Mark Kelly for Palos 118 School Board

Mark Kelly is running to be part of the Palos 118 School Board. Election day is April 6, 2021. 

Mark is a Palos Park resident, high school social studies teacher at Bloom High School, and has two children in Palos 118 schools: Colleen is in sixth grade at Palos South, and Brendan is in fifth grade at Palos West. Mark is married to Erin, who is a research psychologist at the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Composed of Palos 118 neighbors and friends of the Kelly family, the Committee to Elect Mark Kelly for Palos 118 School Board believes Mark Kelly will make a meaningful difference in the education of the students in Palos 118. Our Committee has witnessed the many contributions the entire Kelly family has made to the local and broader community and would appreciate any support you are able to provide to Mark's campaign. 

When you meet Mark, you know he is strongly committed to serving his community. As many families in Palos 118 will attest, Mark and his family are known for service to others, particularly any person or group of people who are marginalized. Mark will be an ally and a friend to anyone in Palos 118 whose voice has not been heard or understood. 

Here are some adjectives and phrases community members use when describing Mark:  Honest, kind, fair, intelligent, hard-working, equitable, creative, ethical, good listener, progressive, genuine, service-oriented, music-loving, authentic, fun-loving. 

Here are some reasons from Mark himself as to why he is running for the Palos 118 Board of Education: 

·         "First, teachers should be part of every community's school board.
My kids have been very successful in Palos 118; we have utilized many incredible programs and services across the district, including reading specialists, nursing, and accelerated learning opportunities, to bring about this success. I have seen first-hand that a successful school district requires a big team of devoted and expert faculty and staff. As we all paid closer to attention to how school would restart last fall, I noticed that there were no teachers on the school board. As a teacher and parent myself, I strongly believe that teachers should be a part of every community's school board.

·         Second, Palos 118 is a thriving community whose diversity should be celebrated and leveraged as a vehicle of success.
Palos 118 exists within a thriving and diverse community. I love that my children go to school with children of different colors, religions, and levels of ability. I truly believe this aspect of 118 should be celebrated and leveraged as we continue creating a successful school district for all students.

·         Third, our taxpayer dollars must be used wisely and must be applied with a focus on equity.
Palos 118 has resources that other school districts only dream about. Those resources must be managed and guided carefully for the district to continue its success. Further, to ensure we meet the needs of all students, our district should prioritize equity when making decisions. That is a core responsibility of any school board member, and one that I am well prepared to meet.

·         Finally, I believe in giving back to the community.
I coached soccer and basketball for many years, my family organized a lunch-making campaign for a hunger outreach program in Robbins, and, through our church, we currently contribute to providing lunches to Beds Plus. I hope to continue giving back and feeling even more connected to my local community by serving on the Palos 118 School Board."


Donated funds will be used to help defray costs such as campaign signage and other marketing materials.

Thank you for helping us make Mark's campaign a success!