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The Chicago Board of Training is altering. After town held its first college board elections in historical past, 10 individuals elected by their communities will be part of 11 mayoral appointees to serve for the following two years.
The 21-member hybrid college board shall be sworn in Wednesday, Jan. 15 — marking an historic shift in governance as 30 years of mayoral management in Chicago involves an in depth.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former trainer and union organizer, will preserve important affect for the following two years. Though he advocated for an elected college board alongside his allies on the Chicago Lecturers Union, Johnson has struggled with the transfer towards a extra impartial board as he pushes to rework the varsity district with the management he nonetheless maintains.
On Dec. 16 he introduced 10 of his 11 appointments, and final week, informed Chalkbeat that his closing decide could be made quickly.
Listed here are the individuals who will serve on the Chicago Board of Training.
Sean Harden, President of the Chicago Board of Training (appointed)
Serves at-large and represents all 77 neighborhoods
Sean Harden, a South Facet native, was picked to function college board president by Mayor Brandon Johnson in December. Harden labored for town and Chicago Public Faculties within the 2000s, earlier than launching consulting agency, Harden Wright Advisor Group.
Harden labored underneath former CPS CEO Ron Huberman as deputy CEO of neighborhood affairs. Earlier than that, he held a place as govt assistant for former Mayor Richard M. Daley, then moved on to deputy commissioner of human relations.
Harden can also be chairman of three nonprofit organizations: Interior Voice, a corporation targeted on supporting people who find themselves homeless; Buddy Well being, a well being middle that serves low-income and uninsured Illinois residents; and the Revolution Institute, which affords help with job coaching and placement for these in marginalized communities.
Ed Bannon, District 1a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Edison Park, Irving Park, Dunning, and Norwood Park
Variety of CPS colleges: 22
Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced on Dec. 16 he would appoint longtime neighborhood organizer Ed Bannon to serve the opposite half of District 1 on the far northwest facet of town. A resident of the Dunning neighborhood, Bannon at the moment serves on the Dever Elementary Native College Council as a neighborhood consultant and ran for thirty eighth Ward alderman in 2023 towards incumbent Ald. Nick Sposato. His marketing campaign fundraising committee continues to be energetic.
Bannon previously served because the president of the Six Corners Affiliation, in line with Block Membership Chicago, and organizes an annual family-friendly bike trip, referred to as Tour de Dunning. Based on the mayor’s workplace, he’s the mum or dad of three CPS graduates.
Jennifer Custer, District 1b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Montclare, Portage Park, Mayfair
Variety of CPS colleges: 20
A mother of two with a 3rd on the best way, Custer is an educator who labored as a trainer and dean of scholars in suburban college districts earlier than taking a break to lift her youngsters. A resident of the Montclare neighborhood, Custer will signify subdistrict 1a after successful a two-way race 51% to 49% towards Michelle N. Pierre, a former constitution college chief, district official, principal, and trainer.
Custer was supported by a number of labor unions and endorsed by the Chicago Lecturers Union, although she has spoken out towards the firing of CPS CEO Pedro Martinez and short-term borrowing pushed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, an ally of the CTU, to pay for pensions and added contract prices for lecturers and principals.
Ebony DeBerry, District 2a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Rogers Park, West Ridge
Variety of CPS colleges: 18
In November, Ebony DeBerry received 42% of the vote in a four-way race to signify the far north lakefront on Chicago’s college board. The lifelong Rogers Park resident is the supervisor of academic initiatives at ONE Northside and a former CPS scholar, trainer, and mum or dad.
DeBerry was endorsed by the Chicago Lecturers Union and shares most of the identical progressive views on training coverage. On the marketing campaign path, she stated she needs to extend mum or dad involvement, develop after-school programming, and strengthen tutoring and counseling in CPS. She’s additionally a supporter of Sustainable Neighborhood Faculties, a mannequin through which colleges companion with neighborhood organizations to offer wraparound providers.
Debby Pope, District 2b (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Andersonville, Edgewater, Lincoln Sq., Ravenswood
Variety of CPS colleges: 19
A retired CPS trainer, Debby Pope fashioned a marketing campaign fundraising committee final spring, however determined to not run within the crowded District 2 race, telling Chalkbeat she would as an alternative help DeBerry’s candidacy. In late October, Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced her as one in all his new appointees after the mass resignation of his first group of college board appointees amid tensions with CPS CEO Pedro Martinez.
Pope is a former member of the Chicago Lecturers Union and has served of their Home of Delegates. Based on her bio on the Board of Training web site, she is the mum or dad of two CPS alumni and a grandparent of a present CPS kindergartener.
Norma Rios-Sierra, District 3a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Logan Sq., Avondale, Kelvyn Park
Variety of CPS colleges: 23
Rios-Sierra is an artist and cultural occasions supervisor with Palenque LSNA, a neighborhood neighborhood group serving Logan Sq. that additionally works in colleges serving to present after college programming and mum or dad mentors.
Based on the mayor’s workplace, Rios-Sierra is a CPS mum or dad. She additionally runs a stained glass artwork studio in Logan Sq. the place she teaches lessons for teenagers and adults.
Carlos Rivas Jr., District 3b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Humboldt Park, Hermosa
Variety of CPS colleges: 32
Born and raised in Humboldt Park, Rivas graduated from Lowell Elementary, his neighborhood college, and Northside School Prep, one of many district’s prime selective enrollment excessive colleges. He taught via Educate for America and labored as an alumni counselor for the Noble Community of Constitution Faculties.
Rivas received a two-way race towards one other Humboldt Park native with 56% of the vote. He was endorsed by the Illinois Community of Constitution Faculties and was a part of the Democrats for Training slate of candidates.
Rivas Jr. at the moment serves because the director of public affairs for town’s Civilian Workplace of Police Accountability and labored on town’s response to the inflow of migrants arriving from Texas as a part of Operation Lone Star. He nonetheless lives in Humboldt Park and serves as a transitional foster mum or dad, fostering unaccompanied migrant youngsters who must be positioned in Spanish-speaking households earlier than they’re despatched to an grownup sponsor.
Karen Zaccor, District 4a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Uptown, Buena Park, Lakeview
Variety of CPS colleges: 15
Karen Zaccor, a longtime neighborhood organizer and Uptown resident, is without doubt one of the mayor’s appointees to the brand new college board. She was a CPS trainer for 28 years and most just lately taught at Uplift Neighborhood Excessive College in Uptown, a faculty she co-founded, earlier than her latest retirement. She additionally raised a daughter who graduated from CPS.
Zaccor has used her advocacy efforts to push for an elected college board, set up full-day kindergarten, and cease college closures. She ran unsuccessfully for varsity board and was endorsed by the Chicago Lecturers Union in addition to forty sixth Ward Ald. Angela Clay.
Ellen Rosenfeld, District 4b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Lincoln Park, Lakeview
Variety of CPS colleges: 18
Ellen Rosenfeld, a former trainer and mom of 4, held numerous education-related roles earlier than operating for varsity board.
Rosenfeld, initially from St. Louis, taught for 5 years on town’s South Facet. She later joined the Native College Council at Bell Elementary College, the place her youngsters attended. For the previous seven years, she labored as a household and neighborhood engagement specialist at CPS, which entails speaking with households at boards or public conferences.
Rosenfeld has since give up that job with a view to serve on the varsity board.
Rosenfeld beat her 5 opponents with 41.6% of the vote. She raised the second largest quantity of marketing campaign money in her district, with near $187,000, as of late October. Rosenfeld was endorsed by state lawmakers Rep. Ann Williams and Sen. Robert Martwick, who had been behind laws to create the elected college board, in addition to a number of Chicago alderpeople, Prepare dinner County commissioners and U.S. Rep. Jan. Schakowsky. She was was a part of the Democrats for Training slate of candidates.
Aaron “Jitu” Brown, District 5a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Austin, Ukrainian Village, West City
Variety of CPS colleges: 38
Aaron “Jitu” Brown, who grew up on the South Facet, lives in Austin. His son attends Kenwood Academy Excessive College.
Because the solely individual on the poll for District 5, Brown received 100% of the vote. He was endorsed by the Chicago Lecturers Union and obtained an early vote of confidence from Mayor Brandon Johnson, who Brown considers a good friend. Brown raised about $55,000 in marketing campaign funds.
Brown is a longtime neighborhood organizer who, over the previous twenty years, has advocated for a lot of school-related points, together with creating an elected college board and combating college closures.
For the reason that Nineties, Brown stated he helped run college youth management applications on the South and West sides. He additionally volunteered for and finally oversaw the Kenwood Oakland Neighborhood Group, a progressive advocacy group targeted on a number of points, together with training.
Brown is the nationwide director of the Journey for Justice Alliance, a progressive coalition of organizations that advocates for bettering colleges via “community-driven” approaches and is towards privatization.
Michilla “Kyla” Blaise, District 5b (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: West City, West Loop, Garfield Park, North Lawndale
Variety of CPS colleges: 62
Michilla Blaise, who was appointed to the board in October after the total earlier board resigned, grew up in Chicago and attended Catholic colleges. Blaise used to reside on the North Facet however stated she moved together with her youngsters — who attend Kenwood Academy Excessive College — to her mom’s condominium constructing in East Garfield Park.
Blaise launched a profession in politics when she went to work for former forty sixth Ward Ald. Helen Schiller.
She later began her personal political consulting agency. She is at the moment chief of workers for Prepare dinner County Board Commissioner Frank Aguilar and can also be board secretary for Westside Justice Heart, a authorized providers nonprofit group.
Blaise ran for varsity board final yr towards fellow board member Aaron “Jitu” Brown earlier than dropping out of the race.
Anusha Thotakura, District 6a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Streeterville, River North, Wicker Park
Variety of CPS colleges: 14
Regardless of ending second within the November election, Anusha Thotakura is one in all Mayor Johnson’s picks to serve on the varsity board. Because the recently-promoted govt director of Citizen Motion/Illinois, Thotakura leads a coalition of progressive organizations advocating on a lot of completely different areas, together with training.
Thokatura grew up in Chicago’s northwest suburbs and labored as a center college math trainer in San Jose, California via Educate for America earlier than returning to Illinois. A resident of River West, she was endorsed by the Chicago Lecturers Union and stated on the marketing campaign path she could be targeted on early childhood training, increasing after-school programming, and bettering college services.
Jessica Biggs, District 6b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Englewood, Larger Grand Crossing, Woodlawn and Hyde Park
Variety of CPS colleges: 37
Former CPS principal and present CPS mum or dad Jessica Biggs received a three-way competitors with 45% of the vote in November. She ran as an impartial candidate and raised the least amount of cash in her race. Nonetheless, Biggs obtained the endorsement of progressive alderwoman Jeanette Taylor.
Biggs left CPS after serving as principal for six years at Burke Elementary in Washington Park. Based on a report by WBEZ in 2018, she was fired for steering workers members to mark college students tardy after they would have been marked as absent for half a day. Biggs stated her departure from the district mustn’t coloration her time as a frontrunner in CPS.
Throughout her marketing campaign, Biggs stated she would prioritize working with state lawmakers to fully-fund the state’s evidence-based funding method and work to make sure sturdy neighborhood colleges.
Emma Lozano, District 7a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Little Village, Pilsen, Close to West Facet
Variety of CPS colleges: 46
A pastor and very long time immigration rights activist, Emma Lozano has fought for sanctuary insurance policies in Chicago and elsewhere. Mayor Brandon Johnson named her final month as one in all his picks to serve on the varsity board and referred to as her a “champion for bilingual training and immigrant rights.”
Yesenia Lopez, District 7b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Gage Park, Brighton Park, McKinley Park, Bridgeport
Variety of CPS colleges: 33
A former Latino outreach director for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s marketing campaign, Yesenia Lopez now works as an govt assistant for the Illinois Secretary of State. A Gage Park resident, Lopez graduated from Pickard Elementary College and Benito Juarez Neighborhood Academy in Pilsen and earned a level in political science and gender research from DePaul College.
Lopez received a three-way race to signify the south west facet with 56% of the vote. She had the early endorsement of Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a longtime progressive politician in Chicago and one of many first Latinos elected to the Metropolis Council. Lopez doesn’t have youngsters, however has volunteered and labored in a number of colleges in her neighborhood.
Angel Gutierrez, District 8a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Garfield Ridge, West Garden, Marquette Park, Clearing, Halfway Airport
Variety of CPS colleges: 29
A resident of the Garfield Ridge neighborhood, Angel Gutierrez handily received a two-way race in November towards Felix Ponce with 63% of the vote. A non-profit marketing consultant, Gutierrez has expertise in governance, fundraising, strategic planning, and administration. He labored in fundraising roles at Chicago Hope Academy, a Christian highschool on the west facet, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
On the marketing campaign path, Gutierrez stated he would advocate for monetary stability, college alternative, and campus security. He was endorsed by the Illinois Community of Constitution Faculties and was a part of the Democrats for Training slate of candidates.
TBD, District 8b (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Again of the Yards, West Garden, Bridgeport
Variety of CPS colleges: 36
The mayor has not but chosen an appointee to serve on this place.
Frank Niles Thomas, District 9a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Auburn Gresham, Englewood, Canaryville
Variety of CPS colleges: 47
A Johnson appointee final October, Thomas is a CPS graduate, a U.S. Air Pressure veteran and the daddy of 4 CPS graduates. He led the Division of Streets and Sanitation within the twenty first Ward and the native college council for Dunne Elementary, the place he additionally based a mentoring program.
In coming onto the board, Thomas touted his expertise dealing with contract negotiations and different labor-management points.
Therese Boyle, District 9b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Beverly, Morgan Park, Pullman, Roseland
Variety of CPS colleges: 46
Boyle is a retired educator with 35 years of expertise as a CPS college psychologist and trainer. An impartial candidate within the college board race, she additionally ran unsuccessfully to steer the Chicago Lecturers Union in 2019. In November, she received a four-way contest with 36% of the vote.
Boyle, a mom of two CPS lecturers, has stated the district ought to step up efforts to recruit and retain seasoned educators — and strike a stability in supporting each neighborhood and selective enrollment or magnet colleges. She additionally needs to deal with bettering college students’ tutorial achievement and psychological well being and on balancing the district’s finances.
Che “Rhymefest” Smith, District 10a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Kenwood, Oakland, Hyde Park, South Shore, Woodlawn
Variety of CPS colleges: 33
Smith is an award-winning musician, neighborhood activist, and former aldermanic candidate. Smith, who largely self-funded his college board bid, has stated his priorities are boosting arts, science and psychological well being applications in CPS, rising partnerships with nonprofits and different native organizations, and hunting down waste within the district’s finances. He received a aggressive four-way race in November with 32% of the vote.
Smith, who co-founded a youth outreach nonprofit named Artwork of Tradition, additionally want to see extra scholar involvement in district decision-making. Late final yr, he spoke out forcefully towards Martinez’ firing.
Olga Bautista, District 10b (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Avalon Park, Altgeld Gardens, Chatham, East Facet, Hegewisch, Pullman, South Chicago
Variety of CPS colleges: 56
Bautista, an environmental activist on Chicago’s Southeast Facet, was one of many board members Johnson appointed in October following the earlier board’s resignations. The mom of two CPS college students and a former aldermanic candidate, she is the co-executive director of Southeast Environmental Job Pressure. She has additionally served as a mentor within the youth group Insurgent Bells and as neighborhood management director for Our Metropolis Our Voice, a civic engagement nonprofit.
She has stated she is keen about absolutely funding the district’s colleges and selling extra environmentally pleasant college buildings via the Inexperienced New Faculties initiative.
Becky Vevea is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Chicago. Contact Becky at bvevea@chalkbeat.org.
Reema Amin is a reporter overlaying Chicago Public Faculties. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.
Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter overlaying Chicago Public Faculties. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.
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