Schools

Biology Teacher Brings Education Experience and Commitment to D122

A product of New Lenox School District 122, Rhonda Starklauf plans to keep the students at the forefront of her decisions on the NLSD122 Board of Education.

 

Rhonda Starklauf, a 36-year-old biology teacher at Lincoln-Way Central High School, is one of two newcomers to the New Lenox School District 122 Board of Education. It was a hotly contested race—10 candidates for five seats. She and newly elected member Phil Adair will officially take their seats by May.

Reflecting on her narrow win over incumbents Deborah Kedzior and Bill Pender and the contentious state of the NLSD122 Board, Starklauf said she's approaching her four-year term of office with a focus on the issues that relate to the operations of the district. Aware that many voters looked at the election as an opportunity to oust anyone affiliated with the current board, Starklauf said she's not planning to adopt a difficult-to-work-with mentality.

Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Having thrown her hat in the ring previous to the tension stemming from Kathy Miller's temporary ouster from the ballot and the Starklauf said she has no plan to invest energy in that issue. "I feel it will just blow over."

As the contention on the board first erupted beginning in January, Starklauf, who is a product of NLSD122 and Lincoln-Way High School District 210, said she had no second thoughts about running. "It wasn't something that was going to deter me. I just didn't focus on it."  

Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Contributing to the community as a board member was something she'd been contemplating for awhile. In July 2012, Starklauf made a pitch to board members to fill a vacancy left with the resignation of Sue Gillooley. She was one of nine candidates; the board opted at the time for Pender.

"I understand there're going to be those tough decisions. I don't want to burden the taxpayers, but my big picture focus is going to be toward the students."

A science teacher for 12 years, wife and mother of two, Starklauf said it's not in her DNA to simply follow the crowd. "I understand there're going to be those tough decisions. I don't want to burden the taxpayers, but my big picture focus is going to be toward the students."

And she'll be relying on her background in education to help the district as it moves to implement the upcoming common core standards in the curriculum. Among her pet projects as a member of the board is "empowering parents." She's looking forward to organizing a "Parents Night" meeting to introduce them to the core changes, "so it becomes a team effort" between the district, teachers and parents.

Another forefront matter for Starklauf is technology within the schools. In her experience at the high school, Starklauf said she knows that students are more apt to actually read assigned material if it's on an E-Reader rather than a traditional book.

In sum, Starklauf said, "I'm in this for the right reasons. I didn't enter it for any agenda."

 

Get news alerts and Facebook updates from these Lincoln-Way Patch sites:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here