Letter to the Editor: Endorsing a SLATE of Candidates

Written and submitted by David Small.

To Friends and Neighbors:

It is indeed a critical time for the leadership of our District 113 Board. We need a vision of the future, with a renewed focus on excellence and what is best for ALL of our students. We need a strategic plan, with a mission/vision, goals, action steps, metrics and milestones. We need to reform the governance model so that all voices are heard, that the time of the Board is focused strategically, and that transparency, engagement, and communication are integral to the governance process instead of an afterthought.

Prior to the District 113 Caucus process in November 2014, I had made a decision not to run for re-election and to spend more quality time with friends and family. After the Caucus results were published, many friends, colleagues, District 113 board members, and community leaders asked me to reconsider my decision. I promised to reconsider conditional upon being able to find three other candidates that shared the same fundamental vision for the District. There are four seats open for election. I believe that we need four positive leaders:

• each of whom is committed to: being accessible to all of our constituents, engaging positively with our staff and administrative leadership, rebuilding trust that is so important though transparency and collaboration, and being willing to discuss and debate all of the issues and challenges we face.
• with varied backgrounds and experiences that will bring a refreshing perspective to the oversight and management of the District from the way that business has been conducted for so many years.

• who have the proven experience in leadership positions in their professional and philanthropic lives, who have experienced first-hand and know the difference between rubber stamping and micro-managing and are willing to ask the important questions and to vote FOR consistent standards of excellence.

I did my research. I reached out, met and/or spoke with all of the viable candidates that had announced plans to run for or consider running for election. It is crystal clear to me that ALENA LAUBE, BILLY KERSTEIN and GEORGE SPATHIS are the three other most qualified candidates who share these important attributes and vision of positive leadership. Please reference our brief bios below. As regards the other candidates, thank you for your community service, for your genuine commitment to our schools and our District, and for your willingness to run for public office.

While we will represent the broader District 113 community, Billy Kerstein grew up in Deerfield, attended Deerfield High School, has children who attend Deerfield High School, and lives in Riverwoods. Alena Laube, George Spathis and I live in Highland Park and have children who have attended or currently attend Highland Park High School.

We have aligned to form a candidate group or SLATE seeking to fill the four upcoming vacancies on the District 113 School Board. Each candidate brings different, individual strengths and skills to the SLATE, but has the same fundamental goals for our District, and the shared belief in what it will take to get us there. We know that we may disagree on important issues and courses of action. Yet, we are committed to collaborating and discussing the issues, and understand the importance of open debate in identifying the best decision.

Our SLATE stands (literally) for Supporting Leadership, Accessibility, Transparency and Excellence.

We are committed to rebuilding trust and partnership with our constituents. If these principles are important to you, then make your voice heard--support the entire SLATE in the upcoming election.

I am honored to be personally endorsed and supported by two current mid-term Board members, Annette Lidawer and Julie Gordon (as individuals, and not on behalf of the Board). I have thoroughly enjoyed working collaboratively with each of them over the past several years and believe that we have many shared visions and goals.

I am also honored that the SLATE has received the endorsement and support from so many prominent elected officials and community leaders.

There are four seats that are open in this current election. Please vote for the four best candidates.

Please do not let others control or influence the course of the election through selective endorsements designed to encourage bullet voting and promote singular or dual candidates.

I believe that Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools are outstanding schools with extremely committed, caring and capable teachers and professional leadership.

Please help me, help our SLATE, and help the community to extend the excellence.

Thank you for your interest and for your support of our schools.

The SLATE is honored to have received endorsements/sponsorships from present and former public servants, former educators and administrators and District residents who have distinguished themselves through their commitment to our schools and our community (all endorsements as individuals, not in a representative capacity):

The Hon. Nancy R. Rotering

Hazel & Bud Herzog

The Hon. Alyssa Knoble

Lucille & Frank Perri

The Hon. Michael D. Belsky

Michael and Cari Sacks

The Hon. Dan Peirce

Joe and Sheila Gutman

The Hon. Jim Kirsch

Steve and Linda Feinstein

The Hon. Terri Olian and Rob Olian

Dan Jenks

The Hon. Annette Lidawer and Rob Rubin

The Hon. Yumi Ross

Lynne, Michael and Jimmy Lieber

Mara Meyer

Brad Swanson

Susan and Rod Humerick

Mitchel and Robin Roth

Amy and Andrew Small

Ed and Karen Weil

Elaine and Jimmy Klein

Arlene and Mark Frommer

Fran and Jeff Pine

Vicki and Rob Frazier

Steve Hara

Steve Wilneff

Michael and Ellene Shapiro

Sincerely,

David Small