Deerfield Parents Launch Candidacies For District 109 Board Of Ed

Press release from James D'Angelo:

Dec. 11, 2020

Dana Blumberg, James D’Angelo, Valarie Hays and Jonathan Silver launch their A Better Choice for Deerfield (ABC Deerfield) candidacies for the Deerfield Public Schools District 109 (DPS 109) Board of Education. The ABC Deerfield candidates are running for the Board for one simple reason — to make sure our schools work better for every student, every parent and every teacher. Hundreds of interested DPS 109 Residents have already expressed strong interest in the ABC Deerfield Campaign.

The ABC Deerfield candidates are a diverse group of residents who all united to support the “ABCs of an effective school board”: Accountability, Board Leadership, and Communication. By focusing on these three simple, yet crucial, principles, Dana, James, Valarie and Jonathan are confident they can bring lasting improvements to the DPS 109 School District.

“Deerfield Schools are rightfully viewed as some of the best in the state and country, and we need a school board that will maintain and improve those fundamentals,” said James D’Angelo, one of the four ABC Deerfield Candidates and a parent of two current DPS 109 students and one future DPS 109 student. “Our Board must be accountable to our residents and put the needs of our students first -- the ABC Deerfield candidates promise to deliver where it matters.”

D’Angelo, who founded Deerfield for In-Person Schooling (DIPS), a parent coalition with hundreds of members focused on getting Deerfield students back in school as quickly and safely as possible, has volunteered countless hours to do what is right for the students of Deerfield. He has continually fought to strengthen the voices of all stakeholders. As a Board member, he will continue to fight for the absolute best for DPS 109 and all of its stakeholders, relying on data, sound reasoning, and foresight when making decisions.

“School board members must be willing and able to make the tough decisions and stand up for what is right,” said Dana Blumberg, a special education coordinator in a nearby district and a parent of two DPS 109 students. “We must be leaders, not followers, in ensuring our students receive the academic and social-emotional support they need, acting consistently with current data, peer studies, research, and science.”

The ABC Deerfield candidates come from different backgrounds and will bring different strengths to the DPS 109 School Board. From experience in education (both within schools and representing their interests in court), to fighting for the needs of students and parents, to leading groups and organizations in various arenas, the ABC Deerfield candidates have the skills necessary to improve our schools. The candidates truly represent “a better choice for Deerfield.”

“Our District should provide the highest level of quality education for all of our students, recognizing that all students have different strengths to be nurtured and needs to be addressed,” said Valarie Hays, a parent of two DPS 109 students and a practicing attorney. “Our community’s educational goals cannot be realized without an effective school board, and I’m confident that the ABC Deerfield candidates will be effective leaders on the Board.”

“The Deerfield and Riverwoods community have some of the best schools in the state, and I look forward to doing my part to make them even better,” said Jonathan Silver, the Dean of Students at a nearby high school and parent of one DPS 109 student and one future DPS 109 student. “The ABC Deerfield candidates are committed to making DPS 109 work better for students, teachers, parents and other community-members alike.”

A Better Choice for Deerfield (ABC Deerfield) is a slate of 4 candidates running for the Deerfield Public School District 109 Board of Education — Dana Blumberg, James D’Angelo, Valarie Hays, and Jonathan Silver. The election is Tuesday, April 6, 2021. To learn more about ABC Deerfield, please visit www.ABCDeerfield.com.

This press release was produced by James D'Angelo. The views expressed here are the author's own.