Gil Gibori
Avoca District 37 School Board
responses to voter guide questions
Introduction
As an education entrepreneur, my personal and professional passions are deeply rooted in all areas of education. I am currently serving my second term and eighth year on the Avoca School Board, where I have the honor of serving as Vice President.
Over the years, I have played an active role in shaping the district’s direction, helping to guide Avoca from a fiscal crisis marked by years of deficit spending and dangerously low reserves to a surplus budget and healthy cushion. During my tenure, we navigated the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19, selected two superintendents, replaced five key administrators, and supported our outstanding educators in reconfiguring our curricula and educational technology. We also negotiated a remarkable teachers' union contract, benefiting the district financially while improving the outcomes for our students.
Currently, I am leading efforts on the board to prioritize equity by reducing financial barriers to participation in all that Avoca offers, ensuring no student is left out due to cost. Providing every child with full access to the Avoca experience is a cause I am deeply committed to, and I will continue to advocate for meaningful solutions to make it a reality.
Beyond my role on the Avoca Board, I have dedicated my career to education and child wellness, innovating ways to support students academically and emotionally. With my wife, I founded an educational company that reimagines student engagement to meet the needs of today’s learners. I also serve on the boards of two transformative schools: Hyde Park Day School and the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, which provide specialized education for students with emotional challenges and learning disabilities who cannot be served by public schools. My commitment to improving education spans public, private, and nonprofit sectors, working to ensure that all students receive the support they need to thrive.
I would be proud to continue serving the Avoca community and look forward to working with families, educators, and fellow board members to build an even stronger future for our district. I share this journey with my wife, Carrie, an Avoca alum (Class of 1985), and our four children, all proud Avoca students.
Question #1: What do you see as the main priorities and challenges for the incoming school board?
The most immediate priority for the incoming school board is negotiating a new teachers' union contract, beginning this April. With payroll accounting for 70% of the district’s budget, a balanced contract will be critical to maintaining fiscal stability, ensuring educational quality, and attracting and retaining top-tier educators. This contract will have lasting effects on the budget, the strength of our teaching staff, and student outcomes.
Beyond the contract negotiations, curriculum development remains a major focus for the district. Our administration is actively engaged in upgrading curricula, with the next priority being science and social studies. Technology is another key challenge and opportunity for the district. As the landscape of education continues to evolve, integrating emerging technologies— including AI—into our schools while also safeguarding our aging electronic infrastructure will be critical.
Another key goal is to engage in more effective communication with the community. Transparency and collaboration will be essential in forging a shared vision for Avoca’s future— one that ensures fiscal responsibility, educational excellence, and a continued commitment to providing the best possible environment for our students and staff.
Question #2: What, if any, specific educational goals do you have for D37 and how would you work to achieve them?
It is a common misconception that the Board of Education explicitly sets specific educational goals. In reality, school board members are trained to operate under a governance paradigm where the board remains on the balcony, overseeing the district, while the administration and educators operate on the dance floor, implementing educational strategies. Our responsibility is to balance today’s challenges and opportunities with those that lie ahead.
My priority is equitable growth for all students—from the highest achievers to those who need the most support—across all subject areas. While we’ve made progress, some student groups at Avoca still lag behind their peers. High-achieving students need expanded opportunities to be challenged. Students with learning disabilities, language gaps, or emotional needs require specialized, adaptive approaches. And every student in between deserves the most differentiated instruction we can afford to provide.
Avoca must prioritize immediate investment in STEM and STEAM. Even though our science program is among the strongest in the state, we lack the facilities and staff to provide up-to-date learning in technology, engineering, and technical arts. A serious upgrade is essential to ensure Avoca’s students are prepared for our rapidly evolving world.
Question #3: How would you improve the board’s transparency and community engagement?
Community engagement has been a priority since I joined the Avoca board in 2017. In my first term, I established a Communication Advisory Panel to support the superintendent and helped prioritize hiring a superintendent with strong communication credentials. Since then, we’ve expanded outreach—leveraging a new website, social media, and streamlined communication across district, school, and classroom levels. However, feedback remains a challenge. A recent SCOPE survey received strong participation from parents and employees but only 39 responses from the thousands of other community members. This does not indicate apathy but underscores the challenge of reaching our stakeholders.
I support revisiting Avoca’s longstanding policy of not emailing former district parents. These families are a significant part of our community, and reconnecting with them could enhance engagement dramatically. Investing in higher-cost direct mail marketing would also help us reach those not engaged electronically—a short-term investment with long-term returns. Inviting the community into our schools more to showcase our successes and celebrations will further build connection, awareness, and support.
By law, all board work is transparent, except for legally required closed meetings on personnel, specific families, and monetary negotiations. Over the last decade, major district initiatives have been shaped by committees of hundreds of community volunteers contributing thousands of hours. These committees have operated entirely in public meetings, with widely distributed reports and proposals. I don’t believe transparency is the issue; rather, limited community engagement has led to misunderstandings. Strengthening these connections will be key to building trust and partnership.
Question #4: In 2024, the Avoca District proposed a bond issue to upgrade Avoca facilities that did not pass. What is your recommendation for Avoca facilities upgrades?
The facility issues in the 2024 referendum date back to the 2016 Strategic Planning Committee, where I first saw the district’s financial crisis and deteriorating buildings. The 2009 referendum projected funds lasting only until 2018, and by 2017, we had to cut costs, limit facility spending, and raise parent fees to stabilize finances. Since 2009, teacher salaries have risen over 4% annually, while CPI increases—the measure by which district revenues grow—averaged only 1.5%, forcing the district to deplete reserves until Illinois placed it on the Financial Watch List, signaling possible state intervention.
COVID-19 temporarily boosted finances through lower expenses, high CPI, and federal grants, allowing us to rebuild reserves and delay—though not eliminate—the need for a referendum. Avoca was also a victim of post-pandemic inflation. Construction costs tripled from 2019 estimates, turning a $30-40 million project into an $89 million one.
Avoca must solve two critical issues—financial stability and deteriorating facilities. Outdated buildings force educators into hallways, overheated classrooms, and 1960s science labs, compromising education and Avoca’s reputation. Our financial instability prevents us from investing in superior teachers and programs.
I strongly support investing in new or upgraded schools. Spending millions on temporary fixes is fiscally irresponsible. Our students and teachers deserve a learning environment and stability that supports their success. The referendum debate made it clear we share the same goals. It also engaged stakeholders, creating an opportunity to build a new plan together.
As an education entrepreneur, my personal and professional passions are deeply rooted in all areas of education. I am currently serving my second term and eighth year on the Avoca School Board, where I have the honor of serving as Vice President.
Over the years, I have played an active role in shaping the district’s direction, helping to guide Avoca from a fiscal crisis marked by years of deficit spending and dangerously low reserves to a surplus budget and healthy cushion. During my tenure, we navigated the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19, selected two superintendents, replaced five key administrators, and supported our outstanding educators in reconfiguring our curricula and educational technology. We also negotiated a remarkable teachers' union contract, benefiting the district financially while improving the outcomes for our students.
Currently, I am leading efforts on the board to prioritize equity by reducing financial barriers to participation in all that Avoca offers, ensuring no student is left out due to cost. Providing every child with full access to the Avoca experience is a cause I am deeply committed to, and I will continue to advocate for meaningful solutions to make it a reality.
Beyond my role on the Avoca Board, I have dedicated my career to education and child wellness, innovating ways to support students academically and emotionally. With my wife, I founded an educational company that reimagines student engagement to meet the needs of today’s learners. I also serve on the boards of two transformative schools: Hyde Park Day School and the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, which provide specialized education for students with emotional challenges and learning disabilities who cannot be served by public schools. My commitment to improving education spans public, private, and nonprofit sectors, working to ensure that all students receive the support they need to thrive.
I would be proud to continue serving the Avoca community and look forward to working with families, educators, and fellow board members to build an even stronger future for our district. I share this journey with my wife, Carrie, an Avoca alum (Class of 1985), and our four children, all proud Avoca students.
Question #1: What do you see as the main priorities and challenges for the incoming school board?
The most immediate priority for the incoming school board is negotiating a new teachers' union contract, beginning this April. With payroll accounting for 70% of the district’s budget, a balanced contract will be critical to maintaining fiscal stability, ensuring educational quality, and attracting and retaining top-tier educators. This contract will have lasting effects on the budget, the strength of our teaching staff, and student outcomes.
Beyond the contract negotiations, curriculum development remains a major focus for the district. Our administration is actively engaged in upgrading curricula, with the next priority being science and social studies. Technology is another key challenge and opportunity for the district. As the landscape of education continues to evolve, integrating emerging technologies— including AI—into our schools while also safeguarding our aging electronic infrastructure will be critical.
Another key goal is to engage in more effective communication with the community. Transparency and collaboration will be essential in forging a shared vision for Avoca’s future— one that ensures fiscal responsibility, educational excellence, and a continued commitment to providing the best possible environment for our students and staff.
Question #2: What, if any, specific educational goals do you have for D37 and how would you work to achieve them?
It is a common misconception that the Board of Education explicitly sets specific educational goals. In reality, school board members are trained to operate under a governance paradigm where the board remains on the balcony, overseeing the district, while the administration and educators operate on the dance floor, implementing educational strategies. Our responsibility is to balance today’s challenges and opportunities with those that lie ahead.
My priority is equitable growth for all students—from the highest achievers to those who need the most support—across all subject areas. While we’ve made progress, some student groups at Avoca still lag behind their peers. High-achieving students need expanded opportunities to be challenged. Students with learning disabilities, language gaps, or emotional needs require specialized, adaptive approaches. And every student in between deserves the most differentiated instruction we can afford to provide.
Avoca must prioritize immediate investment in STEM and STEAM. Even though our science program is among the strongest in the state, we lack the facilities and staff to provide up-to-date learning in technology, engineering, and technical arts. A serious upgrade is essential to ensure Avoca’s students are prepared for our rapidly evolving world.
Question #3: How would you improve the board’s transparency and community engagement?
Community engagement has been a priority since I joined the Avoca board in 2017. In my first term, I established a Communication Advisory Panel to support the superintendent and helped prioritize hiring a superintendent with strong communication credentials. Since then, we’ve expanded outreach—leveraging a new website, social media, and streamlined communication across district, school, and classroom levels. However, feedback remains a challenge. A recent SCOPE survey received strong participation from parents and employees but only 39 responses from the thousands of other community members. This does not indicate apathy but underscores the challenge of reaching our stakeholders.
I support revisiting Avoca’s longstanding policy of not emailing former district parents. These families are a significant part of our community, and reconnecting with them could enhance engagement dramatically. Investing in higher-cost direct mail marketing would also help us reach those not engaged electronically—a short-term investment with long-term returns. Inviting the community into our schools more to showcase our successes and celebrations will further build connection, awareness, and support.
By law, all board work is transparent, except for legally required closed meetings on personnel, specific families, and monetary negotiations. Over the last decade, major district initiatives have been shaped by committees of hundreds of community volunteers contributing thousands of hours. These committees have operated entirely in public meetings, with widely distributed reports and proposals. I don’t believe transparency is the issue; rather, limited community engagement has led to misunderstandings. Strengthening these connections will be key to building trust and partnership.
Question #4: In 2024, the Avoca District proposed a bond issue to upgrade Avoca facilities that did not pass. What is your recommendation for Avoca facilities upgrades?
The facility issues in the 2024 referendum date back to the 2016 Strategic Planning Committee, where I first saw the district’s financial crisis and deteriorating buildings. The 2009 referendum projected funds lasting only until 2018, and by 2017, we had to cut costs, limit facility spending, and raise parent fees to stabilize finances. Since 2009, teacher salaries have risen over 4% annually, while CPI increases—the measure by which district revenues grow—averaged only 1.5%, forcing the district to deplete reserves until Illinois placed it on the Financial Watch List, signaling possible state intervention.
COVID-19 temporarily boosted finances through lower expenses, high CPI, and federal grants, allowing us to rebuild reserves and delay—though not eliminate—the need for a referendum. Avoca was also a victim of post-pandemic inflation. Construction costs tripled from 2019 estimates, turning a $30-40 million project into an $89 million one.
Avoca must solve two critical issues—financial stability and deteriorating facilities. Outdated buildings force educators into hallways, overheated classrooms, and 1960s science labs, compromising education and Avoca’s reputation. Our financial instability prevents us from investing in superior teachers and programs.
I strongly support investing in new or upgraded schools. Spending millions on temporary fixes is fiscally irresponsible. Our students and teachers deserve a learning environment and stability that supports their success. The referendum debate made it clear we share the same goals. It also engaged stakeholders, creating an opportunity to build a new plan together.