The Interview

Erin Chan Ding, Katie Karam, and Steve Wang are Barrington District 220’s newest Board of Education members. They were sworn into office on April 6 for their terms that will last for four years. They recently sat down with Country Magazine to share why they ran for office and what they hope to achieve for students in the coming years.

Erin Chan Ding

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

I was born in Arlington Heights to parents who emigrated from Hong Kong in the late 1960s to attend graduate school and college in America. My husband, Charley, and I met at Northwestern University, where we both went to college, more than two decades ago, and we’ve been living in South Barrington for the last 10 years. Charley works as a doctor, and I’m a freelance journalist. Our son, Chandler, 12, is a rising 7th grader at Station Middle School, and our daughter, Callie, 8, is a rising 3rd grader at Countryside Elementary. Both are in the Chinese Immersion program, and Chandler also spent three years in the Extended Self-Contained program at Hough Street School. We’re so appreciative of all the opportunities District 220 has given them.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD?

I ran for the Barrington 220 School Board because I love our community. I’m so grateful for how the teachers, staff, and fellow families who have cared for our kiddos, and I wanted to give back by serving. I hope to do everything I can to bring kindness, humility, and respect to the way our community engages in dialogue with one another. I also want to ensure voices that have felt marginalized in District 220 are listened to and amplified in decision-making processes. I initially was asked to run for the school board by several parents and community members in our District 220 community, and I’m grateful, honored and humbled by the trust they and thousands of other voters in our district have put in me.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE SCHOOL BOARD?

The biggest priority is to ensure our students stay in school after a tumultuous year and a half in which education everywhere was drastically altered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Pediatricians and educators all over the country have agreed that in-person learning is the most effective and best option for the vast majority of kids, and we need to create an optimal environment for our District 220 students to learn in dynamic ways. We also need to ensure students who have struggled through the pandemic receive the social, emotional, and mental supports they need in order to thrive.

We also have a $147 million referendum approved by District 220’s voters that we’re in the process of implementing, and I’m excited to see all the improvements to our facilities and buildings that will result from it. Through partnering with our new superintendent, Robert Hunt, who started in July, we also have the chance to invite our community into shaping a new strategic plan that will influence education in our district for the next decade.

Finally, the Board has prioritized racial equity in our district. We are well-poised to partner with community organizations to bring equity to every part of our district and ensure each student has the resources and tools they need for an amazing, inclusive, and expansive education. As a district with about 40 percent students of color, we also have a tremendous opportunity to reflect our community’s demographics in how we hire and with whom we partner, not only when it comes to race but also in our diversity of age, experience, orientation, class, thought, and geography.

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR POSITION?

I’ve been a member of District 220’s Board of Education for only a few months, and I have already learned so much. Veteran board members have told me it takes one or two years just to settle into the position, so I anticipate spending this first year continuing to learn how to be a cooperative, effective school board member for our community. One cool thing I’ve already been able to do as a board member is to hand out diplomas to Barrington High School’s 2021 graduates. It was the first high school graduation I attended since my own 22 years ago, and the students inspired me so much. It made me want to go back to high school and experience the fun and learning all over again, so as long as I don’t have to retake trigonometry and go through finals, I’m in!

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I’m most looking forward to collaborating with a team of six other people on the Board, all of us with different backgrounds, personalities, and experiences, to ensure the best learning environment and education for more than 8,000 students across our school district. I’m also eager to engage with and listen to every part of our District 220 community.

WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT READERS MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?

I love to run, and so far, I’ve done 26 marathons and four ultramarathons. The farthest race I’ve run has been 50 miles, but I turned 40 years old this summer, and in a full-blown mid-life crisis moment, I signed up for my first 100-mile race! The cutoff time is 30 hours, and I can’t even stay up for 30 hours straight, so I think I’ll need some divine intervention to finish it. My kids and I also practice taekwondo together. We’re all black belts in the martial art, which might be the best stress reliever ever. We’re all learning how to play the cello together, as well, though they’re already much better than me.

Katie Karam

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.

I was born and raised in Barrington and am so thankful to be raising my three children in this wonderful community that helped raise me. I graduated from Barrington High School (BHS)—Class of ‘95! I attended Miami University where I met my husband, Chris. We moved back to Barrington about eight years ago and settled into an historic schoolhouse I have admired since I was a child. This is going to be a busy year for us, as we will have children across all levels of our district, a 5th grader at Roslyn, a 7th grader at Prairie Middle School, and a freshman at BHS.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD?

I come from a family who believes in service and giving back to your community. For me, there is nothing more important than our children and our schools. I have served on the Roslyn Road PTO for years, my time there has shown me how important volunteers are to our schools and what it takes to make D220 a successful district. I believe our schools are the heart of our community and, as a school board member, I now have the privilege of serving our entire district.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE SCHOOL BOARD?

In the short term, I feel our biggest issue is recovering from the impact of the pandemic. Our children must come first. We also need to work as a Board to heal the division this has caused within our community and earn back their trust. Beyond that, I look forward to implementing Build 220 and the exciting changes we have coming to our schools thanks to our $147 million referendum that was passed in 2020.

WHAT WILL YOU DO IN YOUR POSITION?

We have such amazing families, parents, and children in Barrington and I look forward to promoting their interests to the best of my ability. I want to work on better communication and transparency between the district and the community. I hope to provide more opportunities for our families to engage with the district and add their own unique abilities and perspectives.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I am most looking forward to getting to know all aspects of our wonderful district, connecting with community members, working for our children, and making a positive impact on the community I am proud to call home.

What is something that readers may be surprised to know about you?

When I say my family is big on volunteering, I mean this in all sincerity. My dad serves on the Barrington Hills Board of Health, my sister is a trustee in Barrington Hills, and my husband is the Cuba Township Supervisor. We truly love this community and are proud to give back every way we can.

Steve Wang

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

I grew up in Connecticut and attended the University of Notre Dame. After graduating with a degree in Corporate Finance and Business Economics, I started my career in investment banking in Chicago. Shortly before the birth of our daughter, who is now nearly eight-years-old, I moved to Barrington. Currently, my daughter is a rising second grader in the Chinese Immersion Program at Countryside Elementary (Go Wildcats!). To serve my community, I decided to run for a position on the Barrington 220 Board of Education.

In addition to serving on the Barrington 220 Board of Education, I am also involved in a variety of District related committees and other volunteer endeavors. I serve on the Board of Education’s Finance Committee and District’s Health Insurance, Labor Management, and Resource Allocation Committees. Elsewhere, I am the co-leader of Brownie Girl Scout Troop 310, a room parent at Countryside Elementary School, and a member of the board of directors for the Notre Dame Club of Lake County.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD?

I decided to run for the Barrington 220 Board of Education because I believe I have a vocation to serve my community. Among the many reasons that make Barrington a wonderful place to live is the incredible school district. I felt it was the right time to run last winter and was blessed to be elected to serve my neighbors.

WHAT DID YOU FEEL ARE THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE SCHOOL BOARD?

The biggest issue facing the school board today is the division in our community on a variety of matters ranging from the pandemic response to curriculum. My goal is to work with all stakeholders in the community and ensure equitable decisions are made that will reflect the needs of the entire community: students, parents, and taxpayers.

WHAT WILL YOU DO IN YOUR POSITION?

I look to serve in the exact same manner in which I conduct any work I do, with honor, integrity, and hard work. I commit to serving tirelessly and represent all Barrington residents. Furthermore, I want to make sure that I always do what is best for the community at large.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I am most looking forward to connecting with my neighbors, identifying their needs, and facilitating the actions needed to best serve our community. Barrington is a special place and it would be the highlight of a lifetime to know that my service yielded a positive outcome for a place that I am proud to call home and privileged to be a part.

WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT READERS MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Readers may be surprised to know that I was two classes short of graduating with a second degree in the Spanish language. While in college, I lived in Toledo, Spain for a semester and had the opportunity to learn Spanish to the point where I would consider myself conversational (well at least I was 15 years ago…). Otherwise, Mandarin was my first language, and of course, I speak English as well.