciently, and provide more transparency to the public. This work needs to get started as soon as possible.

■ The recommendation of the creation of an alternate Call for Service plan (non-emergency calls) was called out as a priority and the taskforce that we’ve convened is working on this issue already.

■ We have Village Ordinances that have the potential for disparate impact for marginalized populations Those ordinances have yet to come back to the Board. We should prioritize their return and modify them to remove that impact.

As we move further away from the height of COVID-19, what role do you believe the Oak Park Public Health Department will serve in the future?

First, I think OPDPH, under Dr. Chapple-McGruder, did a commendable job of protecting the village during the pandemic, under the most di cult circumstances one can imagine for that job.

I’m also mindful of the fact that OPDPH is just one of many resources our residents draw on. For example, Oak Park ran vaccination clinics throughout the pandemic, which were extremely valuable to parents, seniors, and other members of our community, but still a lot of our residents were vaccinated at area drug stores.

While I’m open to discussing OPDPH’s role, my priority is to ensure that we’re marshaling all of the resources we have available, public and private, village and county, to provide the

best possible health outcomes for everyone who lives in our village, while avoiding the creation of duplicative service o erings and sta .

That said, one area that I really think the OPPHD can have a huge impact is in the administration of our eventual non-emergency Call For Service implementation. That organization should exist outside of the police department and will likely have a huge part in answering mental health calls for service, it may make sense to have this new organization report up through the OPPHD as it aligns with the mission of public health and service.

What can be done to better serve those who live in rental units?

Oak Park has rental units that run the gamut on economics from a ordable to ‘luxury.’ Some of the things that we should do for some economic levels aren’t necessarily priorities for others. But for everyone, we should maintain our focus on making Oak Park a more a ordable village, increase our parking and transit options, and increase services to help mediate tenant/landlord disputes.

We should recognize that a lot of our rental units exist on the borders of Oak Park and create programs and outreach to create a better experience that’s more similar to the community that exists in our single-family home neighborhoods. To increase our racial and economic diversity, we should increase the availability of a ordable units, both naturally occurring and intentionally created.

And for those who have chosen to live in downtown Oak Park, we should continue to invest in creating a vibrant Oak Park that has a pronounced and welcoming sense of place, an atmosphere that encourages community, and a village that is diverse in the experiences that it o ers so that everyone, no matter the living arrangements that they chose, can feel welcome and enjoy their time here.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

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CORY WESLE Y

OA K PARK VILL AG E BOARD (5 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

In what areas do you belie the current village board has been successful and in what areas has it been less successful?

The current and previous boards have laid the groundwor towards making great strides on sustainability and equity, we must elect Trustees who ar ready to take that action further Climate Ready Oak Park (Oak Park’s Climate Action Plan) and the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative (C4) represent a comprehensive, long-range, regional approach to the ongoing climate crisis which, if fully implemented, will make Oak Park a leader in sustainability. Similarly, the Village’s new Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion O cer, Dr. Danielle Walker, has the expertise and systematic approach to ensure that the Village will be a leader on equity issues in the years to come—so long as Village Trustees consider her expertise in their decision-making process.

BRIAN STRAW

wners from across Oak Park, it has become evident that the illage needs to create a small business concierge–someone who assists small business ownnavigate the permitting and licensing processes, connects them with grant opportunities elevant to them, and advocates or small businesses within the illage. In addition, the Village and the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation can join forces to determine whether there might be opportunities to partner on providing low-interest loans to small businesses that, when paired with professional services available in the community, could support continued growth and prosperity.

What do you believe is the most pressing issue facing Oak Park and how do you intend to address it?

How would you de ne the roles and responsibilities of a village trustee?

First and foremost, a Village Trustee is a duciar y, elected to make decisions on behalf of the people of Oak Park. Making de cisions is challenging because each Oak Parker has a di erent experience, needs, wants, and political beliefs. It is crucial that we trustees listen intently to a many voices and perspectives as possible even seeking out voices that are missing from the conversation so that our decisions are inclusive and e cacious

What areas did you nd most compelling about the results of the police department assessment and what still needs to be changed?

There are at least two issues where Oak Park must act with more urgency: (1) making our streets and sidewalks safer for biking, walking, and public transit and (2) helping small businesses thrive in Oak Park.

The Village Board must prioritize making our streets safe for everyone living, working, and playing in Oak Park–whether biking, walking, driving, or using public transportation. We have seen tremendous ideas proposed by community organizing groups (like Bike Walk Oak Park), but the Village Board has yet to operationalize any of these into a clear vision for transportation safety in Oak Park. The Village Board must act.

Small businesses in Oak Park have had to navigate the pandemic, sta ng shortages, and rampant in ation over the past three years. The Village has a history of providing signi cant incentives to larger businesses and developments, but not o ering the same kinds of support to small businesses. Oak Park must work to ease the process of opening a new business in Oak Park and helping existing businesses in Oak Park thrive.

In my conversations with small business

It is impossible and disingenuous to look at any single issue in isolation. Instead, we have to acknowledge that each of the issues we face as a community are interrelated and need to be faced with a focus on equity, sustainability, and safety. Moreover, Oak Park needs to be proactive in building the Village we want for the next 50 years instead of simply responding to the problems in front of us today.

For example, we can look at the issue of public safety–which encompasses a wide range of issues including gun violence and other violent crime, transportation safety, and environmental issues. Gun violence and other violent crime is a signi cant and complex issue which requires a nuanced and intentional response. We need to deal with sta ng issues in the Oak Park Police Department; take a regional approach to addressing root causes of violent crime; and address gun violence as a public health issue–as I discussed at length in response to prior questions.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

It was generally understood that our police station was a high priority and needed to be addressed as it does not contribute to e cient or e ective operations. Also, our records management system and our computer-aided dispatch systems have functional challenges. I was somewhat surprised by the lack of consistency and clarity in establishing formal plans/processes for training, recruitment as well as coaching, and mentoring; those issues will need to be addressed too. I support the recommendations for eliminating ordinances that create a disparate impact on marginalized populations as well as pretext stops, which can lead to biasedbased contacts.

ry di cult to rein in spending-- but it ’s possible. Shifting from levies in the 6-9% range down to 3% (and in 2023 it ’s 0%) was not easy. It required both the cooperation of my olleagues as well as the buy-in from Village sta to get it done. he fact that trustees have the authority to tax residents and dramatically impact their personal nances is a responsitake lightly. During this year ’s budget discussions, I felt we should have reviewed expenditures more thoroughly because we ended up spending several million dollars more than last year. As duciaries of resident funds, trustees need to treat public funds with as much care and caution as they do their own. My goal as trustee is to increase a ordability in our village so that those that want to live here can a ord to stay here. I’ve made progress over the past 4 years despite the pandemic and how it impacted our collective nances. I always keep a ordability at the forefront of decision-making at all levels, and I hope I have an opportunity to continue making progress over the next 4 years

SEE CANDIDATES’ COMPLETE ANSWERS AND BIOS ONLINE

How will you work with your fellow board members to ensure Oak Park’s affordability and diversity?

Maintaining Oak Park ’s a ordability is a challenge, but necessary to maintain our diversity. Having a stable property tax levy plan has been a strong policy I have been trumpeting for several years. In 2017 when I took o ce, I set out to be tough on taxes I was told by so many people that in order to stabilize taxes, services had to be cut. What I learned in the process was that it ’s

A ordable housing has also been one of the most important issues in Oak Park for as long as I can remember. Oak Park ’s socio-economic diversity relies on the village taking an active role in maintaining access to a ordable housing in the village. One of my biggest achievements was enacting our Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. The ordinance covers a signi cant footprint in the village and makes new developments either provide a percentage of the building’s units at an a ordable price or provide a signi cant monetary contribution to the Village’s Housing Trust, which in turn funds a ordable housing initiatives. Since its inception just a few years ago, the IZO has raised well in excess of $3M.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

JAMES TAGLIA

OPRF HIGH SCHOOL D200 (4 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

What should be the time frame for deciding the scop and nancing for OPRFHS Project 2? Should the curren board make these critical decisions prior to the April election or should a newly constituted board have this responsibility?

My biggest concern with the current Project 2 is that the is so high that it will prevent us from making meaningful, muchneeded improvements to other aspects of the building for a generation. So far, there has been no board discussion of any trade-o s it will require, nor how any of the funding scenarios might a ect the future nancial position of the district.

If we are trading Project 2 pool-gyms for much-needed investments in academics, music, the heavily-utilized eldhouse, special ed, vocational ed, wrestling, gymnastics—things prescribed by the IMAGINE group—for 10, 20 or more years, this requires not only a robust board discussion, but a community one.

I know how badly some folks want to start digging a new pool, but I don’t see how you approve likely the largest single public investment in Oak Park and River Forest history with so little discussion or engagement on its ramications. This needs more than a few 20-minute board meeting discussions in the next two months

SOUDER

equire voter approval because they are intended for schools to do emergency work before a referendum can be held — like if a boiler breaks

Building a new pool-gym that has been prescribed for ve years is not an emergency, and the only eason no-vote bonds are being discussed is so that D200 can byvoters. It may not be illegal, certainly is unethical. Aren’t we in year 12 of pool discussions because of contentious and dubious tactics by the school over that time?

Project 2 supporters and the administration will tell us the current plan is the only way to meet the needs of our students, it’s legitimate because it was created by a group with community members and th4y will tell us it will have little to no tax impact. Sounds like they have a strong story to tell, so passage should be a slam dunk. Let them make their case and let voters decide.

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If there is any debt component included in nancing Project 2, should taxpayer have the opportunity to vote on this issue via a referendum?

As I said before, this is likely the largest single public expense in our two villages’ history and will determine how much can be invested in academic, arts and other athletics spaces for a generation. So, absolutely, voters must have their say. Full stop. Plus in the 2020 advisory referendum, Oak Park voters overwhelming voted that projects more than $5 million need to go to referendum.

Besides, this should not even be a choice. In Illinois, referendum bonds are for facility building, and the DSEB bonds the administration and others have been pushing for Project 2 are intended for EMERGENCIES. They do not

Some have mentioned there is a cost savings by using no-vote bonds instead of vote bonds. An expert I talked to said that gap can be minimized by more creative referendum bond structuring than what was presented by the consultant, which I think is being investigated by the Community Finance Committee. Even if it does take a little longer or cost a bit more, what will be the cost to the relationship with the community by intentionally bypassing them?

Are you in favor of returning sworn Oak Park and River Forest police o cers to the OPRFHS campus? If so, what would be the best way of doing this?

Quite simply, no. While I’m con dent our local o cers are capable, ethical and sensitive, studies show little to no bene t, and often terrible costs. Let’s keep trusting Principal Parker and her work on school culture, evolving the restorative justice program and taking great care of the school’s civilian safety and security team.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

BRIAN

Dreams begin here

OPRF HIGH SCHOOL D200 (4 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

What should be the timeframe for deciding the scope and nancing for OPRFHS’s Project 2? Should the current board make these critical decisions prior to the April election or should a newly constituted board have this responsibility?

There appears to be unanimity among the current seven board members, and at least three of the four candidates agree: Project 2 should be approved. The current board has been clear in its intention to resolve this issue during the current school year; approving Project 2 and settling on the appropriate funding strategy have been part of the board’s goals since September, and the Board and administration have moved steadily in that direction this entire school year. So, whatever the outcome of the April election, it’s clear that the project will move forward.

There is increasingly widespread community consensus that Project 2 is a necessary solution to the longstanding risks and unacceptable conditions in OPRFHS’s physical education learning spaces. That consensus is due in large part to the tours OPRFHS has conducted over the past year; as hundreds of parents and community members have seen the current conditions, most agree that it’s long past time to solve these facilities problems

The set of solutions in Project 2 were derived from the Imagine OPRF process–a community-led, transparent, needsbased process conducted in 2017-2018 to assess the entire campus and prioritize facilities needs, and a process worthy of the community’s trust.

Are you in favor of returning sworn Oak Park and River Forest police o cers to the OPRFHS campus? If so, what would be the best way of doing this?

I genuinely appreciate the overture of OPPD’s Chief Johnson, and her representation that sworn o cers will act as “visitors in the building.” But, whether in the possession of a teacher, an administrator, or a sworn police ofcer, the risk of having a loaded weapon inside the high school is simply too great. And let’s

be clear: that risk falls disproportionately on one group, young Black men. Except in the case of an emergency/active shooter situation, I am strongly opposed to the presence of weapons inside the high school. Therefore I would be opposed to sworn police o cers patrolling the halls of OPRF

How do you believe the school district will know, and over what timeframe, that the restructuring of the Freshman Curriculum is working?

This is a potentially transformative initiative that cannot be allowed to fail. I support the goals: to maintain academic excellence, and to make sure that every student has true access to that excellence. It will be among the board’s and administration’s highest priorities in the coming years. I would be committed to demanding as much data as possible; to sharing that data with the community as transparently as possible; with providing necessary supports, as well as supporting shifts in strategy dictated by the data; and to evaluating the initiative with candor and integrity. I am committed to ensuring this equity initiative is successful–which will surely require close, careful attention over the next four years (and more) and agile response to key indicators We should track closely all possible data, and try to identify every early lesson we can glean from the data as it appears throughout the school year. The administration would be well-served to publish the most important criteria we expect to use to evaluate progress–even those criteria for which we will not have actionable data until future years (such as AP test results from the current freshman class). This will help the entire community understand the incremental progress being made, as well as to continue to set expectations around the very long-time horizon this initiative anticipates. For the short term, though, the job is to be alert to every possible story the early data tells us, and to consider whether additional or di erent supports or approaches are indicated.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

What should be the time frame for deciding the scop and nancing for OPRFHS’s Project 2? Should the curren board make these critical decisions prior to the April election or should a newly constituted board have this responsibility?

From what I understand, it is anticipated that the current board will be making this decision prior to the newly-elected board members assuming o ce. Assuming this holds true, this is the right call. No one has been more intimately, empathically and critically involved in the Project 2 community-wide process than the current OPRFHS board. As such, I trust that they will act with integrity in making the right decision here.

If there is any debt component included in nancing Project 2, should taxpayer have the opportunity to vote on this issue via a referendum?

Taxpayers should always have the opportunity to vote via referendum if a signi cant debt component should emerge in the nancing of any public project.

Are you in favor of returning sworn police o cers to OPRFHS? If so, what would be

OPRF HIGH SCHOOL D200 (4 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

the best way of doing this?

I am not in favor of this. Instead, I believe that we need to invest in greater capacity to serve the social, emotional, and mental health needs of our students

How do you believe the school district will know, and over what timeframe, that the restructuring of the Freshman Curriculum is working?

We should start to see what is working by looking at grades and test results by the end of the rst year, but a commitment to meaningfully assessing all signi cant curriculum changes should involve consistently gathering feedback from teachers, students, sta and parents

What is your assessment of OPRFHS’ shift from a more traditional punitive disciplinary approach to a more restorative approach? Do you believe that it is working?

I am thrilled to see that OPRFHS is embracing restorative practice to inform its disciplinary orientation. I am a huge advocate for integrating restorative practice not just when it comes to discipline, but also as a means of improving culture and communication at all levels of the school.

What should be the time frame for deciding the scope and nancing fo OPRFHS’s Project 2? Should the current board make these critical decisions prior to the April election or should a newly constituted board have this responsibility?

I am comfortable that both scope and nancing plan be decided by the existing board. Those current members have all been steeped in the issues for at least two years.

If there is any debt component included in nancing Project 2, should taxpayer have the opportunity to vote on this issue via a referendum?

Philosophically, I believe that the best practice for the funding of long-term infrastructure projects is the use of capital referendum bonds

Are you in favor of returning sworn police o cers to OPRFHS? If so, what would be the best way of doing this?

trying to serve. This would have to begin with the voices of the students, faculty, and administration to ar ticulate the why of such a move. I don’t think the board should make such a decision unilaterally

How do you believe the school district will know, and over what timeframe, that the estructuring of the Freshman Curriculum is working?

The honors-for-all strategy is an iterative process that will take time to evolve. Having said that, my assumption is that the rst point of meaningful data would likely come after the conclusion of the rst full academic year of the strategy’s implementation, and in the form of grades.

SEE CANDIDATES’ COMPLETE ANSWERS AND BIOS ONLINE

We rst have to ask the question of what purpose or objective the return of school resource o cer(s) to OPRFHS would be

What is your assessment of OPRFHS’ shift from a more traditional punitive disciplinary approach to a more restorative approach? Do you believe that it is working?

I would not want to see a return to “traditional punitive” approaches to discipline, which historically have consisted of out-of-school suspensions that do not constructively address the needs and issues of at-risk youth.

GRAHAM BRISBEN

JONATHAN LIVINGSTON

RIVER FOREST D90 (4 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

Do you support District 90 adopting all-day k indergarten and, if so, why?

Yes, I am in support of adopt ing the all-day k indergar ten in River Forest ’s elementar schools. My strongest argument: generational evolution. River Forest has evolved from 10 years ago, where it was town of nannies and grandpar ents, to a place where involved work ing parents want to see increased student growth and student interac tions. All-day k indergarten would provide the face-to -face interac tions and actual learning that children lost during the pandemic. All-day k indergarten in River Forest is “ building a better boat.”

What do you believe will be the gr eatest challenges if expanded k indergarten is approved? Costs, nding adequate sta , facilities?

The greatest challenge is preparing for the unknown. We can never truly prepare for the number of students who might enroll in all-day k indergarten classes. If there is a dramatic increase in enrollment, although cost and facilities have been analyzed, the biggest cost would be construction and facility additions

Given the nationwide teacher shortages, sta ng is always di cult. Howeve r, R iver Forest and Oak Park are destination districts, and we are hopeful that excellent sta will continue to be acquired.

Do you believe that our children, especially by middle school, are dealing with more concerns over mental health than in the past? What is the public school system’s role in providing mental health services and resources to children and families? How is District 90 performing?

Yes, there are more concerns. Why? Because children have access to phones and social media at birth. Access to social media has created exposure to increased

social pressures in early adolescence. Regardless of the lters and monitoring, children nd themselves involved in viewing and participating in activities that rob their childhood causing increased mental health concerns.

S chool is an institution at which instruction is given in a particular discipline. Why do schools exist? S chools exist to help children learn and grow into productive adults. S chool provides a structured environment in which students can explore their interests and develop skills that will be useful in their future lives. S chool is now also a safe space for children to unpack their thoughts and feelings about the wor ld around them. S chool ensures that children are mentally and developmentally ready for the real wor ld by providing lessons which will bene t them later into adulthood.

Over the past ve years, District 90 has added school social wor kers, psychologists, and school nurses to the sta at all three schools. District 90 is also taking advantage of local nonfor-pro t programs as well as Township Youth Ser vices to provide various resources for the children in District 90.

In the radical transformation in teaching caused by COVID-19, what did District 90 learn or invent that should be retained in teaching?

I think the new learning has paved a way for students to interact more with each other in District 90. Likewise, students can really engage with the content in ways that t their unique learning styles. Teachers in District 90 are creating di erent learning pathways which they can monitor in their small groups and through digital feedback provided to children.

CA LVIN DAVIS

Do you support District 90 adopting all-day kindergarten and, if so, why?

Yes, I believe it is important for River Forest to o er fullday kindergarten. I do not feel the scholastic programing in the current half-day model is adequate.

From my discussions with parents and teachers, one of the major drawbacks of the current half- day model is that families are required to supplement the half-day program with a number of additional scholastic programs available nearby. Therefore, when children arrive in rst grade, they come in at di erent competency levels with di erent educational backgrounds, given the di erent programs they attend in addition to half-day kindergarten. In other cases, children come to rst grade with no additional schooling other than the half-day program which may leave them at a disadvantage. First grade teachers are required, then, to spend an inordinate amount of time bringing students that are behind up-to-speed and harmonizing the various educational backgrounds of students. This time and e ort could be better utilized direc tly on learning curriculum if students arrived with more similar educational backgrounds and experiences.

O ering full-day kindergarten is important from an overall community standpoint as well. I have personally heard from families that have decided not to move to River Forest and decided instead to move to Oak Park and other nearby neighborhoods simply because they do o er full-day kindergarten. So, by not o ering full-day kindergarten, we are putting ourselves at a disadvantage relative to other nearby neighborhoods in terms of attracting new families. If not addressed, this could impact property values negatively over time.

Do you b elieve that our children, especially by middle school, are deal-

RIVER FOREST D90 (4 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

ing with more concerns over mental health than in the past? What is the public school system’s role in providing mental health services and resources to children and families? How is District 90 per forming?

I believe we are all still recovering from COVID-19 and the recove ry may continue for years. I n addition to COVID, other considerations such as social media usage are having a negative impact on our children’s mental health overall. I t does seem children today are facing more mental health challenges than in the past

Public schools can play a role in addressing children’s mental health concerns but I do not believe we should rely solely on the school system. Communication is an important aspect. I believe teachers, given the amount of time they spend with our children, can help identify when a student may be disproportionately su ering from mental health issues. To the extent parents, teachers, and administrators can communicate more frequently and e ectively on this issue, we should be able to identify children that require additional mental health support and, from there, families can work with schools and other outside providers to get kids the help they need.

I also believe transparency and communication is critical in dealing with children’s mental health issues. I do not think the school system should attempt to deal with speci c mental health concerns without involving parents and guardians. I believe we will be most effective in identifying and dealing with mental health issues, if parents, teachers, and district administrators work together.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

What do you b elieve will be the greatest challenges if expanded k indergar ten is approved? Cost, nding adequate sta , facilities?

I don’t see sta ng availability nor facilities as the issue We h ave proven we can hir great teachers – and we d have enough facilities to a ccommodate full-day k indergar ten, albeit with some recon guration. Cost will be the challenge. It will require some additional one-time costs as current buildings undergo some limited re -tooling. There may be an additional annual cost if district o ces move and lease o -site o ce space (if that option is implemented). But the relevant cost of this change is additional teachers. These additional ongoing operational costs, as a portion of the distric t’s budget, should represent approximately 10% additional personnel expenditures – so most achievable. There are a number of ways that this amount could be covered, and meeting the cost challenge will require exploring all of those mechanisms carefully and perhaps with some cost reduction as par t of the equation.

What do you consider as District 90’s greatest challenges in addressing learning loss during the pandemic and the social impac t of remote learning for, at least, some students?

these e o rt s. Families should ealize that they have a par t to play in recove ry and should be ever more attentive to nding ways to support this. Ma ny already are--through private tutoring, library o e rings and ratcheted-up parent engagement in homework, for xample. Finally, one of the greatest fac tors in increased learning is “ time - on-task .” Now especially -- we should protect the full school day and school year. While the state has guidelines on “Days That Count for Attendance” to meet their minimum requirements, District 90 should have a s our guidepost in this time of recove ry preserving time - on-task. COVID dug a hole that was no one’s fault, and we must climb out of it together I believe we will be able to accomplish this together -with grace and aplomb.

Do you b elieve that our children, especially by middle school, are dealing with more concerns over mental health than in the past?

AND BIOS ONLINE

What is the public school system’s role in providing mental health services and resources to children and families? How is District 90 performing?

There has been learning loss, undoubtedly. Mak ing up for lost time will require wo rk on the part of families and the school distric t. We should monitor academic progress and be open about the data that we receive. Teachers and counselors are already identifying individuals’ needs as a result of learning loss. They are already communicating with families and coaching families in order to maximize recove ry. The teachers and counselors should be applauded, and suppor ted in

The need for wraparound mental health for all students – those with speci c long-term and/or situational needs, and those for whom we want to preser ve and promote mental health wellness—has increased over the last many years, including the COVID years. District 90 and families have collaborated well to identify needs and to increase resources, as well as to p rovide additional training for frontline teachers. I think District 90 has done ve ry well on this front.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

KRISTINE MACKE Y

JOE CO R TESE

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RIVER FOREST D90 (4 C ANDIDATES FOR 3 OPEN SEATS )

Do you support D istrict 90 adopting all-day k indergarten and, if so, why?

Ye s. I made a public comment at a school board meeting in favor of full-day k indergar ten in 2015. I’m glad that the school board is seriously considering this option.

Young learners need more time in school to keep pace with the I llinois Learning Standards, which build on the common core standards for English language arts and math. As Lori Suzuki, Lincoln S chool k indergar ten teacher, explained during her comment at the school board meeting on February 7, “expectations have changed.”

Ms. Suzuki went on to point out that the half-day program is fast-paced, and that it can be challenging to meet the needs of all students, especially those who have pull-out interventions during the day. I n addition, she noted that children need more time for creative play to i nterac t with each other

What do you b elieve will be the greatest challenges if expanded k indergar ten is approved? Cost, nding adequate sta , facilities?

Expanding to full-day k indergar ten will double the number of k indergar ten teachers, and we need to b e honest about the fact that the additional funding needed fo r salaries—already the largest cost for a school distric t—will be the most signi cant long-term cost. At the February 7 board meeting, the principals of Lincoln and Willard schools laid out plans for creating the necessary classroom space, and District 90 has historically been able to attract talented teachers to ll vacancies.

Overall, the bene t of full-day k indergar ten likely outweighs the additional cost. A 2014 study by D r. Chloe Gibbs used a randomized controlled trial—the gold standard for education research—to measure the bene ts of full-day k indergar ten

on literacy at the end of k indergar ten. Compared to half-day indergar ten, Dr. Gibbs found that full-day k indergar ten had a positive impact large enough to be cost-e ec tive. I n 2017, in a separate study, Dr. Gibbs found that the bene ts of full-day k indergar ten persist through seventh grade for English language arts and through eighth grade for math.

Do you b elieve that our children, esp ecially by middle school, are dealing with more concerns over mental health than in the past? What is the public school system’s role in providing mental health services and resources to children and families? How is D istric t 90 performing?

Ye s, I believe that today’s children are dealing with more mental health issues than in the past. While R oosevelt M iddle S chool is far more dynamic today than when I was a student there in the 1980s, with, for example, more clubs, more activities, and more sports to engage students, at the same time today’s students have endured both the social isolation of the pandemic and the unrelenting scrutiny of the smar tphone. Bullying existed then as it does now, but it was not supercharged by technology. So, in the 2022 I llinois Youth Sur vey for R oosevelt S chool, a f th of eighth graders repor t that in the past year they drank alcohol, about a quar ter report being bullied, and a quar ter report being depressed. B ecause mental health issues can interfere with learning, schools should alleviate p roblems that students experience at school. District 90 has a strong core o f social workers who have helped many students, but they are stretched thin by the demands placed on them.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/election-guide-2023

ERIC ISENBERG