Letter to the Editor

Retired Geneva Teacher Says, 'Re-Elect Mark Grosso'

Gib Thostenson: "Geneva has continued its tradition of excellence with his support and leadership."

Dear Editor: My wife, Kathy, and I are long time Geneva residents (37 years); and I’m also a retired Geneva High School English teacher and department chair.  We strongly support the re-election of Mark Grosso, current District 304 School Board President. We have known Mark for many years as a friend and neighbor and have worked with him on various committees for the Pepper Valley Homeowners Association. Four years ago we endorsed and supported Mark when he was running for the school board for the first time. We said, “Mark works hard, cooperates well with others, listens carefully, pays close attention to details, and uses common sense. He will bring the same leadership and problem solving skills to the school district.” He did not …

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Election 2013: Mark Grosso, Geneva School Board

Here's a bio and in-depth questionnaire submitted by Mark Grosso, who faces off against seven other candidates in the April 9 race for four seats on the Geneva School Board.

  MARK GROSSO — GENEVA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE (8 candidates, four seats) Name: Mark Grosso Position Sought: Board member for Geneva Community Unit School District 304 Campaign Contact Information: 630-208-1283 Address: 7 Bridgeport Lane, Geneva Family Members: Pamela Grosso, wife Education: Attended University of Wisconsin Current Occupation and Employer: Worked for Chicago Northwestern Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad for 38 years What will be your single most important priority if you get elected? Manage the district's debt while continuing to provide a quality education for our students. Why are you seeking office?      I would like to continue my service to the community. I feel the experience and knowledge I have gained in the last…

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Geneva Patch 2012 Person of the Year: Mark Grosso

Editor's note: This is the last of a 10-part countdown of articles looking back at the Geneva newsmakers of 2012. The No. 1 newsmaker is Geneva Patch's 2012 "Person of the Year."

  To be Geneva Patch's "Person of the Year" is not necessarily to be a hero or a villain. Like TIME Magazine's Person of the Year—who have ranged from Adolf Hitler to Pope John Paul II—the title goes to the person who has had the biggest impact on the news of the past year. The process starts with identifying the top Geneva stories of the year, and in 2012, the story that far and away captured our attention was the School District 304 teacher contract negotiations. That's why Geneva Education Association President Carol Young was No. 2 on the countdown of 2012 Geneva newsmakers, and it's why the first-ever Geneva Patch Person of the Year is Geneva School Board President Mark Grosso. The School District side of negotiations were directed by…

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School Board President Mark Grosso Will Seek Another Term

Geneva School Board President Mark Grosso says he'll seek a second four-year term on the District 304 Board of Education.

Being a Geneva School Board member is arguably the toughest of all local elected positions, and being School Board president arguably the hotest of the seven hot seats.  No one knows that better than Mark Grosso, who officially took that position in February after fellow board member Tim Moran stepped down in January due to health issues. At that time, Grosso was at the back end of his first term and stepped into what most folks might consider a hornets' nest of issues, ranging from longterm debt to teacher contract talks. Almost 10 months later, School District 304 has a three-year teachers contract in place, and Grosso says he's ready and willing to run again. "Six months ago, I’d have said no," Grosso said during an interview Thursday …

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Who Is Running for Geneva School Board?

With just a few days before the first opportunity to file, Geneva School District 304 board candidates aren't making a lot of noise.

With just five days remaining before filing begins for Geneva School Board elections, there have been no formal announcements from potential candidates. That's not unusual, of course. School Board elections typically don't carry the fanfare of some local races and generally aren't the ones that get the big headlines or column inches. But there's every reason to believe that the April 9 District 304 board races might be an exception. For starters, few local elected bodies have had the scrutiny or the attention this board has received since August, during the sometimes-heated public debate over a recently approved three-year teachers contract agreement. But the board hasn't shied away from any number of controversial issues in the past year…

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Dan

7:59 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

John Don't know all the facts, but have talked to existing board members and read past board materials - might change my mind after hearing full board discussions as these come up - ok, enough hedging? 1. Coultrap. I understand the study that was done recommended closing or razing the building. I agree. Keep the land, but raze the building. 2. The west land seems like a hold, until the market …   more ›

Geneva School Board, GEA Talks Will Resume Friday

A six-hour meeting on Tuesday leads to another meeting date on Friday.

A Wedneday-morning press release from School District 304 says the Geneva School Board and Geneva Education Association had a "constructive" six-hour negotiation session Tuesday night and plan to meet again Friday. During contract talks when both sides are operating under a confidentiality agreement, you sometimes have to look at the adjectives. School Board President Mark Grosso, via the press release, used at least three that would have accompanied the "sun" icon in the old Chicago Sun-Times weather word of the day. "We are hopeful that both parties can maintain a positive approach in the effort to reach an agreement," he said. "The board is very appreciative of the overwhelming community support it has received in this matter and is …

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New President Grosso Brings Stability, Steady Hand to Geneva School Board

With union negotiations beginning and tough challenges ahead, Mark Grosso takes the helm as Geneva School District 304 board president.

Mark Grosso knows there are some rough waters ahead for the Geneva School Board, but he's already steering the ship with a calm and steady hand. Grosso formally was elected Geneva School District 304 board president at a special meeting last week, and this week, the School District begins teacher-contract negotiations that will be key to the district's financial future. "We're going to try to work with the issues that we have before us," he said simply, when asked about his philosophy as School Board leader. "One of those is our longterm debt. Another issue is our upcoming teacher contract." The first of those contract meetings is this week, and negotiations will continue "for however long it takes," Grosso said. Look for the Grosso …

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Moran Resigns as Geneva School Board President

Tim Moran is sent to the hospital for chest pains, and decides it's time to step down as the president of Geneva School District 304's Board of Education. Mark Grosso takes over as president pro tem.

After being sent to the hospital for chest pains last week, Tim Moran decided it was time to let go his position as Geneva School Board president. Moran announced his resignation at the beginning of Monday night's School Board meeting, effective immediately, and turned over the gavel to Mark Grosso, who has served as vice president since May. A Daily Herald article says Grosso will continue as president pro tem until the board selects a new president. Moran said he decided to resign because of an increased workload at his law firm, coupled with the health scare last week in which he spent three days at Northwestern University Hospital being treated for chest pains. Moran, who became board president last May, plans to remain on the School …

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