When Dr. Mitchell Dornfeld moved to Deerfield in 2016, he was struck by the sense of community and caring for one another. He believed then, as he does now, that Deerfield is a wonderful place to raise a family. His daughter Amelia is now a second grader at South Park Elementary and his daughter Harper was born in 2020.

"I am so thankful for the Deerfield teachers, coaches, and school board members who go above and beyond their job descriptions,” he says. “I believe it is my turn now to give back and help to make a better future for my daughters and for the entire Deerfield community."

As a clinical psychologist, Mitch understands the importance of listening to all sides of an issue and working collaboratively to solve problems, as well as the critical role mental health plays in our children’s education and development.

"The mental health of our kids coming back from COVID e-learning continues to be a concern. I care deeply about social-emotional learning as well as academic excellence and believe my experience working with children and families could provide valuable insight into the needs of our students,” he says.

Caring and Advocating for Children and the Community

If elected, Mitch plans to bring a fresh perspective and thoughtful collaboration to the Board.

Mitch proposes the following:

• Facilitating communication and engagement with the community by encouraging feedback and increasing board accessibility.

• Supporting the social-emotional learning curriculum to ensure continued focus on these areas

• Maintaining efficient and appropriate use of tax dollars.

• Promoting empathetic, supportive, and transparent responses to community concerns.

• Ensuring metrics are established and decisions and evaluations are backed by data.

Education and Professional Background

Mitch holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a doctorate in psychology from Loyola University Maryland. For five years, he worked as a child psychologist and clinical supervisor at Morrison Child & Family Services in Portland, Oregon, a nonprofit organization providing mental health services for low-income youth and families. Currently, Mitch is a licensed clinical psychologist at Gersten Center for Behavioral Health, serving children, adolescents, adults, and families.

Mitch adds, "I am passionate about our schools, not only because my daughters will be students in District 109 for the next 11 years, but also because I believe we have one of the best districts around. I believe my background will ensure that there is always a perspective focused on our kids’ social-emotional development in the board's decision-making process."