District 65 School Board Candidates
 
                                                                                                                                             

        

 


Christine Letchinger

As a professor, department chair and until recently, Acting Dean for the School of Hospitality Management, Christine is responsible for budget, curriculum review, teaching standards and the development and administration of educational assessment tools. Recognized for her excellence in education, she has received the "Excellence in Teaching" award and the "Outstanding Service to Students" award.

 

Occupation/Family: Professor of finance and accounting, Kendall College. Married to Rob Letchinger with two grown sons, both who attended Lake Bluff schools.

 

Education: MBA from Southern Methodist University; B.A. from Universite de La Sorbonne - Paris, France.

 

Civic Experience: Trustee and President of the Village of Lake Bluff since 1999, Board Member and Trustee for Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency, and Board Member for the Speak Up Coalition.

 

Vision:  Christine looks to make Lake Bluff schools the best on the North Shore by providing a first class education at a cost that makes our community a desirable place for residents of all ages.  She is committed to providing a challenging curriculum and a culture of accountability, and promoting collaboration with Districts 67 and 115 in the areas of curriculum and staff development.                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

 

Richard Hegg

Prior to becoming a business owner, Rich held several positions specializing in sales and manufacturers’ representatives with ITT.

 

Occupation/Family: Business owner and partner of Hamlet and Smith, a manufacturer's representative firm since 1980.  Married to Linda Hegg with two daughters who graduated from the Lake Bluff and Lake Forest schools.

 

Education: B.S. in Economics, Business Administration and International Relations from Knox College.

 

Civic Experience: Board member of the Lake Bluff History Museum and AYSO soccer coach.

 

Vision: Rich believes that an ongoing commitment to education in Lake Bluff, along with fiscal responsibility, will continue to bring new families to the area. His business background, along with two teachers as parents, will bring a unique perspective to the Board.  

 

 

John Marozsan began his career as a science teacher before moving into educational publishing. While at Ginn and Company, a publisher of elementary, secondary and college curricula products, he worked with teachers to develop textbook materials. This led to a 30 year career developing and publishing educational materials for professionals.

Occupation/Family: Served as President, CEO of Aspen Publishers, Inc. before retiring as President, CEO of CCH, Inc., a leading provider of tax and business law publications.  Married to Anne Gousha with three grown sons and two grandchildren.

Education: M.A.T. from Harvard University; B.S. in Science Education from Trenton State College.

Civic Experience: Lake Bluff Library Trustee the past 4 years and current President; corporate board member of Business and Legal Reports (BLR), substitute teacher and local tutor.

Vision: John represents the 77% of the community with no children in the District, but a keen interest in keeping our schools strong. He believes the Lake Bluff schools should be the best in the state, with kids receiving a strong foundation in math, science, reading and writing.

 


Julie Gottshall is both a practicing attorney and mother of two children in the Lake Bluff schools. She practices nationally in the area of employment law, including litigation and counseling on behalf of management.

 

Family: Partner with the law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP in Chicago. Married to Brooke Gottshall with one child at Lake Bluff Middle School and one at Lake Bluff Elementary School.

 

Education: J.D. from George Washington University National Law Center with honors; B. S. from Cornell University.

 

Civic Experience: Lake Bluff Library Board Trustee the past 4 years, including Vice President and Secretary;  General Counsel and ex officio board member for YouthBuild Lake County, a non-profit organization in North Chicago dedicated to helping at-risk youth complete their education; Team Organizer for the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes.

 

Vision: Julie is deeply committed to ensuring a strong educational program that challenges all students and encourages critical thinking as well as excellence in core instructional areas.  She believes that with a new Superintendent in place, the Board has a unique opportunity to chart a steady course that will promote academic success along with fiscal accountability.

 

 

Text Box: HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT… • Balanced Board: We represent a highly credentialed cross-section of our Village and offer a variety of skills, experiences, and perspectives. The District 65 School Board is one of the very few on the North Shore without representation from Lake Bluff residents who no longer have children in the school system yet represent 77% of the community. • Academic Excellence: We propose greater curriculum coordination and a focus on core instructional areas to improve our students’ academic standing. We will guide the implementation of a strategy that will allow our schools to be among the best in the state. • Fiscal Accountability: We champion sound fiscal policy. For years, our tax burden has steadily increased while student enrollment has decreased. We will ensure that intakes and expenditures align with academic needs. • Bond Debt: We endorse a preemptive approach to managing debt. Our current bond service of $1.1M/year will increase to $2.1M in 5 years and eventually reach $3.2M, with no existing plan to address this issue. We will examine ways to restructure this debt. • Smart Planning: We will implement a solid Comprehensive Plan to guide the future of our District. We envision taking a forward-looking approach to governance with input from all constituents. …IF YOU VOTE FOR Lake Bluff School Caucus endorsed candidates Vote April 9, 2013 www.lbschoolcaucus.org www.facebook.com/LakeBluffSchoolCaucus