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  • We're No. 1! We're No. 1!

    Bill Barre|Updated Apr 5, 2023

    We humans think a lot of ourselves. And rightly so. After all, unlike other species, we can contemplate the past and look forward to the future. We humans can talk in actual sentences with distinct and nuanced words. All you other species, what have you got? Quack, quack. Oink, oink. Bah, bah. Tweet, tweet. Come on, you, you — animals! And how about quantum physics? Any chimps or crows or dolphins thinking about that? Huh? Our greatest human minds can’t figure it out, of cou...

  • Letter - Akhras, Gallo, Greenspon best choices for D86

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Former state senator applauds endorsement of Gallo

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Akhras checks the right boxes for District 86

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    Asma Akhras should be among those who guide D86 into the future. She brings compelling experience in the education field. She has taught in classrooms, has post graduate education-related schooling, has volunteered on local elementary and high school committees, and has worked in fields supporting school districts. This broad experience will help the board find commonality among the many stakeholders of D86. Parents want our students to thrive. Asma does too. She believes in meeting students where they are, providing...

  • Letter - Hart endorses Greenspon in D86 Board race

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    I enthusiastically endorse Catherine Greenspon for the Hinsdale District 86 Board of Education. Her candidacy is refreshing and inspiring, especially considering the current state of our political climate. One of Catherine’s most admirable qualities is her independence. She is not beholden to any interest group or political broker. She has a clear and unbiased sense of what is best for our schools and refuses to be influenced by the whims of others. Catherine’s willingness to work with everyone has been crucial in her suc...

  • Letter - Akhras responsible for worker's actions

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    If a single mail-in or early-voting voter was swayed by the deceit involving an Asma Akhras campaign worker, that’s as harmful of an act as I can imagine. No matter what spin the campaign and the candidate are selling, ultimately, the candidate and her campaign are responsible for the actions of all people associated with the campaign. — Richard Morton, Hinsdale...

  • Letter - Cat Greenspon is what the D86 Board needs

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    I have had the opportunity to work with Cat for several years as a volunteer for the Hinsdale Central PTO. During her tenure on the PTO executive board, she has prove that she is a compassionate leader who gets things done and will always put students first. Cat is an active volunteer within the district who is not afraid to dig in and get involved. She has held leadership positions in both the Hinsdale Central PTO and Music Parents Association and has spent countless additional hours volunteering for other clubs and...

  • Letter - Greenspon the decisive choice for D86 Board

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    Cat Greenspon is the candidate running for the BOE who consistently demonstrates her commitment to work tirelessly on the behalf of ALL students in D86. “It is time for our district to support all student growth and achievement through data-driven initiatives that maximize each student’s full potential,” said Cat at several forums. Her platform is fact-based, and she has the drive, the intelligence, and years of committee involvement with Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South working toward this end goal. She is driven by pr...

  • Funny how phrases can bind us

    Denise Joyce|Updated Mar 29, 2023

    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...

  • Vote April 4 for Gallo for District 86 Board

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    Kay has previously served on the school board from 2009-17. Her tenure during that often contentious time was exemplary. She is a proven and committed leader and always focused upon the best outcomes for all students, parents, faculty members and school employees. Her experience has demonstrated that she understands the big picture. Kay will lead D86 with fairness, integrity and honesty. Restore D86 to its former brilliance and end the time that has been lost. Vote for Kay Gallo. — Sally and Dennis Parsons...

  • Thousands - even millions - of reasons to vote

    Updated Mar 29, 2023

    Why should you vote in the Tuesday, April 4, election? The 2,450 students who attend Hinsdale Central High School, where they are taught by 215 certified faculty members and have the chance to participate on 31 athletic teams and more than 85 clubs. The 1,364 students at Hinsdale South High School, which has 134 certified faculty members, 31 athletic teams and more than 70 clubs. An annual budget of some $160 million. The three individuals voters elect to serve on the Hinsdale High School District Board will be responsible...

  • Good reminders for troubled times - or any time

    Pamela Lannom|Updated Mar 29, 2023

    I first discovered Charles Mackesy in November 2020 when CBS Sunday Morning was doing a piece on him and his book, "The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse." We were enjoying our annual Thanksgiving weekend getaway in Saugatuck, so I had time to sit down with my coffee and enjoy the show. "In a quaint barn in the English countryside, there's a man, with a dog, documenting the human condition in its simplest form, through sketches about kindness and empathy, as we all...

  • Letter - Akhras has right credentials to serve on D86 board

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Firsthand look at police work yields high praise

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - DuPage Policy Journal isn't a real newspaper

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Catton, Gallo, Greenspon will put D86 students first

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Gallo can be trusted to make decisions in D86

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Greenspon brings knowledge, dedication to D86

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Greenspon honest, hardworking, right for D86 board

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - Vote for Gallo, Greenspon, Catton on April 4

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Letter - DuPage Policy Journal 'biased and questionable'

    Updated Mar 23, 2023

    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...

  • Hinsdaleans, we need to stop

    Kevin Cook|Updated Mar 22, 2023

    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...

  • Election letters due March 23

    Updated Mar 22, 2023

    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....

  • Hinsdalean lists endorsements for the D86 board

    Updated Mar 22, 2023

    ✔︎ 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...

  • Luck certainly not limited to the Irish

    Updated Mar 15, 2023

    “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...

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