Post by title1parent on Jul 17, 2009 7:01:53 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=307110&src=76
D203's newest board member wants to pass on education's importance
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 7/17/09
It was just five years ago one of Naperville Unit District 203's newest school board members was a student himself.
Jim Dennison completed his master's degree in business administration at Northern Illinois University in 2004 after many long nights of studying right alongside his own children, who were coming up through District 203 schools.
"It was great for the kids to see because dad would come home from work ... grab a quick bite to eat and then three of us were studying," Dennison said. "And they'd have some fun with it: 'Dad, did you do your homework tonight?'"
While growing up in northeastern Ohio, his mother, a Catholic school principal and his father, who worked for General Electric, both stressed the importance of education.
That lesson stuck with Dennison who passed it along to his children and hopes to now do the same for other District 203 students.
"You have to keep learning, whatever it may be," Dennison said. "You've got to have a passion for learning because if not, people are going past you and you've got to keep growing and developing."
Dennison, 49, also has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University and said he was drawn to the entrepreneurial side of his business classes. He currently works as director of marketing for Thermique Technologies.
"I love the whole game of marketing. I love business. I love the communication of it," he said. "Getting a message out there, helping people find a solution to problems, solving business problems for them."
As his two children - now college students themselves - were growing up, Dennison got involved in the Naperville community coaching youth basketball, soccer and baseball.
He got a taste of campaigning last year as a co-chairman of District 203's referendum committee that successfully championed a $43 million tax hike to help fund $114.9 million in facility improvements around the district. The experience, he said, was invigorating.
"During the referendum you get up in the morning and it's like you've plugged yourself into a light socket," he said. "It's like OK, you go out and get the newspaper off the front step and (say) 'what happened today.'"
After their son Jim graduated from Central last year Dennison and his wife Pam realized how much of their lives had been intertwined in school activities and knew they wanted to stay involved.
"It sounds so Utopian or altruistic, 'oh my god I'm doing it for the kids,' but that's truly it," he said. "You want to stay involved in your community, you want to make it better."
He believes his experience with budgets, negotiations and management will be helpful to the board and felt humbled when voters elected him in April.
Among his priorities this year will be keeping a close watch on facility projects to make sure they stay on time and on budget. He'll also be keeping a close eye on the district's overall operating budget and believes it "must reflect the economic realities of the community."
He said he is a good listener and plans to represent the community as a whole.
"I want them to know I will work hard to represent the feelings of taxpayers and we will balance fiscal responsibility and absolutely world-class performance for that school district," he said. "We'll continue to do that because I believe the people who have come before me from a teaching, administrative and board standpoint have done a very good job."
D203's newest board member wants to pass on education's importance
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 7/17/09
It was just five years ago one of Naperville Unit District 203's newest school board members was a student himself.
Jim Dennison completed his master's degree in business administration at Northern Illinois University in 2004 after many long nights of studying right alongside his own children, who were coming up through District 203 schools.
"It was great for the kids to see because dad would come home from work ... grab a quick bite to eat and then three of us were studying," Dennison said. "And they'd have some fun with it: 'Dad, did you do your homework tonight?'"
While growing up in northeastern Ohio, his mother, a Catholic school principal and his father, who worked for General Electric, both stressed the importance of education.
That lesson stuck with Dennison who passed it along to his children and hopes to now do the same for other District 203 students.
"You have to keep learning, whatever it may be," Dennison said. "You've got to have a passion for learning because if not, people are going past you and you've got to keep growing and developing."
Dennison, 49, also has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University and said he was drawn to the entrepreneurial side of his business classes. He currently works as director of marketing for Thermique Technologies.
"I love the whole game of marketing. I love business. I love the communication of it," he said. "Getting a message out there, helping people find a solution to problems, solving business problems for them."
As his two children - now college students themselves - were growing up, Dennison got involved in the Naperville community coaching youth basketball, soccer and baseball.
He got a taste of campaigning last year as a co-chairman of District 203's referendum committee that successfully championed a $43 million tax hike to help fund $114.9 million in facility improvements around the district. The experience, he said, was invigorating.
"During the referendum you get up in the morning and it's like you've plugged yourself into a light socket," he said. "It's like OK, you go out and get the newspaper off the front step and (say) 'what happened today.'"
After their son Jim graduated from Central last year Dennison and his wife Pam realized how much of their lives had been intertwined in school activities and knew they wanted to stay involved.
"It sounds so Utopian or altruistic, 'oh my god I'm doing it for the kids,' but that's truly it," he said. "You want to stay involved in your community, you want to make it better."
He believes his experience with budgets, negotiations and management will be helpful to the board and felt humbled when voters elected him in April.
Among his priorities this year will be keeping a close watch on facility projects to make sure they stay on time and on budget. He'll also be keeping a close eye on the district's overall operating budget and believes it "must reflect the economic realities of the community."
He said he is a good listener and plans to represent the community as a whole.
"I want them to know I will work hard to represent the feelings of taxpayers and we will balance fiscal responsibility and absolutely world-class performance for that school district," he said. "We'll continue to do that because I believe the people who have come before me from a teaching, administrative and board standpoint have done a very good job."