Today Chris Crawford, who has been a member of the PSD150 School Board since 2010, ran for and won the seat of President to the Board, despite a reported busy schedule as a new father and full-time attorney...
He believes that the success of the Peoria community is tied to the success of its schools and is committed to seeing that all area children have access to a great education.
He is committed to see that the school district operates within its means.
He returned to Peoria five years ago from Chicago.
He has a 3-year-old daughter he wants to someday send to District 150.
He says the School Board and administration should have paid more attention to the process of shuttering Woodruff, but otherwise supported the end result.
Stuff gathered from other places about Chris Crawford:
"The district needed to close a high school. The decision has been made and it is time to move forward."
- He wants more "shared sacrifice" toward balancing the budget, including reductions in administration.
- As a board member he'd demand mid-year financial reporting so the board could intervene before the red ink gets out of hand.
- He backs the charter school.
- He is willing to experiment with choice educational models that compete for students.
- He would champion a year-round calendar.
- He'd spend available Public Building Commission dollars on air conditioning classrooms in older buildings as opposed to constructing new facilities.
- He'd try to partner with ICC in offering vocational education opportunities to District 150 students.
- He's intrigued by the peer review disciplinary process being used at Manual.
- He is an attorney who represents employers and insurance companies across Illinois.
- He especially enjoys the close working relationships he has built with numerous local employers, answering questions and addressing their concerns about workers’ compensation litigation.
- He is recognized as a leader in the state’s legal community.
- He was named one of the Rising Stars in Illinois by Super Lawyers magazine.
- He is a member of the Peoria County Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association.
- He is on the board of the Pediatric Resource Center, a community service program of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria.
- He is a Republican precinct committeeman.
- He is a member of the Rotary Club of Peoria.
- He is a native Peorian and graduate of Richwoods High School.
- He practiced law in Chicago for eight years after graduating from law school before deciding to move back to his hometown in 2007.
- His family members have been active leaders in the Peoria area for four generations.
- He believes that Peoria is a great place to be because it is big enough to offer a wide array of challenges, but small enough that you feel like you can make a difference.
- He feels an obligation to future generations to continue to make Peoria a great place to live.