Endorsements: DeMoon, Ressler, Savino, Liu for Oak Grove District 68 school board

Six candidates will be vying for four, 4-year seats on the Oak Grove District 68 school board in the April 6 election.

Incumbents Cathie DeMoon and Krysia Ressler, each completing their first term, are facing challenges from Emily Wessman Savino, Henry Liu, Kevin Gas and Melissa Melius Lynch.

DeMoon and Ressler both said the current school board has a great working relationship. The group hired Superintendent Allison Sherman in late 2019 and then immediately found itself dealing with the pandemic.

DeMoon, a former teacher and communications professional, is an alumna of the district with three children attending Oak Grove School. She was on a committee that worked through the summer to get the school reopened. She is focused on keeping class sizes small as enrollment increases.

Ressler, an attorney, also graduated from Oak Grove and has two children in the school. As a member of the board during the COVID-19 outbreak, she worked to create a safe atmosphere in the school to allow students to return. She wants to keep lines of communication open as the district deals with post-pandemic challenges.

DeMoon and Ressler should be reelected. There are four good choices for the remaining two seats.

Savino, who previously worked as an attorney in Chicago, is a stay-at-home parent of children attending Oak Grove School. She is focused on keeping students and teachers safe and while addressing early childhood learning and getting more people involved.

Liu is a doctor with children attending the school. He said he would want to continue the work the board has done during COVID-19, while using his medical experience to navigate the changing, pandemic-related challenges next school year.

Gas, who has a child in the district, has spent 15 years working in marketing, finance and corporate strategy. While supporting the board's decision to open the school, Gas said he is concerned with expanding the district's social emotional learning program to be more encompassing.

Lynch, with two children at Oak Grove School, has experience as a substitute teacher and currently works in a corporate leadership position tasked with bringing groups together. She said it's important to get parents involved with the teachers and staff to hear from different perspectives.

Savino and Liu will put their experience to work through COVID-19 decisions and post-pandemic issues.

We endorse DeMoon, Ressler, Savino and Liu.