Endorsements: Johannesen, Olejniczak, Page and Patel for District 25 school board.
In the race for the Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 school board, we find several areas of debate emerging: building capacity to serve climbing enrollment, full-day kindergarten, "teaching to the test," school choice, and the district's and even board's transparency and communication with residents. All seven candidates running for four seats this year on the District 25 board have impressive qualifications and have done their homework to offer ideas.
Denise Glasgow is a college professor, instructing teachers, who has served on the board for 12 years. She believes the district is running well and recently served on the district's strategic plan committee. Erin Johannesen is a homemaker who joined the board in 2014 and who has represented the district on the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization governing board. Richard Olejniczak works in business analytics and has been on the board since 2013; he believes in exploring all options to solve problems, such as building capacity and the question of school choice. David Page, the board president, has served for 14 years; he's a financial adviser who keeps a keen eye on the district's money, budget, and governing processes.
Anisha Patel is running for public office for the first time; she has worked in education as a teacher, administrator, adjunct professor and now as a consultant, volunteered in education and youth development overseas, and worked for the district helping to shape its curriculum. Chris Salituro is a high school teacher challenging the board, in particular criticizing how it communicates with residents and aiming to improve transparency. Joseph Selbka is an attorney challenging the board to, among other things, consider school choice, in part to encourage healthy competition among schools.
Page and Glasgow have long been good stewards of District 25. Olejniczak's often differing viewpoints are reasoned and valuable. And the relatively new Johannesen has been a quick study and brings good perspective. Among the challengers, Salituro and Selbka, more or less running together, have passionate differing views but perhaps not yet the best-thought-out ideas for improving district operations. With a nod toward diversity and her deep experience in education, Patel is endorsed over the still very qualified Glasgow to bring new perspective and ideas to the district, joining Johannesen, Olejniczak and Page to form a team that has different viewpoints but still a sense of collaboration.