District 15 - Keep Progressing

With five seats in the balance, the upcoming District 15 Board election is crucial. I have had the honor to serve on the D15 Board for the past two years. The experience has been both rewarding and illuminating. Like many others, the primary reason I live in this area is the quality of our schools. The goals of our school board should always be to improve the academic standing of our schools, to vigorously ensure that our children have the same opportunity to learn regardless of their background or where they live, and to make sure that the children are prepared academically, socially, and emotionally for the challenges they will face in high school and beyond. Our priorities should always be to improve the lives of our children, which in turn will improve the quality of the entire community. I have tried my best to be steadfast to these priorities while making some very tough decisions.

There have been many challenges over the last two years. District 15 has seen great success. I am proud to say that our kids' scores on both the IMAP and PARCC tests have shown great improvement during this time period, and the improvements are present throughout every demographic. District 15 maintains a very high academic ranking.

While maintaining this excellence, the Board made tough (and sometimes not popular) decisions that have provided incremental savings to the District. For example, we signed a contract with our teachers that has resulted in savings during its first year (from the past year) with increased savings projected for the remaining years.

These successes have been tempered by our inability to solve the full day kindergarten problem. The recommendations of our Facilities Committee produced an ambitious proposal that addressed the full day kindergarten issue and provided for a "community school" in the Northeast section of Palatine. The community school was designed to provide social services to bridge the achievement gap that currently exists in the District. The proposal was ultimately rejected, so the Board's work remains undone. The Board will not let these important ideas die. We will simply have to do a better job of creating and explaining a proposal that everyone can get behind.

Based on these experiences, I wholeheartedly endorse Peggy Babcock, James Ekeberg, Gerald Chapman, Adam Bauske, and David Border.

I have worked with Babcock, Ekeberg, and Chapman over the past two years. These leaders combine experience with compassion. While we have not agreed on everything, they have been able to debate ideas fairly and honestly. Most importantly, I know they put the interests of the children before politics or other outside interests.

Bauske has shown a similar interest in children. He can provide some new perspectives to the existing Board. Border has already shown great commitment to the District through his work on the Facilities Committee.

District 15 is a unique school district. We have been able to sustain excellence while undergoing significant demographic changes and facing uncertainties in state funding. Part of the success is because we have a Board that puts the children first without allowing politics to rear its ugly head. I have attended the PTA candidates forum and read the various articles regarding the current candidates. While I do not personally know all of the other candidates, I do know that Babcock, Ekeberg, Chapman, Bauske, and Border have shown dedication to ALL children. They cherish our schools and understand the vital role they play in the community. As a voter, that is most important to me.

If you believe in these values, these five candidates are great choices. Much work remains on multiple fronts including full-day kindergarten, expanding extra curricular activities, and improving the social services provided to those in need. Let's not stop the momentum. Keep progressing.

For a sample ballot consistent with these views, please click www.d15d211.org.

Make sure you vote!

Zubair A. Khan