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Steve Garrison
Address: 1316 W. Elm, Chillicothe
Age: 61
Family: Wife, Gail; Children: Brian (33), Jill (31) and Laura (23)
Job: Retired teacher from IVC High School; part-time instructor in the teacher education department at Bradley University
Education: M.S. Ed from Northern Illinois University; B.A. from George Williams College (now part of Aurora University); attended Bradley University; Hinsdale Central High School; honorary doctorate of education degree from Monmouth College.
Elective/appointive offices held or leadership roles: None
School board member’s role: I believe that a school board member (trustee) should represent all school district constituents with the bottom line to do what is best for the students. I believe that as a member of a seven person board, I will be able to offer my particular insights into issues, realizing that others have valuable insights as well. I feel I effectively listen well and work effectively as part of a group. I do not think a school board member should enter service on the board with a private “agenda” other than the desire to help our school district educate our students to their fullest potential.
Top priorities: To maintain or improve the quality of education in the school district in light of diminishing finances from the State of Illinois. We need to use our available resources wisely, plan for the future, while still offering our students the best curricular and extra curricular offerings. A high priority of mine is to graduate students with the ability to think critically, problem solve, read, communicate, work independently and with others to compete in a world much larger than Chillicothe. We need to prepare our students to enter fields of employment that may not exist yet. If we can do the things listed, we will have educated them to take on whatever the future holds.
District 321’s greatest challenge: The greatest challenge we face is to provide a top quality education with limited available resources. I feel that my educational experience as both a teacher, coach and administrator in a wide variety of school settings throughout my career (suburban Chicago, rural southern Illinois and the Peoria area) has given me insight into the problems that many school districts face. I can draw on my own personal experience from a career as an educator to help with these challenges that we face here in our district.The fact that I have been in various high schools throughout the state, each with its unique set of challenges, gives me a unique perspective in helping with the challenges that face District 321.
Steve Garrison
Address: 1316 W. Elm, Chillicothe
Age: 61
Family: Wife, Gail; Children: Brian (33), Jill (31) and Laura (23)
Job: Retired teacher from IVC High School; part-time instructor in the teacher education department at Bradley University
Education: M.S. Ed from Northern Illinois University; B.A. from George Williams College (now part of Aurora University); attended Bradley University; Hinsdale Central High School; honorary doctorate of education degree from Monmouth College.
Elective/appointive offices held or leadership roles: None
School board member’s role: I believe that a school board member (trustee) should represent all school district constituents with the bottom line to do what is best for the students. I believe that as a member of a seven person board, I will be able to offer my particular insights into issues, realizing that others have valuable insights as well. I feel I effectively listen well and work effectively as part of a group. I do not think a school board member should enter service on the board with a private “agenda” other than the desire to help our school district educate our students to their fullest potential.
Top priorities: To maintain or improve the quality of education in the school district in light of diminishing finances from the State of Illinois. We need to use our available resources wisely, plan for the future, while still offering our students the best curricular and extra curricular offerings. A high priority of mine is to graduate students with the ability to think critically, problem solve, read, communicate, work independently and with others to compete in a world much larger than Chillicothe. We need to prepare our students to enter fields of employment that may not exist yet. If we can do the things listed, we will have educated them to take on whatever the future holds.
District 321’s greatest challenge: The greatest challenge we face is to provide a top quality education with limited available resources. I feel that my educational experience as both a teacher, coach and administrator in a wide variety of school settings throughout my career (suburban Chicago, rural southern Illinois and the Peoria area) has given me insight into the problems that many school districts face. I can draw on my own personal experience from a career as an educator to help with these challenges that we face here in our district.The fact that I have been in various high schools throughout the state, each with its unique set of challenges, gives me a unique perspective in helping with the challenges that face District 321.
Why residents should vote for you: As a faculty member since 1990 in this district, I have always been committed to preparing my students by equipping them with tools to be successful in their future, while trying to instill in them the joys of learning. I think I have a proven record of effective teaching with many families in this community. Also, I am the only candidate seeking election who has had a wide variety of experiences in other school districts throughout the state. I still am involved in education by supervising student teachers at Bradley University. Educating kids in the classroom has been my whole life. I can certainly use this experience in an advantageous way to help District 321 as a school board member.
