Brian R. Elwart
Home: Brookfield
Age: 41
Profession: Vice President of Northern Trust in Chicago, currently serving as project manager within operations.
Community / Political experience:
Volunteer for Project N.I.C.E
Advocate for the successful District 95 tax referendum in 2006
Other / Professional experience: As a project manager, I have experience in soliciting and understanding the needs of the stakeholders and formulating and executing clear actionable plans based on those needs.
Additionally, I taught Math to middle and high school students in both public and private school settings.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago
Type 9 Secondary Education Certificate from Northeastern Illinois University
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them: The recent board has worked hard to ensure the facilities at both S.E. Gross and Brook Park schools are physically sound and that the infrastructure is in place in order to ensure that the buildings are equipped to handle the demands that come with the increased use of technology within the classroom. The challenges/concerns facing the next board will be:
To continue to raise the curriculum and educational standards of District 95
To continue the integration of technology into the classroom
To ensure all decisions are made based on what is best for the students of the district
In order to address the challenges, I will need to keep abreast of best practices and options that have been implemented in other school districts. Additionally, I will need to analyze all proposals focusing on those with the greatest return on investment.
Lynn H. Waterloo
Home: Brookfield
Age: 54
Profession: My career remains focused in finance and I have been employed in both public and private sectors of the accounting profession. Previously, I was employed as the CFO of a local mutual fund company. With an educational background in finance, I am a CPA and possess a Bachelor’s degree, with a major in accounting.
Community / Political experience: As a member of the current school board, I have been privileged to serve on various committees, including finance, and to actively participate in the governance of the District. I continue to be an active member of my community and participate in both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. I am a member of St. Louise de Marillac Church and serve on the finance council.
Other / Professional experience:
Professional Experience
Fund Services Group, LLC
2004 – 2010
Owner/Employee
Monetta Financial Services, Inc.
1998 – 2004
Fund Accountant
Consultant, IL and CT
1996 – 1998
MERGENT International, Inc.
1993 – 1996
Controller
Ernst & Young, LLP
1990 – 1993
Audit Principal
Education:
Diploma in Public Accounting, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Bachelor of Commerce, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
Member since 1991, Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them: District 95’s strategic initiatives are focused on student achievement and preparation for higher education. In the last ten years, the board has focused its efforts on finances (Ed Fund referendum), facilities (building addition/renovations) and technology upgrades (access/delivery/equipment), with the long term focus of delivering a more robust curriculum. The district’s primary challenges continue to include curriculum development, measurement of student performance and individual student development.
Curriculum Development- access to more rigorous core programming/foreign language programming
Measurement of Student Performance – MAP implementation/data
analysis/early identification of performance deficits
Individual Student Development – improved articulation with RB/improved opportunities for leadership development
The primary mission of the District 95 school board is to continue to provide a high quality education to all students, stewardship of the District’s finances and community involvement.
Doris Stanek
Home: LaGrange Park
Age: 69
Profession: As a teacher, I taught in Hyde Park, Chicago, Oak Park, LaGrange Park, and Brookfield; ranging from preschool to 8th grade. Before I became a teacher, I was an Information Technology Supervisor for the Evanston Police Department.
Community / Political experience:
Board member, Gads Hill Center, a provider of local and federal programs to the public
Treasurer and grant writer, Gads Hill Center
Staff member, Democratic National Convention
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Pilgrim Congregational Church
President, G. H. A. G. Environmental action group
Chairman, Nursery School Board
Organist
Other / Professional experience:
Presenter, teacher education conferences
Grade level team leader
Mentor and teacher leader for colleagues.
Raised two children, ran a household, trained various pets.
Education:
Bachelor’s in Education
Master’s in Education
Over 25 graduate hours beyond Masters
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them: I believe the hardest and most challenging situation all schools face today is financial. Every board member has a fiduciary responsibility not only to the community but to our children. With the State of Illinois in dire straits, our school board must find creative ways to insure keeping District 95 in the forefront of education. Yet, we must do this without losing our small class sizes, art, music, sports teams, and elective programs.
My education and social service background will bring balance to a board which has been rightly concerned with finance for many years. My vision is to bring our children’s welfare back fully into discussions. My strengths are in education and social service and are sorely needed on the board. We’ve had to concentrate on buildings and infrastructure in the recent past. Now, quality education must be our focus. My primary interest is to take care of our children.
I believe we must examine the abundance of administration in relation to children’s and teachers’ needs. A district of less than 1,000 students does not need six and soon to be seven administrators.
Christopher Blackburn
Home: Brookfield
Age: 59
Profession: Retail Manager
Community / Political experience: Present member of D95 School Board
Other / Professional experience: BSA Troop 90 Committee Member, active in various fraternal organizations
Education: BA, Political Science, Southeastern Mass. Univ.
List the top challenges facing this board and how you would address them: Maintaining the financial stability of the District; by keeping a watch on wages and operating expenditures.
Improving curriculum and test scores; by encouraging the school administrators to continue their path toward differentiated instruction.
