Below are candidate-submitted answers to a biographical survey Riverside-Brookfield Landmark sent out to all candidates running in this year’s elections.
Age: 50
Previous political experience: None
Previous community experience:
PTC parent, Little League team mom, Cub Scouts, Current Lyons 103 school board member.
Occupation: Revenue Cycle Support Analyst
Education: Graduate of Morton East and two years at Morton College
Why are you running for a seat on District 103 school board?
To help bring the district back to the positive track that it was on prior to the last election, and to help ensure that all of the students of 103 get the best education and experience that they deserve.
Are you or a family member employed by the village of Lyons? No
What role should municipal politics and politicians play at the school board level? What influence does Lyons Village Hall have on decisions the school board makes?
While the district should have a good working relationship with all of the villages and towns within our district, no one village or town should have any say or influence on the running of the district. Especially for anyone’s specific gain. While there is nobody who will admit to any influence by a specific village, it is very obvious in the recent decisions that have been made by the current school board.
What do you think about standardized (PARCC) test scores and academic performance at schools in District 103? What action can the school board take to help improve student achievement?
Any standardized testing does not show the whole overall picture of our students in 103, and is only one portion of the testing and mapping that go on throughout the school year. We need to be sure that our students are making measurable growth. To ensure that happens, we need to continue to provide the additional resources to students that need them. Giving them every opportunity to receive any and all help that they may need. We also need to give our teachers the resources and guidance to further help our students.
How does District 103 integrate technology into the classroom? What can be done to expand the integration of technology at the classroom level?
While the district is making strides in getting more and more technology in the classrooms, the efforts need to be stepped up. Currently the middle school and some of the 4th and 5th grade classes are doing some really great things, but we need to expand that to our lower grades. More and more of learning is moving from actual books to online. We need to find a way for all of our students to benefit from that, but in a way that will not deplete the district of all of our funds. We need to look into grants and programs to help expand our technology base.
What is your evaluation of the new District 103 superintendent and administrative team?
In all of my years on the board, I have never felt as “out of the loop” as I have the past couple of years. I hear more things from outside sources than I do from the current administration. I don’t always feel that the decisions that are being made are for the correct reasons. We need administrators who are going to put our district first and not other outside demands.
What other issues are important to you as a school board candidate? How would you advocate for them as a board member?
I feel the board should be focused in putting students first. We need to focus on kids. That is who we are here for and I think that has been forgotten by some of the current board. Everything we do should be for them, the children. I will continue to ask “what about the kids” as long as I need to until they are who the board is focused on.
