Meet The Winnetka Slate:
HOTZ, RAPP & WATERS
3 candidates for 3 open board positions
Andrew HOTZ, Alyssa RAPP & Dan WATERS have been reviewed by the Winnetka Caucus Council Schools Committee and received a majority vote by both the Winnetka Caucus Council and a public town hall vote to become the 2025 Winnetka Slate. Hotz, Rapp & Waters were slated by the Winnetka Caucus Council based on their shared focus on the issues most important to Winnetka residents: excellent curriculum and instruction, fiscal responsibility and non-partisan leadership.
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The election is contested by non-Caucus candidates, so your vote matters.
Your vote matters:
Higher reading and math test scores = higher property values
RAND Education, 2008
The Impact of Educational Quality on the Community
Our pledge to you and our students
We believe in the power of education to transform lives and strengthen our community, and we are dedicated to fostering an environment where all students can thrive. If elected, our focus will be centered on the following key principles:
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Curriculum: Our core mission is to support the education of our 1,700+ students as delivered by our dedicated teachers. We support initiatives like the 2023 English curriculum overhaul and the upcoming Math assessment, both aimed at improving student outcomes. We prioritize a robust and engaging curriculum that challenges students to reach their full potential, reflecting District 36's longstanding commitment to progressive education.
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Instruction: We support the Administration's continuous improvement of instructional practices, providing teachers with necessary resources and professional development, and aligning our students' instruction with the highest academic standards. We emphasize data-driven results to ensure significant academic growth for all students, regardless of aptitude. Recognizing the importance of both what and how students are taught, we will advocate for diverse learning modalities and effective technology integration.
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Fiscal Responsibility: As Winnetka taxpayers, you are constituents and supporters of our public schools, regardless of whether you have children in the District. With 96% of our nearly $57M annual budget coming directly from local taxpayers, you deserve responsible financial stewardship. We are committed to maintaining the Board's philosophy of limiting per-pupil operating expense growth to 3% annually and managing our five aging schools efficiently. Balancing long-term maintenance with necessary improvements for a growing student body will require difficult choices, but we are committed to making these decisions responsibly while preserving our neighborhood schools.
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Non-Partisan Leadership: Political views and outside money continue to pour into local school elections and divert focus from providing students with the best education possible. Winnetka is not immune to that trend. We strongly believe that District 36 is a place of learning and growth for all students and partisan/personal politics have NO place in our schools. We are committed to maintaining a non-partisan environment and won’t accept outside financial support for our campaign.
We believe that by working together, we can create a school community that is a source of pride for all. We encourage open communication and collaboration and welcome your input as we strive to achieve our shared goals - for our children and our community.
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- Andrew, Alyssa & Dan
Why the Winnetka
Caucus Council slating process matters?
The Winnetka Caucus Council is a non-partisan group of volunteers who represent the Caucus and serve as a liaison between its residents and the four Boards that comprise Winnetka's government - Village Council, Parks, Schools, and Library.​ All voting-age residents of the Village of Winnetka, the Winnetka Parks District, the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District and the Winnetka D36 School District are members of the Winnetka Caucus.
The Winnetka Caucus Council was founded in 1915 by a group of leaders aiming to align local elections with the issues that mattered most to Winnetka residents. It's been more than a century since Winnetka officially adopted the Caucus form of non-partisan self-government where everyone who has a vote has a voice.
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The Annual Survey is conducted online once a year. Every household serviced by Winnetka's four taxing bodies - Village, Parks, Schools, and Library - is eligible to complete the survey. The survey includes direct questions of importance to the taxing bodies and fellow residents, and invites survey-takers to add their comments and insights. The results are tabulated, analyzed, and written up as platforms to guide the boards' agenda going forward. The latest survey noted the following areas of focus for the District 36 School Board...
New Trier Readiness
High School readiness was a top priority in 2023 and remains a top priority for respondents in 2024. The District took actions to evaluate high school readiness through focus groups and student surveys.
The District should share the information learned through those actions and defining high school readiness should be included in the upcoming strategic plan.
Technology in Schools
Over 80% of respondents support prohibiting personal electronic devices during school hours. At the beginning of the school year, the District implemented the Yondr program to secure and store personal devices during the school day.
At the end of the school year, the district should provide feedback and metrics, in line with the expected positive impacts, like changes in student behavior, engagement, academic performance and note any negative impacts of the program.
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The WCC survey asked for opinions about technology in the classroom and received a range of responses from no concerns to interest in knowing more about how technology is used in the classroom.
The District should present and/or clarify its philosophy on how various media (e.g. apps, lectures, videos, books, digital books, written assignments, typed assignments, paper submissions and electronic submissions) are selected for academic subjects and/or by teachers. This could include information and/or research about what is appropriate for students.
Progressive Education & Measurement
The survey showed that 38% of respondents believe that the District has done an effective job balancing the goal of progressive education and measuring progress. Other meaningful responses indicate a desire for a clear definition and/or suggest updates to the definition of progressive education.
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Consistent with the 2023 plank, the District should continue the work to codify the Winnetka vision of Progressive Education and clearly state how it can be optimized to measure student performance.
Communication & Clarity
The survey results reflect an interest in respondents to receive clear and concise information from the District. Some respondents are interested in receiving more information on content they deem sensitive.
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The District should identify improvements to communications to help parents and caretakers best receive information and be made aware earlier in decision-making processes.
Your vote matters:
Voter turnout in local school board elections is estimated to be around only 5-10%
National School Boards Association, 2008
The Public's Voice: Uncontested Candidates and Low Voter Turnout Are Concerns in Board Elections
Vote by mail
Now
March 27th - Postmark deadline to request a ballot
April 1st - Postmark deadline to submit your ballot
Vote early
March 17-31
M-Sat: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Vote in person
Tuesday, April 1
Find your polling place
Right after Spring Break