GL_031617

10 | March 16, 2017 | The glenview lantern Election 2017
glenviewlantern.com
West Northfield D31 Board of Education (5 candidates, 4 seats)
Name: Laura J. Greenberg
Age: 41
cial innovation review, Lumina
Foundation, Teach-for-America,
Residence: Northbrook
Occupation:
Managing partner
Past local govern-
Communities-in-Schools and
ment/relative experience:
I bring
tremendous experience
to the School
Greenberg
Board. I have worked to optimize
educational outcomes and
have walked hundreds of different
schools nationally through
my work as SVP of New Futuro,
a social enterprise that partnered
with many outstanding organizations,
including Stanford’s so-
others to accelerate success in education.
I have served on several
not-for-profit boards, including
Northern Illinois Girl Scouts, the
D31 Education Foundation and
others. I hold an MBA from the
University of Chicago (Booth),
giving me the financial background
to strategically and responsibly
manage the District’s
resources. Finally, I currently
manage a thriving consulting
practice that focuses on organizational
growth and maximizing
performance of teams, critical to
leading any organization.
What do you think is the biggest
issue facing District 31
and how would you address it?
This School Board will continue
to be challenged to deliver educational
excellence in a changing
economic and educational
landscape while maintaining
critical fiscal responsibility to
our taxpayers. I will continue to
fight for all our constituents to
maximize outcomes for all —
students, staff and taxpayers.
What makes you a top candidate
for this position?
I am prepared to continue to provide
strategic decision-making
and leadership on our board.
Over the last four years, I’ve
been fortunate to serve our District
as a school board member.
In that time, we’ve smartly used
our budget to maintain low class
sizes, bring back extracurriculars
and field trips, update curriculum,
and become among the first
school districts in the area to add
full-day kindergarten, among
other improvements. We have
received a gold financial rating
for fiscal management.
For the past five years, I’ve
served as the president of the
D31 Education Foundation, raising
more than $150,000 to bring
1:1 technology, wifi infrastructure,
an award-winning STEM
lab, 3-D printing and a Makers
Space to our schools. All of
this was accomplished through
fundraising, bringing these cutting-edge
improvements to our
schools without using taxpayer
dollars. My husband and I have
also served as active volunteers
within the schools, volunteering
across many, many district
events and initiatives.
Beyond all of the above, it is
my passion and dedication to our
schools and everyone we serve
to make the best, most balanced
decisions and to build a strong
community that truly differentiates
me as a candidate.
Name: Robert H.
Resis
Age: 58
Residence:
Northbrook
Occupation: Intellectual
property
attorney Resis
Past local government/relative
experience: D31
School Board (elected April
2013-present), vice president
(May 2015-present), Board’s
representative on the Northbrook
Economic Development
Committee (2015-present), and
Board’s representative on the
Illinois Association of School
Boards (2013-2015). Served
as a parent representative on
the D31 Strategic Planning
Committee in 2010. Was chair
of the non-partisan D31 Caucus
(2006-07) and vice chair
(2004-05), which sought out,
vetted and endorsed candidates
for election to the D31 School
Board for the 2007 and 2005
elections. Serves on the Temple
Beth-El Northbrook Board of
Directors (2014-present).
What do you think is the biggest
issue facing District 31
and how would you address
it?
Providing excellent, differentiated
instruction so that each
student can achieve their fullest
potential academically, physically
and emotionally, while
also maintaining a sound budget
and strong financial position.
Our diverse student body makes
it imperative that we provide
our teachers with useful training
and tools to improve student
growth and proficiency, and inspire
our students to be life-long
learners.
What makes you a top candidate
for this position?
Due to my experience and involvement,
I have a unique
wealth of knowledge regarding
our community and schools.
We’ve lived in D31 since 1997.
Our youngest daughter is a
seventh-grader at Field, and our
oldest daughter graduated from
D31 and is attending GBN. I
understand the importance of
listening carefully to all stakeholder
views. I am proud to be
a member of our Board, which
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worked with our administration
to become the first school district
in Glenview/Northbrook to
provide full-day kindergarten.
We also astutely issued bonds at
a low interest rate to fund capital
improvements for our HVAC
systems. Since my election in
2013, I have attended every
board meeting, with one exception
(to attend a GBN event). To
gather useful ideas/approaches
to share with fellow board members
and our administration, I
attended three joint annual conferences
of the Illinois Association
of School Boards/School
Administrators/School Business
Officials. I provide an experienced
litigator’s perspective.
While I do not serve as an attorney
for D31, I closely review
proposed agreements involving
D31 and ask for clarification
or revisions when warranted. I
also have a science background,
and support science, technology,
engineering, arts and math
(STEAM) initiatives. I enjoy
being an active contributor at
our board meetings.
Reach over 83%
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Name: Nancy C.
Hammer
Age: 52
Residence: Glenview
Occupation: Sales
executive and mom
of two kids
Hammer
What do you think is the biggest
issue facing District 31 and how
would you address it?
I feel our biggest issue is how
to maintain and support the high
level of education performance
and achievement in our schools
while offering a balance between
the best programs and opportunities
to our students. I am passionate
about education in our schools
and committed to ensuring that
we are offering the best education
for the children while maximizing
and managing our resources.
We need to continue hiring the
best qualified staff with the right
attitude and passion as they must
challenge and empower our students
to thrive to their highest
potential and have fun doing it. I
know that I can serve as an advocate
for our students and families,
while making the tough decisions
that may be required by the limitations
of our resources.
What makes you a top candidate
for this position?
Growing up the youngest of six.
After high school, I made the
important decision to put myself
through college while working
full time. I learned the value
and importance of my education
to which I earned my bachelor’s
degree from Roosevelt University
as a Computer Science major.
My husband was raised in
Glenview, where we are raising
our two kids, ages 9 and 7, who
attend Winkelman Elementary
School. My children attended
preschool at St. David’s, where I
was a member of the preschool
Parents Board for three years.
I have now been a member of
the District 31 PTC executive
board for the past four years and
participated in many of the various
fundraisers and events in our
district. This involvement has
also given me the opportunity to
get up close and personal with
many children, families, teachers
and administrators, and have had
many meaningful conversations
about their thoughts, concerns and
ideas regarding our schools. I also
feel I have a better understanding
of how our programming money
is being spent, how curriculum
is formulated, how teachers are
hired and why programs are selected
and developed. I have faith
that the relationships I have developed
over all these years have
earned their trust and respect to
be their advocate and earn their
vote as a representative on the
West Northfield School District
31 Board of Education.