The Wednesday Journal sent questionnaires to each person running for public office in 2025. The Journal’s questions are in bold and the candidate’s responses are below.
OPRF does not hold an “exemplary” designation from the state, a rating given to the top 10% of public schools, how would you help the school get there? Why is it important to get there?
When you spend over $25,000 of taxpayer money per student, you expect the best. The most significant Illinois Report Card metric that the school can improve upon is having our ninth graders pass all their core classes. Compared with peer schools identified by the administration, we are last in this metric (see more detail at GertzMellmanD200.com). We can improve by offering more active tutoring opportunities and an intensive summer program for incoming ninth graders. We need to challenge all our students at the level they are at, including those who are still growing into their potential and need more assistance. We need to track academic growth metrics over the four years while students are in our care. We owe it to our students and community to follow this data, taking action to continue to improve outcomes based on this information.
With a new presidential administration has come sweeping federal changes affecting public schools. How would you look to guide the district in this new climate?
Regardless of what is happening at the federal level, our core mission does not change. The primary purpose of any school is to educate kids. When we take our oath as a school board member, we each swear to faithfully discharge our duties in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the laws of the State of Illinois. We are a nation of laws, not men. If there is a legal dispute, we will get legal advice on the best course of action. Josh Gertz and I are running on three priorities: keeping all of our kids safe, challenging all students academically, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars. We can do all three while navigating any changes that happen above the local level.
What is the most important aspect of the Project 2 facilities upgrades currently underway at OPRF? How would you look to keep the plan on budget?
Earning back taxpayer trust. In 2015, board members circumvented voters in trying to fund a new pool. In 2019, they told voters it was a mistake and they would never bypass voters again. Four years later, some board members did just that to partially finance Project 2. Whether Project 2 should have gone to the voters is water under the bridge. What is important now is to have independent, critical thinkers on the board to ensure it is delivered on time and on budget. Project 1 was 29% over-budget. What’s past is prologue and the community senses this with the $140 million-plus Project 2. Both Josh Gertz and I know how to ask good questions. We are attorneys. I have construction experience. We can challenge invoices and value engineer plans instead of paying for cost overruns. If we want voters to pass future referendums, we must earn their trust now.
What does equity in education mean to you? How would you advocate for it if elected?
Both Josh Gertz and I care about each student. We want each student to be challenged and for each to graduate. I have three kids. They each grew up with the same parents, the same environment, and the same economic opportunities. But as any parent of more than one child knows, to be successful each kid can have very different development and academic needs. OPRF needs to be able to meet each student where they are at, and provide the educational rigor that enables them to be academically challenged and ready for steps beyond high school. We need to provide adequate resources and opportunities to those with lesser economic resources so they have the opportunity to succeed. We can do so with methods that have a proven history of success: tutoring and intensive support programs, especially for incoming freshmen. Bolstering these efforts will close the achievement gap.
In recent years, OPRF has changed its behavioral policies to put a greater emphasis on restorative justice, what do you make of these changes?
No one wants to see a student expelled. Yet, as board members, we have a serious obligation to consider the safety of the entire student body. Keeping students safe is one of our top priorities. If a child does not feel safe, they simply cannot learn. While we understand the potential benefits of restorative justice efforts, we also worry about a school environment where dangerous and disrespectful behavior becomes commonplace. We believe violence in school should never be normalized or tolerated. Unfortunately, OPRF, through mid-January of this year, has seen almost as many fights and threats as we had all last school year (see GertzMellmanD200.com for details). Yet, the majority of consequences for fights is an “in-school reflection.” Additionally, OPRF’s own policy on firearms and other weapons is out of compliance with state law. We need to correct this for the safety of our students.
