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Six vie for four seats on LaGrange Highlands District 106 Board
Election 2013
Who they are
JOHN CORCORAN
Occupation: financial management
Length of residency: 11 years
Positions held: District 106 Board since 2007, member Lyons Township Little League Board of Directors, baseball coach
MICHAEL DICKMAN
Occupation: attorney
Length of residency: 6 years
Positions held: professional organizations
DAN DOLGNER
Occupation: national sale account manager
Length of residency: 2 years
Positions held: congregational chairman, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hodgkins
CHRIS JOHNSON
Occupation: account executive
Length of residency: 3 years
Positions held: member Illinois Association of School Business Officials and member U.S. Green Building Council, Illinois Chapter
LAURINE SCHEER
Occupation: homemaker
Length of residency: 9 years
Positions held: vice president and committee chairwoman for LaGrange Highlands Parent Teacher Council, member various District 106 advisory committees, Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack 216 volunteer, Lions Club of La Grange member
NATALIE WATKINS
Occupation: family law attorney and mediator
Length of residency: 15 years
Positions held: former member Indian Head Park advisory committee and volunteer for Junior Achievement, Girl Scouts and as a baseball, basketball and volleyball coach
Article Extras
Updated: April 22, 2013 6:05AM
LAGRANGE HIGHLANDS — John Corcoran said he’s seeking re-election to offer his experience and provide continuity on the LaGrange Highlands Elementary District 106 Board.
Voters will choose among six candidate for four seats, with Corcoran the only incumbent running.
“I believe my experience on the board is particularly important given this amount of change,” Corcoran said, noting his participation in negotiating two teachers’ contracts since being elected in 2007.
The Indian Head Park resident said the district will have to closely monitor staffing levels to make sure they’re appropriate to reflect the trend in declining enrollment. That trend could reverse, pending an improved real estate market, he said.
Dan Dolgner of Indian Head Park agreed providing board support is key for a seamless transition with a new superintendent. His other priorities are maintaining top financial management and protecting local control of schools.
“The near term challenge will be to maintain a stellar educational system with existing resources, protecting current surpluses and fighting state attempts to consolidate districts and ‘cost share’ with much lower taxed districts,” Dolgner said.
If elected, Laurine Scheer of Indian Head Park said she would seek to continue gains in student achievement, fiscal responsibility, student safety and transparency among all parties.
“I am very involved with volunteering in the district, and I desire to continue to serve our community by acting as a link between the community and administration,” Scheer said.
The district also would benefit from broad representation on the board, she said.
Christopher Johnson of LaGrange Highlands said improvements in student achievement are essential for all students.
“As a parent of a child with special needs, it is especially important that we maintain the strength of our special education programs, which contribute to our overall outstanding reputation and draws members to our community,” Johnson said.
Michael Dickman of La Grange Highlands said he strives to seek a balance between observing taxpayer and budget concerns and implementing strategies to help students to reach their full potential.
“Educating children requires rigorous attention to fundamentals, while also incorporating advances developed in the science of learning, “ he said.
Natalie Watkins of Indian Head Park said she sees her role on the board as maintaining the high student achievement standards in a cost effective manner.
“My husband and I moved here 15 years ago because of the schools,” Watkins said. “I’d like to keep that going, and now that my children are a little older, I have an opportunity to do something about that.”
