Election 2013: DeeDee Gorgol

Name: Deirdre “DeeDee” Gorgol

Position sought: Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education

Website: www.d86vote.com

Email address: d86vote@gmail.com

Hometown: Willowbrook

Family: Daughter Laura, 24; son Kyle, 22. 

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from North Central College

Occupation: Data specialist at UPS

Years in District 86: 27

Previous elected offices: Current District 86 board member 

Applicable experience qualifying you for the position: I have served on this board for the last four years and continually receive board training to become a more affective board member. My position at UPS also lends me the perspective to analyze and audit the data presented to the board.

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?

I want District 86 to keep moving in the right direction of building on its excellence by continuing to strive for higher academic performance and provide better opportunities for our students while being responsible to the district community.

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?

To continue making sound fiscal decisions to maintain our high level of academic excellence while continuing to maintain a balanced budget year after year.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I am running on the slate “Building on Excellence” with current board members Dennis Brennan and Kay Gallo, along with Roseanne Rosenthal.  We are four individuals who share the same goals on continuing to build on the excellence in our district.  I do not make false accusations.  I do not have any hidden agendas.  I conduct myself in and out of the board room in an honest and ethical way.  I always treat my fellow board members and the administration with respect they deserve.

What do you believe is District 86’s biggest strength?

In my opinion the district’s greatest strength is the excellent academic achievements of our students.

What do you believe is District 86’s biggest weakness?

Picking one thing to be our greatest weakness is hard.  I see a few things that pose liabilities to our district such as frivolous board lawsuits, a down-turning economy, and the age of our buildings.  Each year we successfully do cost containments to produce a balanced budget without having to cut staff or student programs while maintaining our building but unnecessary cost make our job harder.

Do you support the district’s ruling in favor of Hinsdale South staff on a parent’s curriculum objection last year of the showing of American Beauty and Brokeback Mountain? Do such movies have a place in high school classrooms?

I do support the administration’s decision to show R-rated films in the elective class, Film as Literature, with the parent’s written consent.  With an elective class such as this, it is any parent’s right to choose that the content of the elective class is not appropriate for their student but only their student.  They do not have the right to decide what is appropriate for others.  If any parent has an objection then they do not have to sign the consent or place their child in that class. The district’s staff is highly qualified to make curriculum choices and approval of such curriculum goes through many levels before it is approved.

In terms of a school district, how would you describe a board that is fiscally responsible? Does District 86 currently have a fiscally responsible board?

A fiscally responsible board must maintain a balanced budget while meeting the needs of the students and constituents. I do believe District 86’s current board is a fiscally responsible board.  In my four years on the board, we have produced a balanced budget all four years.  As stated in an earlier question, each year we successfully do cost containments to produce this balanced budget without having to cut staff or student programs while maintaining our buildings along with maintaining our high credit rating.

Related Pages:

• Election 2013: District 86 Board of Education
• Claudia Manley
• Victor Casini
• Dennis Brennan
• Kay Gallo
• Roseanne Rosenthal
• Edward Corcoran
• Roger Kempa