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In this Issue:
- It's not too late to Sign up to Attend our Program Planning Session - one week from Saturday
- WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK for our School District Consolidation Study - Community Event
- Seeking Interested Volunteers to Serve on LWVRB Board of Directors
- Voter Service Training Sessions
- National Climate News
It's not too late to Sign up to Attend our Progam Planning Session!
This year’s Program Planning session will be held from 9:30 am to noon on Saturday, January 20 at Barb Hochstadt's house - 350 Lakeside Drive in Roselle. As we did last year, our Program Planning will be a potluck. Signup now to attend: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D48A4A72CA6F58-46996441-2024#/
WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK for our School District Consolidation Study - Community Event
Are we getting the most out of every education tax dollar?
Decreased government education funding, declining student populations, lagging achievement, growing expectations for academic offerings, costly accountability measures, and high property taxes compel us to question: Are we getting the most out of every education tax dollar?
The League of Women Voters of Roselle-Bloomingdale conducted a formal study to answer that question and create our position on consolidating the five elementary school districts that feed Lake Park High School. We will share the results of that study at a community education event on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 7:00 pm at Lake Park East Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public. Attendees do not need to become League members to attend.
We will present the final study to the community and host a panel of experts who can answer questions from the audience. The event features Donna Limper, Issues and Advocacy Specialist and Lead Author of the study who will deliver a 25-minute presentation summarizing the key findings of the study. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session fielded by a panel of experts:
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Joe Ferguson, President, Civic Federation
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Dr. William Phillips of Midwest School Consultants
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Jack Bentley, Executive Director and Community Lawyer, Citizen Advocacy Center
Following the program, the League encourages citizens to contact their local elementary school board so they can voice their opinion on the wisdom of undertaking a formal study by a consolidation expert. Our goal is to increase educational fiscal efficiency in a manner that advances academic outcomes for Lake Park High School community students and controls rising property taxes. In other words, control spending and invest money where it counts.
Our year-long research of both benefits and considerations resulted in our taking a consensus position to guide our actions. The study is available for review and prompted the LWVRB to recommend that all five Lake Park High School feeder elementary school boards jointly commission an expert report to determine the financial impact of consolidating district administrations to redirect those high expenses to the classroom and perhaps provide some relief to property taxpayers.
Set aside Tuesday, February 13th to learn more about this important topic and share your opinion about elementary school district consolidation.
Seeking Interested Volunteers to Serve on LWVRB Board of Directors
Are you a member who's volunteered at times and is interested in becoming more involved in the LWVRB leadership? Let’s talk! Our League seeks people interested in serving as our SECRETARY and ELECTED DIRECTOR for the June 2024 - May 2026 term. No previous experience on a Board of Directors is needed.
We seek members who can attend our monthly Board meeting (third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm) and are ready to actively serve our League's purposes in their leadership role, including helping with collaborative fundraising and putting on some engaging and fun events and activities that support our mission at various times during the year. We are a collaborative board and we are all working hard to grow our League! We grow by tapping into our members' unique and valuable strengths, knowledge, and life experience.
Are you a member who likes working on our candidate forums? We also need members who are interested in becoming a future Candidate Forums Leader or Co-Leader. We'd like to talk with you. This leadership role does not serve on our Board of Directors.
Many hands make light work! Interested? Email lwvrbmail@gmail.com
Voter Service Training Sessions
LWVIL will hold training sessions for Voter Service Chairs (and all other interested members) in January. Please sign up for one or both! Sessions run between 90-120 minutes.
- Candidate Forum Training - The League is considered the expert in presenting nonpartisan, informative candidate forums. Learn the steps to planning a successful candidate forum (includes how-to tips for holding a virtual forum on Zoom). Register for Candidate Forum training on 01/13/2024 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CT using this link: https://lwvil.app.neoncrm.com/eventReg.jsp?event=473&
- Moderator Training - Well-moderated candidate forums are a League hallmark thanks to well-trained moderators! Make sure we have enough moderators to meet the demand by attending moderator training. Register for moderator training on 01/20/2024 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CT using this link: https://lwvil.app.neoncrm.com/eventReg.jsp?event=508&
National Climate News:
At year-end 2023, US District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled in favor of the 21 youth plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, clearing the way to trial. In her order denying the government’s attempt to throw out the case, Judge Aiken said, “This catastrophe is the great emergency of our time and compels urgent action. As this lawsuit demonstrates, young people – too young to vote and effect change through the political process – are exercising the institutional procedure available to plead with their government to change course.”
Our Mission: Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
Our Vision: We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate.
Our Value: We believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, political organization whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government, to increase understanding of major policy issues, and to influence public policy through education and advocacy. In our 100-year history, the League of Women Voters has never endorsed a political party or candidate for office. Membership in the League is open to anyone regardless of gender, race, or ethnic group.
Thank you for supporting our work to defend democracy and empower voters and thanks for helping our local league GROW! Please share our newsletter with your friends.
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