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First Black woman appointed to District 113 board

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Jody Elliott-Schrimmer, a Highland Park resident and English teacher at Evanston High School, was appointed to the Township High School District 113 board of education on June 21.

Elliott-Schrimmer, the first Black woman appointed to the board, filled the vacancy of Gayle Byck, who resigned from the board in May. The term expires in April 2023.

Board President Ken Fishbain cited Elliott-Schrimmer's "incredible depth and breadth of experience in education, a proven track record in leadership," he said in a District 113 release.

In addition to entering her fourth year teaching at Evanston, the new board member previously taught at Lake Forest High School and served as a college counselor at North Shore Country Day School.

She earned her bachelor's degree in English language and literature from George Washington University, and a master's in education from Northwestern and another master's from Concordia University in school leadership, the release said.

Elliott-Schrimmer also has a doctoral degree in curriculum studies from DePaul University. She's also on the board of The Balance Project, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that helps people get emotional wellness and support.

Elliott-Schrimmer started her career with the children's advocacy group Agents for Chicago Tomorrow in New York City.

Be leaf it

The Village of Deerfield is offering to pay residents half the cost of planting a tree in their parkway. The Public Works Department will plant the tree, which is guaranteed for one year.

The trees, which cannot be planted on private property, will be planted in the fall. There is a limit of one tree a year per household, with the deadline of Aug. 31 to apply this year.

A member of the Suburban Tree Consortium, Deerfield is able to receive high-quality trees at competitive prices. The trees offered in the 50-50 program are about 2 feet in diameter. Varieties include lilacs, oaks, and an elm.

An application and more information on the 50-50 tree program is available on the landing page of the Village of Deerfield website, www.deerfield.il.us.

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