Doug Holt, an Evanston-Skokie resident since 1998, kicked off his campaign for the District 202 School Board on Jan. 26.
He has three children, two of whom attend ETHS. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York. He was a reporter for various publications, including the Chicago Tribune, and is currently corporate communications director at a publicly traded global company.
He served in the Peace Corps, teaching biology and English in the Central African Republic, served on District 65’s Ad Hoc Budget Committee, and is a founding member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society Chapter at St. Joan of Arc church.
“Our highly ranked high school is a key reason my family, along with countless others, chose to live in this diverse and vibrant community,” says Mr. Holt.
“Whatever we do, we must maintain high standards and excellence for all students at ETHS. Every student deserves to be challenged in a positive and productive manner. … In a global economy, our best students must be ready to compete with the best students anywhere, from Finland to India to China.”
“Diversity is a core strength of Evanston and ETHS,” he adds. “As a former Peace Corps school teacher and community volunteer, I strongly support efforts to provide all students with resources, support and opportunities to ensure that they achieve their full potential. I would like to see greater emphasis on peer-reviewed, research-supported, pragmatic approaches that help students succeed.”
If elected to the Board, Mr. Holt says he would be a careful financial steward. “ETHS currently spends more than $20,000 per student per year – a major commitment by Evanston taxpayers,” he says. “At a time of budgetary challenges on the local, state and federal level, ETHS needs to be smarter than ever in how its resources are used. As a taxpayer and parent of three, I would serve as a careful steward of our resources and actively seek ways that the district can maximize the school’s return on investment. Last year, I served on the District 65 Citizens Ad Hoc Budget Committee and helped write a report suggesting ways to raise revenue and cut costs at District 65.”