Deanna Viti-Huxhold
Home: Lyons
Age: 40
Profession: In home care provider
Community / Political experience:
District 103 board member for past 6 yrs
Active Costello PTO Executive Board member for 8 yrs; includes holding positions of President and Vice President
Other / Professional experience: 10 yrs of Retail Management experience for both Kmart and Venture
Education:
2 yrs at Morton College
High School diploma from Morton West
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them:
1.) We need to take a close look at the budget and better allocate funds. The community is continuing to grow and we need to expand, and improve, George Washington Middle School to accomodate the influx of students over the next several years.
2.) State and federal funding cutbacks are expected to continue. We need to figure out how to limit expenses without cutting valuable programs.
3.) The level of education provided by schools differs. We need to focus on providing the resources to our teachers and students to ensure that all of our schools are meeting, or exceeding, the state requirements. Ensuring that continuing education for our teachers continues and making the cirruculum more of a challenge are key focal points.
4.) The current Superintendent is retiring in a year. We need to begin the search for a qualified individual to fill this role. This person needs to be a strong leader who knows our community and will put the interests of our students at the top of his priorities.
Joanne Schaeffer
Home: Lyons
Age: 71
Profession: Retired Office Manager and hair stylist, not to mention currently wife, mother, grandmother, and Great Grandmother from which you never retire!
Community / Political experience: I have been a school board member in Lyons School District 103 since April, 1979 with a three month ‘vacation’ when I was appointed back on board after losing due to my work for starting a middle school for 103. I have never sought or been involved with any other type of political position. My calling and expertise is school board. I still smell the pencils and chalk when I drive past any school!!
Other / Professional experience: I owned my own beauty salon in Oak Park for about six years, having been previously employed with another salon in Oak Park. I was employed in the insurance industry from 1989 through 2004 starting as a receptionist working my way up to clerical supervisor and office manager. Due to extensive eye surgery, I had to retire in 2004.
Education: Graduated Morton High School in 1957, attended and graduated Beauty School 1960.
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them: I feel the top challenge facing all boards of education is providing top notch education within the financial and mandated boundaries provided by the federal and state governments. The biggest challenge will be meeting the guideline in NCLB of 100% of all students performing at grade level by 2014. While it is an admirable thought, no 100% of children all perform the same, some exceed, some struggle and receive all the help they need to attempt grade level. District 103 passed a referendum about eight years ago promising lower class sizes, replacement of classes and activities that had been cut or reduced, as well as making the referendum dollars last until 2013/’14. We have accomplished our goals. Had the state delivered on the amount of dollars they were supposed to send schools districts across the state of Illinois, we would be exactly on target. Right now, the most immediate challenge I see is the election in April. Now is not the time to have five brand new board members elected who want to ‘revamp’ the whole district. 103 is a great school district in great shape educationally and fiscally due to a lot of hard work on the part of the board, administrators, and staff. I’d like to keep it that way.
John W. Kiser Jr.
Home: Forest View
Age: 37
Profession: Training Officer for the Forest View Fire Department. Adjunct faculty with College of Dupage, and an instructor with several academies and organizations in the public safety field.
Community / Political experience: Numerous affiliations with public safety related organizations. Vice President for the Forest View Park District where I have served since 2003. Associate member of the Home School PTA. Advisor for the Boy Scouts of America. Heartsaver award winner from the American Heart Association for work in instituting a CPR/AED program in School District 103.
Education: Graduate of Lyons Township High School, Multiple AAS degrees, Bachelors in Business Management, and currently completing a Masters in Public Administration.
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them:
1) Balancing fiscal responsibility while improving the school district
2) Empowering the district staff members to do what is necessary to provide the best educational experience for the children.
3) Retain teaches, principals, and other key members in an effort to prevent a “”revolving door”” of personnel whom are vital to the children’s development from one year to another.
