NT_032119

10 | March 21, 2019 | The Northbrook tower Election 2019
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Northbrook D28 Board of Education (4-year term, vote for 3)
Name: Michelle
Zenner
Kohler
Age: 45
Residence:
Northbrook
Occupation:
Marketing
Past local government/
relative experience: I
am currently completing
my first term as a school
board member for District
28.
What makes you the
best/a top candidate for
this position?
During my first term
as a District 28 school
board member, the board
has made some important
changes that have benefited
the community and the
schools.
I was an active participant
and sat on several
committees that ushered
April 2-7
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in important District-wide
programs. These include:
the implementation of full
day kindergarten; a new
5-year strategic plan for
the district called Navigate
28; a comprehensive
plan to purposefully integrate
innovative teaching
and learning strategies
with technology called
Learning First; and more
robust capabilities in social
emotional learning.
The Board also approved
the administration’s
plan to bring formerly
out-sourced expertise
in-house for two special
needs programs to better
integrate these students
within our schools.
Beyond that, this Board
has successfully navigated
some lean economic
years with some careful
budgeting and even increased
the District’s fund
balance over the last couple
of years. I have served
on a number of committees
that directly impact
spending including the
Buildings & Grounds
committee, the Finance
Committee, and the Compensation
Committee.
Our goals are always to
keep our expenditures
conservative and invest
in the things that will offer
long-term impact and
benefit.
Last but not least, as a
parent who is now sending
off her eldest son to
high school and still has
an elementary school student,
I believe that I have
a real-world view of the
impacts that the policies
and programs we oversee
have on the readiness
of our children to make
a successful transition to
high school.
Please see Kohler, 14
Northbrook D28 Board of Education (4-Year team, vote for 3)
Name: Tracy
Katz Muhl
Age: 42
Residence:
Northbrook
Occupation:
Attorney
Past local government/
relative experience: I currently
serve as President of
the Board of Education for
Northbrook District 28.
What makes you the
best/a top candidate for
this position?
As a current board member,
I am well positioned to
build on our Board’s work
from the last four years
and to oversee continuing
and new projects. During
my current term, we advocated
successfully for
implementation of a fullday
kindergarten program,
including making the case
for a low cost program at
inception and moving to
a free program for 2019-
2020. I participated in the
Innovate 28 district-wide
conference and approved
its recommendation for the
Learning First program to
integrate iPads in classrooms
for every student.
Our Board oversaw Navigate
28’s comprehensive
vision planning process
and surveys. We transitioned
Young Explorers
Preschool and Foundations
Program from NS-
SED outsourced programs
to high quality in-house
programs, with substantial
cost savings. We have
engaged in a process of reviewing
curricular cycles
and grading practices that
must continue to ensure
the best learning experiences
and outcomes for
our students. I also served
as Legislative Committee
board representative,
participating in meetings
concerning the state budget,
property taxes, and
the new education funding
formula. Throughout,
I engaged with parents and
community members on
their concerns, assisting
them with understanding
the proper channels to resolve
issues. In addition,
I am a district parent with
current 8th and 5th grade
students.
What do you think is the
biggest issue facing your
coverage area and how do
you plan to approach it to
improve your constituents’
quality of life?
As the sitting Board
President, I am keenly
aware of the upcoming
challenges for the District.
Most significantly, our
Board must hold the District
accountable for the
goals adopted in the Navigate
28 Strategic Plan. Our
mission is to “empower
every learner to be an engaged,
confident, caring,
and inspired citizen.” Our
five district-wide goals
to achieve this mission
focus on: student growth
and achievement, learning
environments, work
environments, family and
community connections,
and resources. Student
growth and achievement
is the highest priority and
includes revising and updating
the curriculum, testing
practices, and grading
methods. The Board will
ensure District initiatives
align with and promote the
vision and goals by engaging
in board best practices,
especially staying connected
to the community
and conducting informed
oversight - asking critical
questions, seeking datadriven
recommendations
and results, and following
up for accountability.
Northbrook D28 Board of Education (4-year term, vote for 3)
N a m e :
Mara Silver-
Schack
Age: 37
Residence:
Northbrook
Occupation:
Part-time private
voice teacher, currently
taking an extended break
as a certified K-12 classroom
music teacher to
raise my children
Past local government/
relative experience:
-High School general
music teacher and choir
director in the Chicago
Public Schools
-Campaigned, as a parent
and resident, for full
day kindergarten in District
28
-Local School Council
teacher representative,
Chicago Public Schools
What do you think is the
biggest issue facing your
coverage area and how do
you plan to approach it to
improve your constituents’
quality of life?
The biggest issue facing
our district is preparing
our students for the challenges
of the 21st century
while working within a
sustainable budget. As the
demands and expectations
on our students change,
our educational institutions
must evolve as well,
though with careful consideration
of finances.
The Board must support
methods and programs
in conjunction with the
administration that stimulate
a passion for learning
among our children that
carries on through the entirety
of their education.
As we continually evaluate
these methods for their
Please see District 28, 16