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| SATURDAY APRIL 1 | SUNDAY APRIL 2 2017
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
NEWS ‘1984’ Continued from PG 1 Springsteen’s anthem “Born to Run” barely cracked the top 10 (it was No. 9). Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was only No. 5. (The top two slots were taken by Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and Madonna’s “Borderline,” respectively). But there was much more to 1984 than MTV and the mainstream hits, DeRogatis states. “You’re also talking about a period that is one of the key eras in the birth and early development of hip hop before there were any rules codified, and indie rock when it was underground and really only existing through fanzines and college radio, small clubs and indie record stores. You have bands like REM, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr. and The Replacements laying the groundwork for the underground that will explode in the 1990s with Nirvana and the alternative CANDIDATES Cont. from PG 1 Lisa Schneider Fabes: My professional and volunteer background will allow me to be an effective board member from day one. Professionally, I am a consultant for non-profits and local governments, providing strategic planning and program design services. Many of my clients are schools, districts, or organizations that serve them. I have also served as a District 39 volunteer in a variety of capacities. My jobs have varied from arts awareness chairperson to president of the Community Review Committee. Ellen Sternweiler: I’m a mother of three District 39 students, one at Romona and two at Wilmette Junior High School. I’ve been a small-business owner and entrepreneur for over 25 years; originally in marketing and communications and, more recently, as a specialty retailer and parent advocate focused on sensory needs and child development. Mark Steen: I am a Ph.D physicist, former equities analyst, and management consultant, having worked for Citadel and McKinsey & Company. I am also the current D39 School Board Vice President and the father of three D39 students. My experiences reflect my evidence-based and pragmatic approach to problem solving and dedication to education. Gail Szulc: I have dedicated my life to improving the lives of elementary school students, first as teacher, and then principal, in the Chicago Public Schools. As principal, l led my school, in just eight years, from the rank of 224
Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTY PEREZ.
to #3 in the city, with no increase in funding … no additional cost to the taxpayers. My background includes a master’s degree in Instructional Leadership, member of the Illinois State Board of Education school review team for Chicago schools, a former Leadership Coach for new principals in Washington D.C. Additionally, I was featured in Business Week for my efforts in accelerating student achievement; they noted “our nation must embrace reformers like Szulc”.
models, prior to moving here, has equipped me with a unique perspective to their advantages and disadvantages and how we might use that knowledge to benefit our district. As well, I’ve always strived to make a difference in my community: I’m currently the Romona School liaison to District 39’s Parent Association for Special Services. I’ve served as a national commissioner and Midwest regional board member of the Anti-Defamation League for over 18 years and standing chair of Chicago’s NPN Developmental DNS: Why did you decide to Differences Group for eight years. run for school board and what This civic mindedness, along with makes you a strong candidate? my broad base of personal and Jon Cesaretti: Our public entrepreneurial skills, makes me schools are important and deserve uniquely qualified to serve on the our time and attention; I would District 39 Board. Mark Steen: I am running for bring experience in financial and tax matters to the board. re-election to help continue D39’s Lisa Schneider Fabes: I am tradition of providing excellent running for school board because education in a fiscally responsible I am deeply committed to our manner. As a physicist, I believe community and to District 39, and in fact-based polices and objective I am passionate about advancing metrics. As a management coneducation. I have a unique set of sultant, I look for pragmatic soluskills and experience that I think tions that can be supported by all would enable me to be an effective parties. As a financial analyst and board member. Specifically, I have four-year member of the finance been an active volunteer in D39, committee, I have deep underworked on a number of school standing of the district’s fiscal reform initiatives as a consultant position. I am also closely conand as an employee of Chicago nected with the community: I Public Schools, and I am a mother spend most of my “free time” at and taxpayer. Please see www. Wings soccer games, Flying Fish LisaForD39.com for more infor- swim practices and school band mation about me. concerts. Ellen Sternweiler: We moved Gail Szulc: I’m retired now and to Wilmette 3½ years ago for its have the time and desire to give excellent education system and back to my own community where special services. However, my my husband and I have lived for experience successfully navigating 33 years, and my daughter atand advocating within a wide tended Romona. We need elected range of competitive school officials who strive to improve
student achievement, which has declined in relation to other North Shore districts, as well as keep property taxes down for older residents. My professional experience improving student performance without increasing funding is applicable to District 39. While my opponents will say they know how to improve our schools, I lived it for 35 years. District 39 schools are falling behind most of our surrounding communities on the North Shore. We can and should do better, and I want to share my expertise to ensure our students are prepared for life in the 21st century. DNS: What do you hope to accomplish and what are your top priorities? Jon Cesaretti: Continue to ensure that our children receive the finest K-8 education available; work with the board in coordinating matters that affect the overall tax burden (District 39 represents approximately 38% of our overall property tax burden) with other units of local government such as the library, the park district and the village. Lisa Schneider Fabes: I don’t have a defined agenda. Rather, I believe that District 39 has a history of providing a high quality education while being fiscally conservative. I want to help it continue on this path. Ellen Sternweiler: I’m committed to maintaining the high standards of education that our community expects and our students deserve, while consistently questioning, re-evaluating and devising new and innovative ways to meet changing demands and
movement. It never would have happened without those bands in 1984.” But really, the best year? If you have a problem with that, bring it on, DeRogatis encourages. “It’s always fun to have listeners say, ‘You forgot (this or that), and we say, ‘Make the case,’” he says with a laugh. “That’s the joy of it. There’s no right or wrong when you’re talking about art. We just like to get people thinking about it and maybe introduce them to music they don’t know. The perception remains--for a lot of older listeners especially--that ‘hip hop is not for me.’ Okay, let’s talk for a minute about Public Enemy. There is stuff here for you and (we present) a way to look at it.” But whether it’s 1984, 1966, or 1975, DeRogatis figures there is not one year in popular music “where we would not have something to say about it. Some years are better than others. But there
is never a bad year for music. It’s just a matter of how hard you have to look for this music.” DeRogatis anticipates there will be audience members who are nostalgic for the ‘80s. “And that’s fine,” he states. But it’s all about the conversation and feeding the insatiable hunger of rock music lovers. “It’s always fun when people come out (and they’re thinking), ‘I haven’t really thought about 1984; let’s see what these two bozos have to say about it. It can’t possibly be as good as 1964, the year I heard the Beatles.’ And I say, ‘Well, yeah, it was.”
expectations. Communication, collaboration and innovative thinking are essential to ensuring our district’s continued success. Mark Steen: I do not have a pre-determined agenda. My top priority is ensuring that D39 lives within the financial means of our community, while improving the district’s fiscal health and its students’ educations. The board will make decisions with long-lasting financial and educational impact over the next four years. I will work to ensure that we have strong decision-making processes, including informative communications, relevant facts, and support for effective action once the decisions are made. If we are openminded, clear-eyed, and resolute
in our decision-making, I think we will improve the already outstanding school system we have. Gail Szulc: As an elected school board member, my job will be to address the concerns of District 39 residents and students. Since the primary concerns are student performance and property taxes, those will be my top priorities once I’m elected. I will focus on evaluation of student performance and the appropriate changes to ensure our students achieve at the highest level and are adequately prepared for life in the 21st century. With careful examination of programs and student performance, we can perform at the very highest level without increasing property taxes.
Lake Forest High School is located at 1285 N. McKinley Road. The program begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for Historical Society members and $30 for nonmembers. Students and children are free. For more information, call 847.234.5253or visit www. lflbhistory.org.