2 Incumbents, 3 Others Face Off For Seats On SD30 Board: Election 2023

NORTHBROOK, IL — Election Day is here and voters in Northbrook and Glenview will decide on the future of the Northbrook/Glenview Board of Education, among other races.

With Nancy Artz, current president, and Daniel Levin, a current board member, not running for reelection when their terms end this month, five candidates are vying for four seats on the school board. 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

The District 30 School Board Caucus is endorsing the campaigns of Rizki, Manicioto and Wang.

District 30, headquartered in Northbrook, consists of Westcott Elementary (K-5 in Northbrook), Willowbrook Elementary School (pre-K through 5 in Glenview) and Maple Middle School (grades 6-8 in Northbrook). After completing school at these schools, students converge to attend either Glenbrook North (Northbrook) or Glenbrook South (Glenview).

In February, Patch sent out election questionnaires to the candidates on a variety of topics including Black Lives Matter, sex education, COVID-19 and fiscal policy. All five candidates participated. Patch published all responses submitted by candidates verbatim. Click on the links above to see each candidate's full questionnaire.

In July, the board of education will be working with a new superintendent as Brian Wegley retires. Emily Tammaru, who has served as the superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 89 since 2016, beat out 26 other applicants in December 2022, according to the District 30 Board of Education. Tammaru will begin in the position on July 1, 2023.

RELATED: New Superintendent Named For Northbrook/Glenview School District 30

Blonder, 48, has been a member of the board of education since 2019. The Northbrook resident has been a travel consultant for the past eight years.

"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," Blonder said in her questionnaire in response to a question about the board's priorities. "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."

Rizki, 46, has also been a member of the board of education since getting elected in 2019. The Northbrook resident is currently serving as chief financial officer of the Barack Obama Foundation, and formerly held that role for Cook County.

"As an incumbent, I have demonstrated my balanced approach to governance of District 30's affairs," Rizki said in response to a question about why voters should trust him. "As a result of the past four years, I have learned even more on how best to serve all our stakeholders. Furthermore, my professional experience as a financial leader in local government and non-profit has been and will continue to be an asset for the district. Hence, by voting for me, voters can trust me to ensure I will apply those same principles, expertise, and approach to my second term."

Glowacz, 37, has been a software engineer for the past 15 years. The Northbrook resident earned a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

"My youngest had a tracheostomy and used a ventilator for many years after he was first born. His medical care involved coordination and collaboration with medical teams in and out of state," Glowacz said in reponse to a question about what past experiences show he can handle the job. "It required negotiations with both private insurance and Medicaid. It involved the interviewing, hiring, and unfortunately sometimes firing of in-home nurses and agencies. I managed all this with my wife while we also raised our older child as we both worked full time and advanced our engineering careers. After handling all of that, I feel more than prepared to handle the board position."

Manicioto, 39, a former bankruptcy attorney in Chicago, is currently a stay-at-home parent. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from TCU; Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law.

"As a board member, our goal should always be how to use the District's resources as responsibly as possible to improve the education of our students," Manicioto said in response to a question about fiscal policy. "We have to take into account that we cannot overburden the taxpayers. It will have to be a conscious effort to balance the needs of the schools with the burden on the taxpayers. Creativity will be necessary in striking this perfect balance.

Wang, 40, has been a corporate banker for 15 years. The Northbrook resident has as master's degree in business administration.

"I've been in the professional area for a long time and experienced complicated business situations where (I) need broad knowledge, communication skills, and leadership to achieve mutual understanding and mutual benefit," Wang said in response to a question about what accomplishments in his past demonstrate he can handle this job. "This helps me build up efficient personal skills set to confidently sever the school district for future development and potential headwinds."