Zivit Blonder: Candidate For Northbrook/Glenview School District 30

NORTHBROOK, IL — Ahead of the April 4 consolidated municipal elections, Northbrook Patch and Glenview Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.

With Nancy Artz, current president, and Daniel Levin, current board member, not running for reelection when their terms end in April, five candidates are vying for four seats on the Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board of Education on Election Day. The candidates are:

• Zivit Blonder, current member (term ends in 2023)
• Ammar Mirza Rizki, current member (term ends in 2023)
• Kevin Glowacz
• Pamela Manicioto
• Patrick Wang

Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Zivit Blonder

Age (as of election day)

48

Town/city of residence

Northbrook

School district

Northbrook/Glenview School District 30

Family

Husband, Steve
Son Matthew, 17 (GBN Senior)
Son Adam, 13, Maple student0

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BA in Education and Environmental Studies

Occupation

Travel consultant, 8 years

Campaign website

Zivit Blonder for District 30

Previous or current elected or appointed office

current School Board Member for Northbrook Glenview District 30 (since 2019)

The most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.

With a new superintendent starting this summer, an immediate priority is helping her successfully transition into this new role in the district and in our community. As a district, we will need to make the most of our new faculties and focus our efforts on raising the level of our educational offerings for all students in order to maintain our competitive edge while addressing the many mental health issues that challenge students today. Additionally, we need to execute on the diversity, equity and inclusion goals that we have recently developed.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am running as part of a team with three other candidates, and each of us possesses different strengths that complement one another so that the sum is greater than the parts. My strength is community, and my ability to work as part of a team. For the past 13 years, I have been involved in all aspects of our school community as a parent, room parent, PTO president and school board member. My experience throughout the district is wide, and I have developed relationships that run deep and wide throughout the community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

The mental health of our students and staff is a core issue for our district, and something that demands our full attention. Additionally we need to execute on the diversity, equity and inclusion goals that we have set.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have served in a variety of roles in our community. Within the school district, I have been a parent, room parent, PTO President and now board member. When the district embarked on building a new middle school, I played a leadership role from the beginning, helping develop community support while serving on the campaign leadership committee. Also, I served on district committees evaluating the food services offered. For two years, I was the President of the Wescott PTO. As a board member, we have accomplished a new building at Maple, an addition to Wescott, and a new parking facility and library at Willowbrook as well as new playgrounds at all three schools. We have recently hired a new superintendent for our district. We managed through Covid to keep our community unified through the challenging times and maintained fiscal responsibility.

Why should voters trust you?

I have been part of the District 30 community for almost twenty years. During that time, I have been involved throughout the community and have undertaken leadership roles in our schools. In those roles, I have worked on behalf of the entire community. As a board member, I have promoted unity in our district while working to ensure that we have maintained fiscal responsibility during these challenging times. I have proven to be a strong community advocate for student mental health and supporting our district meeting all students where they are so that each student can meet their potential. I was endorsed by the caucus when I first ran for this position. This time, community leadership asked me to run for re-election and I only decided to do so after the caucus process was complete.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

Diversity in hiring district personnel so that each student has a role model with whom they can identify. My hope is that during my second term, the goals and priorities that we set over the past few years trickle down into the classroom with demonstrable results while the district maintains its high standards.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Being responsible and using our precious resources to help all students without unduly burdening our community. We need to maximize the resources that we have to ensure that we can meet our educational and other goals as a school district while being mindful of what our neighboring districts are doing from a fiscal and programmatic perspective.

What are your thoughts on how the district has handled the COVID-19 pandemic?

The district was open-minded in considering the differing views of people in our community. Most importantly, the district followed the data, the science and the governmental guidelines. We were successful through the pandemic because we proactively planned for the possibility of remote learning. Additionally, we worked to ensure that both students and staff felt safe coming to school.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some school boards saw extremely heated disagreements during public meetings. If elected, what changes, if any, need to be made to ensure meetings are run efficiently while still allowing open discussions?

Our motto was open and steady communication while ensuring that everyone felt heard which I expect to continue.

How do you feel about sex education being taught in school? Should an LGBTQ component be included, and why or why not?

Sex education should be taught in schools consistent with applicable guidelines. Our professionals need to guide us in this process. It is imperative that students be taught to be respectful, tolerant and accepting of all. If parents are not comfortable with any aspect of the curriculum, they should have the opportunity to opt out.

What are your views on critical race theory and whether it should be taught in the district?

Students should be taught to be accepting of all and our district should promote this in an age-appropriate manner.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

The population in our school district is diverse, and we have attempted to hire district personnel representing that diversity. The board has adopted diversity, equity and inclusion goals, and has undertaken a third-party equity audit. It has become part of our curriculum and we look forward to collaborating with the administration to implement the goals that have been set.

When it comes to student achievement, what are schools within this district doing well and what needs to be improved? How can those improvements be made?

The schools in the district are highly-ranked, with two schools being recognized as blue-ribbon schools. We have sustained high levels of student achievement while meeting each student where they are so that each can progress and meet their goals. We need to continue to address the mental health challenges that students face, so that each student can meet their potential.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

To watch from above and not descend into the day to day running of the schools, and to remember that a school board member is one equal vote out of seven.