Tag: hinsdale

Home and studio of R. Harold Zook, ‘Hinsdale’s Frank Lloyd Wright,’ gets funding boost for preservation

As members of the Hinsdale Historical Society capped a year in which they celebrated the organization’s 50th anniversary, they received some good news in the form of a grant from Landmarks Illinois, which will help their efforts to preserve the R. Harold Zook Home and Studio.

“The society’s board of trustees is immensely grateful to Landmarks Illinois for its continued support of the society’s preservation work and for its countless preservation advocacy work not just here in Hinsdale but throughout Illinois,” said Alexis Braden, historical society president.

The grant, awarded in December, was for $2,500 from the Barbara C. and Thomas E. Donnelley II Preservation Fund for Illinois, which provides money “to preserve or protect significant structures and sites in Illinois that are under threat of demolition, in imminent deterioration, in need of stabilization, in need of structural or reuse evaluation or in need of evaluation for landmark eligibility,” according to Landmarks Illinois.

The money will be used to help the society’s efforts to get a National Register of Historic Places nomination and a building assessment of the home and studio of Zook, a renowned Chicago architect who lived in Hinsdale from 1889 to 1949 and was a force behind many notable structures there.

“R. Harold Zook is to Hinsdale what Frank Lloyd Wright is to Oak Park. Zook designed 80 homes and 12 municipal and commercial structures in Hinsdale alone during his time as an architect, and all are architecturally significant,” Braden said, calling him “one of the most prolific residential architects in the western suburbs.”

He also contributed to the village as a member of the Architectural Committee of the Hinsdale Plan Commission from 1932-49 and was “responsible for the village master plan in 1932 — adopting the Georgian style for our municipal and commercial buildings,” Braden said.

Zook also designed the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge and St. Charles City Hall, and in 1924 finished his home and studio on Oak Street in Hinsdale, she said.

The Pickwick Theatre, designed by renowned architect R. Harold Zook, on Dec. 6, 2022, in Park Ridge. Zook designed a number of structures in the western suburbs. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

That campus, now ensconced in Hinsdale’s Katherine Legge Memorial Park, consists of “a signature English Cotswold cottage-style residence, his architecture studio and a garden wall,” she said.

Suzanne Germann, director of reinvestment for Landmarks Illinois, said Zook had a very distinct style.

“It’s often called whimsical. It’s an English cottage style — textured masonry, roofs are very characteristic of him, bringing nature into his design,” she explained. “But he’s also influenced a lot of architects coming up after him, in Hinsdale specifically, and what’s been designed there as a nod to his work and the influence he’s had as a community. This was his home — he designed it for himself.”

Germann called the money a “seed grant” because of its small size. But it could lead to more resources down the road.

“Putting a building on the National Register puts them in a place to leverage other funding,” she said. “It also will help to spell out needs and wants, so when they go to other funders, they’ll have that in their pocket.”

A building assessment looks at overall condition and will help the historical society prioritize what needs to happen right away and in three years, she said, as the historical society wants to adapt the building so it can be turned into a community gathering house.

“I don’t know their plan specifically, but reusing the building and allowing them to reuse the interior, we always want to see that,” Germann said. “We want to see historic buildings in use and this is bringing the community in. It’s not for one owner. They are really trying to use it for community space. The best way to preserve (buildings) is to use them.”

The grant is just one way the historical society is raising money for the property. It’s already officially begun its Zook Legacy Campaign, a multimillion-dollar fundraising initiative hoped to enable them to transform the Zook Home and Studio into the “Zook Commons, a vibrant community gathering place with a museum, cafe and numerous multipurpose areas at Katherine Legge Memorial Park,” Braden said.

The exterior of architect R. Harold Zook’s studio on Jan. 28, 2026, at 5901 S. County Line Road in Hinsdale. A grant from Landmarks Illinois will help efforts to preserve the R. Harold Zook Home and Studio. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

“It will be a place where neighbors connect and groups can gather and learn. Zook Commons will serve Hinsdale neighbors and all patrons. We are fortunate to have nationally recognized and award-winning architect Michael Abraham as a society trustee. He is utilizing his immense talents to reimagine the interior spaces to transform the home for its many public uses.”

The society envisions public events featuring speakers and workshops that focus on wellness and community for people of all ages.

“Programming will cater to outdoor and recreation enthusiasts, writers, artists and even animal lovers — especially dog lovers,” Braden said. “Our patrons will also be able to gather in the cafe, where they can purchase premade pastries, sandwiches and coffee/teas while enjoying a warm atmosphere. The cafe will be dog-friendly with treats to welcome the park’s many four-legged friends.”

This isn’t the first time the historical society has earned a grant from the nonprofit organization. Back in 2005, the Zook Home and Studio was placed on Landmarks Illinois’ “Ten Most Endangered Historic Places List,” and after the structures were moved to the park, it received the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Advocacy, said Katie Crotty, historical society treasurer.

The 1924 R. Harold Zook house is moved in Hinsdale on May 24, 2005, from 327 S. Oak St. to 5901 S. County Line Road. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Moving the building to its home at Katherine Legge Memorial Park was a huge project. “During the move, the society was fortunate to see so many volunteers, architects and buildings come together to make this project a reality. We could not have done this without the significant donations from members of the community as well,” Crotty said.

“However, with 20 years down, the Zook Home and Studio is in dire need of updates or we fear they will be forever lost,” she added. “Over the past two decades, the society has worked tirelessly to maintain the buildings and to protect them from the elements. Even though the buildings have served as a mainstay and an exterior backdrop for countless photography shoots and picnics, the Hinsdale Historical Society’s goal is to open its doors and welcome people inside.”

Germann said Landmarks Illinois’ previous interaction with the historical society helped its grant application stand out.

“The Hinsdale Historical Society has been around for a long time and is a successful organization. I’ve been with Landmarks Illinois since 2004, so I remember Zook House and how much work the historical society did 20 years ago to save it,” she said. “They are still coming back to it 20 years later. As a historical society as a whole, they are very active in their community in telling their story, being involved and supporting historic buildings in their community, so overall it’s a successful organization.”

It’s the overall story of the group, which was founded in 1975 and now has nearly 200 members, along with their efforts 20 years ago that led to the grant.

A cedar shake roof on the home of renowned architect R. Harold Zook, at 5901 S. County Line Road in Hinsdale, on Jan. 28, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

“When a developer wanted to demolish it, the society and city stepped in to save it,” Germann said. “I called them the trifecta. They received a grant to film the move of the house and they won an award for advocacy, so they went through all our programs and achieved it all. They went through successfully and quickly, so that’s why I remember it. They were very involved.”

All Landmarks Illinois grants require a match and “buy-in” from the recipients. “Our grants are small — our heritage fund only gives up to $5,000 — so coming up with a $5 million project is hard for us” to help with, Germann said, so having an itemized budget is helpful.

As an example, she said Unity Temple in Oak Park underwent a $10 million or $15 million rehab, and her organization provided a grant to restore the sanctuary’s lighting — a $10,000 project. “Our board members were able to point to those light fixtures and say, ‘We did that.’”

The historical society’s multiyear Zook fundraising campaign is off to a good start, but they’re looking for more donors. “Every dollar counts,” Braden said.

But, she said, the society’s 50th anniversary boosted their confidence in the support of their neighbors. Braden called it “a testament that the community recognizes our work as a nonprofit to bring history to life.”

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

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January 31, 2026
Emmanuel Episcopal brings world class musicians to La Grange for ‘Messiah’ performance

About 250 people became the chorus last week as La Grange’s Emmanuel Episcopal Church brought to life George Frederic Handel’s “Messiah” at the church on Kensington Avenue, backing four soloists in the rendition of the Christmas classic.

Mary Hopper, emeritus professor of Choral Music at Wheaton College, conducted the performance.

“This is great and such a great experience,” Hopper said before the performance. “People really enjoyed singing last year and I enjoyed that.”

Hopper described Handel’s most famous work as one that resonates with the American people.

“It’s the story of Christmas and the story of the Gospel,” she said. “It’s got music that’s familiar, probably the most familiar piece of classical music that anybody has.”

During her 43 years at Wheaton College, Hopper directed the Women’s Chorale and the Men’s Glee Club. She has toured nationally and internationally.

Since 2018, Hopper has been director of the Hinsdale Chorale, several of whose members were dispersed through the crowd at Emmanuel Episcopal for the performance, singing along to the choruses.

The oratorio, written in only 24 days by the German-born master, is considered among the most recognizable pieces of English language music.

The Messiah was first performed in Ireland in 1741, and quickly became a favorite of music-lovers of the era. While it originally was considered appropriate for the Easter Holiday, over the years “Messiah” has become a Christmas staple.

Oratorios are typically large-scale music works for orchestra and voices, focusing on religious themes; “Messiah” is no exception, with lyrics taken from scripture.

Chicago-based soprano Olivia Doig, who has performed in venues throughout the Midwest, also returned after performing in last year’s rendition in La Grange.

“Last year I was eight months pregnant and this year I’m not,” Doig said after the performance, “But my children are here this year.”

Doig is a veteran of venues like the Chicago Opera Theater, Ohio Light Opera, and the Haymarket Opera. She is currently a guest lecturer in voice studies at Wheaton College.

Other performers included mezzo soprano Janet Mensen Reynolds, who retired after 26 years in the chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera, made her concert debut at Carnegie Hall, and currently has a private voice studio of 25 students. Baritone Ryan Cox has been a professional member of the Grant Park Chorus and the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and was the baritone soloist in the 2010 recording of Grant Park’s Pulitzer Project. Lyric Opera tenor Joseph Fosselman has been with the Opera since 1992 and has performed many solo roles in Lyric productions.

The Kaia String Quartet, dedicated to bringing the music of Latin America to the public, provided the instrumentation for the performance. The group has performed at many Chicago-area venues, including the Chicago Jazz Fest, the Studebaker Theatre, the Morton Arboretum, the Chicago Latino Music Festival, and Chamber Music on the Fox.

But some artists were first-timers for Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s new tradition.

Harpsichordist Kathy Christian has served on the music faculty of North Central College in Naperville for 26 years. She is the organist and pianist for the First Congregational Church of Western Springs, as well as the accompanist for Hinsdale Chorale.

Organist Bobby Nguyen, a native of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is the organist at the First United Church of Oak Park. He began his piano studies at Ho Chi Minh Conservatory of Music, continued his education at North Park University and ultimately studied organ at the Juilliard School.

“At first when Mary contacted me a few months ago, I was a bit worried,” Nguyen said. “The Messiah is a pretty big piece and when I showed up here everything was very casual feeling, a friendly atmosphere, so I said, ‘oh, I can do this.’”

Dan Mottl, junior warden at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, said bringing the performance back this year was an easy choice.

“We were pretty confident because of the response from last year,” he said before the performance. “We had a good turnout, the excitement was building and people were saying ‘I hope you do this every year. It was planned to be an annual event and it looks like it’s catching on.”

Mottl talked about bringing together different artists who normally didn’t work together.

“We assembled them from all over the neighborhood, some were from La Grange, some from Wheaton, some from Chicago,” he said. “So we assembled the best singers and best musicians that we knew. The Kaia String Quartet was wonderful. So we brought all these people together.

“Of course Mary Hopper was the key. She knew a lot of the people, but this is independent from anything she had worked on before.”

After the show, Mottl said “everything was great. It’s probably better than last year.”

Audience members came away impressed and inspired.

La Grange resident Nanci Davidson, a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Choir, was also part of the effort to bring the Messiah to the church last year.

“Oh my gosh this is the best community event this church could be doing,” Nanci said. “It brings everyone together at a very tumultuous time — depending on how you sit — and it sets you off in this wonderful, joyous mood in the holidays.”

Western Springs resident Janet Helin agreed.

“It’s just such a thrill,” she said. “Especially when you think of all those who would like to sing it, and especially the text that came up in our sermon this morning. Handel composed this in 24 days. It’s hard to even conceive of this whole thing.”

Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

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December 25, 2025
Clarendon Hills police join Hinsdale and other departments for social worker services

Police departments from Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Burr Ridge and Willowbrook have formed a team that will enable them to provide additional services by sharing a social worker from Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services.

The Hinsdale, Burr Ridge and Willowbrook departments put the Police Social Work Program in place for fiscal year 2025, said Clarendon Hills police Chief Ed Leinweber. He said he and acting village manager Paul Dalen were approached in September by Hinsdale police Chief Brian King about getting involved in the program.

The cost now is just over $23,000 for a year for each of the four departments. Clarendon Hills becomes part of the local group Jan. 1.

Leinweber said each department will have the social worker in-house one day per week for 10 hours.

“The social worker also has the flexibility to respond to one of the other towns, should there be an active critical incident where their services could be utilized,” he said, adding that the social worker would provided services to children, adolescents, adults and families of all backgrounds.

Leinweber said the social worker would focus on mental health incident follow-up, on-site response to mental health incidents, case management, short-term counseling to achieve crisis stabilization, suicide & mental health assessments, assistance with DCFS calls, homelessness, food insecurity and other basic needs, 24/7 on-call coverage for social service emergencies, ”walk-in” services for residents during designated office hours, domestic violence counseling, safety planning and resource assistance, outreach and training for residents and village officials and community meetings and events.

“Many police departments are moving toward having a social worker on staff, either on a part-time or full-time capacity,” Leinweber said. “There has been a lot of interest nationwide to have social workers work with police departments in responding to calls involving mental health crisis and domestic violence. Mental health crisis and domestic violence calls are two of the more common calls for service received by police departments.”

Leinweber said police and village officials believe partnering with Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services will further strengthen the commitment to promoting the mental health and social needs of the Clarendon Hills community.

“We look forward to working with NEDFYS and our neighboring villages in an effort to provide the best police service possible,” he said.

Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

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December 24, 2025
Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills District 181 schools grade well on state report card

As has been the norm, Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 performed very well on the recent Illinois Report Card for schools in the state.

“District 181 is proud of its nine outstanding schools,” said Karen O’Connor, District 181’s director of communications. “All of our schools across the district are scoring in the top academic tier of student achievement in the state.

O’Connor said the Report Card reflects the district’s performance data from the 2024–2025 school year.

“This is just one component in a larger system of data that provides us with information on how District 181 schools are progressing on a variety of educational goals,” she said.

Elm, Madison, Prospect, The Lane, and Walker schools were designated as “Exemplary,” while Clarendon Hills Middle School, Hinsdale Middle School, Monroe and Oak schools were in the “Commendable” category.

To be designated as an Exemplary, schools must have a performance in the top 10% of schools statewide, no underperforming student groups. Commendable schools have a performance that is not in the top 10% of schools statewide and also have no underperforming student groups.

None of the District 181 schools fell into the other categories used by the ISBE: •Targeted: Schools, where at least one student group is performing at or below the level of the “all students” group in the lowest-performing 5% of schools. These schools receive targeted support and enter a four-year improvement cycle.

• Comprehensive: Schools, which are in the lowest-performing 5% of Title I-eligible schools in Illinois, or any high school with a graduation rate of 67% or lower. These schools receive comprehensive support and funding through a four-year improvement cycle.

• Intensive, which is a designation for schools that are in the lowest-performing category. These schools also enter a four-year cycle of continuous improvement and receive additional support and funding.

“Our summative designations of Exemplary and Commendable provide us with opportunities to celebrate our strengths and reflect on our goals so every student can reach their fullest potential,” O’Connor said.

She said that according to the state’s targets, the district is one of the highest-performing elementary districts, exceeding all of the state’s academic targets for student proficiency on state-mandated assessments.

During the 2024-2025 school year 88.6% of District 181 students were proficient in English Language Arts (the state average was 52.4%); 83.9% were proficient in Math (the state average was 38.4%; and 78.4% were proficient in Science, above the state average of 44.6%.

“These indicators, designations, and associated index scores confirm D181 schools’ status as among the state’s top elementary and middle schools,” O’Connor said.

She said It’s essential to recognize that attendance is a factor in the ISBE rating system, which can negatively impact a school’s score, even if a student is performing exceptionally well academically.

The ISBE is in the midst of a redesign of the accountability system.

“Designations and indicators will change, starting next year, and we will continue to respond to the shifting expectations to best meet the needs of our learners and community,” O’Connor said.

“As with any rating system, we remain committed to reviewing the information and looking for opportunities to enhance our efforts.”

Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

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November 4, 2025
Elmhurst University’s new $30 million Health Sciences building offers ‘hands-on’ clinic, community services

The new 45,000-square-foot Health Sciences Building at Elmhurst University opened Oct. 3 amid ribbon-cutting pomp. The state-of-the-art facility now houses the Departments of Nursing, Public Health, Occupational Therapy, and Communication Sciences and Disorders.

The $30 million building was financed through existing funds from philanthropic gifts, grants and reserve funds, officials said.

“The institution needed it, the community needed it,” said Heather Hall, dean of the School of Health Sciences and professor in the Department of Kinesiology. “It is allowing our various health professions across campus to come together into one space.”

The Nursing Department alone has 436 students. There are 166 in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program and 54 in the Masters of Occupational Therapy program.

Hall said the building makes it possible for the university to foster Interprofessional Practice and Education methods, and it also means the school no longer has to use Elmhurst Memorial Hospital.

“We were able to bring all of that learning to campus,” Hall said.

Bringing all of the departments under the same roof has been “transformational and game-changing for us,” said Becky Hulett, chair of the Department of Nursing and Public Health, and associate professor of Nursing. “Our faculties now collaborate every day.”

The new building’s facilities also enable some specialization in teaching, Hall said, while expanding services available to the community.

“Increased space has tremendously assisted us in separating some of the underclassmen from the upperclassmen in their learning environment,” she said. “We’ve been able to expand our Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic which serves the community. We have more treatment rooms, a larger waiting room, additional reserved parking.”

Consequently, they are able to treat more clients, Hall noted. That includes school age children in the afternoons.

Elmhurst University nursing students, from left, Diana Ferrer of Northlake, Gianna Imperatrice of Bartlett, America Magana of Elgin, and Krystina Gaytan of Bartlett, perform a respiratory and cardiac assessment on a simulated patient in the university’s new Health Sciences Building. (Elmhurst University)

Hall was excited about the state-of-the-art equipment in the new building, as well as its new Activities of Daily Living Lab for occupational therapy.

“It’s an actual apartment that is set up with a bathroom, bathtub, shower, living room, bed, kitchen,” Hall said. “The students have an opportunity to practice what it will be like simulating real life experiences working with clients.”

Hall said community members are invited to come on certain days, free of charge, to be evaluated by second-year master’s degree students, who will offer tips about improving their daily living activities.

“We have a much bigger low-fidelity lab where we have new low-fidelity mannequins,” Hulett said. Curtains separating beds make each space look like a hospital room, she noted. There is classroom space in the middle of the lab.

“Our students can learn how to take blood pressure, learn how to do things, and then immediately go to the bed and practice those skills on low-fidelity mannequins,” Hulett said.

Simulation labs are equipped with high-fidelity mannequins that can breathe, sweat, have seizures, and respond to treatment.

There are baby and adult mannequins, and mannequins of different skin colors.

“We are the only school in the Midwest that has a 360-degree immersive virtual reality room,” Hulett said. “This room is going to allow our students to experience patient rooms, patient conditions before they’re stepping into a situation in a hospital with real patients.”

Hall said that immersive experience will benefit Elmhurst students as well as their patients down the road.

“The bottom line is that we want to have a hands-on learning environment — one that mirrors the complexity of the demands of a real-world clinical setting,” she said.

Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

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October 9, 2025
Flag football offers female athletes another outlet for sports, and scholarships

Very few female athletes could have seen this coming when they entered high school in 2022.

Flag football scholarships? Really?

It would have been almost impossible for athletes in Illinois to think about back then because schools were not offering the sport on a varsity level. But two years ago, it was a club sport sponsored in part by the Chicago Bears.

Last year, the Illinois High School Association sanctioned flag football and Fremd High School in Palatine became the sport’s first state champion. This year, 216 teams have entered the postseason, which starts Oct. 6.

Colleges have taken notice and Triton College in River Grove is one of the first in the Chicago area that will offer scholarships for flag football starting in 2026.

“This is exciting news for Triton Athletics,” Garrick Abezetian, associate vice president of Triton College Athletics said in a news release. “Flag football has seen immense popularity recently, and this is an opportunity for us to contribute to that movement and offer more for Triton students and our community. I can’t wait to see everyone out on the field.”

According to womenscollegeflagfootball.com, there are 29 members of the National Junior College Athletic Association that have either announced teams or have active varsity squads. Triton joins the College of DuPage as community college teams planning on starting up programs in the Chicago area for the 2026 season.

The website said there are hundreds of college club teams.

There are also only two NCAA Division I varsity teams with three on the way, and 14 Division II teams with 10 more coming. There are 21 Division III schools with 24 coming including Aurora and North Park. There are 32 NAIA teams with 12 more announced.

Oak Park River and Forest High School senior Elianna Brucato already has locked in Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington as her college choice for academics and flag football, but she is happy a school close to home is offering opportunities.

Oak Park and River Forest quarterback Julia Henderson prepares to pass the ball during a Sept. 22 game against against St. Laurence in Burbank. (Jeff Vorva/Daily Southtown)

“I think it would be great if the colleges around us would have teams,” Brucato said after a recent game against St. Laurence in Burbank. “It would be cool to see the sport grow even more.”

St. Laurence’s Sara Burzycki is weighing her options and seeing what’s out there.

“I’ve been doing a little bit of research,” she said. “There are not a lot of colleges that offer scholarships for flag football but there are a lot who offer it as a club team.

“Expanding flag football in colleges is a good thing. It’s a really good sport.”

OPRF’s Tabia Allen, who is also considering Illinois Wesleyan, said she is glad Triton is offering flag football and hopes that the many small colleges in the area follow suit.

“Any schools like Triton or Concordia who would offer flag football would be amazing regardless of what level it is,” she said.

St. Laurence senior Ciyah Thomas, who has played basketball at Bolingbrook and Hammond Central high schools, is looking at colleges for both basketball and flag football.

St. Laurence High School athlete Sara Burzycki hauls down a touchdown pass against Oak Park and River Forest High School during a Sept. 22 flag football game in Burbank. (Jeff Vorva/Daily Southtown)

“My mind is still open. I’m definitely looking to play both sports in college because I have a passion for it,” she said. “I’ve played football my whole life. I never thought about getting a scholarship for it.”

St. Laurence coach Steve Vodicka said that last year two Vikings players committed to Graceland University and thinks there will be more college interest to come.

“The Graceland coach came out to meet the players and showed the opportunity they had for them,” Vodicka said. “Two of them ran with it and I feel a lot more are going to continue to see what that opportunity is like, especially when it comes to scholarships and getting financial aid.

“I can see that growing, especially in the state of Illinois and Chicago area.”

St. Laurence High School defensive back Evalin Campos-Cuellar intercepts an Oak Park pass in the endzone during a Sept. 22 flag football game in Burbank. (Jeff Vorva/Daily Southtown)

Triton is getting some financial support for its new venture, including a $5,000 grant from the NJCAA Foundation, NFL FLAG, and Reigning Champs Experiences.

“The decision supports strategic enrollment and athletic program growth for our institution,” Triton President Mary-Rita Moore said in a news release. “Equally important is that this investment supports our community’s passion for Trojan athletics and the growing interest nationwide in flag football as an emerging sport for women. This is how a public community college can make a positive difference in the lives of our students.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter.

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September 30, 2025
Senate candidates Robin Kelly, Juliana Stratton make their pitches at Oak Park forum

Contrasting styles were on display Saturday morning when two of the three Democratic candidates running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin appeared before approximately 100 people at the Oak Park Public Library in an event organized by the Democratic Party of Oak Park.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton spoke, but the third major candidate, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who was also invited, called to cancel the night before the event. Krishnamoorthi, a prodigious fundraiser, has raised the most money in the campaign thus far and is the only candidate who has run extensive television advertising.

Both candidates appeared separately before the crowd. They first spoke for a little less than 10 minutes and then answered questions for about 20 minutes.

Kelly, who some have said is too nice for politics, spoke first and was calm and thoughtful. She stressed her experience as an experienced congresswoman while Stratton was much more animated and fiery, pitching herself as a fighter.

“We need fighters in Washington who will stand and go to the mat fighting for the people in Illinois,” Stratton said. “I want to be that fighter for you.”

Stratton suggested that times demand more than normal politics

“People have told me I’m not looking for someone to go along just to get along, nobody wants to see that,” Stratton said. “But I’m not looking for the same old, same old. People are looking for bold, courageous leadership and they’re looking for people to not only tell us what we’re fighting against but what we’re fighting for.”

While Kelly stressed her experience in Congress and her role in passing legislation, Stratton said that the current situation demands much more than that.

“I don’t see my role as your next United States senator just to pass legislation, although that’s a big part of the role,” Stratton said. “I do not see my role as your next United States senator to just have a bully pulpit and to speak with moral clarity although I believe that that is my role, I also see my role to push our party to be courageous and bold.”

While Kelly stressed the need to work with Republicans and craft legislation that can pass, Stratton said she doesn’t want Democrats to compromise in the upcoming showdown and advocated shutting down the government if Republicans refuse to budge.

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton discusses her candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin during a forum Sept. 13 at the Oak Park Public Library. (Bob Skolnik/Pioneer Press)

“This is not a normal budget showdown because we don’t have a normal president,” Stratton said. “And if the president and congressional Republicans are not going to come to the table in good faith and as far as I’m concerned if they’re going to strip away health care and they’re going to strip away funding for critical federal services and think we’re going to compromise I say shut it down.”

Kelly, who since 2013 has represented the 2nd Congressional District, which runs from the south side of Chicago all the way to Danville, stressed her experience not only in Congress but as a state legislator, along with stints in administrative positions in state, county and municipal government.

“I know the job, I’m enjoying the job, I know how to build relationships. I know you have to resist now. I know how to work across the aisle,” Kelly said. “I’ve been in Congress 12 ½ years, I’ve only been in the majority for four years of those 12 ½ years so if you can’t work with people that are different than you, you’re not going to get things done. And I think the public wants us to get things done.”

Kelly said she is ready for the job.

“When Dick Durbin leaves we need someone that can hit the ground running and ladies and gentlemen I am that person,” Kelly said. “I have built relationships in the House of course but also in the Senate. I have worked with Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to get things done.”

Kelly also noted that people want Democrats to resist and said that she is ready to do that, but said that she will remain true to her moral compass.

“They resist us to resist,” Kelly said. “I don’t give up my values for anyone and I don’t give up my joy for anyone. I love my job.”

Both candidates spoke mostly in generalities, as most candidates do.

Although Stratton pitched herself as a fighter she also said that she has worked as a mediator and said during her short stint as a state representative she made it a point to get to know her Republican colleagues and worked with them to get 10 bills passed.

Both candidates seemed to impress the audience but in different ways.

“Of these two I thought that Juliana looked like she would be the stronger fighter,” said Oak Parker Gene Armstrong. “Robin might be the stronger legislator but I’m kind of the view that right now we need a stronger fighter.”

Gail Ginsberg, of Oak Park, thought the event was eye opening. Going in, she knew the most about Krishnamoorthi due to his extensive television advertising but said both Stratton and Kelly impressed her.

“I thought it was a terrific, terrific event today. Very sorry that Raja Krishnamoorthi wasn’t here,” Ginsberg said. “It would have been so important to see him in contrast to the two candidates that we heard from, but I thought they were both terrific. They both impressed me in different ways.”

Bob Skolnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

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September 16, 2025
Oak Park District 97 enacts leadership plan after abrupt resignation of superintendent Ushma Shah

The Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Board of Education quickly turned to familiar faces to fill the superintendent’s role in the district after superintendent Ushma Shah suddenly resigned, effectively immediately, on Aug. 15.

At a special meeting on Aug. 18 the School Board voted 6-0 to appoint current assistant superintendent Patrick Robinson to be acting superintendent until Sept. 15. At that time retired superintendents Griff Powell and Patricia Wernet will take over as co-interim superintendents for the remainder of the 2025-26 school while the board searches for a new leader.

Powell and Wernet are familiar with District 97 having served as co-interim superintendents in District 97 in the 2021-2022 school year before Shah was hired in 2022.

“We are excited to welcome back Dr. Powell and Dr. Wernet, who bring both deep experience and a strong connection to Oak Park,” said Cheree Moore, president of the District 97 Board of Education in a news release issued by the district after the special meeting. “Alongside our dedicated administrative team, they will help guide the district with stability and care. We are also grateful for Mr. Robinson’s steady leadership during this transition. With this team in place, we are confident District 97 will continue moving forward for our students, staff, and families.”

Powell and Wernet have also worked together as interim superintendents in Glenview School District 34 and both have served as interim superintendents and superintendents in a number of school districts. Because they are both retired and receiving pensions from the Illinois Teacher Retirement System, they can only work a certain number of days to continue receiving their pension benefits so they will share the superintendent job in District 97 and neither will work full time. Their pay from District 97 was not disclosed because their contracts still must be negotiated.

Powell, 79, has been a permanent superintendent in five school districts. This will be his 14th interim superintendent assignment since he retired from his last permanent superintendent position at Niles Township High School District 219 in 2002.

I know I’m the most experienced interim (superintendent) in the state,” Powell told Pioneer Press. “I’m probably the most experienced superintendent in the state.”

When a school district calls him and asks him to fill in, Powell can’t resist answering the call.

“I love the work and I’m not a person that has a lot of hobbies,” Powell said. “I don’t play golf, I don’t fish, I don’t play a musical instrument and I really do love working and I love the field of education. I’ve spent my whole life dedicated to it.”

Wernet has been superintendent in Berwyn South School District 100 and Lisle Community Unit School District 202 as well as serving as an interim superintendent in a number of districts.

“Our job as co-interim superintendents is to provide the teaching staff, most importantly, and the support staff all the resources and support necessary to give maximum services to our students,” Powell said. “We want to allow the board to focus on hiring their new leader on a more permanent basis.”

Robinson has been assistant superintendent for elementary schools in District 97 since 2023. Prior to that he was the principal of Whittier School in Oak Park for five years.

At the Aug. 18 board meeting, members also, without any discussion, voted 6-0 to accept Shah’s resignation. After the meeting they shed little light on why Shah resigned, referring to a joint statement the school board and Shah released announcing Shah’s immediate resignation. That statement did not give a reason for Shah’s resignation and did not include a comment from Shah. In response to a specific question Moore did say that Shah was not asked to resign.

Ushma Shah resigned Friday as superintendent of Oak Park Elementary School District 97. (School District 97)

“She voluntarily resigned,” Moore said.

Shah was at the Aug. 12 School Board meeting, just three days before she resigned, and gave no hint in open session that she was going to be resigning.

Moore declined to say when she learned that Shah was resigning.

Bob Skolnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

Bob Skolnik

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August 19, 2025