Evanston Township High School board candidate R. Scott Rochelle, of 3300 Wilder St. in Skokie, is an attorney with Querrey & Harrow in Chicago.
Family
Rochelle is an ETHS graduate and the son of two Evanston teachers.
Education
Law degree and master’s in educational policy studies from University of Illinois, Champaign. Bachelor’s from Morehouse College.
In his own words
Opening statement at Feb. 10 candidate forum at Haven Middle School.
Good evening. My name is Richard “Scott” Rochelle, and as a second generation graduate of Evanston Township High School, the son of two Evanston educators, I am delighted to have the opportunity to pursue a position on the board of education.
I relish this unique opportunity to apply my passion for education and extensive experience in educational policy analysis to the very school that I graduated from.
I hold a masters degree in educational policy from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, and I’ve spent the past 10 years working in educational policy analysis.
Furthermore I currently serve as legal counsel to a number of local school districts where I advise on a number of issues such as special education, curriculum and instruction, and discipline.
As a board member I will strongly advocate for a rigorous academic curriculum in order to preserve Evanston’s rich academic tradition.
As a product of Evanston’s honors curriculum, I take pride in the values that it instilled in me, and I will never advocate for the removal of honors courses.
Second, I will advocate for effective accountability initiatives. The board must hold itself and the administration accountable to its stakeholders. — the students the parents and the community at large.
As a member of the board, I will ensure that my decisions are based on credible evidence and reliable data.
Lastly, I will demand proactive communication. I will advocate for an aggressive outreach and communication program to better engage our stakeholders in the educational process.
I believe that effective communication is pro-active communication. It is imperative that we see increased board interaction with students, parents and the community.
I’m a proud member of this community and I have dedicated myself to education for the past 10 years.
I feel that I am uniquely qualified to bring a fresh perspective to the board, and I thank you all for having me.
Campaign website
Other resources
Profile on PTA Council website
Scott Rochelle profile on LinkedIn
Art Newman interview with Scott Rochelle (video)