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Meet the Board Members

Neal Ormond, President

First Elected: Appointed 1995; Elected 1997

Current Term Expires: 2017

Number of terms served and when: Six ; 1996 – 1997, 1997 – 2001, 2001 – 2005, 2005 – 2009, 2009 – 2013, 2013 – 2017.

Profession: Retired business executive. Vice President of the Quaker Oats Company and for nearly 20 years Vice President, Human Resources of W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Degrees/life experience/volunteer activities:

West Aurora High School, class of 1958.
Bachelor of Science degree, Yale University, 1962.
Master of Business Administration degree, Stanford University, 1964.
John Marshall Law School.
Radio and television sportscasting for more than 40 years.
Since 1964 have served as "Voice of the Blackhawks" on local stations, broadcasting more than 1500 of West's football and basketball games.
Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley – Chairman and member of Executive Committee
West Aurora Sports Boosters - Co-founder and board member since the group's inception in 1970
A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools - Co-founder and board member
Volunteer Coach at West High since 1995 in 5 varsity girls and boys sports over a span of 45 seasons.

Parent of District 129 students: Three West Aurora High School graduates: Neal Alan - class of 1997; Laurel - class of 2000; Chrissy - class of 2002.

Allyson Herget, Vice President

First Elected: April, 1999

Current Term Expires: 2015

Number of terms served and when: Three. Currently serving fourth term. 1999-2003, 2003- 2007, 2007-2011, 2011-2015. Chairman, Academic Support & Human Resources Committee, 2003-2005. Vice-President of the School Board, 2007 – present.

Profession: Student Teacher Supervisor – Illinois State University, Dept. of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

Degrees/life experience/volunteer activities:

West Aurora High School, class of 1968.
B.A., elementary education and Spanish, Bradley University.
M.A.T., Aurora University.
Additional course work taken at I.T.E.S.O. (Instituto Technológico de Guadalajara, México).
Seventeen years classroom teaching – elementary/secondary/ community college.
Charter member of the Foundation for West Aurora Schools.
Past President, West Aurora P.T.A. Council.
Best in the West Award recipient.
Active member of the Child Welfare Society of Aurora.

Parent of District 129 students: Two West Aurora High School graduates: Robert B. – class of 2000 and Theresa - class of 2002. Husband, Tom Herget, class of 1968.

Angie Smith

First Elected: April, 2007

Current Term Expires: 2015

Number of terms served and when: Two; 2007-2011, 2011-2015.

Profession: Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations, Plainfield School District

Degrees/life experience/volunteer activities:

Masters in Business Administration from Columbia College
Bachelor of Science Degree from Northern Illinois University in Finance.
Past president of Prestbury Citizens Association
Best in the West Award Recipient
Past Vice President of Fearn PTA
Brownies Leader
Member of Fearn PTA 2000-2010
Herget PTO 2005-present, West PTO 2009-present.

Parent of District 129 students: Two daughters at West Aurora High School, and a son at Herget Middle School.

Robert R. Gonzalez

First Elected: May, 2011

Current Term Expires: 2015

Number of terms served and when: First Term; 2011 – 2015.

Profession: Insurance Agent

Degrees/life experience/volunteer activities:

BA from UIC.
Twenty-four years selling insurance to the Aurora community and surrounding areas.
Member of the Hispanic Chamber of commerce.
Coached numerous sports through the Fox Valley Park District.
Spin instructor of Health/Athletic Club for over 5 years.

Parent of District 129 students: Three West Aurora School graduates. Jessie, class of 2001, Robert L. class 2005 and Michael A. class of 2009.

Amie Thompson

First Elected: May, 2011

Current Term Expires: 2015

Number of terms served and when: First Term; 2011 – 2015.

Profession: Eighth-grade science teacher, East Aurora District 131 and Courses Manager for Seminars on Science Masters-level courses for educators through the American Museum of Natural History.

Degrees/life experience/volunteer activities:

M.A. in Educational Leadership from Aurora University, 2007
B.S. in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University in 2000
A.S. in Early Childhood Education from Waubonsee Community College in 1998
Currently working on a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University with an E.L.L. endorsement
Eleven years teaching experience in East Aurora and one year in West Aurora
Studied the seismic activity and the school systems in Mexico through NIU in 2006
Two research expeditions in the Arctic Circle through the East Carolina University in 2004
P.T.S.O. member
Four years experience as a Cub Scout Leader
Four years as a Sunday school teacher

Parent of District 129 students: Parent of four children, including a 2003 West Aurora High School graduate and two current West Aurora students.

Valerie Brown Dykstra

First Elected: April, 2013

Current Term Expires: 2017

Number of terms served and when: First Term; 2013 – 2017

Profession: Attorney

Degrees/Life Experience/ Volunteer Activities:

Graduate of West Aurora High School - 1981
B.S. from Western Illinois University in Elementary Education
J.D. from University of Illinois
Attorney in Aurora since 1988
Member of Schneider PTO from 2000-2008
Member of Jefferson PTA 2003-2006, 2008-2011
Former Vice-President Jefferson PTA
Former Dance Chair, Teen Night Chair, Eighth Grade Formal Chair and Senior Citizen Band Breakfast Chair, Jefferson PTA
Member, West Aurora High School PTSO 2006-2010, 2011-current
Treasurer, West Aurora High School PTSO
Sunday School Teacher, Faith and Daily Life Teacher and Vacation Bible School Teacher for over 10 years with St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette Girl Scout Leader for 12 years
Former member of the Board of Directors for the YWCA of Aurora

Parent of District 129 students: Victoria Dykstra - class of 2010 and Cecelia Dykstra - student at West Aurora High School. Husband David Dykstra - class of 1981.

Robert Patterson

First Elected: April, 2013

Current Term Expires: 2017

Number of terms served and when: First Term; 2013 – 2017

Profession: Corporate Purchasing Director for Lutheran Life Communities.

Degrees/Life Experience/Volunteer Activities:

Retired Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy
B.S. in Business Administration from University of Phoenix
Certificate in Purchasing Management from DePaul University
Past Board of Elders Immanuel Lutheran Church
Member Batavia Overseas VFW Post 1197
Member American Legion Post 556
Member Gold Star Dads of America
Member Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity
Past Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader

Parent of District 129 students: Two West High School graduates: Christopher A. – Class of 2009 and Carl A. – Class of 2011

Dylan Oncken, Student Board Member

Appointed: May, 2013

The state legislature, in 2005, passed Public Act 094-0231 allowing School Boards to appoint a student to the Board to serve in an advisory capacity. West Aurora School District was one of the first Districts to appoint a Student Board Member and has been instrumental in encouraging other Districts to do the same and benefit from bringing a student’s perspective to the discussions at school board and committee meetings.

Dylan Oncken is the eighth student appointed to this position. An aspiring leader, Dylan is the 2013/2014 President of DECA, and 2013/2014 President of Boys II Men. During his time at the school Dylan has also been involved with several service activities such as Student Ambassadors, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Student Crisis Advisory Council, and Link leaders, a group which helps smooth the transition for incoming freshman. Dylan plays volleyball year round, as a player on the Varsity team as well as for the Cyclones Volleyball Club. In addition, Dylan plays the oboe in the West Aurora Wind Symphony and the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. James Rydland, Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Rydland began his career in 1975 as a special education teacher in North Thurston Public Schools in Lacey, Washington. He has served as an elementary and secondary teacher, middle school assistant principal, elementary principal, Director of Curriculum/Secondary Education and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.

With his wife Jo, a retired teacher, he has raised two children, Kelsey and Morgan. Dr. Rydland has been the Superintendent of District 129 since July of 2005.

Kimberly Salzbrunn, Secretary

Appointed: October, 2012

Kimberly joined District 129 in October 2012 as the Assistant to the Superintendent; she is responsible for assisting the superintendent, cabinet and school board members. Kimberly has her Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University and over 20 years’ of administrative and supervisory experience.

Kimberly is lives in Oswego, IL with her husband and son.

George Malina, Treasurer

First Appointed: May, 2009

Current Term Expires: Appointment to remain in effect until revoked by further action of the Board of Education.

Number of Terms Served and When: First Term, 2009 – 2013

Profession: Small Business Accountant in the Fox Valley area since 1986. Acquired a small business accounting practice in Geneva in January 1990. In July 1998 merged the Geneva practice with the Aurora headquartered professional services firm Sikich LLP. Currently the Partner-in-Charge of Small Business Accounting Services for the Firm. Past member of the Sikich LLP Executive Board. Current member of the Sikich LLP Technical Steering Committee.

Degrees/life experience/volunteer activities: