Five, one incumbent, running for four seats in Oak Grove District 68

Oak Grove District 68 has won a National Blue Ribbon School award and completed a $14 million building renovation. What's next?

Five candidates, but only one incumbent, are running for four 4-year seats on the board of the K-8 district in Green Oaks.

On the ballot are: Jonathan Baffico, a Catholic high school principal in Chicago; Cathie Anest DeMoon, a stay-at-home mom and seasonal employee at the family's apple orchard; incumbent Jennifer Manski, a chief of staff at AbbVie Inc., and school board president seeking a third term; Matthew Marra, an executive with Stericycle; and, Krysia W. Ressler, an attorney.

Ressler grew up in town and attended Oak Grove. Her daughter's first-grade teacher is the same one Ressler had in fourth grade.

Maintaining the relationship between parents, teachers and community is important, she said.

"That's what I look to accomplish. Keeping it great," Ressler said. "I want my daughter to be proud of Oak Grove just like I was."

She said full-day kindergarten should be available to anyone who wants it.

Marra says the district ranks in the 98th percentile in test scores.

"I'd like to see if we could ratchet that up to 99 or 100 percent. I know that sounds like we're striving for perfection, but in a way, I am," he said.

Visual, auditory and tactile are types of learning, he said, and he'd like to see if the district has an equal balance of those learning strategies, especially in the earlier grades.

Marra said he is fairly new to the area, but is traveling less and has time to devote to what he described as an "outstanding" district.

Baffico said being fiscally responsible was a priority, but looking at larger issues, such as school choice, are others.

"How might school choice ... impact our district and how would we respond to that as a whole. I think that's going to be a really delicate issue moving forward," he said.

Measuring the effectiveness of technology, which has been infused in the schools, is another consideration, Baffico said.

If elected, Baffico said he will be able to provide perspective as an educator, a parent and community member.

DeMoon also attended Oak Grove.

"I just want to give some insight from the elementary education level because I think most of the board members, if they have children, are older at this point," she said.

Kindergarten and class sizes are basic issues, she said. Planning for full-day, tuition-free kindergarten is as important as the planning for the building improvements, DeMoon said.

Manski has served as board president, elected by peers, since 2010. She said there were several priorities to monitor, such as uncertainties with pensions and school choice.

The district also needs to be prepared to address annexation requests that would bring more students.

"We are a one-school school district that is land locked. We don't have the opportunity to built out and our infrastructure doesn't allow us to build up," Manski said.

Expanding communication with the community is important, she said.