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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 a part of 11 mayoral appointees to serve for the subsequent 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 instructor and union organizer, will preserve vital affect for the subsequent two years. Though he advocated for an elected college board alongside his allies on the Chicago Academics Union, Johnson has struggled with the transfer towards a extra impartial board as he pushes to rework the college district with the management he nonetheless maintains.
On Dec. 16 he introduced 10 of his 11 appointments, and final week, informed Chalkbeat that his remaining choose 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 Aspect 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 beneath former CPS CEO Ron Huberman as deputy CEO of group affairs. Earlier than that, he held a place as government assistant for former Mayor Richard M. Daley, then moved on to deputy commissioner of human relations.
Harden can be chairman of three nonprofit organizations: Inside 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 provides 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 faculties: 22
Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced on Dec. 16 he would appoint longtime group organizer Ed Bannon to serve the opposite half of District 1 on the far northwest aspect of town. A resident of the Dunning neighborhood, Bannon at the moment serves on the Dever Elementary Native Faculty Council as a group consultant and ran for thirty eighth Ward alderman in 2023 towards incumbent Ald. Nick Sposato. His marketing campaign fundraising committee remains to be lively.
Bannon previously served because the president of the Six Corners Affiliation, in line with Block Membership Chicago, and organizes an annual family-friendly bike journey, known as Tour de Dunning. In line with the mayor’s workplace, he’s the mother or father of three CPS graduates.
Jennifer Custer, District 1b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Montclare, Portage Park, Mayfair
Variety of CPS faculties: 20
A mother of two with a 3rd on the best way, Custer is an educator who labored as a instructor and dean of scholars in suburban college districts earlier than taking a break to boost her youngsters. A resident of the Montclare neighborhood, Custer will signify subdistrict 1a after profitable a two-way race 51% to 49% towards Michelle N. Pierre, a former constitution college chief, district official, principal, and instructor.
Custer was supported by a number of labor unions and endorsed by the Chicago Academics 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 academics and principals.
Ebony DeBerry, District 2a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Rogers Park, West Ridge
Variety of CPS faculties: 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 instructional initiatives at ONE Northside and a former CPS pupil, instructor, and mother or father.
DeBerry was endorsed by the Chicago Academics Union and shares lots of the similar progressive views on training coverage. On the marketing campaign path, she mentioned she needs to extend mother or father involvement, develop after-school programming, and strengthen tutoring and counseling in CPS. She’s additionally a supporter of Sustainable Group Faculties, a mannequin during which faculties accomplice with group organizations to offer wraparound providers.
Debby Pope, District 2b (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Andersonville, Edgewater, Lincoln Sq., Ravenswood
Variety of CPS faculties: 19
A retired CPS instructor, 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 assist 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 Academics Union and has served of their Home of Delegates. In line with her bio on the Board of Training web site, she is the mother or father 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 faculties: 23
Rios-Sierra is an artist and cultural occasions supervisor with Palenque LSNA, a neighborhood group group serving Logan Sq. that additionally works in faculties serving to present after college programming and mother or father mentors.
In line with the mayor’s workplace, Rios-Sierra is a CPS mother or father. 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 faculties: 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 faculties. He taught by means of 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 mother or father, fostering unaccompanied migrant youngsters who should 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 faculties: 15
Karen Zaccor, a longtime group organizer and Uptown resident, is among the mayor’s appointees to the brand new college board. She was a CPS instructor for 28 years and most lately taught at Uplift Group Excessive Faculty in Uptown, a faculty she co-founded, earlier than her current 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 college board and was endorsed by the Chicago Academics Union in addition to forty sixth Ward Ald. Angela Clay.
Ellen Rosenfeld, District 4b (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Lincoln Park, Lakeview
Variety of CPS faculties: 18
Ellen Rosenfeld, a former instructor and mom of 4, held varied education-related roles earlier than operating for college board.
Rosenfeld, initially from St. Louis, taught for 5 years on town’s South Aspect. She later joined the Native Faculty Council at Bell Elementary Faculty, the place her youngsters attended. For the previous seven years, she labored as a household and group engagement specialist at CPS, which entails speaking with households at boards or public conferences.
Rosenfeld has since stop that job with a view to serve on the college 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 faculties: 38
Aaron “Jitu” Brown, who grew up on the South Aspect, lives in Austin. His son attends Kenwood Academy Excessive Faculty.
Because the solely individual on the poll for District 5, Brown received 100% of the vote. He was endorsed by the Chicago Academics Union and bought 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 group organizer who, over the previous 20 years, has advocated for a lot of school-related points, together with creating an elected college board and preventing college closures.
For the reason that Nineties, Brown mentioned he helped run college youth management packages on the South and West sides. He additionally volunteered for and finally oversaw the Kenwood Oakland Group 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 faculties by means of “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 faculties: 62
Michilla Blaise, who was appointed to the board in October after the complete earlier board resigned, grew up in Chicago and attended Catholic faculties. Blaise used to reside on the North Aspect however mentioned she moved together with her youngsters — who attend Kenwood Academy Excessive Faculty — to her mom’s condo 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 be board secretary for Westside Justice Middle, a authorized providers nonprofit group.
Blaise ran for college 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 faculties: 14
Regardless of ending second within the November election, Anusha Thotakura is one in all Mayor Johnson’s picks to serve on the college board. Because the recently-promoted government director of Citizen Motion/Illinois, Thotakura leads a coalition of progressive organizations advocating on plenty of totally different areas, together with training.
Thokatura grew up in Chicago’s northwest suburbs and labored as a center college math instructor in San Jose, California by means of Educate for America earlier than returning to Illinois. A resident of River West, she was endorsed by the Chicago Academics Union and mentioned 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, Higher Grand Crossing, Woodlawn and Hyde Park
Variety of CPS faculties: 37
Former CPS principal and present CPS mother or father Jessica Biggs received a three-way competitors with 45% of the vote in November. She ran as an impartial candidate and raised the least sum of money in her race. Nonetheless, Biggs bought the endorsement of progressive alderwoman Jeanette Taylor.
Biggs left CPS after serving as principal for six years at Burke Elementary in Washington Park. In line with a report by WBEZ in 2018, she was fired for steering workers members to mark college students tardy once they would have been marked as absent for half a day. Biggs mentioned her departure from the district shouldn’t shade her time as a frontrunner in CPS.
Throughout her marketing campaign, Biggs mentioned she would prioritize working with state lawmakers to fully-fund the state’s evidence-based funding components and work to make sure sturdy neighborhood faculties.
Emma Lozano, District 7a (appointed)
Neighborhoods served: Little Village, Pilsen, Close to West Aspect
Variety of CPS faculties: 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 college board and known 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 faculties: 33
A former Latino outreach director for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s marketing campaign, Yesenia Lopez now works as an government assistant for the Illinois Secretary of State. A Gage Park resident, Lopez graduated from Pickard Elementary Faculty and Benito Juarez Group 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 aspect 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 faculties in her group.
Angel Gutierrez, District 8a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Garfield Ridge, West Garden, Marquette Park, Clearing, Halfway Airport
Variety of CPS faculties: 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 advisor, 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 aspect, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
On the marketing campaign path, Gutierrez mentioned he would advocate for monetary stability, college selection, 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 faculties: 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 faculties: 47
A Johnson appointee final October, Thomas is a CPS graduate, a U.S. Air Drive 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 faculties: 46
Boyle is a retired educator with 35 years of expertise as a CPS college psychologist and instructor. An impartial candidate within the college board race, she additionally ran unsuccessfully to steer the Chicago Academics Union in 2019. In November, she received a four-way contest with 36% of the vote.
Boyle, a mom of two CPS academics, has mentioned 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 faculties. She additionally needs to concentrate on bettering college students’ educational achievement and psychological well being and on balancing the district’s funds.
Che “Rhymefest” Smith, District 10a (elected)
Neighborhoods served: Kenwood, Oakland, Hyde Park, South Shore, Woodlawn
Variety of CPS faculties: 33
Smith is an award-winning musician, group activist, and former aldermanic candidate. Smith, who largely self-funded his college board bid, has mentioned his priorities are boosting arts, science and psychological well being packages in CPS, rising partnerships with nonprofits and different native organizations, and removing waste within the district’s funds. 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 wish to see extra pupil 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 Aspect, Hegewisch, Pullman, South Chicago
Variety of CPS faculties: 56
Bautista, an environmental activist on Chicago’s Southeast Aspect, 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 Activity Drive. She has additionally served as a mentor within the youth group Insurgent Bells and as group management director for Our Metropolis Our Voice, a civic engagement nonprofit.
She has mentioned she is keen about totally funding the district’s faculties and selling extra environmentally pleasant college buildings by means of 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 protecting Chicago Public Faculties. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.
Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter protecting Chicago Public Faculties. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.
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