Tory Ramaker: 2025 candidate for Libertyville-Vernon Hills High School District 128 board (2-year term)

Bio

Office Sought: Libertyville-Vernon Hills High School District 128 board (2-year term)

City: Libertyville

Age: 52

Occupation: Private Investments

Previous offices held: None

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

As a longtime Libertyville resident, husband and father of a LHS graduate and Sophomore, I am running for the D128 board so I can contribute to improving academic outcomes for our students and better prepare them for postsecondary pursuits. D128’s proficiency scores in English/language arts and math remain well below pre-pandemic levels despite efforts to improve them. I have spent my career navigating complex issues and solving problems and am confident I can help our administration and educators reassess and overcome the biggest obstacles to academic performance. Furthermore, in prior volunteer roles as a soccer and baseball coach, Cub Scout leader and Sunday school teacher, I enjoyed partnering with parents to help kids in the community. If elected, I look forward to once again listening to and partnering closely with parents in the community to ensure district leadership is focused on what matters most in preparing VHHS and LHS students for life after high school.

What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring the curriculum?

I believe the school board’s role vis-à-vis curriculum starts with the singular objective of ensuring academic quality, rigor, and achievement for students of all learning styles and abilities, which includes making certain that teachers have the support they need to be successful in their roles. In monitoring the implementation of a curriculum, I believe the board’s role is to regularly review data on student outcomes (along with regular dialogue with parents, teachers, and others) and, if the expected results aren’t achieved, work closely with key stakeholders to course correct in a clear way that has the support of the community, teachers, and other participants.

Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?

The board has a duty to ensure that D128’s curriculum and resources, along with student, teacher, and parent support systems, are aligned with the objective of ensuring academic quality and student achievement. If elected, I will focus on determining what is preventing our student body from attaining or exceeding pre-pandemic proficiency levels, and work with all stakeholders to determine any proposed modifications to curriculum or how it is implemented. As part of this, I think we need to listen more closely to our teachers and parents than we have in the past and better incorporate their input into diagnosing the issues and developing solutions.

How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents — even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?

At the highest level, a school board’s responsibility is to serve the community and make decisions that are in the best interests of our students. When it comes to making decisions on particular issues, a board member’s role is to understand the facts and perspectives of others, think critically about and challenge recommendations, and endeavor to reach consensus. Soliciting and incorporating the diverse perspectives of all stakeholders — including students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers — is critical. Also important is factoring in any federal and state requirements or constraints that have an impact on the decision being made. What should NOT be incorporated into a decision is a board member’s personal or political agenda — whatever that may be — but I worry that too often ideology plays a role in how our district and others around the country make decisions.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage school district policy? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions for your school board.

In my business career, I have played meaningful roles in the governance of more than 20 companies. In each case, success has depended on strategic alignment between the management team and the board of directors. That alignment only comes after hearing input from all of those involved, debating trade-offs, and allowing for adequate deliberation. I believe that setting and managing school policy requires the same approach. My fellow board members and I must be open-minded heading into any policy decision, listen to and consider parents’, educators’, and each other’s perspectives, and be willing to debate any points of disagreement. While not every decision will come with 100% alignment, the board will be most effective if it is intentional in trying to achieve it. Throughout the process, we must be transparent and ensure that parents and teachers have input and visibility into the considerations and rationale for specific decisions.

What is your assessment of the school district's diversity and equity efforts? Do you support the continuation or enhancement of such programs, or would you rather see them diminished. Please explain your reasoning.

My understanding is that the district has attempted to align diversity and equity efforts with Illinois State Board of Education requirements as well as ensure that students from all backgrounds and learning styles are supported and successful. At a highest level, this is appropriate policy — we are required to follow the law, and I believe we need to give every single child the opportunity to succeed academically. That said, I think it is important that we ensure agreement on the objectives for diversity and equity programs and then assess whether current programs are meeting those objectives, based on feedback from all stakeholders. We can then shape any current and future initiatives so that they directly support academic achievement by students of all backgrounds and abilities, and that we are hiring the best people to run our schools and educate our children, without regard to race or gender.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

Raising a family in our community, my education, and my professional background have given me knowledge and skills that make me the best candidate. I have a Finance degree from the University of Illinois and a MBA from Harvard Business School. I have spent my career as an investor, management consultant, and senior executive with high-performing companies. I am currently a Senior Partner at a Chicago-based private investment firm, leading a team that helps companies grow their businesses. Every role in my career has required delivering quality results and outcomes, which I have done by listening, solving problems, and building consensus. For the past decade, I have been advising companies that provide K-12 teachers and students with support services. Through this work, I have gained insights into the challenges that our schools face and have seen a range of what works in communities across the country. I will use that curated knowledge to help our school district.

What’s one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?

One successful practice of an effective board — whether private or public sector — is having each board member partner closely with an executive or administrator to provide input and advise on major strategic initiatives in between board meetings. This 1:1 engagement gives the leader access to different perspectives, facilitates deeper discussion and more problem-solving than is possible in committee and full board meetings, and leads to better, more thought-out recommendations to the full board. To the extent the current board has not adopted this practice, and if the administration is interested, I would like us to do so.