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From attending almost every D86 board meeting since 1995, I’ve learned an important lesson: a school board is seven unique individuals, each one bringing to the table their own special background, knowledge, and skills. Three great candidates — Asma Akhras, Kay Gallo, and Catherine “Cat” Greenspon — will be even stronger in combination as they serve on the board. They share important commonalities — longtime volunteer work in our schools, other community service and a proven ability to collaborate and find the common grou...
As a District 86 parent, alum, retired state senator and the son of a longtime Hinsdale Central and South teacher, I applaud The Hinsdalean endorsement of Kay Gallo for its board. Kay previously served with distinction as District 86’s former board president. Importantly, she served one term on a feeder school’s board. Gallo is collaborative, approachable and respectful — traits sorely needed in these tumultuous times. Her dedication to our high school students, parents and taxpayers is unparalleled. My wife and I are impre...
When my mom passed away in 2016, her legacy included some prime Missouri farmland and a household inventory that ranged from English collectibles, coffee-table books on Great Britain and more plastic storage containers than one could use in a lifetime. Even one that stretched for 93 years. But as I blow through milestone birthdays at an impressive clip, I'm also channeling my London-born mom when it comes to assessing fashion choices. Do these ruffles look silly? Is this...
As a resident of D86 for nearly three decades, I’ve seen lots of different school board elections. I know firsthand the challenges of running for elective office. One cannot ignore the huge impact that schools have on our children, I’ve had a son and daughter graduate from D86, as well the significant value of our homes are influenced by the quality of our schools. Partly because of what I’ve seen, I have tried to be active in the Clarendon Hills Caucus where I am confident we’re putting forth an excellent and unconte...
There are criteria I want to see in a D86 board candidate, which include experience, passion, focus, intelligence, time, energy and integrity. Catherine “Cat” Greenspon encompasses each requirement equally. Catherine works with both of our local high schools to understand needs of students and/or seeing what activity she can join, or create, to assist whenever possible. I share a value system with Catherine that includes extensive service work with our local and surrounding communities. It seems wherever I am relative to our...
As a parent of elementary students, I am concerned about the un-piloted changes to grading and curriculum in D86 under the current administration. It may take years to get our high school back on track. This is why I support Kay Gallo for the District 86 Board of Education. Throughout her campaign, Kay has been clear and has not wavered from her position on these critical issues impacting our district. Additionally, Kay’s unparalleled prior experience on the board makes her well positioned for the monumental task of hiring t...
Tuesday, April 4, ushers in an extremely important election for the board of education for Hinsdale Township High School District 86. This community cannot allow voter apathy (historically 15-17 percent turnout) to define this election. There is simply too much at stake! With three open seats and five candidates, in order to put this District back on track, vote 2-3-4 on the ballot to get the best candidates seated on the board of education: Kay Gallo, Catherine Greenspon and Andrew Catton. Each of these three candidates has...
I wholeheartedly support Catherine “Cat” Greenspon for D86 BOE. Although I just met Cat during COVID, it feels like we’re lifelong friends. Cat’s life exemplifies a passion for education. In her 20s, Cat created Computer Labs in Cabrini Green, not just for children, but to provide parents access to the internet to apply for jobs. Her Infinite Green Project provided Chicago area STEM students opportunities to partner with scientists at Argonne National Labs and explore renewable energy sources as global citizens. Activel...
I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Kay Gallo and Catherine Greenspon, who are running for the District 86 school board. Our community is fortunate to have two such highly qualified, intelligent and effective individuals willing to serve on the Board. Kay and Cat will play key roles in restoring stability to the district, reversing downward-trending academic performance and returning transparency to administration decision-making and board governance. Both are strongly committed to re-invigorating the...
Kay Gallo would make an excellent addition to the D86 Board of Education. As a 38-year resident of Clarendon Hills, Kay has experience having served two terms on the D86 Board and one term for D60 elementary. Kay understands what it takes to be on the board and there will be no learning curve. From the day she announced her candidacy, Kay had a list of priorities and objectives that she has not deviated from — her message is both clear and concise. According to Kay, with the district’s new grading system, there is “an incre...
On behalf of the Hinsdale Central Boys’ varsity basketball team, we send the Red Devil Nation community our sincerest gratitude. Thank you for attending the games, cheering us on and making this season so incredibly memorable for all who participated on court and in the stands or home-streaming. Also a special shout-out to our 2022-23 sponsors: Hinsdale Bank and Trust, Spartz Sports, Breakaway Basketball, Hinsdale Inferno, Piemonte Auto Group, Vein and Vascular Centers SC, Reddy Dermatology SC, Midwest Sports Medicine I...
I strongly support Asma Akhras for District 86 School Board. A 31-year Hinsdale resident, I’ve attended D86 school board meetings for over a year, educating myself about issues animating our community. The result of attendance and listening: I’m convinced Asma Akhras is uniquely positioned to elevate the discussion on issues this next school board will address. Asma’s credentials are precisely those valued by, and needed now in, D86: 20 + years in education, Illinois licensed principal, master’s degree curriculum/instruction...
I recently had the privilege of riding with Hinsdale police officers on an evening shift. I observed a high level of professionalism and supervisory competence. Officers displayed patience and restraint in difficult situations, efficient use of technology, excellent coordination of mutual operations involving other police departments and an enthusiasm and dedication to duty. Policing is a difficult and dangerous profession. Next time you see a squad give them a waive, next time you see an officer, thank them for their...
I wanted to raise attention to a disgraceful political piece of mail disguising itself as real news. This week my household received a copy of the DuPage Policy Journal. If the name seems vaguely familiar it’s because this was one of last fall’s fake newspapers that were little more than political junk mail. Now with school board elections coming up, the imposter newspaper has returned from the dead (despite being widely called out and seemingly unsuccessful last time around). This time, they seem to be trying harder to hid...
I’ve had the good fortune to live in D86 for 26 years, with four children who have either graduated or are now enrolled in D86. I’m writing to ask my community to vote for Andrew Catton, Kay Gallo and Cat Greenspon for D86 school board on April 4. Sadly, I have witnessed a decline in academic standards, which, if unchecked, will do real harm to our students and community. Too often these have arisen from changes to academic approaches that are bad for both students and educators. Regrettably, the outgoing school board has...
Kay Gallo has the right temperament, judgment and experience to represent our community on the D86 board of education. Kay is the only candidate with previous D86 board experience. She has served two terms, from 2009-17, and was board president from 2015-17. She is a known quantity and has proven herself. She is supportive of students and teachers, holds administrators accountable to high standards and is fiscally responsible. Kay has a deep understanding of the issues facing the district. She has a level-headed, pragmatic...
Catherine “Cat” Greenspon and I have crossed paths many times while advocating for students and our schools. As a D181 parent, as well as having served the last 10 years on a D181 PTO Board (three as a co-president), I have witnessed Cat working tirelessly to support all students and the schools. I got to know Cat more at a “meet and greet” where she shared her platform: choice for all students, accountability that D86 invest in student growth and true spirit of partnership with our community. When Cat took questio...
I am honored to support my friend, Catherine Greenspon, for D86 school board. Catherine deeply cares for all our D86 children, so much so that she tirelessly volunteers at both Hinsdale South and Central campuses. Catherine is laser focused on making sure each and every child in our community is given an opportunity to succeed, and I have no doubt she will do whatever it takes to get our kids the resources to grow and achieve success. I am impressed with Catherine’s willingness to listen, learn and strive for consensus. S...
Did you know that student math and English proficiency are down across the board over the last decade in D86? So why then did the D86 administration and board majority just approve a contract that will give students 18 fewer hours of instruction than they had in 2017-18, not more? Yes, it’s true. Students at our high schools will be released early, nearly every Wednesday, nearly every week, for the next four years. Twenty-eight Wednesdays, at minimum, each year, plus several more half-day releases, which will translate into w...
Voters in the Hinsdale Township school district need to be on the alert for a publication in their mailboxes that looks like a newspaper, the DuPage Policy Journal. It is not a member of the Illinois Press Association, nor is it eligible for membership in the association, according to that organization. It looks like right-wing propaganda by outsiders seeking to interfere in our local elections by touching on polarizing issues that distract us from the important issues facing the school district. Media/Bias Fact Check, which...
I closely eyeballed the stop sign at the intersection of Fourth and Lincoln streets. It appeared to be in good working order. "STOP" was spelled correctly, the red was the appropriate hue and all eight sides were visible. No branches, bushes, parked vehicles or other man-made shrouds blocked its view. I was perplexed. If the sign was in good working order, why were so many drivers not fully stopping? Or ignoring it altogether? I thought about calling the manufacturer to ask...
Due to spring break taking place the last week of March, all election letters must be received by 5 p.m. today, March 23. As is the case with all letters, writers should include their name, along with their address and daytime phone number (not for publication). Letters must be 250 words or fewer and any factual information must be documented. Questions? Call (630) 323-4422....
✔︎ Asma Akhras ✔︎ Kay Gallo ✔︎ Catherine “Cat” Greenspon Andrew Catton Deborah Willoughby A little more than two years ago, the newly seated board in Hinsdale High School District 86 spent two and a half hours taking 10 votes trying to choose a new board president. Since that time, the board has been regularly divided on a host of issues large and small, from curriculum issues to the approval of minutes. A segment of the board and the community also has lost confidence in the superintendent, making board meetings even m...
Ann Grube didn’t intend to make history when she started volunteering with The Community House in 1983. She and her husband, John, had just moved to Hinsdale from Manhattan. “Someone said, ‘If you really want to meet people, you need to get involved at the Antiques Show at The Community House and you’ll meet hundreds of people,’ and that’s exactly how it began,” Grube recalled. Margaret Guido assigned her the job of public relations for the show, which used to be one of the...
“If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough,” the popular saying goes. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow — and with no disrespect to the Irish — we’d like to offer our own twist on the saying. “If you’re lucky enough to be a Hinsdalean, you’re lucky enough.” And so, we offer up the following reasons — an incomplete list, we admit — that Hinsdaleans have to feel the sun shining on their faces and the wind always at their backs. • the volunteers and philanthropists who are willing to share their time, talents...
