Districts 21 and 59 hire joint director of School Safety and Security
• Following the approval of an intergovernmental agreement with Elk Grove-based Community Consolidated School District 59, the Community Consolidated School District 21 Board of Education approved the hiring of Dinka “Danny” Malik as the first director of School Safety and Security, effective Feb. 1.
Malik has spent the last 4 years serving as the Arlington Heights Police Department’s school resource officer. Prior to his role in Arlington Heights, Malik served as a police officer in the McHenry Police Department. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than four years before being honorably discharged.
In his new role, Malik will oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive Safety and Security programs at each district. This includes working with school administrators, local law enforcement and other stakeholders to assess potential risks, establish and refine emergency response plans, and conduct regular drills to ensure preparedness.
• Nine eighth graders from St. Emily School, Mount Prospect, qualified for academic high school scholarships based on their high school entrance exam scores.
The scholarship recipients are: Natalia Chacia, St. Viator High School; Ryan Geiger, Notre Dame College Prep; Carley Heiden, St. Viator; Leanne Kumpuckal, St. Viator; Ashley Laskiewicz, St. Viator; Yulianna Manzanares, St. Viator; Aayan Nanavati, St. Viator; Samantha Rivera, St. Viator; and Zachary Shapiro: St. Viator.
St. Emily School is a private, Catholic school serving prekindergarten through eighth grade.
• Buffalo Grove criminal defense attorney Matthew Gebhardt, president of the Law Offices of Matthew R. Gebhardt, P.C., has been recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer.
Super Lawyers is a prestigious rating service that helps connect prospective clients with outstanding lawyers from various practice areas. Employing a rigorous selection process, Super Lawyers showcases attorneys who have achieved remarkable success and demonstrated exceptional skill, making them a go-to resource for those seeking legal representation.
Throughout his legal career, Gebhardt has worked as an aggressive prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney Office while helping clients navigate criminal and real estate law.
Moving his firm from Cook County to the Buffalo Grove area of Lake County, Gebhardt now focuses 95% of his practice on cases in Lake County.
• Waukegan resident Javier Martinez, manager of Fitness & Aquatics at the Waukegan Park District, was selected as one of the 2024 30 Under 30 honorees by the National Recreation and Park Association’s Young Professional Network and Parks & Recreation magazine. The recognition program honors 30 top young professionals in the field of parks and recreation.
The 30 Under 30 honorees were selected based on their impact on the agency’s community and service population, contributions to the professional development of the field of parks and recreation, and innovative ideas, programs or research in the field of parks and recreation.
Since joining the Waukegan Park District in 2018, Martinez has overseen innovative recreation programs related to nature, culture, fitness and aquatics. His leadership has been instrumental in the success of the community initiative between the Waukegan Parks Foundation and the Waukegan Park District to provide every second grade class in Waukegan with a free water safety swim lesson.
“With his innovative ideas, Javier Martinez has played a pivotal role in enhancing the programs and events at the Waukegan Park District,” said Jay Lerner, executive director of the Waukegan Park District. “He has displayed leadership that is truly making a difference at his workplace and in the community. The recognition validates the impact his work does to elevate the field of parks and recreation.”
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