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Pictured left to right: 47th Ward candidates Matt Martin, Jeff Jenkins, Eileen Dordek, Michael Negron, Angie Maloney, Heather Way Kitzes and Thomas Schwartzers. Credit: ALEX HERNANDEZ / BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO

LAKEVIEW —  Most of the nine candidates running for 47th Ward alderman to replace outgoing Ald. Ameya Pawar will share their education plans at a forum next week. 

The forum focused on education will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 at the school, 4332 N. Paulina St. 

Karin Kane, one of the forum’s organizers and a member of Friends of Ravenswood School, said the event aims to help voters get to know candidates’ positions on education. 

RELATED: Crowd Of 47th Ward Candidates Who Aim To Replace Pawar Share Plans For Development, Education

“We’re going to have questions focused on education, specifically elementary education on our ward,” Kane said. 

The eight candidates confirmed to participate in the forum are:

• Eileen Dordek, a social-worker and women and LGBTQ activist.
• Jeff Jenkins, a co-founder of Midnight Circus in the Parks and a small business owner.
• Kimball Ladien, a physician
• Angie Maloney, a CPS music teacher and organizer.
• Matt Martin, a civil rights attorney at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
• Michael Negron, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s former policy chief.
• Thomas Schwartzers, a Chicago firefighter/paramedic and former police officer.
• Heather Way Kitzes, a former director of the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce and current manager of government and neighborhood relations for the Chicago Cubs.

Another candidate, restaurant owner Gus Katsafaros, had not been confirmed as attending.

Each candidate will be asked between five and 10 questions, Kane said. 

The forum is expected to be livestreamed. A transcript of the forum will also be posted by Friends of Ravenswood School.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page here.

Pawar (47th) was first elected to the City Council seat in 2011 and was reelected in 2015.

After a failed run for governor, he announced he would be sticking to his self-imposed two-term limit as an alderman. Last October he announced his candidacy for city treasurer.

The 47th Ward includes all or parts of North Center, Lincoln Square, Lakeview and Uptown.

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